Description: Apple, the company known for its innovative devices like the iPod and iPhone, now wants to shift storage away from specific devices and needs experts to help develop a solution.

Source: J. E. Vascellaro, “At Apple, Cloud Experts Wanted,” Wall Street Journal

Date: November 23, 2011

Article Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203710704577054441840532680.html

Questions for discussion:

1. Review the definition for intellectual capital in the opening chapter. Why is recruiting Cloud experts such a big deal for Apple? Why must they win the battle (against Google and Facebook) to get these individuals?
2. Apple wants to recruit this expertise all the way up to the senior level. Review the manager’s job as an information processor and discuss why it is important for Apple to recruit beyond entry-level positions.
3. As the article reports, Apple is responding to consumer demand. The company is attempting to recruit problem solvers. Would you characterize the situation, for Apple, as a performance deficiency or a performance opportunity? Why?

Description: Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has an aging hit with its cholesterol drug Lipitor. Is the drug ready for retirement or can the company squeeze a little more life out of it?

Source: J. Rockoff, “Helping Lipitor Live Longer,” Wall Street Journal

Date: November 22, 2011

Article Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203710704577052350701638614.html

Questions for discussion:

1. Does offering Lipitor through direct mail show strategic intent? Why or why not? Note: compare what Pfizer is doing with the Coca-Cola example in your text.
2. What level of strategy (corporate, business, functional) does the Lipitor move represent? Why?
3. Imagine you are top management at Pfizer. What aspect of a SWOT analysis would drive this decision? Put another way, the decision to offer Lipitor at generic prices is in response to what assessment?
4. Evaluate the industry attractiveness for Lipitor using Porter’s Five Forces Model.

Description: President Obama’s campaign group was known for masterful fundraising leading up to the 2008 election. Most knowledgeable sources forecast that the group will raise in excess of $1 billion for his re-election bid.

Source: J. Weisman & D. Yadron, “Inside the Obama Money Machine,” Wall Street Journal

Date: November 19, 2011

Article Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204517204577042142257818640.html

Questions for discussion:

1. This is strategy of a different kind, but there is still an organization involved. What competitive advantages, operational not political, does the Obama campaign possess?
2. What type of organizational structure would you assign to President Obama’s fundraising? Why?
3. The donor network for the 2008 campaign was described as organic. That notion has been challenged by analysts studying Obama fundraising for the current election cycle. What are the characteristics of an organic design/network? Would these describe fundraising in 2008? How about for 2012?

Description: Pop and country idol Taylor Swift is interviewed about her meteoric career. The video reveals that she knew from a very young age what she wanted to achieve and executed a plan to get it.

Source: 60 Minutes (www.cbsnews.com)

Date: November 20, 2011

Questions for discussion:

1. What aspects of the planning process are evident from the interview? Specifically, discuss Taylor Swift’s desire to go to Nashville and her decision to “walk” from her development contract with RCA.
2. As you watch the video, would you characterize Ms. Swift as a short- (responding to things that happen one by one) or long-range (being able to project into the future) planner?
3. How would you describe young (i.e., before her record contract) Ms. Swift’s goals and execution? Does she need to be concerned with goals now? How would you advise her?
4. During the interview, Taylor Swift was described as a “cultural leader.” What traits does she possess that qualify her as a leader?
5. Is Ms. Swift a charismatic leader? Why or why not? Does she exhibit transformational leadership?

Description: Sweet Loren’s Cookies is a provider of organic cookie dough. Loren Brill’s own battle with cancer inspired the launch of the company.

Source: USAToday.com

Questions for discussion:

1. Compare Loren Brill to the entrepreneurs profiled in the section Who Are the Entrepreneurs. Does her story parallel any of those individuals? In other words, does she seem like entrepreneur material?
2. How does Ms. Brill’s successful battle with cancer speak to the attitudes and personal characteristics associated with entrepreneurs?
3. After watching the video, how would you advise Ms. Brill? What issues might limit her ability to succeed?
4. In what stage of the life cycle is Sweet Loren’s Cookies? What will she need to do to make it to the next stage?

Description: Recent events at Penn State University, while certainly reflecting a very serious issue that should not be taken lightly, provide a unique opportunity to explore several aspects of management. The decision to use this situation as a basis for discussion should be carefully considered.

