Alan Strudler - Faculty Research in Knowledge@Wharton

When Do Exaggerations and Misstatements Cross the Line?

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:52:02 EST

Embellishing stories about one's accomplishments or qualifications, whether by exaggeration or misstatement, is part of human nature, experts say, and almost everyone is guilty of it at one time or another. Left unchecked, however, exaggerations that seemed innocuous at first can result in serious, potentially career-ending consequences. Thanks to the Internet, it's easier than ever to get caught in an exaggeration, Wharton experts and others note. But the temptation to embellish has also never been greater, as recession-weary workers feel pressured to justify their worth and a 24-hour news cycle demands that leaders have an immediate, sound-bite-ready answer for everything.

Why Insider Trading Is Hard to Define, Prove and Prevent

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:18:47 EST

On October 16, federal prosecutors charged Raj Rajaratnam and his hedge fund, Galleon Group, with insider trading. On November 5, 14 additional people were charged with the same crime, and prosecutors predict even more arrests in coming weeks. The Galleon case raises questions about what exactly constitutes insider trading at a time when so many market participants, such as hedge funds and other opaque investment pools, live or die on their ability to gather information competitors don't have. Wharton faculty offer their opinions.

The Subprime Blame Game: Where Were the Realtors?

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:24:43 EST

It is a scene millions of Americans have been in -- sitting next to a real estate agent at closing to sign the papers for a new home. Often, the buyer has spent months with the agent. And to hear agents tell it, they are indispensable guides through the hazardous home-buying terrain. How is it, then, that millions of borrowers took on toxic subprime mortgages that could cost them their homes? Why did their agents not warn them off? While much criticism has been leveled at subprime lenders and mortgage brokers, some experts say that real estate agents have managed to escape their share of blame for the subprime mess.

Social Investing: Big Business, Big Challenges

Wed, 01 Mar 2000 13:58:51 EST

More and more individuals and organizations pay increasingly close attention these days to where their money is invested. According to figures gathered by the non-profit Social Investment Forum, total assets under management in socially-screened portfolios have risen from $529 billion to more than $1.5 trillion in just the past three years. Earlier this month, Wharton's Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research sponsored a one-day conference on social investing. As these kinds of funds continue to gain popularity, noted conference participants, the challenges facing fund managers will only increase.