Recent experience suggests it takes little more than two years for such a start-up to formulate an innovative business idea, establish a web presence and begin to dominate its chosen sector.

ECONOMIST: Business and the Internet

Under the new policy, employees of the Plano, Texas, computer-services firm with less than three years' tenure will get two weeks of severance pay, while those with more experience will get a maximum of four weeks of pay.

WSJ: Firms That Get Stingy With Layoff Packages May Pay a High Price