Throughout 2003 and into 2004, a surge of protests roiled American campuses. You probably think the kids were agitating against war in Iraq, right? Well, no: Students at UCLA, Michigan, and many other schools were sponsoring events such as bake sales to protest affirmative action. Similarly, Dr. Larry Summers, Harvard's president, remains under siege for suggesting that the reason why women are underrepresented in the higher reaches of

view full article

The military budget keeps getting bigger, and the range of purchases is constantly expanding. This market may hold big potential for your own company and your investments. Why? While big defense contractors still account for 47 percent of Department of Defense spending, a growing proportion is going to other suppliers, big and small, who know how to address this opportunity. We'll discuss the trend in military procurement, and where the best opportunities are likely to lie.

view full article

Between kids in elementary school who play with toys, and teenagers who drive cars and go on dates, lie the "tweeners." These are the youngsters, aged 10-14, who have a great deal of spending power and a great deal of influence over their parents' purchase decisions. Increasingly, marketers are recognizing that this segment is a powerful lever for driving many consumer categories, both long-term and short-term. What's the most effective way to market to them? We'll investigate.

view full article

In an era when the greatest threats to national security are suicidal terrorists rather than conventional armies, America can't fight back with weapons of mass destruction. Consequently, the U.S. and its allies are pursuing the development of a class of non-lethal weapons designed to create pain, and perhaps unconsciousness, while leaving hostages and terrorists alive. For instance, the U.S. military is funding the development of a weapon that delivers a bout of excruciating pain from up to two kilometers away. As the first prototypes emerge from the labs, how should we interpret this development? What are the opportunities and what are the threats? We'll explore these and other relevant questions.

view full article

Because of a series of miscalculations by planners in the 1980s and ‘90s, the nation is about to experience a shortage of physicians. This will be good for those physicians who are in the pipeline or already practicing. And it may even be good for the health-care system longer-term, as it provides another impetus for reengineering health care. But the prognosis is not as optimistic for patients. We'll explore the problem, as well as some potential solutions.

view full article

In the 20th century, organized labor was a force to be reckoned with. However, several forces are coming together to change this: the decline of manufacturing, the rise of the knowledge worker, a comparatively hostile regulatory environment, the need for business flexibility, the rise of outsourcing, and the general decline of class warfare. All of these forces are shrinking the power of organized labor everywhere in the U.S. economy — everywhere, that is, except in government. Beyond the U.S., we can see that, far from being an asset, large-scale unionism has become a liability for nations competing in the 21st century global economy. But what will all this mean for the welfare of workers and their employers? We'll explain.

view full article

Over the past 30 years, men have generally pursued relatively traditional career paths. Except for the need to adapt to downsizing and new technologies, their working lives would seem familiar to their fathers'. Meanwhile, highly educated Boomer and Xer women have tended to weave in and out of the working world, and much of their potential contribution has been lost to the economy. Now, with a looming talent shortage in the coming decade, what's going to happen? We'll show you.

view full article