BUSINESS: Single shoppers 'brand' together
   Single adults might not want to snuggle with "Mr. Clean" or "Mrs. Butterworth," but identifying with such brands may help satisfy the need for intimacy lacking in their lives, according to a Georgia State University researcher. "Singles seek to overcome their feelings of loneliness by developing coping strategies," says marketing professor Naveen Donthu. "Identifying with brands may provide singles, who sometimes have low self-esteem, with another level of support - that of the other users of the product brand." In addition to finding that single adults are more brand-conscious than married people, Donthu's research shows that singles are more willing to try new products, more impulsive in their purchases, more tuned-in to television and less price-conscious. Contact Donthu at 404-651-1043 or ndonthu@gsu.edu.

BUSINESS: Pensions pose problem for taxpayers
   Big companies teetering on the verge of bankruptcy could pose big problems for the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., the government agency established in 1974 to pay benefits to workers whose pensions go bust, says Stephen Smith, a finance professor at Georgia State University. The agency recently reported that private employer pension plans are $400 billion short of assets needed to keep the promises they've made. Smith, who studies pension issues, says taxpayers eventually might have to bail out the system if failing companies overwhelm it. Contact him at 404-651-1236 or sdsmith@gsu.edu.

BUSINESS: Job growth to remain sluggish
   Don't expect significant job growth until 2005, says Rajeev Dhawan, director of Georgia State University's Economic Forecasting Center. "Corporations are caught in a vice of stagnant revenues and rising employee benefit costs, " he says. "Their optimal strategy is to cut costs by delaying capital expenditures, resulting in hiring freezes and layoffs. You need to have more than a 6 percent increase in the growth rate if you want to have unemployment back down in the 5 percent range." A recent Federal Reserve study showed that among university forecasters, Dhawan is the most accurate predictor of the nation's economy. Contact him at 404-867-2286 or rdhawan@gsu.edu.

BUSINESS/LAW: Lawsuits against airlines take flight
   A recent federal-court ruling has enabled lawsuits blaming airlines for injuries and deaths in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to proceed. But because of the difficulty involved with establishing liability, victims' families should strongly consider pursuing reimbursement from the federal Victim Compensation Fund, which requires applicants to waive their right to sue, advises Perry Binder, an assistant professor of legal studies at Georgia State University. Binder has thoroughly researched airline civil liability and can provide in-depth discussion of the issue's complexities. Contact him at 404-463-9898 or pbinder@gsu.edu.

LAW: Terrorist suspects held in legal limbo
   To increase national security, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld recently announced that the U.S. government is planning to hold suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba for the duration of the global war against terrorism rather than send them to trial. Federal officials also want greater authority to monitor the lives of Americans through wiretaps and other means in order to prevent terrorism. Georgia State University law professor Lynn Hogue, author of National Security and Military Law in a Nutshell, is available to discuss the legal ramifications of the war against terrorism. Contact him at 404-651-2055 or lhogue@gsu.edu.

LAW: Get ready for the golden years now
   Many people wait far too long -- until they've broken a hip, for example -- to seek counsel on the complex array of legal issues facing them as they age, says Georgia State University law professor Mary Radford. As America grows increasingly old and gray, the field of elder law is booming. It covers such issues as estate planning, qualifying for nursing-home Medicaid, Social Security, power of attorney, living wills and elderly abuse. Radford, an expert on elder law, is available to provide legal insight into any of these areas. Contact her at 404-651-2088 or mradford@gsu.edu.

LAW: Tell the whole truth about treatment
   Evidence suggests doctors may be withholding treatment options from patients because of health-plan coverage rules, according to the American Medical Association. But factoring patients' ability to afford treatment into their medical advice is in clear violation of established medical ethics, says Georgia State University law professor Charity Scott, an expert on health law. Scott's projects include bringing law and medical students together to foster healthier relations between the two professions. Contact her at 404-651-2083 or charity@gsu.edu.

Georgia State Leads: Business/Law is a quarterly e-mail tip sheet from the Department of University Relations. For more information about the publication, contact Beth Flannigan at 404-651-3576 or bflannigan@gsu.edu.

Don't see what you're looking for? Call University Relations at 404-651-3025 for fast access to faculty experts and university news. After hours and on weekends, contact Betsy Robertson, assistant director, via pager at 404-655-3456.

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