Monthly Archives: September 2011

HP’s decade of mistakes

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:  The firing of CEO Leo Apotheker is just the latest in a 10 year series of strategic and ethical stumbles for the tech giant. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 09/22/2011 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2011/09/22/t_hp_apotheker_mistakes.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the failings of HP’s management? Which do you think was the most damaging to the overall management… Read more »

Did H-P Board Blow it by Selecting Whitman?

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

Description:  WSJ Heard on the Street columnist Rolfe Winkler discusses how Meg Whitman might impact Hewlett-Packard as a corporation now that the board of directors has selected her as the company’s CEO. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report Date: 09/22/2011 Link:   http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/did-h-p-board-blow-it-by-selecting-whitman/D28479BC-4537-4B91-A697-73B13622DC13 Questions for discussion: Do you think the board of directors at HP has made… Read more »

The Russian Twins Behind Hit iPhone App Cut the Rope

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description: Efim and Semyon Voinov are hiring more engineers and expanding their brand into comics and stuffed animals Source: Businessweek.com Date: 09/22/2011 Link:   http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/the-russian-twins-behind-hit-iphone-app-cut-the-rope-09222011.html Questions for discussion: How are these brothers similar to other entrepreneurs? Are there differences in comparison to other entrepreneurs? Do you think their story is any different than others developers? Describe… Read more »

Blue Bottle: The best coffee you may ever drink

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:  You’ll have to wait a little longer for a cup of James Freeman’s caffeine from Olympus, but it’s so worth it. Source: Fortune.com Date: 09/23/2011 Link:  http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2011/09/23/blue-bottle-coffee-james-freeman/?iid=SF_F_River Questions for discussion: Summarize the business described in this report. How is the business different from others in the same trade? Who are the target customers for… Read more »

Stitching a business from scratch

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:  Fashion designer Eileen Fisher didn’t even know how to sew when she started her clothing company but had the determination to succeed. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 09/16/2011 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/smallbusiness/2011/09/16/hwgs_eileen_fisher.fortune/ Questions for discussion:  How would you describe the entrepreneurial character of Eileen Fisher? Do you think her success is due more to her… Read more »

Highest Paid Entertainer in Hollywood

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business.

Description:  Christopher Farley tells us who the highest paid entertainment in Hollywood is. Plus, Ayn Rand gets her own app. Chris Farley has details on Lunch Break’s Speakeasy Roundup. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report Date: 09/13/2011 Link:   http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/highest-paid-entertainer-in-hollywood/E8944865-993C-41F1-862A-1BE40B170E81 Questions for discussion: Explain the success of the entrepreneurs mentioned in this report? Are you surprised that… Read more »

Netflix ‘momentum story’ stalls, analysts say

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: Subscriber forecast is cut; ‘value proposition is getting worse’ Source: Marketwatch.com Date: 09/15/2011 Link:   http://www.marketwatch.com/story/netflix-momentum-story-stalls-analysts-say-2011-09-15?siteid=nwtwk Questions for discussion: Why has the firm’s stock value fallen so dramatically? Summarize the firm’s financial situation. Do you think the firm represents a good investment prospect today?

King of Rinds Has 2 Contenders as Hispanic Surge Fattens Sales

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

Description: To make Baken-ets pork rinds for No. 1 client Frito-Lay, the $13 billion-a-year snack arm of PepsiCo Inc., Rudolph Foods Inc. uses what it calls a secret two-step process at its flagship plant in Lima, Ohio — “the pork rind capital of the world,” Rudolph claims. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 09/15/2011 Link:   http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-15/king-of-rinds-has-2-contenders-as-hispanic-surge-fattens-sales.html Questions for… Read more »

What Role for Government in American Business?

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment.

Description: Washington’s intrusion in business is polarizing—but most Americans agree that the economy can’t recover without innovative jobs policy Source: Businessweek.com Date: 09/15/2011 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/small-business/how-can-washington-help-american-business-09152011.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the main points made in this article. Do you agree with the recommendations for change? What advice would you give?