Business plans

Four principles to ensure that business and capital planning is focused on the knowledge and strategies needed to recover and thrive in a future characterized by uncertainty.
In one sense, nothing has changed: The basic disciplines that underpin business and capital planning remain unchanged. Smart businesses still need to affirm their strategic intent, develop robust forecasts, communicate clearly with key stakeholders, back up their commitments with decisive actions and remember that, whatever happens, cash is king. In another sense, though, everything is different. The COVID-19 pandemic has radically shifted the context in which business leaders must view the fundamentals and execute on them.

British sandwich and coffee chain Pret A Manger said on Friday it would launch a subscription service for drinks, trying out a new business model to help it survive the coronavirus crisis, which has hammered its sales.

Lear Corp., a global supplier of vehicle components, is opening up its playbook on reopening plans to encourage others to follow its guide.