Description: MIT graduate Carl Dietrich co-founded Terrafugia, which is now taking preorders for the science fiction fan’s ultimate dream: a $194,000 flying car. Source: Businessweek.com  Date: 07/15/2010 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_30/b4188043262844.htm Questions for discussion: Who is the customer for this product? Do you think the high selling price would pose a problem for the firm trying… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Part 4: Marketing Management
Buy an electric car, rent the battery
Description: Better Place CEO Shai Agassi’s bet on electric cars involves swappable batteries but questions remain whether he can pull it off. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report  Date: 07/08/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2010/07/08/f_bg_better_place_agassi.fortune/ Questions for discussion: Do you think this pricing model will work? Who do you think would be the target customer most interested in… Read more »
D8 Video: Steve Case in Full Session
Description: Steve Case and Kara Swisher meet again onstage at the D8 Conference. What has the Revolution CEO been up to on the 25h Anniversary of American Online? Source: Marketwatch.com – video report  Date: 07/02/2010 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/d8-video-steve-case-in-full-session/2B7724EE-756E-4975-893A-BBA244AFD4B3  Questions for discussion: Summarize the history of AOL and the development of the Internet. What surprises you… Read more »
Apple’s iPhone 4: Great, But Needs New Network
Description: Three years ago, Apple wasn’t in the mobile phone business at all. Now, it’s rolling out the fourth generation of its game-changing iPhone. WSJ’s Walt Mossberg reviews the iPhone 4, which he says has a number of cool new features as well as a “big downside.” Source: Marketwatch.com – video report  Date: 06/22/2010… Read more »
In Price War, E-Readers Go Below $200
Description: A price war is brewing in the growing market for electronic reading devices. Source: NYTimes.com  Date: 06/21/2010 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/22/technology/22reader.html?src=busln Questions for discussion: Do you agree with the analysis of this report? Is there a market for a single-application device? Who are the customers in this market? What price would be appropriate for the… Read more »
Vancouver’s Real Estate Bubble Trouble
Description: Brokers are rock stars, cabbies flip condos, and shacks are going for $1 million Source: Businessweek.com  Date: 06/24/2010 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_27/b4185064551500.htm Questions for discussion: Summarize the arguments presented that explain real estate price movements in Vancouver. Do you think a bubble is forming? What might trigger prices to fall? Do you think that any of… Read more »
digits: RIM’s New BlackBerries to Rival iPhone
Description: Research In Motion is readying a slate of new devices and software as it looks to keep its BlackBerry smartphone from losing more ground to touch-screen devices like Apple’siPhone and iPad. Sarah Silver has details Source: Marketwatch.com – video report  Date: 06/15/2010  Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/digits-rim-new-blackberries-to-rival-iphone/5F6246E6-807D-4322-81E8-51A551F1F935 Questions for discussion: Do you think “everyone†will… Read more »
Nestle to Sail Amazon Rivers to Reach Consumers
Description: Nestle SA will begin sailing a supermarket barge down two Amazon river tributaries tomorrow as it competes with Unilever to reach emerging-market customers cut off from branded goods. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 06/17/2010 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aBCeN4ZitvSg  Questions for discussion: Do you think this distribution strategy works? Is there anything unethical in bringing consumer goods to… Read more »
Plus-Size Revelation: Big Women Have Cash, Too
Description: Corseted into a size 18 white denim dress, wearing heels that made her about 6-foot-2, Gwen DeVoe, a former model and fashion-show producer, stepped onto a runway in Manhattan this week and made a pitch to retailers for the plus-size woman. Source: NYTimes.com  Date: 06/18/2010 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/19/business/19plus.html?ref=business Questions for discussion: What are the… Read more »
A car for tree-huggers
Description: The new Smart fortwo EV doesn’t burn gas but an 85-mile range means frequent recharging. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 06/11/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/06/10/n_rw_smart_ev_review.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Why do you think the car will only be available for leasing and not for sale? Why do you think the majority of leases will be offered… Read more »
