Culture can make or break a company. According to a Bain & Company Survey of 365 companies in Europe, Asia, and North America, 81 percent believe that a company lacking a high-performance culture is doomed to mediocrity. Fewer than 10 percent succeed in building one. (Entrepreneur)

Retailers are in for a treat this Halloween, with revelers expected to spend more on costumes, candy, and décor than ever before. Halloween spending will hit a record $9.1 billion, according to the National Retail Federation, which surveyed shoppers with research firm Prosper Insights & Analytics. Those pumpkin-themed purchases will surpass by 8.3% the previous all-time high of $8.4 billion spent on Halloween in 2016. (USA TODAY)

Kenneth Chenault, the longtime chief executive of American Express, is retiring early next year. Unless another company hires a black CEO, that will leave Merck, TIAA and JCPenney as the only businesses in the Fortune 500 with black leaders. And all three of those leaders are men. There hasn't been a black woman CEO in the Fortune 500 since Ursula Burns left Xerox last year. (CNN)

The tradition of having the company interviewer control the pace and overall tone of a job interview isn't the best way to accomplish learning about a potential candidate, according to Udemy leadership coach Lawrence Miller. (Fast Company)

Despite intense research in both academics and human resource practices, at least one in two leaders fail to live up to the expectations when hired. One of the major reasons is that HiPo nominations are contaminated by organizational politics. To be more precise, there are six dynamics that prevent organizations from identifying, promoting, and developing the right people for leadership roles, namely: (Harvard Business Review)

When trying to find the best candidate for a job in both fit and diversity, imagine pulling out a Sharpie and marking out things on a resume that are not relevant. Focus on personality traits and skills, rather than if the person looks or sounds like you. (Society for Human Resource Management)

Linda Cash, one of the most powerful African American women in the automotive industry, has been promoted to vice president of Quality and New Model Launch at Ford Motor Co. in the midst of a major management realignment at the multinational automaker. (Black Enterprise)

Villanova President Rev. Peter Donohue has signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Pledge, making him one of the first college presidents to sign committing to improve diversity and inclusion within the workplace. (The Villanovan)

Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, said it's possible Britain's departure from the European Union may not happen. (CNN International)

Wisconsin School of Business leaders will "stop further discussion of the one-year suspension of the full-time MBA" program that could have led to the program's closure. (Wisconsin State Journal)

An MBA at a top, traditional business school in the United State is a hefty investment with tuition and typically two years of foregone salary – making a one-year program in Europe attractive to some American students. The advantage of giving up only one year of salary also means less time paying back the cost of an MBA for those who take out student loans, experts say. (U.S. News & World Report)

Amazon, the world's largest retailer, has announced it will begin selling Amazon Key - a lock and camera system that users control remotely to let couriers deliver goods right inside their houses. The decision may help Amazon lure sales from those who would like to purchase products from the company, but can't be at home for the delivery and don't want to risk having a package stolen off their doorstep. (Business Insider)

Twitter said it may turn a profit in the fourth quarter as the tech company narrowed its losses and added users. The firm, which has not posted a profit since going public four years ago, said its losses narrowed from $103 million to $21 million in the third quarter. (BBC)

The year 2017 has become the worst year on record for brick and mortal retail, with more than 6,700 stores across the United States set to close by the end of the year. That beats the previous all-time high of 6,163 store closings, which hit in 2008 amid the financial meltdown, according to Credit Suisse. (CNN Money)

African Americans, more likely to face greater financial difficulties than other middle-income Americans, including saving for retirement, would welcome more financial education and guidance through their employers, according to a study by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. (MassMutual). (PRNEWSWIRE)

Struggling to stay afloat the retail world, Sears is bringing back the Wish Book, its iconic holiday catalog featuring holiday decor, toys, games, appliances and apparel, according to the company. Sears is hoping the nostalgia factor for the catalog, which was first published in 1933, will help get consumers back into their brick and mortar stores. (CNN Money)

The House voted Thursday to adopt a Senate-passed Republican budget plan, clearing the way for a sweeping overhaul of the tax code for individuals and businesses that could add as much as $1.5 trillion to the national debt. (USA TODAY)

The CEO of American Airlines has called for a meeting with members of the NAACP after the civil rights group issued a warning to African Americans that flying on American Airlines could subject them to "disrespectful, discriminatory or unsafe conditions." (The Los Angeles Times)