Posts Tagged: Economic Challenges Facing Contemporary Business (p70)

Netflix ‘momentum story’ stalls, analysts say

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

Description: Subscriber forecast is cut; ‘value proposition is getting worse’ Source: Marketwatch.com Date: 09/15/2011 Link:   http://www.marketwatch.com/story/netflix-momentum-story-stalls-analysts-say-2011-09-15?siteid=nwtwk Questions for discussion: Why has the firm’s stock value fallen so dramatically? Summarize the firm’s financial situation. Do you think the firm represents a good investment prospect today?

King of Rinds Has 2 Contenders as Hispanic Surge Fattens Sales

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

Description: To make Baken-ets pork rinds for No. 1 client Frito-Lay, the $13 billion-a-year snack arm of PepsiCo Inc., Rudolph Foods Inc. uses what it calls a secret two-step process at its flagship plant in Lima, Ohio — “the pork rind capital of the world,” Rudolph claims. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 09/15/2011 Link:   http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-15/king-of-rinds-has-2-contenders-as-hispanic-surge-fattens-sales.html Questions for… Read more »

What Role for Government in American Business?

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

Description: Washington’s intrusion in business is polarizing—but most Americans agree that the economy can’t recover without innovative jobs policy Source: Businessweek.com Date: 09/15/2011 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/small-business/how-can-washington-help-american-business-09152011.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the main points made in this article. Do you agree with the recommendations for change? What advice would you give?

$2K deal? That’s what you think

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

Description:  Author Bill Poundstone sheds light on the psychology of pricing in the retail world. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 09/07/2011 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/pf/2011/09/01/pf_hd_retail_anchors.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Are there any ethical issues in this report? Do you believe this strategy works? Give one example where, as a customer, you have noticed this strategy at work…. Read more »

Amazon Tries On New Web Design

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

Description:  Amazon has updated the classic design of its Website with something cleaner, lighter and more tablet-friendly, WSJ’s Stu Woo reports on digits. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report Date: 09/06/2011 Link:  http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/amazon-tries-on-new-web-design/54CA69F5-BCCA-4D99-915C-91A1438EB76F Questions for discussion: Do you think the new design is superior to the older version? Should Amazon get out of the marketing of… Read more »

The Dangers of Linking Pay to Customer Feedback

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

Description: What seems like a winning formula can backfire, says Harvard blogger Rob Markey Source: Businessweek.com Date: 09/08/2011 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/management/the-dangers-of-linking-pay-to-customer-feedback-09092011.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the arguments put forward in this article. Do you agree with the conclusions?

Carol Bartz exclusive: Yahoo “f—ed me over”

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

Description: Here is what Carol Bartz thinks of the Yahoo (YHOO) board that fired her: “These people f—ed me over,” she says, in her first interview since her dismissal from the CEO role late Tuesday. Source: Fortune.com Date: 09/08/2011 Link:   http://postcards.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2011/09/08/carol-bartz-fired-yahoo/?iid=SF_F_Lead Questions for discussion: How would you characterize the way Carol Bartz was treated? Do… Read more »

Alger CEO: Why we stayed in Manhattan after 9/11

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

Description: The CEO of a New York investment firm explains his decision to lease new space for its headquarters in Manhattan after dozens of employees were killed and its business almost wiped out on September 11, 2001. Source: Fortune.com Date: 09/09/2011 Link:   http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2011/09/09/alger-dan-chung-september-1/?iid=SF_F_River Questions for discussion: What does this report have to say about the… Read more »

Is your Gibson guitar contraband?

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:  Federal agents raid Gibson Guitar factories looking for rare, protected wood, such as ebony and rosewood from India, costing the guitar manufacturer $1 million in losses. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 09/02/2011 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/09/02/n_gibson_raid.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: What are the ethical issues in this case? Is Gibson management behaving in a socially responsible… Read more »

H-P: We’re Bringing TouchPad Back

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  The H-P TouchPad is dead; long live the TouchPad. Due to unexpected, almost cult-like demand for cheap TouchPads after H-P decided to kill its iPad rival, the company has decided to revive the tablet for a limited time. Ian Sherr and Ina Fried discuss on digits. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report Date: 08/31/2011 Link: … Read more »