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New Law Protects Consumers’ Right to Leave Negative Feedback

December 13, 2016

In December 2008, John Palmer ordered some items from the online retailer KlearGear and never received them. His wife Jen responded to this poor service by writing a critical review about the company on a website called Ripoff Report. The incident eventually faded from Palmer’s memory until three years later when she received a demand from KlearGear to take the review down. If she didn’t comply, the company said, they would fine her $3,500 for violating a non-disparagement clause that Continue reading →

Consumer Review Fairness Act, Credit Rating, Ethics, Regulation, Consumer Feedback, Yelp

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

Drop in ESPN Viewership Has Disney Worried

December 9, 2016

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While a major entertainment conglomerate like Disney has many sources of income, the iconic brand earns the bulk of its revenue from TV networks like ESPN and ABC. This year these channels have brought in nearly $24 billion, exceeding the company’s theme park earnings by 40 percent. But this enormous payout doesn’t tell the whole story about Disney’s TV holdings. For the past few years, subscriptions to its premium channels have dropped significantly, leading to a similar dip in the Continue reading →

Cord Cutting, Sports, Entertainment, Television, Disney, Product Distribution, ESPN, Cable

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Supreme Court Toughens Rules on Insider Trading

December 8, 2016

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In 2014 a New York appeals court nearly changed the way that lawmakers deal with cases of insider trading. The dispute centered around two hedge fund managers who passed along confidential information between tipsters like a game of telephone. While the pair had been convicted in their first trial, the decision was eventually overturned upon appeal. This set a precedent for insider trading cases in which the prosecution had to prove that the tipster directly received some sort of compensation Continue reading →

Ethics, Stocks, Legal, Supreme Court, Insider Trading

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 19: Securities Markets, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

[VIDEO] How China Is Changing Hollywood

December 6, 2016

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Thanks to a rapidly growing middle class, China has transformed into the largest moviegoing market in the world. And while Hollywood is the source for many of the nation’s hit flicks, American filmmakers still face a number of hurdles before they can do business in China. This video looks at the ways Hollywood tries to appeal to Chinese culture in order to break into this tough but rewarding market.

Questions:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of China’s revenue Continue reading →

Product Development, Entertainment, China, Marketing, Product Distribution, Global, Movies

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Videos

Indiegogo Allows Crowdfunders to Purchase Equity Stakes

December 2, 2016

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For years crowdfunding sites have provided cash and marketing boosts to entrepreneurs who aren’t afraid to reach out to the public. In exchange, donors receive prizes for their support, ranging from simple displays of gratitude to enormous giveaways for the most generous individuals. One reward they haven’t been able to receive, however, is a stake in the company. For instance, the makers of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset brought in millions from their 2012 Kickstarter campaign. Facebook eventually purchased Continue reading →

Promotions, Crowdfunding, Kickstarter, Financing, Marketing, Indiegogo, Equity

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Chapter 20: Money and Financial Institutions, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

Entrepreneurs Risk Slow Growth by Keeping Close Control

December 1, 2016

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In order to start a successful company, entrepreneurs must be willing to take charge and lead with authority. After all, founding a business requires hard work and a clear vision, and entrepreneurs need plenty of both if they want to succeed. But what happens once a startup grows into a mature company? By that stage, the founder is far from the only focal point: managers, outside investors and other stakeholders will also want to have their say about the company’s Continue reading →

Startups, Leadership, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Management, Entrepreneurship

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 7: Management & Leadership, Chapter 10: Motivation

Black Friday Shoppers Spend Big Thanks to Deep Discounts

November 29, 2016

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This past weekend the holiday shopping season kicked off with a bang as millions of Americans sought out Black Friday deals both in stores and online. While brick and mortar sales rose about 8 percent from last year, online outlets saw sales increase by 11 percent. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), this spike in e-commerce can be credited to the more than 108 million consumers who shopped online over the weekend. Meanwhile, approximately 99 million people visited physical Continue reading →

Promotions, Retail, Pricing, Black Friday, E-commerce, Discounts

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

[VIDEO] When Carmakers Taunted Horses

November 22, 2016

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With 43.5 million Americans expected to hit the road for Thanksgiving this year, drivers will likely have to deal with more traffic jams and slowdowns than usual. Then again, at least these dedicated travelers will be making their journey by car rather than on horseback. But while this preference for pedals seems like a no-brainer today, the situation was much different a century ago when automobiles were new and confusing to many consumers. This video shows how carmakers marketed these Continue reading →

Promotions, Cars, Transportation, Marketing, Horses, Product Development

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media, Videos

Thanksgiving Travel Expected to Increase This Year

November 21, 2016

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The end of November is always a trying time for travelers. Each year millions of Americans crisscross the country to reach their loved ones for Thanksgiving, leading to congested roads and crowded airports. And for those who hoped this year might be easier, think again. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), nearly 49 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home between Wednesday and Sunday. That amounts to an increase of 1 million people compared to last Continue reading →

Vacation, Thanksgiving, Airplanes, Economics, Cars, Transportation, Travel

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management

Newman’s Own Revamps Marketing Strategy to Focus on Charity

November 18, 2016

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Older Americans should have no problem remembering Paul Newman, the iconic star of classics movies like Cool Hand Luke and The Sting. And while younger people might not know his Hollywood credits, they’re likely to recognize the actor’s trademark grin from browsing the supermarket. Since 1982 Newman’s Own has placed Paul’s face on everything from salad dressing to snacks, but not in the name of making a buck. The brand donates all of its profits to charity, amounting to Continue reading →

Packaging, Marketing, Newman’s Own, Food, Branding, Philanthropy

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

Drop in ESPN Viewership Has Disney Worried

[VIDEO] How China Is Changing Hollywood

Indiegogo Allows Crowdfunders to Purchase Equity Stakes

Entrepreneurs Risk Slow Growth by Keeping Close Control

Black Friday Shoppers Spend Big Thanks to Deep Discounts

Thanksgiving Travel Expected to Increase This Year

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