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Resource Center Search Results
Wall Street vs. America
During the credit boom, Wall Street firms promoted investment deals to local governments of all sizes. Most of these deals had provisions tha ... More
A Big Loophole in Cap and Trade
A cap-and-trade system is an important part of proposed climate legislation. Under this plan, companies could produce more emissions if they ... More
10 Ways to Cut Health-Care Costs Right Now
Approximately one-third of health-care spending in the US is wasted on unnecessary treatments, fraud, and errors. All told, this amounts to ... More
Why This Bust is Different
The extent of the commercial real-estate bust may not yet be known, but the losses are staggering. While busts are not unusual in this industry, th ... More
Is it CalPERS’ Turn to Clean House?
For years the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) has used its position as one of the country’s largest pension funds to prod ... More
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Pork!
The Obama administration is working with the Pentagon to rationalize procurement decisions. Congress, however, holds the purse strings, so wh ... More
Hasta La Vista, Power-Hungry TVs
Popular large-screen televisions are often energy hogs. Nevertheless, the cost to power one large-screen TV is relatively modest and affordab ... More
Tough Love, Lower Health Costs
GE and UnitedHealthcare are testing a health plan that offers participants financial incentives to carefully follow treatment regimens and tightly man ... More
China’s New Piracy Cops: Web Sites
Western multinational companies have struggled to deal with China’s disregard for intellectual property rights. Now, Chinese video-sharing Web s ... More
Inside the Business War Against Tax Reform
Major corporations have aggressively lobbied against proposed tax law changes that would accelerate and potentially increase the ta ... More
The Spectre Haunting GE
Dyes injected into patients to enhance images produced by MRIs (i.e., contrast agents, etc) have been found to be associated with NSF, a some ... More
Who Speaks for Business?
When the U.S. Chamber of Commerce began aggressively opposing proposed climate change legislation, some public utilities withdrew from the Ch ... More
America’s High-Tech Sweatshops
In an effort to cut costs, many U.S. corporations have outsourced technology and other “backroom” functions. The outsourcers themselves turn to s ... More
Finally, a Big Green Apple?
Despite Apple‘s progressive image, the company has disclosed less environmental data than its competitors and has consistently scored poorly in green ... More
Carbon Curbs: It's Business vs. Business
As the global pressure to address climate change mounts, the U.S. Congress is considering legislation that would cap carbon emissions. Rather tha ... More
The Great Trust Offensive
While the financial crisis and recession may have contributed to the erosion of consumer trust, other factors may be making consumers more discerning. ... More
Glock's Profit Machine
Using shrewd business maneuvers, the Austrian gun manufacturer, Glock, has built a strong brand that dominates the U.S. law-enforcement market. N ... More
Oracle has Customers Over a Barrel
Oracle has been growing through acquisition, and now it is extending its reach into the hardware business by trying to acquire Sun Microsystems. ... More
Private Equity Waits Out the Feds
Taking over a failed bank can be extremely profitable since the FDIC absorbs most of the losses, thus leaving the potential profits for the acquire ... More
Hounding the Hackers
The traditional approach to cybersecurity has been building firewalls, an approach that might be characterized as "each man for himself." Now, S ... More
Is Merck Overselling a Cancer Vaccine?
Although Merck successfully introduced Gardasil, its vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, a number of controversies are emerging regardi ... More
Is Merck Overselling a Cancer Vaccine?
Although Merck successfully introduced Gardasil, its vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, a number of controversies are emerging regardi ... More
A Kinder Credit Card
PartnersFirst is an upstart credit-card company that approaches credit in an old-fashioned way. Rather than relying on computer models and ... More
The Hidden Edge at Fiat
In the past, U.S. car companies have not put fuel efficiency and green innovation at the core of their business strategies. But times are chan ... More
Why Yum Wants Calories on the Menu
To help consumers make informed choices about food, states and localities are requiring that restaurant chains post the calorie content of their foods ... More
Can Nike Help Save the Amazon?
A new Greenpeace study identifies Brazilian cattle ranchers as the world's largest single driver of deforestation. The ranching practices rep ... More
A Push for Generic Biotech Drugs
While nonbiotech drugs are protected from generic competition for five years, as yet there is not a clear rule about how long biotech drugs s ... More
Will Pfizer’s Giveaway Drugs Polish Its Public Image?
