Friday, March 29

Business

Soon, You’ll Be Able to Buy Stuff on Facebook
Business

Soon, You’ll Be Able to Buy Stuff on Facebook

Facebook has been a huge driver of web traffic for years. Back in 2013, it drove 21.25% of all the traffic sites received, meaning nearly one-fifth of the consumers who visited blogs and retailers came from the social network. Now, Facebook is looking to cut right to the economic chase. It's turning its business pages into virtual storefronts. Buzzfeed reports that Facebook is testing new, miniature e-commerce sites embedded within select retailers' Facebook pages. New "shopping" tabs and "buy" buttons allow consumers to purchase an item they want, possibly completing the entire transaction right there. The idea of this test is to put the entire consumer experience into Facebook. On mobile, the new feature will appear in a "shopping" section, while on desktop, it'll appear as a separate...
Two Medical Software Companies Enter Into New Partnership With Focus on Electronic Billing Services
Business

Two Medical Software Companies Enter Into New Partnership With Focus on Electronic Billing Services

Two medical billing software companies are teaming up to offer a comprehensive medical billing service to their clients. PR Newswire reports that as of this month, Phoenix-based CompuGroup Medical U.S. (CGM) is partnering with Express Medical Billing, Inc. (EMB) in St. Louis to expand its services and clientele. Specifically, the agreement calls for EMB to use CGM's DAQbilling, a practice management solution software system that specializes in billing for medical laboratories. The software system can encompass an unlimited amount of users, providers, locations, and methods of access. The partnership will ensure that the software system will reach even more practices and save them on expenses as well. The partnership will also introduce a distinct business model by using two CGM so...
Online Shoppers Are Swayed by Membership Deals, And Amazon Prime Is Proof
Business

Online Shoppers Are Swayed by Membership Deals, And Amazon Prime Is Proof

As Amazon geared up for its first annual "Prime Day" on July 15 -- a day that was marketed as a rival to Black Friday and which has promised unbelievable sales and one-day shipping for Prime members only -- it's clear that the world of e-commerce has become bigger in the past few years than anyone expected. "Prime Day" is essentially just one big marketing scheme, exactly like Black Friday deals, but it's bringing attention to a growing online shopping trend: more businesses that want to cultivate customers' online shopping experiences are offering subscription passes which allow members to take part in the sales. Amazon's Prime membership is the most popular type of subscription shopping program, but Business Insider has recently reported that other businesses have created similar membe...
More Than Half of Executives Want to Work With Companies That Have a Culture
Business

More Than Half of Executives Want to Work With Companies That Have a Culture

It's more important for a business to have a culture than you might think. According to a new study, a brand's culture can be the determining factor in whether or not an executive decides to do business with a company. A culture is the evolving set of collective beliefs, values, and attitudes of a group. In other words, a business culture is the "why" of the business. It's not what the business does, but why it does what it does. Business culture encompasses an organization's values, visions, working style, beliefs, and habits. Culture not only helps a business draw the best talent, but according to the new study from creative agency Gyro and Fortune Knowledge Group, it helps companies decide whether or not to do business. According to the study, 60% of the 500 executives surveyed said...
Internet Program May be the Future for Chronic Pain Patients
Business

Internet Program May be the Future for Chronic Pain Patients

More than 1.5 billion people suffer from chronic pain, according to a recent report. An Internet program may be the saving grace for those trying to manage their chronic pain. Researchers at Washington State discovered that the program, which teaches non-medical solutions for pain, can not only help manage pain but also may reduce dependence on medicine. It results in more positive thinking and emotional wellness. An assistant professor for the College of Nursing, Marian Wilson, did a study by tracking 43 people who had chronic pain. With an eight-week online course, they were taught about the psychological, social and health issues that surround their chronic pain. When that group was compared to the control group, Wilson found that the group who did the course reported adopting the prac...
New Study Finds that Increased Financial Aid Availability May Actually Hurt Students
Business

New Study Finds that Increased Financial Aid Availability May Actually Hurt Students

It’s been an area of concern for quite a few years now, but there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight when it comes to rising college costs. A new study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that colleges are raising their prices -- in order to make money available for financial aid. Senators such as Lamar Alexander say that students can afford college; however, the reality is vastly different. The average cost, according to College Board, for public schools is $9,139 and that number jumps to $31,231 for private schools. That number only includes tuition and fees, as well -- not books, board, meals, or other necessities. With the average American household income at less than $52,000, lower-income families cannot even begin to think about college, because it just isn’t a viable opt...
Sorry, That Was Only a Bug That Gave You More Followers on Instagram
Business

Sorry, That Was Only a Bug That Gave You More Followers on Instagram

Sorry. That last picture of your cat wasn't so amazing that it earned you a few hundred new Instagram followers. It was just a bug. Instagram confirmed to TechCrunch on June 11 that a bug caused some users' follower counts to rise meteorically. The social network is working on fixing it. Users' follower counts will plummet back to normal levels when it is. The news is kind of a bummer to many, as Instagram is arguably the most popular photo sharing network around. In the 186 years since the first photo was ever taken, there have been more than 3.5 trillion pics snapped -- 16 billion of which had been uploaded to Instagram as of 2014. Considering the fact that another 40 million are uploaded each day, that number has likely almost doubled since. If your profile is suddenly going to retur...
Burlington Company Creates Device That Could Revolutionize Sleep Apnea Treatments
Business

Burlington Company Creates Device That Could Revolutionize Sleep Apnea Treatments

Sleep apnea, a potentially fatal condition if left untreated, is prevalent in as many as many as 18 million Americans, however men are more likely to suffer from it. Nearly 15% of men living in the U.S. suffer from sleep apnea, compared to a mere 5% of women. Apneas are commonly referred to as periods when sleep apnea sufferers stop breathing -- and therefore stop receiving oxygen -- due to a blockage in the back of the throat. This often causes the sufferer to choke or gasp for air throughout the time they're asleep. Over time, the health consequences of untreated sleep apnea can be as severe as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and depression. Often, sufferers are completely unaware they have it. Kristen Balderston's family told her she snored for several years. "I ...
The Internet of Things Is Poised to Become Massive, and It’s Freaking the Government Out
Business

The Internet of Things Is Poised to Become Massive, and It’s Freaking the Government Out

The Internet of Things could be worth up to $11.1 trillion by 2025, and it's freaking Washington D.C. out. According to a new report from the McKinsey Global Institute, creating the Internet of Things -- connecting analog machines, like industrial equipment, to the web -- could potentially have a value of between $3.9 trillion and $11.1 trillion by 2025. The research suggests that connecting more equipment to the Internet could potentially increase corporate revenue, create new businesses, and improve the decision making abilities of companies. "I think people are starting to understand all of the incredible impacts the Internet has had on business, their personal lives and the ways we can interact with government," said Michael Chui, the partner at the McKinsey Global Institute who co-...
Office Naps Boost Productivity, Says Science
Business

Office Naps Boost Productivity, Says Science

Chances are, if you work in an office, you're probably not as productive as you could possibly be every day. While court reporters needs to type at a rate of 225 words per minute on a stenotype to get certified by the National Court Reporters Association, the average computer typist can only type at a rate of 41 words per minute. And as new research shows, the key to increasing office workers' productivity is simple: let them take a nap. According to a new study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, taking a nap can be an effective way to boost tolerance for frustration, and counteract impulsive behavior. In other words, taking naps can help people keep their cool. For the study, researchers at the University of Michigan examined how short naps affected adults...