Description: With just a week before the official kickoff of the year’s biggest shopping season, consumers are hitting the dozens of websites that track holiday sales and finding TVs, eBook readers and other items at their deepest discounts of the year. Source: Marketwatch.com  Date: 11/18/2010 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/unwrapping-black-friday-deals-2010-11-18?siteid=nwtwk Questions for discussion: How important is “Black… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Part 1 Business in a Global Environment
Jobs Outlook Looking Better
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… Read more »
Start a small biz with $500
Description: Tweezerman founder Dal LaMagna says his company grew by being frugal with money and keeping stakeholders interests at heart. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report  Date: 11/11/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/smallbusiness/2010/11/11/sbiz_tweezerman_dal_lamagna_500_dollars.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Explain the global success of this game? What does its success suggest about consumer behavior? What need does this product satisfy for… Read more »
A Pistachio Farmer, Pom Wonderful, and the FTC
Description: California philanthropists Lynda and Stewart Resnick own a pistachio empire twice the size of Sacramento. Now they’re facing lawsuits over water control and the health claims of Pom Wonderful. Source: Businessweek.com Date: 11/11/2010 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_47/b4204068352545.htm Questions for discussion: Summarize the business, legal, and moral issues in this report? Who do you side with in… Read more »
RIM Taps Teens’ Messaging Mania to Top Apple in Latin America
Description: The iPhone was an also-ran for Monica Amilpas when she chose her first smartphone last year. She opted for the BlackBerry Curve because it had an instant- messaging feature the Apple Inc. device lacked. Source: Bloomberg.com  Date: 11/11/2010 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-11/rim-taps-teens-messaging-mania-to-top-apple-in-latin-america.html Questions for discussion: Why is RIM’s Blackberry more successful in this market? What… Read more »
The slaying of the Celtic Tiger
Description: Anglo Irish Bank’s unfinished head office pokes into the sky on Dublin’s North Wall Quay, a silent testimony to the rise and fall of the Celtic Tiger. Source: TheGlobeandMail.com  Date: 11/12/2010 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/the-slaying-of-the-celtic-tiger/article1797583/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the history of the Irish economic experience. What do you think will happen to Irish markets… Read more »
75 years later, Monopoly rolls on
Description: A special look inside the Monopoly factory as the legendary board game celebrates its 75th anniversary. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report  Date: 11/05/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/11/05/n_monopoly_birthday_factory.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Explain the global success of Monopoly? What does its success suggest about consumer behavior? What need does this product satisfy for consumers? How do you… Read more »
Chasing Pirates: Inside Microsoft’s War Room
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… Read more »
Bitten by a billion dollar industry
Description: Stephen Woolley, producer of “Interview with a Vampire,” talks about why we love horror, the supernatural and vampires. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report  Date: 10/29/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/10/29/n_vampires_halloween.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Explain the global success of this genre of film and publishing business. Do you agree with the analysis presented in the video? What… Read more »
Baidu feels lucky in Q3
Description: The Chinese search engine’s profits doubled after seeing a surge in customers following Google’s shutdown in China. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report  Date: 10/21/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2010/10/22/mkts_baidu_q3.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Why has Baidu’s profits grown so dramatically? Is this growth sustainable? How should investors look at the risk associated with this firm? Do you… Read more »
