Daniel Raff - Faculty Research in Knowledge@Wharton

Get Me Rewrite: What's Next for Murdoch's Media Empire?

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:33:36 EST

Rupert Murdoch, chairman and CEO of New York-based News Corp., has built a fortune on the scandals of others. Now, at age 80, Murdoch finds himself at the center of his own ever-widening scandal, one that threatens his hold on a $40 billion global media empire. According to Wharton faculty and other experts, News Corp. needs to address its ethical issues at all levels of the organization -- not just the top rungs. Others note that no matter what happens to Murdoch or his business, the scandal itself will cause a thorough reassessment of the boundaries of a free and fair press.

E-textbooks: The New Best-sellers

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:50:03 EST

While some students may be using notebooks or netbooks to read textbooks these days, some experts predict that within the next 10 years, most U.S. college students -- and many high-school and elementary-school students as well -- will probably be reading course materials on an electronic device instead of in a paper book. And that will have a broad impact on students and teachers, not to mention the $9.9 billion textbook-publishing business.

Wanted: A President Who Can Lead During a Time of 'Daunting' Challenges

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:54:21 EST

The new president's job, says one Wharton professor, "will be as hard as any job any person has ever had." For the 44^th president of the United States, extraordinary managerial and cognitive abilities will be needed to tackle unprecedented challenges, including wars being waged in two countries and a financial system on the verge of collapse. Wharton and University of Pennsylvania faculty members offer their views on which leadership qualities will be most important over the next four years, and why. This article is the third in a series about economic and leadership issues focusing on the November 4 election.

Will the Online Book Publishing Flap Rewrite Copyright Law?

Wed, 08 Feb 2006 16:49:25 EST

The latest frontier in the digital content revolution -- efforts by Google, Amazon and others to turn millions of books into bytes that can be easily searched, accessed and sold by the page -- could redefine copyright law and change the way knowledge is shared around the world, say experts at Wharton. Prompted by Google's controversial move to scan copyrighted works, the issue leaves many unresolved questions: Does the greater good of putting books online outweigh current copyright law? Is Google's complete scanning a violation of copyright law even if the end user doesn't get much more than a small excerpt of the work in a search result? Should Google be required to get publishers' permission before scanning content? Perhaps most importantly, is copyright law designed for printed materials still valid in the digital age?

U.S. Steel Users Claim Tariffs �Protect a Few at the Expense of the Majority�

Wed, 12 Feb 2003 00:00:00 EST

U.S. steel users are paying about a third more for their raw material than they did a year ago, forcing thousands of job losses and leading some to seek cheaper steel from overseas suppliers. Others are threatening to move their own businesses offshore, a decision that could result in a permanent loss of business for U.S. steel makers. The surge in steel prices has been caused, in part, by the Bush administration�s controversial tariff program which, depending on your point of view, is either a bid for votes in steelmaking states, or a necessary adjustment to steel prices that had been held too low for too long.

Stormy Skies, and a Silver Lining, for Boeing

Wed, 03 Jul 2002 00:00:00 EST

By most accounts, Boeing has pulled off a turnaround in the past five years. The company has streamlined production, bought a profitable military-aircraft business and clarified its famously unreadable accounting statements. But the nation�s only major commercial aircraft manufacturer is still yoked to the airline market, and that market is downbeat, to say the least. Knowledge@Wharton looks at the company�s long-range flight plan.

Webvan Finds that Shopping for Food Online Hasn�t Clicked with Consumers

Mon, 19 Mar 2001 14:05:38 EST

Given the dismal record of American companies that offer online grocery shopping, it should come as no surprise that the last big player, Webvan Group Inc., is on the ropes as well. Is this a business that simply cannot work, or did Webvan just do it wrong? Wharton faculty offer some opinions.

Texaco Hitches Its Star to Chevron

Wed, 08 Nov 2000 14:40:41 EST

When Texaco agreed to be acquired by Chevron earlier this month, the deal reflected what has become a new reality in the oil business: That big oil companies need to be even bigger today to compete globally, and the way to get there is through economies of scale. Look for consolidated corporate functions, some layoffs, new synergies and sustained long-term growth. And the impact of the new ChevronTexaco on gas and home heating oil bills? It�s too soon to tell, say Wharton faculty members and a Wall Street analyst, but it�s one area government antitrust economists are sure to scrutinize before approving the deal.

How Borders and Barnes & Noble Pursued Separate Paths to Profitability

Wed, 30 Aug 2000 13:27:47 EST

Two years ago it appeared as though the Internet revolution had turned the bookselling business upside down. Leading the charge was Amazon, a company that did not exist six years ago, and which came out of nowhere to become, as it bragged, �earth�s biggest bookstore.� Now, however, the situation seems more complicated, and Amazon�s future appears uncertain. At such a time, it is helpful to turn to history and examine the strategic actions and innovations of two other companies-Barnes & Noble and Borders-as they grappled with the challenges of the bookselling business. Wharton�s Daniel M. G. Raff does just that in a paper titled �Superstores and the Evolution of Firm Capabilities in American Bookselling.� His key finding: Despite superficial similarities, both companies have different business models and distinct strategies, based upon their capabilities.