In response to the recession, Pfizer is introducing a new program that provides free drugs to people who have lost their jobs. Adding to existin ... More
Cracking Down on Carlos Slim
Mexico’s antitrust regulators are focusing their attention on Telmex, the former national phone monopoly acquired by Carlos Slim. Slim’s compani ... More
A Future Shock for Electric Cars?
Economic, technical, and political forces are helping to accelerate development of electric cars. But some experts are raising concerns that the ... More
IKEA in Russia: Enough Is Enough
IKEA is one of Russia's largest foreign investors. Nevertheless, IKEA continues to experience bureaucratic headaches as it tries to ope ... More
A Magic Moment for Ford of Europe
Europe’s “cash-for-clunkers” program compensates citizens who trade in older gas-guzzling cars and purchase new fuel-efficient ones. T ... More
Silicon Valley: Now Playing Ambassador
The State Department is organizing delegations of U.S. tech companies to countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. The U.S. tech companies get t ... More
Nike Goes Green. Very Quietly
Nike is successfully making more eco-friendly products, and financially profiting from it. While the green initiatives are reducing costs and en ... More
We're Sorry. Buy Our Cars
General Motors is facing many challenges as it works its way through the bankruptcy process. But rebuilding its reputation is a priority. In ... More
A Dogfight over Greener Air Travel
While international carriers are supporting emission caps imposed by new EU cap-and-trade regulations, U.S. carriers are opposing the new sys ... More
How Banks Will Pounce on Carbon Trading
The president's proposal of a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions is attracting a lot of attention from banks. From directly investing ... More
HP Declares War on Counterfeiters
Counterfeit ink is not a new problem, but until recently, large profit margins and rapid market growth meant Hewlett-Packard could afford to ... More
Managing the Tweets
Corporations are recognizing the opportunities created by employee participation in social networks, and some are actively encouraging it. GE ha ... More
Wal-Mart's Green Stick
Wal-Mart is requiring its Chinese suppliers to meet or exceed all local environmental regulations. It is also providing advice and assistance to ... More
Why Should Landlords Save the Earth?
Property owners in New York City are resisting the city’s proposal for a new law that would require owners to perform energy audits of large buildin ... More
The Perils of Global Banking
The financial crisis and Lehman Brothers bankruptcy have brought to light many concerns about the global financial system. While the BusinessWee ... More
Why Google Wants to Make Nice
Google is coming under increasing scrutiny as its market share and breadth of operations expands. Regulators, competitors and advocacy gro ... More
Into Africa: Capitalism From the Ground up
Peet’s Coffee is one of a number of coffee roasters that are working with nonprofits to help develop coffee suppliers in sub-Saharan African. Th ... More
Philip Morris Unbound
Philip Morris International (PMI) was spun off from Altria in order to allow the tobacco business segments to operate globally without the constraints ... More
New Fuel Rules May Breed More Guzzlers
CAFE fuel-economy standards have been finalized for 2011-2015. Although these standards are meant to encourage production of more fuel-efficient ... More
Jack Bogle’s Last Crusade?
The legendary Jack Bogle, facing potentially severe medical problems, is making revision of the personal retirement-savings system a mission. Al ... More
Green Grow the Ballparks
Major League Baseball teams are implementing eco-friendly practices in their ballparks. Corporations are rewarding and encouraging these changes ... More
The Static Over Smart Grids
Billions of dollars from the federal stimulus package may be used to subsidize introduction of new technologies at public utilities. In particul ... More
Toxic Taxes
In response to the economic downturn, a variety of tax credits are being expanded and/or introduced - and tax preparers will benefit from more busines ... More
Mad as Hell—but Getting Nowhere
The reputations of many companies and their executives have been bruised in the course of the financial crisis and economic downturn. In the wak ... More
Scooping up the College Stimulus
The U.S. stimulus package provides billions of dollars for new higher-education funding. Much of this funding takes the form of student financia ... More
The Globe is IBM’s Classroom
IBM has focused on developing expertise in providing technology to increase the effectiveness of electricity distribution, water conservation, food-qu ... More
A Narrowing Window for Foreign Workers?
Turbulent economic times and rising unemployment rates are increasing the controversy surrounding the H-1B visa program designed to allow companies to ... More
Greener, Yes, but Not at Any Price
The somewhat obscure Office of Information & Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) plays a critical role in shaping proposed rules for the environment, health ... More
The Next Net
The prevalence of smart cell phones and emerging technology now make it possible for individuals’ movements to be tracked, thus creating myriad busine ... More
Stanford: Where was the SEC?
