News

As more industries make use of so-called blockchains, which are really just digital ledgers for storing data, the high-profile Ronin theft has raised new concerns about just how effective existing blockchain safeguards and protocols are at protecting the digital wallets of millions of crypto traders.

“Our research found that 79% of those who currently use someone else's password would not get their own subscriptions if Netflix outright banned account-sharing,” says Ben Treanor, whose company surveyed so-called “streaming swindlers.” And Netflix will have a fine line to walk if it introduces ads, says Yakov Bart, a marketing expert at Northeastern.

President Joe Biden has ordered the release of 1 million barrels of oil per day from the country's petroleum stockpile for the next six months to combat the nation's oil crisis as the Russian war in Ukraine marches toward its third month. But some, including two Northeastern professors, question whether Biden was right to do so.

If the COVID-19 pandemic showed businesses that depend on offshore production anything, it's that one stoppage along these vast delivery channels can propagate across the entire system, Nada Sanders, distinguished professor of supply-chain management at Northeastern, said in the annual Robert D. Klein Lecture on Tuesday.

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine extends into its fourth week, its effect on global supply chains—already beleaguered by the COVID-19 pandemic—is only just beginning. “This is going to have a significant impact,” says Nada Sanders, distinguished professor of supply-chain management at Northeastern. “I'm extremely concerned.”

The invasion of Ukraine has raised concerns that Russia may launch a cyberwar against the west. In recent years, cyberattacks have become more frequent, wreaking havoc on organizations around the world. Even the largest multinationals cannot escape the risk that such attacks pose to their longer-term viability.

Moscow's famed cyber prowess may not be as sophisticated as people believe, say Northeastern experts. And, Russia may not have the appetite to launch a digital war on top of a traditional one with tanks and bombs. “They don't want a war on two fronts if they don't have to,” says global strategy professor Luis Dau.

Spencer Fung, who runs a Hong Kong-based supply-chain manager, spoke to Northeastern students about the future of the global supply chain as businesses contend with a host of disruptions—from the continued rise of e-commerce to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supermarkets and food banks complement one another in the U.S. food supply chain, a Northeastern professor studying food waste says. By donating less-than-perfect fruits and vegetables to food banks, supermarkets replenish their shelves with higher-priced, higher-quality goods, thus boosting profits.

An Adidas ad for its new line of sports bras, featuring a photo grid of topless women, made a splash online recently, prompting a mix of praise and criticism. But it may not be so black-and-white. Northeastern experts in body image and marketing weigh the pros and cons.