Boone & Kurtz Contemporary Business Weekly Updates » Improving Performance through Empowerment Teamwork and Communication (p324) http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com Discussion Topics for Today's Classroom Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:05:40 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Inside one of Amazon’s busiest days http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/12/20/inside-one-of-amazons-busiest-days/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/12/20/inside-one-of-amazons-busiest-days/#comments Mon, 20 Dec 2010 10:04:53 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=1395 Description: 1,500 extra workers help Amazon.com handle the extra holiday orders at its Fernley, Nevada fulfillment center.

Source:  CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 12/16/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/12/16/n_amazon_fulfillment_center.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion:

  • How does Amazon design its order fulfillment operations to be more efficient?
  • Were you surprised by any of the sights or comments presented in the report? 
  • Why is rapid fulfillment of orders so important to Amazon?
]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/12/20/inside-one-of-amazons-busiest-days/feed/ 0 Unions Yield on Wage Scales to Preserve Jobs http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/11/22/unions-yield-on-wage-scales-to-preserve-jobs/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/11/22/unions-yield-on-wage-scales-to-preserve-jobs/#comments Mon, 22 Nov 2010 10:03:55 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=1327 Description:  Organized labor appears to be losing an important battle in the Great Recession.

Source: NYTimes.com
 
Date: 11/19/2010

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/20/business/20wages.html?ref=business

Questions for discussion: 

  • According to the report, how have unionized workers adapted to the economic conditions at their places of employment?
  • Do you think this change will impact aspects in the workplace such as motivation and productivity?
  • How should management react to these circumstances?
  • Do you think these changes are likely to be long lasting?
]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/11/22/unions-yield-on-wage-scales-to-preserve-jobs/feed/ 0 Jobs Outlook Looking Better http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/11/15/jobs-outlook-looking-better/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/11/15/jobs-outlook-looking-better/#comments Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:05:21 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=1318 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?
]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/11/15/jobs-outlook-looking-better/feed/ 0 Pogue: Six Factors for Highly Unsuccessful Products http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/11/01/pogue-six-factors-for-highly-unsuccessful-products/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/11/01/pogue-six-factors-for-highly-unsuccessful-products/#comments Mon, 01 Nov 2010 10:04:36 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=1280 Description:  At the FailCon 2010 conference in San Francisco, New York Times technology columnist David Pogue identifies the stumbling blocks to success.

Source:  BNET.com – video report
 
Date: 10/27/2010

Link: http://www.bnet.com/videos/pogue-six-factors-for-highly-unsuccessful-products/479076

Questions for discussion: 

  • Do you agree with the explanations provided in the video?
  • Provide one additional example that illustrates each of the errors listed in the presentation.
  • Can you think of other reasons for failures?
]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/11/01/pogue-six-factors-for-highly-unsuccessful-products/feed/ 0 7 Ways Companies Miss Out on Huge Opportunities http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/10/25/7-ways-companies-miss-out-on-huge-opportunities/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/10/25/7-ways-companies-miss-out-on-huge-opportunities/#comments Mon, 25 Oct 2010 10:01:06 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=1254 Description:  More often than not, companies manage to lock themselves into unnecessarily narrow market segments and, in so doing, lock themselves out of huge growth opportunities. It’s so prevalent it’s like an epidemic out there. I see it all the time.

Source:  BNET.com
 
Date: 10/21/2010

Link: http://www.bnet.com/blog/ceo/7-ways-companies-miss-out-on-huge-opportunities/5848?promo=713&tag=nl.e713

Questions for discussion: 

  • Do you agree with the arguments presented in this article?
  • Why else do you think some companies miss out on great opportunities?
]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/10/25/7-ways-companies-miss-out-on-huge-opportunities/feed/ 0 A day with Stan Lee at Comic Con http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/10/18/a-day-with-stan-lee-at-comic-con/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/10/18/a-day-with-stan-lee-at-comic-con/#comments Mon, 18 Oct 2010 10:05:00 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=1250 Description: The comics legend is still going strong, and still spends entire days promoting his new products and meeting his fans.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
 
