Olin professor leads study on first impressions

You do get a second chance to make a first impression, thanks to the fact that any given day is full of firsts: First day of school, first day on the job, first day back after vacation. That’s the finding of a new study on forming impressions led by Robyn A. LeBoeuf, PhD, associate professor of marketing at Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. “By connecting an everyday experience to a first – even an unrelated first – you can turn that experience into a first experience,” LeBoeuf said.

Business professor announces ranking of nation’s most innovative companies​​

​The CNBC RQ50 ranking is based on the research quotient (RQ), developed by Anne Marie Knott, PhD, professor of strategy at Washington University in St. Louis’ Olin Business School. RQ is a measure of firms’ research and development (R&D) productivity. It captures the expected increase in revenue from a 1 percent increase in R&D.​​​

Wash U Expert: High stock prices, low interest rates cause uptick in corporate tax inversions​​

The United States has the highest corporate income tax rate in the developed world. As a result, many U.S. companies are turning to tax inversions — reincorporating overseas by getting acquired by a smaller company in a country where the corporate tax rate is lower. Adam Rosenzweig, JD, professor of law and expert on international tax, examines why inversions are becoming so popular.

Wash U Expert: States should have some power over criminal laws of marijuana​​​​​

A bill introduced July 28 in the U.S. House of Representatives would amend the controlled substances act – the federal law that criminalizes marijuana – to exempt plants with an extremely low level of THC, the part of marijuana that makes users high. Following closely on the heels of a call by the New York Times editorial board for the federal government to legalize marijuana, this could mark a turning point of sorts in the campaign for legalization. Gregory P. Magarian, professor of law, sees two reasons for leaving states with some power over the criminal law of marijuana.

School of Law announces online Master of Legal Studies degree

The Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, in partnership with 2U Inc., has announced the launch of a new, fully online Master of Legal Studies (MLS) degree. The new degree is designed for non-lawyers seeking to expand their career opportunities by gaining an in-depth understanding of the U.S. legal system. The MLS curriculum will provide students with a solid foundation in legal analysis and the practical applications of the law, furthering their ability to think and communicate critically across a range of industries and professions.

Federal regulatory spending rises most at agencies funded by industry fees

While tight budgets are constraining regulatory spending at many federal agencies, those that garner funding from industry fees are using these revenue streams to fund substantial increases in regulatory programs and staffing, according to an annual report that examines the U.S. budget. The report was released by the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government and Public Policy at Washington University in St. Louis and the George Washington University Regulatory Studies Center.

‘Hobby Lobby’ decision will have far-reaching effects, unintended consequences

​​Today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Hobby Lobby case is the corporate equivalent of the road to Damascus, says Elizabeth Sepper, JD, associate professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis. “Many more corporations will find religion to opt out of regulation that affects their bottom line,” Sepper says. “Before Hobby Lobby, businesses lost claims to fire pregnant women, refuse to promote non-Christians, discriminate against gays, and pay below the minimum wage. “After Hobby Lobby, they seem likely to succeed.”​
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