How Zuckerberg changed the game
Description: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg grew the college dorm room startup to a global tech giant with more users than most countries’ populations.
Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
Date: 02/03/2012
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2012/02/02/f_game_changers_facebook.fortune/
Questions for discussion:
- Who is Mark Zukerberg?
- Do you think his engineering background affected the way he managed the development of the company?
Super Bowl ads are GoDaddy’s domain
February 6, 2012 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management
Description: The web hosting company has seen its market share increase exponentially since its first Super Bowl ad in 2005.
Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
Date: 02/02/2012
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2012/02/01/t-bcos-godaddy-superbowl-ad.fortune/
Questions for discussion:
- Why has GoDaddy been so successful using Super Bowl advertising?
- Who is the target market?
- What are the pros and cons of managing your own advertising production studios?
The $1.6 Billion Woman, Staying on Message
Description: SEVENTY-TWO hours before Facebook’s big moment, Sheryl K. Sandberg was half a world away, hobnobbing with the likes of Bill Gates and the Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Source: NYTimes.com
Date: 02/03/2012
Questions for discussion:
- How would you describe Sheryl Sandberg?
- Do you think her gender has helped, hurt, or made no difference in her success?
The cloud goes Hollywood
February 6, 2012 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources
Description: The major film studios think they’ve found a way to sell and deliver movies online. Will consumers buy it?
Source: Fortune.com
Date: 02/03/2012
Link: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/02/03/ultraviolet-digital-movies-cloud/?iid=SF_F_River
Questions for discussion:
- Do you think this format will be successful with consumers?
- How should the industry market the concept?
Small Business Exports Edge Up
Description: Small businesses have increased their share of exports in the two years since President Obama set a goal to double U.S. sales abroad by 2015, according to new federal data.
Source: Businessweek.com
Date: 02/02/2012
Questions for discussion:
- What are the reasons for the improved exports by small businesses?
- Can this be sustained? If so, how?
Kaiser CEO: Time to end piecemeal healthcare
Description: George Halvorson, CEO of non-profit healthcare insurer Kaiser Permanente, says the current U.S. healthcare system will drive the economy into the ground.
Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
Date: 01/26/2012
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/01/26/n_davos_halvorson_health.cnnmoney/
Questions for discussion:
- Describe how the not-for-profit and for-profit healthcare businesses work?
- How should healthcare work, according to CEO George Halvorson?
- How could it be better?
- What managerial issues are stopping the for-profit industry from adopting these policies?
- How does consumer psychology affect this business?
Bill Gates: Rich should pay more taxes
January 30, 2012 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources
Description: The Microsoft founder and philanthropist says that the wealthiest Americans should pay a larger share of taxes than they do.
Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
Date: 01/26/2012
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/01/26/n_davos_gates_occupy.cnnmoney/
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the key points presented about economic activity, incomes, taxes, and the government’s role.
- What is Bill Gates’ position on the key issue facing business and society at large?
- Do you agree with Bill Gates?
- How would you assign the collection of taxes?
Amazon’s Hit Man
Description: Larry Kirshbaum was the ultimate book industry insider—until Amazon called
Source: Businessweek.com
Date: 01/25/2012
Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/amazons-hit-man-01252012.html?chan=magazine+channel_top+stories
Questions for discussion:
- Describe the changes that management is dealing with in the publishing industry.
- How has management at Amazon been affected by technological changes?
- Do you think management decision-making has been responsive?
‘I work for one of the 10 Best Companies’
January 30, 2012 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources
Description: Interesting assignments, unfaltering support, stints abroad: No wonder these folks love their workplaces.
Source: Fortune.com
Date: 01/27/2012
Link: http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2012/pf/jobs/1201/gallery.best-companies-employees.fortune/index.html
Questions for discussion:
- What are some common characteristics of these businesses that seem to suggest why they rank among the “best”?
- How influential is this status on employee behavior?
Six Strategy Insights RIM’s New CEO Can Use
Description: The usual moves won’t work when new technologies and rivals dramatically shake up the field
Source: Businessweek.com
Date: 01/24/2012
Link: http://www.businessweek.com/management/six-strategy-insights-rims-new-ceo-can-use-01242012.html
Questions for discussion:
- What are the recommendations made in this report?
- Do you agree with them?
- What else would you suggest to RIM’s top management?