Source: J. W. Miller, & R. Bachman, “Paterno Ousted at Penn State,” Wall Street Journal

Date: November 10, 2011

Article Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204358004577027923277309662.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories#articleTabs%3Darticle

Questions for discussion:

1. As Penn State University moves through and out of this crisis, why will communication be important? Incorporate social capital into your response.
2. It has been reported that Coach Paterno communicated what he knew about the situation to his superiors. How would you characterize that communication (i.e., effective, efficient, both)?
3. Obviously, the image of Penn State has been affected by this scandal. The university will survive. Nevertheless, work must be done to repair its image. Discuss the importance of persuasive and credible communication in this process. Given that nearly all the leadership elements are gone, who should be responsible for communicating with students, employees, alumni, and the general public?
4. Moving forward, how should the next university president utilize communication, active listening, and interactive management to reduce the chances of another scandal happening?

Description: Recent events at Penn State University, while certainly reflecting a very serious issue that should not be taken lightly, provide a unique opportunity to explore several aspects of management. The decision to use this situation as a basis for discussion should be carefully considered.

Source: J. W. Miller, & R. Bachman, “Paterno Ousted at Penn State,” Wall Street Journal

Date: November 10, 2011

Article Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204358004577027923277309662.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories#articleTabs%3Darticle

Questions for discussion:

1. What does the Penn State situation tell us about the importance of and need for control?
2. Discuss how the different types of internal/external control played out in this situation. What makes self-control unreliable here? Why did bureaucratic control fail? Why did clan control initially fail, but then succeed (note: how clan is defined will matter here)? How did market control prevail?
3. In this situation, the university basically violated the principle of progressive discipline. Why is this acceptable? Discuss circumstances where progressive discipline would be appropriate.
4. The situation is now being handled at two levels (university, justice) and could potentially involve a third (NCAA). Should an after-action review take place? If so, which entity should be responsible and what would be the result (i.e., what controls should be affected and how)?

Description: Recent events at Penn State University, while certainly reflecting a very serious issue that should not be taken lightly, provide a unique opportunity to explore several aspects of management. The decision to use this situation as a basis for discussion should be carefully considered.

Source: J. W. Miller, & R. Bachman, “Paterno Ousted at Penn State,” Wall Street Journal

Date: November 10, 2011

Article Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204358004577027923277309662.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories#articleTabs%3Darticle

Questions for discussion:

1. Was the situation at Penn State a matter of ethics for Joe Paterno? Why or why not? In a general sense, why might ethical behavior be important for a head football coach?
2. Evaluate the situations, both prior to and following the indictment of former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky from the standpoint of alternative views of ethics.
3. Was there an ethical dilemma in this situation? For whom? Why?
4. Discuss how Coach Paterno’s response to the situation reflected moral development.
5. There was a whistleblower. From what you know about the situation, discuss why whistleblower protection is important. Critique Penn State’s handling of the whistleblower. Do you believe it would have been handled differently in any other organization?

Description: Recent events at Penn State University, while certainly reflecting a very serious issue that should not be taken lightly, provide a unique opportunity to explore several aspects of management. The decision to use this situation as a basis for discussion should be carefully considered.

Source: J. W. Miller, & R. Bachman, “Paterno Ousted at Penn State,” Wall Street Journal

Date: November 10, 2011

Article Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204358004577027923277309662.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories#articleTabs%3Darticle

Questions for discussion:

1. Discuss the ways in which power may have come into play throughout the situation. Do not limit your discussion to any single individual involved.
2. From what you know about Joe Paterno, comment on his leadership traits?
3. From the standpoint of moral leadership, why did Coach Paterno have to be fired? What aspects of moral leadership are now open to question?
4. Joe Paterno embodied “old-fashioned” leadership. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Description: Recent events at Penn State University, while certainly reflecting a very serious issue that should not be taken lightly, provide a unique opportunity to explore several aspects of management. The decision to use this situation as a basis for discussion should be carefully considered.

Source: J. W. Miller, & R. Bachman, “Paterno Ousted at Penn State,” Wall Street Journal

Date: November 10, 2011

Article Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204358004577027923277309662.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories#articleTabs%3Darticle

Questions for discussion:

1. What role does human resource management have in a situation like this? In other words, does HR bear any responsibility? Which of the three major responsibilities might have the greatest impact for preventing something like this in the future?
2. A number of individuals employed by Penn State University have been terminated. From a legal standpoint, do these dismissals create any cause for concern? Would anyone fired have a legitimate claim of wrongful discharge?
3. As Penn State seeks to fill vacancies created by firings, particularly within its football program, should the university utilize external or internal recruitment? Why?
4. How should Penn State utilize performance management to reduce the risk of a similar situation occurring in the future?