A Look Inside a Hedge Fund’s Black-Box Trading

Posted by & filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  A hedge fund started by four young math wizards is using a branch of artificial intelligence, called “computer learning,” to make investment decisions. Rebellion Research’s four, 20-something-year-old partners explain how their computer program “thinks” up their strategy.

Source:  Marketwatch.com – video report

Date: 07/13/2010

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/a-look-inside-a-hedge-fund-black-box-trading/BFAFFD06-F76B-4AF3-B2D1-577D3300F2AD

Questions for discussion: 

  • What do you think of the concept of a “learning-based artificial intelligence software program” that determines investing decisions?
  • How different is this business model than others presented to investors?
  • Would you be inclined to invest funds with this firm because of their approach?
  • Why do you think some investors would be inclined not to invest with them because of their model?

Droid X adds to the challenge of choosing a smart phone

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description: Deciding to buy a smart phone is the easy part. With dozens of models on the market — add one more after Motorola’s Droid X went on sale Thursday — picking your perfect phone requires hours of research on countless details.

Source:  Marketwatch.com

Date: 07/16/2010

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/droid-x-adds-to-challenge-of-choosing-a-smartphone-2010-07-16?siteid=nwtwk
 
Questions for discussion:

  • What are the main selling features for each phone?
  • Do you think the marketplace is crowded with too many choices for buyers or that there is room for more competitors?
  • Why are the sales of these products tied to 2 and 3 years service plans?
  • Could they be successfully sold without phone service carriers affiliation?
  • Are there other affiliates that could co-market these devices?

Was Steinbrenner Just Lucky?

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:  Before he bought the New York Yankees, George Steinbrenner tried to buy the Cleveland Indians.

Source: NYTimes.com
 
Date: 07/16/2010

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/17/business/17nocera.html?ref=business

Questions for discussion: 

  • How would you explain the increase in value of the NY Yankees from the time George  Steinbrenner bought the team in 1971?
  • How important is the team brand to marketing success in baseball?
  • Why would someone buy a money-losing baseball team?

Making the Dream of a Flying Car a Reality

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:  MIT graduate Carl Dietrich co-founded Terrafugia, which is now taking preorders for the science fiction fan’s ultimate dream: a $194,000 flying car.

Source: Businessweek.com
 
Date: 07/15/2010

Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_30/b4188043262844.htm

Questions for discussion:

  • Who is the customer for this product?
  • Do you think the high selling price would pose a problem for the firm trying to sell the product?
  • How would you promote this product?
  • What message would you send out in advertising and promotion that could persuade buyers?

Busted iPhone? Call the ‘doctor’

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

Description:  A New Yorker runs a lucrative business fixing broken iPhones for about half of what Apple charges.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 07/08/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/07/07/n_broken_iphone_fixer.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion:

  • Why do you think these iPhone customers risk using the services of the ‘doctor’ rather than traditional Apple repair services?
  • What does this story tell you about the way to entrepreneurial success?
  • How successful would this enterprise be if the cost of repair or replacement was lower?

Buy an electric car, rent the battery

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:  Better Place CEO Shai Agassi’s bet on electric cars involves swappable batteries but questions remain whether he can pull it off.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report
 
Date: 07/08/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2010/07/08/f_bg_better_place_agassi.fortune/

Questions for discussion: 

  • Do you think this pricing model will work?
  • Who do you think would be the target customer most interested in this sort of arrangement? Why?
  • Why might some customers not be interested in this sort of pricing?
  • Are there some places in the world where this sort of model would be more attractive to customers?

The real test for stocks

Posted by & filed under Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: The stock market’s best week in a year has restored some confidence to battered investors, but the real test begins Monday when companies start reporting second quarter profits and losses.

Source:  CNNMoney.com

Date: 07/10/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/10/markets/sunday_lookahead/index.htm
 
Questions for discussion:

  • Why are profits so important at this point in time to investors?
  • Examine the course of profits and share value of some of the stocks mentioned in this report over the past three years (you can use Google Finance).
  • In general, how are profit and share value related?
  • Do you think this is a good time to buy stocks?

Online, We Pay With Our Time Spent Searching

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

Description:  THE Internet is a Soviet bread line. Remember those lines? Back when commissars commanded the Soviet Union’s economy like Knute commanding the tides, people would wait for hours in long queues for free bread. Although the bread was free, people paid for it with their time.

Source: NYTimes.com
 
Date: 07/09/2010

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/11/business/11every.html?ref=business

Questions for discussion: 

  • Do you agree with the argument presented in this article?
  • Is the time spent searching online different in value than the time spent searching for say, clothing at the mall?
  • Will web sites that find what we want and deliver it faster to us be able to charge money?
  • How can this ‘value’ be charged to customers?

Why Andy Grove Is Wrong About Job Growth

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

Description:  Reigniting job creation in the U.S. won’t happen by becoming more like China and India.

Source: Businessweek.com
 
Date: 07/09/2010

Link: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jul2010/tc2010079_953836.htm

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the main arguments presented in this article.
  • Do you agree with the points made about entrepreneurialism and economic growth?
  • What, if anything, should governments do to encourage entrepreneurial growth?

A Wide-Open Market for Tesla

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

Description:  Fresh off its successful IPO, electric car maker Tesla is finding a receptive market in Europe for its green technology. MarketWatch’s Shawn Langlois gets behind the wheel of the Tesla Roadster to see if it lives up to the hype.

Source: Marketwatch.com – video report

Date: 07/02/2010

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/europe-a-wide-open-market-for-tesla/7A810918-DDB8-426E-944A-B961E5ECE057

Questions for discussion:

  • Who is the target market for this vehicle?
  • Do you think incentives from governments are needed to help sell this car to its target customer?
  • Why do you think the company has introduced such an expensive model?
  • What is the main feature that motivates buyers of this car?