Business, Management, Marketing, Money, Tax, Law, People

New center unites Stanford’s robotics expertise under one roof

The basement beneath the Packard Electrical Engineering Building, once a hallway with researchers working behind closed doors, is now a bustling hub for collaboration. After many years of planning, fundraising, and development, the all-new Stanford Robotics Center officially opened its doors with a reception Nov. 1.The new facility is a bright, open, and vibrant space with a number of research bays arranged side-by-side. In one corner, a dancer pirouettes as…

Continue ReadingNew center unites Stanford’s robotics expertise under one roof

The NYC Safe Hotels Act Creates More Challenges For Non-Union Hotels

By: Paul Galligan On November 4, 2024, Mayor Adams signed Intro 0991-2024, also known as the Safe Hotels Act.  The Act will become effective 180 days after November 4th.  Initially proposed at the NYC Assembly in July 2024, the Safe Hotels Act created a lot of controversy with several hotel associations opposed to it, particularly because of the requirement that hotels in NYC directly employ hotel employees in “core” parts…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:4 mins read
Continue ReadingThe NYC Safe Hotels Act Creates More Challenges For Non-Union Hotels

Do employers have to let emotional support animals come to work?

Deborah Cullingford, who worked as a bailiff in Leeds for over 10 years, brought a claim against the Ministry of Justice for disability discrimination and harassment after being prohibited from bringing her dog, Bella, to work. Cullingford adopted Bella in 2020, finding companionship in her during the Covid pandemic. She told the tribunal that Bella had been the reason she “did not end her life when she felt depressed and…

Continue ReadingDo employers have to let emotional support animals come to work?

Delivering the strategy: The COO agenda

We’ve all heard someone say that something is “on” or “part of” the COO agenda. But all too often, what that means is unclear. Indeed, in a recent roundtable discussion, few COOs said that they had taken the time to think through and define their agenda. Part of the reason lies in how people become COOs. Most move into the role from a closely related operations position, making the transition…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:23 mins read
Continue ReadingDelivering the strategy: The COO agenda

Harnessing AI to reshape consumer experiences in healthcare

In the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, AI has the potential to reshape how consumers engage with medical services. Today, consumers in the United States can struggle with everything from finding the right insurance coverage to understanding when they should see a doctor, what it will cost, and how to manage their health. Many spend hours researching, conferring with friends and family, and calling providers and payers to find answers to…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:9 mins read
Continue ReadingHarnessing AI to reshape consumer experiences in healthcare

Massachusetts PFML Update: DFML Releases New 2025 Rate Sheets, Poster and Employee Notices

Seyfarth Synopsis: Employers must provide current employees with written notice of the 2025 contribution rates for the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. Employees must receive notice of the 2025 contribution rates on or before December 2, 2024. The Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) has published updated Rate Sheets that includes the required information. The DFML has also issued an updated poster, as well as updated…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:4 mins read
Continue ReadingMassachusetts PFML Update: DFML Releases New 2025 Rate Sheets, Poster and Employee Notices

Texas Federal Judge Strikes Down DOL’s New Overtime Rule

Quick Hits A federal judge in Texas struck down the DOL’s April 2024 overtime rule that sought to raise the minimum salary levels for the FLSA’s white-collar overtime exemption. The ruling comes in a challenge by the state of Texas and a group of more than a dozen business organizations. The DOL rule had raised the minimum salary level on July 1, 2024, to the equivalent of $43,888 per year,…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:5 mins read
Continue ReadingTexas Federal Judge Strikes Down DOL’s New Overtime Rule

China Brief: China Consumption – Momentum Amid Uncertainty

Since my last China Brief, consumption has gained momentum, particularly with the unveiling of a series of economic stimulus measures since September 24. The highly anticipated annual Double 11 Shopping Festival, which ended on November 11, well exceeded industry expectations, further fueling excitement among industry executives around the pickup in consumption.Despite this momentum, the uncertainty that has hovered over the Chinese economy and consumption over the past year, driven by…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:6 mins read
Continue ReadingChina Brief: China Consumption – Momentum Amid Uncertainty

