The Carpet and Rug Institute's (CRI) annual meeting in Dalton, Georgia, highlighted an industry balancing success with new challenges, from global growth to mounting regulations.

If there is one thing that is constant in marketing, it's that things are constantly changing, according to Michael Wall, a marketing expert at WashU Olin Business School. As social media users flock to sites that align with their political beliefs, brands face the challenge of connecting with diverse audiences.

Private equity is more likely to look at public firms for acquisition when the target aggressively manages its earnings to meet analyst expectations, because those firms are often so cut to the bone there's more room to add value with investment.

If there is one thing that is constant in marketing, it's that things are constantly changing, according to Michael Wall, a marketing expert at WashU Olin Business School. As social media users flock to sites that align with their political beliefs, brands face the challenge of connecting with diverse audiences.

When you look at fast growing private companies in the U.S., you need look no further than a small city next to Los Angeles International Airport.

Steve Julian: Business analyst Mark Lacter, tell us about the company that's based in El Segundo.

Mark Lacter: It's called Fuhu, Steve - that might ring a bell with some parents because Fuhu is the maker of the Nabi.  The Nabi is an Android tablet for kids, and it's a very cool device that mimics a lot of the capabilities of regular tablet, including the ability to play games and get onto the Web (with controls that parents are able to set up).  Last year, they sold 1.2 million Nabis, and that helped push the El Segundo company to the very top of Inc. magazine's list of fastest-growing businesses.  That's number one on a list of 5,000 companies, with a three-year growth rate of 42,148 percent.  Or, to put it another way, company revenue was $279,000 in 2009; it was almost $118 million in 2012.  Now, by the standards of an Apple or a Samsung, those are still not huge numbers -

Julian: - and maybe that explains why there's been relatively little media coverage of this company.

Lacter: It might also explain why local tech companies in general get short shrift.  Many of them are quite successful, but they're often on the small side, and they're also privately held as opposed to publicly-traded on a stock exchange.  That's one big difference from Silicon Valley, which has so many huge public corporations: Apple, Intel, HP.  L.A. County has only six Fortune 500 companies, and not a single one devoted solely to technology.  In Silicon Valley, there are 22 in the Fortune 500.

Julian: And yet, the L.A. economy has more than held its own without those large corporations.

Lacter: Matter of fact, the accounting firm PriceWaterhouse studied more than two dozen cities around the world to determine where it was easiest to do business (that's based on factors like access to labor), and what they found - somewhat surprisingly - was that L.A. ranked ahead of both San Francisco and Tokyo.  And, you can see evidence of that with the increase in venture capital money coming into all parts of L.A.  Now, it's important to keep an eye on all these up-and-coming companies because these businesses are helping generate higher-wage jobs.  And, for an area with a still-high unemployment rate - still over 10 percent in some places -- that's a big deal.

Julian: Speaking of companies, does anyone want to buy the L.A. Times?

Lacter: The answer is yes - most recently, the controlling owner of the Dodgers, Mark Walter, said he was interested in both the Times and the Chicago Tribune (though there's no way to know whether there are actual discussions taking place).  You also have several local groups, including one that involves billionaire Eli Broad, that have been interested to one degree or another.  But what was thought would be a fairly straightforward auction process has turned enormously complicated.  It's now to the point where the Tribune board has decided spin off the papers into a separate business, and that process will take until next year to complete and could preclude any sales for quite some time after that.

Julian: So, it's Limbo-land for the Times for who knows how long.

Lacter: Steve, it's not that Tribune really wants to keep the newspapers.  But, selling them off presents huge tax implications.  Also, there are assets that the potential buyers thought would be part of the package - assets that include real estate - that Tribune wants to hold onto.  So, what's left to sell are just the newspapers themselves, and frankly, they're among the least valuable properties.

Julian: Now, last week came word that the billionaire Koch brothers, who were believed to be interested in the Tribune properties, decided not to pursue a deal...

Lacter: ...that's right, they don't consider the Times or the other dailies to be economically viable.  You might recall a bit of an outcry over the prospect of having the Kochs, who are staunch conservatives, becoming the owners of these papers.  So, they're out of the picture.  But for the L.A. Times, it's really the worst of all worlds: no new owner and no vision for recasting the paper, at least in the near term.

