Top News
The election of Donald Trump has economic forecasters thinking hard about something that hasn’t been a problem for a while: upside risks. Each month, The Wall Street Journal’s survey of academic, financial and business economists asks for estimates of gross domestic product, inflation, unemployment and a range of other key economic indicators. Forecasters are also asked to assess whether the risk to their forecast is to the upside or the downside. In other words, what’s more likely: that growth overperforms or disappoints? ( The Wall Street Journal)
Visit http://www.wsj.com/articles/forecasters-see-upside-risks-to-their-economic-outlooks-at-highest-in-more-than-two-years-1484233201 to view the full article online.
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It’s been said that leadership is making important but unpopular decisions. That’s certainly a partial truth, but I think it underscores the importance of focus. To be a good leader, you cannot major in minor things, and you must be less distracted than your competition. To get the few critical things done, you must develop incredible selective ignorance. Otherwise, the trivial will drown you. ( Entrepreneur)
Visit https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/270486 to view the full article online.
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Diversity in the Workplace
When it comes to the highest echelons of corporate America, women of color are missing in action. Rosalind G. Brewer’s retirement as CEO of Sam’s Club is a major blow to the number of African Americans in the C-suite. Brewer was the first woman and first African American to hold a CEO position at one of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s business units. ( Black Enterprise)
Visit http://www.blackenterprise.com/news/end-black-female-ceos-corporate-america/ to view the full article online.
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Diverse teams work better. That’s a proven fact. Lack of diversity, especially in the tech world, existed on a "don’t ask, don’t tell" basis until Google released its diversity figures in mid-2014, publicly revealing the extent of the problem. Other Silicon Valley giants like Twitter and Yahoo followed suit, announcing similar findings, which freed the diversity genie out of the bottle for good. ( Observer)
Visit http://observer.com/2017/01/diversity-workplace-economic-returns-hiring/ to view the full article online.
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Entrepreneurship
It can be difficult to get into the rhythm of going to the gym. You already have a busy day, and fitting an hour of exercise into your schedule is an ongoing challenge that requires persistence. But if you’re getting back into the habit of getting to the gym, now is a great time to invest in a new gym bag. ( Business Insider)
Visit http://www.businessinsider.com/aer-gym-bag-recommendation-2017-1 to view the full article online.
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The Economy
Sears, the retailer, famous for selling everything from shoes to vacuum cleaners to whole houses, is facing its biggest crisis ever. It's closing hundreds of stores. Others are in shambles, with leaking ceilings and broken escalators. In some, employees hang bedsheets to shield shoppers from sections that stand empty. CEO Eddie Lampert, a billionaire, is trying to keep Sears afloat. He has provided up to $1 billion in financing to help keep it in operation. ( Business Insider)
Visit http://www.businessinsider.com/sears-failing-stores-closing-edward-lampert-bankruptcy-chances-2017-1 to view the full article online.
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Corporate America
Disappointed that your local Sears, Kmart or Macy's store is one of more than 200 that's about to go dark? Take heart in knowing that for retailers, these decisions aren't easy. When major chains evaluate which of their locations they'll shutter, it isn't as simple as looking at each shop's sales and profitability. While those factors no doubt play a role — especially for financially strapped companies like Sears — several other considerations come into play. ( CNBC)
Visit http://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/06/losing-your-sears-or-macys-its-not-just-the-weakest-stores-that-get-chopped.html to view the full article online.
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