How to Win Over the Chinese Consumer

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

Description:   As Western retailers bet on China to drive profits, some of the biggest mistakes are made because brands don’t understand the Chinese consumer. The WSJ’s Deborah Kan speaks to Tom Doctoroff, author of the book “What Chinese Want: Culture, Communism & The Modern Chinese Consumer.” Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 18, 2012… Read more »

Why Warren Buffett Really Likes Newspapers

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: When Warren Buffett announced that his company, Berkshire Hathaway, was buying 63 newspapers from Media General on May 17, he issued a soaring statement about his belief in a beaten-down industry. Source: Busineweek.com Date: May 17, 2012 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-17/why-warren-buffett-really-likes-newspapers Questions for Discussions: Do you think this is a wise investment? Did he get a… Read more »

Disney bets big on Avengers and wins

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: Disney CEO Bob Iger says a growing number of silver screens across the globe is helping drive the success of ‘The Avengers.’ Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 09, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/05/09/n-co-avengers-iger.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussion: What are the reasons for the success of this film and the company as a whole? How are… Read more »

Integrated Marketing: If You Knew It, You’d Do It

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

Description: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, is such a cliché that it has spawned its own cliché: If it ain’t broke, break it. Unfortunately, that’s just what many companies do unwittingly to their branding programs, playing into the hands of public enemy No. 1 in today’s marketing environment: fragmentation. Source: Busineweek.com Date: May… Read more »

Toyota RAV4 EV: Will anyone buy it?

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

Description:   For anyone arguing recently that electric cars don’t stand a chance in the U.S. mass market, I would have offered one end-all example: the battery-powered Ford Focus at $40,000. Source: Marketwatch.com Date: May 11, 2012 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/toyota-rav4-ev-will-anyone-buy-it-2012-05-11 Questions for Discussions: Who do you think is the likely customer for this product? Is there a… Read more »

Groupon, the Deal That Keeps Getting Cheaper

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: Is Groupon (GRPN) too good of a deal to be true? Source: Busineweek.com Date: May 01, 2012 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-01/groupon-the-deal-that-keeps-getting-cheaper Questions for Discussions: Summarize the views expressed in this report. Why has the stock value fallen? Do you believe the stock will move up, down or stay the same over the next year?  

The ‘Smartphone Class’: Always On, Always Consuming Content

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

Description: Consuming content in frequent, small portions means more touchpoints for marketers Source: eMarketer.com Date: May 02, 2012 Link: http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1009014&ecid=a6506033675d47f881651943c21c5ed4 Questions for Discussions: Summarize behaviors of smart phone users. Do you think these behaviors will become common across all users? How should business strategists who distribute mobile content deal with this research?  

Shocker! Apple makes billions

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  Strong global iPhone sales helped Apple beat expectations, as usual. Doubters beware – it’s hard to hate on AAPL. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 04/25/2012 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2012/04/25/mkts-bz-apple-iphone.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the financial results and the reasons there is surprise. Do you see an end for the current success of Apple?

Wal-Mart Bribery Probe Seen as Examining Coverup Claims

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:   Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) may spend hundreds of millions of dollars investigating $24 million in alleged Mexican bribes as the U.S. government weighs whether the company or executives also broke the law by covering up an internal probe, former federal prosecutors said. Source:  Bloomberg.com Date: 04/24/2012 Link:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-24/wal-mart-bribery-probe-in-u-s-seen-as-examining-coverup-claims.html Questions for discussion: What are the… Read more »

Apple Profit Rises 94% on Growing Global IPhone Demand

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:   Apple Inc. (AAPL) profit almost doubled last quarter, reflecting robust demand for the iPhone in China as well as purchases of a new version of the iPad tablet, allaying the concerns that fueled a 12 percent two-week slump in the stock. Source:  Bloomberg.com Date: 04/24/2012 Link:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-24/apple-profit-rises-94-on-growing-global-demand-for-iphones.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the financial results… Read more »