Blue Nile: ‘High-end market is the healthiest’

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

Description:  Blue Nile CEO Mark Vadon discusses Black Friday sales for the online jeweler, and says the ‘healthiest part of the market is the very high-end.’

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report com

Date: 11/25/2011

Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/11/25/n_blue_nile_ceo.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion:

  • Who is the target market for Blue Nile?
  • How is online shopping for rings different than traditional retail buying?
  • Do you think “mobile” shopping is likely to grow for the company?
  • How should the marketing strategies adapt to this segment of shoppers?

The $25 Computer That Plays High-Definition Video

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

Description:     The Raspberry Pi, a credit-card sized computer that plugs into your TV and a keyboard will be available next year. It’s a PC that does many of the things your desktop PC does and is aimed at the educational sector.

Source: Moneywatch.com – video report

Date: 11/22/2011

Link:  http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/the-25-computer-that-plays-high-definition-video/7E9D6C97-80D5-4175-9D23-454018240138

Questions for discussion:

  • How might this product development affect existing businesses such as Apple and Dell?
  • How would manufacturers be expected to respond?

In Some Virtual Worlds, the Thrill Is Gone

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

Description:  Zynga and other social game developers search for the next FarmVille-scale hit

Source: Businessweek.com

Date: 11/23/2011

Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/in-some-virtual-worlds-the-thrill-is-gone-11232011.html

Questions for discussion:

  • What does this report say about the development of successful games and the customers that play them?

Why gratitude is good for business, year round

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: Instead of showing appreciation exclusively during the holidays, some businesses are building it into their day-to-day and reaping business benefits on account of it.

Source:  Fortune.com

Date: 11/23/2011

Link:   http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2011/11/23/why-gratitude-is-good-for-business-year-round/?iid=SF_F_River

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the management and marketing lessons learned from this article?

Unleash the Entrepreneurs

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.

Description:  Bad policies are holding back the ultimate job creators.

Source:  City-Journal.org

Date: Fall 2011

Link:  http://www.city-journal.org/2011/21_4_entrepreneurs.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the key points presented in the article about the relationship between job creation and entrepreneurialism.
  • What are the statistical arguments?
  • Why do you suppose government still looks to older industry and big-businesses as the engines for job creation?
  • How would you change policies?

Seeing Clearly–With Lens-Free Glasses

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

Description:     Hong Kong radio host Chu Fun doesn’t need a prescription for her multiple pairs of eyeglasses. She wears them without lenses as a fashion accessory. WSJ’s Alex Frangos reports.

Source: Moneywatch.com – video report

Date: 11/17/2011

Link:  http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/seeing-clearly–with-lens-free-glasses/BCC00198-A37C-4D31-9A63-370D8C14F400

Questions for discussion:

  • What does this report suggest about eyeglasses as a fashion accessory?
  • Is this a trend or a fad?
  • Who is the target market in this report?
  • How should manufacturers be expected to respond?

1998 all over again for IPOs

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

Description:  Angie’s List is the latest dot-com to go public with a questionable business model, joining the ranks of Groupon, Pandora, and soon Yelp.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report com

Date: 11/18/2011

Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2011/11/18/mkts_am_buzz_angi.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion:

  • How do you explain the success of these IPOs?
  • Do you think investors are repeating mistakes made in 1998?
  • What might explain their behavior?

Disney’s Big Ambitions for Swampy, an App Star

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:  The cartoon alligator’s hit game on the Apple App Store may lead to books, toys, and a movie

Source: Businessweek.com

Date: 11/17/2011

Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/disneys-big-ambitions-for-swampy-an-app-star-11172011.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize this new business model.
  • Do you think it can be successful? Explain why.
  • What are some other character concepts that could work for Disney?

Counting down to Black Friday

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

Description: Despite the noise, earlier-than-ever deals may steal the day’s thunder

Source:  Marketwatch.com

Date: 11/18/2011

Link:   http://www.marketwatch.com/story/counting-down-to-black-friday-2011-11-18

Questions for discussion:

  • What does “Black Friday” refer to?
  • What are the expected retailing strategies for this year?
  • How are consumers expected to behave?
  • Do you agree with the analysis?

HP: Nowhere to go but up?

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

Description:  I started the week with a column about IBM (IBM, Fortune 500), so it’s only fitting that I end the week with a piece about a company I like to call IBM Lite. Or “Little Blue,” if you will.

Source:  CNNMoney.com

Date: 11/18/2011

Link:  http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/18/technology/thebuzz/index.htm?iid=HP_LN

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the key points presented in the report.
  • Check the results announced this week.
  • How did they pan-out for HP and investors?
  • Would you be a buyer today?