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

Description:  Google Inc. GOOG -1.46%is close to a deal to pay $22.5 million to settle charges related to its surreptitious bypassing of the privacy settings of millions of Apple Inc. AAPL -0.36%users, according to officials briefed on the settlement terms

Source: WSJOnline.com

Date: July 10, 2012

Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303567704577517081178553046.html

Questions for Discussions:

  • Do you think the decision and fine by the FTC will affect management’s approach to this area of decision-making?
  • Do you think it will affect users?

CT:   1, ,4,5

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

Description: Fears of rising taxes in France have triggered a strong interest in New York real estate.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: July 06, 2012

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/pf/2012/07/05/pf-uh-french-newyork.cnnmoney/

Questions for Discussions:

  • Identify the international factors that are currently influencing the New York City real estate market?
  • What does this report say about the global movement of wealth and people?

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

Description:  A local trade group in England has held a competition to create a new national anthem to cheddar, which was invented in the village of Cheddar 900 years ago. Contestants made music videos set to three patriotic British anthems — with some earnest, and some hilarious results. WSJ’s Gautam Naik reports.

Source: Marketwatch.com – video report

Date: July 06, 2012

Link: http://live.wsj.com/video/a-cheesy-anthem-to-british-cheddar/6635DCE1-BDF6-44A9-BB34-4E42FECBD85A.html 

Questions for Discussion:

  • Explain the success of this “cheesy” promotional campaign?
  • Do you think it could be repeated in the US marketplace?

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 Research In Motion Ltd. tries to reverse its slide, it’s tough to find anyone betting on its ability to recover.

Source: Marketwatch.com

Date: July 03, 2012

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/3-things-that-doomed-blackberry-maker-rim-2012-07-03?siteid=nwtwk

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the criticisms aimed at RIM’s management.
  • Do you believe the firm can recover from setbacks in the market?
  • What would you advise management do today?

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

Description: Facebook Inc. finally has confirmed it will launch a new type of ad for the mobile versions of the social network, but how effective they will be and whether they annoy users is the big question.

Source: Marketwatch.com

Date: July 06, 2012

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/facebook-has-to-be-careful-with-mobile-ads-2012-07-06

Questions for Discussions:

  • Describe the new advertising strategy.
  • Do you think this style of advertising will succeed?

 

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

Description:  As online shopping has surged, traditional retailers have lost millions in sales to so-called showrooming — when shoppers check out products in stores that they then buy from Web sites like Amazon. It has gotten so bad that Best Buy even replaces standard bar codes with special Best Buy-only codes on big ticket items so they cannot be scanned and compared online.

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: July 04, 2012

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/05/business/retailers-lure-online-shoppers-offline.html?_r=1

Questions for Discussions:

  • Describe the strategic responses by bricks and mortar retailers to the threat from online shopping sites.
  • Do you think these strategies will succeed?
  • What else would you recommend?

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:    From IV bags to chest tubes, Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains why even basic medical equipment adds thousands to your medical bill.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: June 28, 2012

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/06/27/n-medical-equipment-cost.cnnmoney/

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the way hospitals allocate costs in order to cover all operating expenses.
  • Is this a form of insurance?
  • What would be a fairer way to allocate charges for services and products used by uninsured patients?
  • Is there a technological solution that can help in this environment?

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

Description:  We know you’ve heard it before. But homebuilder Lennar suggests a slow and steady recovery is beginning. Just don’t get too excited.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: June 27, 2012

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2012/06/27/investing-bz-lennar.cnnmoney/

Questions for Discussion:

  • What does this report have to say about the industry and this company in particular?
  • Why is housing so important to the overall strength of the economy?

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: As Italian automaker Fiat SpA (FIA.MI) plots the U.S. relaunch of its sporty Alfa Romeo brand there is plenty riding on its success, from a justification of the Chrysler acquisition to the business reputation of its CEO Sergio Marchionne.

Source: Reuters.com

Date: Jun 28, 2012

Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/28/us-fiat-us-alfaromeo-idUSBRE85R0BP20120628

Questions for Discussions:

  • What is the logic driving this decision?
  • Do you think this strategy will work out in management’s favor?
  • What are the marketing management issues related to this decision?

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.

Description: Microsoft Corp lost its appeal against an EU decision penalizing it for defying an antitrust ruling, bringing nearer to an end a decade-long battle with the European Commission over the U.S. software group’s business practices.

Source: Reuters.com

Date: June 27, 2012

Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/27/us-eu-microsoft-idUSBRE85Q0B720120627

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the case against Microsoft and the current decision.
  • Do you agree with the decision?
  • What lessons are there for managers to learn about that concern international business laws and government regulations?