Midsize companies don’t dominate the headlines and investor attention the way corporate behemoths do, but they are the economic engines of many countries and a vital part of the global business ecosystem. The world’s 50,000-plus midcap companies—which we define as organizations with $200 million to $2 billion in revenue—represent more…
Until recently, unless you worked on a trading floor, making your own stock deals wasn’t easy. “When I started 20 years ago, I used a dial-up connection and paid $17 per trade, which meant I thought long and hard before each one,” recalls Ed deHaan, a professor of accounting at…
Seyfarth Synopsis: On April 23, 2024, the Department of Labor released its latest attempt to amend its 1975 “fiduciary rule” and seven prohibited transaction class exemptions issued between 1975 and 2020 that investment advice fiduciaries have relied in connection with sales of common investment products like securities, mutual funds and…
The generative AI revolution is here, and businesses across the globe and across industries are adopting the technology into their work. However, the learning curve for your own AI applications can be steep, with 52% of organizations reporting that a lack of skilled workers is their biggest barrier to implement…
In its relations with the sovereign states of the “southern belt” of the former USSR, Russia considers itself like any European empire of the past, with the exception that its policy there has always been focused not on the exploitation of territories, but on their development. The most clear evidence…
The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) is taking bold actions to challenge business’s collection and monetization of consumers’ personal data—particularly sensitive personal data. This month, the FTC reached settlements with a data broker, X-Mode Social and its successor Outlogic LLC (“X-Mode”), and an alcohol addiction treatment firm, Monument Inc. (“Monument”), for,…
In just two years, the debit card has replaced cash as the preferred payment method among Spanish-speaking Latin Americans, and mobile payments have quickly gained ground, too, particularly in countries such as Argentina and Peru.Those are some of the key findings from our two comprehensive payments surveys polling more than…
Find the right balance between listening and learning versus acting in this excerpt from The New CEO. Ty Wiggins May 07, 2024 Reading Time: 7 min subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR The hardest part of a CEO transition is finding the right balance between listening and learning versus acting.…
Special Purpose Entities in Commercial Real Estate Transactions Corporate structures in commercial real estate transactions can often be very complex and involve layers of entities. Special purpose entities that are bankruptcy remote (“SPEs”) are frequently used in commercial real estate loans to limit certain risks associated with a bankruptcy filing…
Brian Kenny:What do tires and oat cuisine have in common? The answer was obvious to brothers André and Édouard Michelin. France in 1889 had just a few thousand cars on the road, barely enough to keep their fledgling tire company afloat. So they created a guidebook to show people all…
The Financial Services industry is no stranger to post termination restrictions or restrictive covenants. They are commonly used in order to protect business interests particularly when dealing with client facing roles such as independent financial advisers (IFAs) or insurance brokers. A common restriction, and often one of the most valuable…
A new study examined the drinking levels and patterns of young adults before, during and after the pandemic. The researchers found alcohol use and alcohol-related problems substantially decreased in heavy-drinking young adults during the pandemic, and these decreases were still evident as the pandemic began to wane. The results are…
As more workloads and data move to the cloud and generative AI takes over the enterprise, cybersecurity is more critical today than ever. And that’s because with every new paradigm shift—from the internet to cloud computing—the sheer magnitude of digital threats has exploded and threat vectors have become increasingly sophisticated.…
Leaders must encourage respectful debate during meetings and use related strategies to avoid toxic post-meeting dynamics. Phillip G. Clampitt May 06, 2024 Reading Time: 13 min Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images A leader attempting to quash the meeting after the meeting would be like a coach trying to stop…
Quick Hits Retailers with at least 300 or more employees worldwide and that have employees in the County of Los Angeles will be required to provide their employees with predictable schedules. The county ordinance is similar to a City of Los Angeles ordinance that took effect in April 2023. The…
During the South Africa Summit held in 2023, the BRICS countries agreed to invite Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to become new members in 2024. Although it was welcomed by the foreign offices of the member countries as a demonstration of the group's strengthening,…
In the tumultuous seas of the ever-evolving global economy, geopolitics and technology, board directors must become agile captains, navigating the relentless waves of change with strategic foresight and adaptability. This requires a clear view of the path ahead.At the recent INSEAD Directors Forum, Professor of Economics Pushan Dutt and Professor of…
Topics Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in this series Gary Waters/Ikon Images Dilip has been working hard on a game-changing idea for a new product. But when he excitedly approaches his boss to share it and get approval for further…
AI is transforming our world, unlocking new possibilities to enhance human abilities and to extend opportunities globally. At the same time, we are also facing an unprecedented threat landscape with the speed, scale, and sophistication of attacks increasing rapidly. To meet these challenges, we must ensure that AI is built,…
Virtual meetings have become the standard for global and hybrid team communication, but what happens when the call ends? Participants who are in the same room keep talking—and the tone of those conversations can dramatically impact team dynamics over time, says new research.Think of the Zoom screen or the conference…
