articles 1 to 10 of 80
Available All the Time: Etiquette for the Social Networking Age
As social networking sites and 24-hour Blackberry access blur the lines between business and personal lives, managers and employees are struggling to develop new social norms to guide them through the ongoing evolution of communications technology. Wharton faculty and other experts say the process of creating rules to cope with the ever-expanding reach of modern communications has just begun, but will be shaped largely by individuals and organizations, not top-down decrees from a digital Emily Post.
From: September 30, 2009
Caught in the Middle: Rising Unemployment Takes Its Toll on Older Managers
U.S. recessions since the oil crisis in the early 1970s each had their own special causes and victims, but they also had something in common: They were over relatively quickly. The current downturn, however, is deeper and already longer than any since World War II. This spells trouble for one especially vulnerable group -- managers in their 40s and early 50s. What can they do when the industry they made their career in downsizes or goes bust? And how should they go about picking themselves up and getting back into the game? Wharton faculty and employment counselors weigh in.
From: July 08, 2009
The Pink Prescription: Facing Tomorrow's Challenges Calls for Right-brain Thinking
In a world where jobs can be sent overseas, tasks can be automated and the feverish pace of technology can render even last year's innovation obsolete, students will have to learn how to think differently than their parents in order to survive and prosper, says Daniel H. Pink, author of three bestselling books about the changing work environment. He spoke at the recent Wharton Evolution of Learning Symposium.
From: June 10, 2009
Half-a-Million Job Cuts: Is There a Strategy Behind the Layoffs?
In a single week in January, corporations around the world laid off nearly 100,000 workers. Since September last year, more than half a million jobs have been eliminated, even at companies that were doing well some time ago. A number of observers are blaming this trend on the economic downturn or on a restructuring of the global economic system. But is this really the case? According to experts from Wharton and elsewhere, what companies are experiencing is neither an indication of a transformation nor a blanket prognosis for the rest of the economy. Instead, they say, the job announcements highlight operational weaknesses and strategic issues that have been lurking under the surface for years.
From: February 04, 2009
As Layoffs Spread, Innovative Alternatives May Soften the Blow
Just how bad will the economy get? For employers facing tough decisions about layoffs, the question is far from rhetorical. If the current economic turmoil is contained sooner than expected, premature layoffs could be a disaster. If not enough employees are laid off and the recession continues, the company's bottom line could suffer. What options do employers have when it comes to cutting payroll without adversely affecting the talent pool, employee morale or the future of the company?
From: November 26, 2008
Job Survival Advice: Don't Fear the Whitewater
Change is the new status-quo, and success at work will require agility, talent and the ability to learn from -- rather than fear -- failure, according to Gregory Shea, adjunct professor of management at Wharton, and business writer Robert Gunther. The two recently co-authored a book titled, Your Job Survival Guide, a Manual for Thriving in Change.
From: November 12, 2008
Women Executives on Work/Life Balance: Flexibility, Networks, Outside Interests
A panel of successful women acknowledged that striking a perfect balance between work and personal life is rarely possible for a first-year associate on Wall Street, but they also agreed that balance is achievable over time if the right priorities are established. Executives from Wachovia Securities, JP Morgan, Goldenridge Capital, Morgan Stanley and UBS offered anecdotes and advice at a recent Wharton Women in Business Conference.
From: November 12, 2008
Public vs. Private Company Managers: Which Are More Likely to Impact the Bottom Line?
Executives who hone their skills at the helm of private companies tend to be more driven, more bottom line-oriented and have much more flexibility than CEOs at publicly owned companies, who are constrained by their need to balance multiple objectives in a corporate ecosystem. That was the consensus of four panelists who discussed the management challenges at private equity-backed firms during the recent Wharton General Management Conference.
From: October 15, 2008
On the Clock: Are Retail Sales People Getting a Raw Deal?
Ann Taylor Stores -- a New York-based retailer of upscale women's clothing -- is using a new computer scheduling system that assigns the busiest and most desirable hours to employees with the strongest sales numbers. Those with less success on the selling floor get far fewer and less desirable hours when new schedules are posted. While systems like these can help improve productivity, Wharton faculty and others warn that they are no substitute for hands-on management when it comes to dealing with workers.
From: October 01, 2008
Not What, Not How, but Who? Western Companies Face a Worldwide Talent Crunch
Faced with an aging workforce and a growing demand for skilled workers in emerging markets like China and India, companies in the West are grappling with a talent crunch of unprecedented scope. According to experts at Wharton and The Boston Consulting Group, management responses include over-hiring to meet future needs, upgrading training in concert with universities and in-house corporate schools, and extracting greater productivity through innovation.
From: September 22, 2008
