Video: Lee’s Music puts focus on innovative guitar manufacturing with Riversong Guitars venture

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Description:   Lee’s Music was simply a retail store with a specialist repair arm until Lee’s son, Mike Miltimore, came up with an innovative technique for building stronger, better guitars in a fraction of the time. The company has big plans for its patent-pending design, and is tooling up a manufacturing plant to scale up production…. Read more »

Mars Incorporated: A pretty sweet place to work

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Description:  From free candy to pet-friendly perks, working at America’s third-largest private company is a toothsome gig. An exclusive look at the secretive empire of Mars Incorporated. Source: Fortune.com Date: Jan 17, 2013 Link:  http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2013/01/17/best-companies-mars/?iid=F_Jump Questions for Discussions: What are the main reasons Mars Incorporated ranks among the top businesses to work for? How would… Read more »

Fix This/Food and Agriculture

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Description:  It’s clear the food crisis will only become more acute when you consider climate change, population explosion, volatile markets, and lax safety standards. Four experts discuss ways to ensure a growing world doesn’t go hungry. Source:  Businessweek.com Date: Jan 15, 2013 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/reports/innovation/fix-this-food-and-agriculture#r=hpf-s Questions for Discussions: Review the articles in this special report and… Read more »

Mobile users look to phones to instill habit

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Description:  January is the month when many New Year’s resolutions stand or fall. This year, people are bringing a new ally to the fight to keep their resolve: their smartphones. A December survey by Prosper Mobile Insights found that more than one in four US smartphone or tablet owners—24% of men and 30% of women—planned… Read more »

The battle over Herbalife

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Description: An inside look at Herbalife’s business model and the $1 billion bet hedge fund manager Bill Ackman has against it. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Jan 11, 2013 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2013/01/11/n-herbalife-bill-ackman-queens.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussions: Compare the organizational structure of Herbalife to a pyramid selling organization. Do you believe Herbalife is a conventional distributor of… Read more »

Meet Amancio Ortega: The third-richest man in the world

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Description: After Gates and Slim comes Amancio Ortega, who built the world’s largest fashion empire, Zara. He’s difficult to know, impossible to interview, and incredibly secretive. An exclusive portrait Source: Fortune.com Date: Jan 08, 2013 Link: http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2013/01/08/zara-amancio-ortega/?iid=F_F500M Questions for Discussions: What does this article tell you about the entrepreneurial character of Amancio Ortega and the… Read more »

The Dunbar Number, From the Guru of Social Networks

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Description:  A little more than 10 years ago, the evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar began a study of the Christmas-card-sending habits of the English. This was in the days before online social networks made friends and “likes” as countable as miles on an odometer, and Dunbar wanted a proxy for meaningful social connection. Source: Businessweek.com Date:… Read more »

Growth in digital to remain in double digits through 2015

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Description:  Worldwide, digital ad spending passed the $100-billion mark for the first time last year, according to new eMarketer estimates, and will increase by a further 15.1% in 2013 to $118.4 billion. Source:  eMarketer.com Date: Jan 09, 2013 Link: http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1009592#SH2CeEcfGTU7hlwu.99 Questions for Discussions: Why do you think these advertising spending trends are growing? How will… Read more »

Ping Fu: No Book Can Teach You How to Be a CEO

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Description: Geomagic CEO Ping Fu discusses 3D printing. She speaks on Bloomberg Television’s “Bloomberg West.” (Source: Bloomberg) Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Jan 04, 2013 Link: http://bloom.bg/VDYr6W Questions for Discussions: What does this interview with Ping Pu teach about management, entrepreneurialism, and business success? What sort of management style do you think she employs?

Nasty Gal: One of L.A.’s Fastest Growing Companies

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Description: Jon Erlichman introduces a report about Nasty Gal, an e-commerce website for women’s fashion which has become one of the fastest growing companies in Los Angeles. (Source:Bloomberg) Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Jan 03, 2013 Link: http://bloom.bg/VFWUfO Questions for Discussions: Why do you think this firm has become so successful? What lesson is… Read more »