Predictions and forecasts prepare us for change. A decade ago, “futurism” was barely considered a real occupation. Futurists were likened to soothsayers, crystal ball gazers, and psychics. It was hardly a conventional way to earn a living–but not anymore. Futurism is a respected discipline, and futurists are playing an increasingly important role in industry and [...]

From Temps to Tops Untraditional workers make major headway. Dramatic increases in temporary, “free agent” jobs and a related shift away from traditional nine-to-five employment could be precursors to a change in the structure of the American workforce, according to a study by national staffing company Kelly Services, Inc. Before the economy stalled, a record [...]

What a difference a year makes. At business schools nowadays, b-to b and b-to-c stand for “back to banking” and “back to consulting.” With the dry-up of funding, fewer students are thinking about starting businesses, particularly dot-com ventures. At Harvard Business School, the decline in student entrepreneurs has been steep. About 40 teams entered the [...]

Graduates Covet Political Posts Despite the American public’s consistently low voter turnout, young college graduates continue to flock to Washington, D.C., every year in hopes of launching a career in politics. Getting the foot in democracy’s door isn’t always easy. If you want to work in politics, you have to understand the process, make contacts, [...]

It felt like thick heavy oatmeal. My right foot was ankle deep in wet concrete as sweat poured down my face, my back burned and my shirt stuck to my skin. It was the height of the Mississippi summer and I was pouring the foundation for a hot tub. More accurately, I had to push [...]

There’s never been so much interest in entrepreneurship — what it is, what makes it work and how to boost it in yourself and your company. Whether you’re ready to graduate from business school and become a free agent, start a business after college or want to help your next employer get ahead, seeing yourself [...]

Class ends at 10:50 a.m., and a mass of students scurries out of room 410 in Hamilton Hall. Only Bryan Berkett remains. “So,” says Roosevelt Montas, the teacher, “you missed the midterm.” He adds, “If I had to give you a grade today, it would be an F.” Minutes later, walking across the Columbia University [...]

Fear of math and muggers. That, in a nutshell, is what Don Martin sees as his biggest obstacle to attracting more women to the M.B.A. program at the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business, where he is associate dean for enrollment management. With women accounting for only a quarter of full-time enrollment, Chicago lags [...]

While e-commerce is no longer a hot buzzword, the Internet is still an important sales channel for many businesses. Now more than ever, success is driven by business basics: Entrepreneurs who hope to succeed online must understand their audience, develop a solid game plan and market their site to their target customers. “Planning is the [...]

The most adventurous thing the majority of people do at work is gather around the water cooler to talk about “Survivor.” But for Steve Irwin, it’s “trapping and rescuing crocodiles on my own in the rivers of North Queensland with only a net and my dog.” That’s certainly not your typical day at the office. [...]