Twinkie Maker Hostess to Close

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  Hostess Brands Inc., the maker of iconic treats such as Twinkies and traditional pantry staple Wonder Bread, said Friday it is shuttering its plants and firing about 18,000 workers as it seeks to liquidate the 82-year-old business.

Source:  WSJ.com

Date: Nov 16, 2012

Link:  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324556304578122632560842670.html

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the reasons for the demise of the firm?
  • Is there a restructuring solution that would allow the organization to continue in business?
  • What are the marketing issues that management would need to deal with, should the firm be re-launched?

The latest Zuckerberg startup: Reality TV

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description: Randi Zuckerberg, Mark’s sister, talks about her Bravo reality series, ‘Start-ups: Silicon Valley’ and why tech is so hot right now.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: Nov 09, 2012

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2012/11/09/t-zuckerberg-reality-show.cnnmoney/

Questions for Discussions:

  • Who do you suppose these programs will draw for an audience?
  • Do you think watching these sorts of programs would provide insight to the way entrepreneurs think and perhaps why they have succeeded?

Disney’s world is still wonderful

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

Description: Shares are down on missed revenue forecasts, but people are still flocking to Disney theme parks.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: Nov 09, 2012

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2012/11/09/investing-disney.cnnmoney/

Questions for Discussions:

  • What are the sources of revenue for Disney?
  • Do you think that they will all continue to perform well for the next year or so?
  • Why did Disney shares fall in value, according to the reporter?
  • Would you be an investor in Disney?

How Do You Make Money in a World of Free Music?

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

Description: Social Media driving music world

Source: Bloomberg.com – video report

Date: Nov 03, 2012

Link: http://bloom.bg/PWKiQZ#ooid=JyaHkyNjpRIT-VWB83zJyb9lJEsdy2EO

Questions for Discussions:

  • How has social media affected the marketing of music?
  • Do you think it is now easier or more difficult for artists to find an audience?

More Reasons Not to Fudge Business Expenses

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: It’s easy for entrepreneurs hatching startups to fudge the line between personal and business expenses. Is that laptop really used for your company, or for your kids? Are you discussing business at lunch, or gossiping with a friend? Beyond the typical admonitions about tax audits, running personal expenses through your business can backfire with employees, investors, partners, and buyers. I spoke to Ben Straughan, an attorney and partner in the emerging-companies practice at Seattle-based Perkins Coie. Edited excerpts of our conversation follow.

Source: Businessweek.com

Date: Nov 06, 2012

Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-06/more-reasons-not-to-fudge-business-expenses#r=nav-f-column

Questions for Discussions:

  • What does this report say about the keeping business and personal expenses separate?
  • What else did you learn from this report about the proper management of a start-up?

From stay-at-home mom of four to furniture queen

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  Home furnishings CEO Judy George talks with Fortune about life as a working mom, cultivating a superhuman drive to succeed, and overcoming even the most public of failures.

Source:  Fortune.com

Date: Nov 09, 2012

Link:  http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2012/11/09/from-stay-at-home-mom-of-four-to-furniture-queen/?iid=SF_F_River

Questions for Discussions:

  • What are the entrepreneurial lessons to be learned in this report?
  • How would you describe Judy George’s entrepreneurial characteristics?

 

Manufacturing rebirth in the rustbelt

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description: Youngstown, Ohio has seen decades of decline but locals are starting to see a turnaround.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: Nov 02, 2012

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/11/02/n-ohio-rustbelt-recovery.cnnmoney/

Questions for Discussions:

  • What is the message in this report that explains how and why cities can prosper or decline?
  • What does this report say about redeveloping manufacturing across the nation?

Why emerging markets matter to Medtronic

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 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak says emerging markets are the ‘most important’ to his medical technology company.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: Nov 02, 2012

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/magazines/fortune/2012/11/02/ldrshp-medtronic-2.fortune/

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the thinking about emerging markets as discusses by Medtronics CEO Omar Ishrak.
  • Why does “cost” play such an important point of consideration regardless of the medical system in any country?

A roaring success: how acoustics make us spend more money on cars

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:  As automotive engineering has improved, our rides have gotten quieter. Even non-hybrid cars cocoon their drivers in comfortable silence. But some companies are trying to give motorists a little more motor. The new Ford Focus will have engine noise pumped in when the driver steps on the gas. Other cars, like the BMW M5 and Volkswagen’s GTI, have done similar things with mixed results. These engine sounds — some real, some recorded — are meant to put the roar back into driving, even when you might not be driving a muscle car. But do they really make a difference to drivers?

Source: SmartPlanet.com

Date: Nov 02, 2012

Link:  http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/report/a-roaring-success-how-acoustics-make-us-spend-more-money-on-cars/351?tag=main;carousel

Questions for Discussions:

  • What do you think of this product development feature?
  • Why does it work?
  • What does this say about buyer behavior and decision-making?

As New York City Marathon Sponsor, ING Comes Under Fire

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:  ING’s (ING) sponsorship of the New York City Marathon turned into a branding disaster this week as a divided city debated whether the city should hold the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday.

Source: Businessweek.com

Date: Nov 02, 2012

Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-02/as-sponsor-of-new-york-city-marathon-ing-comes-under-fire#r=hpt-lst

Questions for Discussions:

  • What are the public relations lessons to be learned here by city officials, event organizers, and sponsors like ING?
  • What strategic response would you suggest to ING at this time that would either neutralize the damage done or possibly improve its corporate social responsibility image?