Jennifer Sokolowsky

What does “digital transformation” mean for an established global manufacturing enterprise like Unilever, maker of iconic brands such as Dove, Vaseline and Ben & Jerry’s? For Unilever CIO Jane Moran, it means empowering employees to carry out the company’s mission of meeting consumers’ rising expectations.

In recent years, social media has had a profound impact on art institutions and visitors alike, influencing not just the marketing but also the creation and curation of art.

With the compliance deadline for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) set to come into force across Europe in May 2018, the rights of consumers to dictate how companies store and utilise their data are set to be strengthened. Yet while the consumer rights ethos of GDPR should be commended, I believe it is out of date before it has even come into being. (Written on behalf of Alastair Johnson, CEO and Founder of Nuggets, a blockchain-based e-commerce payments and ID platform.)

2017 was undoubtedly the year of the data breach — and 2018 may be following suit when it comes to personal data getting into the wrong hands. (Written on behalf of Alastair Johnson, CEO of Nuggets, a blockchain-based e-commerce payments and ID platform.)

For any manufacturer, the supply chain is a crucial operation. Manufacturers need to know where their supplies are coming from and how they fit into the various stages of the manufacturing process. Increasingly, outside entities are also interested in the origins of a company’s supplies or where and when an item was manufactured — from consumers interested in buying goods that are environmentally friendly or non-exploitive to government entities enforcing standards. (Written on behalf of Adrian Clarke, founder of Evident Proof, which uses blockchain technology to bring "trusted, distributed consensus" to supply chain management.)

The regulation of short-term rentals is a hot topic in cities across the United States. As the popularity of online short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb, VRBO, and HomeAway has grown, conflicts have increased as well — with disgruntled neighbors objecting to vacation party houses, the hotel industry seeking a level playing field, and cities looking to reap tax revenues. Operating a short-term rental business was once as simple as putting up a listing online. Now, an increasing number of c

Managing a successful short-term rental requires hosts to wear many hats — entrepreneur, concierge, accountant, tax expert, reservations agent, staff manager, designer, web master, and more. It’s a lot to take on, especially for short-term rental hosts with busy bookings or more than one property. Luckily, busy hosts can get technological help with many of the tasks associated with running a short-term rental. Here are some features to look for when considering short-term rental software.

Walk into a Starbucks store anywhere in the world and you’ll encounter a similar sight: coffee beans grinding, espresso shots being pulled and customers talking to baristas while their coffee order is hand-crafted. The process may look like a simple everyday scene, but it is carefully orchestrated to serve Starbucks’ more than 100 million weekly customers. With the help of Microsoft, Starbucks is creating an even more personal, seamless customer experience in its stores by implementing advanced technologies, ranging from cloud computing to blockchain.