The Facebook IPO had problems, but they are not especially unique. The problem, really, is that it has been so long that we’ve had a lot of IPOs that everyone has forgotten how they work. Way back in my investing banking days, I worked for a firm that was a dot-com bubble IPO factory. (Alas,… [Read More]
Blog
Category: Socially Responsible Investing
Women Need to Stop Opting Out of “Hard” Subjects, Like Finance
This is a manifesto for a Sunday. And it’s a big one, so pay attention: Girls can do math. It is okay to get a low grade in math. Math opens the doors to many well-paying careers. STOP SELF-SELECTING OUT OF GREAT OCCUPATIONS JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT TO HAVE A 4.0!!!!!!! AND STOP BRAGGING ABOUT… [Read More]
Fraud! Fraud! Fraud!
This Monday brought news of suspected bribery at Walmart and fraud charges against the former head of CalPERS. It’s a useful reminder about the limits of human frailty and of social investing. Walmart is one of the most environmentally conscious companies out there, and CalPERS runs a great shareholder activism program. But both play in… [Read More]
March is Dummies Month!
Are you in the market for a new book? Like, say, Emerging Markets for Dummies? Or another fine book in Wiley’s . . . For Dummies series? If so, this is your lucky month! March is Dummies Month, and many booksellers are offering special deals on Dummies purchases. If you want to know more about… [Read More]
Bribery and Transparency
Today’s New York Times had a great article about new efforts to expose bribery in developing countries. All it takes is a little exposure. People sometimes justify bribes by dismissing them as gifts or tips. It’s part of the culture, they say. I was a waitress for a while in college, and I can assure… [Read More]