Outlook Post Trump Victory

The extent of the victory by former President Trump was not expected but financial markets have been discounting a Trump victory since the end of September. Some of the rise in US 10-year bond yields last month (from 3.79% to 4.28%) were a reflection of that trend. Trump’s policies, including tariffs on imports and the likelihood of lax fiscal policy, are seen as potentially inflationary. The dominant narrative in markets…

Continue ReadingOutlook Post Trump Victory

Mexico’s Federal Government Initiates Process to Eliminate Autonomous Data Privacy Authority

Quick Hits The Mexican government is eliminating the National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information and Protection of Personal Data (INAI). The access to public information and the protection of personal data will no longer be overseen by an autonomous institution but by an agency within the executive branch of the federal government. There are many uncertainties that the government has not addressed, including how a ministry of the executive…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:3 mins read
Continue ReadingMexico’s Federal Government Initiates Process to Eliminate Autonomous Data Privacy Authority

Robert Chatwani on product-led sales, a new growth frontier

In this episode of McKinsey on Building Products, a podcast dedicated to the exploration of software product management and engineering, McKinsey partner Rikki Singh speaks with Robert Chatwani, president of growth at Docusign. Chatwani’s decades-long career has focused on the marriage of the marketing and growth functions to create more-compelling products. This discussion explores how to drive sustainable revenue growth and brand love through product-led sales. Singh and Chatwani explore…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:16 mins read
Continue ReadingRobert Chatwani on product-led sales, a new growth frontier

Is your organization healthy? Find out with this quiz

Organizational health is crucial to long-term performance, yet it is a moving target. For more than 20 years, McKinsey’s Organizational Health Index (OHI) has examined the practices and outcomes that lead to better health (exhibit). Through extensive research that yielded our latest OHI insights, we identified emerging and evolving trends in technology, worker motivation, talent strategies, and leadership styles, among other critical health factors. Test your knowledge below. Authoritative leadership…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:4 mins read
Continue ReadingIs your organization healthy? Find out with this quiz

New York Legislature to Consider Amendment to the New York Retail Worker Safety Act

Quick Hits The New York governor’s office is discussing with the state legislature a possible amendment to the New York Retail Worker Safety Act, and it is anticipated that the legislature will vote on potential amendments in January 2025. Anticipated amendments include reducing the frequency of workplace violence training for employers with fewer than fifty employees, issuing training templates in English and the twelve most common non-English languages in New…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:3 mins read
Continue ReadingNew York Legislature to Consider Amendment to the New York Retail Worker Safety Act

Study uncovers earliest evidence of humans using fire to shape the landscape of Tasmania

A team of researchers from the UK and Australia analysed charcoal and pollen contained in ancient mud to determine how Aboriginal Tasmanians shaped their surroundings. This is the earliest record of humans using fire to shape the Tasmanian environment.Early human migrations from Africa to the southern part of the globe were well underway during the early part of the last ice age – humans reached northern Australia by around 65,000…

Continue ReadingStudy uncovers earliest evidence of humans using fire to shape the landscape of Tasmania

Four Oxford academics receive ERC Synergy Grants to address complex scientific problems

Four Oxford University academics are to co-lead ambitious new research projects backed by European Research Council (ERC) Synergy Grants, part of the EU’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. Synergy Grants foster interdisciplinary and international collaboration between outstanding researchers, enabling them to combine their expertise, knowledge, and resources to push the boundaries of scientific discovery. This year, 57 research projects were awarded a Synergy Grant out of 548 submitted proposals,…

Continue ReadingFour Oxford academics receive ERC Synergy Grants to address complex scientific problems

The Myth of the Sustainable Consumer

Tania Yakunova/Ikon Images Sustainability has become a powerful driver of consumer behavior. People are changing what they consume, how they consume, and how they lead their day-to-day lives, motivated by a concern for sustainability. Our research has identified a consumer-driven megatrend that holds tremendous strategic opportunity for companies if they change how they think of consumer preferences for sustainable options.The belief that there is only one type of sustainable consumer…

Continue ReadingThe Myth of the Sustainable Consumer

PAGA Paraphrased — Rodriguez v. Lawrence Equip., Inc.

