Facebook Advertising Profiles Are a Mystery to Most Users, Survey Says

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

Description:  The scrutiny of Facebook’s collection and use of consumer data in recent years has prompted the tech giant to repeatedly defend its efforts around transparency and privacy.

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: Jan 16, 2019

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/16/business/media/facebook-advertising-transparency-users.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the highlights in this report.
  • What do you think is motivating FB to publicize this way?
  • Do you think this knowledge would change how FB is used?

Hey Siri, What Are Hearables?

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

Description:  A new category of wearable emerges

Source: eMarketer.com

Date: Jan 09, 2019

Link: https://www.emarketer.com/content/hey-siri-what-are-hearables?ecid=NL1009

Questions for discussion:

  • Why is the development of hearable technology a game changer for the industry?
  • What sorts of devices and applications can you image in the future?

Inside the $3 billion race to kill plastic

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

Description: These startups are capitalizing on consumer anxiety about climate change to market reusable straws, food wrap, and storage bags. Can they compete with plastic industry giants?

Source: FastCompany.com

Date: Jan 16, 2019

Link: https://www.fastcompany.com/90290048/inside-the-3-billion-race-to-kill-plastic

Questions for discussion:

  • How are startups challenging the giant consumer products companies in this arena?
  • Why is this a particularly good environment for startups to enter?
  • What would you advise management of all companies as the transition to more ecological products continues to expand?

Lockout at one of Canada’s largest smelters drags into 2nd year, with no end in sight

Posted by & filed under Chapter 10 - Third-Party Intervention, Chapter 11 - The Grievance Arbitration Process, Chapter 7 - Defining and Commencing Collective Bargaining, Communication, Conflict, Decision Making, Industrial Relations, Management, Negotiation, Social Responsibility.

Description: With pickets outside Alcoa’s aluminium plant in Bécancour, Que., output has been reduced to trickle

Source: CBC.ca – video report

Date: Jan 11, 2019

Link: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/lockout-at-one-of-canada-s-largest-smelters-drags-into-2nd-year-with-no-end-in-sight-1.4973943

Questions for discussion:

  • What does the report have to say about the history of this labour dispute?
  • What would you advise the parties involved in order to settle the dispute?

Inside Facebook’s ‘cult-like’ workplace, where dissent is discouraged and employees pretend to be happy all the time

Posted by & filed under Communication, Conflict, Control, Decision Making, Environment, Ethics, Global Management, Human Resource Management, Leadership, Management, Motivation, Operations Management, Social Responsibility, Teams.

Description: At a company-wide town hall in early October, numerous Facebookemployees got in line to speak about their experiences with sexual harassment.

Source: CNBC.com – video report

Date: Jan 08, 2019

Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/08/facebook-culture-cult-performance-review-process-blamed.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the managerial culture at FB.
  • How are conditions affecting the company and its empoyees?
  • How should management respond to the concerns and criticisms, in your opinion?

How Starbucks went from one coffee bean store to an $80B business

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

Description:  In its 47-year history, Starbucks has transformed from a single coffee bean store in Seattle to a 30,000 cafe international coffee power house. But massive expansion hasn’t come without growing pains.

How Starbucks went from one coffee bean store to an $80B business from CNBC.

Source: CNBC.com – video report

Date: Jan 07, 2019

Link: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2019/01/07/starbucks-coffee-business-empire.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the highlights in this report.
  • How has good management contributed to the company’s success?

More stock market carnage could force Trump to make a China trade deal, expert says

Posted by & filed under Global Management, Leadership, Management, Planning, Strategy.

Description: The U.S. and China are unlikely to reach a full deal at the end of their 90-day ceasefire on tit-for-tat tariffs, but a sustained decline in markets will push President Donald Trump to close a deal, an expert told CNBC on Monday.

Source: CNBC.com – video report

Date: Jan 07, 2019

Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/07/us-china-trade-talks-trump-will-be-push-to-make-a-trade-deal-with-china-should-markets-continue-to-tank.html

Questions for discussion:

  • How do tariffs affect American businesses?
  • Why is there strong pressure to solve the dispute with China?

5 Simple Ways to Identify Business Ideas That Could (Really) Change the World

Posted by & filed under Entrepreneurship, Innovation/Creativity, Management, Planning, Social Responsibility.

Description: Want to come up with a world-changing business idea? First step, think locally. What exactly does your community need?

Source: Entrepreneur.com

Date: Jan 09, 2019

Link: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/325922?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email

Questions for discussion:

  • What does this article suggest to entrepreneurs looking for business development ideas?
  • Do you think the ideas are simplistic?
  • What others suggestions would offer?

Want to Reach Gamers? Try Mobile

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

Description:  Most people think of gamers as Xbox-obsessed teenagers, but it turns out that mobile is by far the more popular place to play

Source: eMarketer.com

Date: Jan 10, 2019

Link: https://www.emarketer.com/content/mobile-gaming-poised-for-significant-growth-in-2019?ecid=NL1001

Questions for discussion:

  • What does the report say about the future of mobile gaming?
  • What are the opportunities available to developers for monetizing this growth?

Big Innovation With Tendayi Viki – This Week’s Six Pixels of Separation Podcast

Posted by & filed under Communication, Global Management, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, Planning, Strategy, Teams.

Description: Innovation is a big word. It’s a tough word and many businesses claim to be doing it… but few can demonstrate it (well).

Source: SixPixels.com – podcast

Date: Jan 01, 2019

Link: https://www.sixpixels.com/articles/archives/big-innovation-with-tendayi-viki-this-weeks-six-pixels-of-separation-podcast/

Questions for discussion:

  • What does the interview teach you about innovation and development?
  • What is your general impression of the ideas put forward?