“What Is Seen and What Is Not Seen.”: In the 19th century, French economist Frédéric Bastiat developed a didactic tool that continues to help us better understand — and ultimately better shape — government activity. It is easy to lose sight of the fact that every government expenditure has a “hidden” cost. Considering Opportunity Costs Every Swiss franc can only be spent once. If you subsidize tourism (visible), that money…
The economic proposals of both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris present a target-rich environment. In many ways, they ignore sound economic thinking. In one short article, I can’t deal with all of both candidates’ proposals and thinking on economics. In this article, I’ll focus on taxes and spending where, it’s fair to say, Harris is substantially worse. Unfortunately, although Trump is better, he’s not good. Taxes One of the best…
Speakers – Kathleen McConnell, Gina Ferrari, and Vincent Smolczynski About the Program: Do you operate a website in California? Are you considering a cookies banner? Does your website terms compel arbitration? Then you need to know about the latest in California Privacy Litigation and Compliance. Join us for an insightful webinar on navigating the complexities of CIPA (California Invasion of Privacy Act) compliance, focusing on website and cookie banner requirements. Our expert…
In the dynamic landscape of corporate culture, an engaged workforce isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity for fostering growth and competitive advantage. According to Gallop research, companies with high engagement levels see 17% higher productivity, 20% higher sales, and 21% higher profitability compared to companies with low engagement levels. Towers Watson found that companies with high engagement levels enjoy a 6% higher net profit margin, and organizations with highly…
In an effort to introduce a fully digital immigration system, the UK Government has announced that Biometric Residence Permits (BRP), Biometric Residence Cards (BRC) and any other legacy paper documents with ink stamp or visa vignette will be phased out, and that as of January 1, 2025, they will no longer be in circulation. How individuals with a UK visa will be impacted: Easier ability to prove right to work…
Divorce is an emotionally taxing experience, especially when financial abuse has played a role in the relationship. Financial abuse, which can be subtle and often goes unnoticed, involves one partner exerting control over the other’s financial resources. It is a pattern of behaviour. If you are currently going through a divorce or considering one, particularly if your partner has been controlling, it’s important to recognise the signs of financial abuse and…
As we discussed in our previous blog on non-competes (as well as other types of restraint of trade), the move to add regulation has been gaining momentum since Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced in August 2023 a Competition Review to examine competition laws, policies and institutions. Whilst the move to ban non-competes in Australia has been inspired by the U.S. Fair Trade Commission vote to ban non-competes, on 20 August…
Picture this: hundreds of ant-sized robots climbing over rubble, under rocks and between debris to inspect the damage of a fallen building before human rescuers explore on-site. Downscaling legged robots to the size of an insect enables access to small spaces that humans and large robots cannot reach. A swarm of small robots can even collaborate like their insect counterparts to haul objects and protect one another. Picotaur, a new…
Presenters: Daniel Hart, Daniel Whang, and Sierra Chinn-Liu Navigating the complexities of trade secret enforcement often involves more than just traditional litigation. Join us for a compelling webinar in our 2024 Trade Secrets Webinar Series, where our panel of Seyfarth attorneys will delve into the strategic advantages of using alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms to protect and enforce your trade secrets. Key Discussion Points: The various ADR methods available for trade…
We’re delivering real benefits to our clients by embedding our payment capabilities in the platforms they use to run their businesses, says Manish Kohli. Digital innovation Our strategy
Quick Hits Voter turnout for the November 2024 elections is expected to be high, meaning many employees will be taking time off to exercise their right to vote. Most states require employers to provide unpaid leave to vote or do not have specific requirements, while some states require paid leave. Employers may want to start considering each state’s specific voting leave requirements and whether their employees will be impacted. The…
This essay was originally published on TIME. The rousing performances by Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz, along with the Obamas, the Clintons, Oprah, and many others, at the Democratic National Convention marked a pivotal moment in the 2024 presidential election. Now that both political parties have formally introduced their candidates to America and voters steadily begin to turn their attention to the election, the Democratic and Republican…
Despite current geopolitical tensions, the global economy remains resilient. Economic growth in surveyed economies is accelerating, as growth in both the manufacturing and services sectors picked up in June. Manufacturing growth was largely stable (except in the eurozone, where it contracted faster) while services sectors remained bright, albeit expanding at a slower pace.Growth in the second quarter was varied but remained positive across the globe (Exhibit 1). In the US,…
For the second year, the Microsoft AI Tour will bring together security practitioners, developers, and other technology professionals to learn about the latest AI innovations across the full Microsoft Security stack in multiple cities around the globe. Whether you’re a decision maker who evaluates investments, an IT team member charged with security, or a chief information security officer (CISO) transforming your security strategy, there will be valuable security content tailored…
