Diamond prices, latest frontier in industry battle

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Description: Inside the cloistered world of the diamond business Source: Marketwatch.com Date: 09/30/2011 Link:   http://www.marketwatch.com/story/diamond-prices-latest-frontier-in-industry-battle-2011-09-30 Questions for discussion: Why is it difficult to establish a standardized pricing method for diamonds? How are diamond prices established before reaching the retail market? Which system do you believe is a better reporting service?

Cable’s ESPN Dilemma: Wildly Popular—but Costly

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Description: As the Disney-owned network pays more for sports content, cable bills may rise Source: Businessweek.com Date: 09/29/2011 Link:   http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/cables-espn-dilemma-wildly-popularbut-costly-09292011.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the problems described in the article. What are the possible solutions?

Diamond-Crusted Vertu Phone Defies Slump

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Description:  When Mohammed Al-Haj, a 27-year-old marketing executive in Abu Dhabi, hinted to his girlfriend that he wanted a new cell phone for his birthday, he wasn’t after the latest Apple Inc. (AAPL) or Android device. He wanted a Nokia. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 09/29/2011 Link:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-28/nokia-s-6-800-diamond-crusted-vertu-phone-defies-slump-to-win-sales-tech.html Questions for discussion: Explain the customer’s behavior in this… Read more »

HP’s decade of mistakes

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Description:  The firing of CEO Leo Apotheker is just the latest in a 10 year series of strategic and ethical stumbles for the tech giant. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 09/22/2011 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2011/09/22/t_hp_apotheker_mistakes.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the failings of HP’s management? Which do you think was the most damaging to the overall management… Read more »

Did H-P Board Blow it by Selecting Whitman?

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Description:  WSJ Heard on the Street columnist Rolfe Winkler discusses how Meg Whitman might impact Hewlett-Packard as a corporation now that the board of directors has selected her as the company’s CEO. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report Date: 09/22/2011 Link:   http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/did-h-p-board-blow-it-by-selecting-whitman/D28479BC-4537-4B91-A697-73B13622DC13 Questions for discussion: Do you think the board of directors at HP has made… Read more »

The Russian Twins Behind Hit iPhone App Cut the Rope

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Description: Efim and Semyon Voinov are hiring more engineers and expanding their brand into comics and stuffed animals Source: Businessweek.com Date: 09/22/2011 Link:   http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/the-russian-twins-behind-hit-iphone-app-cut-the-rope-09222011.html Questions for discussion: How are these brothers similar to other entrepreneurs? Are there differences in comparison to other entrepreneurs? Do you think their story is any different than others developers? Describe… Read more »

Blue Bottle: The best coffee you may ever drink

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Description:  You’ll have to wait a little longer for a cup of James Freeman’s caffeine from Olympus, but it’s so worth it. Source: Fortune.com Date: 09/23/2011 Link:  http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2011/09/23/blue-bottle-coffee-james-freeman/?iid=SF_F_River Questions for discussion: Summarize the business described in this report. How is the business different from others in the same trade? Who are the target customers for… Read more »

Stitching a business from scratch

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Description:  Fashion designer Eileen Fisher didn’t even know how to sew when she started her clothing company but had the determination to succeed. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 09/16/2011 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/smallbusiness/2011/09/16/hwgs_eileen_fisher.fortune/ Questions for discussion:  How would you describe the entrepreneurial character of Eileen Fisher? Do you think her success is due more to her… Read more »

Highest Paid Entertainer in Hollywood

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Description:  Christopher Farley tells us who the highest paid entertainment in Hollywood is. Plus, Ayn Rand gets her own app. Chris Farley has details on Lunch Break’s Speakeasy Roundup. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report Date: 09/13/2011 Link:   http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/highest-paid-entertainer-in-hollywood/E8944865-993C-41F1-862A-1BE40B170E81 Questions for discussion: Explain the success of the entrepreneurs mentioned in this report? Are you surprised that… Read more »