Bulgari Gold Succumbs to Ceramics With Jewelry Hostage to Bubble
December 27, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment
Description: In June, Bill Doddridge flew his single-engine Cessna 400 to Twentynine Palms Airport near California’s Mojave Desert and headed for an abandoned mine, a .45-caliber pistol on his belt. He was looking for gold. The firearm was to ward off rattlesnakes. The precious metal would be a sideline to his jewelry business. He sifted through dirt, climbed into shafts, and later bought the property, shuttered since World War II.
Source: Businessweek.com
Date: 12/21/2010
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the highlights of this report.
- How have businesses and customers of gold changed their behavior since the rapid surge in prices began?
- Do you think price increases have reached a top yet?
- What would make the trend change directions?
Higher U.S. Airfares Loom as Crude Climbs Toward $100 a Barrel
December 27, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: Delta Air Lines Inc., American Airlines and other large U.S. carriers may be poised to boost fares with fuel surcharges as crude oil moves closer to $100 a barrel.
Source: Bloomberg.com
Date: 12/22/2010
Questions for discussion:
- How else can airlines deal with rising fuel costs?
- How are customers likely to respond to price increases?
Jobs Outlook Looking Better
November 15, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives
Description: Rebecca Jarvis and Barrons associate editor Michael Santori discuss the recent increase in private sector jobs and what we can expect in the future.
Source: BNET.com – video report
Date: 11/12/2010
Link: http://moneywatch.bnet.com/economic-news/video/jobs-outlook-looking-better/481539/
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the reasons companies are starting to hire back more workers now?
- What does this say about these companies, their industries, and the economic recovery?
Start a small biz with $500
November 15, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: Tweezerman founder Dal LaMagna says his company grew by being frugal with money and keeping stakeholders interests at heart.
Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
Date: 11/11/2010
Questions for discussion:
- Explain the global success of this game?
- What does its success suggest about consumer behavior?
- What need does this product satisfy for consumers?
- How do you explain the appeal of Monopoly in this age of electronic gadgetry?
RIM Taps Teens’ Messaging Mania to Top Apple in Latin America
November 15, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: The iPhone was an also-ran for Monica Amilpas when she chose her first smartphone last year. She opted for the BlackBerry Curve because it had an instant- messaging feature the Apple Inc. device lacked.
Source: Bloomberg.com
Date: 11/11/2010
Questions for discussion:
- Why is RIM’s Blackberry more successful in this market?
- What does this mean for RIM as teens grow up and eventually become adult customers?
- What can Apple do about this competitive advantage enjoyed by RIM?
75 years later, Monopoly rolls on
November 8, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: A special look inside the Monopoly factory as the legendary board game celebrates its 75th anniversary.
Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
Date: 11/05/2010
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/11/05/n_monopoly_birthday_factory.cnnmoney/
Questions for discussion:
- Explain the global success of Monopoly?
- What does its success suggest about consumer behavior?
- What need does this product satisfy for consumers?
- How do you explain the appeal of Monopoly in this age of electronic gadgetry?
Chasing Pirates: Inside Microsoft’s War Room
November 8, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information
Description: AS the sun rose over the mountains circling Los Reyes, a town in the Mexican state of Michoacán, one morning in March 2009, a caravan of more than 300 heavily armed law enforcement agents set out on a raid.
Source: NYTimes.com
Date: 11/06/2010
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/technology/07piracy.html?ref=business
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize how Microsoft deals with piracy?
- Why is fighting piracy so important to Microsoft?
- What are the criticisms of this strategy?
- What are the ethical and social issues related to piracy?
- Are there alternative strategies for the firm to follow that would solve the problem?
Bitten by a billion dollar industry
November 1, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: Stephen Woolley, producer of “Interview with a Vampire,” talks about why we love horror, the supernatural and vampires.
Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
Date: 10/29/2010
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/10/29/n_vampires_halloween.cnnmoney/
Questions for discussion:
- Explain the global success of this genre of film and publishing business.
- Do you agree with the analysis presented in the video?
- What other genres seem to have international and universal appeal to consumers around the world?
- Are there commonalities that these products seem to share?
Google 2.4% Rate Shows How $60 Billion Lost to Tax Loopholes
October 25, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment
Description: Google Inc. cut its taxes by $3.1 billion in the last three years using a technique that moves most of its foreign profits through Ireland and the Netherlands to Bermuda.
Source: Bloomberg.com
Date: 10/21/2010
Questions for discussion:
- Are Google’s actions unethical or illegal?
- What does this report have to say about the relationship between governments and international businesses?
- Who are the winners and losers in this situation?
- What should the governments and businesses involved do?
- How does this situation affect investors?
- Do you think the US government will go after the tax revenues missed through international structuring or do you think this is considered acceptable by governments?
- What are the arguments for allowing Google and other companies to dodge US taxes in this manner?
Rum Battle in Caribbean Leaves Tax Hangover
October 18, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: Rum and politics have made a fiery mix since America’s earliest days, when a young politician named George Washington won election to the House of Burgesses in colonial Virginia with the help of spiked punch at the polls.
Source: NYTimes.com
Date: 10/15/2010
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/16/business/16rum.html?ref=business
Questions for discussion:
- What does this report have to say about the relationship between governments and businesses?
- Are there winners and losers in this situation?
- What should the governments and businesses involved do?