Date: 10/15/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/10/15/n_cmr_stan_lee_comiccon.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion: 

  • How important is Stan Lee as a leader for his company and industry?
  • Why do you suppose there is such reverence for the man?
  • How do you explain the longevity of this industry?
  • Who is the target audience?
  • What is the “product” they are buying?
  • What do you think of the new products mentioned in the video clip?
]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/10/18/a-day-with-stan-lee-at-comic-con/feed/ 0 What J&J’s CEO didn’t say http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/10/04/what-jjs-ceo-didnt-say/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/10/04/what-jjs-ceo-didnt-say/#comments Mon, 04 Oct 2010 10:05:47 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=1216 Description: CEO William Weldon admitted to lawmakers that his company made mistakes involving numerous recalls, but never explained how they happened.

Source: CNNMoney.com  – video report

Date: 10/01/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/09/30/n_tylenol_recall_hearing.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion: 

  • Summarize the plan at Starbucks to expand into other businesses by using the web?
  • Do you think this plan will be successful?
  • What other online strategies would you recommend to Starbucks that allows it to leverage its brand and stores.
]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/10/04/what-jjs-ceo-didnt-say/feed/ 0 How Much Do You Think He Makes? http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/10/04/how-much-do-you-think-he-makes/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/10/04/how-much-do-you-think-he-makes/#comments Mon, 04 Oct 2010 10:02:28 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=1206 Description:  Does knowing your colleagues’ salaries make you happy or disgruntled?

Source: Slate.com
 
Date: 09/28/2010

Link: http://www.slate.com/id/2268886/

Questions for discussion:

  • What does this article have to say about how employees look at their pay?
  • What lessons are there here for management?
  • Which motivational models discussed in the textbook helps explain the results of this research?
]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/10/04/how-much-do-you-think-he-makes/feed/ 0 Why Great Companies Don’t Stay Great http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/09/20/why-great-companies-dont-stay-great/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/09/20/why-great-companies-dont-stay-great/#comments Mon, 20 Sep 2010 10:03:42 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=1164 Description:  Ever wonder why there are so few perennially successful companies like Cisco and Microsoft? Or why so many once-great companies, like Dell and Nortel, suddenly hit a wall? No, it’s not about innovation or culture, although they are factors.

Source:  BNET.com
 
Date: 09/17/2010

Link: http://www.bnet.com/blog/ceo/why-great-companies-dont-stay-great/5585?tag=content;feature-roto

Questions for discussion: 

  • Summarize the arguments made in this article?
  • Do you agree with the analysis presented?
  • What strategies should be applied by managers, with these arguments in mind?
]]> http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/09/20/why-great-companies-dont-stay-great/feed/ 0 Japan CEOs Learn `Globish’ to Expand Overseas as Economy Stalls http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/09/13/japan-ceos-learn-globish-to-expand-overseas-as-economy-stalls/ http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/2010/09/13/japan-ceos-learn-globish-to-expand-overseas-as-economy-stalls/#comments Mon, 13 Sep 2010 10:01:03 +0000 Brahm Canzer http://contemporarybusinessupdates.com/?p=1141 Description:  Oki Matsumoto, chief executive officer of online trader Monex Group Inc. and a former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. partner, has a solution to Japan’s stagnant domestic economy: Learn “globish.” Matsumoto holds regular parties at the Tokyo-based company where employees must speak globish, or global English, a language for non-native speakers using basic grammar and a vocabulary of 1,500 words.

Source: Bloomberg.com
 
Date: 09/08/2010

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-08/japan-ceos-learn-globish-to-aid-overseas-expansion-as-economy-stagnates.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Is it necessary for all business people to speak English, regardless of where they originate?
  • How should companies encourage cultural and second language learning among its management personnel?
  • What advantages are there for businesses whose managers can interact comfortably with other business people in languages other than their own?
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