Discoveries surrounding a new class of impossibly small and improbably powerful compounds could reshape the materials industry — and the world around us.

An informal social media style can backfire on an unknown company or boost trust among an audience that is already familiar with the firm.

Under a microscope in business school and the workplace, women tend to withdraw. Here are ways to surmount that and other barriers to the C-suite.

Companies that receive awards for product design see an immediate uptick in stock price.

Although manufacturers can derive some short-term benefits from unauthorized retailers, outright bootlegging is harmful to profits and reputation.

Profit warnings not only hurt a company’s domestic rivals, but also international competitors, and can cause industry-wide investor skittishness.

The number of women presiding over large companies still lags far behind men, yet the firms they lead tend to be more risk averse and more profitable over the long term.

Companies with employee-friendly policies produce more patents, which shareholders highly value and result in long-term financial benefits.

International partnerships can put parties at odds, but there are ways for smaller firms to avoid common conflicts and stick up for themselves.

The use of humor in job listings posted on the Internet can grab people’s attention, but it may turn them off to the actual job and company being advertised.

The world’s largest innovators are shifting the focus of their R&D investments from products to programming. See also “How Non-Tech Companies Are Joining the Software Revolution — in Pictures."

Customers who don’t hit the target to qualify for a reward are apt to hold it against the company and make fewer subsequent purchases.

With manufacturing put into the hands of small firms and even consumers, traditional value chains may no longer be as advantageous.

Employees who push innovative products have a tough job, but can be encouraged by managers who grasp their motivations to succeed.

Manufacturing and service firms differ in their approach to domestic and international philanthropy.

Delving into comprehensive data on the world’s entertainment and media industries yields sharp insights into a future of eroding borders, changing behavior, and opportunities for growth.

Large U.S. firms react to competition from high-quality foreign importers by investing more in their own R&D efforts and producing more patents.

A study describes how companies can adopt a flexible innovation strategy that is responsive to changes in rapidly shifting markets.

Flexible, adaptive supply chain management is an overlooked but vital component of a company’s overall innovation strategy.

Email is still the king of office communications, but company-hosted social networking platforms are gaining in popularity, especially among younger workers.

The UNC Kenan-Flagler professor explains the science of self-control, and how it affects your performance at work. See also “How Mindfulness Can Prevent Retaliation at Work.”

CIOs are staying longer in their jobs, another sign that supply chain management is becoming more vital to large companies.

Working fathers are placing more importance on their familial obligations, and companies must react to this societal shift.

Debates over paid leave, wage increases, and flexible work arrangements, says the MIT professor, all stem from a larger assumption that personal and business needs are in conflict.

Multinationals are shifting their R&D focus from cost savings to knowledge-based research.