How Diverse Boards Can Help Close the Wealth Gap
Businessam StaffFebruary 1, 2021
As the founder of one of the country’s oldest minority-led investment firms, John W. Rogers Jr. has spent his career pushing for greater diversity across different industries that historically have been impenetrable for people of color. That’s why he’s concerned about the wealth gap between whites and Blacks in America, which is widening despite decades […]
Will Parler Prevail in Its Antitrust Case Against Amazon?
Businessam StaffJanuary 25, 2021
Far-right social media network Parler is unlikely to win its antitrust lawsuit against Amazon because it will be difficult to prove that the tech giant booted the platform off its server for competitive reasons, according to Wharton professor Herbert Hovenkamp. Parler, which was founded in 2018 and boasts more than 4 million users, was effectively […]
Will 2020 Be Seen as the Year of the SPAC Bubble?
Businessam StaffJanuary 25, 2021
As of December 14, 2020, according to SPAC Alpha, there were 230 special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) IPOs completed YTD – more than 50% higher than the number of SPAC IPOs in the previous four years combined. In this opinion piece, David Erickson explores how the SPAC market exploded in 2020 and what may happen […]
Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Ask Sensitive Questions
Businessam StaffJanuary 18, 2021
Knowledge@Wharton: What generated the idea for your study? Maurice Schweitzer: We were interested in thinking about the exchange of information. When we’re making a decision or we’re deciding how to negotiate, we really need information from our counterparts. We can do our homework before we get started, but once we sit down with someone or […]
What’s Wrong with the IPO Process and How to Fix It
Businessam StaffJanuary 11, 2021
While DoorDash and Airbnb successfully completed their much-anticipated IPOs this past week, there has been a lot of scrutiny on how these IPOs were priced and subsequently traded up significantly. The stock price for DoorDash rose 86% at the start of trading, and Airbnb went a whopping 115% above its IPO price; in both cases […]
How Inclusion Helps Companies Succeed
Businessam StaffJanuary 11, 2021
When authors Laura Morgan Roberts, Alison Maitland and Rebekah Steele began working on their books about diversity, equity and inclusion several years ago, they could not have predicted that they would be contributing to one of the best-selling topics of 2020. In the weeks following widespread protests over the death of George Floyd, Americans purchased […]
Should Your DNA Data Be Used to Sell Products?
Businessam StaffJanuary 4, 2021
Sales of genetic testing kits have skyrocketed since they first appeared on the market in 2013. Now, more than 30 million people have taken these tests, adding a treasure trove of DNA information to enormous datasets that are already being tapped by tech-savvy businesses. Music streaming service Spotify offered curated playlists based on a listener’s […]
What Will It Take to Distribute the COVID-19 Vaccine?
Businessam StaffJanuary 3, 2021
The worldwide distribution of the first vaccines to fight COVID-19 comes with unique logistical challenges that will take unprecedented teamwork to carry out, said Wharton professor of operations and information management Gad Allon. The immunization program is “probably the biggest vaccination initiative we’ve ever seen in humanity, so [it’s] definitely a major undertaking at the […]
How Institutional Reforms Can Power Startups
Businessam StaffDecember 28, 2020
Startups can benefit from institutional reforms that lower barriers to formation and growth, increase avenues for raising capital and exiting, and ease liquidation and bankruptcy in case of failure, according to new research by Wharton management professor Valentina Assenova. But these changes have another critical outcome: In countries that implemented such reforms, the average number […]
How Gaming Can Help Learners of All Ages
Businessam StaffDecember 28, 2020
Imagine a classroom setting where traditional lectures and slides are augmented with interactive games that let students fully immerse themselves in the lesson. That’s the goal at Wharton Interactive, which is dedicated to transforming education through game-based learning. The idea is not to allow teenagers to spend hours playing Minecraft or Among Us; instead, it’s […]