Description: Yesterday my colleague, Matthew Philips, raised an interesting question about the skill gap, pointing to new research that claims the problem is not that workers are unqualified, but that companies’ expectations have changed: They are no longer investing resources in training their staff. Source: Businessweek.com Date: August 22, 2014 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-08-22/is-on-the-job-training-still-worth-it-for-companies#r=most%20popular Questions for Discussions:… Read more »
Posts Tagged: Conflict
Fed up with shrinking sales, McDonald’s replaces head of its U.S. business
Description: McDonald’s is turning to an alumnus to fix a struggling U.S. business bedeviled by more competition, operational errors and annoyed customers. Source: Fortune.com Date: August 22, 2014 Link: http://fortune.com/2014/08/22/mcdonalds-mike-andres/ Questions for Discussions: Why is McDonalds changing leadership? What does this say about strategic thinking at the firm?
Lululemon seeks a leg up on knockoffs
Description: Lululemon Athletica Inc. has filed a lawsuit in a U.S. federal court in Illinois targeting a sealed list of unidentified defendants that it says are China-based knockoff artists selling fake versions of its ubiquitous yoga pants and other merchandise online. Source: BNN.com – video report Date: July 19, 2014 Link: http://www.bnn.ca/News/2014/7/19/Lululemon-seeks-a-leg-up-on-knockoffs.aspx Questions for Discussions:… Read more »
Arrogance Is Good: In Defense of Silicon Valley
Description: Sam Altman sits behind his desk with his knees pulled up to his chest, eating dried apricots. He’s 29, but even the most laissez-faire bartender would card him. His hand is forever grabbing his hair while he thinks, making it stick up in Einsteinian tufts. Source: Businessweek.com Date: August 07, 2014 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-08-07/silicon-valley-tech-entrepreneurs-behind-the-stereotype Questions… Read more »
Why P&G can grow by shrinking
Description: The Ohio-based consumer goods company recently announced it would shed up to 100 brands, creating room to potentially become a leaner and more efficient company. Source: Fortune.com Date: August 07, 2014 Link: http://fortune.com/2014/08/07/why-pg-can-grow-by-shrinking/ Questions for Discussions: What does this report say about strategic thinking at P&G? Does it make sense to you? What are… Read more »
Big-box stores may see dark days ahead
Description: Walmart (WMT) and Target (TGT) gained dominance by offering everything from groceries to children’s toys, often putting smaller, local stores out of business in the process. Now, it’s the revenge of the smaller retailers. Source: CBSNews.com Date: July 19, 2014 Link: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/are-there-dark-days-ahead-for-big-box-stores/?tag=nl.e713&s_cid=e713&ttag=e713&ftag=TRE4cf7aca Questions for discussion: What is happening in retailing today that is reflected… Read more »
For a Decade, G.M. Response to a Fatal Flaw Was to Shrug
Description: Just six months ago, a group of senior General Motors executives gathered to review a series of PowerPoint slides concerning a question that had been smoldering inside G.M. for a decade: Should the company recall hundreds of thousands of small cars because of a dangerous defect? Source: NYTimes.com Date: June 05, 2014 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/06/business/gm-response-to-a-fatal-flaw-was-to-shrug.html?ref=business… Read more »
15 Years After Napster: How the Music Service Changed the Industry
Description: Fifteen years after Napster launched, we asked a dozen music journalists and editors to give their thoughts on the service that revolutionized the way we share and listen to songs. Source: The DailyBeast.com Date: June 4, 2014 Link: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/06/15-years-after-napster-how-the-music-service-changed-the-industry.html Questions for Discussions: How was the music industry affected by the introduction of new technologies?… Read more »
Salesforce: L.A. Clippers of software
Description: Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is buying the Clippers. But new CEO Satya Nadella just inked a key partnership with cloud software firm Salesforce. And that might be the smarter deal. Source: CNN.com – video report Date: May 30, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/05/30/investing-the-buzz-microsoft-nadella-salesforce-clippers-steve-ballmer.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: How does the Microsoft deal with Salesforce make sense?… Read more »
Look out Lululemon, this exploding Australian fitness brand aims to eat your lunch
Description: An activewear brand with a cult following in Australia is planning a massive global expansion in the U.S., Asia and Europe. Source: NationalPost.com Date: May 29, 2014 Link: http://business.financialpost.com/2014/05/29/look-out-lululemon-this-exploding-australian-fitness-brand-aims-to-eat-your-lunch/ Questions for Discussions: How does this report reflect growing globalization and international business? How should managers approach the challenge? Does the home country of a… Read more »
