You want to believe that people are inherently good. Unfortunately, there will always be employees who steal your merchandise, fudge their expense reports, and to do as little work as possible. There's no point bemoaning this. But what you can do is protect yourself: Recruit and select new employees carefully, using every tool possible to deter unethical and unproductive conduct. Read more...

Regarding large bureaucracies, Mother Theresa once said, “So many signatures for such a small heart.” The same could be said for the U.S. banks embroiled in the foreclosure scandal. Haven’t they learned anything since 2008’s financial cataclysm? Read more...

It’s no secret that 2008 was a financial blood bath. Millions of consumers lost trillions in net worth. People who work in real estate or investment banking have seen their livelihoods sink. And millions more Americans have lost their jobs and with them, their ability to stay afloat financially. Read more...