Description: To generate cash to help turnaround the company, Blackberry has reached an agreement to sell most of its real estate in Canada: this includes more than 3 million square feet of space. This sale will generate nearly $550 million. Source: Financial Post Date: March 21, 2014 Link: http://business.financialpost.com/2014/03/21/blackberry-ltd-reaches-deal-to-sell-most-of-its-canadian-real-estate/?__lsa=1d59-37d4 Questions for Discussion: What will become… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Leadership
Reasons for Nortel’s demise
Description: Dr. Jonathan Calof, Associate Professor at University of Ottawa, debates that some of the reasons for Nortel’s demise were hubris and arrogance. He argues that although Nortel continued to have strong technological skills but it was poor in managing this technology Source: CBC Date: March 21, 2014 Link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2443679616/ Questions for Discussion: Discuss some… Read more »
Lululemon’s shares nosedive
Description: Lululemon announced that its 4th-quarter results will not meet its expectations: This news sent their share price falling more than 15%. Lululemon has had a rough last year with some major public relation (PR) disasters. Source: CBC Date: Jan 13, 2014 Video Link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2429880202/?page=3 Questions for Discussion: What were the major PR disasters for… Read more »
Women corporate leaders say they’re overworked and underpaid
Description: A recent survey by a human resource consultant firm, Randstad Canada, found that women corporate leaders in Canada are overworked and underpaid in comparison to their male counterparts. Another surprising finding was that a large percentage of women employees felt that having a women boss can hurt them. Source: CBC Date: Jan 2,… Read more »
Gender gap is bad for business
Description: A recent study at University of British Columbia found that companies that had women on their board were better deal makers: they paid significantly less premiums for target firms and were more cautious when acquiring firms. Despite several similar studies over the years confirming that higher gender diversity on corporate boards lead to better… Read more »
Swiss to vote on CEO pay
Description: Switzerland goes to vote on capping CEO pay to 12 times the pay received by the lowest paid employee in the company. The reasoning behind this referendum is to maintain some level of parity among the highest and the lowest earners in the country. Source: CBC Date: Nov. 21, 2013 Video Link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2419872290/ Questions… Read more »
Twitter’s ride to becoming public
Description: Twitter is preparing itself for its initial public offering (IPO) in early November on the New York stock exchange. Alyson Shontell of Business Insider discusses the growth of Twitter since its humble beginnings. Source: CBC Date: Oct. 25, 2013 Video Link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2414476857/ Questions for Discussion: Why Twitter’s growth path is termed chaotic? Considering that… Read more »
Can Fairfax save BlackBerry?
Description: Fairfax financial has made a $4.7 billion bid for BlackBerry. This bid amounts to an offer of $9 per share. In 2007, BlackBerry boasted a share price of $230.52. This is a remarkable drop for a company that started the smartphone market. Source: CBC Date: Sept. 23, 2013 Video Link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2408193839/?page=2 Questions for Discussion:… Read more »
Why are CEOs paid so highly?
Description: Over the last two decades nearly 40% of highly paid CEOs in the U.S. were either fired, arrested or bailed out by taxpayers. These statistics casts doubt on the whether CEOs should be paid so highly. Source: CBC Date: August 30, 2013 Video Link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2403678767/?page=3 Questions for Discussion: Do CEOs deserve such astronomical salaries?… Read more »
CEO turnover highest in three years
Description: A recent U.S. report finds that CEO turnover at U.S. companies is at its highest in the last three years with nearly 128 CEOs announcing their departures in the month of July alone. This represented a 54% increase over the same time last year. Source: Financial Post Date: August 7, 2013 Text Link: http://business.financialpost.com/2013/08/07/ceo-turnover-highest-in-three-years-says-report/… Read more »
