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Want to hire the right people? AI can help
Linchi Kwok Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementArtificial intelligence (AI) and machines can now perform many jobs traditionally done by human beings. Even in the restaurant business, where many believe only real human beings can accomplish most tasks, some entrepreneurs have already begun using machines to cook and serve customers. According to a recent CNBC update, AI can help businesses manage their human capital, too. For example, AI can help companies pick the best candidates, and more.
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Are we in the middle of a street food renaissance?
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageYou can usually trust California to lead innovation and change. The Golden State legalized street food vending in September, a move that may soon be reflected elsewhere. Street food has been a fixture of the state’s landscape for decades. Cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco are known for their food trucks and eclectic street foods, popular with both locals and tourists. But it was not an easy road to popularity for these businesses.
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Replacing NAFTA: A better 3-country pact ahead?
Seth Sandronsky Civil & GovernmentCanada and the U.S. have renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which took effect Jan. 1, 1994. President Trump, who called NAFTA "the worst trade deal ever," praised its successor, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). "Promise made, promise kept," the president said on Twitter, of his campaign pledge to renegotiate NAFTA to improve trade fairness for American businesses, consumers and workers. That stance resonated with voters, especially in Rust Belt states where blue-collar employment has plummeted.
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Skin care sins clients commit that have serious consequences
Elizabeth Donat RetailIt's not commonplace for clients to readily admit some of the horrible and unsafe things that they do to their skin. But when they do — or when you have a suspicion that they do — it's important to encourage clear and honest communication about it. After all, if we do not have a complete understanding of our spa and medical spa clients' habits and lifestyle choices, then we cannot recommend and perform safe treatments.
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Dream big: 4 ways AI, VR, and AR can enhance your marketing
Emma Fitzpatrick MarketingA few years ago, having an Amazon Echo or Google Home was a novelty. In early 2017, only 7 percent of U.S. households had them, according to 2017 Gartner and Inside Radio research. By March 2018, that number skyrocketed, according to Voicebot.ai research, and 20 percent of U.S. adults had a smart speaker in their home. In just two years, Gartner predicts 75 percent of households will have one. That adoption and the embrace of smart speakers’ artificial intelligence (AI) will soon come to marketing and business as well.
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The power of the pop-up: ‘Temporary use’ strategies in US cities
Lucy Wallwork Construction & Building MaterialsThe concept of "temporary" or "meanwhile use" goes back to long before the term slipped into the narrative of urban policy agendas. The first time an enterprising trader rolled a food truck into an empty square, they were practicing temporary urbanism. But today the "temporary use" movement is taking on a new light and even becoming a mainstream strategy. The approach fits with the new, more flexible approach to urban planning we are increasingly seeing currently. Approaches vary, but the philosophy is one that views empty lots not as an urban problem or eyesore, but instead as opportunities.
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The impact employees have on your business
Roberta Matuson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe other day, we took a friend for drinks and appetizers at a restaurant called Stephanie’s on Newbury Street in Boston. In the middle of taking our order, our waitress said, "Excuse me," and dashed away to retrieve an empty glass of water from a patron. We sat there in disbelief. I compare this to my recent experience at the Capital Grill in Providence, Rhode Island.
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The future of grocery shopping
Connie Ulman RetailThe future of grocery shopping has arrived. Technology has come a long way, and now many grocery chains and some e-retailers are blazing the path to a futuristic way of grocery shopping. In this article, we take a look at the grocery pickup and delivery services offered by Kroger, Amazon, H-E-B, Walmart, Hello Fresh and Schwan's.
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Walmart warns about new trade policy with China
Seth Sandronsky RetailWhen Walmart warns President Trump about his trade policy, does he listen? This is no academic question, as the president exercised his legal authority to hike U.S. tariffs of 10 percent on $200 billion of Chinese imports, climbing to 25 percent in January 2019. On Sept. 6, Sarah F. Thorn, senior director for global government affairs with Walmart — the U.S.' biggest private-sector employer — wrote to the United States Trade Representative in a letter, "The immediate impact will be to raise prices on consumers and tax American business and manufacturers."
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How to keep your work environment safe
Lisa Mulcahy Facilities & GroundsThese easy, research-driven common-sense tips will nip many problems in the bud, keep you informed in case of emergencies, and create a much less hazardous daily environment.
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