France’s secret weapon: Video games

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description: Ubisoft, the maker of ‘Just Dance,’ ‘Assassin’s Creed,’ and other hit games, is taking advantage of being the only large publisher in France, which allows it to recruit top talent. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 06/24/2011 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2011/06/24/t_ubisoft_video_games.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: How does globalization help a business like Ubisoft? How are employees managed… Read more »

Secrets of a used car factory

Posted by & filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description: Paragon Honda of Queens, N.Y. shows us how it builds its used car inventory by buying customers’ cars when they get them serviced. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 06/24/2011 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/smallbusiness/2011/06/24/sbiz_used_car_honda.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Explain the business model used by this firm. Why is it so successful? Why is this business doing well… Read more »

Web Games Threaten the Console

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description: A generation of new titles from the cloud have all the action and graphical richness of traditional shoot-em-ups and strategy games Source: Businessweek.com Date: 06/23/2011 Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_27/b4235037448495.htm Questions for discussion: Summarize the key points made in the report. Do you agree or disagree with the findings? What are some technological and social factors that… Read more »

Writing a Check to Make a Bribery Charge Go Away

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives.

Description: In late June 2004, a plant manager for one of Tyson Foods’ poultry processing plants in Mexico sent a memo to company headquarters in Springdale, Ark.: two women who “most definitely do not work for Tyson Foods in Mexico” each were paid 30,700 pesos, or about $2,700, a month and had been for years…. Read more »

Soaring Silver Price Slows Transition to Solar Energy

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives.

Description: Soaring silver prices are hampering the solar industry’s ability to compete with fossil fuels. Panel makers consume about 11 percent of the world’s supply of silver, the material in solar cells that conducts electricity. The metal has appreciated 74 percent to $35.30 a troy ounce on average so far this year from $20.24 last… Read more »

Did you know IBM invented this … ?

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information.

Description: Look back at 100 years of IBM’s history and innovative breakthroughs. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 06/15/2011 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/06/15/n_ibm_100_inventions.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: How has IBM managed to remain successful for the last 100 years? How would you define IBM’s business model? What sorts of products could you see IBM developing  in the future?

Take a risk, make a buck

Posted by & filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives.

Description:  The founder of flash sale site Rue La La shares his thoughts on succeeding in business. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 06/16/2011 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/smallbusiness/2011/06/16/smb_sbt_ruelala.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: What advice is presented to entrepreneurs? Why do you suppose this advice is ignored, quite often?

Why American Management Rules the World

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives.

Description: The U.S. may lag at soccer, but Americans are the Brazilians of the boardroom, according to a group of European researchers. Source: Businessweek.com Date: 06/14/2011 Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/jun2011/ca20110614_682279.htm Questions for discussion: Summarize the key points made in the report. Do you agree or disagree with any of the findings? Can these findings be useful to… Read more »

Connecting With Clients Through the Power of Tech

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description: In Lynn Milos’s previous business endeavors as a caterer and private chef, customer service was old school and face to face — the longstanding marketplace advantage enjoyed by small businesses over big businesses. Source: NYTimes.com Date: 06/15/2011 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/16/business/smallbusiness/16sbiz.html?ref=smallbusiness Questions for discussion: How has Lynn Milos made use of technology to improve customer service?… Read more »

Vietnam Cheaper-Than-China Appeal Diminishes as Labor Strikes

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives.

Description:  Japanese motor maker Minebea Co. chose Cambodia over Vietnam to build a plant for 5,000 workers in a sign growing labor disputes are hurting Vietnam’s appeal as a low-cost alternative to China. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 06/16/2011 Link:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-15/vietnam-cheaper-than-china-appeal-diminishes-as-labor-strikes.html Questions for discussion: What does this article teach you about the global nature of business? How… Read more »