The SEC has been criticized for failing to act promptly when concerns arose over Bernie Madoff’s investment operations. These criticisms may hav ... More
Coke and Pepsi try Reinventing Water
Sales of bottled water are deteriorating in the face of the economic downturn and an environmental backlash against plastic bottles, according to the ... More
Ford Sees the Future, and It’s Retro Tech
Many car manufacturers are investing in the development of a new generation of cars using electric and other new “green” technologies.& ... More
The Financial Crisis Excuse
Business contracts often contain clauses specifying conditions under which a company could choose to cancel the contract. Typically, these force ... More
To Catch a Corporate Thief
There are many ways for employees to defraud their employers. The BusinessWeek article "To Catch a Corporate Thief" (February 16, 2009) describe ... More
Housing: Guess Who’s Playing Watchdog
Evidence suggests that during the housing boom, lenders and brokers pressured appraisers to generate high home valuations. These high valuations ... More
A Field Day for Cyber-Fiends
The banking crisis may be creating a perfect storm for cybercrime. The economic downturn, mergers and upheaval in the banking industry, an ... More
Corporate India's Governance Crisis
The Satyam Computer Services financial statement fraud has rocked the Indian IT industry. The Indian IT industry had a reputation for being m ... More
'Creative Capitalism' versus Malaria
Bill Gates has coined the term "creative capitalism" and believes that corporations must work with nonprofits and governments to effectively ... More
A Scandal Shakes India’s Outsourcers
India’s back-office services industry has spent years earning the trust of western corporations, but the depth of this trust is being tested in the wa ... More
Ford Heads Out on a Road of Its Own
While General Motors and Chrysler have accepted loans as part of the government’s bailout program, Ford has asked only for a line of credit.  ... More
Starbucks’ Karma Problem
Starbucks has built a reputation for social responsibility and progressive employment practices. But now Starbucks is facing allegations that it ... More
Out the Door, But Still on the Hook
Under a process known as clawback, the bankruptcy trustee could sue former investors in Madoff’s funds to force them to return their profits and ... More
Mental Pick-Me-Ups: The Coming Boom
A generation of children has now been raised using attention-deficit drugs, and healthy students are increasingly using these "cognition" dru ... More
The Case for Letting Chrysler Go Under
The auto industry bailout has both proponents and opponents. Much of the debate has centered on whether there should be a bailout or not, with a ... More
These Lenders May Not Be Missed
In the wake of the credit crisis, the availability of private student loans has deteriorated. But increases in government student loans ha ... More
Can Patients Cure Health Care?
Patients are now using social-network sites to share information about their medical conditions and treatments. In addition to sharing info ... More
Outrage - and a Plea for Business to Lead
The commentary in the BusinessWeek article "Outrage - and a Plea for Business to Lead" (December 15, 2008) suggests that terrorist attacks in Mumbai m ... More
Capitalism with a Human Face
Social entrepreneurship is growing, and the BusinessWeek article "Capitalism with a Human Face" (December 8, 2008) describes several social enterprise ... More
What Have You Done to My Company?
Another casualty of the credit crisis may be retailers that were highly leveraged as a consequence of private equity buyouts. The BusinessWeek a ... More
Linking Credit Scores to Hospital Care
Some hospitals and other medical facilities are now using commercial software to investigate patients' finances before offering discounted or fr ... More
The Subprime Wolves Are Back
Washington has vastly expanded the availability of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) taxpayer-backed mortgages in order to help stabilize ... More
The Hidden Danger of Gas Drilling
The U.S. is rich with natural-gas resources. According to the BusinessWeek article "The Hidden Danger of Gas Drilling" (November 24, 2008), high energ ... More
Sex, Lies and Mortgage Deals
During the housing bubble, the mortgage industry boomed and banks scrambled to find sufficient mortgages to meet the demand for mortgage-backed securi ... More
The Banks Mount a Charm Offensive
The ongoing financial crisis has led to a crisis of trust for banks. In the wake of bank failures and bank acquisitions designed to avoid failur ... More
So Where Are All the Loans?