Mark Lacter writes for Los Angeles Magazine and pens the business blog at LA Observed.com.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

US President Barack Obama and Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney debate on October 16, 2012 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. Undecided voters asked questions during a town hall format.; Credit: STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images

There continue to be questions about how moderators approach Presidential debates and about whether the extra time President Obama has received in the first two debates indicates moderator bias in his favor. 

I had chalked up the concerns to Republican hyper-partisanship, such as we saw with many Democrats criticizing Jim Lehrer for his moderating — as though Obama would’ve won the first debate if only Lehrer had asserted himself more.   However, even CNN has been doing significant follow-up on its own Candy Crowley’s performance in debate number two. 

Maybe it’s not just hardcore GOP loyalists who are questioning Crowley’s decision-making on when to cut in and when to allow the candidates to take more time. I thought she did pretty well, but there are plenty of critics.

As someone who has moderated hundreds of debates, I thought I’d share my thoughts on what we’ve seen so far in this election. Though I’ve never moderated a Presidential debate, with its incredible level of attention, concern about rules, and demands by campaigns, there are certain fundamentals regardless of the office or issue at stake.

Time Doesn't Matter...Too Much
First, as strange as this may sound, the time taken by each candidate has little to do with who has an advantage.   Yes, it’s always possible for a candidate to use another minute to fire off the defining line of the night. However, the well-practiced zingers or essential policy explainers are not left to the end of a candidate’s statement, as the clock is running out. 

I’m sure Mitt Romney wasn’t thinking after the last debate, “If only I would’ve had that extra 90-seconds, and Obama hadn’t gotten 90 more than he deserved.”  Both men front-loaded their major talking points and were going to get them in. Neither man could legitimately say he didn’t have a chance to make his strongest points. At some point, a time advantage could make a difference in who wins or loses, but an extra 90-seconds in a debate longer than 90-minutes isn’t going to do it.

Serving The Audience
As a moderator, you also have to think about what best serves your audience. I never guarantee candidates equal time, as it’s my job to serve the listeners, not their campaigns. I strive to get close to equal time, but can’t make any guarantee. Some speakers get to the point succinctly and have their points well put together. Others are messier in their arguments and eat up time just building up any head of steam. 

If the moderator holds to a strict time limit, you run the risk of frustrating listeners by cutting off the rambler just as the candidate is getting to the point. There are methods a moderator can use to help guide the speaker toward being more succinct, but there’s no guarantee the person will be able to comply.

Isn’t this inherently unfair to the succinct speaker? No. The purpose of the debate is to allow the ideas to compete.  It’s not a boxing match that’s about landing punches in a given time. The succinct debater has a big advantage, regardless of how much time the candidate has. That’s why Mitt Romney’s victory in the first debate was so lopsided — he won on the conciseness and clarity of his answers, coupled with Obama’s inability to get to his central points.  Obviously, there are those who thought Obama’s arguments were still more compelling than Romney’s, and that Romney lacked essential details.  However, for most viewers of the first debate, it was stylistically no contest.

Equal Time Is Not A Guarantee
When candidates are allowed to talk to each other directly, it’s very difficult to assure equal time. Even CNN’s clock that registers elapsed time for each candidate is subject to squishiness. Unless a debate is extremely formal, with carefully controlled time limits and a ban on candidates following-up with each other, you’re only going to have an approximation of time balance. I thought Crowley did pretty well to land the second debate with the balance she did. I’m not sure I could get it that close for a debate of that length. She had the added challenge of trying to determine when to cut in on President Obama’s lengthier answers. Also, Romney’s speaking rhythm allows more space for interruption. It’s tougher to break in on Obama.

Moderating Is A Balancing Act
Moderators are always trying to balance a need to move on to the next topic with allowing a candidate to answer an opponent’s charge. Sometimes, you open that door for a candidate, only to regret it later when the politician starts into a monologue, instead of confining the response to the previous challenge. Sometimes moderators, having gotten burned, will become less tolerant of such expansive rebuttals, as the debate goes on. Moderators are always juggling competing goals, and it’s a difficult job (at least for me).

