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How machine learning helps important industries
Joseph Zulick Science & TechnologyIn 1952, IBM's Arthur Samuel created a program to play checkers. Samuel played with the program so often that it was able to improve with each consecutive game. It was Samuel who first coined the term "machine learning." Today, machine learning has become embedded technology many of us take for granted in our daily lives. There are many industries that currently use machine learning to help improve their daily processes. Through machine learning, businesses can move ahead of descriptive and predictive analytics to prescriptive analytics without a hitch. Keep reading to learn more.
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3 takeaways from the recent Business Roundtable statement
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWhy should small businesses care about the recent statement from the Business Roundtable? After all, the lobbying group represents some of the largest and most powerful companies in America and thus is not necessarily representative of the thoughts, feelings and challenges of our country's smaller organizations. However, before moving on to the next headline, business and HR leaders should consider these three takeaways.
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Safety issues and trackability in personal care product packaging
Michelle Pudlo RetailThere are already certain concerns we have about quality when purchasing personal care products, but there are also several safety concerns pertaining to the manufacturing and packaging of these products. Personal care products may be referred to as "cosmetics" by law, but they consist of much more than fragrance and makeup products. Cosmetics can refer to everything from body wash and shampoo to toothpaste and skin lotions. While millions of consumers use personal care products on a daily basis, there are certain safety measures that they often lack that put consumers at risk.
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Can you recession-proof your job?
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWhether you believe that Big Macs or RV sales predict recessions, it seems at least that the continued talk of a recession is certainly on the horizon. Yet, with more of us gainfully employed and the job market so seeker-friendly, should we care? Yes; just like how it is easier to find a job when we already have one, it is easier to plan for a recession when we are not in one. Here are a few things to consider when trying to recession-proof your job.
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Exploring common — and uncommon — aspects of the gun control debate
Michelle R. Matisons Civil & GovernmentThe Parkland, Florida, school shooting in early 2018 incident politicized gun control in a new way, and recently, mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, kick-started the conversation yet again. Many people talk about their desire for stronger gun regulations, especially after mass shootings, but there is little to show from these discussions. Rumors are circulating that a gun control proposal will be available from the White House next month. Reform activists aren't waiting. But this is not such an easy issue, either.
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Doors on fridges debate heats up again in UK
Andrew Gaved Waste Management & EnvironmentalThe debate around whether to make it mandatory to have doors on all display refrigerators in the U.K. has been reignited by a combination of carbon targets and public pressure. While supermarkets in the U.K. have historically been resistant to adding doors to fridges because of fears that they will impact purchasing, the mounting pressure on the U.K. to reduce energy to meet long-term carbon targets has put the subject back on the agenda. However, many merchandisers cling to the belief that the addition of doors to their chiller cabinets will negatively affect the purchase of goods by presenting a "barrier" to browsing.
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Which industries will benefit most from the industrial internet of things?
Joseph Zulick Science & TechnologyA common statement among historians of the 1849 gold rush was that the people who were most likely to make the most money were the ones who made tools for the miners and not the actual miners themselves. As industries like transportation, manufacturing, technology, energy and healthcare pursue success with the industrial internet of things (IIoT), this colloquial wisdom stands true. IIoT equips these sectors with the information and data to operate their businesses more effectively.
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Compete on others’ weaknesses, not their strengths
Anne Rose MarketingWhen your niche is responsible for your success, why would your company abandon that winning strategy to compete against other companies' strengths? A chain of hardware stores that owes its success to its niche of providing personal customer service, advice, and DIY knowledge has recently considered competing against big online stores to deliver products in one day. Does that make sense to abandon your core competency and spend inordinate money to expand in an area that another has already locked up?
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Why PIPs should be a manager’s favorite tool
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementPerformance improvement plans (PIPs) are these amazing little forms that can pave a smoother path to professional growth or termination. They can end bad behavior and create positive new habits. Unfortunately, they require a few things of which we do not often have enough: time, patience and focus. Here are a few reasons why PIPs should be a manager’s favorite tool and how they should be used.
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Beating age discrimination just got harder
Patrick Gleeson Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityFighting age discrimination in employment was never easy. Perhaps the most important obstacle is that age discrimination isn’t easy to prove. Historically, when age discrimination in employment suits do go to trial, they’ve been decided overwhelmingly in favor of corporate America and against workers — about 99% of the time. As daunting as this sounds, recent significant appellate court decisions will almost certainly tilt the playing field even further toward corporate America and away from an increasing number of aging workers.
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