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

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

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 »

Motorola shares jump on hopes for Google phone

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management, Part 5 Managing Technology and Information.

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 »

Reader’s Digest to File Chapter 11 to Reduce Debt (Update2)

Posted by & filed under Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives.

Reader’s Digest Association Inc., the publisher of the pocket-sized magazine, will likely file a Chapter 11 bankruptcy under an agreement with a majority of its secured lenders to reduce debt by 75 percent. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 8/17/2009 Keys: Marketing, management, finance, bankruptcy Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=asX0oQc5YBZc Questions for discussion: Do you think there is a market for… Read more »

GM: Battery innovation is key

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management.

GM’s CEO says leading-edge autos like the Chevy Volt are the right investment of U.S. taxpayer money. Source: CNNMoney – video report   Date: 8/13/2009 Keys: Marketing, international business, economy, government, finance,  strategic alliances Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2009/08/13/n_co_gm_henderson_volt.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Do you believe the future of the automobile is “electric”? Explain your answer. Would you invest… Read more »

U.S. Stocks Fall on Concern Rally Outpaced Recovery Prospects

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

U.S. stocks slid, capping the first weekly drop for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index in more than a month, as lower-than-estimated consumer confidence added to concern a five-month rally outpaced prospects for the economy. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 8/14/2009 Keys: Stock market, economy, finance, investing, business cycle Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aAXWJXOKPGC4 Questions for discussion: Do you agree… Read more »

China’s $300 billion bullet train

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

Multinationals like IBM and Bombardier stand to profit from China’s new high-speed rail system.  Source: CNNMoney – video report   Date: 8/05/2009 Keys: International business, economy, government, management, finance, banking, strategic alliances Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/fortune/2009/08/05/f_fr_china_bullet_train.fortune/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the current and longer term benefits to the Chinese economy associated with the building of the bullet… Read more »

S&P 500 Tops 1,000 in Fourth Weekly Gain on Better Labor Market

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

U.S. stocks rose for a fourth week, pushing the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index above 1,000 for the first time since November, as better-than-estimated employment, manufacturing and home sales data boosted confidence that the worst slump since the Great Depression is ending. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 8/08/2009 Keys: Stock market, economy, finance, investing, business cycle Link:… Read more »

Dissecting the ‘Microhoo’ deal

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management.

Microsoft’s gains in its deal with Yahoo are clear, but not so for Yahoo, according to senior writer Jon Fortt. Source: CNNMoney – video report   Date: 7/29/2009 Keys: Marketing, management, finance, strategic alliances, product development Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/fortune/2009/07/29/f_microsoft_yahoo_deal_analysis.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the reasons this strategic alliance makes sense for Microsoft and for Yahoo!. What… Read more »

U.S. Economy: Recession Eases, Consumer-Spending Slump Deepens

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

The worst U.S. economic slump since the Great Depression abated in the second quarter as government spending programs started to kick in, while the sharpest pullback by consumers since 1980 augured a muted recovery. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 8/01/2009 Keys: Economy, finance, investing, business cycle Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aRV7ZR6CGNQY Questions for discussion: Do you believe the economy will… Read more »

Get ready for banking’s next headache

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

A weak economy and frozen financing markets could spell trouble for regional banks with big commercial loan portfolios. Source: CNNMoney.com Date: 7/24/2009 Keys: Finance, economy, investing Link:  http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/24/news/economy/banks.commercial.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2009072416 Questions for discussion: Banks reflect the local economic conditions that exist by way of the current state of their loans to businesses and consumers.  Summarize the reasons… Read more »