Betsey Stevenson - Faculty Research in Knowledge@Wharton

Career Crisis: Monster.com Has Choices to Make as It Approaches 'Middle Age'

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:47:58 EST

When the Internet was young, pioneering online job recruitment firm Monster.com rocked the way people look for work. Now, Monster itself has hit a rocky patch, marked by the resignation of three top officers, a major security breach and the rise of new competitors, including Craigslist. According to Wharton faculty and analysts, Monster is confronting the "middle age" that all veteran firms of the Internet's early days must face. The company remains a force in employment advertising, they say, but as it settles into maturity, Monster must find new ways to protect its established markets and expand overseas.

Chief Receptionist Officer? Title Inflation Hits the C-Suite

Wed, 30 May 2007 15:38:15 EST

We're all familiar with titles like chief executive officer, chief financial officer and chief operating officer. We have even grown used to chief technology officer, chief marketing officer and chief diversity officer. But what about chief talent officer, chief cultural officer, chief innovation officer, chief privacy officer, chief apology officer and chief geek, to name just some of the more contemporary titles in today's companies? On the surface, this looks like title inflation -- an overabundance of C-level jobs that cheapen the prestige that used to go along with promotions. Yet according to several Wharton faculty members, there is more to this story than inflated egos.

I Do's and Don'ts: How Changes in Marriage, Divorce and Childbirth Are Redefining the Workplace

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 14:51:20 EST

According to a new study by Wharton professors Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers, marriage and divorce rates in the United States are both at historic lows. When Stevenson and Wolfers began to analyze the changing market forces behind these new statistics, one thing became clear: The same forces that play a role in marriage and divorce statistics -- namely birth control, partial closing of the gender wage gap, the rising age of first marriages and dramatic changes in home technologies -- have also had a significant impact on businesses and employees.

What's in a Name? For Apple, a Focus on the Digital Living Room

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:12:24 EST

Apple's name change from Apple Computer to Apple on January 9 highlights the company's new reality: CEO Steve Jobs' strategy today revolves around converged consumer devices much more than around personal computers. How successful will this new strategy be in the face of competition from Microsoft, Sony, Motorola, Samsung, Nokia and others who are looking to dominate the digital convergence domain?

The Wi-Fi Debate: Should Cities Be in the Business of Broadband?

Wed, 01 Jun 2005 17:22:46 EST

The city of Philadelphia's grand experiment to blanket its 135 square miles with wireless high-speed Internet access is being closely watched by municipalities across the U.S. that are pursuing similar initiatives. While Philadelphia's project, which edged closer to reality with an announcement on April 7, is more than a year away from completion, it has sparked an intense debate over such questions as: Are broadband services better handled by the public or private sector? Can a wireless broadband network, commonly known as Wi-Fi, be used to help more low-income people gain online access? Should Internet access be viewed as city infrastructure, like telephone poles or city streets?