The U.S. announced it is moving to impose tariffs imports from the European Union, following a ruling from the World Trade Organization (WTO) earlier on Wednesday that authorized Washington to go ahead with tariffs. Kate Bronfenbrenner, senior lecturer at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, says that the WTO’s decision gives Trump the option to use tariffs as a distraction from domestic issues at the expense of jobs beyond the airline industry - where the trade dispute originated.

Economics and Business

Industrial and Labor Relations

International

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Economic disruption caused by the spread of the coronavirus could impact work in numerous ways – from loss of wages suffered by low-wage workers, to reconfiguration of global job location. Alex Colvin, dean of Cornell University’s ILR School, can speak about the impact of the coronavirus on workers and organizations in the global economy.  

Economics and Business

Industrial and Labor Relations

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John Tobin, an expert on environmental and energy economics, comments on the impact coronavirus is having on the renewable energy industry, and what the industry's long-term outlook looks like.

Energy, Environment & Sustainability

Economics and Business

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Randy Allen, senior lecturer of management and a retail expert at Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business, offers some tips on ways to stay romantic while avoiding the markups this Valentine's Day.

Economics and Business

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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On Tuesday, Amazon announced that it would start offering free food delivery for Prime members. The announcement comes over two years after the Seattle-based tech giant acquired Whole Foods in an effort to develop its business in the grocery and food industries.  Daniel Hooker, senior lecturer in food industry management at Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business, says that while Amazon may yield short-term gains from offering free deliveries, shoppers will need more convincing before they give up on brick-and-mortar grocery stores.

Economics and Business

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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As businesses countrywide start to reopen, industries are struggling to come up with safety standards to reassure consumers. Within the hospitality sector, the American Hotel & Lodging Association recently released their recommendations, the Safe Stay initiative, for how hotels can enhance their safety protocols in COVID-19 times. Kate Walsh, dean of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, is an expert on hospitality management. 

Economics and Business

School of Hotel Administration

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Tesla has backtracked on a plan to have some workers to return to work before San Francisco Bay area stay-at-home orders are scheduled to expire. The company, expected to report quarterly earnings on Wednesday, said production at its Fremont, California plant will not resume this week. Arthur Wheaton says management is trying to save the company from bankruptcy, but opting for an early opening would be risky and possibly illegal.

Economics and Business

Industrial and Labor Relations

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Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, which has been trading on the New York Stock Exchange since 2014, is planning a secondary listing in Hong Kong. Trading is expected to begin on Nov. 26. Andrew Karolyi is professor of economics at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business and an expert in investment management with a focus on the study of international financial markets. Karolyi says that the listing helps to tap into the ever-deepening pools of capital in Asia.

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

Economics and Business

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On Wednesday, vaping firm Juul announced it was replacing its chief executive, Kevin Burns, with KC Crosthwaite, formerly with tobacco giant Altria. The replacement follows reports of vaping-related lung diseases and growing concerns about the firm’s advertising towards children. Hyunseob Kim, professor of finance in the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University and an expert in corporate governance says that a former tobacco executive is a natural pick given their expertise with regulators, one of Juul’s most important audiences in the foreseeable future.

Economics and Business

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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While conspicuous consumption is ever present in many aspects of people’s lives in the U.S. there are fewer holidays that exemplify consumers’ willingness to “show off” their wealth as Halloween. This year COVID-19 restrictions may hamper some of that spending, but Ori Heffetz, associate professor of strategy and business economics at the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University, says that “socially visible” consumption will continue to be at play in celebrating Halloween in 2020. 

Economics and Business

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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