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Electronic gifts are very popular, and in recent years, retailers have been offering significant discounts on smartphones, e-readers, and other electronics labeled as pre-owned. Research I have co-led finds that these pre-owned options are becoming increasingly viable, thanks in part to laws and policies that encourage recycling and reuse of devices that might previously have been thrown away. Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy have dedicated pages on their websites for pre-owned devices. Manufacturers like Apple and Dell, as well as mobile service providers like AT&T and Verizon, offer their own options for customers to buy used items. Their sales rely on the availability of a large volume of used products, which are supplied by the emergence of an entire line of businesses that process used, discarded, or returned electronics. Those developments are some of the results of widespread innovations across the electronics industry that supply chain researcher Suresh Muthulingam and I have linked to Californias Electronic Waste Recycling Act, passed in 2003. Recycling innovation Originally intended to reduce the amount of electronic waste flowing into the states landfills, Californias law did far more, unleashing a wave of innovation, our analysis found. We analyzed the patent-filing activity of hundreds of electronics firms over a 17-year time span from 1996 to 2012. We found that the passage of Californias law not only prompted electronics manufacturers to engage in sustainability-focused innovation, but it also sparked a surge in general innovation around products, processes, and techniques. Faced with new regulations, electronics manufacturers and suppliers didnt just make small adjustments, such as tweaking their packaging to ensure compliance. They fundamentally rethought their design and manufacturing processes to create products that use recycled materials and that are easily recyclable themselves. For example, Samsungs Galaxy S25 smartphone is a new product that, when released in May 2025, was made of eight different recycled materials, including aluminum, neodymium, steel, plastics, and fiber. Combined with advanced recycling technologies and processes, these materials can be recovered and reused several times in new devices and products. For example, Apple invented the Daisy Robot, which disassembles old iPhones in a matter of seconds and recovers a variety of precious metals, including copper and gold. These materials, which would otherwise have to be mined from rock, are reused in Apples manufacturing process for new iPhones and iPads. How do consumers benefit? In the past two decades, 25 U.S. states and Washington D.C. have passed laws requiring electronics recycling and refurbishing, the process of restoring a pre-owned electronic device so that it can function like new. The establishment of industry guidelines and standards also means that all pre-owned devices are thoroughly tested for functionality and cosmetic appearance before resale. Companies deeper engagement with innovation appears to have created organizational momentum that carried over into other areas of product development. For example, in our study, we found that the passage of Californias law directly resulted in a flurry of patents related to semiconductor materials, data storage, and battery technology, among others. These scientific advances have made devices more durable, repairable, and recyclable. For the average consumer, the recycling laws and the resulting industry responses mean used electronics are available with similar reliability, warranties, and return policies as new devicesand at prices as much as 50% lower. Suvrat Dhanorkar is an associate professor of operations management at Georgia Institute of Technology. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Category:
E-Commerce
AI coaches are everywhere. Theyre training marathoners and coaching leaders, and even billionaires Ray Dalio created an AI clone to serve as a digital mentor. In the past few months, searches for AI coaching have gone through the roof. And its easy to see why. AI coaches are available 24/7, cost less than a gym membership, and can recall every word youve ever said. Research even shows they can match human coaches in helping people reach their goals. Ironically, people often tell AI things theyd never tell another person. Studies show chatbots reduce our fear of judgment, making them surprisingly effective at uncovering whats really going on. And with 94% of employees saying theyd stay longer at a company that invests in their growth, AI coaching seems like the perfect solution, at least on paper. Im a coach and I use AI. But after a decade of coaching more than 4,000 people, heres what Ive learned: AI moves the needle 90%, sure. But for the life-changing 10%, you still need a human. Why AI coaching falls short Last month, a client told me she wanted to readjust her focus. If shed asked an AI coach, she wouldve gotten a list of productivity hacks. But when I heard her say it, I noticed