Description: Apple Inc. (AAPL), seeking to retain its management team in the wake of former Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs’s death last month, gave $60 million restricted-stock grants to most of its senior vice presidents. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 11/04/2011 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-04/apple-doles-out-stock-grants-to-several-of-its-top-executives.html Questions for discussion: Do you believe this is a wise financial planning decision at… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives
Alaska’s Billion Dollar Mountain
Description: The story of one man who used a little persuasionâ€â€and a lot of luckâ€â€to win the rights to millions of tons of rare earths Source: Businessweek.com Date: 10/27/2011 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/alaskas-billion-dollar-mountain-10272011.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the key points in this report? What did you learn about the industry from an “on the ground†point of… Read more »
The Green Bay Packers Have the Best Owners in Football
Description: The fans are shareholders. The CEO is a union leader and ex-player. The city is a dot on the map. The bizarre anomaly of the franchise that rules the NFL Source: Businessweek.com Date: 10/20/2011 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/the-green-bay-packers-have-the-best-owners-in-football-10202011.html Questions for discussion: Explain the strategic success of the team from a managerial, marketing, and financial point of… Read more »
Gas pipeline CEO backs more regulation
Description:  Enbridge CEO Pat Daniel says that more regulation of oil pipeline safety will give the public greater confidence in the oil industry. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 10/13/2011 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/10/12/n_enbridge_oil_sands_pipeline.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: What are the advantages and disadvantages of a pipeline supplying energy? Do you think a pipeline delivering energy from Canada’s… Read more »
Language Line Plans a Roll-Up as Translation Demand Soars
Description: The University of California Medical Center in San Francisco spends more than $3 million a year on translation services for thousands of patients who don’t speak English. Since 2009, the demand for foreign language interpreters from the center’s medical personnel has risen by a third, for languages ranging from Farsi to Mongolian. Source: Bloomberg.com… Read more »
The Shadowy World of iPhone Cases
Description: Smartphone case makers rely on rumors and leaks to get their products on the market first Source: Businessweek.com Date: 10/14/2011 Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/the-shadowy-world-of-iphone-cases-10132011.html Questions for discussion: What did you learn in this report about risk-taking and the planning process? How would you make decisions in this business environment?
Firing Steve Jobs was “a terrible mistake”
Description:  Former Apple CEO John Sculley reflects on how Steve Jobs recruited him to run the tech company and why its board ultimately fired Jobs in 1985. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 10/06/2011 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/10/06/t_gc_sculley_jobs.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: According to John Sculley, what sort of businessman and entrepreneur was Steve Jobs? Do you think… Read more »
Toyota Said to Tell Partsmakers to Cut Prices
Description: Toyota Motor Corp. (7203), Asia’s biggest carmaker, is telling parts suppliers in Japan to slash prices or face being replaced by overseas rivals as the yen’s value appreciates, four people involved with the discussions said.. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 10/07/2011 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-07/toyota-said-to-tell-partsmakers-in-japan-to-slash-prices-as-yen-advances.html Questions for discussion: Explain the connection between the value of the Japanese currency… Read more »
Five Steps to Job Creation
Description: First off, forget budget-cutting and think about training your existing staff Source: Businessweek.com Date: 10/04/2011 Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/management/five-steps-to-job-creation-10042011.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the prescriptions for job creation presented in the article. Do you think small businesses are more likely to respond to these suggestions?
BullHorn: Battle of the tech heavyweights
Description:  Apple or Amazon? IBM or HP? Three out of the four are knock-out stocks. Can you guess who has the glass chin? Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 09/27/2011 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2011/09/27/mkts_bh_tech_heavyweights.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the highlights reported for each firm. Do you agree with the conclusions reported? What advice would you suggest to… Read more »
