As usual, Google's parent company Alphabet comes out on top. The company claims first place on LinkedIn's 2017 Top Companies list, which highlights the 50 employers that job seekers in the U.S. most want to work for. To determine this list, LinkedIn's data team analyzed billions of searches by the site's more than 500 million members, considering views of and applications to job postings, engagement with the company on LinkedIn, and the number of employees that stay with the company for at least one year. (CNBC)

President Trump gave formal notice Thursday he will renegotiate NAFTA, the free trade deal between the US, Canada and Mexico. Administration officials sent a letter to Congress that triggers a 90-day consultation period among the administration, Congress and business. (CNN Money)

When it comes to your job, you’re not content with doing the same thing day in and day out. You want to head into work each morning knowing you're working towards something major and pushing for change in your industry. Well, you're in luck, because these 20 companies give you the opportunity to do just that. They’re all committed to being innovative in a major way, are all awesome places to work, and—bonus!—are all hiring right now. (The Muse)

There is no shortage of advice for how to navigate power dynamics within organizations — from managing toxic or exceptionally gifted subordinates to dealing with unpredictable and narcissistic bosses. Researchers have devoted entire careers to systematically cataloging the many ways in which those who have power differ from those who lack power with respect to their motivations, behaviors, biases, etc. (a sampling of these findings can be found here, here, here, and here). The problem is that most of these recommendations tend to focus on the experience of leading or following in isolation, while neglecting the unique challenges inherent in having to do both. (Harvard Business Review)

A lot of people cringe when they see "Let’s set up a meeting" in an email or instant message. I understand. Many organizations have meetings just for the sake of having meetings, where people feel forced to come up with something to talk about. These meetings, without a clear purpose or goal, are why they get a bad rep. (Entrepreneur)

Roger Ferguson was the first African-American vice chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, and today, he is one of just a handful of African-American CEOs in Corporate America. (The Philadelphia Tribune)

The competition to attract, retain and foster talent has never been tougher for organizations. Mobile workforces, multiple generations with different values and ideas, and marketplace competition from around the globe are pushing organizations to embrace diversity not just in their customers, but their employees. (The Business Journal News)

Measuring diversity in the workplace is a critical first step toward solving the tech industry’s most visible issue. As management consultant Peter Drucker’s oft-quoted axiom goes: "If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it." (Fortune)

The emergence of US shale as a key global player that can pump even during low oil prices means OPEC can no longer "manipulate prices," said Douglas Rachlin, managing director at Neuberger Berman's Rachlin Group. "The shale revolution has changed a lot of things." (CNN Money)

Brazil stocks fell more than 10 percent in opening trade Thursday on an emerging scandal involving the country's recently installed president. The Brazil Bovespa recovered to trade about 8.5 percent lower, tracking for its worst day since Oct. 22, 2008. (CNBC)

Findings from the Graduate Management Admission Council’s 2017 mba.com Prospective Students Survey Report released today show that the MBA remains the predominant program format considered by candidates with both prior business master’s degrees (61 percent) and non-business master’s degrees (86 percent). (Globe Newswire)

The cost of college has spiraled beyond the reach of many families and is leaving millions of students and graduates with debts that are keeping them from realizing their financial goals.An examination of the increasing amount of student loan debt being accumulated by students in the African-American community at a large state university in Southern California provided information used to educate students about their financial options and assist them in making wise student loan borrowing choices. (Diverse Issues in Higher Education)

Join us in Philadelphia this September for the nation's premier diversity career, education and networking event. Register now for the 2017 Annual Conference and Expo, presented by NBMBAA and Prospanica, and take advantage of early pricing discounts and best hotel locations.

Air travel is already a miserable and undignified experience, as United Airlines recently made painfully clear. Be prepared for another indignity: The White House is considering new rules that will prevent passengers from carrying laptops aboard flights from London and several European cities to the U.S. And such a proposal wouldn’t just inconvenience customers; it has the potential to devastate the airline industry by driving away customers and leading to a sharp drop-off in bookings and profits. (Fast Company)

Although creating and developing a great product or service is critical to launching and sustaining a successful business, it’s also imperative that entrepreneurs have the ability to attract customers, new clients, and investors. This is why it is important for entrepreneurs to learn how to present their business to others in a clear, cohesive manner and master the art of the pitch. In doing so, they can drive sales, negotiate successful deals, build beneficial partnerships, and maintain an edge over the competition. The caveat, however, is that mastering an effective business presentation is easier said than done. (Black Enterprise)

When you hear the words startup founder, it’s likely that the image that comes to mind is that of a young, white man who lives in California or New York, favors casual wear and didn't finish college. New data from the Kauffman Foundation may have you thinking differently. Every year, Kauffman releases a wide ranging body of research about the state of startup activity in the United States. The study looks at trends across cities and states and explores who -- by age, gender, race and even veteran status -- chooses to be an entrepreneur. (Entrepreneur)

U.S. household debt has topped the record level reached in 2008, a milestone for the recovery that shows consumers are borrowing again. But while the debt doesn’t pose the risks that toppled the financial system nine years ago, there are still some signs of potential trouble, notably high student loan debt and delinquencies. (USA TODAY)

Homeowners shell out an average $15,190 nationwide in the course of offloading a house, according to a new report from home sale website Zillow and Thumbtack, a local services marketplace. That includes real estate commissions, transfer taxes and hiring pros for common home prep projects like cleaning and repainting. (The study assessed costs in the largest 35 metropolitan areas, excluding New York and San Jose.) (CNBC)

Valerie Daniels-Carter was elected national chair of the American Automobile Association at the auto group's 114th annual meeting last week in Boston. She is the first African-American woman to chair the national AAA organization. (Crain's Detroit Business>/i>)

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