Media Relations Office

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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This week, Disney made its foray into streaming with a new platform, Disney Plus, that offers viewers the entertainment giant’s trove of original content for a $7 monthly subscription rate.  Aija Leiponen, associate professor of applied economics at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, says that Disney Plus further fragments an already packed market of streaming services.

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

Economics and Business

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Glen Dowell, a corporate sustainability researcher and professor of management and organizations at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, comments on recent environmental activism among tech workers.

Energy, Environment & Sustainability

Economics and Business

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future

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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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This Halloween, Americans are expected to spend a near-record amount of $8.8 billion on costumes and other decorations. While the holiday traditionally attracts a core of committed fans, many are also peer-pressured to jump into the festivity’s spending.  Ori Heffetz, professor of applied economics at Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business, is an expert on consumption and studies the psychological, social and cultural aspects of economic behavior. Heffetz says that when it comes to celebrations, Halloween has become the holiday to show off one’s status.

Economics and Business

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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Following pressure from China, Apple decided to pull HKmap.live from the App Store. The app allowed users to track police presence in Hong Kong, where antigovernment protesters have been demonstrating for months. The removal was announced shortly after Beijing criticized the tech giant in a strongly worded editorial on Wednesday.  Thomas Jungbauer, professor of economics in the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University, studies tech firms and high-skilled labor markets. He says that tech companies are walking a fine line as they attempt to develop their Chinese markets

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

International

Economics and Business

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Starting this Thursday, cars will be banned from lower Manhattan’s 14th street as part of an 18-month experiment to improve traffic flow. The 1.1-mile stretch will only allow buses, trucks, bikes and pedestrians. Only local businesses and residents will have car access to the street.  

New York City

Cornell Tech

Engineering

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

Architecture, Art and Planning

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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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Office-sharing company WeWork is reportedly considering slashing its initial valuation to below $20 billion, a price that falls far short of the firm’s private valuation from January. Drew Pascarella, senior lecturer of finance in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, says that WeWork’s underwhelming position points to several shortcomings in the firm’s financing and business model.

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

Economics and Business

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In Walmart’s first social responsibility report, released this week, the company outlined its commitment to sustainable growth and reported a few key figures, including employee compensations. Wages for Walmart’s average employee are growing, according to the report. The retail giant is also investing in training and education programs. Hyunseob Kim studies corporate finance and labor economics at Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, where he focuses on the effects of corporate governance and investment on wages and productivity. Kim says that Walmart is responding to an increasingly tight labor market.

Economics and Business

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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