Someday, Store Coupons May Tap You on the Shoulder
January 3, 2011 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: CLIPPING coupons is a hassle. Intentionally. If shoppers were to redeem any more than just a sliver of them, manufacturers would have a self-created financial catastrophe on their hands.
Source: NYTimes.com
Date: 12/25/2010
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/business/26digi.html?ref=business
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the development of coupon use by consumers?
- How will technology affect this pricing strategy in the future?
- What do you think is a good strategy for companies to follow so as to optimize the effectiveness of coupons?
Surfer’s calendar site gives back
December 27, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business
Description: Custom calendar site CalendarLink.org raises funds and spreads awareness for the California Surf Life Saving Association.
Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
Date: 12/22/2010
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/12/22/n_cc_tides_of_giving.cnnmoney/
Questions for discussion:
- How is this business socially responsible?
- Who are the target customers?
- What makes this business service unique?
- Describe the product strategy and how the Internet allows for customization to match local customer needs.
Getting the message out on Facebook
December 27, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: Small businesses are leveraging their profiles on Facebook to boost their business by keeping in close contact with customers.
Source: Reuters.com – video report
Date: 12/21/2010
Link: http://www.reuters.com/news/video/story?videoId=170540599&videoChannel=6
Questions for discussion:
- How does Facebook allow small businesses to better serve their target customers?
- How does Facebook differentiate itself on the Internet?
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?
A Tough Sell at Sears
December 27, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: This holiday season, Sears and Kmart, which merged in 2005, are pushing a single message: Buy with layaway, buy with coupons, buy now and pay later, buy with loyalty rewards points — but please, just buy.
Source: NYTimes.com
Date: 12/21/2010
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/22/business/22sears.html?ref=business
Questions for discussion:
- Why is Sears having so much trouble at this time?
- What could have been done to improve operations and increase sales revenues?
Tech Sector Adds 47,000 Jobs So Far in 2010
December 13, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management
- Why is this sector of the economy gaining so many jobs at this time?
- What does this trend suggest about global consumer behavior ?
Groupon reportedly spurns Google’s billions
December 6, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources
Description: Groupon Inc. has walked away from a Google Inc. acquisition offer worth as much as $6 billion, according to reports late Friday, appearing to set the stage for a Groupon IPO as soon as next year.
Source: Marketwatch.com – video report
Date: 12/04/2010
Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/groupon-reportedly-spurns-google-merger-2010-12-04
Questions for discussion:
- Do you think Groupon is overvalued in this proposed deal?
- How would you evaluate Groupon’s fair value from an acquisitions point of view?
- Why would the acquisition affect the value of Google shares?
He Puts the Soda in Pop Songs
December 6, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: In the past two years, Adam Kluger has built a boutique product-placement agency that’s become a cash conduit for the revenue-needy music business.
Source: Businessweek.com
Date: 12/02/2010
Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_50/b4207086663830.htm
Questions for discussion:
- What is Adam Kluger’s strategy for success?
- How would you explain his strategic thinking with respect to the music industry?
Zagat Is Right. Southwest Is All We Look For In an Airline Now
December 6, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: OK, boys and girls, it’s time for oxymoron 101: Airline food, Customer service,
Ontime performance. You get the drill. And yet, as bad as air travel can seem sometimes (and it IS bad sometimes) there are some airlines that continue to win our loyalty, our trust, and our goodwill.
Source: BNET.com
Date: 12/03/2010
Questions for discussion:
- What are the basic arguments presented by this reporter?
- Do you agree with his assessment and analysis of the research findings?
The Food Cycle: Recall, Forget, Repeat
December 6, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: Memories can be short when it comes to food recalls. Surveys show that Americans are concerned about food contamination, but experts say that recalls have only a short-term effect on consumers.
Source: NYTimes.com
Date: 12/04/2010
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/business/05metricstext.html?ref=business
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the report findings about consumer behavior and the reasons suggested for them?
- Are you surprised by any of the report findings?
- What are the implications for the food producer and the distributors?