Unfortunately, there are those who think debate moderators attempt to influence the outcome of the debate and the performances of the candidates. Maybe I’m naïve, but I can’t imagine any journalist who’s worked hard enough to get to the position of Presidential debate moderator subordinating his or her career in an effort to getting someone elected. Mainstream political journalism is like national sports reporting. You really don’t care who wins the Super Bowl, you want great story lines to explore with your audience. Yes, sports reporters have affinities for the hometown teams of their youth, but that can’t compete with the professional goal of covering great stories. 

Yes, most journalists in mainstream media probably have a stronger cultural and political affinity for Obama, as he’s more like them. However, it doesn’t mean a journalist is going to sacrifice the better story to intentionally provide a benefit to the President.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Black Box Ltd, Essar's technology arm, has unveiled an ambitious growth strategy focused on India, aiming to position itself as a strategic partner for global technology companies expanding into the region.

China’s latest fiscal announcements seem aimed at addressing medium-term structural impediments to economic growth from strained local government finances, but are unlikely to immediately boost or offset deflationary risk, Fitch Ratings said. It expects a budget deficit of 7.1 per cent of GDP this year. It believes fiscal stimulus will remain incremental and responsive to downside risks.

Gokaldas Exports has reported an 85 per cent YoY revenue increase in Q2 FY25, with total income reaching ₹941.8 crore (~$111.6 million) and PAT at ₹28.2 crore, a 19 per cent rise. EBITDA grew 48 per cent to ₹82.4 crore (~$9.77 million), though margins declined by 222 bps to 8.7 per cent. H1 FY25 revenue surged 82 per cent to ₹1,881.5 crore (~$223.0 million), with PAT slightly down by 2 per cent YoY.

Japanese food production company, Kaiteki Fresh has announced a new state-of-the-art hydroponic facility in Bunyip, one hour east of Melbourne. The multi-million dollar investment will be the first facility of its kind outside of Asia, and will create 40 new local jobs. Kaiteki Fresh Australia, a subsidiary of Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation, is a global leader in food production and technology.

Rocket Lab [RKLB] announced its first launch deal for the upcoming medium-lift Neutron rocket —  a multi-launch agreement with an unnamed commercial satellite constellation operator.  Rocket Lab announced the deal […]

The work-from-home trend, a shortage of new housing and other factors are leading people to expand their homes and remodel existing spaces. They’re often turning to single-zone ductless products to heat and cool those new living spaces.

One letter-writer realizes that many of his views could make him an enemy to Donald Trump.

Digital determinants of health important with growing technology usage  Association of Health Care Journalists

India's economic growth in the second half of this financial year will be driven by rural demand and government spending. The rural economy is gaining momentum. Consumer durables and non-durables are showing strong performance. The manufacturing sector is also exhibiting growth. However, there are signs of a slowdown in industrial growth.

India's smartphone market is expected to exit 2024 with a low single-digit annual growth, as Apple posted its largest-ever quarterly shipment in India with 4 million units in the third quarter (Q3), according to a new report.

Operating revenue remained largely unchanged at Rs 1,430 crore compared to Rs 1,426 crore in FY23. The company, which secured its maiden fundraise last year, saw a 40% surge in employee benefit expenses at Rs 71 crore, while finance costs rose nearly 50% to Rs 29.5 crore. Total expenses increased to Rs 1,460 crore from Rs 1,432 crore in FY23.

Driven by tier 2 and 3 cities, India's e-commerce sector registered a gross merchandise value (GMV) of approximately $14 billion (more than Rs 1.18 lakh crore) in this year's festive season, marking a 12 per cent growth over last year's festive period, a report said on Wednesday.

Fire officials say they've stopped the spread of the deadly Jennings Creek wildfire that's burning in rugged terrain on the New York-New Jersey border. But drought is causing more fires.

In this episode of _Making Contact_, we sit down with Kev Choice, a classically trained pianist, rapper, composer, and educator, who has reshaped the Bay Area music scene. Raised in […]

The post Making Contact: Love, Growth, and the Power of Music appeared first on KKFI.

