Blue Bottle: The best coffee you may ever drink

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:  You’ll have to wait a little longer for a cup of James Freeman’s caffeine from Olympus, but it’s so worth it.

Source: Fortune.com

Date: 09/23/2011

Link:  http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2011/09/23/blue-bottle-coffee-james-freeman/?iid=SF_F_River

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the business described in this report.
  • How is the business different from others in the same trade?
  • Who are the target customers for this business?
  • Do you think it is a fad or can develop longer-term?

Stitching a business from scratch

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:  Fashion designer Eileen Fisher didn’t even know how to sew when she started her clothing company but had the determination to succeed.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 09/16/2011

Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/smallbusiness/2011/09/16/hwgs_eileen_fisher.fortune/

Questions for discussion: 

  • How would you describe the entrepreneurial character of Eileen Fisher?
  • Do you think her success is due more to her managerial or marketing skills?

Highest Paid Entertainer in Hollywood

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business.

Description:  Christopher Farley tells us who the highest paid entertainment in Hollywood is. Plus, Ayn Rand gets her own app. Chris Farley has details on Lunch Break’s Speakeasy Roundup.

Source: Marketwatch.com – video report

Date: 09/13/2011

Link:   http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/highest-paid-entertainer-in-hollywood/E8944865-993C-41F1-862A-1BE40B170E81

Questions for discussion:

  • Explain the success of the entrepreneurs mentioned in this report?
  • Are you surprised that Tyler Perry would be at the top of the list of money-earners?
  • Explain Perry’s success in terms of customer base and variety of product he offers to the marketplace.

Netflix ‘momentum story’ stalls, analysts say

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

Description: Subscriber forecast is cut; ‘value proposition is getting worse’

Source: Marketwatch.com

Date: 09/15/2011

Link:   http://www.marketwatch.com/story/netflix-momentum-story-stalls-analysts-say-2011-09-15?siteid=nwtwk

Questions for discussion:

  • Why has the firm’s stock value fallen so dramatically?
  • Summarize the firm’s financial situation.
  • Do you think the firm represents a good investment prospect today?

King of Rinds Has 2 Contenders as Hispanic Surge Fattens Sales

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

Description: To make Baken-ets pork rinds for No. 1 client Frito-Lay, the $13 billion-a-year snack arm of PepsiCo Inc., Rudolph Foods Inc. uses what it calls a secret two-step process at its flagship plant in Lima, Ohio — “the pork rind capital of the world,” Rudolph claims.

Source: Bloomberg.com

Date: 09/15/2011

Link:   http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-15/king-of-rinds-has-2-contenders-as-hispanic-surge-fattens-sales.html

Questions for discussion:

  • What does this report have to say about the growth in popularity of this snack food?
  • Describe the marketing effort employed.
  • Could you conceive of this food as a “healthy alternative” to other snack foods?

What Role for Government in American Business?

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment.

Description: Washington’s intrusion in business is polarizing—but most Americans agree that the economy can’t recover without innovative jobs policy

Source: Businessweek.com

Date: 09/15/2011

Link: http://www.businessweek.com/small-business/how-can-washington-help-american-business-09152011.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the main points made in this article.
  • Do you agree with the recommendations for change?
  • What advice would you give?

$2K deal? That’s what you think

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

Description:  Author Bill Poundstone sheds light on the psychology of pricing in the retail world.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 09/07/2011

Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/pf/2011/09/01/pf_hd_retail_anchors.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion:

  • Are there any ethical issues in this report?
  • Do you believe this strategy works?
  • Give one example where, as a customer, you have noticed this strategy at work.
  • How did you respond?

Amazon Tries On New Web Design

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

Description:  Amazon has updated the classic design of its Website with something cleaner, lighter and more tablet-friendly, WSJ’s Stu Woo reports on digits.

Source: Marketwatch.com – video report

Date: 09/06/2011

Link:  http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/amazon-tries-on-new-web-design/54CA69F5-BCCA-4D99-915C-91A1438EB76F

Questions for discussion:

  • Do you think the new design is superior to the older version?
  • Should Amazon get out of the marketing of physical products and focus exclusively on digital content?
  • How would you expect competitors to react to this latest move by Amazon?

 

The Dangers of Linking Pay to Customer Feedback

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

Description: What seems like a winning formula can backfire, says Harvard blogger Rob Markey

Source: Businessweek.com

Date: 09/08/2011

Link: http://www.businessweek.com/management/the-dangers-of-linking-pay-to-customer-feedback-09092011.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the arguments put forward in this article.
  • Do you agree with the conclusions?

Carol Bartz exclusive: Yahoo “f—ed me over”

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

Description: Here is what Carol Bartz thinks of the Yahoo (YHOO) board that fired her: “These people f—ed me over,” she says, in her first interview since her dismissal from the CEO role late Tuesday.

Source: Fortune.com

Date: 09/08/2011

Link:   http://postcards.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2011/09/08/carol-bartz-fired-yahoo/?iid=SF_F_Lead

Questions for discussion:

  • How would you characterize the way Carol Bartz was treated?
  • Do you think this event has any ramifications for the company or its brand?