Government and Economy
Obama Names Richardson as Commerce Secretary
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has been chosen to join the Obama administration as Commerce Secretary, President-elect Barack Obama announced Wednesday at a press conference.
Fed: Economy Darkens Heading into Holidays
WASHINGTON (AP) - The country's economic picture has darkened further as Americans hunkered down heading into the holidays, forcing retailers to ring up fewer sales and factories to cut back on production.
Online retailers See Surge on 'Cyber Monday'
NEW YORK (AP) - Like their counterparts at the malls, online merchants finally got some relief with the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, spurred by a bevy of deals and free shipping offers.
China to Shun Western Finance Sector
China had no plans for more investments in Western financial institutions, nor does it have any plans to save the world through economic policies.
Few Economic Bright Spots
Fed's Beige Book shows few economic bright spots.
Deflation May Hit as Prices Drop
Consumer prices plummeted in October at the fastest rate in six decades, while oil prices declined as much as 70%, spurring fears of deflation.
Benefit and Labor Issues
Labor-Green Rift Clouds Automaker Bailout Chances
Though Democrats will control both the new Congress and White House, the battle over a multibillion-dollar auto industry bailout already is pitting two major party constituencies against each other: big labor and environmentalists.
UnitedHealth to Insure a Right to Insurance
The company will sell the right to buy an individual health policy in the future even if you become sick.
UAW to Consider Contract Changes
The UAW. president said the union would also suspend its jobs bank and allow carmakers to delay a health-care fund payment.
Law and Regulation Enforcement
SEC Approves New Credit Rating Rules
The Securities and Exchange Commission passed new rules designed to prevent conflicts of interest and increase transparency in the $5 billion a year credit rating industry.
Doing Business
Dispel Fear with Honest Communication
The authors of "Authentic Conversations: Moving From Manipulation to Truth and Commitment," discuss the climate of anxiety and fear pervasive in workplace culture, how managers typically try to control information and how to deal with emotions through clear communication.
Facing the Venture Capital Dragons
Kelley Robertson, author of "The Secrets of Power Selling," was inspired by the Canadian television show "Dragon's Den" when he developed five strategies for making venture capital pitchs: be prepared, clarify your value, prove your product's ability, stay calm and anticipate objections.
Run Lean, Run Mean: On-Demand Manufacturing
One way to stay afloat during tough economic times is to run a lean, on-demand manufacturing operation and supply chain. Here is why lean works, the problems to overcome, and the tools available to assist you.
Control Your Spending
In a recession, you need to control spending and cut costs without reducing your operational effectiveness.
Sales and Marketing
Fear Sells, Sex Doesn't
A new book explores how marketers can exploit our natural instincts.
Boosting Inbox Traffic
Five steps you can take to get email subscribers to add your email address to their contact list.
Time for an E-Marketing Tune-up
Think about these ways to measure, evaluate, and tune your website.