A shortage of cocoa beans has led to a near shutdown of processing plants in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, the two countries responsible for 60% of global production. With chocolate makers around the world reliant on west Africa for cocoa, there is significant concern about the impact on the prices of chocolate and the livelihood...
There is a growing emphasis for corporations to consider their impact on the environment, society, and its stakeholders. Broadly falling under environmental, social and governance or ESG, this involves practices such as using sustainably sourced materials, reducing carbon emissions, improving labor practices, fostering positive community relations, and promoting ethical corporate behavior, including efforts against anti-competitive practices...
Most U.S. consumers surveyed in February 2024 predicted that they would see an increase in food prices over the next 12 months. Sixty-four percent of respondents predict food prices to rise in the next year, and the average predicted increase is 3.7%, according to the February Consumer Food Insights Report. The survey-based report out of Purdue University’s Center...
The way companies announce new products or build up hype can often influence their success once those new products hit the market, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York. Whether it’s an upcoming blockbuster movie or a new rollout from major companies like Coca-Cola or Apple, the new research shows...
There are many niche industry shows and festivals for us to attend, throughout the United States, from art to musical instruments, cars, home decor and upscale foods and wine– and of course boating. The 2024 Miami International Boat Show, February 14 through 18 was expansive, full of eye candy for those who love their boats and the many accessories available...
Employers making hiring decisions, landlords considering possible tenants and schools approving field trip chaperones all widely use commercial background checks. But a new multi-institutional study co-authored by a University of Maryland researcher shows that background checks themselves can’t be trusted. Assistant Professor Robert Stewart of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice and Associate Professor Sarah Lageson...
Dietary supplements are a big business. The industry made almost US$39 billion in revenue in 2022, and with very little regulation and oversight, it stands to keep growing. The marketing of dietary supplements has been quite effective, with 77% of Americans reporting feeling that the supplement industry is trustworthy. The idea of taking your health...
The long-awaited Bob Marley biopic “One Love” will highlight important moments in the musician’s life – his adolescence in Trench Town, his spiritual growth, the attempt on his life. But as a music industry scholar, I wonder if the film is yet another extension of the Marley marketing machine. Marley died in 1981 at the...
Delaware Chancery Court Judge Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick has blocked Elon Musk’s US$55.8 billion pay package, which Tesla’s board of directors approved in 2018 through a process she found to be “deeply flawed.” No CEO of a publicly traded U.S. company has ever been paid this much for one year’s work, according to Equilar, which...
Both liberals and conservatives are more likely to believe that merit-based hiring is unfair after learning about the impacts of socioeconomic disparities, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association. People from across the political spectrum also are more likely to support programs that encourage socioeconomic diversity after learning about the effects of...