More women than ever are following their own careers and enjoying significant earning potential. So, when it comes to managing money, are things different for women who are high earners? George Howard, Chartered Financial Planner, looks at some of the key factors for women when it comes to financial planning…
Should corporations invest in green production methods, offer employees generous health benefits, or allow employees time during the work week to volunteer? Whether and how for-profit companies should invest in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and other forms of socially motivated spending is hotly debated. Some argue that companies have a…
This is a new approach to vaccine development called ‘proactive vaccinology’, where scientists build a vaccine before the disease-causing pathogen even emerges.The new vaccine works by training the body’s immune system to recognise specific regions of eight different coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and several that are currently circulating in bats…
6 May 2024By Óscar Arce and David SondermannSurprisingly strong employment growth in an environment of weak economic activity has recently led to declining labour productivity in the euro area. The ECB Blog discusses causes and prospects for a cyclical recovery in productivity growth. Over the first two decades of the…
India’s culture plays a significant role in shaping its foreign policy. India employs soft power, such as music, dance, literature, yoga, and cuisine to promote its image abroad. Indian cinema has a massive global appeal. India’s doctrine of Ahimsa (non-violence) has influenced its foreign policy approach. India played a crucial role in…
Kathy Ho tries to see every new teen on her list within 72 hours of their arrival. For some, it’s too soon, or they’re too sick. But for others, she is a beacon of normalcy. Ho teaches high school inside Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford (LPCH). “Sometimes I don’t like…
A large financial services company promoted a key leader into the position of CEO. Two of their peers were also vying for the top job. Almost immediately, the other two executives left the company. This created an unexpected leadership vacuum that cascaded within their respective departments, where no one on…
Quick Hits Minnesota lawmakers are attempting to secure enough votes ahead of this year’s legislative session deadline to place numerous bills on the governor’s desk, many of which, if enacted, will affect employers. Bills address drug testing, earned sick and safe time, pay transparency in job postings, wage deductions for…
AddressSeyfarth Shaw Hong Kong OfficeSuite 3701 & 3708-3710, 37FEdinburgh Tower, The Landmark15 Queen’s Road CentralCentral, Hong Kong Tuesday, 21 May 2024 (HKT)8.30 – 9.00 a.m. Check-in and Breakfast9.00 – 10.00 a.m. Roundtable10.00 – 10.30 a.m. RefreshmentsBreakfast will remain available during the roundtable CostThere is no cost to attend, but registration…
Seyfarth Synopsis: On April 29, 2024, the Department of Labor published extensive guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in hiring and employment. While the guidance is addressed to federal contractors, all private-sector employers using or considering using artificial intelligence should pay attention. The guidance makes clear that long-standing nondiscrimination…
On April 11, 2024, the Illinois Senate passed Senate Bill (SB) 2979, which would stop statutory damages under the Privacy Act from accruing for each unlawful collection or dissemination of an individual’s biometric information. Quick Hits The Illinois legislature is considering a bill that would amend the Privacy Act to…
Green trade marks are trade marks that include any word related to the environment (such as “sustainable”, “eco”, “environment” or “green”) or images (such as flora, the planet or scenery etc.). These trade marks are used by companies who want to communicate environmental aspects and practices of specific products, product…
By: Matthew J. Gagnon Seyfarth Synopsis: In its seminal decision, Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, the Supreme Court held that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity is tantamount to discrimination on the basis of sex. Employers are just beginning to grasp the wide-ranging impact that decision will…
The pilot program, entitled “Pilot Program on Voluntary Self-Disclosures for Individuals,” increases transparency regarding the circumstances under which prosecutors will offer leniency to cooperating witnesses and other individuals through use of a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) when they report potential criminal misconduct involving corporations. Quick Hits The DOJ launched a new…
Speaking up is vital to advancing meaningfully in our careers—yet many of us have made a habit of keeping quiet. In this edition of Author Talks, McKinsey Global Publishing’s Lucia Rahilly chats with Elaine Lin Hering, author, facilitator, and speaker, about her new book, Unlearning Silence: How to Speak Your…
Anant Bhalla became chief executive of American Equity Investment Life (AEL) in March 2020, a turbulent time as COVID-19 was spreading around the world. When he joined AEL, which was founded in the mid-1990s and based in West Des Moines, Iowa, the company was the last big independent seller of…
Last week on April 23, 2024, the FTC adopted a final rule that would effectively ban non-compete agreements in the context of employment relationships when the rule becomes effective on September 4, 2024, absent a stay or injunctive relief. The rule would render unenforceable a broad array of employment-based non-competition…
Quick Hits Final privacy rules under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) set basic limitations on the use or disclosure by covered entities (such as employer health benefit plans) and their business associates of reproductive health care information. The final rules state that reproductive care is,…
Last November, we launched the Secure Future Initiative (SFI) to prepare for the increasing scale and high stakes of cyberattacks. SFI brings together every part of Microsoft to advance cybersecurity protection across our company and products. Since then, the threat landscape has continued to rapidly evolve, and we have learned…
A new study of startups sharing a coworking space offers a new wrinkle in the debate over work-from-anywhere: Proximity matters, especially close proximity, to spread knowledge between disparate enterprises.“The more different the startups are, the more they’re going to benefit from being nearby,” says Harvard Business School assistant professor Maria…
