digits: RIM’s New BlackBerries to Rival iPhone

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:  Research In Motion is readying a slate of new devices and software as it looks to keep its BlackBerry smartphone from losing more ground to touch-screen devices like Apple’siPhone and iPad. Sarah Silver has details

Source: Marketwatch.com – video report
 
Date: 06/15/2010
 
Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/digits-rim-new-blackberries-to-rival-iphone/5F6246E6-807D-4322-81E8-51A551F1F935

Questions for discussion:

  • Do you think “everyone” will eventually own their own smartphone?
  • Do you think there will continue to be a distinction between brands such as RIM and Apple or will all competitors eventually offer models for the business and consumer markets?
  • As for the segment on virtual currency, can you think of any other ways that game developers can generate revenues?
  • Who is the target market for virtual currency?
  • How big a market do you think these people are in terms of supporting the free-access games?

Nestle to Sail Amazon Rivers to Reach Consumers

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

Description: Nestle SA will begin sailing a supermarket barge down two Amazon river tributaries tomorrow as it competes with Unilever to reach emerging-market customers cut off from branded goods.

Source:  Bloomberg.com

Date: 06/17/2010

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aBCeN4ZitvSg
 
Questions for discussion:

  • Do you think this distribution strategy works?
  • Is there anything unethical in bringing consumer goods to these customers in this way?
  • What other products or services could be successful in these emerging markets?

Potato Power – Yissum Introduces Potato Batteries for Use in the Developing World

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

Description:  Yissum Research Development Company Ltd., the technology transfer arm of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, introduces solid organic electric battery based upon treated potatoes. This simple, sustainable, robust device can potentially provide an immediate inexpensive solution to electricity needs in parts of the world lacking electrical infrastructure. The findings were published in the June issue of the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy and are featured in this week’s Research Highlights section of Nature

Source: BusinessWire.com
 
Date: 06/17/2010

Link: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100617005573&newsLang=en

Questions for discussion:

  • Since energy supply is critical for economic development, how would this technological development impact developing regions around the world?
  • From an ethical point of view, how should this technology be developed and distributed around the world?

Plus-Size Revelation: Big Women Have Cash, Too

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

Description: Corseted into a size 18 white denim dress, wearing heels that made her about 6-foot-2, Gwen DeVoe, a former model and fashion-show producer, stepped onto a runway in Manhattan this week and made a pitch to retailers for the plus-size woman.

Source: NYTimes.com
 
Date: 06/18/2010

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/19/business/19plus.html?ref=business

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the reasons for the growth of this segment of the fashion market?
  • Would you approach the marketing to this segment of customers differently from the way other segments are handled?
  • Do you believe brands are as significant to this market of customers as they are for other segments?
  • How would you handle the cost/price issue for these clothes?

A car for tree-huggers

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

Description: The new Smart fortwo EV doesn’t burn gas but an 85-mile range means frequent recharging.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 06/11/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/06/10/n_rw_smart_ev_review.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion:

  • Why do you think the car will only be available for leasing and not for sale?
  • Why do you think the majority of leases will be offered to corporate drivers rather than consumers?
  • Who do you think is the target market for this car in each segment?
  • Do you think the price is “right” given that the car does not involve the purchase of gasoline?
  • How much “value” should the company attach to this fact?
  • How important is the “social responsibility” factor in this situation for both the company as well as the customer?

Videogames Get Into Motion

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description: Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony are getting ready to show off an array of new motion accessories and 3-D technology next week at the E3 Expo in the hopes of re-energizing the slumping videogame industry. Nick Wingfield and Dan Gallagher have a preview.

Source: Marketwatch.com – video report

Date: 06/11/2010

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/digits-videogames-get-into-motion/6C20E22C-79DD-4642-A9CE-79EDFE0EB79E

Questions for discussion:

  • Who is the current target market for game consoles?
  • Do you think this new technology is aimed at this audience or some new one?
  • What sorts of games or applications can you envision being popular with this new technology?
  • How would you go about marketing these new games?

Wendy’s shares surge on mystery takeover offer

Posted by & filed under Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: Shares of Wendy’s/Arby’s Group rose 7% Friday on talk that the fast food chain could be taken over.

Source: CNNMoney.com

Date: 06/11/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/2010/06/11/news/companies/wendys_acquisition_stock/index.htm

Questions for discussion:

  • Do you think this merger is a good fit for these companies?
  • What are the reasons given in the article that explains the likelihood of more mergers in the fast food industry?
  • Why would share prices rise on speculative news reports of a merger?

Business ethics, with a chuckle

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

Description: The quick videos can be described as “The Office” meets YouTube meets your annual Business Ethics 101 seminar.

Source: MSNBC.com

Date: 06/11/2010

Link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37595722/ns/business-small_business/

Questions for discussion:

  • Do you think this approach is better than traditional training efforts?
  • Do you think this sort of training would appeal more to certain target markets rather than others?
  • How would you market these training services?

Study Says Math Deficiencies Increase Foreclosure Risk

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

Description: IF you can’t divide 300 by 2, should you qualify for a loan? That is one of the questions raised by a new study led by a Columbia University assistant business professor, Stephan Meier, who found that borrowers with poor math skills were three times more likely than others to go into foreclosure.

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: 06/09/2010

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/13/realestate/13mort.html?ref=business

Questions for discussion:

  • What does the study suggest about the ethics of lending money?
  • How should lenders and borrowers respond to this information?
  • Should the financial services industry use a “test” to establish the risk associated with the borrower?

The Future of PCs

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

Description: At the D8 Conference, Apple CEO Steve Jobs indicated we’re heading into a post-PC era. But Steve Ballmer, Microsoft’s CEO, sees more growth for PCs. Is the era of the PC really waning? WSJ’s Nick Wingfield joins Simon Constable on Digits, along with guest host Eric Savitz of Barron’s. And, mobile apps may be all the rage, but they could pose a serious threat to your private data, WSJ’s Spencer Ante reports.

Source: Marketwatch.com – video report

Date: 06/04/2010

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/digits-the-future-of-pcs/C7025751-EE1E-4296-8BA0-DBCCB565FECD

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the main arguments and predictions made in this discussion.
  • Which ones do you agree with and explain your thinking?