Description:  Watch how potato chips are made in an environmentally friendly way at a factory run by PepsiCo, no. 43 on the Fortune 500. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 05/05/2011 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/05/04/f_500_frito_lay.fortune/ Questions for discussion: What kind of production process is used at Frito-Lay? How does the process exercise efficiencies? How much do you… Read more »
Posts Tagged: The Changing Face of Business (p2)
Sony Apologizes, Offers $1 Million Insurance After Hacking
Description:  Sony Corp. (6758) Chairman Howard Stringer apologized and offered U.S. users of its PlayStation Network and Qriocity online services a year of free identity-theft protection after the system was crippled by hackers. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 05/06/2011 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-06/sony-offers-network-users-free-identity-theft-service-after-hacker-attack.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the events that have led to this situation. Do you think Sony’s… Read more »
iPhone tracking ‘no big deal’
Description: iPhone users outside the Apple store during the launch of the white iPhone 4 say the iPhone’s location tracking does not scare or bother them. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 04/28/2011 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2011/04/28/t-tt-iphone-privacy-mos.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Do you think this event is a serious public relations problem for Apple? Judging from these interviews,… Read more »
Can RIM win back investors after missteps?
Description: Research In Motion Ltd. lost much of its remaining support on Wall Street Friday after the company took down its estimates for the May quarter, leaving some to wonder whether the wireless-device maker can win back support from investors who have been burned by the stock this year. Source: Marketwatch.com Date: 04/29/2011 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/can-rim-win-back-investors-after-missteps-2011-04-29… Read more »
Parties Seeking to Blame Each Other’s Policies for Gas Prices
Description: Congress returns next week to a flaring brawl over oil industry profits and tax breaks, with both parties hoping to capitalize on growing public ire at high gasoline prices. Source: NYTimes.com Date: 04/29/2011 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/30/business/30gas.html?ref=business Questions for discussion: Summarize the reasons for concern over rising gasoline prices? How do rising fuel costs affect businesses… Read more »
Why Amazon’s cloud Titanic went down
Description: Amazon Web Services is the Titanic of cloud hosting, designed with backups to the backups’ backups that prevent hosted websites and applications from failing. Source: CNNMoney.com Date: 04/22/2011 Link: http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/22/technology/amazon_ec2_cloud_outage/index.htm Questions for discussion: Explain the design of cloud computing? Why would this appeal to both users and service providers? What do you think the… Read more »
At Swatch, an Enviable Problem: An Excess of Eager Customers for Its Products
Description: BASEL, Switzerland  Nick Hayek, the chief executive of the Swatch Group, is facing a problem many of his corporate counterparts might envy: he’s doing too much business. Source: NYTimes.com Date: 04/22/2011 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/23/business/global/23swatch.html?ref=business Questions for discussion: Summarize the reasons for the firm’s success? How should it deal with the current imbalance in production?… Read more »
Amazon introduces cheaper Wi-Fi Kindle with ads
Description: Amazon.com is slashing $25 off the price of a new Wi-Fi-only Kindle electronic reader. The catch: to get a Kindle for a new low price of a $114, you must purchase a version with sponsored screensaver ads and special offers. In all other respects, the new Kindle is identical to the Kindle now selling… Read more »
Why Toyota partnered with Microsoft
Description: Toyota President Akio Toyoda says that the Microsoft partnership will help the consumer have a ‘dialogue’ with her car. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 04/07/2011 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/04/07/n_toyota_microsoft_toyoda.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: How does this partnership between these two industries make sense? Can you see other inter-industry partnerships taking place? What are the social and… Read more »
Johnson & Johnson Settles Bribery Complaint for $70 Million in Fines
Description: A wide-ranging government investigation of corrupt overseas marketing practices by drug and device makers scored its first major victory Friday when Johnson & Johnson admitted bribing European doctors and agreed to pay $70 million in civil and criminal fines. Source: NYTimes.com Date: 04/08/2011 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/09/business/09drug.html?ref=business Questions for discussion: Summarize the facts of this case?… Read more »
