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Former Iceland Prime Minister On Trial Over Banking Sector Collapse

Former Icelandic prime minister Geir Haarde termed as 'farce' the barrage of charges he faces as the first day of his trial began in connection with the collapse of Iceland's banking sector at the height of the 2008 global financial crisis

How Apple's iCloud Changes Business

Apple's new iCloud offers cloud-minded IT pros some clout. But there are factors to consider about cloud storage, says our cloud-storage expert

Use the Cloud to Go Mobile

When it comes to the mobile cloud, small businesses lead the way

5 Business Lessons You Can Learn From Mark Zuckerberg

Want to pick up a few career tips from the Facebook billionaire? Our tech-career expert examines the Zuckerberg Effect

Globalization and Unemployment

By relocating some parts of international supply chains, globalization has been affecting the price of goods, job patterns, and wages almost everywhere. It is changing the structure of individual economies in ways that affect different groups within those countries differently. In the advanced economies, it is redistributing employment opportunities and incomes

Courts Go Rough on Financial Firms That Contributed to Mortgage Collapses

Two significant court judgments showed how the financial industry still is suffering a backlash for the meltdown that led to recession in 2008

The Most Successful Companies Stay Relevant

Staying relevant is never easy for a company or its long-suffering investors. Firms and their products can go in and out of style -- and out of profitability, as well. Selecting those that will prosper year after year through good and bad times while rewarding their shareholders is an accomplishment

Eliot Spitzer's 10 Rules To Fixing the Economy and Corporate Mismanagement

In a new and short book, former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who made a name for himself attacking corporations while New York's attorney general, says Washington didn't go far enough to reform Wall Street and corporate misnamagement during the 2008-2009 bank bailouts. Here's Spitzer's 10 rules to fixing the economy and corporate mismanagement

Executive Pay Zooming Skyward Again

Shareholders of more than 20 other companies nationwide have rejected their top managers' pay packages, and more such rebuffs are expected in the months ahead. For now, however, executive pay once again is zooming skyward after pausing for a couple of years for the recession

CEOs Teach in MBA Classrooms

Most CEOs spend the latter years of their professional lives giving presentations in high-pressure board rooms for select groups of middle-aged power brokers, not in lecture halls filled with green but eager M.B.A. students. However, a few opt to trade in their corner office for office hours and venture into the world of higher education

Spreading Wealth the Right Way

There is a kind of wealth spreading that ought to meet the political litmus test of Republicans, Democrats and Independents. At a time of high unemployment, too many layoffs and too few new jobs, it is disheartening to see so many CEOs pay themselves salaries and benefits that would have shamed the super-rich in America's Gilded Age

Safety on the Cheap

General Electric marketed the Mark 1 boiling water reactors that were used in Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant as cheaper to build than other reactors because they used a comparatively smaller and less expensive containment structure. Yet American safety officials have long thought the smaller design more vulnerable to explosion and rupture in emergencies than competing designs

The Wages of Infamy

In the New New Economy, you don't have to do anything, make anything or have any talent. In the New New Economy, the only thing that matters is audience. If you've got followers, you'll have customers. Here's how it works

America's Corporate Recovery Is More Fragile Than You Think

At a time when corporate profits are through the roof, the Dow has reached 12,000, Wall Street paychecks are fat again, and big corporations are sitting on more than $1 trillion in cash, you'd expect jobs to be coming back. But you'd be wrong.

Obama and Big Business the Unlikeliest of Neighbors

President Obama made the case to the Chamber of Commerce that business success doesn't happen in a vacuum. Government invests in infrastructure, an educated workforce and basic scientific research, all of which hugely benefit business. And with those investments should come some loyalty

How Business Can Do Business With Obama

Obama and the Chamber of Commerce have found some common ground, in between battles. The chamber backed his economic stimulus plan, but attacked his health care and climate-change legislation. His administration criticized the chamber for 'mobilizing against change.'

Davos Man and the Real World

There was a time when going to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, was a real treat, and highly exciting. Then the glamour faded somewhat as the annual themes became more economic, more high-tech, and less to do with the real international scene

Is Obama's Pro-Business Rhetoric for Real?