Seyfarth Synopsis: The Second District again held that issue preclusion barred plaintiff’s PAGA claim because he failed to establish any violation of the Labor Code and arbitral findings have a preclusive effect on a plaintiff’s standing in a stayed PAGA claim.    The Second District again grappled with the issue of whether an arbitrator’s previous adjudication of Labor Code violations preclude a plaintiff from asserting a PAGA claim based on…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:2 mins read
Continue ReadingPAGA Paraphrased — Rodriguez v. Lawrence Equip., Inc.

Prospective Employees May Sign Louisiana Noncompete Agreements if They Contain an Effective Date During Employment

Quick Hits In 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Rouses Enterprises, L.L.C. v. Clapp, held that Louisiana law does not allow an employer to enforce a noncompete agreement signed by a prospective employee. In Gallagher & Co. v. Annison, the Louisiana Court of Appeal, First Circuit, distinguished Rouses and held that noncompete agreements signed by prospective employees are enforceable where the agreements contain an effective…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:3 mins read
Continue ReadingProspective Employees May Sign Louisiana Noncompete Agreements if They Contain an Effective Date During Employment

OSC short-selling prosecution dismissed

The Ontario Capital Markets Tribunal (the CMT) dismissed the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) prosecution in Re Cormark Securities Inc. The CMT held that the OSC “failed to prove any of its allegations”, that the transactions in issue were not an illegal distribution, and that the respondents’ conduct did not engage the CMT’s public interest jurisdiction. The CMT’s decision contains helpful guidance for market participants on a number of issues. BLG…

  • Post category:BLG law firm
  • Reading time:6 mins read
Continue ReadingOSC short-selling prosecution dismissed

Your CEO thinks HR is operational, not strategic?

Do these comments resonate with you?  Owners don’t understand that we’re not just paperwork. HR is a punching bag expected to resolve everyone’s mess. There’s no HR budget, no support, and a team of 2 for 300+ employees. Even after a workforce survey, leadership still won’t listen to me!   It’s been 15 years of delivering webinars to an HR audience totalling hundreds of thousands of people. And I hear…

  • Post category:Civility Partners
  • Reading time:3 mins read
Continue ReadingYour CEO thinks HR is operational, not strategic?

Relations between Russia and South Africa at the Current Stage

On the other hand, the current partners of the ANC in the ruling coalition embrace, as noted above, pro-Western and/or right-wing political views. In order to maintain unity within the coalition, certain compromises between the ANC and its partners in the government cannot be ruled out, including on foreign policy issues.In this regard, the question of whether it is possible to adjust the foreign policy of South Africa after the…

Continue ReadingRelations between Russia and South Africa at the Current Stage

The cybersecurity provider’s next opportunity: Making AI safer

The rapid advancement of AI and generative AI (gen AI) is fundamentally transforming the cybersecurity landscape, presenting both opportunities and challenges for cybersecurity providers. As more organizations in both the private and public sectors use AI to enhance their operations, they risk inadvertently introducing new cyber-related threats. This is creating a significant and growing demand for advanced cybersecurity solutions. AI is also being used by bad actors as a tool…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:13 mins read
Continue ReadingThe cybersecurity provider’s next opportunity: Making AI safer

Five Tips on Avoiding ‘Terminal Niceness’: Former Red Hat CEO Jim Whitehurst

Topics Culture Champions Building a healthy culture is one of the most important — and hardest — leadership jobs. These articles, based on a webinar series and research by Donald Sull and CultureX, share actionable advice from leaders whose cultures produced exceptional business results and a world-class employee experience. More in this series Aleksandar Savic As the chief operating officer responsible for leading Delta Airlines through bankruptcy in 2005, Jim…

Continue ReadingFive Tips on Avoiding ‘Terminal Niceness’: Former Red Hat CEO Jim Whitehurst

Top Six Q&As for Government Contractors on Procurement Fraud and Compliance Risks

