student written — BT Online — Business Today Online Journal

Winner of the Writing Competition: "Privacy in the Eyes of the Data Broker" by Jasmine Bae

As our lives become increasingly digitized in the 21st century, our personal choices, habits, and mannerisms have become intertwined with our online identity. Companies of all industries have been increasingly encouraged to manage and collect data of their clients (or potential clients) in order to compete and strategize effectively in the new global economic system. At the same time, consumers are not only more informed about this phenomenon but are also realizing issues with businesses being in charge of their personal and private data.

2nd Place Winner of the Writing Competition: "Let It Be Known" by Harrison Wang

In the decades leading up to the recognition of CSR as a central pillar of business, CSR was typically viewed as an extraneous project of minor importance for businesses during a time where consumers placed a greater emphasis on the quality of a product rather than the quality of a company. However, as technology and information have become readily available and accessible to more and more of the world population, people have evolved in their consumption calculus by evaluating every aspect of the product that makes it what it is.

3rd Place Winner of the Writing Competition: "With Great Beauty Comes Great Responsibility" by Mohil Chaudari

The apparel, fashion, and luxury industry (AF&L) is one of the worst-affected industries by COVID-19, with demand and supply restructuring towards consumption of essential goods and services. With both retail and online sales diminishing as people consolidate their wealth to survive the pandemic, the industry has realized that they will not be able to operate their current business until the consumer confidence revives and social distancing relaxes.

Second Place Winner of the Writing Competition: Blockchain: Long Live Globalization: by Tanner Wegrowski

With stories like BREXIT, trade wars, and the rise of nationalism inundating the daily news, it’s hard not to ask the question: is globalization dead? The rapid decline of global foreign direct investment, nationalist parties roiling politics in the European Union, and the weakening of global trade for the first time since the Great Recession intimate that this could be the end of an era. Yet all the while, blockchain is sending us an entirely different signal: hang on, because globalization is very much alive and well.

Petrocaribe: The Inefficient Regional Organization

Venezuela must use oil as a diplomatic mechanism to achieve its objectives. However, the nation must have a coherent and realistic foreign policy through which it could obtain economic benefits and/or true allies in the Caribbean region.

The Women Behind Ghana's Economic Growth

The entrepreneurial activities of women are the anchors of economic growth and development in Ghana. Despite the existence of challenges, women are overcoming hindrances and thriving in their various ventures.

The Business of Wildlife Conservation

With such an abundance of wildlife in Africa, and considering the contributions that wildlife has made to the overall prosperity and development of nations in the continent, the business of conservation should be everyone’s business.

Venezuela: The Collapse of a Petrostate

Venezuela, once one of Latin America’s most prosperous countries, has experienced the most devastating economic crisis in the region. And yet, Venezuela has the biggest oil reserve in the world. So, how did we get here?

The Rise of Mental Health Startups

It is usually quite easy to look around and recognize a broken leg, small cut, or common cold. However, when it comes to the seemingly invisible ailments that arise in our minds, there still remains a large deficit in acknowledging, treating, and prioritizing mental health.

Interview with Carl Ferenbach, Co-Founder of Berkshire Partners and Chairman of High Meadows Foundation

Carl Ferenbach is the Co-Founder of Berkshire Partners and the Chairman of High Meadows Institute. Berkshire Partners is a private equity firm with $16 billion worth of assets. High Meadows Foundation is a Boston-based think tank and policy institute.

Interview with Marc Merrill, Co-Chairman and Co-Founder of Riot Games

Marc Merrill, Co-Chairman and Co-Founder of Riot Games, speaks to maintaining a commitment to quality as the gaming industry rapidly evolves.

Interview with Chuck Edward, Head of Global Talent Acquisition at Microsoft

Chuck Edwards, Head of Global Talent Acquisition at Microsoft, discusses the importance of growth-oriented company culture in the technology sector.

Green Is The New Black

In recent years, consumers have called for companies to focus more on sustainable fashion rather than fast-fashion. A study administered by the International Association for Research and Testing in the Field of Textile Ecology, found that “60 percent of millennials are interested in certified sustainable clothing.” However, only 37 percent of millennials actually purchase sustainable goods.

Fast Food in the Fast Lane

In a world where a demand for speed seems to permeate every aspect of our lives, it is no wonder that quick-service restaurants (QSRs), known colloquially as ‘fast food’, have an important place in many people’s lives. However, notorious for their deleterious effects on health and the environment, QSRs have had to struggle with consumer demands that are increasingly health-conscious and eco-conscious.

Interview with Liz Wessel, Co-Founder and CEO of WayUp

Liz Wessel is the CEO of Co-Founder & CEO of WayUp. WayUp is a job site and mobile app for that college students and graduate students can use to connect with employers. As of 2017, the app has over 5 million users and 300,000 employers.

Interview with Akos Gabossy CEO and Co-Founder of PanIQ

Akos Gabossy is the CEO and co-founder of the PanIQ Escape Room Franchise. PanIQ Escape Rooms is one of the fastest-growing escape room franchise in the country, with locations in Hollywood, Chicago, New York City, and many more cities. He began his career in entertainment at age 18, and now 15 years later, he has made himself into one of the biggest names in the industry.

China and the Global Economy: A Conversation with Stephen A. Schwarzman

The rise of China and the implications for the world are immeasurable, a message which reverberated clearly when Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman, CEO and Co-founder of Blackstone, and founder of Schwarzman Scholars, spoke during his fireside chat with Business Today.

Will Boeing Bounce Back?

These developments are contingent upon how successfully Boeing deals with the 737’s planes and the true extent of the current problem.

YouTube’s Censorship of Content Creators

YouTube does have a duty to stop the predatory comments on their platform, but it should not implement the policy in a way that supports the big corporations while leaving the smaller, or non-profit, YouTube channels at the will of an ambiguous set of standards.

The Real Wayne Enterprises

Besides the obvious box office earnings, the Batman films have led to a slew of toys, video games, apparel, and other merchandise that have made additional untold millions.