Michael Totty

Writer

About

Michael Totty is a freelance reporter and editor. Previously, he was a news editor with the Wall Street Journal in charge of assigning and editing Journal reports on technology, energy, health care, management and other topics. Totty works from Berkeley, California.

Macro of silicon wafer semiconductor with neon color - integrated circuits to manufacture CPU and GPU. Research Brief / Supply Chain

A Proposal To Improve Supplier Reliability in Tech Manufacturing

Withholding renewal of a supply agreement can be more powerful than other carrots and sticks

Organization and team structure symbolized with cubes on wooden background. Research Brief / Management

Complexity Begets Management Layers: How Some Small Firms Avoid That

Overlapping tasks among workers well acquainted with each other reduce the need for managers

One green apple among a crowd of oranges. Research Brief / Competition

Has the Term ‘Competitive Advantage’ Outlived Its Usefulness?

Popular in business schools and executive suites, it’s no longer a meaningful way to compare companies

Shopping cart on white background. Research Brief / Pricing

When Surge Pricing Comes to the Supermarket

Charging more at peak times could reduce congestion and lift profits. Would customers revolt?

Refueling an airplane on the airport Punta Cana at the Dominican Republic Research Brief / Global Warming

Taxing Jet Fuel Could Reduce Airline Greenhouse Gas Emissions Now

Breakthrough technologies are years off for aviation, but incremental improvements are available

Aerial view of a cargo ship being hauled by tugboats near the port where other ships are docked and cargo waits to be loaded. Research Brief / International Trade

In U.S.-China Trade War, Bystander Countries Increase Exports

Higher demand from U.S. and China means expanding into new markets

Colorful patterns on the surface of the water created by oily pollutants and stagnant water, as seen in a Texas bayou. Ripple rings also appear on the surface from aquatic life under the polluted water. Research Brief / Inflation

How Oil Prices Distort Our View of Inflation

A favored Federal Reserve index fails to filter out petroleum’s impact

This Climate TRACE map shows the greenhouse-gas emissions and the CO2 level created in China’s manufacturing sector. Research Brief / Supply Chain

Carbon Disclosures: Unflattering Supply Chain Data Omitted

Companies that report emissions appear greener only in a narrow measure

A food delivery driver in a green jacket riding a motorscooter squeezes between two vans on the street. Research Brief / Supply Chain

How to Reduce Food-Delivery Collisions

Fining drivers hasn’t worked. A model suggests penalizing the delivery app companies

A screenshot of an online selling tutorial on Amazon. Research Brief / Competition

Amazon (and Other Platforms) vs. Third-Party Sellers: Complicated Debate

Some data shows competing against the platform can help sellers, if not consumers

A color image of a sugar cane factory in the background with sugar cane in the foreground. Research Brief / Labor

In a Boom, Incumbent Firms Can Redeploy Workers to Rapidly Expand

Startups lack bench strength, a disadvantage in tight labor markets

A nighttime blurry image of a woman and a man walking into a store. Research Brief / Economics

CEOs Risk Alienating Customers with High-Profile Activism

Taking a stand on controversial issues can hurt sales, but the effect is brief

An overhead view of shipping containers and semi trucks going through a gate Research Question / Supply Chain

Can Supply Chains — Global, Opaque, Ever-Changing — Be Made Fair?

Amid the pandemic, price gouging and stiffing of suppliers and workers surged

An exterior night shot of a Dollar General store. Research Brief / Retail

How Dollar Stores Contribute to Food Deserts

Expanding chains drive out independent grocers, reduce access to fresh produce