In celebration of the recent release of the 6th Edition of the Government Contracts Compliance Handbook (authored by the Seyfarth Government Contracts Group), we’re sharing six essential questions and answers that every government contractor should be prepared to address regarding procurement fraud. This milestone edition dives into the complexities of compliance, criminal and civil penalties, and the administrative sanctions contractors may face. With procurement fraud risks continually evolving, these six…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:5 mins read
Continue ReadingTop Six Q&As for Government Contractors on Procurement Fraud and Compliance Risks

Ontario’s newly proposed pilot program for automated commercial vehicle testing

Ontario has a new proposed pilot program for testing automated vehicles on Ontario’s public roads. While the initial program commenced in 2016 was restricted to non-commercial automated vehicles (such as passenger vehicles, light-duty delivery trucks/vans, and small shuttles), the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) announced on Oct. 16, 2024 a 10-year pilot project called Framework for an Automated Commercial Motor Vehicles (ACMV). The new ACMV project is designed for…

  • Post category:BLG law firm
  • Reading time:3 mins read
Continue ReadingOntario’s newly proposed pilot program for automated commercial vehicle testing

What are AI guardrails?

A pair of red and white concrete road barriers aligned on a street against a light blue background. You know about guardrails on the highway: barriers along the edge of the road that protect vehicles from veering off course and into danger. With the advent of generative AI (gen AI), the concept of guardrails also applies to systems designed to ensure that a company’s AI tools, especially large language models (LLMs),…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:10 mins read
Continue ReadingWhat are AI guardrails?

Five Ways Predictive AI Can Improve Sales Performance Management

Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images When it comes to maximizing growth and revenue, you may be missing something — something big. It’s the harnessing of predictive AI to enhance and deploy sales performance management (SPM). Companies with sizable sales forces — whether in the technology, medical device, pharmaceutical, industrial, or consumer goods industry or some other sector — must consider adopting AI-driven SPM. Consider the example of NovaMed, a…

Continue ReadingFive Ways Predictive AI Can Improve Sales Performance Management

FTC Amends Pre-Merger Notification Rules Affecting Use of Restrictive Covenants

Rock Staar, Unsplash As we previously reported, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced that it is amending and reorganizing the document requirements for pre-merger notifications under the Hart Scott Rodino Act (“HSR Act”), 15 U.S.C. 18a, which also includes a requirement for buyers to indicate the existence of non-compete and non-solicit agreements among the businesses involved.  The HSR Act and the associated rules require parties to specified mergers and acquisitions…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:4 mins read
Continue ReadingFTC Amends Pre-Merger Notification Rules Affecting Use of Restrictive Covenants

Canadian product liability class actions – Case highlights

*This article was originally published on the American Bar Association website There have been several significant new developments in product-related class actions in Canada in the past two years. These decisions, arising from Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia provide important insights into how courts are deciding product liability class actions, particularly at the certification motion, and the court’s authority to dismiss putative class actions for delay. This article highlights key…

  • Post category:BLG law firm
  • Reading time:10 mins read
Continue ReadingCanadian product liability class actions – Case highlights

Could More Human-Like AI Undermine Trust?

From virtual assistants to self-driving cars to medical imaging analysis, the use of modern AI technologies based on deep-learning architectures has increased dramatically in recent years. But what makes us put our faith in such technologies to, say, get us safely to our destination without running off the road? And why do we perceive some forms of AI to be more trustworthy than others?It may depend on how much agency…

  • Post category:INSEAD Knowledge
  • Reading time:5 mins read
Continue ReadingCould More Human-Like AI Undermine Trust?

Adding a powerful new tool to the field mechanic’s toolbelt: AI

On this page: Opportunity | Solution | Impact 0Kdocumentseasily searchable in database$0K+per hourestimated saved via recouped downtime0%improvement inapprox. 1st-time resolution rates The Opportunity Enhancing field service support with generative AI Ascendum is a Portugal-based global provider of machinery and equipment for the construction, infrastructure, haulage, and agriculture sectors. The company distributes and maintains over 25 different brands of construction machinery, industrial and infrastructure equipment, trucks, agricultural machinery, and specialized gear…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:5 mins read
Continue ReadingAdding a powerful new tool to the field mechanic’s toolbelt: AI

