Boone & Kurtz Contemporary Business Weekly Updates » Using Technology to Manage Information (p496)

Chasing Pirates: Inside Microsoft’s War Room

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 10:03:45 +0000

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?

Monster roars. Good news for jobs?

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 10:01:53 +0000

Description: The job market may not exactly be healthy. Unemployment is still relatively high around the country and those who have been out of work a long time are really struggling to find permanent, well-paying jobs.

Source: CNNMoney.com

Date: 10/29/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/2010/10/29/news/economy/thebuzz/index.htm

Questions for discussion:

How does Monster.com use technology to attract business away from competitors?
What other factors have contributed to its recent stock market success?
Why does the stock reflect economic activity?

A Look Inside a Hedge Fund’s Black-Box Trading

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 10:04:30 +0000

Description: A hedge fund started by four young math wizards is using a branch of artificial intelligence, called “computer learning,” to make investment decisions. Rebellion Research’s four, 20-something-year-old partners explain how their computer program “thinks” up their strategy.

Source: Marketwatch.com – video report

Date: 07/13/2010

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/a-look-inside-a-hedge-fund-black-box-trading/BFAFFD06-F76B-4AF3-B2D1-577D3300F2AD

Questions for discussion:

What do you think of the concept of a “learning-based artificial intelligence software program” that determines investing decisions?
How different is this business model than others presented to investors?
Would you be inclined to invest funds with this firm because of their approach?
Why do you think some investors would be inclined not to invest with them because of their model?

Google victorious in Viacom’s YouTube lawsuit

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:03:44 +0000

Description: A federal judge has ruled in favor of Google Inc. in the company’s courtroom battle with Viacom Inc. over alleged copyright violations on Google’s YouTube video service.

Source: Marketwatch.com

Date: 06/23/2010

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/google-victorious-in-viacoms-youtube-lawsuit-2010-06-23?siteid=nwtwk

Questions for discussion:

What are the arguments that support YouTube’s legal position?
Do you think YouTube will change the way it distributes copyrighted files in the future?
How does YouTube make money?
Do you think they will change this strategy in the future?

Online video saves business big bucks

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:05:19 +0000

Description: Web-conferencing software and cheap digital video cameras are reducing the need for costly business travel.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 03/04/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2010/03/04/tm_video_conference.fortune/

Questions for discussion:

Summarize the arguments presented favouring the growth of online video.
What are the reasons for consumer use of online video?
How does this compare to business market use of online video?
Which market do you believe will grow faster?
How does this product compare to the adoption of cell-phone technology?

U.S. Companies’ Electronic-Discovery Spending Tripled in 2009

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:01:14 +0000

Description: Budgets for managing electronic data tripled this year at average-sized U.S. companies, according to a study, as businesses braced for an influx of lawsuits stemming from a recession that’s been partly blamed on fraud.

Source: Bloomberg.com

Date: 10/20/2009

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a_qD_YdAZA7o

Questions for discussion:

Why is spending in this area increasing so drastically?
How important is this problem from a legal, ethical, and managerial point of view?
Do you think managers will deal differently with electronic information such as email in the future? Explain your answer.