COVID-19 highlights certain problems with globalized supply chains, such as product shortages and difficulties in shifting to meet a sudden surge in demand
Companies will face the challenge of remaining competitive while developing more resilient ways of acquiring supplies
Strategies include avoiding sole suppliers for crucial products and using innovative technologies to improve efficiency
Anthropological evidence suggests that people generally worked about 15 hours a week during the course of human history
Studies have suggested that productivity begins to deteriorate after 50 hours per week, with elevated health risks for long work days
COVID-19 restrictions raise the possibility that companies may be more likely to shorten work week to four days or re-evaluate how productivity is measured
President Donald Trump offers both incentives and threats in effort to get American companies to move manufacturing out of China
In a recent survey, less than 4 percent of responding American companies with operations in China say they are moving some production to the United States
Companies begin to diversify production and supply chains due to COVID-19, but U.S. remains a lower ranked choice
U.S. government will not extend a Sept. 20 deadline for the sale of the Chinese-owned video sharing app, raising possibility that it might be banned in the United States
TikTok has proven especially popular among Generation Z, with businesses beginning to capitalize on its marketing potential
Negotiations for a sale to an American buyer have been ongoing, but complexities in the process may make it difficult to close a deal by the deadline
Senate Republicans unify around slimmed down COVID-19 relief bill, but the measure fails as Democrats denounce it as inadequate
$300 billion proposal included additional funding for Paycheck Protection Program as well as $300 a week in additional unemployment benefits
Vote raises worries that additional relief measures before Election Day are unlikely, though negotiations continue and several incumbents are under pressure to deliver results
Despite national downward trend in unemployment rate, Connecticut jobless rate remains persistently high
State economists say part of elevated rate may be due to statistical misclassification, but that the state’s economy is likely to remain fragile this fall
Circumstances could drive further support for “sin tax” revenue when state legislature reconvenes