The Treasury Department has injected $250 billion into nine banks as the first part of the $700 billion bailout plan. The hope is that this t ... More
The Insiders on Treasury’s Team
In order to implement the $700 billion bailout plan passed by Congress, Treasury is hiring lawyers, accountants, and even banks. While Treasury w ... More
Gene Tests: Behind the Hype
Companies such as 23andMe and deCode Genetics charge consumers for genetic analysis, and claim that their personal gene-testing services can help cust ... More
When the Punishment Fits the Stock Loss
Dismay over recent financial scandals such as Enron and WorldCom led to stiffer penalties under the federal sentencing guidelines for securities fraud ... More
How Companies Abuse Work Visas
For many years, there have been allegations of abuse of the H-1B visa program. The visa program’s intent is to address skilled-labor shortages. ... More
How to Stop the Panic
As the credit crisis continues and the stock market tumbles, policy makers have thus far relied on approaches developed in the aftermath of the depres ... More
Will Americans Buy Four-Cylinder Luxury?
New technology has allowed BMW to make four-cylinder engines that approach the performance of larger, less fuel-efficient six-cylinder engines that cu ... More
Dangerous Fakes
Counterfeit and defective computer components are ending up in warships, planes, and other military equipment, according to the BusinessWeek article " ... More
A Tainted Badge of Honor
The Department of Energy manages the Energy Star appliance program, which has been credited for helping lower utility bills by $61 billion over the la ... More
Helping Those Who Helped Themselves
The proposed $700 billion government bailout plan will require legions of workers to help manage the assets taken over by the government. Valuat ... More
Green Power: Buyers Beware
Many utility companies are now offering customers the opportunity to pay extra to support generation of "green power." While many custo ... More
Wall Street Staggers
The BusinessWeek article "Wall Street Staggers" (September 29, 2008) provides an overview of the recent financial crisis and provides a bit o ... More
Philanthropy by Design
Philips, a leader in the global electronics industry, is working in collaboration with nonprofits to develop a variety of products designed to address ... More
The Best Places to Launch a Career
BusinessWeek’s third-annual "Best Places to Launch a Career" ranking (September 15, 2008) describes the employee-related practices of some top compani ... More
Medical Bills You Shouldn’t Pay
When health-care providers believe an insurer has reimbursed them too little for patient services, they should pursue further payment from the insurer ... More
Daimler’s Smart Car Hits Cruising Speed
For 10 years Daimler’s Smart cars have been fuel efficient, cute and money losers. Executives were reluctant to continue supporting the unpr ... More
Gerber Is Following Kids to Preschool
Last year, Nestlé purchased Gerber, and now it is planning to expand Gerber’s “Graduates for Toddlers” line to create "Graduates for Preschoolers."&nb ... More
CalPERS: The Price of Good Intentions
Several years ago, CalPERS and CalSTRS, two large and influential pension funds, adopted a "double bottom line" philosophy focused on achievi ... More
The Company Doctor Is Back
Many large companies are building on-site medical clinics in order to reduce the cost of employee health care. Companies typically build a ... More
Cash for Trash
The recycling industry may not be glamorous, but as oil and commodity prices soar, it is increasingly attracting the interest of Wall Street. Op ... More
They Know What’s in Your Medicine Cabinet
Unbeknownst to many consumers, data about their prescription drug purchases are being collected, packaged in commercial databases, and sold.  ... More
The GMAT Cheat Sheet
When the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) won a copyright infringement judgment against ScoreTop.com, it won more than money. As ... More
Ruined by 401(k) Predators
Some former Morgan Stanley brokers are being sued by retirees alleging that they were promised high investment returns while simultaneously b ... More
Doctors Under the Influence?
Many doctors conduct sponsored research and are paid consulting fees by pharmaceutical companies. Recently, medical journals have mandated th ... More
Bear Scandal: A Widening Probe
Two Bear Stearns hedge fund managers, Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin, have already been charged with misleading investors, but they are now ... More
Your Lifestyle May Hurt Your Credit
Credit scores affect many dimensions of a consumers financial life. However, consumers may be unaware of the way their credit scores are determi ... More
Where’s the Food Safety Net?
