Boone & Kurtz Contemporary Business Weekly Updates » Part 4: Marketing Management http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com Discussion Topics for Today's Classroom Mon, 14 May 2012 10:05:47 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Disney bets big on Avengers and wins http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/14/disney-bets-big-on-avengers-and-wins/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/14/disney-bets-big-on-avengers-and-wins/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 10:05:47 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=2695 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 global marketing strategies becoming more important to the firm’s success?

 

]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/14/disney-bets-big-on-avengers-and-wins/feed/ 0 Integrated Marketing: If You Knew It, You’d Do It http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/14/integrated-marketing-if-you-knew-it-youd-do-it/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/14/integrated-marketing-if-you-knew-it-youd-do-it/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 10:03:04 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=2687 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 10, 2012

Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-10/integrated-marketing-if-you-knew-it-youd-do-it

Questions for Discussions:

  • What is the fundamental strategic issue addressed in this article?
  • How does the author suggest it can be resolved? Do you agree?

 

]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/14/integrated-marketing-if-you-knew-it-youd-do-it/feed/ 0 Toyota RAV4 EV: Will anyone buy it? http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/14/toyota-rav4-ev-will-anyone-buy-it/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/14/toyota-rav4-ev-will-anyone-buy-it/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 10:01:44 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=2677 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 global customer?
  • How could Toyota rationalize the price gap between the electric and gas models?

 

]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/14/toyota-rav4-ev-will-anyone-buy-it/feed/ 0 Groupon, the Deal That Keeps Getting Cheaper http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/07/groupon-the-deal-that-keeps-getting-cheaper/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/07/groupon-the-deal-that-keeps-getting-cheaper/#comments Mon, 07 May 2012 10:03:27 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=2665 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?

 

]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/07/groupon-the-deal-that-keeps-getting-cheaper/feed/ 0 The ‘Smartphone Class’: Always On, Always Consuming Content http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/07/the-smartphone-class-always-on-always-consuming-content/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/07/the-smartphone-class-always-on-always-consuming-content/#comments Mon, 07 May 2012 10:02:23 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=2662 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?

 

]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/05/07/the-smartphone-class-always-on-always-consuming-content/feed/ 0 Shocker! Apple makes billions http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/shocker-apple-makes-billions/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/shocker-apple-makes-billions/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:06:06 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=2655 Description:  Strong global iPhone sales helped Apple beat expectations, as usual. Doubters beware – it’s hard to hate on AAPL.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 04/25/2012

Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2012/04/25/mkts-bz-apple-iphone.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the financial results and the reasons there is surprise.
  • Do you see an end for the current success of Apple?
]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/shocker-apple-makes-billions/feed/ 0 Wal-Mart Bribery Probe Seen as Examining Coverup Claims http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/wal-mart-bribery-probe-seen-as-examining-coverup-claims/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/wal-mart-bribery-probe-seen-as-examining-coverup-claims/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:04:27 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=2647 Description:   Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) may spend hundreds of millions of dollars investigating $24 million in alleged Mexican bribes as the U.S. government weighs whether the company or executives also broke the law by covering up an internal probe, former federal prosecutors said.

Source:  Bloomberg.com

Date: 04/24/2012

Link:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-24/wal-mart-bribery-probe-in-u-s-seen-as-examining-coverup-claims.html

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the ethical and managerial issues in this report?
  • How would you handle things if you were in charge at Wal-Mart?
  • What are the marketing implications for the firm here and internationally?
]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/wal-mart-bribery-probe-seen-as-examining-coverup-claims/feed/ 0 Apple Profit Rises 94% on Growing Global IPhone Demand http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/apple-profit-rises-94-on-growing-global-iphone-demand/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/apple-profit-rises-94-on-growing-global-iphone-demand/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:03:13 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=2643 Description:   Apple Inc. (AAPL) profit almost doubled last quarter, reflecting robust demand for the iPhone in China as well as purchases of a new version of the iPad tablet, allaying the concerns that fueled a 12 percent two-week slump in the stock.

Source:  Bloomberg.com

Date: 04/24/2012

Link:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-24/apple-profit-rises-94-on-growing-global-demand-for-iphones.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the financial results reported and the reasons for them.
  • How do you explain Apple’s success?
  • Do you believe this rate of growth is sustainable?
  • Would you be a buyer today?
]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/apple-profit-rises-94-on-growing-global-iphone-demand/feed/ 0 Video Is a Rising Star Among Content Marketers http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/video-is-a-rising-star-among-content-marketers/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/video-is-a-rising-star-among-content-marketers/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:02:29 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=2639 Description:  Companies have long emphasized the role of content for providing customers and prospects with useful information and meaningful insight, and the rise of digital distribution and production channels over past years has certainly propelled content marketing to new heights and investments.

Source:  eMarketer.com

Date: 04/23/2012

Link: http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1008991&ecid=a6506033675d47f881651943c21c5ed4

Questions for discussion:

  • Why do you think video content has risen so much in popularity?
  • Why do you suppose written content is in decline?
  • How might the international distribution of online communication be influencing this phenomenon?
]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/video-is-a-rising-star-among-content-marketers/feed/ 0 Demand Alone Doesn’t Make a Successful Startup http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/demand-alone-doesnt-make-a-successful-startup/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/demand-alone-doesnt-make-a-successful-startup/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:01:13 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=2634 Description:   Odysseas Tsatalos’ entrepreneurship story started during his childhood in Greece. Reading about inventors in his encyclopedia, he decided early on that his dream was to one day see himself in print for one of his inventions. While his parents wanted him to become a doctor, Tsatalos travelled to the U.S. and got his Ph.D in Computer Science.

Source:  Sprouter.com

Date: 04/25/2012

Link:  http://sprouter.com/blog/demand-alone-doesnt-make-a-successful-startup/?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=25+April+2012+%2F%2F+Hottest+StartUps%2C+Events+%26+Resources&utm_campaign=Sprouter+Weekly%3A+April+25%2C+2012&utm_term=btn-readon_png

Questions for discussion:

  • What sort of special managerial controls would be needed to make this system more palatable?
  • Which businesses would be more interested in using this sort of system?
]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2012/04/30/demand-alone-doesnt-make-a-successful-startup/feed/ 0