President Obama has done away with the Economic Recovery Advisory Board headed by former Federal Reserve chair Paul Volcker and gone instead with the new council led by Jeffrey Immelt, GE's chief executive. He's switched from a banker working on recovery to a manufacturer working on jobs -- in his own version of 'repeal and replace'

From Davos to D.C., A Crossroads Moment for the World

'Humanity is at a crossroads,' Klaus Schwab said, the World Economic Forum's founder. 'We can either continue to work as lobbyists for our narrowly defined self-interests and keep doing the same old things that got us into the crisis in the first place,' or we can 'act together as true global leaders, with the long term global public interest in mind and at heart.' It's a sweeping statement

Bipartisan Support for Making the Tax Code Simpler

There's not much that can draw lawmakers together these days. But on the issue of tax reform, there's a lot of bipartisan agreement. With some hope that Congress and the White House might be able to act to simplify the tax code during this Congress

M.B.A. Programs Go Global

Business schools are being forced to rapidly adapt their curriculum, course structure, and philosophy in reaction to the increasingly global nature of the business world. Schools of all kinds, ranging from elite private institutions to smaller public institutions, are weaving a global focus into their traditional studies in an effort to prepare students for success

Cash Rich Companies to Watch in 2011

Cash-rich companies are in excellent financial position to increase their dividends, buy back their own shares, make prudent acquisitions of weaker competitors, and invest in research and development. Their stock could also be worth more than the price indicates because so much money is stashed in the company safe. Here's a closer look at some famous 'big dogs' in cash

Mobile Pay Can Give You an Edge

Right now, we're working on a pilot program to accept mobile payments. It would link to a customer's personal credit card information and store it on his or her phone so the customer could use the phone to pay with a credit card at the point of sale. Here's how mobile pay works

Where the Fortune 500 CEOs Went to College

Ivy League schools produce a disproportionate amount of corporate leaders, according to a U.S. News study of the educational backgrounds of 2010's Fortune 500 CEOs

The Year Washington Became 'Business-Friendly'

History will record 2010 as the year Washington became 'business-friendly.' There's only one problem. America's big businesses are less and less American. They're going abroad for sales and employees. That's one reason they've showed record-breaking profits in 2010 while creating almost no American jobs

Good Health Is A Sound Investment

One investment you can always expect a good return on is good health. Tough economic times have taught us to pay more attention to our investments, and our health deserves the same scrutiny. Sound health is both a personal investment and an important business investment. A fit body and a sharp mind support professional success. Begin by focusing on a few of the following key areas

The Top 50 Companies to Work For

Facebook, the social networking giant, has landed the ultimate compliment from its employees: ranking No. 1 on a newly-released list of 50 best places to work. The list, which is based on surveys of company employees, is produced by Glassdoor.com, a website that offers insight into careers and companies

Recession Driving Changes in Corporate Philanthropy

Not long ago, corporate philanthropy didn't involve much more than writing a check to United Way or the local opera. Nowadays that's changing. Blame corporate shareholders for tightening the purse strings, or credit Barack Obama and an entire generation raised on public service. All are forcing companies to get creative, to focus on making more of a difference while spending less cash

Obama Talks Back to Business

In the current era of staged political events, it was risky the other day that President Obama took part in a freewheeling town-hall meeting on CNBC, the network's cable business channel, on his handling of the troubled economy.

Widening Divide in American-Chinese Commercial Interests

As Chinese companies have found their footing, some of them have come to see American companies as direct market competitors. To push their growth to the next level, some Chinese companies have begun to use political connections in Beijing to push for laws, regulations and subsidies to tilt the commercial playing field in their favor and at the expense of the foreign competition

Why Obama Is Proposing Whopping Corporate Tax Cuts, and Why He's Wrong

The economy needs two whopping corporate tax cuts right now as much as someone with a serious heart condition needs Botox. So why is Obama proposing them? To put Republicans in a bind. If they refuse to go along, he can justifiably say they have no agenda other than obstruction.

