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President-elect Barack Obama's infrastructure plan has drawn considerable debate, but mostly over the details -- the size of the stimulus program, how to structure the plan to create the most jobs in the shortest time, and how to administer such a large program to limit corruption and pork-barrel projects. The bigger questions remain unanswered, including to what extent new jobs will actually be created, and how all this spending will affect the government's long-term debt.
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Companies with strong corporate cultures can usually count on continued success if they can seamlessly transfer power to an executive from a strong bench of managers. But selecting the successor to Apple CEO Steve Jobs will be tricky, given the degree to which he is tied to Apple's identity, say Wharton faculty.
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Retailers and manufacturers of consumer goods have long believed that most grocery store purchases are unplanned, and that showy displays will push more goods into shopping carts. The displays may help sales, but the underlying assumption -- that most grocery store sales are impulse buys -- is wrong, according to a new research paper co-authored by Wharton marketing professor David Bell.
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Innovating during a financial crisis is no small challenge. Experts at a recent Wharton panel discussion offered tips: Align innovation goals with company goals, focus on technology that can cut costs, and develop the "street smarts" needed to sell technology initiatives to investors or senior management.
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When a mutual fund hits a bump in the road, will investors quickly bail out? The answer can be important to operators of open-end mutual funds, which allow investors to redeem their shares at the close of trading on any given day. When skittish stakeholders cash out, fund managers may have to conduct costly and unprofitable trades to quickly raise redemption capital. A new paper co-authored by Wharton finance professor Itay Goldstein examines patterns in fund redemptions and suggests ways to mitigate the impact.
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It was a tough year for newspapers. The owner of The Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune declared bankruptcy; The New York Times borrowed against its headquarters and even accepted ads on its front page. Detroit's two dailies announced the end of home delivery on all but three days of the week. According to Wharton faculty, if newspapers can't find a new business model quickly, they may soon be printing final editions.
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China Knowledge@Wharton
Women Executives on Work/Life Balance: Flexibility, Networks, Outside Interests
Urgent Deadline for Newspapers: Find a New Business Plan before You Vanish
On the Run: Examining Patterns in Mutual Fund Redemptions
Finding Money for Innovation: Develop Those People Skills
Job-less: Steve Jobs's Succession Plan Should Be a Top Priority for Apple
On the Job Training: Can Obama's Huge Infrastructure Program Really Work?
Global Economic Forecast for 2009: Will Demand for Good News Outpace Supply?
Universia Knowledge@Wharton
Global Economic Forecast for 2009: Will Demand for Good News Outpace Supply?
What's Next for Petroleum Giant Repsol YPF?
The State of Human Resources in Latin America
Do the SEC's New Rating Agency Rules Have Any Bite?
For Modern Urban Growth, Don't Forget the Ballpark and River Walk
The Mall Pall: Have America's Biggest Shopping Centers Lost Their Allure?
The Son Also Rises: Donald Trump, Jr., on Real Estate Opportunities in Emerging Markets