Chapter 15: Distribution - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

Southwest Airlines Suddenly Cancels more than 2,000 Flights

October 13, 2021

Last month, we looked at how air travel has become so complicated during the pandemic that people are turning to travel agents to make sense of the mess. But not even the most experienced agents could have prepared Southwest passengers for the problems that many encountered this past weekend. On Saturday the carrier cancelled more than 1,000 flights and then another 800 on Sunday, followed by 360 more cancellations and close to 1,000 delayed flights on Monday. Southwest apologized for Continue reading →

Supply & Demand, Airlines, Supply chains, Transportation, Travel, Product Distribution, Global, Labor Shortage

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 15: Distribution

Restaurants Look to Improve Their Outdoor Dining Options this Winter

October 7, 2021

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

When summer came to a close last year, restaurants across the country scrambled to keep diners eating outdoors even as the weather turned cold. This led to improvised setups with shelters and gas heaters that sometimes brought about more problems than they solved. For example, every night Ellen Yin’s restaurant in Philadelphia would burn through more than 10 propane tanks for their heat lamps, with staff often changing the tanks throughout the evening. “A couple of times I went to Continue reading →

Product Development, Promotions, Entrepreneurship, Product Distribution, Restaurants, Food & Drink, Coronavirus, Pandemic, Infrastructure investment

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

Hours-Long Outage Adds to Issues for Facebook

October 5, 2021

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

More than 3.5 billion people around the world communicate through Facebook and its collection of apps like Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Oculus. But for about six hours yesterday, no one was using these platforms as Facebook disappeared from the Internet. Company representatives said that this outage occurred when “backbone routers that coordinate network traffic” failed and brought services completely to a halt. The total shutdown meant that Facebook could not remotely reset its network, requiring it to send out a Continue reading →

Global, Facebook, Ethics, Product Distribution, Social Media, Antitrust, Marketing, Operations Management, Regulation

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Continuing Supply Chain Problems Lead to Price Increases

October 1, 2021

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

For months, supply chains across the globe have become highly disrupted due to a multitude of factors related to the pandemic. From closed factories and clogged ports to a shortage of shipping containers, supply chain snags are harming small businesses and could possibly affect the flow of goods during the Christmas season. And in the immediate term, shipping issues are contributing to rising inflation which then leads to price increases, something that has been felt by consumers across Continue reading →

Supply chains, Economics, Product Distribution, Operations Management, Supply & Demand, Global, Coronavirus, Manufacturing, Pandemic

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution

[VIDEO] How a New Generation of Card Enthusiasts Are Transforming a Market

September 24, 2021

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Over the course of the pandemic, sports card trading has transformed from a niche hobby to a booming market as people started turning old collections into big money. This video looks at how appraisal companies and online trading platforms have changed collecting forever while attracting the interest of Wall Street investors in the process.

Questions:

How did sports card collecting transform from a fading hobby into a lucrative and vibrant market?
Do you think the market for cards will Continue reading →

Entrepreneurship, Product Distribution, Supply & Demand, Stock Market, Securities, Sports, Marketing, Entertainment, Ethics

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 19: Securities Markets, Videos

Crocs Return to Fashion and Switch to Bio-Based Ingredients

September 17, 2021

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Crocs clogs debuted in 2002 and quickly became a hit with consumers who wanted colorful and leisurely sandals to wear around the house. But soon backlash began to build against this funky foam footwear, as Time magazine in 2010 named Crocs one of the worst inventions ever. Then the pandemic descended on the world and many people stuck in their homes suddenly realized the benefits of wearing inexpensive and comfortable clogs. As a result, Crocs expects sales to increase by Continue reading →

Product Development, Sustainability, Management, Crocs, Marketing, Coronavirus, Manufacturing, Pandemic, Greenwashing

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 7: Management & Leadership, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution

[VIDEO] What One Winemaker’s Pricing Decisions Tell Us About Inflation

September 10, 2021

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Although demand for wine from California’s Napa Valley has never been higher, supply is low across the region after years of drought, wildfires, and then the pandemic disrupted production. This video looks at the inflationary pressures currently weighing on winemakers as they consider whether or not to raise prices on the latest vintages.

Questions:

What inflationary factors are driving winemakers to raise prices on their products?
What are the potential advantages and disadvantages for businesses when they raise prices?

Manufacturing, Labor Relations, Product Distribution, Food & Drink, Supply & Demand, Economics, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Pricing

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Videos

Travel Agencies Make a Comeback as Flying Becomes Complicated

September 8, 2021

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Although fewer people could be traveling in the coming months due to the delta variant, this summer airlines got slammed with vaccinated vacationers who were ready to fly. Unfortunately for travelers, though, some understaffed carriers were not exactly prepared to handle their return. During the height of the pandemic, airlines offered buyouts or encouraged retirement to many behind the scenes staffers. This led to employee shortages at many carriers, with Delta Air Lines reporting that its call center staff was Continue reading →

Product Development, Travel, Global, Product Distribution, Human Resources, Staffing

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution

FTC Inquires about Broken McFlurry Machines

September 3, 2021

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

It’s a scenario that plenty of fast food fans have faced before: they pull up to the drive-thru speaker at McDonald’s and ask for their favorite frozen treat, only to hear the reply, “Sorry, but the machine is broken right now.” Responsible for about 60 percent of the chain’s desserts, the McFlurry machine is a vital asset for Golden Arches franchises across the country, even though their unreliability has become something of a running joke. Along with serving as the Continue reading →

McDonald’s, Operations Management, Regulation, Ethics, Product Distribution, Franchising, Food & Drink, Entrepreneurship, Forms of Business

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 5: Forms of Business Ownership, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

Supply Chain Delays Could Impact Christmas Shopping Season

September 1, 2021

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Over the course of the pandemic, problems with global supply chains have affected companies both large and small, leading some to reconsider their relationships with international manufacturers. Many other businesses are waiting for their products to arrive after weeks or even months of delays. For instance, the toy maker MGA Entertainment said its stock of Rainbow High dolls has been held up overseas due to a shortage of shipping containers. As a result, the company will likely not Continue reading →