something felt off. Did you notice how your energy dropped when you said that? I asked. That question opened the real issue. She wasnt struggling with priorities; she was afraid of leaving her comfort zone. Changing her focus was a protective strategy that wouldve kept her stuck. Thats the 10% AI cant identify. Science backs this up. Our brains sync through mirror neurons, a process called emotional contagion. Its how a coach can sense when your energy dips, even before you speak. Humans also co-regulate each others stress responses, a process thats essential for change. Thats why, in psychotherapy, the relationship itself predicts outcomes as much as any treatment method. The same holds true for coaching. Finally, clients often tell me they chose to work with me because of my story. Im the child of immigrants who became a Princeton-trained engineer before walking away from corporate life. Im also an introvert whod rather watch Netflix than network. That shared humanityseeing someone whos been where they arebuilds trust and makes them realize: If she can do it, maybe I can too. The smarter way forward: 3 ways to use hybrid coaching Still, Im not saying AI coaching doesnt work, because it does. But the smartest coaches and clients wont choose between humans and AI. Theyll use both. Heres how to combine them for the best results: 1. Be consistent Use an AI tool like ChatGPT to stay accountable every day. Prompts like Based on my reflections this week, what patterns or habits keep showing up? or Highlight one recurring theme in my journaling that might be holding me back help you track growth between sessions. 2. Dig deeper AI can help you surface patterns faster. One of my clients uses AI to journal every morning. By the time she shows up to our call, she has already identified her blocks, so we can focus on getting results faster. Try prompts like: How would an executive or business coach advise me on this? 3. Define actions After each session, use an AI transcription tool like Otter.ai to turn coaching insights into concrete steps. Use prompts like: Based on this call, what actions do I need to take in the next week/month? and Turn this call into a simple weekly action plan. Thats how AI helps you move fasterwhile your human coach makes sure you move in the right direction.
Category:
E-Commerce
Happy Friday is ranked as one of the worst ways to begin an email and it is also one of the worst ways to end a piece of correspondence. While Happy Friday may seem like a friendly send-off to colleagues as they approach the weekend, it can easily offend for many reasons. Here are three excellent reasons never to use this expression. #1: IT CAN BE ANNOYING This expression may be used by people who are trying to lift the spirits of a colleague or make the recipient feel relieved that the workweek is coming to an end. But your colleague may be involved in working hard to complete an assignment, or be involved in a project that needs to get done. If so, your Happy Friday will be irritating. His or her reaction might be to feel this writer knows little about the pressures of work or completing assignments. According to a study a full 69% of employees say their mental health has worsened over the past year, so theres a good chance your colleague is not having a happy Friday. #2 IT CAN BE INSENSITIVE Beginning or ending your email with Happy Friday presumes that everyone is having a great day. But how do you know? I get emails from people I dont even know wishing me a Happy Friday. I was in the hospital when a few of these came, and I was not having a happy time. It is presumptuous to wish someone a happy day when she could be sick, tired, or overworked. In such cases, the words Happy Friday will only deepen the recipients misery. According to a study by the American Psychological Association, half of adults in the United States reported feelings of emotional disconnection, isolation from others (54%), left out (50%), or lacking companionship (50%). So wishing someone Happy Friday may elicit a deeper sense of loneliness, with the recipient feeling bad to be left out of the happiness circle. #3 IT IS A CLICHÉ If you are still tempted to use this expression, dont succumb to that temptation because it is a cliché that gives rise to other clichés. In some of the emails I get Happy Friday is followed by wishing you a lovely weekend and hoping you had a great week, and hoping you are well. Happy Friday also gives rise to Happy Monday, Happy Tuesday, or Happy [any day of the week, or any season]. I am much more likely to read and respond to emails that dont begin or end with this awful expression. Give it up! Instead, you might begin your correspondence by mentioning your last communication with that person. For example say thank you for following up with me or I loved your thoughts about . . . . And conclude with action, such as Ill look forward to hearing from you regarding next steps. In short, use your opening and closing to frame the subject matter of the correspondence.
Category:
E-Commerce
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