Monthly Archives: August 2015

Economic Crime: Crime Against Humanity?

The story below is about a Spanish judge who wants economic and environmental crimes to be treated as crimes against humanity, and hence subject to prosecution under international law. It would mean, in principle, that a company based on Country

Economic Crime: Crime Against Humanity?

The story below is about a Spanish judge who wants economic and environmental crimes to be treated as crimes against humanity, and hence subject to prosecution under international law. It would mean, in principle, that a company based on Country

Topless for Tips, in NYC

Human beings are immensely creative in their attempts to find new ways to earn a living. Sometimes new ways of earning a living raise eyebrows. Sometimes they clash (or appear to clash) with regulations that were established to govern an

Topless for Tips, in NYC

Human beings are immensely creative in their attempts to find new ways to earn a living. Sometimes new ways of earning a living raise eyebrows. Sometimes they clash (or appear to clash) with regulations that were established to govern an

Ashley Madison Customers Exposed

Just what makes it wrong from a company like Ashley Madison to make it easier for — in fact, to encourage — people to cheat on their spouses? Is doing so for profit worse than doing so would otherwise be?

Ashley Madison Customers Exposed

Just what makes it wrong from a company like Ashley Madison to make it easier for — in fact, to encourage — people to cheat on their spouses? Is doing so for profit worse than doing so would otherwise be?

Is Amazon a Hellish Workplace?

Amazon is an innovative tech giant. Working there must be incredibly exciting. But according to some reports, it’s also pretty brutal. The New York Times recently published an exposé, to which Amazon’s CEO responded. A key question has to do

Is Amazon a Hellish Workplace?

Amazon is an innovative tech giant. Working there must be incredibly exciting. But according to some reports, it’s also pretty brutal. The New York Times recently published an exposé, to which Amazon’s CEO responded. A key question has to do

Ethics of the Televangelist Business

What is it that saves televangelists from being arrested for fraud? Below is a link to a recent John Oliver bit about televangelists. It’s worth thinking about televangelism as a business, and evaluating the behaviour of televangelists in terms of

Ethics of the Televangelist Business

What is it that saves televangelists from being arrested for fraud? Below is a link to a recent John Oliver bit about televangelists. It’s worth thinking about televangelism as a business, and evaluating the behaviour of televangelists in terms of

CEOs Who Make At Least 800 Times What Their Employees Do

Stats about income inequality are so common today that there’s a risk of people becoming a bit “oh whatever” about it. But the numbers cited at the link below are truly eye-popping. The numbers at the end of the lines

CEOs Who Make At Least 800 Times What Their Employees Do

Stats about income inequality are so common today that there’s a risk of people becoming a bit “oh whatever” about it. But the numbers cited at the link below are truly eye-popping. The numbers at the end of the lines

“BK” Trademark Ethics: Burger King or the Book of Kells?

The rationale for trademark law has an ethical core: purchasers ought to be able to count on the mark to identify correctly the source (be it a retailer or manufacturer) of goods purchased. Consequently, the central question in trademark disputes

“BK” Trademark Ethics: Burger King or the Book of Kells?

The rationale for trademark law has an ethical core: purchasers ought to be able to count on the mark to identify correctly the source (be it a retailer or manufacturer) of goods purchased. Consequently, the central question in trademark disputes

Are Networks Replacing Firms as Organizers of Business Activity?

One of the interesting fallouts of the dynamics described here is that, when viewed through a Coasean theory of the firm lens, stakeholderism looks more like a reactionary than a progressive movement. As transaction costs outside the firm fall, the

Are Networks Replacing Firms as Organizers of Business Activity?

One of the interesting fallouts of the dynamics described here is that, when viewed through a Coasean theory of the firm lens, stakeholderism looks more like a reactionary than a progressive movement. As transaction costs outside the firm fall, the

A Dental Retainer Could Break the Internet? US ITC Patent Follies

This discussion illustrates the way incumbent businesses use 20th Century administrative state remedies to erect barriers to competition from 21st Century upstarts. It also shows the way administrative law is framed by ethical considerations (“unfair” competition) and in turn shapes

A Dental Retainer Could Break the Internet? US ITC Patent Follies

This discussion illustrates the way incumbent businesses use 20th Century administrative state remedies to erect barriers to competition from 21st Century upstarts. It also shows the way administrative law is framed by ethical considerations (“unfair” competition) and in turn shapes

Strippers’ Working Conditions

This first-person account of the working conditions faced by strippers is well worth reading. It is interesting in its own right, as an exploration of the status of workers “on the fringe,” but also worth thinking about this as parallel

Strippers’ Working Conditions

This first-person account of the working conditions faced by strippers is well worth reading. It is interesting in its own right, as an exploration of the status of workers “on the fringe,” but also worth thinking about this as parallel