PBS NewsHour - Making Sen$e

For decades, the driving goal for corporate America has been maximizing stockholders' profits. So what made nearly 200 of the country's most prominent companies issue a joint statement this week, representing a major philosophical shift? John Yang talks to Steven Pearlstein of The Washington Post and author of "Can American Capitalism Survive?"

Raising a child is complicated and potentially confusing, with conflicting advice available everywhere a parent turns. Economist Emily Oster, a mother of two, dug into the data to help other parents make informed choices about managing their little ones -- and found some surprising results that challenge conventional parenting wisdom. Business and economics correspondent Paul Solman reports.

The first African slaves arrived in North America 400 years ago this month, landing at Jamestown in what's now Virginia. Recently, the idea of paying reparations for the atrocity of slavery has been earning new attention, even making its way into 2020 presidential debates. Economics correspondent Paul Solman examines the question of whether a debt might be owed to generations of slave descendants.

The state government of California is currently developing rules that will define whether a geographic area can be deemed a marijuana growing region. For small farmers, who are threatened by industrial competitors and the cost of regulation, survival may depend on customers caring about the specific location and soil in which their cannabis is grown. Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports.

As marijuana has been legalized in states across the country, investors have identified a major business opportunity. Still, the cannabis market isn't all easy money. In California, new companies are scaling up operations, but some smaller ones fight to survive, challenged by the new regulations that accompany legalization and stiffer competition. Economics correspondent Paul Solman has the story.

Transitioning a business to a new owner has its challenges. But a program run by the business school at the University of Kansas aims to match those seeking to sell their companies with potential buyers seeking business opportunities. Peter Tubbs of Iowa Public Television reports on the importance of this link between people entering and exiting business that are critical to local communities.

Whites in the U.S. have much greater household and individual wealth than blacks and other minorities. In fact, the typical black household has about 10 cents for every dollar of wealth in a typical white household. Some economists and politicians believe this racial wealth disparity will continue to widen unless it's addressed. As Paul Solman reports, one idea for closing it begins at birth.

General Russel Honore commanded an infantry division in Korea and saw action in Operation Desert Storm, but it was his service as Commander of the Joint Task Force Katrina in 2005 that won him national acclaim. The experience of viewing Louisiana's industrial pollution up close, he says, also radicalized him. Now an environmental activist, the general is taking on big oil. Paul Solman reports.

The oldest members of Gen Z, the population segment born after 1996, are leaving college and entering the workforce. How do their expectations and outlooks vary from those of the Millennials who have recently reshaped the modern workplace? Economics correspondent Paul Solman and financial journalist Beth Kobliner talk to Gen Z college students as they approach graduation and anticipate careers.

The Netherlands has become a global leader in implementing the tenets of a "circular economy," a radical new approach to sustainable living that focuses on reducing consumption, minimizing waste and reusing nearly everything. As Jeffrey Brown reports, some Dutch companies are repurposing discarded materials into other marketable goods, but it can still be a challenge to convince investors.

With a presence in 65 countries, ride-sharing company Uber has conducted about 10 billion trips in its lifetime -- about 15 million per day. Paul Solman looks at how economists are using this treasure trove of data.

Louisiana's abundant natural resources represent enormous wealth, yet the state consistently ranks at or near the bottom nationally for many quality-of-life indicators. Like other states, Louisiana grants tax exemptions to businesses it wants to attract, but some are questioning whether its unusually high rate of corporate subsidy is really paying off. Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports.

The deadline for filing your taxes is right around the corner, on Monday, April 15. This is the first year that fully incorporates major updates to the tax code signed into law by President Trump in 2017. Amid the changes, some taxpayers are expressing confusion and alarm at how the new rules affect them. Lisa Desjardins talks to Jim Tankersley from The New York Times.

Few scenarios are harder to witness than the suffering of a seriously ill child. For kids with life-threatening diseases, survival often requires procedures that are painful and scary. But a Washington nonprofit is encouraging kids to be active in their own care by rewarding them for enduring their treatment. Paul Solman reports on Hope for Henry's "Super Path to Super Duper Better" program.

The amount of student loan debt Americans hold is at a record high, and much of it is shouldered by Millennials--people in their late 20s and 30s. Now, children in Generation Z, the group born after 1996, are facing their own quandary about how to pay for college. As economics correspondent Paul Solman found, some are taking very seriously the prospect of being saddled with a lifetime of loans.