After the Financial Meltdown, Where’s America’s Outrage?

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:  Andrew Ross Sorkin of The New York Times noted that 49% of people surveyed had a negative view of Goldman Sachs. Financial companies are busily trying to rebuild their reputations by, among other things, running lots of advertisements touting their lending activities, but numerous reports show that banks are cutting credit lines to both individuals and businesses.

Source:  BNET.com
 
Date: 09/09/2010

Link: http://www.bnet.com/blog/business-psychology/after-the-financial-meltdown-where-8217s-america-8217s-outrage/224?promo=713&tag=nl.e713

Questions for discussion: 

  • What do you think about the theories presented that explain public reaction to the financial crisis and the business people involved?
  • What is your view about this matter?
  • Should government have reacted differently?

Are Facebook users really more narcissistic?

Posted by & filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business.

Description:  The media latches on to a study tying the social network to low self-esteem — and misses the real picture.

Source: Salon.com
 
Date: 09/09/2010

Link: http://www.salon.com/technology/facebook/?story=/mwt/feature/2010/09/09/facebook_narcissists

Questions for discussion:

  • Do you agree with these research findings?
  • Do you think the sample size is sufficient to generalize about Facebook users?
  • What would you do with this information if you were a Facebook marketer?
  • What would you do with this information if you were an advertiser on Facebook?
  • Do you think this report will change the behavior of users at Facebook?

Japan CEOs Learn `Globish’ to Expand Overseas as Economy Stalls

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

Description:  Oki Matsumoto, chief executive officer of online trader Monex Group Inc. and a former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. partner, has a solution to Japan’s stagnant domestic economy: Learn “globish.” Matsumoto holds regular parties at the Tokyo-based company where employees must speak globish, or global English, a language for non-native speakers using basic grammar and a vocabulary of 1,500 words.

Source: Bloomberg.com
 
Date: 09/08/2010

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-08/japan-ceos-learn-globish-to-aid-overseas-expansion-as-economy-stagnates.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Is it necessary for all business people to speak English, regardless of where they originate?
  • How should companies encourage cultural and second language learning among its management personnel?
  • What advantages are there for businesses whose managers can interact comfortably with other business people in languages other than their own?

Labor Day’s violent beginnings

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

Description:  The bloody Pullman strike in 1894 spurred the national holiday that recognizes American workers.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
 
Date: 09/03/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/09/03/n_labor_day_history_2010.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion: 

  • Summarize the historical successes of organized labor that are highlighted in the video.
  • Why do you think the general public is often critical of organized labor?
  • Do you believe there is a problem in because some unionized workers enjoy better benefits than others?
  • How can the gap between benefits enjoyed by unionized and non-unionized workers be closed?
  • What role is there for governments?

Rex on Techs: Overnight Viral Success

Posted by & filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:  Internet phenomenons like “Bed Intruder Song” are textbook cases for how online videos turn the most mundane of events into sensations, where random people just being themselves become quasi-celebrities. Rex Crum reports.

Source:  Marketwatch.com – video report

Date: 08/27/2010

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/rex-on-techs-overnight-viral-success/779C5034-618C-4007-8946-B084683E2528

Questions for discussion: 

  • How do you explain this example of viral communication success?
  • More importantly, does the financial success suggest a new marketing model emerging for others to follow?
  • How would you expect traditional music industry marketers to respond to this phenomenon?
  • What advice would you send to marketers that would allow them to exploit this type of marketing?

What went wrong at Burger King

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  It’s not yet clear what Burger King’s new owner, the Brazilian-backed private equity firm 3G Capital, has in mind for the troubled No. 2 fast-food chain. But a total strategic revamp is in order.

Source:  CNNMoney.com
 
Date: 09/03/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/2010/09/03/news/companies/burger_king_buyout.fortune/index.htm

Questions for discussion: 

  • Summarize the reasons given for Burger King’s failure?
  • What would you do to revive the firm?
  • Do you think the acquisition is a good financial decision?

Apple TV swings hard but misses

Posted by & filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:  The previous version of Apple TV was dubbed “take two.” Will the new model be known as “strike three”?

Source: CNNMoney.com
 
Date: 09/02/2010

Link: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/09/02/apple-tv-swings-hard-but-misses/

Questions for discussion:

  • Do you think the Apple TV will prove to be another flop?
  • Ideally, what do you think TV viewers want from Apple?
  • How can changing consumer viewing habits be reflected in this sort of technology?

A Greener Champagne Bottle

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

Description:  Deep below a lush landscape of ripening Champagne grapes, Thierry Gasco, the master vintner for Pommery, ran his finger over the shoulders of a dark green bottle that looked just like the thousands of others reposing in his chilly subterranean cellars. But to the practiced hand and eye, there is a subtle, if potentially significant, difference.

Source: NYTimes.com
 
Date: 08/31/2010

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/business/energy-environment/01champagne.html?ref=global

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the reasons given for the development of greener bottles.
  • Do you think the industry is motivated by a sense of greater social responsibility or increased profitability?
  • How do you think the consumer will react to this new product strategy?

Death of the American consumer

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

Description:  Fortune’s Andy Serwer says consumers can no longer be counted on to stimulate the economy.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
 
Date: 08/27/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/fortune/2010/08/27/f_sl_us_consumer_dead.fortune/

Questions for discussion: 

  • Summarize the reasons given for the slow economic recovery?
  • Why is the spending power of American consumers so important for both American and global economic recovery to take place?
  • What reason is given for being optimistic that the economy will improve?
  • Why would a “job” program help the recovery?
  • Which businesses do you think will be the first to hire more people back?
  • Which businesses are likely to be slow to hire people?
  • What more do you think can be done to help economic recovery?

digits: Pay TV Loses Subscribers

Posted by & filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:  The subscription television industry suffered a drop in total subscribers in the second quarter. Meanwhile, more online TV viewing options abound. Dow Jones Newswires’ Nat Worden joins Simon Constable and Spencer Ante on Digits to discuss.

Source:  Marketwatch.com – video report

Date: 08/24/2010

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/digits-pay-tv-loses-subscribers/3B9C3648-A3D8-4A53-937A-CDF2F564C568

Questions for discussion: 

  • Do you think the trend away from television subscription will grow?
  • How would you recommend the cable-television industry respond to this threat?
  • Why do you suppose consumers have shifted over to online services like Hulu and iTunes?
  • How would you market these services as more competitors enter the marketplace?