Description: A new Brookings Institution report shows that while the tech sector is lifting the economy as a whole, most of that benefit is concentrated in just a few places, and that disparity is getting worse instead of better. Despite frequent reports that suggest the fall of the traditional tech hubs like Silicon Valley and the rise of places like… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Management
How Marketers Can Adapt to Event Cancellations Brought on by Coronavirus
Description: In-person events are a cornerstone touchpoint for many B2B companies, but as the outbreak of the newest strain of the coronavirus progresses worldwide, major business events have been canceled or postponed. This will come at great cost to marketing budgets and can have a lasting impact on revenues and sales. Source: eMarketer.com Date: Mar 6, 2020… Read more »
Elon Musk calls this a ‘powerful, powerful way of thinking’—but is ‘hard to do.’ Here’s how it works
Description: In a 2013 TED talk, the billionaire entrepreneur revealed his “secret sauce” to achieving extraordinary things: “First principles” thinking, a decision-making strategy in which you “boil things down to their fundamental truths and reason up from there, as opposed to reasoning by analogy.” Source: CNBC.com Date: Feb 29, 2020 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/28/billionaire-elon-musk-this-is-a-powerful-way-of-thinking-but-hard-to-do-how-it-works.html Questions for discussion: Summarize what the article… Read more »
Canadian women make nearly a quarter less than men as gender bias persists
Description: Women took home an average pre-tax salary of $51,352 in 2019 compared with $67,704 for men, survey shows Source: FinancialPost.com Date: Mar 6, 2020 Link: https://business.financialpost.com/news/fp-street/canadian-women-make-nearly-a-quarter-less-than-men-as-gender-bias-persists Questions for discussion: What does the article say about the gap and the possible reasons? Why do you think the gap exists? Do you believe there is a… Read more »
Amazon sellers scramble to keep products in stock amid coronavirus outbreak
Description: For Zev Bernard, who sells baseball and softball equipment on Amazon, February tends to be one of the busiest times of the year, with athletes, coaches and fans gearing up for the new season. Opening day for Major League Baseball is in late March. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Feb 29, 2020 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/29/amazon-sellers-scramble-to-keep-products-in-stock-amid-coronavirus.html… Read more »
Why companies like Microsoft and Google are betting big on Africa
Description: As technology companies continue to look for areas of growth, Africa is emerging as an area of opportunity. And Big Tech has taken notice. Companies such as Twitter, Google and Microsoft are all attempting to establish a presence in fast-growing African economies. Twitter CEO and founder Jack Dorsey, who also runs mobile payment company… Read more »
Silicon Valley Ruined Work Culture
Description: Why does every damn place—even old-school corporate offices—have to be fun and full of foosball? Source: Wired.com Date: Feb 24, 2020 Link: https://www.wired.com/story/how-silicon-valley-ruined-work-culture/ Questions for discussion: Describe the work environments and the problems they are associated with, according to the article. Why have work environments become so different from what they once were? How… Read more »
Disney C.E.O. Bob Iger Hands Keys to Magic Kingdom to Its 7th Chief
Description: He will be replaced by Bob Chapek, who was most recently chairman of Disney’s parks business. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Feb 25, 2020 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/25/business/media/bob-iger-disney-ceo.html Questions for discussion: What are the challenges facing the incoming new CEO? Do you think his background has prepared him well for the future facing the firm? What strategic thinking… Read more »
Employee Activism Works—Even When It Doesn’t
Description: Movements that once seemed futile have produced big results over time thanks to “behavioral contagion,” a.k.a. peer pressure. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Feb 25, 2020 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-26/employee-activism-works-even-when-it-doesn-t?srnd=premium Questions for discussion: What does the report say about employee influence and corporate decisions? What does all of this suggest to management?
Why it was inevitable that Bombardier’s shot at the sky brought the Canadian giant down
Description: Fatally, the plane maker failed to foresee the reaction of the global aerospace duopoly Source: FinancialPost.com Date: Feb 26, 2020 Link: https://business.financialpost.com/financial-times/why-it-was-inevitable-that-bombardiers-shot-at-the-sky-brought-the-canadian-giant-down Questions for discussion: What does the article say about the competitive nature of this industry and managerial strategies by Bombardier over the years? Was there an alternative strategy that could have succeeded?… Read more »
