The challenge in understanding the modern consumer is making sense of the multiple sources of evidence.

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This process has already begun, catalyzed by a sense of urgency in the face of multiple global crises and social technologies that link hearts, minds and hands in real time on an unprecedented scale.

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ITT, Westinghouse and other conglomerates failed to make sense of their disparate mishmash of businesses, but GE has made it all work, in the sense that it carries a very rich multiple on Wall Street (44 times trailing earnings).

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Separately, given the multiple contraction in Chinese equity markets, we believe a slightly more conservative approach to valuation for Alibaba makes sense.

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The complexities associated with the management of organizations whose activities take place in multiple and different countries, separated by geographic distance and time, increase the difficulties of observing and making sense of non-financial consequences of finance-related decisions, as well as of the impact of financial decisions on strategic moves.

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While it will still make sense to have multiple layers of defense against hostile missiles in which Aegis is only part of the solution, at present it is the part of the solution that looks most cost-effective.

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