Computer chip equipment maker ASML said on Thursday it expects its sales to grow to between 44 billion euros and 60 billion ($46.4 billion-$63.3 billion) by 2030, suggesting an average annual increase of 8%-14%, driven by strong demand for its most advanced tools. The guidance came in a statement…

Computer chip equipment maker ASML said on Thursday it expects its sales to grow to between 44 billion euros and 60 billion ($46.4 billion-$63.3 billion) by 2030, suggesting an average annual increase of 8%-14%, driven by strong demand for its most advanced tools.

ASML Holding NV stated on Thursday that it predicts annual revenue of €44 to €60 billion by 2030, with gross margins between 56% and 60%.The Dutch semiconductor equipment leader emphasized in a report...

By Sudip Kar-Gupta PARIS (Reuters) - Defence and technology firm Thales unveiled new four-year targets on Thursday, predicting more than 25 billion euros ($26.34 billion) of revenues by 2028 as it reaps a decade of cyber investments. Europe's largest defence technology supplier, which has…

In This Article: By Melanie Burton MELBOURNE (Reuters) - BHP Group is likely to flesh out plans next week to spend at least $7 billion over the coming years to recover more metal from the world's biggest copper mine, Escondida in Chile, investors and analysts said on Thursday. The world's biggest…

Residents of the mixed area of Aramoun express alarm after a strike on Wednesday kills eight people.

The Hollywood actor says he was bullied as a child in Wales because of his religion and sexuality.

In an effort to fight climate change, promote biodiversity and reduce heat in summer, the CMM, which groups municipalities in the area, has partnered with a non-profit to find spaces on private and public land for new trees.

VW's taking a larger stake in Rivian, now up to $5.8 billion Rivian and VW's joint venture has formally been created The Rivian R2 in 2026 and a Volkswagen in 2027 will be the first vehicles to feature the new joint-venture electrical architecture The Volkswagen Group on Tuesday announced that it would up its investment in Rivian as the two...

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday, presented a proposed budget estimate of N678,086,767,322.18 to the state House of Assembly for legislative consideration and approval. Makinde, while presenting the budget, tagged, “Budget of Economic Stabilisation,” said it was 35 per cent higher compared to the 2024 budget. He said, “Out of the budget, capital expenditure

ILOILO CITY – Preference for digital payments in the country is growing based on the results of the 2021 Financial Inclusion Survey, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Wednesday. BSP Deputy Director for Payments Policy and Development Department Tricia Defante-Andres said digital payment channels, such as electronic (e)-wallets provided wider access to financial services for […]...

Keep on reading: BSP cites growing preference for digital payments

NEW YORK — For her 18th birthday in March, "Jacky Dejo," a snowboarder, bikini model and child influencer turned social media entrepreneur, celebrated on the secluded island of Dominica.

[New Times] Achieving rapid private sector growth in Rwanda is unlikely without far-reaching reforms to economic policies, a new report released on November 13, by the World Bank has shown.

Bariatric surgery is still the gold standard for morbid obesity treatment, yet patients and medical professionals will likely seek less invasive weight loss drugs before considering bariatric surgery. 

The post The Rapid Growth of GLP-1s and Their Impact on Bariatric Surgery appeared first on MedCity News.

Packaging specialist at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK Ashlee Gough examines the latest techniques being deployed to counteract these infringements and different methods to safeguard product and named-brand integrity.

Rising Nitrous Oxide emissions pose serious risks to public health and climate, contributing to respiratory issues and global warming. Immediate action is crucial.

Minor Hotels has continued its robust growth trajectory, with Q3 results revealing significant increases in core profit and revenue. The group, which owns and operates more than 560 hotels across eight brands globally, announced a core net profit of THB 3.1 billion for the first nine months of 2024, marking a 13% year-on-year increase, despite the negative impact of an unrealised foreign exchange loss.

Saravana Kumar Nanjappan highlights that effective data migration is an invaluable asset to organizations undergoing digital transformation, enabling them to harness data's potential fully.

Mercedes-Benz India is on course to close the current year with a double-digit jump in sales, as demand for luxury cars increased.

Want to attract and convert more customers? Here's what you need to know.

It's possible to scale sustainably even in uncertain times.