The European Business Review - Jan/Feb 2025

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Welcome to my ‘Reading Insights‘ series. Here, is where I share simple takeaways and personal thoughts from articles, papers, and other readings that called my attention.

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And what are we reading today?

Today we will talk about the: The European Business Review January/February 2025 edition.

In this January-February 2025 edition of The European Business Review, thought leaders, researchers, and industry experts explore the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

From the reinvention of executive education to the decarbonization of industries, from the AI revolution to the transformation of business models, this issue of The European Business Review provides deep insights into how companies can not only survive but thrive in the face of disruption.

What does it take to succeed in today’s rapidly changing world?

How can businesses harness the power of technology, sustainability, and innovation to stay ahead?

This edition of The European Business Review brings together strategies, lessons, and groundbreaking ideas that will help leaders navigate the future with confidence.

Decarbonizing the Construction Industry: A Case Study of the Eiffage Platform and Circularity Strategies

By Hervé Legenvre & Bertrand Touzet

👉 The Big Idea: The construction industry is one of the biggest polluters, but companies like Eiffage are proving that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand through digitalization and circular economy strategies.

📌 The Summary: The construction industry contributes 21% of global emissions, with materials like cement and steel being major culprits. Eiffage is tackling this problem by implementing BlueOn, a digital marketplace that allows builders to source low-carbon materials transparently. The company also prioritizes circular economy strategies—such as modular buildings and material reuse—to cut emissions while maintaining efficiency.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✔ Digital marketplaces like BlueOn help industries shift toward sustainable materials.
✔ Circular economy strategies can significantly cut emissions in construction.
✔ Collaboration across the supply chain is crucial for meaningful environmental impact.

Shifting Gears: How European Automakers Can Survive the EV Disruption

By Juergen Reers, Marcello Tamietti, Philipp Kupferschmidt, Sheryl Yaping Yu & Stefan Hattula

👉 The Big Idea: European automakers are losing ground to Chinese and U.S. EV manufacturers. To survive, they must improve their software capabilities, optimize supply chains, and leverage their strong brand heritage.

📌 The Summary: While European automakers still hold 60% of their home market, they are struggling globally. Chinese EV makers, armed with cost-efficient models, are expanding fast. Meanwhile, Tesla continues to lead in software-driven innovation. Companies like BMW and Volkswagen are responding by refining their manufacturing processes and developing in-house EV technology, but they need to accelerate their digital transformation.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✔ Traditional car brands must embrace software innovation to stay competitive.
✔ EV cost reductions are essential for long-term success.
✔ European automakers need to act fast before losing more global market share.

Inside Tesla: A Rare Glimpse of Tesla’s Mysterious Innovation Culture

By Mostafa Sayyadi & Michael Provitera

👉 The Big Idea: Tesla’s culture of radical innovation thrives on speed, risk-taking, and removing bureaucracy. Traditional companies struggle to replicate it.

📌 The Summary: Tesla operates like a startup, even as a global giant. It minimizes red tape, encourages employees to take risks, and allows rapid iteration. Unlike most corporations, Tesla doesn’t punish failure—it treats it as part of the learning process. This fast-moving culture, combined with direct CEO involvement, is what keeps Tesla ahead of its competitors in both EVs and software innovation.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✔ Innovation thrives in fast-moving, low-bureaucracy environments.
✔ Employees perform better when they have the freedom to take risks.
✔ Leadership involvement is critical to sustaining a culture of innovation.

AI Can Increase Companies’ Profit Significantly

By Ralph Geertsema, OP Lumijärvi & John Wass

👉 The Big Idea: AI is no longer optional—companies that integrate AI into decision-making, automation, and customer experiences see major financial gains.

📌 The Summary: From predictive analytics to automated operations, AI is transforming industries. Companies that embed AI into core processes—like Amazon’s recommendation engine or Tesla’s autonomous driving—gain a massive edge. But businesses that treat AI as a side project risk falling behind. The biggest challenge? Ensuring AI is explainable, unbiased, and aligned with human expertise.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✔ AI delivers huge profit gains when integrated into core business operations.
✔ The future belongs to companies that blend human expertise with AI-driven insights.
✔ Explainability and transparency are key to AI adoption and trust.

Web3 and AI: Hype Train or the Real Deal?

By Andrea Maria Cosentino & Terence Tse

👉 The Big Idea: Web3 and AI are two of the most hyped technologies today—but according to The European Business Review, while AI is already transforming industries, Web3 still has major roadblocks to overcome.

📌 The Summary: Blockchain-powered Web3 technologies, such as decentralized finance (DeFi) and tokenized assets, promise to disrupt traditional industries. However, scalability and regulation remain significant hurdles. AI, on the other hand, is already widely adopted and driving tangible business outcomes. The real question: How will AI and Web3 intersect, and which industries will benefit most?

💡 Key Takeaways:
✔ AI is a proven technology delivering real business value today.
✔ Web3 has potential, but regulatory and scalability issues slow adoption.
✔ The integration of AI and blockchain could redefine data security and ownership.

Intuition or Data? Are You Ready to Let AI Choose Your New House or Business?

By Christina Sieber & Nikodem Tomczak

👉 The Big Idea: AI-powered decision-making is changing how we buy homes, hire employees, and invest in businesses. But can we really trust algorithms over human intuition?

