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The open door policy

Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Now, I’m not talking about a literal or figurative open door to the boss’ office that purports to encourage employee-employer communication. I am referring to doors of opportunity. Sometimes you don’t even recognize that it’s a door; you’re just plugging along, wondering why, putting one step in front of the other and not sure of your path, and suddenly you realize that you’ve walked through what you didn’t recognize as a door to future possibilities. Such a thing happened to me recently.

Infographic: How science-fiction AI has become reality

Brian Wallace Science & Technology

When many of us were growing up, science-fiction books, movies, and television shows explored what was possible using science, technology and intelligent computers. These dreams are now becoming reality. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite real-life manifestations of AI in fiction.

Sustainable travel efforts are increasing

Bambi Majumdar Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

When Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex were criticized for taking a private jet to Elton John's home in France, one thought this might be another tabloid story that would be buried by the next scandal. The world perhaps underestimated the prince’s conscience and passion for environmental issues. His new travel sustainability initiative, Travalyst, is a massive drive to protect vulnerable travel zones and benefit local communities. Furthermore, sustainable tourism is projected to grow by 10% to become a $340 billion business in the next four years.

Why doing everything right away is not always a best practice

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

As an avid follower of the Getting Things Done system, I am a big fan of doing something right away if it takes two minutes or less. However, I have found sometimes where, counterintuitively, it seems best to wait a bit before playing whack-a-mole with issues as they arise. Here are a few examples of when doing things right away may not always be a best practice.

Fixing the bugs in activity-based work environments

Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

Companies with high concentrations of knowledge workers have been gravitating toward activity-based work (ABW) environments in recent years to address employees’ complaints about the shortcomings of open-plan office spaces. Although employee response has been generally favorable, recent research indicates that ABWs can present their own set of problems if not carefully designed. In lieu of a single, dedicated office or cubicle, ABWs offer employees a wide variety of space types in which to work, each designed to support different types of work and interpersonal activities.

Older designers need to flaunt their strengths

Lloyd Princeton Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

Some readers of a certain age may object to my labeling them as "older." I get that. "Old" and "older" are pejoratively loaded terms in our society and in a profession that thrives on creativity, innovation and novelty. The reality, though, is that, like it or not, "old" is how others perceive you. For that reason, it is crucial that you not take your past success for granted. If you want to stay competitive or employable, you need to reinforce your value to your clients or your firm.

Want oven-fresh delivery food? A new startup makes it possible

Linchi Kwok Food & Beverage

Many consumers love ordering food online to have it delivered to their home. Food delivery has become a big business for restaurants and grocery stores. Others, like me, are still feeling skeptical about delivery food despite its convenience. First, there is no guarantee that the delivery drivers won’t touch the food. Also, I do not think my food would taste fresh or as good after it was sitting inside a container for a good amount of time. It was not until I heard of Zume Pizza, a startup in the Bay Area, that I saw myself ordering food online in the future.

Overcoming social media bubbles in your digital marketing strategy

Lisa Mulcahy Marketing

The social media "bubble" — the phenomenon of people sticking to the likes of their personal cliques on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook — can be a tough challenge for marketers to power past. But the good news is that you can learn how your consumers actually want to reach outside their peer groups for product info. Use these research-driven tips to burst the bubble and increase your influence dramatically.

US economy adds 130,000 new hires as unemployment rate holds at 3.7%

Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

In August, U.S. nonfarm payrolls added 130,000 total new hires versus 164,000 in July as the unemployment rate held at 3.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There were 6 million unemployed workers in August compared with 6.1 million in July. In August, there were scant or no changes to the jobless rates for men, women, blacks, Hispanics, whites, adults and teens from July. The employment-to-population ratio rate edged up to 60.9% versus 60.7% in July, the BLS reported.

How machine learning helps important industries

Joseph Zulick Science & Technology

In 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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