Despite their reputation in the 1980s as corporate raiders, most private-equity firms attempt to improve the performance of their portfolio companies through better corporate governance. Historically their business model has been to create value by sharpening the focus and oversight of largely ignored business units inside conglomerates or poorly managed private companies, such as dysfunctional family-run businesses....Read More

With the growing popularity of bamboo, people everywhere are looking for more and more places where they can grow their own bamboo. We generally associate bamboo with the Far East, and especially the tropical jungle zones like Thailand, Bali and the Philippines. But occasionally, someone wants to try growing bamboo in the desert, or in the mountains, or...Read More