Apple Labor Pact Could Ripple Across China

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

Description:  Manufacturers grappling with rising labor costs and worker demands in China could face further pressure if a critical probe of a major Apple supplier sets a new standard for China’s factory workers, Andrew Dowell reports on digits. Photo: Getty Images. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report Date: 03/30/2012 Link:  http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/apple-labor-pact-could-ripple-across-china/ED326ADD-8C33-4B32-B463-A4BD5BA1D89C Questions for discussion: Summarize the… Read more »

Best Buy’s moves meet with investor skepticism

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, 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:  Best Buy Co., the largest U.S. electronics chain, swung to a fourth-quarter loss, hurt by charges and lower sales of notebook computers and televisions. Source: Marketwatch.com Date: 03/30/2012 Link:  http://www.marketwatch.com/story/best-buy-swings-to-loss-to-shut-50-stores-2012-03-29?siteid=nwtwk Questions for discussion: Summarize the reasons for Best Buy’s financial problems. Do you think they can be resolved easily?

JetBlue Actions Show How Training Altered Cockpit Culture

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:   The events aboard a March 27 JetBlue Airways Corp. (JBLU)flight, on which the co-pilot locked an erratically behaving captain out of the cockpit and diverted the plane to a safe landing, show how much has changed in a culture once typified by autocratic captains browbeating underlings even in the face of potential hazards, safety… Read more »

Getting a Grip on Medicine’s Slippery Price Tag

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:    How much should a diabetes screening cost? Does 50 bucks sound about right? How about $400? Doctors in the same health insurance network charge vastly different prices for common preventive tests, according to a report to be published today by Change Healthcare, a company that helps employers and health-plan providers understand the cost of… Read more »

Apple v. RIM: What Canadian companies can learn

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives.

Description:   There are few games out there that test one’s strategic thinking better than chess. A well thought-out plan, coupled with the ability to anticipate and out manoeuvre your opponent, invariably leads to the capture of your opponent’s king. Game over. The world of business is essentially built on the same basic principles, but in… Read more »

Taiwan dumpling sensation goes worldwide

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:  A local Taiwanese chain restaurant sees a boost in business as their ever expanding dumpling restaurant continues to gain success across the globe. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 03/21/2012 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/03/19/n-dumpling-empire.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: What is the recipe for success as described in this report? What are the similarities and differences of this… Read more »

Why Relationship Marketing is Important for Businesses

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:  In this video I interview Mari Smith, author of The New Relationship Marketing and Facebook Marketing: An Hour a Day. Mari shares how relationships have evolved and why businesses need to focus on P2P (people to people) marketing today.  You’ll also discover the story of how Mari came to Facebook marketing and pick up… Read more »

Helping One Big Client, but Wanting to Spread Out

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives.

Description:   THE Four Horsemen Toy Design Studios is a toy company based in New Jersey that creates highly detailed action figures for Mattel while making its own toys that are sold online to adult collectors. Source:  NYTimes.com Date: 03/21/2012 Link:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/22/business/smallbusiness/tied-to-one-big-client-but-wanting-to-cut-the-cord.html?ref=smallbusiness# Questions for discussion: What are the particular problems facing these businessmen? What are the… Read more »

‘Mad Men’ and Ad women: A love-hate relationship

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment.

Description:   Despite its sexualized portrayal of gender roles in the office, many women in advertising are eagerly awaiting the return of the hit television show. Source:  Fortune.com Date: 03/23/2012 Link: http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2012/03/23/mad-men/?iid=SF_F_Lead Questions for discussion: Why do you think this show has become so popular? What message does it send to today’s managers about business ethics… Read more »