Facebook Advertising Profiles Are a Mystery to Most Users, Survey Says

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 scrutiny of Facebook’s collection and use of consumer data in recent years has prompted the tech giant to repeatedly defend its efforts around transparency and privacy. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Jan 16, 2019 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/16/business/media/facebook-advertising-transparency-users.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the highlights in this report. What do you think is motivating FB to publicize this… Read more »

How Starbucks went from one coffee bean store to an $80B business

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:  In its 47-year history, Starbucks has transformed from a single coffee bean store in Seattle to a 30,000 cafe international coffee power house. But massive expansion hasn’t come without growing pains. How Starbucks went from one coffee bean store to an $80B business from CNBC. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Jan 07, 2019… Read more »

More stock market carnage could force Trump to make a China trade deal, expert says

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

Description: The U.S. and China are unlikely to reach a full deal at the end of their 90-day ceasefire on tit-for-tat tariffs, but a sustained decline in markets will push President Donald Trump to close a deal, an expert told CNBC on Monday. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Jan 07, 2019 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/07/us-china-trade-talks-trump-will-be-push-to-make-a-trade-deal-with-china-should-markets-continue-to-tank.html Questions for discussion: How do tariffs affect American businesses?… Read more »

Amazon’s Biggest Bull Says It Should Disrupt Gas Stations

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

Description:  Amazon.com Inc. is a dominant player in industries as diverse as cloud computing, streaming media, and of course e-commerce, but the next business it should set its sights on is decidedly more old fashioned: gas stations. Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Jan 02, 2019 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-02/amazon-should-disrupt-gas-stations-says-street-s-biggest-bull Questions for discussion: What are the pros… Read more »

Why this year suddenly fell apart on Wall Street, and what’s ahead

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

Description: Everything was going right for the stock market until Oct. 3. Then everything went wrong. Source: CNBC.com Date: Dec 31, 2018 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/31/why-this-year-suddenly-fell-apart-on-wall-street-and-whats-ahead.html Questions for discussion: What went wrong, according to the report? What has happened since the start of 2019?

Buy McDonald’s because solid fundamentals will continue to drive gains: Portfolio Manager

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

Description:  Consumer staples may have started the year on a rocky footing, but the recent downturn in stocks — especially high-flying tech names — has seen investors rotate into more defensive trades. Staples is one of only three sectors in the green for the quarter, and the 2% gain is handily above the S&P’s 7.3%… Read more »

Apple needs a winner besides the iPhone, and it’s got three possibilities in the pipeline, HSBC says

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 5 Managing Technology and Information, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  Apple needs a new product, as iPhone sales slow and drag the company’s stock lower, and it has three possible winners in the pipeline already, according to HSBC analysts. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Dec 04, 2018 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/04/apples-new-winner-besides-the-iphone-could-be-ar-car-or-health-hsbc.html Questions for discussion: What are the new products in the pipeline? How can revenue be generated… Read more »

China Chopstick Debacle Puts Dolce & Gabbana’s Future at Stake

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 5 Managing Technology and Information, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: Dolce & Gabbana’s Chinese marketing scandal is fashion’s biggest faux pas since former Christian Dior designer John Galliano’s anti-Semitic rant in 2011, and it’s potentially far more costly. Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Nov 23, 2018 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-23/china-chopstick-debacle-puts-dolce-gabbana-s-future-at-stake Questions for discussion: Summarize the issues facing management. What are the lessons to be learned by managers of international… Read more »

PG&E has lost half its value this week as shareholders fear utility’s role in California wildfires

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

Description: PG&E’s stock has lost more than half its value this week as shareholders flee the utility amid concerns that its equipment may be partly responsible for the most destructive wildfire in California’s history. Source: CNBC.com Date: Nov 13, 2018 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/15/pge-has-lost-half-its-value-as-shareholders-fear-its-role-in-ca-fire.html Questions for discussion: Why has the company stock value fallen? What does this scenario… Read more »

The true cost of an iPhone over your lifetime: $300,000

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 5 Managing Technology and Information, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  That’s how much you would make if you invested the money you spent on your smartphone from the age of 18 to 78 Source: MarketWatch.com Date: Nov 02, 2018 Link: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-true-cost-of-an-iphone-over-your-lifetime-300000-2018-11-01 Questions for discussion: Do you think consumers understand the “cost” of owning an iPhone in these terms? What is the value received from… Read more »