Third-party sellers account for the bulk of Amazon’s sales. But this new breed of small business is enmeshed in Amazon’s e-commerce infrastructure in ways that both benefit and exploit them, says Moira Weigel, assistant professor of communications studies at Northeastern University. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University What do former U.S. Marines, stay-at-home moms, retirees and Chinese business veterans all have in common? You’ve probably bought something from them on Amazon. Third-party sellers, people who sell their products through Amazon’s marketplace, come from every walk of life and increasingly make up more and more of the online giant’s sales. Amazon launched its third-party marketplace in 2000, allowing small business owners to put their products on Amazon (for a price). There are now millions of third-party sellers on the site, and third-party sales make up about 60% of Amazon’s physical product sales, Jeff Bezos told the House of Representatives in 2020. Third-party sellers at the center of Amazon’s ecosystem––and the debate around the company’s complicated place in the world. Is Amazon exploiting these small businesses or lifting them up? Moira Weigel , an assistant professor of communication studies at Northeastern University, says it’s not that simple. Moira Weigel, Northeastern University assistant […]

Click here to view original web page at news.northeastern.edu

COMMENTARY BY They have the unintended side effects of discouraging people from going into business with people of another race and of discriminating against people in interracial marriages. Key Takeaways Government programs that give preferences to businesses owned by racial and ethnic minorities are popular tools among liberal politicians and bureaucrats. People agree that the government should not punish people for interracial marriage, and yet the government does just that. For now, at least in this one area, we can find common ground: Congress and state legislatures should redefine “owned and controlled” to be 50% instead of 51%. Government programs that give preferences to businesses owned by racial and ethnic minorities are popular tools among liberal politicians and bureaucrats. Their proponents defend them as necessary to advance “ racial equity ” and “social justice,” though they are morally wrong. But there’s another reason to reject these programs: They have the unintended side effects of discouraging people from going into business with people of another race and of discriminating against people in interracial marriages. Typically, these programs operate by giving special benefits to businesses that are “ owned and controlled ” by minorities. What that means, specifically, is that one […]

Click here to view original web page at www.heritage.org

New York CNN — An apparent shortage of pharmacists is forcing CVS and Walmart to reduce the hours of its pharmacies, as they close earlier in thousands of locations. Beginning in March, both retailers will either cut or shift the hours that their pharmacies operate in response to staffing shortages and waning consumer demand as the height of the Covid-19 pandemic recedes. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news. Walmart, which has pharmacies in most of its 4,600 US locations, will close them two hours earlier, at 7 pm. CVS will shift or cut hours at about 6,000 US pharmacies. For CVS, adjusting its hours is an attempt to ensure its “pharmacy teams are available to serve patients when they’re most needed,” the company said in a statement to CNN. The changes are part of its “regular course of business,” it added, so its hours meet customer demand. In a statement to CNN, Walmart said the new hours are the result of “direct feedback” from its pharmacy employees and customers. “Walmart has a strong and incredible pharmacy team, and we are making this change to not only enhance their work-life balance but also to maintain the best level […]

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

Here’s how to craft an organizational system that helps your business win. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. From a logistical perspective, it can be surprising to find that many small businesses and startups need a sound organizational structure . How one structures their team, company leadership and the flow of information and communication within their organization can spell the difference between a business scaling successfully or one whose growth is stunted or outright fails. Organizational structures are crucial for any business. They outline who reports and is accountable to who, what each employee’s job is, the makeup of teams and help streamline the flow of information through the organization. The types of organizational structures Organizational structures are not all the same. Different types are applied for different purposes. Depending on the type and size of the business, one organizational structure may work better than the rest. There are seven known structures a business has to choose from. Hierarchical structure : This is the structure that most people likely picture when they hear the words "organizational structure." This pyramid-shaped chart is the most common structure and follows a typical top-down chain of command. Functional structure : This […]

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

Each year the Philadelphia Business Journal recognizes the best in class for our suite of special publications, including Best Real Estate Deals, 40 Under Forty and Women of Influence. Nominations for all of our 2023 awards programs are now open. We’ve made some changes in 2023, including updating the parameters for Soaring 76 and adding a new program specifically celebrating the LGBTQ+ business community. Honorees in each awards program are selected by the Business Journal’s editorial board, and in select cases, by outside judges with expertise in the field. Awards like Best Places to Work use data supplied by the company and/or a third party. Here’s a look at this year’s awards programs and deadlines: Best Real Estate Deals and Dealmakers of the Year Best Real Estate Deals recognizes the top real estate deals of the past year and the companies and people behind those projects. Any one element of a transaction must have taken place between Jan. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2022 to be eligible. Categories include Affordable Housing; Environmental, Social, and Governance; Higher Education/Health Care; Industrial; Apartments; Condos/Single-Family; Office; and Retail/Hospitality. Dealmakers and Rising Stars will also be recognized. Extended nomination deadline: Jan. 30, 12 p.m. […]