The salmonella outbreak in tomatoes highlights the limitations of the FDA’s resources. In this case, the FDA has once again found itself reactin ... More
Banks vs. Consumers (Guess Who Wins)
Arbitration has many virtues as a method of resolving conflicts outside of court. Many credit-card agreements require that consumers settle d ... More
Why China Is Finally Tackling Video Piracy
China is not known for its protection of copyrights and other intellectual property. But the upcoming Beijing Olympic games will be putting Chin ... More
The Trouble with Background Checks
Background screening services build databases with information provided by employers regarding former employees’ corporate policy violations. &nb ... More
Brazil's Answer to Global Hunger
Millions of people worldwide go hungry every day, and Brazil has the natural resources to increase food production to help address this probl ... More
The Doctor Vs. Device Makers
In return for using and promoting medical devices, physicians often receive lucrative consulting fees from device manufacturers. In orthopedics, ... More
Is Your Kid Covered?
Many medical insurance plans that colleges recommend to their students cap benefits at $30,000 or less. But some students and parents fail to re ... More
Made in China: MRI Machines
Multinational companies are manufacturing more medical devices in China. These companies are motivated by a desire to access the large and ra ... More
The Dark Side of Web Anonymity
Interactive Web sites that allow users to anonymously post comments are quite popular. While some of these sites may provide valuable informa ... More
The Feds’ Subprime Suspect
Federal investigators are pursuing two possible causes of action against Ralph R. Cioffi, the former manager of two collapsed Bear Stearns hedge funds ... More
A Rich Vein for Reality Mining
Researchers are developing ways to extract useful information from mobile phone usage patterns. These “reality mining” techniques can be used fo ... More
Samsung Under Siege
The Lee family played a critical role in transforming Samsung into the world’s top electronics company and a conglomerate generating 18% of Korea’s gr ... More
Do-Gooders Doing Mischief
The BTW report "Do-Gooders Doing Mischief" (April 21, 2008) describes recent surveys indicating the incidence of fraud at nonprofit organizations is s ... More
You’ve Been Pre-Rejected
MasterCard is introducing a new corporate credit card that will allow employers to more closely monitor and control employee spending. The inCon ... More
A Town Torn Apart by Nestle
Determining what is “green,” eco-friendly, or healthy can be a relative thing. Bottled water producers argue that their product is generally mu ... More
Suite Scams
Through virtual offices, professionals, freelancers, and others can have a high-profile mailing address and space for client meetings at remarkably lo ... More
None So Blind...
The credit crisis has been going on for several months, and as time goes on, the breadth of the financial crisis is revealing itself. Althoug ... More
Put a Patent on That Pleat
Clothing designs are not protected under copyright law. Thus, although counterfeiting (copying designs and presenting them as originals) is i ... More
Do These Clothes Help you Work out?
Sports apparel is big business, and many companies seek to incorporate technology into their products. Speedo, for example, uses engineering, ae ... More
Carbon Confusion
Some manufacturers and large retailers are working to label consumer products with carbon ratings. Production processes and supply chai ... More
MGM Mirage’s Hidden Card
MGM Mirage, one of the country’s largest gaming companies, recently opened an $800 million casino in Detroit. Two American Indian tribes now wan ... More
Wrestling the Olympics Activists
Corporate sponsors of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing hope to take advantage of marketing opportunities in China. Human rights activist ... More
An Ad Man Tests the Limits
Irwin Gotlieb is an iconic innovator in the media buying industry. Known for having brought quantitative analysis to advertising, he is now purs ... More
Green – up to a Point
The U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) brought 27 large U.S. corporation and environmental groups together to endorse regulations requiring carbo ... More
More Muscle for Risk Managers
In the wake of huge subprime losses, the BusinessWeek article "More Muscle for Risk Managers" (February 25, 2008) describes financial institutions’ in ... More
Credit Scores Not-so-Magic Numbers
The Fair Isaac Corporation’s “FICO” score is used to estimate individuals’ creditworthiness. While FICO scores are widely used and heavily relie ... More
Sorry, I Composted Your Memorandum
Marriott International has taken environmentally friendly actions in its offices, according to the BusinessWeek article "Sorry, I Composted Your ... More
The Wind at Germany's Back
A combination of factors in the business environment has facilitated development of German wind and solar industries. German companies had en ... More
Are H-1B Workers Getting Bilked?
