WUSTL economics professor David Levine says abolishing 'intellectual property' won't solve all social ills, but it would be a big step in the right direction for solving a range of problems from the high cost of health care, to innovating our way out of the current recession. In a series of posts with his co-author, WUSTL economics professor Michele Boldrin, they will be posting here about green technology, entertainment, free speech, multinationals, and innovation over the next weeks.

References:

1. Sept. 15, 2009 — Save the Whales! Abolish Patents! in the Huffingtonpost.com

Researchers suggest that unlike money, social experiences can provide happy memories, which don't wear away as fast as the rush of buying a new possession. But WUSTL [marketing professor Joseph Goodman] and a Texas colleague have found that negative experiences can have a more negative impact on happiness than other spending of a comparable amount.

References:

1. Aug. 5, 2009 — Happiness: Staying positive in negative territory in the USA Today

and 1 others.

Since Facebook started giving out customized Web addresses last Friday, some 9.5 million people have rushed to grab their top choice. But for people signing up for these accounts, the battle over domain names is taking place in murky waters. WUSTL student Jeremy Fancer comments.

References:

1. June 18, 2009 — Keeping a True Identity Becomes a Battle Online in the The New York Times

and 3 others.

Since their advent in 1984, more than 50 American colleges and universities host business plan competitions, yielding prizes worth more than ever. Still, it's really not about the money, says Cliff Holekamp, a senior lecturer in entrepreneurship at WUSTL's Olin business school, which hosts multiple competitions, including the recently introduced Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition, a do-good variation with a $150,000 prize pool.

References:

1. June 11, 2009 — How to Win a Business Plan Competition in the The New York Times

In industry after industry, entrepreneur after entrepreneur is saying the same thing: Being first can surely be an advantage, but so can being second. Those who follow a market leader can actually be more successful in most cases, says WUSTL business strategy professor Anne Marie Knott, who discusses second-to-market advantages on the first day of her entrepreneurial studies class.

References:

1. June 9, 2009 — When Second Really Is the Best in the U.S. News & World Report online

Influential Senator Charles Grassley is investigating a former Army surgeon who the Army says forged signatures and falsified data in a study touting the benefits of an implant from Medtronic. Orthopaedic surgeon Timothy Kuklo retired from the Army in 2007 and is now a professor of orthopedic surgery at WUSTL. WUSTL spokeswoman Joni Westerhouse comments.

References:

1. May 19, 2009 — Sen. Grassley investigating army surgeon who allegedly wrote bogus study of Medtronic graft in the Los Angeles Times

and 8 others.

A top Republican lawmaker has opened an inquiry into a former Walter Reed Army Medical Center doctor whom the Army has accused of falsifying a medical study involving a product made by Medtronic, a company for whom he works as a paid consultant. The doctor currently works as an associate professor at WUSTL Medical School.

References:

1. May 19, 2009 — Senator Seeks Data on Doctor Accused by Army of Falsifying a Product Study in the The New York Times

and 1 others.

Matthew Herper reports on the controversy surrounding the FDA and its policy for approving new schizophrenia drugs. Includes comments by WUSTL psychiatry professor John Newcomer.

References:

1. May 8, 2009 — Is The FDA Easing Up? in the Forbes

Consumer behavior and psychological research has found all sorts of counterintuitive lessons about how we shop. So it's not surprising that a forthcoming study in the Journal of Consumer Research shatters some myths about materialism. Includes comments by WUSTL marketing professor Joseph Goodman, study co-author.

References:

1. May 1, 2009 — How Being Materialistic Can Actually Make You Happy in the U.S. News & World Report online

WUSTL computer scientists William Richard and David Zar have developed a USB Ultrasound probe that works with Windows Mobile smartphones, giving doctors a medical imaging device that they can carry with them wherever they go.

References:

1. April 23, 2009 — Scientists Develop USB Ultrasound for Phones in the PC Magazine

While some stores like Sharper Image have disappeared, their brand names live on. Consumers might be confused by the new products or even feel deceived by the practice. Includes comments from WUSTL economics professor David Levine and WUSTL intellectual property law professor Charles McManis.

References:

1. April 14, 2009 — Brand Names Live After Stores Close in the The New York Times

and 4 others.

A study conducted by Joseph Goodman of WUSTL and colleagues from the University of Texas at Austin has found that sharing an experience like a restaurant meal can be better than a material gift, but only if the experience is positive.

References:

1. Feb. 13, 2009 — What's better: A meal out, or a gift? in the United Press International

On NPR's All Things Considered, WUSTL sports marketing expert Mike Lewis comments on the debate over the punishment for Olympic champion swimmer Michael Phelps following the publication of a photo that shows Phelps inhaling from a water pipe.

References:

1. Feb. 6, 2009 — Is Phelps Being Judged Differently? in the NPR All Things Considered

Enterprise says its nine-month experiment in car sharing, branded as WeCar, will now be available to some corporate customers, government agencies and universities nationally. About a year ago, Enterprise informally began its first car-sharing program with Google, using plug-in hybrids. Soon after, it launched a trial program with Washington University, the city of St. Louis and outdoor gear retailer REI.

References:

1. Sept. 30, 2008 — Car rental companies get into the business of sharing in the USA Today

In announcing the takeover of Fannie and Freddie, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said it was necessary to continue "supporting the availability of mortgage finance."
But there are those who think the bailout should be a prelude to a reduced role of both Fannie and Freddie in the supply of mortgage money.
WUSTL finance professor Radhakrishnan Gopalan said that in the long term, he sees a significantly diminished role for Fannie and Freddie.

References:

1. Sept. 11, 2008 — A Bid to Rescue Homeownership in the The Washington Post

and 4 others.

Paid-for product placements woven into the plot of a popular TV show is of growing concern to the Federal Communications Commission and consumer groups. WUSTL marketing professor Ambar Rao comments.

References:

1. July 14, 2008 — Product Placements Acquire a Life of Their Own on Shows in the The New York Times

and 1 others.

Researchers on Tuesday launched an effort to create a library of human genetics using the online encyclopedia Wikipedia in hopes it could spur widespread discussion about thousands of individual genes.
Authors of the "gene wiki" group outlined its lofty aims in a paper published on the Public Library of Science's online journal, PLoS Biology. The eight authors are from the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation in San Diego, San Diego State University and Washington University in St. Louis.

References:

1. July 9, 2008 — Edit your DNA: 'Gene wiki' to debut on Wikipedia in the The Associated Press State & Local Wire

and 29 others.

The battle for America's iconic beer turned nasty Monday, with brewer Inbev escalating its offer for Anheuser-Busch into a hostile bid while the maker of Bud accused the Belgian company of undervaluing its worth.
WUSTL business strategy professor Bill Finnie comments.

References:

1. July 7, 2008 — InBev's bid for Anheuser-Busch turns hostile in the Associated Press

and 71 others.

WUSTL business professor Amar Cheema comments on credit card debt and how increased equity in a home coupled with easily-obtained credit lines can damage consumers' finances.

References:

1. June 18, 2008 — How rising home values, easy credit put your finances at risk in the USA Today

and 2 others.

Traditional rental-car companies are beginning to eye Zipcar's market. In January, Enterprise launched WeCar, a car-sharing service for students at WUSTL.

References:

1. June 5, 2008 — Zipcar Redefines the Rental Car in the U.S. News & World Report