According to Axios and a new report out by Harvard, a growing number of U.S. employers are requiring bachelor’s degrees for jobs that have long been performed by workers without them. This is contributing to a rise in income inequality through “degree inflation.” Questions: 1. Why does this matter? 2. What are the costs of… Read more »
Posts Categorized: All Articles
A New Service from Amazon
According to Reuters, Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, announced the premier of Amazon Key – a lock and camera system that users control remotely to let delivery associates slip goods into their houses. Questions: 1. What will be the cost? 2. How do you maintain privacy? 3. What is Wal-Mart testing that is a… Read more »
Navient – Student Loan Corp. Look Out!
The call has gone out for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate possible insider trading of shares of student loan company Navient Corporation. Questions: 1. Who has asked the SEC to do this? 2. Why do the Senators suspect this? 3. What are the implications of the details surrounding the trades? Source: Nasiripour,… Read more »
The GE Plunge
General Electric Co.’s stock has tumbled the most it has seen in six years. This is due to a deteriorating outlook stoked by fears that the company will cut its dividend for only the second time since the Great Depression. Questions: 1.What is causing the drop, according to Jeff Windau, an analyst at Edward Jones?… Read more »
Are all offices made equally?
First, we had individual offices, that morphed into cubicles and open floor plans. And now we have a “palette of places,” according to the New York Times. Questions: 1. What is the reasoning behind these new desk places? 2. How could these be tweaked as needs change? 3. Where are the most aggressive makeovers happening?… Read more »
Netflix is all about Attracting New Subscibers
According to Bloomberg, for Netlix, Inc., the third-quarter customer gains and a positive outlook for investors is all about new subscribers. Questions: 1. What is Netflix doing to attract new subscribers? 2. What is the company’s target price for its stock? 3. How many new subscribers are they projecting? 4. What makes big increases in… Read more »
Hong Kong’s Duty
According to Bloomberg, even though Hong Kong’s stock market hit record highs this month, the turnover is too low. Now the exchange operator is considering asking the government to remove or reduce a tax on stock transactions. Questions: 1. What is the current stamp duty on both sides of the trade and what does that… Read more »
It all depends on you!
According to the New York Times, Disney has decided to commit to a legacy move by doubling down on the concept of streaming. At its side will be a little-known company known as Bam Tech. Questions: 1. Describe Bam Tech’s record of service and why it is so attractive to Disney. 2. From a strategic… Read more »
Risky Takeover?
According to Reuters, Qualcomm, a U.S. smartphone chipmaker, has offered concessions in an attempt to allay EU antitrust concerns over its $38-billion bid for NXP Semiconductors, the largest ever in the semiconductor industry. Questions: 1. What are Qualcomm’s chips used for? 2. What is the EU Commission’s greatest concern about this merger? 3. What was… Read more »
Email Attack!
According to the Guardian, one of the Big Four accounting firms, Deloitte, has been targeted by a sophisticated hack that compromised the confidential emails and plans of some of its blue-chip clients. Questions: 1. What sectors did the hackers attack? 2. How many clients have currently told Deloitte that they have been impacted by the… Read more »