Business & Economy, business and economy
Companies use contests to drive innovation
When Netflix hit the wall trying to improve the accuracy of its movie-recommendation software, a key way to get customers to keep renting movies, the company turned its challenge into a contest.
Credit-card rules tightening on college campuses
Credit-card companies love college students.
They're either cramming their mailboxes with pre-approved offers or setting up booths on campus, offering free T-shirts to any undergrad who will sign on the dotted line.
Hired: Very important to make a good first impression
The other evening, my wife and I stopped at a fast-food restaurant. As we were walking to a table, we noticed a young man sitting in the corner filling out an employment application. He had a pair of white rimmed sun glasses perched on his head, was wearing a Hollister T-shirt, faded jeans, and sneakers.
Want a raise? You may need to grow taller
If you're wondering why you can't get a job or worry that you might not be making as much money as some of your colleagues, it could be time to take a long look in the mirror.
Donors dialing up mobile phones to aid charities
For most nonprofits, raising money means asking donors to write a check. But like music, maps and movies, charitable giving is also going mobile.
With a mobile phone, donating to a cause can be as simple as typing MEALS or ALIVE.
Video game industry makes a play for social networks
The recession has caught up with the video game industry, but it's done little to stop the growth of one sector: social gaming, where tens of millions of users play games such as Mafia Wars, Farm Town and Restaurant City on social networks.
Boating industry reaches rough seas
Staying afloat is key in the boating industry but some manufacturers and dealers are close to being capsized by the stormy economy.
The problems at Genmar Holdings Inc. in Minneapolis, which owns 13 brands and is the nation's second largest boat manufacturer, is typical in the industry these days.
Back-to-school sales suffer
Jeans for $29, the sign reads.
What's a mother to do if she has two daughters about to go back to school?
"The sales are really enticing," said Janet Weeks, who has a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old. "That's a pretty good deal for jeans."
But she's a teacher who is a little worried about her job at McClatchy High School in Sacramento, Calif.