Many U.S. companies are outsourcing technology and other jobs to foreign companies. These overseas companies often send foreign workers to th ... More
Airline Safety: A Whistleblower's Tale
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety inspector describes experiencing inadequate responses to his reports as well as retaliation fr ... More
In Search of a Subprime Villain
In his BusinessWeek opinion piece " In Search of a Subprime Villain" (February 4, 2008), Roben Farzad examines Angelo Mozilo, founder and ch ... More
Just Say No to Drug Reps
Pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars each year to promote their products to physicians and medical students. These practices are c ... More
Do Cholesterol Drugs do any Good?
Cholesterol-lowering drugs are some of the best-selling drugs. One class of these drugs, “statins,” is used by more than 13 million Americans.&n ... More
Getting More Workers to Whistle
A research team reports employees play an important role in revealing corporate fraud. From 1996-2004, employees reported more fraud cases than ... More
The Dirty Dilemma of Canadian Crude
High oil prices have spurred increased output from Canada's oil sand fields. Although these deposits are large, extracting the oil is expe ... More
Jobs Are Going, Chemicals Linger
Endicott, N.Y., residents and business owners are filing suits against IBM alleging health and financial injuries related to chemical leaks f ... More
Dirty Deeds
The mortgage crisis is having a variety of ripple effects. One result is an increase in houses abandoned during foreclosure proceedings.&nb ... More
Illegals and Business: A Glimpse of the Future?
Public attention is increasingly focused on the issue of illegal immigration and undocumented workers, according to the BusinessWeek article "Illegals ... More
A Wild Swing at Steroids
Former Senator George Mitchell led a $20 million investigation of steroid use commissioned by Major League Baseball (MLB), but release of M ... More
How Green is that Gizmo?
Many companies make environmental claims about their products. But, it is often difficult for consumers to determine how accurate these claims r ... More
The Ugly Side of Micro-Lending
Banks and retailers are extending credit to Mexico's working poor. This "micro-lending" offers small loans to working indivuals. These loans ... More
Monsanto: Winning the Ground War
Over the past five years Monsanto has transformed itself from a financially-fragile firm to a darling of Wall Street. Monsanto now exc ... More
A Primed Political Pump
Congress is poised to significantly increase the required corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for cars and trucks. U.S. automakers h ... More
Can Greed Save Africa?
New private foreign direct investment is starting to trickle into Africa. While large amounts of aid have been flowing to Africa ... More
Is the Hip Bone Connected to a Fee?
Is it a royalty payment, a consulting services fee, or a kickback? When medical device manufacturers make payments to surgeons, i ... More
Fresh Pain for the Uninsured
Hospitals have long been burdened by slow payment and low collection rates from their uninsured patients. Increasingly they are add ... More
You’ve Got Dependents? Prove It
In an effort to control the growth in employee health insurance costs, many corporations are conducting benefit audits, according to the BusinessWe ... More
Siemens Braces for a Slap from Uncle Sam
Siemens is embroiled in the largest bribery scandal in German corporate history. It has already paid German authorities $290 million in fines ... More
How Companies Dig Deep
BusinessWeek surveyed corporations included in the S&P 500 to identify corporate giving during the 2006 fiscal year. Corporations often t ... More
Shoplifters Get Smarter
In recent years, shoplifting has escalated from a petty offense to "organized retail crime." The magnitude of shoplifting t ... More
Ma Bell, the Web’s New Gatekeeper
Media companies and other content producers lose millions of dollars to music, video, and software piracy. But effective an ... More
Prisoners of Debt
Chapter 7 bankruptcy offers debtors the promise of a fresh start by freeing them from the obligation to pay debts legally discharged in bankruptcy. ... More
For Prince, the Pressure Builds
Despite a protracted period of stock price declines and shareholder criticism, Citigroup’s board of directors has been patient in retaining the com ... More
Get Your Hands Off the Web
Current laws restrict common carriers from interfering with transmission of voice message content, but these provisions do not apply to text and ... More
These Tough Lending Laws Could Travel
North Carolina has not experienced the extreme increases in mortgage foreclosure rates or declines in housing prices observed in many other area ... More
Leave the Driving to Microsoft
More than 35% of Microsoft Corp.’s employees commute to the company’s headquarters by a more environmentally-friendly method than a single-occupanc ... More
Little Green Lies
How can business’ resources and capacity for innovation be mobilized to address environmental concerns such as global warming? Auden Schendle ... More
Bear Bets Wrong
Two Bear Stearns hedge funds filed for bankruptcy at the end of July. Investors invest at their own risk, and the prospectuses and audit ... More
Bottlenecks in Toyland
A spate of recalls involving toys manufactured in China has led to new inspection requirements. The new requirements will likely improve p ... More
Microsoft Wants Your Health Records
Despite the high-technology nature of healthcare in America, medical information is often collected in non-digital forms and patients’ medical records ... More
Will Pharma Finally Have to Fess Up?
