When it comes to the spread of cockamamie conspiracy theories, Twitter was a maximum viable product long before Elon Musk paid $44 billion for the keys. But as soon as he took the wheel, Musk removed many of the guardrails Twitter had put in place to keep the craziness in check. Anti-vaxxers used an athlete’s collapse during a game to revive claims that COVID-19 vaccines kill people . ( They don’t .) Freelance journalists spun long threads purporting to show that Twitter secretly supported Democrats in 2020. ( It didn’t .) Musk himself insinuated that the attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband was carried out by a jealous boyfriend. ( Nope .) Like a red thread connecting clippings on Twitter’s giant whiteboard, conspiratorial ideation spread far and wide. By some measures more than half of Americans believe at least one tale of a secret cabal influencing events. Some are more plausible than others; a few are even true. But most — from classics like the faked moon landing to new-school stuff like 5G cell towers causing COVID — defy science and logic. And while social-media platforms like Twitter and Meta may help deranged conspiracy theories metastasize , a fundamental question […]

Click here to view original web page at www.businessinsider.com

ROME, Jan 26 (Reuters) – Morale amongst Italian businesses rose in January but consumer confidence worsened, national statistics bureau ISTAT reported on Thursday, pointing to uncertain economic prospects at the start of the year. ISTAT’s manufacturing confidence index increased to 102.7 from 101.5, beating a median forecast of 101.8 in a Reuters survey of nine analysts. The overall business morale index, which also includes the retail, services and construction sectors climbed to 109.1 from 107.9. Consumer morale, however, dropped to 100.9 from 102.5, missing a Reuters’ forecast of 102.7. Economic growth in the euro zone’s third largest economy held up better than expected for most of last year despite sky-high energy costs exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. However, gross domestic product probably contracted in the fourth quarter of 2022 and will also fall in the current quarter, according to Treasury estimates.

Click here to view original web page at www.reuters.com

A famous man quoted the Russian proverb, “Doveryai no Proveryai.” Translated it means trust but verify. Experience has taught me that’s a sound piece of advice for business leaders, too. I say that after dealing with countless business owners who have said “I trust my gut” when making important decisions about marketing or other strategies. What we refer to as “gut feelings” are really the instincts we develop based upon our experiences. I’m sure you’ve had the experience of meeting someone or considering a business deal and felt all sorts of alarm bells warning you something wasn’t quite right. We credit our guts because that’s where we often feel that anxiety. Much of the time, those warnings from our gut are on target. Most business owners (myself included) can recall situations in which ignoring those gut feelings led to regret. Maybe it was an interview with a candidate who had a great resume but turned out to be a lousy hire. Perhaps it was an equipment purchase that quickly generated buyer’s remorse. It could have been an estimate that came back to bite you. It’s good to pay attention to what your gut tells you, but when you ignore […]

Click here to view original web page at www.insideindianabusiness.com

Starting A Business: Tips And Strategies To Get You Going getty Starting a business can provide you with incredible experiences and opportunities, but with these come unique challenges, unlike those faced in any other profession. Running a business requires risk-taking, a willingness to learn from mistakes, the ability to adapt quickly, and the capacity to lead and motivate others. Entrepreneurs must make tough decisions, persevere when times get tough and stay focused on their objectives despite many distractions. While there can be plenty of uncertainty in starting a business, the potential rewards are worth it. Whether it be increased financial resources or meaningful work that drives success for yourself, colleagues, and customers – if you’re ready to take on the challenge of entrepreneurship, you could have an incredibly rewarding journey ahead of you. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for ways to improve what’s already established, these tips will help you get started on your journey toward success: 1. Business plan development Writing a comprehensive business plan is one of the best things you can do for your business. A thorough business plan should include an executive summary, company description, market analysis, management team overview, organizational structure, product/service […]

Click here to view original web page at www.forbes.com

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Google, accusing the tech giant of anticompetitive behaviors that ‘severely weaken, if not destroy competition in the ad tech industry.’ A Google spokesman said the lawsuit ‘attempts to pick winners and losers.’ Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg News The latest U.S. lawsuit against Google compounds the legal issues the company faces worldwide while broadening the scope of the government’s allegations around the tech giant’s online advertising business. The suit also comes as Google faces one of the most competitive environments for its core business in recent memory, with the rise of apps such as TikTok and emerging artificial-intelligence programs fracturing the attention of internet users. Last week, Google completed its largest layoffs in company history, signaling it feels pressure to cut costs. Google is now in battle mode. It has hired high-powered lawyers, including a former litigator from the Justice Department’s antitrust division, to build a defense as it tries to protect its position in the search, mobile-software, online-video and ad-tech businesses that helped make it a $1.2 trillion company. Those four self-reinforcing pillars have helped create the world’s largest digital-ad business, bigger than that of rivals such as Meta Platforms Inc. and […]

