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 ?
Unions Yield on Wage Scales to Preserve Jobs
November 22, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives
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?
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?
Pogue: Six Factors for Highly Unsuccessful Products
November 1, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management
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?
7 Ways Companies Miss Out on Huge Opportunities
October 25, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management
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
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?
What J&J’s CEO didn’t say
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.
Why Great Companies Don’t Stay Great
September 20, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives
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?
From Kenmore, Talking Washers and Dryers
August 9, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives
Description: They’ll explain their problems via phone—and, the company hopes, result in vastly more efficient service.
Source: Businessweek.com
Date: 08/05/2010
Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_33/b4191023607461.htm
Questions for discussion:
- How can the manufacturers justify the additional cost of this technology?
- What are the benefits received by the companies and their customers?
- Should manufacturers emphasize this technology as an integral part of their products?
- Which customers would be most affected knowing this technology is built into their appliances?
digits: RIM’s New BlackBerries to Rival iPhone
June 21, 2010 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: Research In Motion is readying a slate of new devices and software as it looks to keep its BlackBerry smartphone from losing more ground to touch-screen devices like Apple’siPhone and iPad. Sarah Silver has details
Source: Marketwatch.com – video report
Date: 06/15/2010
Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/digits-rim-new-blackberries-to-rival-iphone/5F6246E6-807D-4322-81E8-51A551F1F935
Questions for discussion:
- Do you think “everyone” will eventually own their own smartphone?
- Do you think there will continue to be a distinction between brands such as RIM and Apple or will all competitors eventually offer models for the business and consumer markets?
- As for the segment on virtual currency, can you think of any other ways that game developers can generate revenues?
- Who is the target market for virtual currency?
- How big a market do you think these people are in terms of supporting the free-access games?
Is Dell salvageable?
Description: Computer maker’s shares fall more than 5% after the company reports a drop in fiscal fourth-quarter earnings.
Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
Date: 02/26/2010
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2010/02/23/f_tm_dell_hp.fortune/
Questions for discussion:
- Why is Dell’s stock value falling?
- What would management have to do in order to improve profits?
- Is Dell a good candidate for merger or acquisition with another firm? Explain your thinking.
- Who might be interested in merging with Dell?
