The United Kingdom (“UK”) voted to leave the European Union (“EU”) on June 23, 2016 with a 52% to 48% vote in favor of leave.1 The outcome shocked most of the UK and the world. The vote will not have an immediate effect on UK employment laws, but the long-term effects depend on the relationship…
Category: Blog Articles
Uber in China: Part 1 of 2
With nearly 1.4 billion people, China is a truly massive market for goods and services. It is no surprise that foreign companies have been trying to gain a foothold since China first began opening up in the late 1970s. Some foreign companies have been very successful in China despite some minor hiccups. For example, you…
As Pandora’s Business Model Wanes, Company Considers Strategy Shift
In the first blog in this two-part blog series, I discussed Pandora Media, the popular music-streaming site, and its difficulty to maintain profitability in today’s music-streaming industry.1 Despite its high number of users and annual revenue, the company is reportedly looking to sell.2 This decision comes in the face of an increasingly competitive industry, increased…
The Affordable Care Act at Odds with Antitrust? A Look into Hospital Mergers and Electronic Medical Record Implementations
There is a rising trend in hospital network and physician group consolidations, which has come hand in hand with the passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). 1 One of the primary goals of the ACA is to facilitate the industry’s move from paper to electronic health records (EHR) and to obtain…
Amazon’s Lawsuit and Non-compete Agreements for Executives
On March 21, 2016, Amazon filed a suit in Washington state court seeking enforcement of a non-compete agreement signed by a recently departed executive.1 Arthur Valdez had been serving as vice president of operations for Amazon and oversaw the companies’ supply chain and logistics operations but recently left to become the chief supply chain and…
The Impact of Vermont’s Mandatory GMO Labeling Law
Despite the scientific consensus that products containing or derived from GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are safe for human consumption,1 there have been numerous attempts to pass mandatory labeling laws in the United States. Starting July 1, 2016, a Vermont law enacted in May 2014 will require the mandatory labeling of food products containing GMOs.2 Congress…
Portland Housing Crisis – Possible Remedies
In a previous post, I discussed the housing issues that Portland is facing with an ever-growing population. Since then, the city has attempted to fix the problem through multiple efforts. Portlanders have had innovative ideas in the past to fix housing deficiencies, such as “Dignity Village,” a temporary living community for the homeless.1. However, a…
Investors Exchange: The Fair Stock Exchange
In September 2015, Investors Exchange (“IEX”), a company that became a symbol of the fight against high frequency trading submitted a proposal to the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) to create the first new American stock exchange in five years.1 This proposal has created a fierce debate over how to solve problems created by increasingly…
The Significance and the Uncertainties of the Rise of the Contingent Workforce.
On-demand or ‘gig’ economy is characterized by Apps like Uber have marked a trend in the way workers are employed. Increasing trend of flexible work arrangements may have been caused by various reasons: reducing business costs, enhanced technology, and flexibility. Job security has become a concern for even many employees. 1 Recent studies show that…
$1.35 million “Supercookie” Slap to Verizon Wireless
Someone is watching your every move on the web and you do not even know it. If you think you are safe simply by deleting browser cookies and history, think again; there are many other sneaky ways your movements continue to be tracked. Generally, cookies are installed to enhance and personalize consumers’ Internet experience. A…