Description: First, Starbucks (SBUX) wanted you in its cafes for lunch and the afternoon, so it spruced up its food offerings and started serving cold “Refreshers” and testing sodas. Now it wants you there in the evening, too, and it’s bringing out the booze. Source: Businessweek.com Date: Mar 20, 2014 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-03-20/what-to-expect-from-starbucks-new-booze-menu#r=nav-f-story Questions for discussion: Do… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Management
Lessons from Nortel: Acquisitions spree, bad management calls led to tech giant’s fall, study says
Description: In the five years since Nortel went bankrupt, many possible explanations have been suggested for its demise. Poor strategy, weak finances, low-cost competition from China, a misguided board of directors, hubris, the federal government’s refusal to backstop it during the recession, you name it. Source: FinancialPost.com Date: Mar 17, 2014 Link: http://business.financialpost.com/2014/03/17/lessons-from-nortel-acquisitions-spree-bad-management-calls-led-to-tech-giants-fall-study-says/ Questions for… Read more »
Bob Marley inspires son’s coffee startup
Description: Reggae legend Bob Marley’s son Rohan co-founded Marley Coffee, a brand dedicated to sustainable farming and social entrepreneurship. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Mar 14, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/smallbusiness/2014/03/14/marley-coffee-rohan-jamaica-bob-marley-son.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: What is the basic argument for introducing this latest brand of coffee into the marketplace. Do you think there is a saturation… Read more »
$1.8M Ferrari race car for amateurs
Description: Ferrari XX Program allows a few of the most passionate fans to buy a FXX or a 599XX race cars and drive them on race tracks around the world. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Mar 14, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/pf/2014/03/14/pf-latt-ferrari-599xx-race-car-formula-one.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for discussion: How does this program promote the Ferrari brand internationally? Who is… Read more »
This Is the Real Reason Sbarro Is in Bankruptcy
Description: The reason Sbarro is having a rougher time than other, more solvent purveyors of not-good food goes to the root of its business: You eat Sbarro not because you want Sbarro, but because it is the food that is available at the moment you want some food. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Mar 13, 2014 Link:… Read more »
Your Job Taught to Machines Puts Half U.S. Work at Risk
Description: Who needs an army of lawyers when you have a computer? When Minneapolis attorney William Greene faced the task of combing through 1.3 million electronic documents in a recent case, he turned to a so-called smart computer program. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Mar 12, 2014 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-12/your-job-taught-to-machines-puts-half-u-s-work-at-risk.html Questions for Discussions: Summarize the highlights in this… Read more »
Facebook Unveils Video Ads to Court TV’s Market
Description: Facebook Inc. (FB) is releasing its long-awaited video-advertising product today, as the world’s largest social network moves to diversify its revenue by tapping into television-marketing budgets. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Mar 14, 2014 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-13/facebook-unveils-video-ads-to-court-tv-s-market.html Questions for Discussions: Describe this new business model at Facebook? Do you think it fits into the Facebook user experience?… Read more »
Looking forward to performance reviews?
Description: Performance reviews can be scary, but they can also mean a fatter paycheck. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Mar 04, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/pf/2014/02/28/pf-performance-reviews.moneymag/index.html Questions for Discussions: Summarize the commentary presented about performance reviews. What stands out for managers and for the employee facing a review?
Why Mary Barra has never asked for a raise
Description: The first female CEO of a major automaker explains her philosophy on climbing up the corporate ladder. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Mar 03, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/magazines/fortune/2014/03/03/gm-ceo-mary-barra-career.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for discussion: What does this report tell you about the personality and character of Mary Barra? Do you think she exemplifies common characteristics in managers… Read more »
What I Learned (the Hard Way) About Outsourcing
Description: Many businesses outsource work to other countries. But outsourcing can be scary. How do you know you’re not going to be ripped off, with a job that will return half-baked or not at all? Source: NYTimes.com Date: Mar 04, 2014 Link: http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/04/what-i-learned-the-hard-way-about-outsourcing/?ref=smallbusiness Questions for Discussions: What are the lessons learned about outsourcing, as reported… Read more »
