ASOS has signed a three-year deal with Microsoft to boost efficiency and innovation through AI. The partnership includes tools like Microsoft Copilot, Power Automate, and Azure, enabling ASOS to automate processes and enhance customer experiences. This allows employees to focus on creativity while AI handles routine tasks, driving data-driven decisions.

Coats Digital's FastReactFabric has won 2 prestigious categories at the 2024 SaaS Awards: Most Agile/Responsive SaaS Solution of the Year and Best SaaS Product for CSR, Sustainability & ESG. Recognised for its transformative impact on the fashion industry, FastReactFabric enhances efficiency, transparency, and sustainability across the global supply chain.

Coats Digital has announced that Thailand's Pilot Knit Garment has adopted its FastReactPlan solution to transform manual planning processes, improve efficiencies, and reduce lead times. This integration enhances visibility, streamlines production, and supports future growth for the sportswear manufacturer, part of the Yong Udom Textile Group.

Ralph Lauren Corporation reported Q2 FY25 earnings per diluted share of $2.31, up 5 per cent YoY on a reported basis, and $2.54 adjusted, a 21 per cent increase. Net revenue rose 6 per cent to $1.7 billion, while gross profit reached $1.2 billion with a margin of 67.0 per cent. Regional revenues grew, driven by strong results in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Paul Price, former Burberry chief merchandising officer, returns to lead merchandising, planning, licensing, architecture, and showroom teams, starting December 9, 2024. Reporting to CEO Joshua Schulman, he joins Burberry’s executive committee. Price, praised for his past contributions, expressed excitement to drive Burberry’s next phase of growth.

Richemont reported resilient performance for H1, with sales reaching €10.1 billion (~$10.89 billion), a 1 per cent decline at actual exchange rates but stable at constant rates. Operating profit dropped 17 per cent to €2.2 billion, impacted by foreign exchange issues and reduced activity in Asia Pacific, particularly China. Direct-to-client sales comprised 76 per cent of total sales.

Canada Goose has reported a 5 per cent YoY revenue drop to CAD $267.8 million (~$192.43 million) in Q2 FY25. Direct-to-consumer revenue declined 5 per cent, and wholesale revenue decreased 15 per cent due to planned inventory adjustments. Gross margin fell to 61.3 per cent. Revised FY25 guidance forecasts a slight revenue change, with adjusted EBIT margin at -60 to +60 basis points.

Cotton yarn prices in south India remained steady, with limited trading in Mumbai due to post-festival worker shortages and better but cautious activity in Tiruppur. Buyers are focusing on immediate needs, anticipating peak cotton arrivals, which may lower prices. In Gujarat, cotton prices rose due to increased demand from ginners and mills despite limited seed cotton arrivals.

US textile and apparel imports fell by 0.80 per cent to $80.449 billion from January to September 2024, compared to $81.094 billion in 2023. Apparel imports dropped by 2.57 per cent, while non-apparel imports rose by 4.55 per cent. China remained the top supplier, despite a 2.28 per cent decrease. Growth was seen in imports from Cambodia, Pakistan, India, and Vietnam.

Curious about LLM agents? Here’s a list of free courses, guides, and blogs that make it easy to start learning and stay updated.

Embrace your inner lazy learner and focus on being efficient with your time and energy.

Continue reading to learn about some beginner-friendly courses to kickstart your coding career.

The I-Drive area is known for its world famous attractions, non-stop entertainment, great dining and shopping and it is home to the second largest convention center in the U.S. And Orlandos tourist corridor also provides a golf mecca known for its championship courses designed by legends to provide play year-round in this vacation destination.

Family fun is what it is all about in the International Drive Resort Area! And there is always something new for families to explore.

As one of the top five most popular shopping destinations in the U.S., Orlando is a shoppers paradise. And the I-Drive area is well-known for its designer outlets and great bargains.

Orlando is one of the worlds most popular wedding and honeymoon destinations. Situated in the center of all of the magic, it is no wonder that the International Drive Resort Area provides destination wedding locations that range from tropical to romantic to themed for an unforgettable day for the couple as well as the guests.

Dining is just one more adventure for visitors to the International Drive Resort Area! With a surprisingly diverse array of epicurean delights, culinary choices include American, Brazilian, Caribbean, Chinese, Greek, Ethiopian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Mediterranean, Mexican, Italian and Thai.

If you cant leave home without your four-legged family member, there are lots of choices in the International Drive Resort Area that will cater to your pet while you visit!

Reconnect. Celebrate cherished family memories. Enjoy being together. Make some new memories. Have fun. Laugh until you cry. This is what family reunions are all about.

Connected Smart Buildings Form Communities of Clean Power cbeaty Fri, 11/18/2022 - 15:18

Increased Use of Robots for Warehouse Automation and More cbeaty Tue, 11/29/2022 - 09:06

Frances Frei, professor at Harvard Business School, says that trust, empathy - and even a bit of tough love - are all essential ingredients to strong leadership in today's world. Successful managers focus on the effect they have on others, not themselves. They also define a strategy and create a culture that drives employee behavior in their absence. Frei is the coauthor, along with Anne Morriss, of the book "Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader’s Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You" as well as the HBR article “Begin with Trust.”