Click here to view original web page at www.wsj.com

Mayor Craig Greenberg believes Louisville needs a new approach to economic development. At a gathering on local business leaders held at The Olmsted on Wednesday, Greenberg said the city has too many obstacles that make it hard for companies to create good-paying, career path jobs in the community. "Right now, there is simply too many barriers and too much red tape between a good idea and a great start," Greenberg explained. "There are too many barriers between a desire to invest in our city and a grand opening. Heck, there is too much time between submitting a plan and getting a permit to act on that plan. "When you approach the city about planning, about starting a business, about growing your business, about an initiative that your nonprofit organization wants to work on, there should be no question that your city government is on your side." Greenberg shared his remarks at the first installment of Greater Louisville Inc.’s 2023 Capitol Connection series, presented by Norton Healthcare. The series connects the business community with elected officials and political leaders on key local, state and national issues. Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI), the regional chamber of commerce, also unveiled its 2023 Local […]

Click here to view original web page at www.bizjournals.com

Layoffs are making headlines. What’s really going on in the job market Hong Kong/London CNN — IBM and SAP are the latest tech companies to slash thousands of jobs , as they reorganize businesses and profits come under pressure from a slowing global economy . IBM (IBM) announced the cuts Wednesday, saying they were related to the previously announced spinoff and sale of two business units. Some 3,900 positions, or 1.5% of its global workforce, are expected to go.The move will cost IBM (IBM) about $300 million this quarter, a spokesperson confirmed. SAP (SAP) , Europe’s largest software company, will lay off 2.5% of its global workforce of 112,000 , or around 2,800 employees, according to an earnings report published Thursday. The restructuring will cost between €250 million ($272 million) and €300 million ($381 million); the company’s shares were down 3.3% in Frankfurt. In a live streamed presentation to reporters, SAP CEO Christian Klein said that the restructuring was “targeted” and would allow the company to invest in the areas “where it really matters for SAP to be competitive in the future,” particularly its cloud business. The news comes as other major tech companies downsize their workforces around the […]

Click here to view original web page at www.cnn.com

The past few years have shone a brighter light on women’s experiences at work: We’re exhausted , we’re underpaid , and we’re constantly battling for basic rights. In fact, we’re well in the depths of a “she-cession”: O ne in three women are looking to downshift their careers or leave the workforce entirely, joining the millions of women who have already exited these past few years. With a global labor shortage and a caregiving crisis continuing to strain workforces, smart leaders will invest in reversing the she-cession by making structural changes in how we work that emphasize flexibility. Failure to do so will push more women to their breaking point, and out of the workplace. But it is not women who are broken, it’s the system. And 2023 will be the year to start fixing it. There’s no question that flexibility matters. When it comes to determining job satisfaction, research by Slack’s Future Forum consortium shows that flexibility ranks second only behind compensation. This is particularly true for parents, especially working mothers. Today, 83 percent of working mums prefer a flexible location model. But, too often, the conversation about flexibility is limited to just the “number of days in […]

Click here to view original web page at www.wired.com

All those lunches — ranging from everything from sandwiches to sushi — that companies bought to encourage employees to hop out of their sweats and back into their suits, or at least clean khakis, will no longer be as lucrative a tax break in 2023. Most employees probably had no idea that tax rules spiced things up in the office last year and the year before that. But companies often could take advantage of a special tax deduction as they regularly bought food for the staff to encourage people to stop working remotely and swing back into the building after pandemic-related precautions unraveled much workplace activity since 2020. A tasty tax break In 2021 and 2022, companies could deduct the entire cost for many business-related meals and beverages purchased from a restaurant. The same wasn’t true if food was picked up at the supermarket, party store, vending machine, or convenience store. It had to be takeout or delivery from a restaurant or meals eaten at the restaurant. The temporary tax break was far better than the typical 50% deduction for business meals. To qualify, the IRS noted, payment or billing for the food and beverages had to take place […]

Click here to view original web page at www.freep.com

As the COO of a small business and a consultant for many small businesses, I have come to understand and appreciate that owners and team members must wear many hats. Marketing your business effectively often falls to the wayside when you’re focused on daily operations, and prioritizing marketing in your budget can seem daunting. In today’s digital world, marketing and public relations tools have become more accessible, and with a budget of any size, you can effectively market your business. A few tips to consider: Plan: Too many business owners only think of marketing in a reactive way vs. being proactive. This is rarely effective. Plan your marketing the way you plan any other aspect of your business, and adjust along the way. Budget: Make marketing a part of your budgeting process. Keep in mind that you control budgets when it comes to digital marketing avenues such as paid social or Google advertising. Don’t let a small budget deter you. Remember that using your own channels requires budget consideration. Small things like buying a new phone to collect better content or tapping into a platform such as Mail Chimp to communicate to an existing database require budget. Be thoughtful: […]

Click here to view original web page at www.bizjournals.com