Investing and Global Finance News

Monthly Archives: July 2012

Business Travelers Survey: The Upsides of Travel

Market research company TNS recently conducted a survey of business travelers for Marriott’s Fairfield Inn & Suites.

“We know very little about the emotional state of frequent business travelers and were surprised how positive travel was for their lives,” said Fairfield Inn & Suites VP Shruti Buckley.

According to USA Today, the top findings from the survey include:

  • Experiencing new places- followed by meeting new people and dining- are the most enjoyable aspects of business travel, most business travels said.
  • Nearly half find the most enjoyable aspect of business travel is earning miles or points in airline, hotel and car-rental programs. Not going into the office was most enjoyable for 36%.
  • A majority of business travelers- 88%- feel ‘a positive emotion’ when preparing for a business trip. Half feel confident, and 48% feel knowledgeable as they prepare.

Top Schools for an Executive M.B.A. Programs

USNews.com ranks and reviews business schools across the United States. According to a 2012 poll, the schools with the best Executive M.B.A. programs include: University of Pennsylvania University of Chicago Northwestern University Duke University Columbia University University of California- Los Angeles New York University University of Michigan- Ann Arbor University of California- Berkley University of… Continue Reading

Company Focus: The Yocaipa Companies

The Yucaipa Companies, LLC was founded in 1986 by Ronald Burkle, a self-made billionaire who started his career as a bag boy at a local grocery store. Based in Los Angeles, the holding company focuses primarily on private equity investments. Yucaipa first turned over Jurgensen’s Markets in 1986, and has since established a record of… Continue Reading

Apple Disappoints Investors as Stock Falls Short of Expectations

The manufacturer of iPhones and Mac computers, Apple Inc dismayed Wall Street investors on Tuesday when shares in the exceedingly stable and world’s leading technology company fell over 5 percent of their value, the second quarterly fall in under one year. The disheartening results show that even the usually rock-solid Apple brand is becoming vulnerable… Continue Reading

Stock Markets Spiral Downward as Spain’s Crisis Worsens

Spain’s gaping economic crisis has pushed stock markets down this week triggering a fresh wave of doubt concerning the Eurozone’s progress and recovery. The Washington Post explains that Spain’s unemployment rate, currently higher than that of the U.S. during the Great Depression, has contributed to the economy’s downfall. “Spain announced that its economy shrank by… Continue Reading

Women in Tech: Marissa Mayer

The tech world is progressively becoming one of the most important sectors in today’s business world. Though there is no obvious reason, women have been relatively slow about breaking into the market. Marissa Mayer, the new CEO of Yahoo!, recently spoke up about being a (fashion-loving, six-months-pregnant) woman in the tech industry. “There’s all kinds… Continue Reading

Focus on Companies: Patagonia- Where Less is More

Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard says, “Every time we’ve made a decision to do the right thing it ended up being good business.” In 2011 Patagonia posted $500 million in sales. The Ventura, California-based outdoor apparel company has grown close to 30% for the past two years running while simultaneously setting the highest possible standards for… Continue Reading

Best Start-Ups for Under $3000

Would you like to start a business but don’t have much money to risk at something new? Here are some inexpensive ways to become an entrepreneur which could lead to a well-established and profitable business venture. 1.    Pooper Scooper: Yes, people love their pets, but they don’t always love taking care of them, especially when… Continue Reading