Featured Articles and speeches   A selection of recently published articles and speeches performed by McKinsey CF consultants. DIVESTITURE: STRATEGY'S MISSING LINK LEE DRANIKOFF, TIM KOLLER AND ANTOON SCHNEIDER Although most companies dedicate considerable time and attention to acquiring and creating businesses, few devote much effort to divestitures. But regularly divesting businesses--even good, healthy ones--ensures that remaining units reach their potential and that the overall company grows stronger. Drawing on extensive research into corporate performance over the last decade, McKinsey consultants Lee Dranikoff, Tim Koller, and Antoon Schneider show that an active divestiture strategy is essential to a corporation's long-term health and profitability. Harvard Business Review, May 2002 WINNING WITH ALLIANCES TAMMY HALEVY As alliances continue to proliferate—especially in high-technology and internet-related areas—companies are faced with a number of new challenges. The uncertain stock market conditions, the need to move at e-speed, and the variability of the internet landscape have made the task of successfully negotiating, structuring, and implementing e-alliances increasingly difficult. Speech on Practicing Law Institute’s conference on strategic alliances, October 2000 A SIGNPOST FOR ASIAN BANKS: MERGE AHEAD JEAN-MARC POULLET AND TIM SHAVERS A year ago, most observers were predicting Asia's financial crisis would produce a wave of bank mergers in 1998. Instead, the expected M&A storm turned out to be more of a light drizzle. In the nine key markets of "emerging East Asia" – China, Hong The Asian Wall Street Journal(pan-Asia) February 9, 1999