Ford to build new plant in China

Posted by & filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information.

Description:  In a global push, the carmaker will open its third plant in China and introduce four new vehicles before 2012. Source: CNNMoney – video report   Date: 9/25/2009 Keys: International business, management, marketing, strategic planning Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2009/09/25/mkts_asia_ford_china_u3x.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion:  Why do you think Ford is building new plants in China? Explain your thinking…. Read more »

Silicon Valley reinvents the lowly brick

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Description: Forget microchips. Silicon Valley sees a profitable future in the humble brick thanks to a low-energy production process that illustrates the greening of the U.S. technology capital. Source: Reuters.com Date: 9/22/2009 Keys: Marketing, new product development, technology Link:  http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE58K47220090922 Questions for discussion: What are the risks to builders using these new bricks? What risk… Read more »

Marchionne Managing Chrysler Means 5 Mobile Devices in Backpack

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

Description: To save Chrysler Group LLC, Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne has to create a mid-size sedan that can compete with the world’s best. It’s a three- to five-year job, and he may have two years to do it. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 9/14/2009 Keys: Management, investing, marketing Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=awHymjXNOYdI Questions for discussion: Summarize the strategies… Read more »

Renault’s Ghosn Says Future of Electric Autos Hinges on $70 Oil

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Description: Renault SA Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn said the future of electric cars depends on a rebound in oil prices that may boost sales of the battery-powered vehicles he’s spending 4 billion euros ($5.9 billion) to develop. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 9/16/2009 Keys: Marketing, finance, technology Link:  http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aR2eQwSe7_S8 Questions for discussion: Do you think Renault’s… Read more »

Steve Jobs is back

Posted by & filed under Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information.

Description:  Apple’s CEO makes his first public appearance in a year to unveil iPod upgrades. Source: CNNMoney – video report   Date: 9/09/2009 Keys: Management, marketing Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2009/09/09/f_tt_apple_steve_jobs.fortune/ Questions for discussion: Why is the return of Steve Jobs so important to Apple and the industry in general? Do you think Apple’s new product features will… Read more »

Big week ahead on Wall Street

Posted by & filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information.

Description: One year after Lehman Brothers, the stock market is right back where it was. Beyond the anniversary, reports on the consumer loom. Source: CNN News Date: 9/12/2009 Keys: Marketing, pricing, new product development, technologies Link: http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/12/markets/sunday_lookahead/index.htm?postversion=2009091206 Questions for discussion:  Explain why the stock market fell and returned to the current valuation during the past… Read more »

Skype founders’ Joost ousts chairman Mike Volpi

Posted by & filed under Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business, Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives, Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information.

Description: Web TV firm Joost, owned by the founders of Skype, removed its high-profile chairman Mike Volpi by shareholder vote, it said in a statement late on Friday. Source: Reuters News Date: 9/12/2009 Keys: Management, investing, marketing Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/ousivMolt/idUSTRE58B0UZ20090912 Questions for discussion: Why do you think the same people keep emerging as top managers? Explain… Read more »

Motorola shares jump on hopes for Google phone

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Description: Motorola Inc shares rose 6.5 percent on Friday on hopes the company could turn around its loss-making handset business with the new cellphone it developed with Google Inc. Source: Reuters.com Date: 9/11/2009 Keys: Marketing, finance, technology Link:  http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE5884AQ20090911 Questions for discussion: Do you think Cliq will find a share of the smart phone market?… Read more »

Reviving historical sites

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

Description:  Global Heritage Fund restores ancient architectural monuments and brings tourism to the poorest countries of the world. Source: CNNMoney – video report   Date: 9/03/2009   Keys: International business, marketing,  small business Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2009/09/03/n_cc_global_heritage_fund.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: What do you think of this concept? Will it be successful? Explain your thinking? How would you… Read more »

YouTube may stream movie rentals

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Description:  Online video site YouTube is in talks with several major movie studios about renting movies to users by streaming the movies over the Internet according to a person familiar with the talks on Wednesday. Source: Reuters News Date: 9/03/2009 Keys: Marketing, pricing, new product development, technologies Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/ousivMolt/idUSTRE5816W120090903 Questions for discussion: Do you think… Read more »