How GE Went From American Icon to Astonishing Mess

Posted by & filed under Change, Decision Making, Environment, Global Management, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, New product, Planning, Strategy, Teams, Technology.

Description: Famous for great management, General Electric is staring down a plunging share price, a federal investigation, and possible breakup. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Feb 1, 2018 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-02-01/how-ge-went-from-american-icon-to-astonishing-mess Questions for discussion: What does the article say about the reasons for GE’s rise and fall? Is blame entirely the fault of poor management? Can GE rise… Read more »

‘Thank you. This confirms your concert-ticket purchase. And your parking. And your t-shirt and beer.’

Posted by & filed under Communication, Control, Decision Making, Global Management, Innovation/Creativity, Management, New product, Operations Management, Planning, Social Responsibility, Strategy, Technology.

Description: The Showpass app lets anyone buy — and sell — event tickets, and they’re not scalpers or bots Source: FinancialPost.com Date: Jan 23, 2018 Link: http://business.financialpost.com/entrepreneur/0120-biz-rs-spence-tickets Questions for discussion: What makes this app different? How should operations change at the firms competing with this app?

Toys “R” Us plans to close more than 180 U.S. stores

Posted by & filed under Change, Control, Decision Making, Global Management, Human Resource Management, Leadership, Management, Operations Management, Organizational Change, Organizational Structure & Design, Planning, Strategy.

Description: Toys “R” Us is planning to shutter a fifth of its U.S. stores. Source: CNNMooney.com – video report Date: Jan 23, 2018 Link: http://money.cnn.com/2018/01/24/news/companies/toys-r-us-stores-closing/index.html?iid=hp-stack-dom Questions for discussion: What does this report say about the reasons for the store closures? How can management deal with the challenges facing the firm?

Whitney Wolfe turned a traumatic experience at Tinder into her…

Posted by & filed under Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, New product, Operations Management, Planning, Social Responsibility, Strategy, Teams, Technology.

Description: After leaving Tinder under traumatic circumstances, Bumble co-founder Whitney Wolfe started her own dating app that grew to be one of the biggest in the space. Whitney Wolfe turned a traumatic experience at Tinder into her successful ‘Bumble’ empire from CNBC. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Jan 23, 2018 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/01/23/whitney-wolfe-turned-a-traumatic-experience-at-tinder-into-her-successful-bumble-empire.html Questions for… Read more »

Tesla unveils pay plan for CEO Elon Musk

Posted by & filed under Compensation & Benefits, Ethics, Human Resource Management, Leadership, Management, Motivation, Negotiation, Planning, Social Responsibility, Strategy, Teams.

Description: CNBC’s Phil LeBeau reports on how Tesla is paying CEO Elon Musk’s salary. Tesla unveils pay plan for CEO Elon Musk from CNBC. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Jan 23, 2018 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/01/23/tesla-unveils-pay-plan-for-ceo-elon-musk.html Questions for discussion: How is Elon Musk compensated? Is this an appropriate method for senior management of a firm, in… Read more »

The Facebook News Feed Conundrum

Posted by & filed under Change, Communication, Control, Ethics, Global Management, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, Planning, Social Responsibility, Technology.

Description: In the latest episode of eMarketer’s “Behind the Numbers” podcast, we consider the changes planned for Facebook’s News Feed and the possible implications for advertisers. Will the shifting focus of the News Feed, with an emphasis on “personal” posts, force changes for marketers? Source: eMarketer.com Date: Jan 23, 2018 Link: https://www.emarketer.com/content/the-facebook-news-feed-conundrum?ecid=NL1001 Questions for discussion:… Read more »

Why Facebook Is Cleaning Up The Neighborhood

Posted by & filed under Change, Communication, Control, Decision Making, Ethics, Global Management, Leadership, Management, Operations Management, Planning, Social Responsibility, Teams, Technology.

Description:  Brands (and the people that work for them) are going apoplectic about where Facebook is headed next. Investors are a bit nervous, too. Source: Sixpixels.mirumagency.com Date: Jan 23, 2018 Link: http://sixpixels.mirumagency.com/blog/archives/why-facebook-is-cleaning-up-the-neighborhood/ Questions for discussion: What does the article say is happening at Facebook? How will usage change? How should marketing managers respond to these… Read more »

This Army of AI Robots Will Feed the World

Posted by & filed under Change, Human Resource Management, Leadership, Management, New product, Operations Management, Organizational Change, Planning, Social Responsibility, Teams, Technology.

Description: And it could do it while eliminating herbicides, replenishing topsoil, and reducing carbon consumption. If all goes to plan. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Jan 11, 2018 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-01-11/this-army-of-ai-robots-will-feed-the-world Questions for discussion: What does the article say about the future uses of technology? How will these predictions affect business and workers?

Small business optimism at three-year high, with $140B in spending to come in 2018: BDC study

Posted by & filed under Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Management, Planning.

Description: Business acquisitions to skyrocket unprecedented 79% as Boomers start selling off to retire Source: FinancialPost.com Date: Jan 16, 2018 Link: http://business.financialpost.com/entrepreneur/0116-biz-dd-bdcsurvey Questions for discussion: What does the article say about the state of small businesses and the transition taking place? What does this suggest to you about the future health of small business in… Read more »

Beer Canada calls on feds to axe increasing beer tax as consumption trends down

Posted by & filed under Decision Making, Management, Operations Management, Planning, Strategy.

Description: The federal government’s plan to hike excise taxes on beer every year will result in consumers paying more for the alcoholic beverage and business owners investing less in their operations, says an industry association fighting the change. Source: NationalPost.com Date: Jan 16, 2018 Link: http://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/beer-canada-calls-on-feds-to-axe-increasing-beer-tax-as-consumption-trends-down Questions for discussion: What does the article say about… Read more »