Your private data pays for ‘free’ Facebook and Google

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

Description:  “The cost of reading the New York Times for free is being tracked. The cost of being on Facebook is being data-mined,” Peter Eckersley, a senior staff technologist for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said Friday at a panel discussion on the intersection of technology and privacy.

Source: CNNMoney.com
 
Date: 01/28/2011

Link: http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/28/technology/google_data_privacy_day/index.htm

Questions for discussion: 

  • Do you think there is anything unethical with the way social media sites operate?
  • From a marketing point of view, what do you suppose the impact would be if social media sites switched to a “pay-for-use” model?

Google Finds It Hard to Reinvent Philanthropy

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

Description: JUST before Google first sold its shares to the public in 2004, Larry Page, one of its founders, excited the nonprofit world with a bold commitment to philanthropy.

Source:  NYTimes.com

Date: 01/29/2011

Link:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/30/business/30charity.html?ref=business

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the basic points made in this report.
  • How would you judge the effectiveness of Google’s philanthropic efforts?
  • What changes would you advise the firm to consider?

Hub Extra: How Nervous Should Apple Investors Be?

Posted by & filed under Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives.

Description: With many questions unanswered about Steve Jobs’ medical leave of absence, Wall Street Journal ‘ROI’ columnist Brett Arends says the news is ominous for investors.

Source:  Marketwatch.com – video report

Date: 01/17/2011

Link:  http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/hub-extra-how-nervous-should-apple-investors-be/BFCF78EB-4250-4572-83E5-62975923A6E3

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the opinions made about the importance of Steve Jobs to the success of Apple.
  • Do you think his absence will cause Apple or Apple share value to suffer?
  • How can management mitigate the perception of loss of Steve Jobs to Apple’s business effort?

Larry Page: Ready to run Google?

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description: Eric Schmidt steps down after 10 years at the helm of Google, and the search giant names co-founder Larry Page as the new CEO. 

Source:  CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 01/20/2011

Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2011/01/20/t_google_ceo_schmidt.fortune/

Questions for discussion:  

  • Do you think Google will be better managed now than it was before?
  • Why do you suppose there was a change in leadership at the firm?
  • What might the change in management suggest about the firm’s future direction?

Google’s Schmidt Named Executive Chairman as Co-Founder Page Becomes CEO

Posted by & filed under Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives.

Description:  Google Inc. co-founder Larry Page will become chief executive officer, taking the reins from Eric Schmidt, who oversaw the transformation of a barely profitable startup with 200 employees into the owner of the world’s most- used search engine, with $29 billion in sales last year.

Source: Bloomberg.com
 
Date: 01/21/2011

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-20/google-profit-tops-estimates-on-ad-demand-page-is-named-ceo.html

Questions for discussion: 

  • Do you think there will be substantial change in the management of Google, given this leadership change?
  • Do you think this is good for the firm?
  • How do you think investors will react?

Forever 21’s Fast (and Loose) Fashion Empire

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

Description:  The cheap-chic teen retailer is growing amid questions about just how original its clothes are

Source: Businessweek.com

Date: 01/20/2011

Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_05/b4213090559511.htm

Questions for discussion: 

  • Summarize the reasons for this retailer’s success. 
  • Who is the target customer?
  • Do you think there is anything else that should be added to their business strategy?
  • Are there any changes you would make?

Union Membership in U.S. Fell to a 70-Year Low Last Year

Posted by & filed under Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives.

Description: The number of American workers in unions declined sharply last year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday, with the percentage slipping to 11.9 percent, the lowest rate in more than 70 years.
Source:  NYTimes.com

Date: 01/21/2011

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/22/business/22union.html?ref=business

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the reasons reported for union membership decline.
  • Is this a good or bad development, in our opinion?
  • Do you think this will have any effect on the economy such as employee incomes or corporate investment decisions?

Skype CEO: Only 6% of users pay

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description: Despite a small base of paying users, the VOIP and video chat service is still profitable.

Source:  CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 01/14/2011

Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2011/01/13/t_connected_skype.fortune/

Questions for discussion:  

  • Explain why Skype dominates this marketplace?
  • How is Skype able to be sustainable when only 6% of users pay anything for services?
  • How can Skype convert the growing customer base to more revenue generation?
  • Do you think Skype will eventually be replaced by some other competitor?

Balancing babies and business

Posted by & filed under Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives.

Description: Stephanie Sonnabend, CEO of her family’s hotel business, gives advice to women looking to have both a career and a family.

Source:  CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 01/13/2011

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/01/13/n_ceo_moms.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion:

  • What did this report teach you about women striving to reach senior management levels?
  • Do you agree with the tone of the report and the comments made by Stephanie Sonnabend?
  • Do you believe there is a gender difference between male and female CEOs?

The Robot in the Next Cubicle

Posted by & filed under Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives.

Description:  The new wave of robots for sale is aimed squarely at the office market.

Source: Businessweek.com
 
Date: 01/14/2011

Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_04/b4212069774202.htm

Questions for discussion: 

  • What is driving the use of robotics?
  • How different is the introduction of robots in an office environment to other technologies such as computers?
  • Do you think there can be detrimental reactions from employees?