Corporate Rotten Eggs

One especially rotten egg is Jack DeCoster, whose commercial egg agribusiness, which goes under the homey title 'Wright County Egg,' headquartered in Galt, Iowa, sends eggs all over the country under many different brands. Those eggs have now laid low thousands of Americans with salmonella poisoning, and may well infect thousands more.

Wal-Mart Offering Workers Chances to Earn Cheap College Credit

Hundreds of Wal-Mart employees have already enrolled in online classes at American Public University via the retail giant's recently announced partnership with the online university. According to online education experts, the partnership could signal the onset of a trend

2010 Elections: GM IPO Could Help Democrats

By filing the paperwork for an initial public offering, GM signaled it is ready to shake off its pejorative recent nickname, Government Motors. Experts say the stock sale could come as early as October or November, a potential plus for the Obama administration just ahead of midterm elections

Arianna Huffington Explains Why Obama Disappoints

Arianna Huffington,head of the popular online Huffington Post, is spraying official Washington with machine-gun fire, taking President Obama to task for caving in to big banks, overspending on losing war efforts, and being all hat, no horse when it comes to promising new jobs

The Final Lesson of BP

It doesn't seem to matter that BP was responsible for the worst environmental disaster in American history. Consumers worldwide -- including Americans -- continue to slurp up its oil. But wait a minute. If BP emerges from this debacle fatter and happier than anyone imagined a few months ago, whatever happened to the idea of corporate accountability?

The Secrets to Zappos' Success

The success of online shoe retailer Zappos has been well-documented: It went from a struggling start-up in 2000 to getting acquired by Amazon in a deal valued at $1.2 billion in 2009. The face of the company, chief executive Tony Hsieh, an avid Twitterer and successful entrepreneur even before leading the shoe company, shares the secrets to his success

Unpopular CEOs Who Still Collect Millions

Many have raised concerns about how much BP CEO Tony Hayward will be paid when he heads out the door. Hayward's case is hardly unique. In fact, the past few years have been replete with examples of unpopular executives leaving with multimillion-dollar packages in hand. In the process, they've reignited the debate about what restrictions should be put in place regarding executive compensation

The Great Decoupling of Corporate Profits From Jobs

Earnings reports are coming in, and they're making Wall Street smile. Corporate profits are up. The 500 largest non-financial American firms held almost a trillion dollars in the second quarter, and that money pile is growing larger. Profits that plummeted in the recession have bounced back. So with all this money and profit, they'll start hiring again, right? Wrong -- for three reasons

Senate Passes Landmark Financial Reform Bill

The Senate gave final approval to a 2,300 page financial reform bill after over a year of craftsmanship, concessions, and marathon debates. President Obama is expected to sign the bill, putting into law unprecedented regulations on Wall Street and protection for consumers

Did Goldman Sachs Get Off Easy?

In the wake of the Securities and Exchange Commission's announcement that it has settled its case against Goldman Sachs, experts are divided about who exactly comes out ahead in the proposed deal. For its part, the SEC s touting the settlement as a landmark victory. Still, other observers have been lining up to say that Goldman got off easy.

Obama's Anti-Business Policies Are Our Economic Katrina

In the midst of a weak economy accompanied by levels of unemployment unprecedented since the Great Depression, it is critical that the government appreciate that confidence is an imperative if the business community is to invest, take risks with start-ups, and altogether get the economy going again to put the millions of unemployed back to productive work

Many 'Wide Moat' Companies Losing Competitive Advantage

Every company is looking over its shoulder these days. The number of firms with a 'wide moat' that presents an almost insurmountable obstacle to potential competitors has been declining. Rapid-fire innovation, technology and globalization mean challengers can arise from almost anywhere. Competitive advantage these days is difficult to obtain

The Global Glass Ceiling: Why Empowering Women Is Good for Business

When women are educated and can earn and control income, a number of good results follow: infant mortality declines, child health and nutrition improve, agricultural productivity rises, population growth slows, economies expand, and cycles of poverty are broken. But the challenges remain dauntingly large

Will the United - Continental Merger Raise Airfares

If regulators approve the merger of United Airlines and Continental Airlines, it will create the world's largest carrier. Although it's early, many experts agree that there will probably be a push for higher fares.

