Recent Articles
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Small businesses rush for technological answers, advances during pandemic
Kevin Reynolds Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe coronavirus has upended the way small businesses operate for months. One of the longest-lasting impacts of the virus, though, will be how fast and how many small businesses have been forced into investing into technology. With contactless pickup, new payment methods, and cleaning services all far more important than they were at the start of the year, a common denominator in every industry is the need for innovation.
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Researchers grow livers using human stem cells
Chelsea Adams Medical & Allied HealthcareResearchers at the University of Pittsburgh have grown five tiny human livers and successfully transplanted them into rats. The most significant aspect of the study is that the livers were grown from stem cells, not from the structures of rat cells. Human volunteers donated skin cells for the study, which was published in Cell Reports in June. The cells were reverse engineered into stem cells before being directed to become the cells needed to form a liver. Next, scientists seeded the cells into a rat liver that had had all its rat cells removed.
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Executive involvement in project risk management
Alfonso Bucero Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementSenior managers and executives usually know that they are responsible for overseeing the company's approach to managing risk. This involves the board considering risk oversight policies and procedures, as well as regularly assessing corporate risk. They need to understand the expectations of regulatory bodies and ensure that the company’s approach reflects risk management best practices. The annual report should communicate risk-related lessons learned from past successes and failures.
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Warehouse technologies: 3 trends to watch
Gail Short Distribution & WarehousingThese days, many warehouses and distribution centers are under the gun to boost efficiency and productivity and ship products and materials faster than ever. In the e-commerce industry alone, a recent survey by the global consulting firm Capgemini Research Foundation reported that 55% of consumers polled said they would choose a brand or retailer over its competitor if it offered a faster delivery service. That said, a white paper titled "Warehouses of the Future," published by the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University (ASU), says warehouses are becoming places "not just to store stuff," but places integrated into supply chain processes.
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New advocacy group launches to help America’s small businesses
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementPolicymakers, beware. Small Business for America’s Future (SBAF) is a new advocacy group, evolved from Businesses for Responsible Tax Reform. Why? Look no further than the performance of Congress and the White House as the COVID-19 pandemic hammered mom-and-pop shops with a crash in consumer demand across the U.S. SBAF surveyed 1,200 small business owners whose responses show the damage as Capitol Hill dithered. For instance, 53% of small business owners have increased debt during the pandemic.
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A crisis shatters your complacency — and that’s good
Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementAlmost everyone has experienced some sort of personal crisis in life, some more cataclysmic than others. Some of us have endured divorce, job loss, death, estrangement, and broken relationships. No one can escape a crisis of some kind because it’s the human condition. But recently, we have collectively undergone several public crises in health, societal fabric, trust in our institutions, and morality. And that’s shattered our complacency that life is good, life is predictable, life is fair, and life is secure.
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A look at the most popular cartridges for deer hunting
John McAdams Recreation & LeisureWhitetail deer are by far the most popular species of big game pursued by North American hunters. When their blacktail and mule deer cousins are factored in, millions of American hunters go afield after deer each fall and winter. Archery hunters make up a significant chunk of that number, but the remainder hunt with an incredible array of different shotguns, handguns, centerfire rifles, and muzzleloaders. While those hunters carry a wide assortment of different firearms afield, most hunters tend to use one of a handful of different cartridges for hunting. Here are a few of the most popular.
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Study: How doctors can identify the kinds of stress patients are dealing…
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareAs a healthcare professional, you know the abrupt and traumatic physical impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on your patient population. The life-changing emotional ramifications for those patients are much harder to assess for your organization but are no less important to address. A new study can help your doctors determine which stressors are causing your patients the most difficulty so action can be taken to help them get relief quickly and effectively.
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Food and beverage: The only sector to grow in 2020 — and possibly beyond
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageA recent Euromonitor report states that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumer buying behavior drastically. As a result, food and beverage is the only sector projected to see robust growth this year. Retail analysts show that while global spending will fall by 4.3% this year, the food and beverage industry will grow at just above 2%. Euromonitor also predicts that consumer choices may change permanently. Its predictions are based on lifestyle trends that came out of the pandemic.
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The metrics guiding nonprofit recovery
William D. Pawlucy Association ManagementWhat are the signs or metrics for recovery, and how do we take this information and make good business decisions? Business Insider recently published an article with five charts showing a potential economic recovery. What do various factors mean for a nonprofit organization’s recovery, and how can it take action? I think there are several areas to concentrate on.