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Business
How biases influence CEOs throughout their careers
Wharton finance professor Marius Guenzel explores the systemic and human elements of behavioral bias in the career phases of CEOs.
How to make financial markets a force for good
In “Making Money Moral,” authors Judith Rodin and Saadia Madsbjerg explore a burgeoning movement of bold and ambitious innovators.
Building diversity into the venture capital ecosystem
A conversation with Wharton’s Stephanie Creary on the institutional roadblocks and funding gaps faced by minority and female founders.
What Wall Street’s ‘short squeeze’ means for investors and regulators
Wharton experts discuss the sharp surge in the stock prices of online video game retailer GameStop, and what comes next in the stock market.
How the U.S. Capitol attack is changing corporate values
The violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6 was a “watershed moment” for businesses, forcing many to reconsider their civic responsibilities alongside their corporate values, says Wharton management professor Michael Useem.
A conversation about cross-cultural communication
In the latest episode of Penn Today’s “Understand This ...” podcast series, Penn experts discuss the importance of cross-cultural communication in today’s world.
Wharton School Press launches new virtual Meet the Authors series
Wharton School Press launches new virtual Meet the Authors series. The LinkedIn Live event series will feature leading Wharton faculty and other Wharton School Press authors in lively, fast-moving conversations about their books.
Which companies are winning in China?
In “Winning in China: 8 Stories of Success and Failure in the World’s Largest Economy,” Wharton’s Lele Sang and Karl Ulrich explore the successes and failures of several well-known companies as businesses look to reap profits from China’s 1.4 billion consumers.
A Wharton expert examines $900 billion coronavirus pandemic relief bill
Penn Wharton Budget Model expert Richard Prisinzano breaks down what’s in the newly passed stimulus bill, what it means, and explains why many experts don't think that'll be enough to stave off an economic slide in the long run.
Gamification isn’t all fun and games. It’s serious business
In “For the Win,” Wharton professor Kevin Werbach and coauthor Dan Hunter argue that gamemakers need not be the only ones benefiting from game design.
In the News
Philly’s biggest employers spend billions outside the city. Inside a new effort to bring that money home
Penn strives to contract with diverse businesses, including SUPRA EMSCO, a Black-owned office and lab equipment supplier. “As we’ve grown, there is a sense that we can do more to leverage our buying clout to basically engage and bring in and help other firms grow,” said Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli.
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Privacy or planet—The tough choice of doing away with paper receipts
John Zhang of the Wharton School said that for businesses, digital receipts are “a cheap way to get your email address and to build their database to track your shopping habits. As a result, firms can do all kinds of targeted promotions on the cheap, and you will receive all kinds of junk emails.”
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PwC to defend audit work, independence in whistleblower trial
Daniel Taylor of the Wharton School commented on an upcoming trial in which a former PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) senior manager accused the firm of firing him for submitting SEC complaints. “If we assume that the whistleblower is credible and we assume that the whistleblower is telling the truth, that everything he has said is accurate, then I would say that his claims are an indictment on the culture of PwC’s Silicon Valley office,” said Taylor. “But that’s a big if.”
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Are broker commissions too high?
Benjamin Keys of the Wharton School spoke about how some real estate agents have steered clients toward more expensive homes in order to yield higher brokerage fees. “You have agents who are incentivized to look for their largest commission, rather than to help their clients find the best house for them,” he said. “Having that information allows the steering to occur.”
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How will Walmart keep its sales growth going?
John Zhang of the Wharton School said Walmart has leaned into a one-stop-shopping model during the pandemic by expanding into grocery delivery, pet care, and COVID-19 vaccines.
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From Amazon to Google, tech workers seek unions—and a voice
Mary-Hunter McDonnell of the Wharton School spoke about unionization efforts among tech workers. “It’s employees seizing control of organizations that they have dedicated their lives to,” she said. “Another way to try to influence employees’ outcomes is to fight for a voice in the company’s values, especially in this world where companies have such a central role.”
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