Quantifying the intangible: Determining the performance of knowledge workers
Measuring the performance of workers on an assembly line is simple: Count the objects produced and find out how long the process took. That should reveal the productivity of the factory workers. But how do you determine the performance of knowledge workers?
December real estate market softened, but 2011 may still be the transition year
Phoenix Metro home prices continued their decline in December, and are expected to keep dropping for the foreseeable future.
The Economic Minute: Population count lower than expected
The newly released census reports that Arizona's population was just about 6.4 million as of April 1, 2010 — a number considerably lower than estimated. In fact, the Census Bureau's own 2009 estimate was 204,000 too high, and the Arizona Department of Commerce overshot reality by 291,000.
Phoenix real estate: Slower population growth may delay housing market recovery
Since 2008, 11 percent of the single-family homes in Maricopa County, Arizona, have been through foreclosure — 4 percent in the last year alone. And with moratoriums on foreclosures ending, the new year is expected to start with an uptick in the number of property owners losing their homes.
Shared values help companies connect with consumers
Online retailers looking to connect with customers and increase sales and profits would be wise to demonstrate values that appeal to those customers, according to researchers in the Department of Information Systems.
The Ph.D. experience: A student's life is intense, focused
If you choose the academic life, you will always be two things at once: a student — continuously uncovering and processing new knowledge; and a teacher — conveying what you know to others. This dual life begins in the Ph.D.
Your own personalized shopper
While shopping online for a computer a few years ago, Fred Riggins noted that three Compaq models offered the FireWire feature he wanted. The three were priced on a low, medium and high range, corresponding to which processor they used.
Not a lost generation, but a 'disappointed' one: The job market's impact on millennials
Members of Generation Y — a group of approximately 70 million young people between the ages of 15 and 30 — are starting their careers in perhaps the worst job market since the Great Depression.
Getting excited about work: How managers can build employee engagement — part one
Employee engagement — the powerful phenomenon that can propel companies to new levels of profitability — is never more important than in times of economic stress. But can you define it? And do you know how to make it happen in your business?
Getting excited about work: How managers can build employee engagement — part two
Employee engagement is a set of behaviors that contribute to business success. But although it is intangible, employee engagement is not serendipitous: managers can create and nurture a culture that fosters engagement in employees.