Finance & Capital Management

The acquisition makes Unilever the world's leading company in hair conditioning, the second largest in shampoo and the third largest in styling.

This week, IBM announced plans to acquire Netezza, a leader in data warehouse, analytic and monitoring appliances, for $1.7 billion. Are these companies well matched? And how is the acquisition going to impact the competitive data warehousing landscape? Here, bloggers and industry experts share their thoughts in this big deal.

More and more companiesare facing talent management challenges. Here are a few tips on how to fill thevoid that baby boomers are leaving in the talent pool.

It was oneof the paint industry's greatest success stories: In 1984, The Glidden Company was the third largest producerin America's paint and coatings industry. And then suddenlyin 1986, the brand literally fell off the map. When AkzoNobel acquired theGlidden brand in 2008, one thing was clear: It had to undergo a holisticre-invention of the Glidden brand and restore it to its former glory.

Kraft Foods has hit its sweet spot, according to Chairman and CEO Irene Rosenfeld, who earlier this week outlined the companys new strategies for its product portfolio and financial performance.

Now is the time to transform the disconnected operational forecasting and financial budgeting exercise into a single, near real-time integrated, business planning process. The resultant operational and financial excellence is a requirement for growth in the 21st century.

The senior executive is charged to set brand strategy and coordinate and integrate marketing direction and execution across all regions and brands.

This acquisition will enhance GMCR's Canadian presence and is expected to strengthen its North American geographic expansion with a well-known Canadian brand platform.