Description: Even with Barnes & Noble Inc. selling for 60 cents on the dollar, the cheapest retailer in America still isn’t cheap enough to entice private-equity buyers looking for cash. Source: Businessweek.com Date: 03/25/2011 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-03-25/no-buyers-for-barnes-noble-at-60-cents-on-dollar-real-m-a.html Questions for discussion: What does this report have to say about the financial viability of this business model? What… Read more »
Posts Tagged: Competing in World Markets (p104)
Japan quake threatens global supply
Description:  Some say the quake’s hit to Japan’s manufacturing sector will have a profound impact on the global supply chain, CNN’s Kyung Lah reports. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 03/18/2011 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/03/18/n_japan_supplychain.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: What does this report have to say about the global nature of business? How might businesses be expected to… Read more »
Apple, Google May Profit on a Tax Holiday
Description: Those companies and others say they’ll bring home billions in earningsâ€â€but only if they get a big tax break Source: Businessweek.com Date: 03/17/2011 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_13/b4221064108107.htm Questions for discussion: Summarize the basic arguments surrounding this topic. What are the factors favoring allowing tax-free repatriation and those against?
How the Colonel Convinced the Chinese to Eat More Chicken  Lots of It
Description: KFC’s success in opening and operating fast food restaurants in China is such that one analyst declared it to be “the most successful foreign company in China.†Now, here’s one of the broader effects of that achievement  a huge surge in chicken consumption among the Chinese. Source: BNET.com Date: 03/18/2011 Link: http://www.bnet.com/blog/food-industry/how-the-colonel-convinced-the-chinese-to-eat-more-chicken-8212-lots-of-it/2733?tag=fd-featureRoto;fd-featureRoto5 Questions… Read more »
Japan quake shakes up oil prices
Description:  The earthquake in Japan may not cause prices to plunge more Friday but the long-term impact on oil could be drastic Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 03/11/2011 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2011/03/11/mkts_japan_quake_oil2.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: How does this incredible disaster in Japan connect to the international demand and price for oil? What are some of the… Read more »
Give Up Familiar Light Bulb? Not Without Fight, Some Say
Description: American protests against the encroachment of government have been spurred by many causes  tea, of course, and guns, frequently. The latest catalyst: light bulbs. Source: NYTimes.com Date: 03/11/2011 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/12/business/energy-environment/12bulb.html?ref=business Questions for discussion: What do you think the issue really is in this report? Do you think government should engineer consumer behavior? Are… Read more »
The U.S.’s tortoise vs. hare problem
Description: Gapminder.org’s Hans Gosling shows Fareed Zakaria how countries like China and Indonesia will pass the U.S. in key economic metrics. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 03/04/2011 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/03/04/n_gps_rosling2.cnnmoney/  Questions for discussion: Summarize the analysis presented in this report. Do you agree that there is room enough in the upper sector of the… Read more »
Ben Silverman, Advertainer
Description: The TV dealmaker is selling a new entertainment vision in which advertising and content are inextricably mixed. Is anyone buying it? Source: Businessweek.com  Date: 03/03/2011 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_11/b4219060707213.htm Questions for discussion: Summarize the new business model envisioned by Ben Silverman. Do you think this model can succeed? Do you think this approach will eventually… Read more »
Not your granddad’s Airstream
Description: TVs, showers, bedrooms are just a few of the new features added to the classic RV icon. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 02/24/2011 Link:   http://money.cnn.com/video/luxury/2011/02/24/lux_airstream_review.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Who was Airstream’s typical target customer in the 1950s and 60s? What has changed the customer buying behavior? Who is the typical customer today? Do… Read more »
Pro Sports vs. the Web Pirates
Description: Leagues from the NFL and NBA to Ultimate Fighting are finding it nearly impossible to block pirate video sites from streaming live events. Source: Businessweek.com  Date: 02/24/2011 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_10/b4218066626285.htm Questions for discussion: Summarize the problems described in this report? How has the industry responded? Besides the legal and technological solutions, what are some… Read more »
