Amazon.com wants to be your new executive assistant at work.

Posted by & filed under Change, Decision Making, Human Resource Management, Innovation/Creativity, Management, New product, Operations Management, Organizational Change, Teams, Technology.

Description: Now Hiring? Amazon Says Its Voice Aide Alexa Is Ready For the Office Source: Fortune.com – video report Date: Nov 30, 2017 Link: http://fortune.com/2017/11/30/amazon-voice-aide-alexa-is-ready-for-the-office/ Questions for discussion: How can Amazon serve as an executive assistant? Do you think this is the next big thing in technology for productivity in the workplace?

A Positive Outlook for Canada’s Podcast Market

Posted by & filed under Communication, Global Management, New product, Planning, Strategy, Technology.

Description: Podcasts have been around for a while, but only in recent years have they gotten attention from brands. Source: eMarketer.com Date: Nov 20, 2017 Link: https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Positive-Outlook-Canadas-Podcast-Market/1016770?ecid=NL1001 Questions for discussion: What does Corey Coates say about podcasting in Canada? Why do you think podcasting is growing in popularity in Canada? Create an outline of topics… Read more »

Listen In: Spotify’s Approach to Targeting and Personalization

Posted by & filed under Communication, Management, New product, Technology.

Description: In the latest episode of eMarketer’s “Behind the Numbers” podcast, we welcome Spotify’s Danielle Lee for a conversation about personalization, targeting and people-based marketing. Source: eMarker.com Date: Nov 21, 2017 Link: https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Listen-In-Spotifys-Approach-Targeting-Personalization/1016773?ecid=NL1001 Questions for discussion: What is “people-based marketing”? How is Spotify management using this strategy? Do you think this approach should be employed… Read more »

10 psychological retail tricks to make you splurge Black Friday

Posted by & filed under Communication, Management, Operations Management, Planning, Strategy, Technology.

Description: Watch out for these retail strategies when shopping this holiday season Source: MarketWatch.com Date: Nov 22, 2017 Link: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/10-retail-tricks-that-make-you-spend-more-2013-12-04 Questions for discussion: Do you think these retailing strategies work? What else would you advise retail managers do to generate more holiday shopping sales?

Your Favorite Radio Hits May Go Silent

Posted by & filed under Compensation & Benefits, Conflict, Control, Decision Making, Entrepreneurship, Global Management, Innovation/Creativity, Management, Operations Management, Planning, Strategy, Technology.

Description: Songwriters threaten to withhold their music if stations don’t give them a bigger share of revenue. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Nov 22, 2017 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-22/your-favorite-radio-hits-may-go-silent Questions for discussion: Explain how the music industry pays royalties to artists. Do you think the artists can reasonably demand more from distributors? Is this a zero-sum game?

SPOS #593 – Marketing Lessons From The Toxic Avenger With Jeffrey Sass

Posted by & filed under Communication, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, Strategy, Technology.

Description: Here it is: Six Pixels Of Separation – The Mirum Podcast – Episode #593 – Host: Mitch Joel. I’ve known Jeffrey Sass for many years. We’ve become friends through the digital channels. It started back when I was speaking at an event in South Florida and stumbled into a domain name convention and auction. I watched the… Read more »

Walmart is killing Target and making Amazon sweat

Posted by & filed under Management, Operations Management, Organizational Change, Planning, Strategy, Teams, Technology.

Description: Many retailers are in a world of pain because of Amazon. Walmart is not one of them. It beat Wall Street forecasts for sales and profit on Thursday and improved its forecast for holiday shopping. The stock rose nearly 9% to an all-time high. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Nov 16, 2017 Link:… Read more »

Self-Driving Trucks May Be Closer Than They Appear

Posted by & filed under Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Human Resource Management, Innovation/Creativity, Management, New product, Planning, Social Responsibility, Strategy, Technology.

Description: Trucks will someday drive themselves out of warehouses and cruise down freeways without the aid of humans or even a driver’s cab — about that there seems little disagreement. The question is how soon that day gets here. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Nov 13, 2017 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/13/business/self-driving-trucks.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fbusiness&action=click&contentCollection=business&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront Questions for discussion: What are the factors pushing… Read more »

Exactly What To Say With Phil Jones – This Week’s Six Pixels Of Separation Podcast

Posted by & filed under Communication, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Strategy, Technology.

Description: I was surprisingly taken aback by the book, Exactly What To Say. There are no stories in this book. No case studies. It’s a small book. It’s a very smart book. In a world where you might assume that anything and everything has already been written about sales, Phil Jones’ book packs a lot of wows…. Read more »

Obsessed Much? Mobile Addiction Is Real

Posted by & filed under Change, Management, New product, Social Responsibility, Strategy, Technology.

Description: According to the survey, which polled 2,000 US internet users ages 18 to 75, most people check their device approximately 47 times per day. Source: eMarketer.com Date: Nov 16, 2017 Link: https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Obsessed-Much-Mobile-Addiction-Real/1016759?ecid=NL1001 Questions for discussion: What does the report say about consumer attitude toward smartphone devices? How should managers of businesses that make use… Read more »