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

LEXINGTON, Ky., Jan. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Valvoline’s global products business today launched a fixed-operations software service at the 2023 National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show. The software, branded as Vision Service Lane Technology ™ , is available to Valvoline automotive dealership partners exclusively. Continue Reading Vision Service Lane Technology powered by Valvoline Vision is one of the industry’s most comprehensive fixed-ops software tools, leveraging relationships with partners to understand their pain points and missing opportunities in their current software. Utilized in the service drive or at the service desk, Vision helps advisors develop rapport, trust, and accountability with consumers. Vision’s ability to provide a tailored, VIN-specific menu of services provides a platform to increase revenue in the service department. In addition to service lane capabilities, Vision can be utilized to run day-to-day operations within the service department while keeping consumers informed every step of the way. Vision includes newly developed remarketing capabilities that serve up ads, messages, and reminders to keep consumers returning to dealerships for future services. In addition, Vision offers tools that can help speed up and streamline the reconditioning process for pre-owned vehicles. "We’re always looking for new ways to bring value and strengthen our […]

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

MIAMI– ChatGPT is smart enough to pass prestigious graduate-level exams — though not with particularly high marks. The powerful new AI chatbot tool recently passed law exams in four courses at the University of Minnesota and another exam at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, according to professors at the schools. To test how well ChatGPT could generate answers on exams for the four courses, professors at the University of Minnesota Law School recently graded the tests blindly . After completing 95 multiple choice questions and 12 essay questions, the bot performed on average at the level of a C+ student, achieving a low but passing grade in all four courses. ChatGPT fared better during a business management course exam at Wharton, where it earned a B to B- grade. In a paper detailing the performance , Christian Terwiesch, a Wharton business professor, said ChatGPT did "an amazing job" at answering basic operations management and process-analysis questions but struggled with more advanced prompts and made "surprising mistakes" with basic math. "These mistakes can be massive in magnitude," he wrote. The test results come as a growing number of schools and teachers express concerns about the immediate impact of […]

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

A quartet of new laureates in the Junior Achievement Evansville Regional Business Hall of Fame left their mark in local banking, economic development, production and steel circles. Active honorees for 2022 are Mark Schroeder, who is the retired chairman and CEO of German American Bancorp, and Greg Wathen, who retired as co-CEO and president of the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership. This year’s historical honroees are the late William McCurdy, owner and founder of the Hercules Buggy Company, and James Bridwell Igleheart, president and chairman of International Steel Co. “We had an incredible list of nominees, which made the selection process very challenging," said Ronald Rochon, president of the University of Southern Indiana and co-chair of this year’s Laureate Selection Committee. "The 2023 inductees are well deserving and showcase the caliber of talent and leadership we have in this community.” The laureates will be inducted at 8 a.m. on May 9 at Old National Events Plaza. The event is a fundraiser for Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana. Individuals are nominated for their outstanding civic and business contributions to the Southwestern Indiana region and recognized for their business excellence, courageous thinking and action, inspired leadership and community mindedness. “During the selection […]

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

Local governments in Bay, Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton Counties can now apply for funding Tallahassee, FL – Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) announced that $22 million is now available to communities impacted by Hurricane Sally through the Rebuild Florida Hurricane Sally Voluntary Home Buyout Program (VHB). The program reduces the risk of future property loss and recurrent flooding by funding the purchase and re-purposing of residential properties in high flood-risk areas. Applications will be accepted through Friday, April 14, 2023, and additional information is available on the Rebuild Florida Hurricane Sally VHB webpage . State agencies and local governments within the federal and state Most Impacted and Distressed (MID) areas are eligible for funding to acquire secured contiguous lots or single properties. Funding can also be used as leverage to match funding for projects that are also eligible for the Federal Emergency Management Agency the Hazard Mitigation Grant Match Program. Eligible counties include: • Bay County • Escambia County • Okaloosa County • Santa Rosa County • Walton County To provide potential applicants with more information about Rebuild Florida programs for Hurricane Sally, the Department is hosting a webinar on Thursday, February 2, 2023, […]

Click here to view original web page at www.floridajobs.org

CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 21) Daily Astrological Prediction says, today is a good day for native Capricorns to achieve whatever goals they set for themselves. You plan to work harder to see improved outcomes. Successfully navigating the business world is in your future. As a result, you could get a nod of approval from your superiors and find yourself in a better position professionally. There will be a rise in costs, and that can make you nervous. In all that you do, you should exercise extreme caution. There will probably be a lot of cheer at home. In addition, you’ll develop a close relationship with an old friend or relative. Time management is an area in which some students may find success. Use this time to make effective plans for the future. There will be a positive effect on your overall efficiency as a result of this. A short trip with your significant other would be fun. This is a great time to remodel or make other adjustments to the house. Other people will be happy to pitch in and support your ideas. Capricorn Finance Today It’s likely that you’ll be spending money on extras like restaurants and entertainment today, […]

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