Description: Second Cup is facing increased competition from Starbucks, Tim Hortons and McDonald’s in the café market, and over the last few years has been losing market share. In an effort to regain their market share, Second Cup are rebranding their stores in Canada. Source: CBC Date: December 04, 2014 Video Link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2625880352/ Questions for Discussion: Discuss… Read more »
Posts By: tonym
Will DVDs survive against the online streaming options?
Description: DVD rental businesses such as Redbox are competing against several online media streaming options available to Canadians. Despite the increased competition, Redbox CEO, Mark Horak, is confident that Redbox offers a unique advantage over its competitors such as Netflix. Source: CBC Date: December 05, 2014 Video Link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2627018058/ Questions for Discussion: What is the… Read more »
Netflix CEO predicts no broadcast TV after 2030
Description: Netflix CEO, Reed Hastings, compares broadcast TV to a horse and says that broadcast TV will probably last until 2030. In Canada, companies such as Rogers and Shaw have been losing cable customers at a rate of nearly 200,000 per year. Source: Huffington Post Date: November 28, 2014 Video and Text Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/11/28/broadcast-tv-dead-netflix-reed-hastings_n_6237752.html?utm_hp_ref=canada-business Questions… Read more »
Coca-Cola in to milk business
Description: Coca-Cola, a company synonymous with pop and junk food brands, is getting in to the dairy business: it is rolling out a new brank of milk, which the company says has much more protein and much less fat and sugar than the other milk brands in the market. Source: CBC Date: November 26, 2014… Read more »
After Scotiabank, RBC too will lay off employees
Description: Following in the footsteps of Scotiabank, Royal Bank of Canada announced that its shutting down its international client-wealth-management business in the Caribbean along with some businesses in Canada and the United States. This will likely impact 300 employees. Source: Financial Post Date: November 21, 2014 Video and Text Link: http://business.financialpost.com/2014/11/20/rbc-restructuring/ Questions for Discussion: What are… Read more »
CEOs make big bucks on corporate mergers and acquisitions
Description: Although studies have increasingly found that big mergers and acquisitions do not necessarily create wealth for shareholders, however, these big takeovers create tremendous payouts for CEOs who are selling their companies. CEOs of top 10 U.S. companies that were recently sold made an estimated $430 million. Source: CBC Date: November 21, 2014 Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/big-takeovers-mean-big-bucks-for-bosses-report-finds-1.2844440… Read more »
Google Glass – a product that failed to take off
Description: Google Glass, a device mounted on your eyeglasses that has a camera, processor and a computer screen, does not seem to have a market. Google has decided to push back the Google Glass roll out to the mass market Source: Financial Post Date: November 14, 2014 Link: http://business.financialpost.com/2014/11/14/google-glass-market/?__lsa=e829-e8e1 Questions for Discussion: What are your… Read more »
Alibaba – a channel for Canadian companies targeting China
Description: China-based e-commerce giant, Alibaba, is the biggest hub for online shopping worldwide. It offers an attractive opportunity for Canadian companies to sell their products to the large Chinese market. One Nova Scotia company announced that it sold more than 90,000 lobsters through the Alibaba shopping website in one day. Source: CBC Date: November 15,… Read more »
Canada signs a range of commercial deals with China worth $2.5 billion
Description: Canada signed off on a range of trade and currency deals with China that are worth around $2.5 billion. One of its biggest deals include an agreement for Bombardier to sell more than $1 billion in aircraft to China Express Airlines. Source: CTV Date: November 08, 2014 Video Link: http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/canada-china-ink-commercial-deals-worth-up-to-2-5b-1.2093054 Questions for Discussion: Which… Read more »
Scotiabank to cut 1,500 jobs and close 120 branches worldwide
Description: Scotiabank CEO, Brian Porter, announced several important changes to its operations. These changes include cutting 1,500 jobs (two-thirds of these in Canada) and closing 120 branches in foreign markets. Source: Business News Network Date: November 04, 2014 Video Link: http://www.bnn.ca/News/2014/11/4/Scotiabank-to-cut-1500-jobs-close-about-120-branches-amid-writedown-.aspx Questions for Discussion: Analyze the reasons that led Brian Porter to make these changes…. Read more »
