What’s next for Apple?

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Description: Analyst Gene Munster says new versions of the iPhone and iPad are key. He also expects a new Apple TV to be launched. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: July 25, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2012/07/25/t-apple-tv-next-few-years.fortune/ Questions for Discussions: What are the projections for Apple and competitors in this business? What product do you think will… Read more »

Your credit card costs small biz thousands

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Description: Retail merchants get charged a fee when you use plastic and recent reforms don’t seem to be reducing the burden on small businesses. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: July 20, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/smallbusiness/2012/07/19/sbiz-credit-card-costs.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussions: Describe how cash, credit and debit card processing affect the operations of retailers. Do you think these… Read more »

Dating Sites Aim for a Novel Idea: Actual Dates

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Description: New Yorkers—wait for it—like to dine at trendy restaurants on a first date. In Detroit, they prefer to do the serving themselves via volunteer work. Singles living in sunny Los Angeles are apt to be sporty and hit the hiking trails for a first outing together, according to data collected by the website HowAboutWe.com,… Read more »

Andalusia’s small business crushed by Spanish slump

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Description: Andalusia’s sunny beaches, shady plazas and flamenco dancing attract millions of northern European visitors each year but the southern region has become symbolic of Spain’s decline and its small businesses are paying the price. Source: Reuters.com Date: July 26, 2012 Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/26/us-spain-andalusia-idUSBRE86P0WZ20120726?type=smallBusinessNews Questions for Discussions: Summarize and explain the highlights in this report. How… Read more »

Facebook Falls After Report Fails to Quell Concerns Over Growth

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:  Facebook Inc. (FB) plunged to a record low after its first earnings report as a public company showed a slower sales gain and narrower profit margins, failing to allay concerns over growth that have dragged down the shares. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: July 27, 2012 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-27/facebook-falls-after-report-fails-to-quell-concerns-over-growth.html Questions for Discussions: Why has the stock fallen… Read more »

Kayak sails into the market

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Description: Co-founders Steve Hafner and Paul English discuss the future of the online travel website on the day of its IPO. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: July 20, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2012/07/20/investing-kayak-ipo.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussions: Describe how Kayak works. How is it better than other online travel websites? How would you design an app for… Read more »

Ireland Bulldozes Ghost Estate In Life After Real Estate Bubble

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Description:  Ireland is opting for bulldozers rather than bankers as it starts to clear the legacy of the housing boom whose collapse brought the economy to its knees. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: July 19, 2012 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-19/ireland-bulldozes-ghost-estate-in-life-after-real-estate-bubble.html Questions for Discussions: How did over-supply undermine the real estate market? Who is to blame for this fiasco? How… Read more »

Yahoo: Help Us, Marissa Mayer. You’re Our Only Hope

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Description: The Yahoo! (YHOO) board of directors was leaving nothing to chance. The Internet company is known throughout Silicon Valley as a leaky ship whose internal deliberations often turn up on blogs or in other media outlets. So when the company’s four-member chief executive search team met Google (GOOG) veteran Marissa Mayer for the first… Read more »

Social Media Usage Plateaus Among Marketers

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Description: Mobile and location-based marketing are newer growth areas Source: eMarketer.com Date: July 18, 2012 Link: http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1009197&ecid=a6506033675d47f881651943c21c5ed4#P11cIZjFmqFpWRvW.99 Questions for Discussions: Summarize and explain the highlights in this report. How do you think these trends will perform over the next five years?

It doesn’t add up, but shoppers are suckers for bonuses

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Description:  A recent study in The Journal of Marketing shows that “buy one, get one free” promotions are more enticing to shoppers than, say, a 50-per-cent discount on a single item, even if that shopper doesn’t need two of what’s being promoted in the first place. In other words, bonuses are more attractive to shoppers… Read more »