starbucks

Executives ask themselves daily: "What can I do to give my company an edge?" Studies show that the answer may be as simple as hiring more women for executive and board of director roles. So you just might want to invest in these six companies that have done just that.

For investors who open a brokerage account and buy stocks, there's more to be had than just the promise of better investment returns. Some of America's best-known firms also offer perks to their shareholders -- and not just big-money shareholders, either.

The convenience of single-cup coffeemakers is undeniable: They're simple. They're fast. They're clean. What they aren't, unless you're comparing them to a Starbucks habit, is cheap. Think $50-a-pound coffee. But it's possible reduce the cost of your K-cup caffeine hit.

Starbucks is renowned for its caffeinated drinks, but it isn't above spiking its beverage menu here and there. The coffee giant is adding wine and beer at up to a dozen cafes in the Southern California and Atlanta markets.

The complaint among those who don't dig Starbucks' coffee is that it tastes "burnt," or as java connoisseurs say, "bold." With those people in mind, it's trying something new. But can Starbucks' milder Blonde roast lure customers away from its budget-priced competition?

There are those of us who should not be allowed in public without having a cup of coffee first. That said, java is also an expensive habit. Luckily, you can have your cup and drink it too by cutting certain corners. Read on to find out how to get your fix for less.

If your New Year's resolution was to pinch more pennies, Starbucks has some bad news. The coffee king is raising prices due to rising costs of coffee and milk. And they aren't the only restaurant chain getting ready to pass higher expenses on to their customers.

Starbucks has stopped tacking on a fee for bags of coffee beans that weigh less than a pound. The Seattle coffee company eliminated the fee at its stores nationwide this month after a Massachusetts consumer-protection agency fined the company over the practice.

Starbucks has long been a master at getting people to overpay for something they could consume much more cheaply at home. Now the company hopes to pull off that neat profitable trick once more, this time with juice.

Election season is coming, and politicians across the spectrum are already hunting for campaigns contributions. But with the vast majority of political donations coming from lobbies, corporations, and the wealthy, does it make sense for average taxpayers to contribute?