As we wind down to the end of 2011, I thought that it would be a good time to take a look at some of the recent Oliver Wyman Publications that might be of some interest to our readers. While this blog tends to focus on issues that surround rail planning, many of the materials produced by our colleagues in adjacent Practices could also applicable to the rail industry.
A great example of this is a recent piece from our Aviation, Aerospace and Defense (AAD) group on ”Crews Control.” In a story, published in Airline Business, Oliver Wyman Partners argue that while C-Suite management would like to ignore the complexities of crew supply chain issues, at 10-20% of an airline’s cost structure, management would be well served to focus on this issue. The authors outline a plan for senior managers to aggressively focus on all facets of their crew management function, which can reduce crew costs by more than 20%.
Another publication, recently produced and distributed by our Corporate Finance and Restructuring Practice, suggests that the rules of the private equity game have changed and that investing decisions are increasingly dependent on operating performance gains rather than financial leverage. In “Value Due Diligence,” the authors outline their thinking that the “extension of scope, the combination of industry and functional expertise, and the focus on the key levers for post-acquisition value creation and risk management, pave the way for better decision making, immediate action and faster results.”
Our Energy Practice produces many fine publications each quarter, but I thought that their recent piece, provocatively entitled “Are You Ready For the Wrath of the Customer?” would be very appropriate as it deals with pricing and customer expectations in a capital intensive industry. The piece states that as customers become more agitated by the constant upward creep of rates, “utilities will need to work closely with regulators and policy makers to achieve constructive regulatory outcomes while building and leveraging their capabilities, offerings, tools, and resources to create new value for their customers.”
Lastly, I would like to once again highlight the Oliver Wyman Transportation and Logistics Journal, which was posted in November of this year. The Fall 2011 edition of our journal was very well received and I mention it here, just in case you missed it…
Have a great Holiday Season!
