For many business school applicants, spring is about more than just nice weather and long days. It's also decision-making time. As MBA programs notify applicants about their admissions decisions, the mental calculus begins. But in the rush to decide on a school, pack up, and move to campus, an important decision-making factor often gets lost in the shuffle: the impact of the two-year B-school sojourn on a family.

The recent economic crisis has led to the downfall of many businesses, but it can't be blamed for all of the failures. Research by MIT Sloan School of Management Visiting Scholar, M. Shayne Gary, found that the “boom and bust” dynamics experienced by many businesses are caused by decision errors and biases that can be avoided.

Are women’s routes up the corporate ladder different from men’s? Do women have an authenticity problem? Are successful women in traditionally male areas generally disliked? Or are men and women getting more similar? These were among the questions discussed at a business forum in The Hague, Holland, entitled “Women Leaders: The Changing Context of Business Organizations”.

Roger Blume, CEO of a company that trucks perishables to supermarkets, summed up how rough the road can be for entrepreneurs: “There were days when you’d work seven days a week and read your Chapter 11 book at night.” But today, Blume's company is an industry leader.

If you’ve watched your 401(k) lose 40% of its value, seen the U.S. banking industry crumble or simply read the headlines, it could be a challenge not to respond out of angst. After all, it’s only human to react emotionally to the news—especially when your money is on the line.