How Twitter predicts the stock market
February 27, 2012 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources
Description: If you think tweets are worthless, you’re wrong. A professor has developed a program that uses tweets to predict where markets are headed.
Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
Date: 02/21/2012
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2012/02/20/mkts_twitter_markets.cnnmoney/
Questions for discussion:
- What is the basis for thinking that Twitter can help predict stock market activity?
- Do you think this makes sense?
A new jobs program for people trapped in unemployment
February 27, 2012 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives
Description: The chances of finding a job are grim for the four million long-term unemployed in the U.S., but Joe Carbone is looking to change that in his Connecticut town. Scott Pelley reports.
Source: MoneyWatch.com
Date: 02/19/2012
Link: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7399352n&tag=contentBody;storyMediaBox
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the problems faced by the long term unemployed.
- Why does this paid-internship work well for the company and the individual?
- Why do you suppose it is not more widely provided by government agencies?
America’s Blue Collar Nostalgia Masks Future Challenges
February 27, 2012 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives
Description: The U.S. manufacturing sector needs more skilled workers and can’t support middle class living standards as it once did.
Source: Businessweek.com
Date: 02/17/2012
Questions for discussion:
- What message is there here for managers?
- How would you expect HR managers to respond to this report?
For Small Theaters, the Digital Future Is Dark
February 27, 2012 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources
Description: Independent movie houses scramble to pay for expensive new gear
Source: Businessweek.com
Date: 02/17/2012
Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/for-small-theaters-the-digital-future-is-dark-02162012.html
Questions for discussion:
- Why are smaller theatres having financial problems?
- Describe the solutions being presented.
- How else can they respond to the challenges?
Gen Y Speeds Up Luxury Goods Spending
February 27, 2012 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information
Description: Flash sale sites and the fashion industry’s maturing web presence boost sales to young consumers
Source: eMarketer.com
Date: 02/22/2012
Link: http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1008854&ecid=a6506033675d47f881651943c21c5ed4
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the highlights in this report.
- Do you agree with the reasons given?
- Where do you think the marketplace is headed?
The euro dream that became a nightmare
February 27, 2012 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources
Description: When countries post a 40% youth unemployment rate, you know something is terribly wrong. The last time developed countries experienced such an employment disaster was during the Great Depression, and it is a moot question as to whether the current period will prove to be worse for the southern European countries than the Great Depression. Indeed, one could probably argue that for Greece it already is.
Source: FinancialPost.com
Date: 02/17/2012
Link: http://opinion.financialpost.com/2012/02/17/the-euro-dream-that-became-a-nightmare/
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the reasons for the economic problems in Greece.
- Who do you think is mostly at fault?
- Should Greece withdraw from the euro and go back to the drachma?
- What would the consequences be for consumers, businesses, investors and governments?
- How do you expect Greek bonds to perform over the next 5 years?
The Business Of Lin
February 20, 2012 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources
Description: From Knicks jersey sales to tickets on the road, many firms are profiting from Linsanity. But can it last?
Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
Date: 02/17/2012
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/02/16/n_jeremy_lin_business.cnnmoney/
Questions for discussion:
- Explain the sudden financial changes to the various businesses mentioned in the report.
- Do you think this phenomenon can last?
- What strategic plans would you recommend to the various businesses mentioned?
- What should they be concerned with?
Is Boeing 787 Really a Dreamliner?
February 20, 2012 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: The Boeing 787 “Dreamliner” was billed as a revolution for travelers, offering a more humid, comfortable cabin and lighting that would lessen fatigue, dry eyes and jet lag. Scott McCartney on Lunch Break looks at the validity of those claims.
Source: Moneywatch.com – video report
Date: 02/15/2012
Questions for discussion:
- What are the important selling features to managers of airlines buying these planes?
- What are the features that would be important to passengers?
Google’s Bid to Be Everything to Everyone
February 20, 2012 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: A rumored audio device and new testing facilities hint at the search giant’s hardware ambitions
Source: Businessweek.com
Date: 02/16/2012
Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/googles-bid-to-be-everything-to-everyone-02162012.html
Questions for discussion:
- Highlight Google’s strategic planning described in this report.
- Do you think they will be successful with this approach?
- Who would be Google’s competitors in the future if this approach is launched?
- How would you expect competitors to respond?
Look to weaknesses to find your leadership strengths
February 20, 2012 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives
Description: (MoneyWatch) Steve Jobs, General Patton, and Mother Teresa. They were leaders who broke the mold, using their uniqueness to do what no one else could do. What they had in common was that they were unique.
Source: MoneyWatch.com
Date: 02/08/2012
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the ideas expressed in this article about leadership?
- What is your opinion of this line of thinking?