Continental - United Airlines Merger: the Consumer View

By now you've seen the news that Continental and United airlines have agreed to merge. This isn't a done deal yet as this merger will get a close look by the Departments of Justice and Transportation, and anti-trust concerns could derail it. But most industry mavens believe the climate is right for this merger. And, I'd bet that the fallout for consumers will be more negative than positive

Just a Few Questions for the SEC

Maybe only someone woefully ignorant of high finance -- like me -- would still be trying to understand the basis, if any, of the case filed against Goldman Sachs by our suddenly awake Securities and Exchange Commission. Among the many questions the SEC's case raises ...

Financial Crisis - Somebody Must Pay!

It happens with partners. So long as the business is growing, the money's rolling in, and everything's coming up green, they're the best of friends. But when business sours and profits wither, the other partner becomes the cause of it all, a total incompetent and maybe a thief to boot. What was once mutual admiration turns into mutual litigation

Business Schools' Great Ethics Debate

Faced with a recession-trashed job market, students have been applying to M.B.A. programs in greater numbers since 2008. That's bad news for the many critics who charged that it was graduates of these M.B.A. programs who helped create the recession in the first place. Recognizing that they are now under a microscope, many business schools are re-evaluating the importance of business ethics

Can SEC Beat Goldman Sachs?

News that the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil suit against Goldman Sachs has sent the investment bank's stocks reeling. But are investors overreacting? To be sure, the case is bad news for Goldman, which has come under fire recently for its handling of mortgage-backed securities during the downturn

The Science of Workplace Happiness

Researchers are trying to figure out what makes people happy and how those feelings can be created and sustained. This field of study--which is equal parts science and psychology, with a hint of motivational speaking thrown in--is hardly new, but it has taken on growing importance as the sour job market continues to weigh on the psyches of American workers

When It Comes to Innovation Is America Becoming Third World Country

Is America turning into a Third World country? That was the provocative topic of a panel I took part in recently at a conference sponsored by The Economist entitled 'Innovation: Fresh Thinking for the Ideas Economy'

How Payroll-Tax Holiday Affects Small Businesses

Supporters in Congress claim that the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act will create jobs by making it cheaper for businesses to add new employees. The good news is that small businesses may be more likely to use the incentives to add jobs that would not have otherwise been created. The bad news is that not many small businesses will find the jobs bill's incentives appealing.

The Google Syndrome: China's Corporate Woes

As business relations between the United States and China sour, many see Google's partial exit from the Chinese economy--the company still hopes to maintain a limited presence in mainland China--as a test case that other foreign firms will use to evaluate whether they can afford to ruffle Beijing's feathers.

Going Green Is Good Business

Denver might not be the first place one would think to look for examples of progressive urban development. But the energy-centric city has become a leader in areas of transit, housing, and energy efficiency, thanks to a succession of effective leaders. Mayor John Hickenlooper talks about how Denver has become a place where energy conservation and development mix well.

Toyota: Profit Over Principles

When Toyota President Akio Toyoda testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, an attitude was exposed that Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) correctly characterized as fostering a 'cutthroat corporate' environment that placed costs ahead of quality and safety.

The Great Retail Revolution

A facade of calm may be returning to the consumer landscape as a thrashing recession finally subsides. But behind the cheerful window displays are deeply worried retail executives who fear that shopping may never be the same again.

Employers Should Be Honest About Their Electronic Privacy Policies

Quon v. Arch Wireless raises the question of whether public employers must be honest with employees about their monitoring practices. The case is not about whether employers should be allowed to monitor employee communications. Employers have legitimate reasons to do so. What Quon says is that an employer must be upfront and consistent in its monitoring policies

Employers Must Be Able to Monitor Electronic Devices They Pay For

Employers provide workers with devices and give them access to E-mail, the Internet, and instant messaging to make them more efficient as employees. It defies logic to say that employees should be able to send personal messages on company time and property without being subject to employer review. The U.S. Supreme Court will address Quon v. Arch Wireless this term and should send a clear message