Megan Rapinoe, U.S. women's soccer star and World Cup champion, knows how to perform under pressure, motivate her teammates, and advocate for the causes she believes in. In addition to her stellar play as a professional athlete, she's been outspoken about racial justice, LGBTQ rights, and gender pay equity. She offers lessons on overcoming losses, growing into a leadership role, becoming an ally, and operating as your authentic self.

Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini, cofounders of the consultancy Management Lab, say that even though we all lament how rigid, parochial, and time sucking bureaucracies can be, they still seem inescapable. The managers who’ve excelled in them often don’t know how to dismantle them — or else they don’t want to. But Zanini and Hamel have studied and collaborated with innovative organizations, and they outline bottom-up ways to empower workers and hack management. Hamel and Zanini wrote the new book “Humanocracy: Creating Organizations as Amazing as the People Inside them.”

Willy Shih, professor at Harvard Business School, says that the complex, global, and just-in-time manufacturing processes we've developed in recent decades are highly susceptible to breakdowns, especially during a global pandemic. He explains why the shortages we’ve seen in 2020 - in goods from toilet paper to appliances - are indicative of a bigger problem and talks through ways can businesses protect themselves and consumers in the future. Shih is the author of the HBR article "Global Supply Chains in a Post-Pandemic World."

John Macomber, senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and a veteran of the real estate industry, was studying ways to make workplaces safer for employees long before the Covid-19 crisis hit. Now that issues like air and water quality are top of mind, he is encouraging organizations to think more holistically about the buildings in which they operate, balancing cost efficiency and even eco-friendliness with investments in improvements that boost health. Studies show this will not only stop workers from getting sick; it will also enhance productivity, which ultimately helps the bottom line. Macomber is the author of the book “Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity”.

Suzanne Peterson, associate professor at Thunderbird School of Global Management, says many talented professionals get held back from leadership roles because of relatively intangible reasons. She argues aspiring managers can intentionally alter their everyday interactions in small ways to have a large influence on their professional reputation. She explains how to adopt markers of different leadership styles to be seen as both influential and likable. Peterson is a coauthor of the HBR article “How to Develop Your Leadership Style: Concrete Advice for a Squishy Challenge.”

Women at Work is a podcast from Harvard Business Review that looks at the struggles and successes of women in the workplace, hosted by HBR's Amy Bernstein, Amy Gallo, and Emily Caulfield. In this episode, you'll hear about the tension that comes from feeling like you are a shy person, but also an ambitious one who want to lead a team. Former clinical psychologist Alice Boyes gives advice on the professional advantages of certain personality traits related to shyness — like sensitivity and thoughtfulness — and discusses strategies to overcome the aspects of them that may hold you back at work.

Jeff John Roberts, an author and journalist, dug deep into the world of cryptocurrency to figure out what the rest of us really need to know about it. He acknowledges that the proliferation and volatility of digital currencies can make them seem like a fad but argues that the oldest among them -- bitcoin -- and the blockchain technology behind it are here to stay because they offer a more efficient way for companies and consumers to transact. He describes in plain English how crypto works and explains why now is the time for forward-thinking business leaders to understand -- and adapt to -- this new kind of currency. Roberts is the author of the book "Kings of Crypto: One Startup's Quest to Take Cryptocurrency Out of Silicon Valley and Onto Wall Street."

Barry Nalebuff, professor at Yale School of Management and cofounder of Honest Tea, says too many companies shy away from cooperating with a competitor, and they’re leaving value on the table. He says even when working with other companies to find mutual benefits is not a clear win, cooperating may still be better than not cooperating. He shares how Honest Tea, Apple, Ford, and other firms analyze and capitalize on opportunities without giving up their secret sauce. Nalebuff is the author, with NYU Stern professor Adam Brandenburger, of the HBR article "The Rules of Co-opetition."

Colin Fisher, associate professor at University College London's School of Management, conducted in-depth studies at several companies to determine how managers can effectively help employees who need assistance without demoralizing them. He found that the most effective helpers were the ones who clearly communicated their intentions, timed their interventions at points when people were most receptive, and figured out a rhythm of involvement that best suited their needs. He shares examples from different firms to illustrate what works and what doesn't, in person and online. Fisher is the coauthor of the HBR article "How to Help (Without Micromanaging)."

Martin Lindstrom, founder and chairman of Lindstrom Company, says that many companies are still held back by doing things the way they've always done them, or failing to break down bureaucracy. For Lindstrom, it's not just about getting away from bureaucratic norms for the sake of innovation, but because so many things workers do each and every day don't actually make much sense. He suggests workers, leaders, and organizations consider ways in which processes can be improved - and the ways these new processes can improve life for everyone. And he argues that companies should actually devote a team or department to making sure common sense is used throughout the organization. Lindstrom is the author of the book "The Ministry of Common Sense: How to Eliminate Bureaucratic Red Tape, Bad Excuses, and Corporate BS."

Muriel Wilkins, cofounder of the executive coaching firm Paravis Partners, says that starting a leadership role at a new company or via internal promotion is demanding. Doing so remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic is even more challenging. She says that new senior leaders must focus on two things: connectivity and credibility. And she explains how to build those attributes when much of the job is performed virtually. Wilkins is the host of the new HBR Presents podcast “Coaching Real Leaders.”