On Monday ratings giant Standard & Poor’s raised the U.S.’s credit outlook from “negative” to “stable.” That may sound a bit like the equivalent of Arrested Development’s Bluth Company going from “Triple Sell” to “Don’t Buy,” but in these troubled economic times, Americans should take what they can get. Thanks to a housing rebound, stock …
The Real Reason Telecoms Cooperate on National Security? Money
Verizon, the phone company whose disclosure of customer data to the U.S. federal government is at the center of the furor over cooperation by technology companies with top-secret national-security programs, has offered a precise, clear, but little-noticed public explanation of why it did what it did.
The Verizon explanation is not in the
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In Fast Food, Five—As in $5—Is Now the Magic Number
It’s not particularly complicated: $5 is a nice round, approachable, affordable-sounding number. At a time when popular fast-casual chains are pushing the average diner bill upward, the $5 price point is especially likely to get the attention of deal hunters. And that’s why fast food customers are seeing more and more of the fiver.
Winning in Baseball and Business
When you’re on the hook to launch a new product or service, you need to answer a critical question: How many customers will buy it? It’s tempting to jump right in, assuming everyone will want your fantastic new offering. But before you put the resources into building, marketing, and launching a product, it pays to research just how
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‘Don’t Go There’ Tips for Entrepreneurs
You may have a great business idea and the plans to bring it to fruition, but you should still be on the lookout for these common mistakes that can suck the start out of a startup.
Delaying Retirement? Count Yourself Lucky
The recession has forced many to delay retirement. That only feels like a hardship. Here’s a look at the bright side.
Here’s Why Google Is Buying Waze, a Red-Hot Mobile Traffic App, for $1 Billion
Apple E-Book Trial, Week 2: The Emerging Case for Letting Apple Off the Hook
As the U.S. government’s closely watched e-book price-fixing trial against Apple enters its second week, the tech giant appears to be on stronger footing than it was at the beginning of the case, thanks in part to a key legal …
Skipped Out on Your Restaurant Reservation? That Will Be $200, Please
This post is in partnership with Knowledge@Wharton, the online research and business analysis journal of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. A version of the article below was originally published at knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu.
Making restaurant reservations is a way of life — but, for many consumers, so is …
Viewpoint: Obama’s ‘Patent Troll’ Reform: Why Everyone Should Care
In 2011, Apple and Google spent more money on patent litigation and defensive patent acquisitions than on research and development. That’s not a good sign for the U.S. economy; in fact, it’s a stark indication that our …
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China, the U.S. and a Special Relationship in the Making: 5 Shared Economic Challenges
As President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping settle into conversation in California for the weekend, there’s talk of a new kind of G-2 alliance between the nations, and even a “grand bargain” over issues like trade, …
Gimme a Price Already! Edmunds Tries to End the Most Aggravating Part of Car Shopping
“How much?” In almost every retail environment, this wouldn’t be a difficult question to answer. But at the car dealership, the process of getting a concrete final price can take hours. The folks at Edmunds.com now have a tool that promises to make retrieving car prices as quick and easy as shopping at Amazon.