New York SBDC Research Network

From the American Institute for Economic Research In an article published in AIER’s January 1996 Research Report, Thomas Lehman wrote, “The present immigration policy of the United States amounts to nothing less than a tariff or barrier to entry on the commodity of labor, and harms American consumers in the same manner as tariffs and trade barriers on other capital or consumer goods.” In over 20 years, the picture has not improved. Immigration laws restrict such voluntary cooperation by preventing some of those best qualified from fulfilling their most useful economic roles. Calls for immigration restrictions have long been a part of American politics. In 2006, 54 Republican and 26 Democratic senators, including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, voted for the Secure Fence Act, which authorized 700 miles of physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. Still, it is clear from rhetoric and recent executive orders that President Donald Trump intends to restrict immigration more than...

From the Small Business Administration It’s awards season! Here at SBA, we believe that small businesses should also set aside some time annually to honor their "shining stars." Just like the Oscars, you can create categories that will award the various aspects that exist within your small business. From the "behind the scenes" nominees in Human Resources to the "frontline" nominees in Sales, the opportunities to celebrate your team are endless. Below are a few categories to help you get started: Best Picture – Think over the last year and ask yourself the following: What was your company’s biggest accomplishment and who was responsible for it? Was it an internal or external initiative? Did you connect with your target audience as you hoped? Once you decide what it is, be sure to award this individual or team with the "big picture" award for a job well done! Best Director – When it comes to gaining sound advice or feedback, whom do your ...

From MarketingProfs For employees, the most important job benefit is health, dental, and vision insurance, according to recent research from Fractl. The report was based on data from a survey of 2,000 adults. Respondents were given a list of 17 benefits and asked how heavily they would weigh each when deciding between a high-paying job and a lower-paying job with more benefits. After health insurance, the most valued benefits are flexible hours, vacation time, work-from-home options, and student loan/tuition assistance.

From MarketingProfs Legendary Baseball Hall of Famer and Yankees catcher Yogi Berra once said, "You can observe a lot by watching." The humor aside, there's a lot of truth in that statement. As marketing professionals, we should always be observing our customers: Their habits, behavior, and feedback serve as a yardstick for measuring the strength of your company's relationship with its customers. And if you're not watching your customers, someone else—probably your competition—is. One way to understand customer metrics is to compare it to driving your car. When you're behind the wheel, there's a lot happening: You're constantly monitoring the vehicle's metrics, such as speed, engine temperature, and fuel levels, along with observing traffic and road conditions. There's no justification for not bringing the same level of monitoring to your customers. So how can marketing professionals turn Mr. Berra's quip into an actionable plan? ...

From The Balance Feeling like you’re treading water with your small business and not making progress towards your goals? Or are you having trouble choosing business goals to work towards this year in the first place? We all want to be successful owners of profitable small businesses, but how do you get there from where you are? If you want your small business to be more profitable than ever before, here are some suggestions for how to make it happen. And remember; building a successful business is a marathon, not a sprint!

Food Companies May Say Goodbye To "Sell-By" And "Expiration" Labels : The Salt : NPR Years ago, the UK had similar rules regarding sell-by and use-by dates. They also had a habit of wrapping fresh produce, so a bunch of bananas would be wrapped in a thin plastic bag or 2 zucchini would be on a styrofoam plate wrapped in plastic - with a sell-by date. (So much packaging of produce was a contentious issue then too.) I remember a bomb had gone off in Ealing in West London and had blown out all the windows of a supermarket. On the news we watched as fresh, yellow bananas filled the backs of garbage trucks. Piles of fruit was discarded because, by law, the grocer had to throw away any food that was past its sell-by date. It caused an uproar but I don't think anything changed at that point. It seemed a simple enough solution to take the produce out of the bag. But laws are laws and instead it was piled into garbage trucks and hauled off. Expiration dates are often...

From eMarketing : Despite Americans’ broad embrace of smartphones, mobile coupon usage has not become as widely and commonly used as might be expected. According to eMarketer’s most recent estimates, only about half of all mobile device users in the US have redeemed a mobile coupon even once in the past year. While the number of US mobile coupon users is expected to increase 10.2% to total 123.0 million this year, modest growth is projected in the coming years. Meanwhile, paper coupons are still far more commonly used.