Monthly Archives: January 2012

Kaiser CEO: Time to end piecemeal healthcare

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information.

Description:  George Halvorson, CEO of non-profit healthcare insurer Kaiser Permanente, says the current U.S. healthcare system will drive the economy into the ground. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 01/26/2012 Link:   http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/01/26/n_davos_halvorson_health.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Describe how the not-for-profit and for-profit healthcare businesses work? How should healthcare work, according to CEO George Halvorson? How could… Read more »

Bill Gates: Rich should pay more taxes

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  The Microsoft founder and philanthropist says that the wealthiest Americans should pay a larger share of taxes than they do. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 01/26/2012 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/01/26/n_davos_gates_occupy.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the key points presented about economic activity, incomes, taxes, and the government’s role. What is Bill Gates’ position on the key… Read more »

Amazon’s Hit Man

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information.

Description:  Larry Kirshbaum was the ultimate book industry insider—until Amazon called Source:  Businessweek.com Date: 01/25/2012 Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/amazons-hit-man-01252012.html?chan=magazine+channel_top+stories Questions for discussion: Describe the changes that management is dealing with in the publishing industry. How has management at Amazon been affected by technological changes? Do you think management decision-making has been responsive?

‘I work for one of the 10 Best Companies’

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

Description:   Interesting assignments, unfaltering support, stints abroad: No wonder these folks love their workplaces. Source:  Fortune.com Date: 01/27/2012 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2012/pf/jobs/1201/gallery.best-companies-employees.fortune/index.html Questions for discussion: What are some common characteristics of these businesses that seem to suggest why they rank among the “best”? How influential is this status on employee behavior?

Six Strategy Insights RIM’s New CEO Can Use

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information.

Description:  The usual moves won’t work when new technologies and rivals dramatically shake up the field Source:  Businessweek.com Date: 01/24/2012 Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/management/six-strategy-insights-rims-new-ceo-can-use-01242012.html Questions for discussion: What are the recommendations made in this report? Do you agree with them? What else would you suggest to RIM’s top management?

How the U.S. Lost Out on iPhone Work

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  When Barack Obama joined Silicon Valley’s top luminaries for dinner in California last February, each guest was asked to come with a question for the president. But as Steven P. Jobs of Apple spoke,President Obama interrupted with an inquiry of his own: what would it take to make iPhones in the United States? Source: … Read more »

Leaving the plastic (and fees) behind

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information.

Description:  Dwolla, of Des Moines, Iowa, is taking on credit cards by allowing users to transfer money and pay for items on their phones for a small fee. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 01/17/2012 Link:   http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2012/01/13/t_dwolla_credit_cards.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Describe why this business is better than competitors? What are the problems managers will have… Read more »

Enhanced eBooks: Next Frontier or Passing Fad?

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  A new crop of digital books comes loaded with videos, songs, animated shorts and pop-up graphics. Is this the future of publishing or just a passing fad? Alexandra Alter has details on Lunch Break. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report Date: 01/19/2012 Link:  http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/enhanced-ebooks-next-frontier-or-passing-fad/C6B97950-5E0F-4EBD-9986-3FB1369FE4AF Questions for discussion: Do you think this new concept in ebooks… Read more »

Apple Unveils IBooks 2 to Help Boost IPad Usage in Schools

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information.

Description:  Apple Inc. introduced a service to make digital versions of textbooks available on the iPad and beef up the education content for the tablet computer as it gains popularity in classrooms. Source:  Businessweek.com Date: 01/20/2012 Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-20/apple-unveils-ibooks-2-to-help-boost-ipad-usage-in-schools.html Questions for discussion: What are the advantages and disadvantages of this sort of technology? Do you think… Read more »

7 Charged as F.B.I. Closes a Top File-Sharing Site

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  In what authorities have called one of the largest criminal copyright cases ever brought, the Justice Department and the F.B.I. have seized the Web site Megaupload and charged seven people connected with it with running an international enterprise based on Internet piracy. Source:  NYTimes.com Date: 01/20/2012 Link:   http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/21/technology/megaupload-indictment-internet-piracy.html?ref=business Questions for discussion: What are the… Read more »