Business

Z. John Zhang of the Wharton School said added fees can deter customers. “Consumers will make buying decisions based mostly on price, and every firm has a strong incentive to quote a lower price to arouse the purchasing interest from a discerning customer and hopefully lock him or her in,” he said.

Stewart Friedman of the Wharton School said employees can retain some of the work-life balance enabled by remote work after returning to in-person work through adjustments to their schedules and workloads. “No matter how little discretion you think you may have, you’re not in prison,” he said.

A consumer survey by First Insight and the Baker Retailing Center at the Wharton School focused on how sustainable practices are impacting shopping habits and purchase decisions.  

Pinar Yildirim of the Wharton School said Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey “missed a lot of opportunities to increase the company's advertising share compared to other social media platforms.”

In response to complaints that Amazon’s choice to name its virtual assistant “Alexa” has resulted in issues for humans of the same name, Americus Reed of the Wharton School said Amazon does not have a strong track record for turning its mistakes into opportunities.

Steve Viscelli of the School of Arts & Sciences said the trucking industry has been relying on newly recruited drivers to keep costs low. “What the industry wants is super cheap, flexible labor and that’s what it’s had for years,” said Viscelli. “They’ve been cycling through literally millions of people, who decide to become truck drivers and then get burned by the industry.”

Michael Useem of the Wharton School spoke about shifting perceptions of career coaching services. “Twenty years ago coaching was seen as remedial, a sign the candidate was coming up short,” he said. “That’s completely flipped upside down. It’s seen as a privilege.”

Emilie Feldman of the Wharton School said large companies are realizing that they can increase shareholder value by breaking up into small, new companies. “Right now it is a ferociously hot market in terms of offerings and capital available,” Feldman said.