Description: If no deal is struck, Sidewalk will be left empty handed after investing more than $50 million to develop the plan Source: FinancialPost.com Date: Oct 24, 2019 Link: https://business.financialpost.com/technology/alphabet-is-closer-to-a-deal-on-contentious-toronto-smart-city Questions for discussion: How would you go about promoting the concept to all of the publics interested in this development? Do you think there is… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Supply Chain
Behind the GM strike: Declining productivity at U.S. operations – Reuters analysis
Description: (Reuters) – General Motors Co’s <GM.N> U.S. workforce productivity has declined since the automaker recovered from a 2009 bankruptcy, even as its profit per employee has risen, a Reuters analysis shows. Source: Yahoo.Finance.com Date: Oct 04, 2019 Link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/behind-gm-strike-declining-productivity-213655945.html Questions for discussion: How does the productivity issue affect employment, investment, and marketing of GM… Read more »
As Silicon Valley faces a tech reckoning, biologists point to the next big opportunity
Description: At one of the world’s largest synthetic biology conferences this week, a food truck handed out papaya and yogurt samples to hundreds of attendees. The papaya wasn’t any ordinary papaya: It was a genetically engineered fruit that Dr. Dennis Gonsalves designed to be naturally resistant to the ringworm virus. Because of his invention, pesticide use dropped… Read more »
Alibaba’s New Chairman Says He Has to Reinvent Retail Before Someone Else Does
Description: Daniel Zhang isn’t worried about replacing Jack Ma. He’s worried about replacing Alibaba. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Sep 09, 2019 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-09/alibaba-s-new-chair-says-he-ll-find-the-way-to-kill-his-business?srnd=businessweek-v2 Questions for discussion: What is Daniel Zhang’ s goal at Alibaba? Do you agree with his vision?
Nordstrom Tests Accepting Online Returns Bought From Rivals
Description: Nordstrom Inc. is trying an unusual approach to get busy New York City shoppers in its doors: Letting them return merchandise they bought online—from other retailers. Source: Fortune.com Date: Sep 06, 2019 Link: https://fortune.com/2019/09/06/nordstrom-tests-accepting-online-returns-from-rivals-such-as-macys/ Questions for discussion: Is this a good idea? What is the benefit to customers and to Nordstrom? Would an “any-brand”… Read more »
Inside Amazon and Shopify’s race to master time and space in e-commerce
Description: Shopify and Amazon are more strategic partners than competitors, with Shopify needing Amazon the same way Harry Potter needs Voldemort Source: FinancialPost.com Date: Aug 29, 2019 Link: https://business.financialpost.com/technology/inside-amazon-and-shopifys-race-to-master-time-and-space Questions for discussion: Summarize what the report says about the importance of fulfillment versus order-taking? What is the strategic relationship between these firms? Is this a… Read more »
15 Minutes to ‘Mayhem’: How a Tweet Led to a Shortage at Popeyes
Description: The “chicken sandwich wars” with Chick-fil-A captivated the internet and drove record sales. Then they became a logistical headache. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Aug 29, 2019 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/29/business/popeyes-chicken-sandwich-shortage.html Questions for discussion: What does the report say what happened? Was this a “problem”? Do you think it was planned? What should the firm do about the… Read more »
Applied Marketing, 2e
Canadian Edition