Pharmaceutical and medical device companies provide an estimated $19 billion a year in “gratuities” to doctors. The pharmaceutical companies arg ... More
GM’s Health Plan Could Be Contagious
General Motors Corp.'s (GM) staggering retiree health-care costs have been adding $1,400 to the cost of every car it produces. But, a recen ... More
Will Pharma Finally Have to Fess Up?
Pharmaceutical and medical device companies provide an estimated $19 billion a year in “gratuities” to doctors. The pharmaceutical companies arg ... More
Big Oil's Big Stall on Ethanol
Despite substantial federal subsidies designed to encourage oil companies to increase use of ethanol, the oil industry is exercising its muscle in obs ... More
Even Cozier Deals on Campus
The BusinessWeek article "Even Cozier Deals on Campus" (October 1, 2007) discusses the phenomenon of “multi-purpose” ID cards emerging on colleg ... More
Did Bear Stearns Soft-Pedal the Risks?
Bear, Stearns, & Co. had two funds that were heavily invested in collateralized debt obligations (CD0s) backed by sub-prime mortgages. These ... More
Inside the Hidden World of Earmarks
While there is a legal line between lobbying and bribery, the BusinessWeek article "Inside the Hidden World of Earmarks" (September 17, 2007) mak ... More
Straight Talk About Bad Results
Why highlight bad news? Oakmark Select Fund chief Bill Nygren recently did just this by sending a special letter to shareholders to address the ... More
China Rushes Upmarket
Pummeled by a spate of bad publicity related to product safety scandals, China has responded to protect the “Made in China” brand. Beijing is taking u ... More
Sony Likes the Yield From its Junk
Always an industry laggard in U.S. recycling, Sony Corp. is now announcing an ambitious recycling plan. But, this does not necessarily indi ... More
Did Big Lenders Cross the Line?
The collapse of the subprime mortgage market is being followed by an expanding circle of culpability. There have been many lawsuits and allegations th ... More
Bonfire of the Builders
During the housing boom, homebuilders expanded the scope of their operations to include originating more mortgages to homebuyers. (Last year, for exam ... More
How 'Green' is That Water?
Icelandic Water Holdings, like others in the bottled water industry, projects a "green" image. Icelandic uses nonpolluting geothermal energy to pump a ... More
In-house Attorneys, Watch Your Step
In his capacity as Hollinger International Inc.'s in-house Attorney, Mark Kipnis drafted non-compete agreements for Hollinger that were found to be pa ... More
Let the Blame Begin
As the saga of the subprime mortgage market collapse plays out, a number of players are being criticized. Though the BusinessWeek article "Let the Bla ... More
An Importer's Worst Nightmare
/ Foreign Tires Sales Inc. (FTS), a company with just 13 employees, has become embroiled in a major product recall and related litigation. The compa ... More
Talk Isn't so Cheap on a Phone Card
The prepaid phone card industry has grown to $4 billion in sales. Despite the size of the industry, potentially deceptive marketing and poor disclosur ... More
The Professor Is a Headhunter
Campus recruiting is well established, and it mutually benefits job-seeking students and the corporations that hire them. The hot job market has found ... More
What Price Reputation?
Corporate reputations for financial performance, innovation, and social responsibility are recognized as intangible assets that can be important deter ... More
An Olympic PR Challenge
Multinational firms have paid tens of millions of dollars to sponsor the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. Sponsorship is an appealing marketing o ... More
Lifestyle Drug Binge
The FDA recently approved an over-the-counter diet product (Alli) for the first time. As a consequence, the drug's producer, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer ... More
On the Brink of Artificial Life
Synthetic biology is a rapidly emerging industry. Many hope artificial organisms will be able to address a variety of problems and have benefits inclu ... More
Up from the Onion Fields
Ruben Garcia, seeing an opportunity created by federal regulations, has built a successful business providing specialized workers to clean up hazardou ... More
Backdating: Why Penalties Are Puny
The SEC has imposed substantial fines on corporations involved in recent financial frauds. Thus, many expected large fines to be imposed on companies ... More
Black Marks for 'Green' Banks
Although many banks and financial institutions have made commitments to improve their environmental performance, recent environmental reports suggest ... More
F-14 Parts, Anyone?
