Disney bets big on Avengers and wins

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

Description: Disney CEO Bob Iger says a growing number of silver screens across the globe is helping drive the success of ‘The Avengers.’ Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 09, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/05/09/n-co-avengers-iger.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussion: What are the reasons for the success of this film and the company as a whole? How are… Read more »

Main Street’s uneven recovery

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: For some small business owners in Sayville, New York, Main Street feels like a “ghost town.” Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 11, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/05/10/n-making-it-on-main-street.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussion: What does this report have to say about economic recovery on Main Street?  How important is small business managerment to explaining why some businesses… Read more »

Integrated Marketing: If You Knew It, You’d Do It

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

Description: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, is such a cliché that it has spawned its own cliché: If it ain’t broke, break it. Unfortunately, that’s just what many companies do unwittingly to their branding programs, playing into the hands of public enemy No. 1 in today’s marketing environment: fragmentation. Source: Busineweek.com Date: May… Read more »

J.P. Morgan shares slump after $2 bln trading loss

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, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  Bank’s loss is embarrassment for CEO, fodder for regulators Source: Marketwatch.com Date: May 11, 2012 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/jp-morgan-shares-slump-after-2b-trading-loss-2012-05-11?siteid=nwtwk   Questions for Discussions: Summarize the reasons for the loss. What do you believe this event will mean for the company, management, and regulators?      

Toyota RAV4 EV: Will anyone buy it?

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Description:   For anyone arguing recently that electric cars don’t stand a chance in the U.S. mass market, I would have offered one end-all example: the battery-powered Ford Focus at $40,000. Source: Marketwatch.com Date: May 11, 2012 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/toyota-rav4-ev-will-anyone-buy-it-2012-05-11 Questions for Discussions: Who do you think is the likely customer for this product? Is there a… Read more »

Why Delta is buying an oil refinery

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: Delta Air Lines tries to take out the middle man by purchasing a Pennsylvania oil refinery, but it could prove to be a risky investment. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 01, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/05/01/n-delta-oil-refinery.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussion: Why did Delta do this? What are the risks? Do you think it was a… Read more »

Rattner: General Motors is undervalued

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

Description: Steven Rattner, former ‘auto czar’ for the Treasury Dept., says the government should hold its GM stake until the stock rises further. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 02, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2012/05/01/mkts-rattner-gm-government.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussion: What is the basis for this evaluation of GM? Do you agree with this assessment?  

Groupon, the Deal That Keeps Getting Cheaper

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

Description: Is Groupon (GRPN) too good of a deal to be true? Source: Busineweek.com Date: May 01, 2012 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-01/groupon-the-deal-that-keeps-getting-cheaper Questions for Discussions: Summarize the views expressed in this report. Why has the stock value fallen? Do you believe the stock will move up, down or stay the same over the next year?  

The ‘Smartphone Class’: Always On, Always Consuming Content

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Description: Consuming content in frequent, small portions means more touchpoints for marketers Source: eMarketer.com Date: May 02, 2012 Link: http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1009014&ecid=a6506033675d47f881651943c21c5ed4 Questions for Discussions: Summarize behaviors of smart phone users. Do you think these behaviors will become common across all users? How should business strategists who distribute mobile content deal with this research?  

7 signs of a dysfunctional boss

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Description: (MoneyWatch) COMMENTARY I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the word “dysfunctional” probably describes more people than the word “normal” does. When it comes to CEOs and executives, it’s almost certainly true. Source: CBSNews.com Date: April 25, 2012 Link: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-57420393/7-signs-of-a-dysfunctional-boss/?tag=nl.e857 Questions for Discussions: Summarize the descriptions of CEOs presented in… Read more »