China’s Round-The-Clock Auto Factories Still Cannot Meet Demand

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

Description: Nissan Motor Co.’s factory in central China is making cars almost 24 hours a day, yet Pan Xiaowei still waited three months for her new Tiida compact to arrive at the dealership.

Source: Bloomberg.com

Date: 01/15/2010

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=av3dPlponcBw

Questions for discussion:

  • Explain the reasons for growth in the Chinese auto market.
  • What does this growth suggest about the overall economic development in China?
  • How can American and other international companies capitalize on the opportunities in China?

Verizon, AT&T cut fees, expand price war

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description: The two largest U.S. wireless carriers, Verizon and AT&T, cut their rates on Friday, escalating a price war that began with smaller carriers.

Source: Reuters.com

Date: 01/15/2010

Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1514325020100115

Questions for discussion: 

  • Do you think these price cuts will bring in more total revenue for these firms? Explain your thinking.
  • What do you think is motivating these firms to offer a flat-fee for wireless services?
  • Is it a good choice, or should they be offering stepped prices for low to high volume users? Explain your thinking.

Google Google everywhere

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

Description:   From cell phones to microwaves, the search giant’s Android OS was all over devices at CES.

Source: CNNMoney – video report
 
Date: 01/08/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/01/08/n_cmr_google_android_ces.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion: 

  • Do you think Google’s Android strategy will be successful?Explain your thinking.
  • Google started as a search engine. What sort of business do you think Google will be in ten years from today?

3D jolts Hollywood

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

Description:   DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg says 3D films may account for a fifth of box office revenue in 2010.

Source: CNNMoney – video report
 
Date: 01/08/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2010/01/08/tm_katzenberg_dreamworks_ces.fortune/

Questions for discussion: 

  • Do you think 3D will continue to grow in popularity? Explain your thinking.
  • Do you think the home entertainment market will be greater than the movie theatre market?

Job growth returns — then fades

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

Description:  Employers once again slashed a substantial number of jobs off their payrolls in December, according to a disappointing report from the government Friday. But there was a small glimmer of hope as well.

Source: CNNMoney.com

Date: 01/08/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/08/news/economy/jobs_december/index.htm

Questions for discussion:

  • Why is the loss of so many jobs so significant?
  • What does this say about the businesses letting these workers go?
  • How does net job creation or loss affect how well the economy will perform? Explain your answer.

Yahoo CEO Gives Herself B-Minus Grade in First Year

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

Description: Carol Bartz gives herself a B-minus in her first year as chief executive officer of Yahoo! Inc., saying she could have moved faster to reorganize the company and strike a Web-search agreement with Microsoft Corp.

Source: Bloomberg.com

Date: 01/08/2010

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=a.Nuu2H6FSPY

Questions for discussion:

  • How would you grade Carol Bartz and Yahoo!? Explain your thinking.
  • Are you optimistic about the future for Yahoo!? Explain your thinking.

CBS chief: failed Leno/NBC experiment boosted CBS

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

Description: CBS entertainment chief Nina Tassler said on Saturday that the No. 1 U.S. television network had reaped advertising benefits from rival NBC’s decision to move comedian Jay Leno to prime time in place of scripted drama.

Source: Reuters.com

Date: 01/09/2010

Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN095858520100109?type=marketsNews

Questions for discussion: 

  • Why do you think the 10PM time slop failed to work for the Leno Show?
  • Do you think Leno is done or could he be successful again in another time slot? Explain your thinking.
  • What would you advise NBC to do? Explain your thinking.

Look for travel deals in 2010

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

Description:   Analysts expect consumer business to increase, but slow business travel will help keep prices low.

Source: CNNMoney – video report
 
Date: 12/31/2009

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2009/12/31/n_cmr_travel_outlook_2010.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion: 

  • Summarize the projected business environment for the travel industry in 2010.
  • Do you agree with these predications and the basis for them? Explain your thinking.

3 reasons home prices are heading lower

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

Description:  After four months of gains, home prices flattened in October. Worse yet, industry insiders think that they’ll soon start to fall.

Source: CNNMoney.com

Date: 01/01/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/31/real_estate/home_price_drop/index.htm

Questions for discussion: 

  • Summarize the reasons given for house prices heading lower.
  • How do you think homebuyers will respond to this news? Explain your answer.
  • How do you think homebuilders will respond? Explain your answer.
  • How might falling or flat house prices affect consumers in general? Explain your answer.

Avatar’ Is Top Film, Nears $1 Billion Sales Mark

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description: “Avatar,” the futuristic 3-D adventure, was the top film in the U.S. and Canada for the third straight weekend with $68.3 million in sales, and will cross the $1 billion mark in domestic and international receipts today.

Source: Bloomberg.com

Date: 01/03/2010

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aiMQc2VTfFE0

Questions for discussion:

  • Why do you think some films become such huge successes at the box-office? Explain your answer.
  • Do you think the current state of the economy or some other factor is a major influence on the box-office success of films? Explain your thinking.