LinkedIn trumps Facebook on vision and karma—and investors don’t mind that it’s so much more expensive
#NBCFail? Not Quite. Prime Time Olympics Coverage is Surprising Success for Network
It’s more than a week into the London Olympics, and Twitter users are still hammering NBC for its tape-delayed coverage, its glitchy streaming online video, and the endless commercials in between and during the competition. But …
Why It’s Time for Central Bankers to Say: ‘No More!’
Easy money and central-bank intervention are not the answers to the stumbling global recovery
Should You Outsource Your Payroll?
If your small business is growing (and let’s face it, that is the goal), at some point you may want to consider outsourcing your payroll instead of worrying about paychecks, deductions and reporting.
Poll: Does Tech Help or Hurt Workplace Productivity?
There is little doubt that technology has, in many ways, made us more productive at work. But an increasing number of experts are asking whether our business culture of email and instant messaging and 24/7 connectivity is making …
‘Home of the Whopper’ Looks a Lot Like Its Neighbors
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and it turns out it can be a shot in the arm for business, too. After losing its crown as the number-two burger chain in the country to Wendy’s, Burger King fought back and dumped $750 …
Midwest’s Wacky Gas Prices: Up 14¢ Per Gallon One Day, Down 25¢ on Another
The national average for a gallon of regular shot up 14¢ last week. Normally, a sharp increase like that is associated with strife in the Middle East or a natural disaster causing a major slowdown in production. Instead, the …
Mobile Gift Cards: Major Push On for the ‘Cooler’ Gift Card
In a recent survey, roughly 15% of U.S. retailers offer digital gift cards that are truly mobile—meaning they can be used immediately for a purchase via smartphone. A major growth spurt for mobile gift cards seems to be in the works. In the same survey, 61% of retailers said they plan on offering such cards in the next three years.
NFL, MLB Say They Aren’t Considering Ads on Uniforms
But once the NBA starts bringing in millions of dollars, it’s difficult to think they wouldn’t reconsider.
Differentiation: A Surprising Story of Sameness
If anything could be considered sacred in business, differentiation would be a top candidate. “Differentiation,” the method marketers use to demonstrate differences between products, is pursued with grail-seeking zeal by companies interested in beating the competition. Mintier mouthwash, infinitely absorbing paper towels, …
3 Downsides to Back-to-School Sales Tax Holidays
This summer, 17 states are hosting sales tax holidays, down from a peak of 19 states holding such events in 2010. On the surface, the concept—in which states waive sales tax on many goods for back-to-school shopping …
Social Security Now Takes More Than it Gives
Social Security has reached another critical threshold: For the first time, a typical husband and wife retiring today can expect to collect less in benefits than it paid in payroll tax over the course of their life.