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Cash relief pilot would offer aid to low-income Monroe County families
The people we rely on for essential work, including during a public health crisis, are underpaid. We rely on these hourly workers to meet our basic needs and keep us safe by stocking grocery stores with food, disinfecting shared spaces, and taking care of our seniors and persons with disabilities. These essential workers are often […]
CCIA helps the environment, doesn’t hurt consumers
It occasionally happens, as the end of the New York State legislative session approaches, that a particular bill up for passage draws intense, often one-sided local media scrutiny. This year, the dubious honor goes to the Climate and Community Investment Act (CCIA). If you take what has been reported at face value, passing CCIA will mean that […]
Rochester’s economic recovery starts with protecting its workers
The COVID-19 pandemic unleashed devastation upon a Rochester economy where economic growth had already been hampered for years by external factors. But slowly, we’re seeing businesses get back on their feet, and capital projects and construction sites remobilizing, but economic recovery in the region will be a long-term process — one that business, labor, and […]
Aristotle in America: How ‘A Treatise On Government’ is relevant today
Over 2,000 years ago, the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, laid down tenets for a successful political climate that apply in today’s America — the power of the citizen, the relevance of democracy and the threat from foreign entities. As a follow-up to his treatise on morality, he saw his “Treatise on Government” as the natural evolution of his thought. A person w[...]
After a challenging year, Rochester’s tourism industry primed for a comeback
This week marks the annual observance of National Travel & Tourism Week, an initiative of U.S. Travel that celebrates the value travel holds for our economy, businesses and well-being. The theme of this year’s celebration is The Power of Travel, recognizing the role of the travel industry in bringing back our vibrant communities, restoring the […]
Marketing to win back customer confidence
With vaccinations underway, and with more than half of all eligible adults in the country vaccinated with at least one dose, many businesses now struggle with the challenge of winning back their customers and getting their affairs closer to normal. Many business owners hope that with completion of vaccination, normalcy will be restored to what it was before […]
Post-pandemic growth: From brick and mortar to plant and water
According to a survey conducted in late February 2021 by the Harris Poll, physical health may be declining as a result of the stresses of the pandemic. For example, individuals surveyed indicated that they have gained or lost an unhealthy amount of weight, have drank more as means to cope and have had difficulty sleeping. […]
Organizational cultures in the post-pandemic era
The influential management scholar Peter Drucker is credited with the quote, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” That’s not to say a sound business strategy isn’t important; it simply suggests a healthy organizational culture is necessary for carrying out its strategies and operations. The coronavirus has forced companies to change the way they do things, and […]
Marketing the COVID-19 vaccine
Widespread vaccination across the United States has created hopes for life and the economy to revert to normal. With a steady decline in the number of positive cases and deaths, vaccination advocates seem to have found greater support for their cause. By the end of March 2021, over 150 million doses of vaccine have been administered in the U.S. and nearly […]
Students’ mental health must take priority in pandemic recovery efforts
New York State recently reached a sobering milestone: Just over one year ago a state of emergency was declared as the number of COVID-19 cases in the state began to climb. While we have, thankfully, made significant strides in our fight against the virus over the last year — including the development and distribution of […]
Admissions to elite U.S. colleges: The case for a lottery
It is now late March and there is a considerable amount of anxiety among high school students, particularly those applying to elite colleges, about their admission prospects. To comprehend why the process for selecting applicants at such institutions is in serious need of reform, let us begin by going back to 2016. Elites in the […]
Behavioral economics perspective: Are we nearing herd immunity faster than we think?
Serving as the president of Alfred University, which is teaching over half of its courses in person and another 25 percent in hybrid fashion (in person combined with online), provides valuable perspective on dealing with COVID. So too does my economics education. Behavioral economics — which applies insights from psychology/sociology to explain economic decision-making — […]