A country level perspective of Vietnam can provide a good, general overview of what is taking place in the country—just imagine what a pixelated breakdown 230 times more granular could reveal. Such a granular deep dive is now available with a new dataset, Pixels of Progress, compiled by the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI). This specialized dataset provides a close-up view of human progress in Vietnam by breaking the country down…
Over the past several years, we have observed an increasing rapprochement between Russia and Iran in different areas - political, geostrategic, military, economic, trade and transport. It is not only notable at the level of rhetoric; it is also being expressed in concrete steps. However, we see that a series of visits by Russian delegations to Tehran have produced limited results. What could this be connected with? How can one…
For social media marketing, many companies gravitate to big-name endorsers. But there are good reasons to get “nano influencers” into the mix. Maximilian Beichert, Xiaoxi Zhang, Andreas Bayerl, Jacob Goldenberg, Xian Gu, P.K. Kannan, and Andreas Lanz August 22, 2024 Reading Time: 8 min Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Sparkling water brand LaCroix has been available in the U.S. since 1981, but it took off to become a go-to…
Quick Hits Many state and federal laws apply to seasonal workers the same way they do to full-time, year-round employees. These include antidiscrimination, antiharassment, wage-and-hour, workplace safety, and child-labor laws. About half of the states raised their minimum wage for 2024, which could impact many seasonal workers. Highlighting timekeeping practices and corporate policies during onboarding may help to prevent future legal hassles. Most—but not all—employment laws apply to both regular…
Speaker Progress, a Learning Accelerator from Microsoft, helps educators develop students’ public speaking skills. Designed to accompany Speaker Coach, Speaker Progress enables you to create, customize, and assign speaking projects to your students, and collect insights about their performance over time. With AI-powered real-time coaching, Speaker Progress allows students to take ownership over their own Speaker Progress, a Learning Accelerator from Microsoft, helps educators develop students’ public speaking skills. Designed…
Creating a financial plan can help you to work towards and achieve your long-term goals. For example, your financial planner might help you by building a well-diversified investment portfolio or making the most of your pension contributions to ensure you save enough for the future. However, it’s often the simpler aspects of financial planning, such as budgeting and regular saving, that make the most significant difference in your situation. By…
Despite forging ahead with generative AI (gen AI) use cases and capabilities, many insurance companies are finding themselves stuck in the pilot phase, unable to scale or extract value. Jörg Mußhoff sat down with Cameron Talischi and Khaled Rifai to discuss how organizations can escape “pilot purgatory” by leveraging traditional AI and robotic process automation in addition to gen AI; the importance of reimagining domains such as claims, underwriting, and distribution;…
Q: What does it feel like to be launched into space? It’s noisy. There’s so much shaking. But what you really feel is pressure. With the weight of the solid rocket fuel plus all the hydrogen and oxygen, you move slowly off the pad. Relatively slowly, I mean—you’re going a hundred miles an hour when you clear the tower, but then you keep going faster and faster. You’re strapped tight…
The administrative challenge brought by the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and another trade association against the Combating Auto Retail Scams (“CARS”) Trade Regulation Rule, issued last year by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), will be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on October 7, 2024. This case, together with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce-backed challenge to the FTC’s Non-Compete Rule, places the Fifth Circuit…
The ways the energy industry captures, transports, stores, and otherwise removes carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere are changing. Led by the European Union (EU), this new global push toward improved industrial carbon management (ICM) requires sophisticated new support mechanisms, including the development of technologies capable of orchestrating the carbon capture and storage (CCS) process from early planning to operations. Microsoft is committed to be carbon negative by 2030 and…
A year ago, most experts thought the US economy was thundering headlong toward recession, as the Federal Reserve moved at a historic pace to slow inflation by bridling interest rates.Yet, despite recent tremors in the stock market, no recession has materialized. Part of the reason may be stock and credit market dynamics—and investor behavior. HBS Working Knowledge spoke with Robin Greenwood, the George Gund Professor of Finance and Banking at…
Lately when I give lectures on leadership to various audiences, the topic of AI hardly ever fails to come up in the question-and-answer period. From what I hear, many people see AI as an ever-present and very worrisome development.It’s a paradox: On the one hand, plenty of observers are scared by how AI is rapidly revolutionising industries, influencing productivity and shaping our future. On the other, AI has grown to be so ubiquitous that some people do…
SCO, NATO and the Fate of International Cooperation. Part 1The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, unlike NATO, is not underscored by decades of tradition or any fundamental philosophy. It did not grow out of the experience of several centuries of interaction between states with relatively similar internal orders and a similar view of the world. Moreover, at first glance, the SCO member countries have little need for cooperation among themselves as a…