📌 The Summary: AI tools are getting better at analyzing risks and predicting outcomes, making them increasingly influential in high-stakes decisions. Real estate platforms, financial advisors, and HR software now rely on AI to recommend the best options. However, while AI improves accuracy, its success depends on data quality and human oversight. The key is striking the right balance—using AI for efficiency but keeping human judgment in the loop.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✔ AI decision-making is already shaping real estate, finance, and hiring.
✔ Data quality is crucial—bad data leads to bad recommendations.
✔ AI should enhance, not replace, human intuition in critical decisions.

The Silent Colonization of Consciousness: AI as the New ‘Other’

By Emmanuel Kessous

👉 The Big Idea: AI is not just automating tasks—it’s shaping human behavior, decision-making, and even culture in ways we don’t fully understand.

📌 The Summary: AI algorithms now influence everything from what we watch on Netflix to the news we consume. This “silent colonization” is happening so subtly that people don’t even notice it. The danger? AI-driven systems can reinforce biases, manipulate emotions, and reshape societal norms. The article argues that businesses and policymakers need stronger ethical frameworks to prevent AI from becoming a tool of manipulation.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✔ AI is subtly shaping human decisions and behaviors.
✔ Ethical AI frameworks are needed to prevent misuse and bias.
✔ Businesses must ensure transparency and fairness in AI-driven interactions.

“Your Call is Important to Us”: The Business Psychology of Queuing

By Adrian Furnham

👉 The Big Idea: Customers hate waiting, but what frustrates them most isn’t the length of the queue—it’s the perception of fairness and efficiency.

📌 The Summary: Businesses often focus on reducing wait times, but research shows that perception matters more than actual time spent in line. Strategies like estimated wait-time displays, entertainment during waits, and fair queuing systems can make people feel more satisfied, even if the wait isn’t shorter. AI-driven queue management is also helping companies optimize staffing and improve customer experience.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✔ Customers care more about fairness and efficiency than absolute wait times.
✔ Entertainment and notifications improve wait-time perception.
✔ AI-driven queue management can optimize service efficiency.

The Future of Work and the Megachallenges for HR in 2025 and Beyond

By Stephen Wyatt

👉 The Big Idea: According to The European Business Review, HR leaders must prepare for a workplace dominated by automation, hybrid work, and shifting employee expectations.

📌 The Summary: The future of work is evolving faster than companies can keep up. By 2025, HR departments will face four major megachallenges: (1) integrating AI and automation into the workforce, (2) redefining leadership for remote and hybrid teams, (3) building cultures that prioritize employee well-being, and (4) reskilling employees for future roles. Companies that fail to address these issues will struggle to attract and retain talent.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✔ AI and automation will redefine job roles—continuous learning is essential.
✔ Leadership in hybrid work environments requires new strategies.
✔ Companies must prioritize well-being and career development to retain top talent.

Goodbye Industries, Hello Domains: Top-Performing Companies Focus on Customer Outcomes

By Alex Osterwalder & Marc Gruber

👉 The Big Idea: The world’s best-performing companies don’t just compete in industries anymore—according to The European Business Review they focus on solving customer problems across multiple domains.

📌 The Summary: Traditional industry boundaries are becoming irrelevant. Companies like Apple, Amazon, and Tesla are succeeding because they focus on customer needs, not just their original business sector. For example, Tesla is not just an automaker—it’s a battery company, software provider, and energy innovator. Businesses that adopt this mindset will have an edge over competitors stuck in traditional industry silos.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✔ Industry boundaries are disappearing—customer value is the new focus.
✔ Companies must think beyond their original sector to stay competitive.
✔ Digital transformation enables businesses to expand into multiple domains.

Four Areas Where Boards Fall Short

By Didier Cossin and Yukie Saito

👉 The Big Idea: Boards often fail in four critical areas: risk management, strategic oversight, executive and non-executive relationships, and integrity. Shifting from reactive oversight to proactive leadership is essential for effective governance.

📌 The Summary: In today’s volatile business environment, boards must evolve to address complex challenges. However, many boards struggle due to.

Risk Management: Failing to identify and manage evolving risks, such as cybersecurity threats, can lead to significant vulnerabilities.
Strategic Oversight: Boards often lack a forward-looking approach, hindering their ability to shape and adapt strategies effectively.
Executive and Non-Executive Relationships: Poor dynamics between board members and executives can result in ineffective leadership and decision-making.
Integrity: A lack of ethical standards and accountability can erode trust and damage the organization’s reputation.

The collapse of Credit Suisse in 2023 exemplifies how failures in these areas can lead to financial instability and loss of stakeholder trust.

💡 Key Takeaways:

✔ Boards must adopt proactive leadership in risk management and strategic development.
✔ Fostering strong relationships between executives and non-executives is crucial for effective governance.
✔ Upholding integrity and ethical standards is essential to maintain stakeholder trust.

The key takeaway from this issue of The European Business Review is clear: businesses that embrace change, leverage technology, and rethink traditional approaches will emerge as the leaders of tomorrow.

The European Business Review says that whether it’s through AI-driven decision-making, digital business ecosystems, or redefined customer experiences, companies must evolve beyond outdated models to remain competitive.

According to The European Business Review edition, sustainability is no longer optional—it’s a business imperative. The automotive, construction, and financial sectors are undergoing seismic shifts, and those who fail to innovate will be left behind according to The European Business Review.

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