Small Business Exports Edge Up

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Description:  Small businesses have increased their share of exports in the two years since President Obama set a goal to double U.S. sales abroad by 2015, according to new federal data. Source:  Businessweek.com Date: 02/02/2012 Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/running_small_business/archives/2012/02/small_business_exports_edge_up.html Questions for discussion: What are the reasons for the improved exports by small businesses? Can this be sustained?… Read more »

Kaiser CEO: Time to end piecemeal healthcare

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Description:  George Halvorson, CEO of non-profit healthcare insurer Kaiser Permanente, says the current U.S. healthcare system will drive the economy into the ground. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 01/26/2012 Link:   http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/01/26/n_davos_halvorson_health.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Describe how the not-for-profit and for-profit healthcare businesses work? How should healthcare work, according to CEO George Halvorson? How could… Read more »

Amazon’s Hit Man

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Description:  Larry Kirshbaum was the ultimate book industry insider—until Amazon called Source:  Businessweek.com Date: 01/25/2012 Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/amazons-hit-man-01252012.html?chan=magazine+channel_top+stories Questions for discussion: Describe the changes that management is dealing with in the publishing industry. How has management at Amazon been affected by technological changes? Do you think management decision-making has been responsive?

Six Strategy Insights RIM’s New CEO Can Use

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Description:  The usual moves won’t work when new technologies and rivals dramatically shake up the field Source:  Businessweek.com Date: 01/24/2012 Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/management/six-strategy-insights-rims-new-ceo-can-use-01242012.html Questions for discussion: What are the recommendations made in this report? Do you agree with them? What else would you suggest to RIM’s top management?

Leaving the plastic (and fees) behind

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Description:  Dwolla, of Des Moines, Iowa, is taking on credit cards by allowing users to transfer money and pay for items on their phones for a small fee. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 01/17/2012 Link:   http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2012/01/13/t_dwolla_credit_cards.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Describe why this business is better than competitors? What are the problems managers will have… Read more »

Social media success Rx: “Be a little crazy”

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Description: Clara Shih is an early achiever. At age five, she arrived in the U.S., from Hong Kong, with her parents. With no access to bilingual education, she was initially placed in special classes for kids with speech impediments and advanced so rapidly that she scored a 1420 on her SATs — in eighth grade…. Read more »

Park City Eatery Balks at Credit Card Fines in Rare Court Fight

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Description:   Stephen and Cissy McComb say they managed their Italian eatery in Park City, Utah, for more than two decades without running afoul of security rules of Visa Inc. and MasterCard Inc. — until they were accused of mishandling data and opening the door to $1.26 million in fraud. Source:  Bloomberg.com Date: 01/1o/2012 Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-10/park-city-eatery-balks-at-credit-card-fines-in-rare-court-fight.html… Read more »

MySpace Co-founder Moves From Social Networking to Social Commerce

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Description:  MySpace co-founder Josh Berman knows how to capitalize on online trends. The entrepreneur behind one of the Web 2.0 era’s most successful companies bet on the rise of social networks, and after spending four years at MySpace and selling the company for over $500 million, he’s on to the next trend. Source:  Sprouter.com Date:… Read more »

Computer geeks king in job hunt

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Description:  Some undergrads with coding skills get approached by 10 to 20 companies before they even graduate. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 01/06/2012 Link:   http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/01/05/n_computer_science_jobs.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Explain the forces driving the job market for graduates with these skills? Do you think the forces in the economy driving this industry are likely to… Read more »

2011’s worst in tech

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Description:  RIM joins Netflix and HP as the tech sector’s biggest losers in 2011. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 12/28/2011 Link:   http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2011/12/20/ts_tech_losers_2011.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Why did these companies have such a bad year in 2011? Is there a common thread that explains why they performed so poorly? What lessons did you learn about… Read more »