The Alignment Premium

It is time for a new narrative on schools in Australia. The Alignment Premium proposes its major features. Analysis of approaches in 13 countries, including most of the world's top-performers, provides 15 benchmarks against which Australia's performance is assessed. Findings include:

A road map for the future of the world market "Bryan has emerged as an influential voice on regulatory issues. "--The New York Times The world is on the verge of the most sweeping economic changes since the Industrial Revolution. National economies are transforming from government-controlled market systems into an open international marketplace under no one's control. The consequences will be both exhilarating and terrifying. Market Unbound is the first compelling blueprint for adapting to this new global market. According to McKinsey and Company authors Lowell Bryan and Diana Farrell, this revolution will have a profound effect on all sectors of business and finance. The global economic scene has already undergone profound and irreversible changes, but most of the transformation still lies ahead of us. Those who learn to operate under the new system will have the opportunity for tremendous profit. Those who don't face the specter of catastrophic loss. Market Unbound outlines how the global market came into being and why it is so powerful, and why it is so rapidly accelerating the globalization of the world's entire economy. The authors explore the implications of this evolving market force and examine the consequences and the opportunities for governments, investors, corporations, and financial organizations. Market Unbound is a must read for anyone who hopes to thrive or even survive into the 21st century. * Based on extensive research conducted at McKinsey &Co--the world's premiere consulting firm * Case studies and relevant examples illustrate the patterns of market change currently taking place * Reveals how a government's ability to exercise control over its own financial system is being undermined by the global capital market LOWELL BRYAN and DIANA FARRELL (New York, New York) are consultants at McKinsey & Co. He is the author of three previous business books and a leading authority on financial regulatory issues and global capital markets. She led the research efforts underpinning the book's conclusions.

It is time for a new narrative on schools in Australia. The Alignment Premium proposes its major features. Analysis of approaches in 13 countries, including most of the world's top-performers, provides 15 benchmarks against which Australia's performance is assessed. Findings include: - Alignment among different levels of government may be commendable in some respects but there is much that is coercive, contrived, dysfunctional or illusory; - While achieving a top-ten ranking will depend on what occurs in schools, attention should shift to how systems are adapting to support all schools to become as good as Australia's best; - Lack of trust and inertia are serious constraints on efforts to transform Australia's schools. Programs for professional learning of teachers and school leaders are impressive when assessed against international benchmarks. These should be the top priority. Building on findings in The Autonomy Premium, the focus should be on professional autonomy. The challenge is to design a system in which all those who work in or for schools are fully professional. This challenge extends to early childhood and innovative approaches to polytechnic education. The Alignment Premium is essential reading for policymakers, school leaders and researchers who wish to write the new narrative.

Strategy, culture and customers are the key elements of any business. But to truly succeed, they need to be effectively built, refined and aligned. Studies show that organizations which are highly aligned are 72% more profitable than their competition. The Alignment Advantage shows how you can achieve this through a practical and proven framework which can be adapted to all businesses, whether it's a small start-up, multinational organization or somewhere in between. Arguing that Simon Sinek's "start with why" approach is compelling yet flawed and Peter Drucker's claim that "culture eats strategy for breakfast" is a myth, Richard Nugent creates a clear, accessible blueprint for a more successful, collaborative and efficient organization. Illustrated with fascinating case studies from the likes of LEGOLAND, Wagamama and The Empire State Building, The Alignment Advantage cuts through organizational silos and inter-departmental tensions to provide an aligned and strategic approach that will allow you to build your success, refine your processes and align your efforts to target your customers and clients.

The computational education of biologists is changing to prepare students for facing the complex datasets of today's life science research. In this concise textbook, the authors' fresh pedagogical approaches lead biology students from first principles towards computational thinking. A team of renowned bioinformaticians take innovative routes to introduce computational ideas in the context of real biological problems. Intuitive explanations promote deep understanding, using little mathematical formalism. Self-contained chapters show how computational procedures are developed and applied to central topics in bioinformatics and genomics, such as the genetic basis of disease, genome evolution or the tree of life concept. Using bioinformatic resources requires a basic understanding of what bioinformatics is and what it can do. Rather than just presenting tools, the authors - each a leading scientist - engage the students' problem-solving skills, preparing them to meet the computational challenges of their life science careers.

The importance of creating a favourable impression is hard to overstate in all walks of life - in business it's vital to achieve strategic goals. Customers, journalists, bloggers, investors, governments and other groups are all important stakeholders in an organizations performance and in persuasively communicating a company's ethical and socially responsible behaviour, these groups can be kept onside. Supported throughout by lively examples, this book contains guidance for implementing strategies that engage stakeholders - highlighting those organizations which employ communication professionals as key performers. Van Riel reveals how a dominant logic develops among executives, which influences styles and techniques of trust-building communication. The practical insights demonstrated via cases including Google, Unilever and Barclays make this book useful reading for MBA and other graduate classes across areas such as public relations and reputation management as well as thinking managers across the globe.

Rise and make intentional choices as you lean into a journey of transformation. Whether you realize it or not, in this moment you are called into something bigger than yourself that requires the creation of intentional purpose and alignment. In doing so, you inevitably have to navigate the necessary messy middle of change, which is the gap between your current state and your desired purpose. The messy middle is the space where the painful, often unspoken work takes place. That work you whisper about to your most trusted confidants. The sacred work you often do not prioritize that ultimately moves you from success to significance. But you have to choose it and step into your game-changer posture to position your leadership and leaderful organization to drive innovation and change for the future. Learn from Tracey's Journey "What If" Questions Transformation Defining Moments Clarity Audacious Boldness Through imbalance and dis-ease, and grappling with challenging moments in her personal and professional life, Tracey Greene-Washington survived the messy middle of transformation and emerged as a true game changer who continues to evolve in the work to address complex social change. She takes you through a series of critical "what if" questions to guide you into your game-changer posture, allowing you to rise and make intentional choices as you lean into a journey of transformation, defining moments, clarity, and audacious boldness.