SMITH BRAIN TRUST — Four of the top five companies in Barron's 2017 listing of the most-respected publicly traded firms in the United States share a common trait. They're technology companies.

During a sunny late spring day on the campus of Clemson University, a cross-departmental team from the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business attended the 2017 NACE Competency Symposium, sponsored by Clemson University and the University of Tampa.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST – At a time when robots and other forms of automation appear poised to edge out wide swaths of the global workforce, several pilot projects and at least one documentary film are exploring the idea of universal basic income – free money for everyone, enough to cover basic expenses.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST – What's next for the FBI after the recent ouster of director James Comey? And who should be chosen to follow him? Lauren C. Anderson shared her thoughts recently with a public radio station in Minnesota. Anderson teaches leadership through her consultancy and via the Executive Development Programs at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business. She also has led FBI offices.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST — U.S. expatriate Erick Haskell spoke no Mandarin when he moved to China in 2005, and none of his employees spoke English. He knew little about the country and had little experience in retail.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST – When federal budgets are released from the White House Office of Management and Budget, there are typically a few holes here and there, some missing details, and perhaps some wishful thinking since the budget assumes that everything the president proposes will become enacted.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST – Groupon was once the fastest-growing company in the history of the web. Its stock reached a $28 initial public offering high mark in 2011, but now trades at about $4 per share. And despite diversifying its business, introducing discounted stuff to buy via Groupon Goods, the company has seen its revenue steadily decline.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST — The future arrived early for Ford’s new CEO, Jim Hackett, who replaced Mark Fields on Monday after the automobile giant lost patience with its former leader just three years into his tenure. David Kirsch, a management and entrepreneurship professor at the University of Maryland’s Robert H.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST — Colgate-Palmolive CEO Ian Cook earlier this month signaled interest in selling the company for $100 a share, suggesting a strong possibility that a friendly deal for the company could be struck reasonably soon, says clinical professor of finance David Kass