Valdai Club to Discuss Relations Between Russia and Africa

On November 18 at 12:00 noon Moscow time, the Valdai Club will host a presentation of the Valdai Paper "Russia-Africa: Overcoming Challenges". Today, Russia is pursuing an active policy of expanding cooperation with African countries. The first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum was held in Sochi on November 9-10. Its participants defined the tasks for the coming years and summed up the first results of the second Russia-Africa…

Continue ReadingValdai Club to Discuss Relations Between Russia and Africa

Steering Indian insurance from growth to value in the upcoming ‘techade’

As India embraces digital transformation, inclusion, and a new role as a tech leader exemplified by a decade of technology transformation, or “techade,” new opportunities open up for the insurance sector and the wider financial services industry. With strong valuations and a significant growth trajectory, India’s insurance industry is poised for continued success. Accompanying this positive outlook, however, are concerns about profitability and notably slow innovation within the industry in…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:7 mins read
Continue ReadingSteering Indian insurance from growth to value in the upcoming ‘techade’

Quantitative Tightening: How do shrinking Eurosystem bond holdings affect long-term interest rates?

14 November 2024 By Yıldız Akkaya, John Hutchinson, Kasper Jørgensen and Emanuel SkeppåsThe Eurosystem has started to reduce its bond holdings. This ECB Blog post investigates how strongly the shrinking balance sheet affects long-term interest rates. Estimates based on the Survey of Monetary Analysts suggest: an expected €1 trillion reduction in bond holdings may raise long-term risk-free interest rates by about 35 bps.The ECB reacted forcefully in response to the…

Continue ReadingQuantitative Tightening: How do shrinking Eurosystem bond holdings affect long-term interest rates?

Building Human Connection in a Remote World

Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Employee engagement — the measure of individual commitment to organizational success — positively correlates with discretionary effort and meaningfully impacts every individual and organizational performance metric that matters. However, despite significant investments across most industries, leading engagement studies have never found more than 36% of employees engaged at work. The Gallup Q12 survey tool, which some consider the gold standard for measuring employee engagement,…

Continue ReadingBuilding Human Connection in a Remote World

New Rules for HSR Premerger Notification Filings Take Effect February 10, 2025

On November 12, 2024, the final rule issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) amending premerger notification requirements under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Act was published in the Federal Register. The HSR Act typically requires parties to mergers and acquisitions over a certain size ($119.5 million in 2024) to provide to the FTC and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) advance notice of the proposed transaction and observe a 30-day waiting…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:3 mins read
Continue ReadingNew Rules for HSR Premerger Notification Filings Take Effect February 10, 2025

5 ways Microsoft Copilot can help you finish your school term strong

Discover prompts for educators to manage last-minute tasks efficiently and keep students engaged as the term winds down. The weeks before a term ends and break begins are filled with opportunities for growth and creativity. Final assessments, lesson prep, and keeping students engaged as they eagerly anticipate the coming break presents creative challenges for educators. Whether you’re a classroom educator, special education or learning support educator, paraprofessional, or librarian, Copilot…

  • Post category:Microsoft
  • Reading time:7 mins read
Continue Reading5 ways Microsoft Copilot can help you finish your school term strong

Why your financial plan could benefit more than you by creating a legacy

You might think of your financial plan as being a way to help you reach your life goals. But it could benefit more than just you. As a financial plan focuses on your goals, you might choose to include ways to create a legacy for your loved ones. It could mean your wealth provides long-term financial security to your children, grandchildren, and others who are important to you. So, how…

Continue ReadingWhy your financial plan could benefit more than you by creating a legacy

The CEO’s essential checklist: Questions every chief executive should be able to answer

A great aviator is constantly aware of their surroundings. Watching for changes in the weather and in the paths of other aircraft is vital. The same is true for being a great CEO, which is why the business press is full of information about what’s happening in the business environment: geopolitics, regulatory changes, inflation, generative AI, and so on. Equally important for a pilot’s success is understanding their aircraft and…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:23 mins read
Continue ReadingThe CEO’s essential checklist: Questions every chief executive should be able to answer