The U.S. government sells much of its equipment when it is no longer needed. But, due to obvious security concerns, government policies and laws restr ... More
Pepsi: Repairing a Poisoned Reputation in India
Despite efforts to improve water quality in India, Pepsi has recently suffered from a number of allegations regarding the environmental correctness of ... More
The Snag in Accounting-Made-Simple
Some companies have applied a recent accounting standard for valuing financial instruments in ways that have raised concerns at the SEC, according to ... More
"It's Almost Like . . . Admitting an Impostor"
This article describes the role of paid coaches in the MBA admissions process. According to some estimates, approximately 25% of applicants to top MBA ... More
Selling Pet Owners Peace of Mind
Recent incidents of tainted pet food have had an on pet food sales. After deaths of several pets were traced to pet food containing ingredients contam ... More
The Rush to Test Drugs in China
Rapid growth is occurring in the number of clinical trials being conducted by Western pharmaceutical companies in China. Companies such as AstraZeneca ... More
A Shot at Making Drugs Safer
The U.S. Congress is attempting to renew and potentially revise legislation providing for pharmaceutical industry fees to fund the Food and Drug Admin ... More
Study Now — and Pay and Pay and Pay Later
This article relates to the longer cover story, "The Poverty Business" in the May 21st issue of BusinessWeek, and may be used in conjunction with it. ... More
The Poverty Business
BusinessWeek's May 21st cover story describes credit practices that generate profits for lenders but may trap the working poor in debt. Examples inclu ... More
Cheating — or Postmodern Learning?
This commentary briefly describes the recent cheating incident involving inappropriate collaboration between MBA students completing a take-home exam ... More
Hurricane Ahead, but Lower Insurance
A variety of factors are leading to reductions in property insurance rates. In some areas such as Florida, states are taking action to make subsidized ... More
Coal? Yes, Coal
Peabody Energy is the world's largest producer of coal, and a strong advocate for the building of new electricity-generating facilities that use coal. ... More
That's Awfully Good Timing
Over the past two years, there has been significant scrutiny over the practice of stock-option backdating. This practice involves retroactively restat ... More
Queen of the Product Pitch
Television programming has traditionally been driven by its ability to attract advertisers, with more popular shows being able to sell advertising tim ... More
Climate Wars: Episode Two
Over the past decade, many firms that took a skeptical approach to global warming and carbon emissions have come to the view that some regulation is i ... More
The Marshal of MySpace
Many young people post information about themselves and others on MySpace. To help keep kids safe from pedophiles and bullying, MySpace has developed ... More
How Sweet It Is at Magna
Magna International has been a very successful manufacturer of auto parts and is still run by its founder, Frank Stronach. There are concerns over cor ... More
A Builder's Lending Under Scrutiny
Concern has arisen recently over a "meltdown" in the subprime lending market of the mortgage industry. When housing prices were rapidly rising and int ... More
Philanthropy, Fannie Mae Style
The Fannie Mae Foundation, since its creation in 1979, has given out more than $1 billion in funds to further the interests of the general public and ... More
Another Inconvenient Truth
In their efforts to appear environmentally conscious, many firms have purchased carbon offsets, which allow them to claim that they do not contribute ... More
UBS: Notes on a Wall Street Scandal
Michael S. Guttenberg has been implicated as the mastermind in an insider trading scheme that netted about $14 million in illegal profits. Mr. Guttenb ... More
A Long and Winding Road
Ashok Kheny is an American-educated Indian who is heading up a road-building project near Bangalore. Kheny has had many delays and hurdles in getting ... More
Homing in on Trading Abuses
Allegations have been made that an employee of UBS leaked information on pending changes in the securities firm's ratings of certain stocks. The recip ... More
Hugging the Tree Huggers
The relationship between "green" nonprofit organizations (e.g., Greenpeace, Environmental Defense, Natural Resources Defense Council) and business fir ... More
A Smaller Options Scandal?
While most observers are united now in viewing the practice of backdating stock options as inappropriate and unethical, it is less clear that many who ... More
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