digits: Pay TV Loses Subscribers
August 30, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: The subscription television industry suffered a drop in total subscribers in the second quarter. Meanwhile, more online TV viewing options abound. Dow Jones Newswires’ Nat Worden joins Simon Constable and Spencer Ante on Digits to discuss.
Source: Marketwatch.com – video report
Date: 08/24/2010
Questions for discussion:
- Do you think the trend away from television subscription will grow?
- How would you recommend the cable-television industry respond to this threat?
- Why do you suppose consumers have shifted over to online services like Hulu and iTunes?
- How would you market these services as more competitors enter the marketplace?
USA Today to Remake Itself to Stress Digital Operations
August 30, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources
Description: The history of USA Today is full of firsts for the newspaper business: the first general-interest national paper of its kind, the first to use color widely in charts and photographs and once first in the number of copies printed each day.
Source: NYTimes.com
Date: 08/27/2010
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/28/business/media/28paper.html?ref=business
Questions for discussion:
- Do you think the reorganization effort will revitalize revenues for USA Today?
- What gives USA Today competitive advantage over other newspapers and news organizations?
- Is there anything different in their digital effort in comparison to other news sources?
- What would you recommend to the firm in order to give it some advantage over its competitors?
- Would you be an investor in stocks of the firm today?
Lenovo doesn’t have IBM’s cache
August 23, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: Five years after buying IBM’s PC unit, Lenovo’s a hit in China but still struggles for international success.
Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
Date: 08/19/2010
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/08/19/n_lenovo.cnnmoney/
Questions for discussion:
- Why do you think Lenovo has had so much trouble establishing its brand in the U.S. market?
- What does the success in China say about the company?
- What marketing advice would you suggest to management?
digits: Oracle Takes Sweeping Shot at Google
August 16, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources
Description: Oracle Corp. has sued Google Inc. for patent and copyright infringement, on grounds that Google’s Android OS violates Java copyrights. The suit has sent shockwaves throughout Silicon Valley. WSJ’s Don Clark explains the possible implications of the suit to Simon Constable and Jennifer Valentino-DeVries. Also: are more TV shows and movies coming to the iPad – via the cable companies?
Source: Marketwatch.com – video report
Date: 08/13/2010
Questions for discussion:
- What are the financial implications for other firms if Google settles on a royalty payment schedule with Oracle?
- How will Google and Oracle be financially affected?
- On the second item, how do you think televisions shows will be distributed in the future?
- How much market share do you think the cable companies will be able to hold on to in comparison to those firms selling through wifi devices?
Detroit Goes From Gloom to Economic Bright Spot
August 16, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: After a dismal period of huge losses and deep cuts that culminated in the Obama administration’s bailout of General Motors and Chrysler, the gloom over the American auto industry is starting to lift.
Source: NYTimes.com
Date: 08/13/2010
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/14/business/14auto.html?ref=business
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the key points presented in the article.
- Are you optimistic that the US auto industry will experience a long period of economic recovery?
- What are the global factors that are continuing to challenge the auto industry domestically and internationally?
- How do you think the industry should respond to these challenges?
digits: Will Torch Fire Up BlackBerry?
August 9, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: Research In Motion just unveiled its first BlackBerry touchscreen device with a slide-out keyboard and featuring its much-anticipated BlackBerry OS 6 software. Lauren Goode, Spencer Ante and George Stahl have details and analysis.
Source: Marketwatch.com – video report
Date: 08/03/2010
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the comments made about RIM’s new Blackberry Torch.
- Do you agree with the analysis?
- Is the target market for smart phones converging into one indistingusiable form aimed at both business people and consumers?
- How would you market the Torch?
- How would you expect Apple to react to the introduction of the Torch?
- On the second item in the report, do you believe there is a greater amount of competition in the epublishing and eretailing arena?
- Do you think there is a rush to the lowest market price for ebooks?
Teen stores lead declines among disappointing July sales
August 9, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources
Description: With teen unemployment at triple the rate of the already high national average and consumer confidence at its lowest level since February, retail chains posted disappointing July sales numbers, signaling that promotions may intensify for the pivotal back-to-school selling period.
Source: Marketwatch.com
Date: 08/05/2010
Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/teen-stores-pace-retailers-july-sales-shortfall-2010-08-05?siteid=nwtwk
Questions for discussion:
- Why do you think sales have fallen in these stores?
- Would lowering prices be a good strategy?
- What else could these retailers do besides lower prices?
- Do you think teens could be shopping, but not at these particular retailers?
But Will It Make You Happy?
August 9, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: How you spend has a greater effect on your happiness than how much you spend, researchers say.
Source: NYTimes.com
Date: 08/07/2010
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/business/08consume.html?ref=business
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the key points presented in the article.
- Do you think there is an emerging trend among consumers to reject the levels of consumption that would seem normal to most of us today?
- Why do you suppose consumers behave the way that they do?
Auto industry in the fast lane?
August 2, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: While the government touts the ‘comeback stories’ of GM and Chrysler, some say it’s too early to celebrate.
Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
Date: 07/30/2010
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/07/30/n_obama_michigan_fact_check.cnnmoney/
Questions for discussion:
- Do you think these results are reason enough to celebrate the recovery in the US auto industry?
- What lessons do you think were learned by these firms and industry employees?
- What recommendations would you send to the auto industry in order to avoid a repetition of the collapse?
Are Your Sunglasses Worth the Big Bucks?
July 26, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: Brett Arends, WSJ’s ROI columnist, tells colleague Adam Najberg that those $200 designer shades you’re wearing may be just like the $20 ones you buy at a Lens Crafter store.
Source: Marketwatch.com – video report
Date: 07/21/2010
Questions for discussion:
- Do you think customers are aware that one firm dominates the supply as much as it does and thereby controls the market price?
- Why have other retailers not capitalized on this overpriced market condition and offered lower priced product?
- Do you think price is the most important factor for customers who are shopping for sunglasses?
- What other factors would influence their buying decision?
