Description: Our Weekly Read column features Fortune staffers’ and contributors’ takes on recently published books about the business world and beyond. We’ve invited the entire Fortune family — from our writers and editors to our photo editors and designers — to weigh in on books of their choosing based on their individual tastes or curiosities. In this installment,… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Uncategorized
How the U.S. Lost Out on iPhone Work
Description: When Barack Obama joined Silicon Valley’s top luminaries for dinner in California last February, each guest was asked to come with a question for the president. But as Steven P. Jobs of Apple spoke,President Obama interrupted with an inquiry of his own: what would it take to make iPhones in the United States? Source: NYTimes.com Date:… Read more »
5 reasons employees aren’t sharing their ideas
Description: I work for a great company! We have a culture that we’ve worked hard to establish and continuously improve …. we have an extremely low turnover rate and, for the most part, great feedback scores from our employees. Unfortunately, one of the things we seem to have an area of opportunity on is “employees feeling comfortable providing… Read more »
Amazon’s Hit Man
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 Questions for discussion: Describe the changes that management is dealing with in the publishing industry. How has management at Amazon been affected as a result of technological changes? Do you think management decision-making has been responsive?
Entrepreneurial Spirits
Description: Cleveland-based entrepreneur Tom Lix found a way to produce quality whiskey in a fraction of the normal time. He sees this as one step toward restoring the balance of trade between the United States and foreign competitors. Source: T. Breckenridge, “Startup Company’s Speedier Process for Making Whiskey Could Life Cleveland’s Spirits,” The Plain Dealer… Read more »
Basket-brawl
Description: In the latest episode of poor sports(manship), players from the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University prematurely ended their basketball game by fighting. Source: A. Katz, “Cincinnati, Xavier Reveal Suspensions,” ESPN Date: December 11, 2011 Article Link: http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7341744/cincinnati-bearcats-suspend-four-players-brawl-xavier-musketeers (see also http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2011/12/cincinnati-suspends-3-for-6-games-for-brawl-vs-xavier/1) Questions for discussion: Reports suggest that tensions started when players from both teams… Read more »
In Search of the $300 House
Description: Dartmouth Professor Vijay Govindarajan has a vision of creating affordable housing for the world’s poor. He just does not know how to do it. Hear him discuss a competition designed to inspire creative thinking. Source: WSJ.com Date: December 5, 2011 Related Link: http://www.300house.com/ Questions for discussion: Think about the problem of world-wide poverty and… Read more »
Fast Food, Fast Delivery
Description: In Asian countries and some parts of the Middle East, fast food giants McDonald’s and Yum Brands see rising sales from delivery, not restaurant dining. Source: J. Jargon, “Asia Delivers for McDonald’s,” Wall Street Journal Date: December 13, 2011 Article Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204397704577074982151549316.html Questions for discussion: Discuss what global management means for companies like McDonald’s… Read more »
Boo Hoo, They Are Leaving Yahoo
Description: With no permanent replacement since the firing of CEO Carol Bartz, many at Yahoo are questioning the direction of the company. Internally, employees see reasons to stay, but worry that the lack of leadership signals the company is not in a position to compete with rivals. Source: A. Efrati, “Yahoo Battles Brain… Read more »
The Little Dictator
Description: North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il’s death leaves questions about the future of the country and the state of affairs in the Far East. Source: Anonymous, “North Korea’s Kim Jong Il Dies at 69,” USA Today Date: December 19, 2011 Article Link: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2011-12-18/north-korea-leader-dies/52058036/1 Questions for discussion: The video shows various scenes from Kim Jong… Read more »
