On March 15, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the Department of Labor overstepped its authority by attempting to regulate financial advice and advisors. Moreover, the requirements to remain in compliance were “unreasonable.” The fiduciary rule was finally vacated on June 21 after the deadline for appeals passed. Some in the industry agree […]
The Fiduciary Rule is Dead; Now What? Read More »
Corporate culture is hard to define, yet culture is often cited by employers and employees as an important factor in talent placement. Further, Harvard researchers found that,“when aligned with strategy and leadership, a strong culture drives positive organizational outcomes.” But what is a strong culture? How can culture be evaluated and/or improved?
Defining and Improving Corporate Culture Read More »
Last year, State Street announced its intention to use shareholder activism to work towards gender parity on corporate boards. However, it appears that women on corporate boards can also be targets of shareholder activists, according to a recent study in the journal Applied Psychology.
Shareholders Target Female CEOs Read More »
Cryptocurrency: Why is Fidelity Interested? Digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum continue to garner attention in economic markets and the financial sector is taking note. Indeed, Abby Johnson, CEO of brokerage giant Fidelity, recently revealed that her company was actively exploring cryptocurrencies…and realizing gains.
Cryptocurrency: Why is Fidelity Interested? Read More »
Recent events such as the Equifax hack and the breach of the Edgar system, the SEC’s public company files, are not isolated events; this is a new reality. The volume of data stored electronically “in the cloud” and the rapid pace of technological change puts everyone at risk. As quickly as we can develop firewalls
Addressing Cybersecurity in the Business World Read More »
Investing that takes into account social, environmental, and governance factors, known as impact investing, ESG, or SRI, is on the rise and may be at a “tipping point,” according to Wharton School of Business. In the last two years, SRI assets have grown 33%, with $25 trillion assets worldwide.
The Rise of Impact Investing Read More »
In the recent past, the ownership and management of publicly-traded companies were separate entities. Shareholders were often not large enough to make their voices heard through voting. If you were displeased with the running of a company, the only option was to sell your shares.
Shareholder Activism: A New Paradigm? Read More »
A year ago, the term “robo advisor” raised alarms on various financial news sites and blogs. Financial professionals feared that computer algorithms would replace human advisors in the advice space. Yet, it has quickly become clear that a computer alone cannot address investor questions, life changes, and, frankly, the emotional aspects of investing. Some combination
Are "Bionic" Advisors the Future of Financial Advice? Read More »
Humans create a lot of waste. Over the last century, as technology has provided us with machines to make our lives easier and many products for daily living have become affordable — we are throwing more and more “stuff” away. Looked at from an economics perspective, our economy functions on a linear basis — make,
Is the Future Economy the Circular Economy? Read More »
A recent article in Bloomberg sounded the familiar alarm: “Modern Motherhood has Economists Worried.” Bloomberg looked at data from 1970-2000 among those aged 25-54, showing women’s increase in the working population, while showing men’s moderate decline. Quoting a Janet Yellen speech at Brown University, the writer goes on to state:
Women and Men Declining in the Workforce Read More »
