McGill Desautels leads the way in McGill Workplace Sustainability Certifications
This winter, the sustainability efforts of 13 University offices were recognized by the rigorous Sustainable Workplace Certification program hosted by the McGill Office of Sustainability, with nearly half coming from McGill Desautels.
‘Buy now, pay later’ loans are not covered by existing consumer protection laws
Buy now, pay later technology offers loans to consumers to pay for purchases in instalments over time. A soft credit check verifies eligibility, and can extend credit to users who might not otherwise have access to credit products. These loans claim to improve the financial inclusion of lower-income young people, but should be approached with caution, writes Vivek Astvansh in The Conversation.
This holiday season, shoppers are spending more and getting less
Christmas is just around the corner, and even with inflation slowing down, gift prices are higher than ever. Canada’s Consumer Price Index is at an all-time high of nearly 160 points, Associate Professor Vivek Astvansh tells CTV News Montreal. “Consumers are feeling the pinch, and while they want to buy stuff, they are resisting purchases,” says Astvansh.
Idealizing specific body types in the workplace causes inequities
When you think of a shopping centre Santa Claus, a specific body type comes to mind: a bearded, rosy-cheeked, older, white man. In fact, many work in fields where their bodies are intentionally governed by organizational systems intent on shaping them into an idealized image of a worker, argues Assistant Professor of Strategy and Organization Rohini Jalan.
Raising tuition for out-of-province students risks undermining world-class academic programs, writes Prof. Henry Mintzberg
Funding for universities is not a zero-sum game, writes John Cleghorn Professor of Management Henry Mintzberg in a LaPresse op-ed. And the Quebec government’s plan to increase tuition for out-of-province students risks undermining the very source of funding it hopes to leverage.
Tip creep and tip-flation leading to a review of tipping culture in Canada
Tipping has gotten out of control in Canada. Not only are restaurants’ automated payment systems prompting patrons for tips of up to 30%, there are even some tip prompts at self-serve kiosks. More than half of Canadians say they’d prefer a no-tip, service-included model that ensures higher base wages for employees.
When it comes to long-term thinking, family-controlled businesses have an advantage
Family-controlled businesses demonstrate exceptional long-term performance. Since 2005, such businesses have significantly outperformed the S&P/TSX Composite. Family-controlled businesses earned an annualized return of 8.3%, compared to 7% for their publicly-traded counterparts, according to the National Bank of Canada’s Family Advantage 2023-24 Report.
A combination of approaches results in better decisions
Navigating decision-making complexities is no easy feat, but Henry Mintzberg, John Cleghorn Professor of Management Studies at McGill University, and Frances Westley, J.W. McConnell Chair in social innovation at the University of Waterloo, have crafted insightful methods to ease this process.
Long-term investments help Canadian pension plans outperform international counterparts
Canadian pension funds have outperformed their counterparts elsewhere, and a recent study co-authored by Associate Professor of Finance Sebastien Betermier examines how they’ve accomplished this. The study analyzes four deals – in the agricultural, railway transportation, real estate development, and financial services– that diversified their holdings and enabled their success.
More Canadians are renewing their mortgages at higher rates, as economy heads toward forecasted recession
More than 3 million Canadians will be facing mortgage renewal in the next 18 months – and with interest rates still at their highest level in years, many will face payments that are 30-40% higher. “Inflation has been off the charts for the past couple years, and when the Bank of Canada raises interest rates, it is to bring inflation down,” explains Sebastien Betermier, Associate Professor of Finance.
GCPA guest lecturer Michael Richardson receives teaching excellence award
Congratulations to Michael Richardson (GCPA'18, 2018 CFE Honour Roll and Gold Medal in Quebec) on receiving the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting (GCPA)Teaching Award for Guest Lecturers for the second time!
2023 CFE Honour Roll for GCPA Participants
Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting (GCPA) Tian Cheng Huang (BCom’22, GCPA‘23) and Kyra Swift (BCom UOttawa’21, GCPA’23) have been named to the Honour Roll of the Common Final Exam (CFE) for their outstanding results.
Navigating the retail conundrum: striking the right balance in inventory management
It has been a challenging few years for supply chains. After pandemic-related supply chain disruptions, many retailers increased their inventory for the 2022 holiday season. After all, demand was still booming at the time. But demand has come down off its peak, and that presents an entirely different problem for retailers in 2023. Some major retailers have reduced inventory so as to not be left with products they can’t sell.
Lightspeed CEO JP Chauvet credits globetrotting childhood with fostering intercultural sensitivity
After a childhood spent in France, Ireland, Nigeria and Singapore, JP Chauvet’s career has spanned yet more countries and continents. He was lured from London to Montreal to work for Lightspeed, where he is Chief Executive Officer. Growing up, Chauvet never felt fully accepted in any one place, but his ability to understand different cultural perspectives has been an asset in his career.
Suggestion that out-of-province students don’t contribute to Montreal’s dynamism false
Brett Miller (BCom’86) moved to Montreal to study at McGill, but he has made the city his home and become a leader in Quebec’s business community. Now the CEO of the real estate development company Canderel, Miller is concerned about the Quebec government’s plan to double tuition for out-of-province students beginning in Fall 2024. “To suggest that out-of-province students don’t contribute to the dynamism of the city is such a false message to send.
