Special Report

Slide Show: A Brief History of Optimism

In the darkest hours of the U.S. economy, politicians, pundits, and performers have found reason—even if unfounded—for hope

Slide Show: Signposts That Point to the Positive

A collection of tidbits—from the prosaic to the personal—that point to things looking up

The Curious Paradox of 'Optimism Bias'

Being highly positive can lead to disaster for individuals—but benefit society as a whole

The BusinessWeek/YouGov Optimism Index

In three critical areas, the outlook is mostly improving

Is Optimism a Competitive Advantage

The link between a company's employee engagement and its bottom line is real: the more engaged the workers, the higher the sales and profits

The Vibrant Promise of Cities

New York's mayor says urban revival has America better positioned to bounce back

A Trickle of Hope for Housing

Where buyers, builders, sellers, and lenders are starting to see improvement

Keeping the Faith in Silicon Valley

Spirits are high and ideas are flowing in the cubicles of one startup incubator

Amazing Machines May Lead Europe Out of Recession

By merging electronics and mechanics, German factories could drive the Continent's revival

A Boost from Professionals

The rise of a class of highly trained workers in the developing world bodes well for growth

Why the Statistics Point Toward Progress

Hans Rosling, a Swedish physician and thinker, argues that the recession is just a tiny setback

Slide Show: The Case for Optimism

Business leaders from James Dyson to Richard Branson offer reasons to be optimistic in the midst of recession

Energy: How to Control It

Take more breaks? Draw the line on e-mail? It's called energy management

The Case for Pessimism

Anxious, depressed people can spot signs optimists overlook and think outside the box

More Optimism

In articles, essays and graphics, BusinessWeek writers and outside contributors look beyond the financial turmoil to focus on the signs of a promising future