August 17, 2009 at 10:30 am
Afghan President Hamid Kazai’s re-election bid will be decided this week. Polls are predicting a win, but not necessarily with an outright majority to avoid a run-off election with former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah. Journalism Professor Nick Mills, author of “Karzai: The Failing American Intervention and the Struggle for Afghanistan,” can comment. He’s know Karzai […]
August 10, 2009 at 12:34 pm
In a grand experiment, revived General Motors will let most of its California auto dealers haggle online with customers by selling new vehicles over eBay. School of Management Dean Louis Lataif, a former Ford executive, says the move is inevitable, but could have some glitches — like when a car owner is both the buyer and […]
August 10, 2009 at 11:38 am
The DVD format war is over, with Toshiba giving up its HD-DVD and switching to industry winner Blu-ray. School of Management Professor N. Venkat Venkatraman, chairman of the Information Systems Department, said the switch is a straightforward market decision. “The winner is decided and consumer electronics devices will be on the winner’s format. It is better to […]
August 10, 2009 at 9:55 am
It came to mark a generation, and now the 40th anniversary (Aug. 15-17) of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair is a chance to reflect on its lasting impact. Associate Provost Victor Coelho, a College of Fine Arts music professor and music historian, says Woodstock shaped music history because of the way it brought a diversity of musical […]
August 7, 2009 at 11:20 am
While the New York Times has finally confirmed the Boston Globe is for sale, Times executives now say they’re in no hurry to sell now that the Globe’s finances have improved with big union give-backs. Meantime, the Globe says it soon will charge money to see its Website, Boston.com, and a third bidder for the Globe itself […]
August 6, 2009 at 12:20 pm
It’s reported that an overhaul of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may be in the works. The Obama administration’s plan would be to strip them of billions in troubled loans and build a new structure to support the home-loan market. Robert Bench, a former deputy Controller of the Currency, now a senior fellow at the […]
August 6, 2009 at 10:55 am
The Senate is expected to extend the “Cash for Clunkers” auto-sales rebate program, and send the bill to President Obama to sign. Buyers would get until Labor Day to make a deal with their car dealership. School of Management Dean Louis Lataif, a former Ford executive, says the program is appropriately helping the struggling auto […]
August 6, 2009 at 10:17 am
The White House is unveiling a plan to overhaul the way America detains immigration violators, aiming to consolidate many in places more suitable for noncriminals who face deportation. School of Law Professor Susan Akram, an authority on immigration law, can discuss the potential impact of the ambitious proposals. Contact Susan Akram, 617-353-3060, smakram@bu.edu
August 6, 2009 at 9:32 am
With the July numbers showing sluggish sales, retailers already are looking toward this winter’s holiday sales with expectations of weak consumer demand to continue. School of Management marketing Professor Shuba Srinivasan says the back-to-school shopping period will be a leading indicator of the holiday season to come. “Frugality among consumers and deep discounting by retailers […]
August 5, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Sony has unveiled two new, reduced-price e-reader devices, aimed at making a dent in marketplace grip held by Amazon’s Kindle. College of Communication Pr0fessor Hyun-Yeul Lee, a communications technology expert, says Sony’s move speaks to how consumers are catching on and transitioning from paper-based reading to digital reading. “It is natural that as the market […]
