One year after announcing a partnership, Encana and PetroChina now say the estimated $5.4-billion deal is off. The failure stems from an inability to agree on the operational aspects of the joint venture. Both entities staked a lot on the success of the deal when it was announced back in February. Now Encana’s investors are… Read more »
Posts By: wmu_admin
The Transformation of Canadian Manufacturing
Canadian company Transformix knows the secret to making manufacturing work – add value and have a good neighbor. Everything else will take care of itself. So when the tsunami hit Japan, Transformix CEO Peng-Sang Cau did not worry about the impact. She bought more supplies. Ms. Cau does not worry about from where her parts… Read more »
Apple Is on iCloud Nine
The annual World Wide Developer Conference is a much anticipated event because it has been the venue of choice for Steve Jobs to announce new offerings by Apple. However, this year’s event has been preceded by carefully timed “leaks” of information indicating that the new announcement by Jobs will relate to the launch of iCloud,… Read more »
Laughter at the Top (of the Hockey World)
The Vancouver Canucks, leading the Stanley Cup Finals 2-0 over the Boston Bruins, seem to have luck on their side. While the Bruins may come back and win the championship, things definitely seem to be going the Canucks’ way. Few knowledgeable people believe that the success of the Vancouver franchise hinges on luck. Other factors… Read more »
Ch-ch-changes J.P. Morgan Style
The world-wide recession was driven in large part by numerous failures in two key industries – banking and automotive. In the United States, many of the big players in both industries required substantial bailouts from the Government to survive. On the financial side, J.P. Morgan Chase was considered one of the more stable banks, as… Read more »
No Snail Mail, No Big Deal
With so many other options available for communicating with friends and family, a shutdown of the postal service is not as big a deal as it once was. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers presented their final offer, which was rejected, to Canada Post and issued a strike notice. Months long negotiations have not been… Read more »
The “Stuff” of Business
Entrepreneur Rhonda Abrams points out how “stuff” (materials and inventory) can influence a business from a cost standpoint. She also discusses how “stuff” and uncontrollable events can interrupt the business cycle. She offers practical advice on how to manage this “stuff” to make business more efficient in terms of capital. QUESTIONS: Begin by discussing how… Read more »
Penalty Kick
More potential corruption in the world of international sports surfaced this week with charges that two top executives of the Federation Internationale de Football Association offered bribes to voting members. Mohamed bin Hamman is accused of offering to pay $40,000 each for as many 25 votes to become president of the governing body. Jack Warner… Read more »
Crunching the Labour Numbers
With crude oil prices hovering at $100/barrel, the surge in development in oil-rich Alberta means the demand for workers is also increasing (predicted to peak by the end of 2012). A labour shortage means that energy companies are looking south to Mexico and overseas for available workers. These companies are acting now because immigration paperwork… Read more »
If It Costs More to Make, It Costs More to Buy
As Volkswagen opens its new plant in Tennessee, talks renew about how labor, particularly unionized labor, influence the cost of new vehicles and the viability of automakers. While foreign manufacturers are locating in the South and paying about half the amount a union worker makes, the Big Three in Detroit have been unable to see… Read more »
