Description: MONTREAL — A McGill University professor says tea lovers may be swallowing billions of tiny plastic particles along with their favourite brew. Source: BNNBloomberg.com Date: Sep 27, 2019 Link: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/premium-tea-bags-leach-billions-of-microplastics-per-cup-study-1.1322338 Questions for discussion: What are the ethical and legal issues related to companies selling this product? What should management at companies that are using… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Decision Making
The White-Collar Job Apocalypse That Didn’t Happen
Description: Economists once warned that office jobs in the United States would soon follow factory jobs in moving overseas. New research suggests that jobs may be moving to other parts of the country instead. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Sep 27, 2019 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/27/business/economy/jobs-offshoring.html Questions for discussion: What are the results of the study? Why are they… Read more »
Federal officials say Boeing underestimated pilots ability to react to simultaneous warning alerts
Description: The National Transportation Safety Board gave several safety recommendations after investigations into two crashes of Boeing 737 Max jets Source: MarketWatch.com Date: Sep 27, 2019 Link: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/federal-officials-say-boeing-underestimated-pilots-ability-to-react-to-simultaneous-warning-alerts-2019-09-26?mod=mw_theo_homepage Questions for discussion: Summarize the key findings and recommendations. Do you think Boeing management made reasonable assumptions about pilot behavior during an emergency? What lessons should all… Read more »
Walmart to exit e-cigarette category as pressure mounts on vaping
Description: Walmart (WMT) is exiting the e-cigarette category completely as a rash of mysterious deaths linked to vaping draws intense scrutiny. Source: Finance.Yahoo.com – video report Date: Sep 20, 2019 Link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/walmart-to-exit-e-cigarette-category-as-pressure-mounts-on-vaping-170930026.html Questions for discussion: What are the financial implications for Walmart’s decision? Do you think management is trying to get ahead of a government… Read more »
Can Sotheby’s Find Sales Success by Going Private?
Description: How do you turn an ancient, labor-intensive prestige brand into a money machine? That’s the challenge facing French telecommunications mogul Patrick Drahi, who on Thursday won approval from shareholders of Sotheby’s to take the 275-year-old auction house private in a transaction worth $3.7 billion. Source: Fortune.com Date: Sep 06, 2019 Link: https://fortune.com/2019/09/06/sothebys-sale-drahi/ Questions for… Read more »
How Walmart became an unlikely champion of gun safety
Description: New York (CNN Business)In some ways, Walmart’s announcement Tuesday that it will stop selling some guns and ammunition — and ask customers not to openly carry guns in its stores — is just another step in a years-long process of reevaluating its relationship with firearms. Source: CNN.com – video report Date: Sep 05, 2019 Link: https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/04/business/walmart-gun-policy-reactions/index.html Questions… Read more »
Nordstrom Tests Accepting Online Returns Bought From Rivals
Description: Nordstrom Inc. is trying an unusual approach to get busy New York City shoppers in its doors: Letting them return merchandise they bought online—from other retailers. Source: Fortune.com Date: Sep 06, 2019 Link: https://fortune.com/2019/09/06/nordstrom-tests-accepting-online-returns-from-rivals-such-as-macys/ Questions for discussion: Is this a good idea? What is the benefit to customers and to Nordstrom? Would an “any-brand”… Read more »
Retired Manitoba farmer battling cancer proposes class action suit against makers of Roundup
Description: A retired Manitoba farmer is hoping to lead a class action lawsuit against the company that owns Monsanto, alleging he developed cancer after using Roundup on his yard and field to get rid of weeds. Source: CBC.ca Date: Aug 29, 2019 Link: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-farmer-proposed-class-action-lawsuit-monsanto-1.5269936 Questions for discussion: What are the legal, ethical, and social issues… Read more »
Panera is losing nearly 100% of its workers every year as fast-food turnover crisis worsens
Description: If you think it sounds like a mathematical impossibility for a company to lose more than 100% of its workers every year, you’ve never worked in the fast-food industry. At fast-food restaurants, losing 100% of employees — and then losing still more of the employees hired to replace those workers — is a common,… Read more »
15 Minutes to ‘Mayhem’: How a Tweet Led to a Shortage at Popeyes
Description: The “chicken sandwich wars” with Chick-fil-A captivated the internet and drove record sales. Then they became a logistical headache. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Aug 29, 2019 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/29/business/popeyes-chicken-sandwich-shortage.html Questions for discussion: What does the report say what happened? Was this a “problem”? Do you think it was planned? What should the firm do about the… Read more »
