Knowledge@wharton

On March 1 Google plans to toss out more than 60 different privacy policies and consolidate its services under a single set of guidelines. The harmonization will remove separation between Google products meaning that the company will be able to use data it collects from users in one area across all of its platforms. While this move has sparked concerns about privacy Wharton experts note that it also makes business sense for Google which is trying to compete in a tech sector where success often hinges on firms’ ability to leverage and monetize the data trails consumers leave online. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the new world of work 5:30 p.m. is far from the end of the day. Smartphones and laptop computers -- devices that ostensibly enable us to work faster more efficiently and more flexibly -- have become 24/7 intravenous hookups to our jobs. Fearing employee burnout from being ”always on ” a number of firms have recently instituted initiatives requiring workers to take breaks and switch off their gadgets. But do such blanket policies really make a difference? Who is responsible for ensuring that employees maintain a healthy work/life balance? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act bills aimed at curbing Internet piracy sparked polarizing debate including some websites going dark in protest. Both pieces of legislation have been shelved but the core issues remain unresolved. The overriding question is how to regulate the Internet enough to protect intellectual property while not violating individual freedoms and curbing innovation. Wharton faculty members clarify the issues and offer ideas about how they can be addressed. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When new technologies change the world some companies are caught off-guard. Others see change coming and are able to adapt in time. And then there are companies like Kodak -- which saw the future and simply couldn’t figure out what to do. Kodak’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on January 19 culminates a long series of missteps including a fear of introducing new technologies that would disrupt its highly profitable film business. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As economic malaise bleeds into another New Year many employers are making hard-nosed decisions about benefits and compensation. That means salaries remain flat health care premiums are up the 401(k) match has disappeared and bonuses are smaller or nonexistent. The result not surprisingly is a dissatisfied workforce. Yet as Wharton professors and other experts warn excess frugality on employers’ part could backfire in the long run. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When Scott Thompson was named Yahoo’s new CEO effective January 9 he became the fourth person in five years to take charge of the ailing Internet giant. Experts at Wharton say that Thompson who was previously president of eBay’s PayPal unit might be Yahoo’s last hope for becoming relevant again as a player in online display advertising a market which the media company once dominated. But his main challenge they say is the same as his predecessors’: Define what Yahoo wants to be. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As far as a legacy goes says IBM chairman Sam Palmisano ”I just want to leave the company better than I found it.” Judging by IBM’s successes over the past decade Palmisano who was CEO of IBM until he stepped down earlier this month did just that. During an interview with Wharton management professor Michael Useem Palmisano discussed the sale of the company’s personal computer business the PricewaterhouseCoopers acquisition how a big company can encourage innovation and what he learned from his mentors among other observations drawn from almost 40 years at IBM. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Recent high-profile scandals at Penn State MF Global Holdings Olympus and elsewhere raise questions about why organizations often fail to address significant internal problems that at best impede performance and at worst could have devastating effects. In hindsight especially to observers it is clear what should have been done. But for employees exposing such problems is more complicated than telling right from wrong say experts at Wharton and elsewhere. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What makes a great leader? At a recent event the seven winners of this year’s Top American Leaders Award from the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard’s Kennedy School and Washington Post Live shared personal observations on how they came by the passion that inspires their work -- and on what irks them about public life. Common in all their views is that leadership is about serving more than one’s self. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If large parts of Europe fall into a recession as many experts are predicting it is likely to have negative although varied effects on economies around the world. As European leaders hammer out yet another package of solutions this week Wharton faculty weigh in on the impact of a eurozone recession as well as the pros and cons of the recovery measures that are up for debate. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Amazon will lose money on each Kindle Fire it sells. Sprint is not expected to turn a profit selling Apple’s iPhone for at least three years. Both companies are banking on customer lifetime value (CLV) a marketing formula based on the idea of spending money up front to gain customers whose loyalty will reap rewards over the long term. The model is becoming more and more popular among technology companies and as software companies increasingly turn to subscription-based business models through cloud computing CLV will become an even larger issue according to Wharton experts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

While millions of people have read Malcolm Gladwell’s books his ideas have had particular resonance with today’s business leaders. Wharton management professor Peter Cappelli and Gladwell were just named to HR Magazine’s Top 20 Most Influential International Thinkers of 2011.Cappelli spoke with Gladwell by phone about why Gladwell is an ”academic groupie ” the inconvenient truths that can spring from scholarly research and how important decisions -- like going to war or dealing with today’s economy -- might be dealt with differently if we were to draw on the ”extraordinary wisdom” of universities. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

To its advocates the idea is a no-brainer: Charge a tiny tax on each stock bond or derivative trade to raise badly needed revenue discourage dangerous short-term speculation and make Wall Street help clean up its own mess. But critics of the financial transaction tax concept say that it would actually make markets less efficient hurting ordinary investors by raising costs. Wharton faculty and investment experts weigh in. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The value of a college education is under attack. While more U.S. students are enrolled than ever before a perfect storm of soaring costs rising student debt and shrinking job prospects have led more and more critics to challenge whether college remains a worthwhile investment for students. Knowledge at Wharton spoke to experts at Wharton and elsewhere to examine both sides of a debate that is growing increasingly loud. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs jolted the tech industry and prompted questions about where the visionary company goes from here. With Tim Cook now at the helm the company is expected to shift from a focus on one figure at the top to more of a team approach. But can Apple sustain the culture of innovation that Jobs cultivated -- and continue its string of hits in an increasingly crowded market? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

While the decision to register as an organ donor is a difficult one no one can dispute the tremendous need for such donors. Approximately 110 000 people in the U.S. are waiting for organ transplants and the donation rate in some states is as low as 7%. Against this backdrop Wharton professor Judd Kessler and a co-researcher set out to see whether a change in the system -- one that gives priority on waiting lists to those who register as organ donors -- could cause a substantial increase in registration numbers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Is the tax system in the United States fair? It’s a question brought to the forefront by President Obama’s call for a ”Buffett Rule” (named for legendary investor Warren Buffett) to make sure the wealthy pay a percentage of income in taxes at least as large as that paid by the middle class. Opponents say raising taxes on the wealthy is unfair because the rich already pay far more in actual dollars. Underlying the fairness debate is a practical issue: Can the federal government get its fiscal house in order without raising taxes? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With millions of people looking for employment the workplace these days is an increasingly unhealthy environment for those who still have and are trying to keep their jobs. One key reason -- a stagnant economy that reduces the leverage employees have when they attempt to negotiate improved working conditions move up in their organization or find better jobs outside the company. What can employees do to make their workplaces less toxic? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Warning signs are flashing red. Bond markets are projecting a 98% chance of default on Greece’s debt. Stock prices for French banks heavily invested in that debt have plunged 10% in recent days. Has the European debt crisis hit the breaking point with Greece -- and perhaps others -- soon to exit the eurozone? Or will officials once more cobble together new agreements that keep Greece in the club and prevent a huge contagion effect likely to cripple an already slowing global economy? Wharton finance professors Franklin Allen and Bulent Gultekin offer their insight. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Most stock market experts believe shareholder input is good because it presses managers to do their best to maximize returns. But how does liquidity -- the availability of shares to buy and sell -- affect that shareholder involvement? ”It’s something that has inspired both academic debate and policy debate ” says Wharton finance professor Alex Edmans who has co-authored a paper on how liquidity affects governance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.