The past few years have been a confounding time in performance management. Disruptions of long-standing workplace norms have led many employees to rethink their expectations of employers regarding remote work, employee burnout, and work–life balance. Compounding these challenges, an inflationary economy and a slower hiring market have put pressure on employers to “do more” with the talent they already have.Organizations have responded to this volatility by seeking new formulas to motivate…
Coaching for the Future-Forward Leader When you just don’t get along with a colleague, reset the relationship by focusing on trust. Sanyin Siang August 21, 2024 Reading Time: 2 min Topics Coaching for the Future-Forward Leader Leadership roles come with new personal and professional challenges — and Sanyin Siang, board and CEO coach, adviser, and author, is here to help with an advice column for top managers. More in this…
Quick Hits On July 3, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas had granted a limited preliminary injunction staying enforcement of the FTC’s final rule prohibiting non-compete clauses, but only as to the parties in the case, pending a final ruling on the merits. On August 20, 2024, the court issued a significantly broader ruling, finding that in issuing the non-compete rule, the FTC had exceeded…
In this episode of The Committed Innovator, McKinsey innovation leader Erik Roth speaks with Shiprocket cofounder and CEO Saahil Goel about how he built his e-commerce logistics company into a highly successful platform that is helping launch new entrepreneurs all over India. This is an edited transcript of their discussion. You can listen to the full episode on your preferred podcast platform. Erik Roth, McKinsey: Welcome back to another episode…
By Minh Vu, Kristina Launey and Susan Ryan Seyfarth Synopsis: The decline in ADA Title III lawsuits that began in 2022 comes to a halt in 2024 and California retakes its mantle of “national filing hotspot.” ADA Title III filings have decreased each year since 2022. 2024 changes the narrative with an uptick in filings, albeit a small one. In 2021, we saw the highest mid-year total since we started…
Brian Kenny: To say that men's leagues have historically dominated the world of professional sports is understating the case. In fact, it literally took a World War to launch the first professional women's league. In 1943, Philip Wrigley, owner of the Chicago Cubs proposed the idea of a professional women's baseball league to keep baseball in the public eye, while many of the best male players were overseas. The All-American…
People often ask us how to better understand others to be a more effective leader. Can we decipher a frown or someone’s folded arms to better understand them? Of course, some knowledge on reading people can be helpful. However, the challenge is that humans are, well, human, and that reactions don’t always follow a predefined pattern or set formula. Consider Jill, a CEO. Having just introduced a major reorganisation in her firm…
Coalition Politics and The Rise of the Opposition With a coalition government steering foreign policy, questions have arisen about its coherence and impact. History offers some insights. In 2008, the Manmohan Singh government faced challenges due to a coalition partner's opposition to the US nuclear deal. However, experts believe the current situation might be different. Ambassador Shyam Saran, former Foreign Secretary of India, has emphasised that a coalition's success in foreign…
Researchers have compared the development of the fetal brain in mice whose mothers had no bacteria in their gut, to those whose mothers were given Bifidobacterium breve orally during pregnancy, but had no other bacteria in their gut.Nutrient transport to the brain increased in fetuses of mothers given Bifidobacterium breve, and beneficial changes were also seen in other cell processes relating to growth. Bifidobacterium breve is a ‘good bacteria’ that…
By: Phillip J. Ebsworth and Brian B. Gillis Seyfarth Synopsis: The California Supreme Court held that PAGA does not apply to public entity employers. The California Supreme Court overturned the Court of Appeal and prior appellate court decisions to conclude that the PAGA statute, legislative history, and public policy support the conclusion public entity employers are not subject to PAGA actions for civil penalties. In doing so, the Supreme Court…
The findings are published today in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.Global meat production has increased rapidly in recent decades and meat consumption exceeds dietary guidelines in many countries. Earlier research indicated that higher intakes of processed meat and unprocessed red meat are associated with an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes, but the results have been variable and not conclusive. Poultry such as chicken, turkey, or duck is often considered…
The following is an excerpt that was adapted and lightly edited from chapter nine of Smart Rivals: How Innovative Companies Play Games That Tech Giants Can't Win, written by Feng Zhu and Bonnie Yining Cao and published August 20, 2024. In today's global digital and tech business landscape, traditional businesses may struggle to adapt to the constantly changing nature of ecosystem strategies. In his book, Smart Rivals: How Innovative Companies…
The McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Department of Archaeology and University of Cambridge Development and Alumni Relations are pleased to announce that the Arcadia charitable foundation has awarded grants totalling £10.3 million to continue the work of the Mapping Africa’s Endangered Archaeological Sites and Monuments (MAEASaM) project and the Mapping Archaeological Heritage in South Asia (MAHSA) project.Archaeological sites and monuments around the world are increasingly threatened by human activities and…