Kristen Bell and Her Cofounders Built a Company to Save Lives. But Growing It Wasn’t So Simple.

Posted by & filed under Decision Making, Entrepreneurship, Ethics, Global Management, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, New product, Planning, Social Responsibility.

Description: With an entrepreneurial can-do mindset, the four Hollywood vets have built a business with soaring sales and global impact. Source: Entrepreneur.com Date: Apr 09, 2019 Link: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/331237 Questions for discussion: Summarize the strategic decisions made to develop the company. How would this story be different if it was managed as a for-profit start-up? How… Read more »

Disney’s $6.99-per-month streaming immediately makes it a value winner over Netflix for families

Posted by & filed under Change, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, New product, Planning, Strategy, Technology.

Description: For Disney, the price is the story. Disney announced pricing for its new streaming service on Thursday, and it’s surprisingly low: $6.99 per month and $69.99 annually (or $5.83 per month). The service won’t include any advertisements. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Apr 12, 2019 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/12/disneys-6point99-per-month-price-immediately-makes-it-a-value-winner.html Questions for discussion: Why is pricing so critical in… Read more »

Should You Compete With (and Potentially Kill) Your Own Business?

Posted by & filed under Change, Control, Decision Making, Entrepreneurship, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, New product, Planning, Strategy.

Description: Adam Schwartz’s t-shirt company was struggling. Instead of saving it, he built something new — and better. Source: Entrepreneur.com Date: Apr 12, 2019 Link: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/331231 Questions for discussion: What does the article say about creative thinking and business evolution? Could these businesses succeed without low-cost online advertising from companies like Google?

This new technical fabric replaces polyester with banana plants

Posted by & filed under Entrepreneurship, Ethics, Global Management, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, Planning, Social Responsibility, Strategy, Technology.

Description: The abacá plant grows without needing lots of water or pesticides, helps stop erosion, and is now being used to replace fossil fuels in clothes. Source: FastCompany.com Date: Apr 12, 2019 Link: https://www.fastcompany.com/90333645/this-new-technical-fabric-replaces-polyester-with-banana-plants?utm_source=postup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Fast%20Company%20Daily&position=7&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=04122019 Questions for discussion: What are the major attributes that differentiate this new product? How should managers market this new product so… Read more »

“I had 15 years of professional experience, but no one cared when I became a mom”

Posted by & filed under Communication, Compensation & Benefits, Ethics, Human Resource Management, Leadership, Management, Social Responsibility.

Description: A finance professional turned entrepreneur reflects on the motherhood bias and stereotypes she faced during her return to work Source: FastCompany.com Date: Apr 03, 2019 Link: https://www.fastcompany.com/90324442/former-goldman-sachs-employee-on-the-motherhood-penalty?utm_source=postup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Fast%20Company%20Daily&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=04032019 Questions for discussion: What is the “motherhood bias” according to the report? How can management deal with this social issue?

GE bets on offshore wind as fossil fuels business stumbles

Posted by & filed under Control, Decision Making, Global Management, Leadership, Management, New product, Planning, Social Responsibility, Strategy, Technology.

Description: New York (CNN Business)General Electric is a tiny player in the booming offshore wind market. But that will change soon — and it needs to, if the company wants to outgrow its exposure to fossil fuels. One major investment that illustrates GE’s interest: The Haliade-X, the world’s largest and most powerful offshore wind turbine. Source: CNNMoney.com –… Read more »

Inside Ikea’s plan to reinvent itself as a circular company

Posted by & filed under Communication, Decision Making, Environment, Global Management, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, Planning, Social Responsibility.

Description: From rental furniture to modular couches, the company is finding more and more ways to limit its use of raw materials. Source: FastCompany.com Date: Apr 03, 2019 Link: https://www.fastcompany.com/90328244/inside-ikeas-plan-to-reinvent-itself-as-a-circular-company Questions for discussion: What is driving the new business model? What are the constraints the company will have to deal with? Do you think the… Read more »

YouTube Executives Ignored Warnings, Letting Toxic Videos Run Rampant

Posted by & filed under Control, Decision Making, Ethics, Global Management, Leadership, Management, Social Responsibility, Technology.

Description: Proposals to change recommendations and curb conspiracies were sacrificed for engagement, staff say. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Apr 02, 2019 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-04-02/youtube-executives-ignored-warnings-letting-toxic-videos-run-rampant Questions for discussion: Summarize the key points made in this report related to the way management dealt with this issue. What would you advise, going forward?

SNC-Lavalin needs to be held criminally liable: Lawyer

Posted by & filed under Communication, Conflict, Decision Making, Ethics, Leadership, Management, Planning, Social Responsibility, Strategy.

Description:  Kenneth Jull, counsel at Gardiner Roberts, talks about the different paths SNC-Lavalin may face with a remediation agreement. He say that there is a right and a wrong way to handle this, but Canadians need to understand the consequences of each. Source: BNNBloomberg.ca – video report Date: Mar 28, 2019 Link: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/video/snc-lavalin-needs-to-be-held-criminally-liable-lawyer~1646690 Questions for… Read more »

McDonald’s will no longer lobby against minimum wage hikes

Posted by & filed under Compensation & Benefits, Decision Making, Ethics, Global Management, Human Resource Management, Leadership, Management, Operations Management, Planning, Social Responsibility, Technology.

Description:  McDonald’s will no longer take part in efforts to lobby against raising the minimum wage at the federal, state or local level, the fast-food giant told the National Restaurant Association Tuesday. Source: CNBC.com Date: Mar 27, 2019 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/27/mcdonalds-reportedly-to-stop-lobbying-against-minimum-wage-hikes.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.apple.UIKit.activity.Mail Questions for discussion: What does this decision mean for the firm and the industry at large?… Read more »