Posts Categorized: Part 1 Business in a Global Environment

Who will occupy RadioShack’s retail desert?

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: The electronics chain announced that it will close 1,100 stores. Who will fill all that space? Think burritos. Source: Fortune.com Date: Mar 05, 2014 Link: http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2014/03/05/who-will-occupy-radioshacks-retail-desert/ Questions for Discussions: Why did RadioShack business decline so dramatically? Is there a new business strategy they should consider? What sort of business is likely to fill the… Read more »

Netflix’s Reed Hastings: The man to watch

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Description: With 44-million subscribers and counting, Netflix is changing the way we watch TV and movies. The man with the remote? Co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Feb 21, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2014/02/21/n-netflix-ceo-reed-hastings-business-of-being.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Identify the key decisions taken by management that either boosted or hurt Netflix growth? What… Read more »

How LEGO builds toys kids want

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Description: LEGO says they became the number two toy manufacturer by staying true to what kids want. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Feb 25, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2014/02/25/n-co-lego-number-2-toymaker.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Describe the growth strategy employed by Lego management. How have Lego’s digital products helped the sales of tactile products?

Here’s How Some Small Banks are Making Big Money

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Description: On today’s “Insight & Action,” Bloomberg’s Adam Johnson looks at the health of small banks on Bloomberg Television’s “Lunch Money.” Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Feb 28, 2014 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/videos/2014-02-28/here-s-how-some-small-banks-are-making-big-money#r=nav-f-video Questions for discussion: What does this report say about the financial status of small US banks in comparison to the larger Wall Street… Read more »

At Hasbro, Girls Toys Become a Big Market

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Description: Shortly after joining toymaker Hasbro (HAS) as a senior executive more than a decade ago, Brian Goldner took his 5-year-old daughter, Brooke, on a tour of headquarters. She wasn’t impressed. “She put her hands on her hips and said, ‘Dad, the way I see it, you don’t have any toys for girls,’?” recalls Goldner,… Read more »

World’s Most Admired Companies

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Description: Atop our annual ranking: innovators, disrupters, and companies that overcome adversity. (And a familiar No. 1.) Source: Fortune.com Date: Feb 28, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/most-admired/2014/snapshots/670.html?iid=SF_F_River Questions for Discussions: What are the characteristics shared by many of these companies? How important are the firms’ management and products when making this evaluation?

WhatsApp with Facebook’s $19B offer?

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: Facebook’s biggest deal ever. Why is Mark Zuckerberg paying $19 Billion for messaging app WhatsApp? Laurie Segall reports. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Feb 19, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2014/02/19/t-facebook-whatsapp-19-billion.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: How did Facebook go about evaluating WhatsApp? Do you believe it was a good deal for both sides? How can this acquisition… Read more »

Groupon needs a group hug

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: Daily deal site Groupon is finding it hard to compete with Amazon and eBay. A better social media and marketing strategy might help too. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Feb 21, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/02/21/investing-the-buzz-groupon-social-media-amazon.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Why has the stock value dropped? What is the new direction management is trying to take… Read more »

Why Hollywood Struggles to Quickly Clone Animated Hits

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Description: With the runaway success of Disney’s (DIS) Frozen and the explosive opening of Warner Bros.’s (TWX) The Lego Movie, animated films have had a great run in recent months. When a live-action movie becomes a big hit, it’s not long before imitators—both real and imagined—show up on the horizon. Doing the same in the animation world… Read more »

Instagram Captures Higher Interaction Rates than Facebook

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Description: Nearly nine in 10 brands use the photo- and video-sharing service Source: eMarketer.com Date: Feb 21, 2014 Link: http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Instagram-Captures-Higher-Interaction-Rates-than-Facebook/1010627#hshocIZVCAPpIL5d.99 Questions for discussion: What does the report say about interactions on various social sites? Why do you think interactions on Instagram are outstanding?