Innovation - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

Starbucks Reinvents to Stay Relevant

August 19, 2014

When Howard Schultz first joined Starbucks as marketing director in 1982, the small Seattle company made most of its money selling coffee-making equipment. Once Schultz landed the CEO position, however, matters changed drastically. Looking to bring the European café experience to American shores, Schultz transformed the regional chain into an international behemoth within two decades.

Starbucks changed again when Schultz stepped down as CEO in 2000. After a rapid expansion saw the company grow to more than 15,000 stores Continue reading →

Product Development, Branding, Innovation, Starbucks, Marketing

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution

[VIDEO] Humans Need Not Apply

August 1, 2014

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Recent technological advancements in automation could soon make many human workers obsolete, according to this rather bleak video. Due to the length and potentially overwhelming nature of this piece, we recommend showing just the first five minutes.

Questions:

What has been the true value of mechanical advancements for society?

What is the key message sent forth in this video?

From CGP Grey

Ethics, Human Resources, Innovation, Automation

Videos

Serving up a Spectacle at Dinner in the Sky

July 23, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

On the surface, it might seem like bungee jumping and fine dining don’t have much in common. But at a company called Dinner in the Sky, elements of these two seemingly unrelated concepts are combined to create an incomparable dining experience.

The business began in 2007 when a European restaurant association hired marketer David Ghysels to put together a suspended aerial dinner for promotional purposes. Ghysels teamed up with bungee-jumping expert Stefan Kerkhofs to design an advanced high-wire table that Continue reading →

Promotions, Innovation, Gimmicks, Marketing, Food

Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 5: Forms of Business Ownership, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

[VIDEO] Etsy Artisans Reach Retailers

July 15, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

The online, indie-driven craft store Etsy is giving their users a chance to sell their wares wholesale to retail outlets.

https://nyti.ms/1jFBb61

Questions:

What are the major benefits of using Etsy to a firm like Worley’s Lighting?

Do entrepreneurs like Shelli Worley often turn their hobbies into businesses?

From The New York Times

Distribution, Innovation, Etsy, Social Media, Product Development, Retail

Videos

Educating Executives about Social Media

July 14, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

For millions of people around the world, social media is a vital tool for everyday life. However, there are millions more who don’t have a Twitter handle or even a Facebook account. These mostly middle-aged or older absentees simply didn’t get swept in the social networking tide like so many others. To retirees, remaining unfamiliar with the subtle workings of a service like Instagram is not a huge loss. But for managers at many companies, social media skills are becoming Continue reading →

Innovation, Mentoring, Management, Training, Human Resources, Social Media

Chapter 7: Management & Leadership, Chapter 8: Organizational Culture and Structure, Chapter 10: Motivation, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media, Bonus Chapter D: Personal Finance

E-Cigarettes: Tobacco’s Futuristic Frontier

July 6, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Cigarettes kill more than 5.4 million people each year, a 30 percent increase over the past two decades. Although cigarette use has generally fallen in the U.S., increased use in Asia and Eastern Europe has ensured that the tobacco industry is bigger than ever. Innovation has also hit the cigarette business in the form of e-cigarettes, electronic devices that heat up liquid nicotine to a vapor that is then inhaled.

Like everything related to tobacco, e-cigarettes have been controversial since Continue reading →

Innovation, Regulation, E-Cigarettes, Ethics

Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

[VIDEO] How Net Neutrality Works

July 1, 2014

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Net neutrality continues to be a hot topic for debate in Washington. Here’s a video explaining this complicated subject.

https://nyti.ms/1nRVU8i

Questions:

Should the Federal Communications Commission (FDC) continue a policy of net neutrality?

Does FCC Chairman Wheeler have a conflict of interest in this decision?

From The New York Times

Ethics, Innovation, Regulation, Security, Net Neutrality

Videos

Fine Dining Meets Web 2.0

June 3, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

In the world of fine dining, the food may be the focus, but the customer is king. That’s certainly the case at New York’s exclusive Eleven Madison Park, where professional servers iron table linens and polish silver before diners arrive. Like any three Michelin-star establishment, they want to ensure that guests will be as comfortable as possible even before they sit down to eat. While this includes primping that is common at other elite eateries, the maître d’ at Continue reading →

Food, Human Resources, Social Media, Innovation, Consumer Research

Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price

[VIDEO] Pinball Machines for the 21st Century

May 15, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

This New Jersey pinball wizard is trying to modernize an old arcade favorite.

https://youtu.be/FnKKoaMNxw4

Questions:

What’s important characteristic about their customers must pinball machines manufacturers keep in mind?

Will pinball manufacturers like Jersey Jack be able to expand their market?

From CNN Money

Games, Pinball, Marketing, Product Development, Entertainment, Innovation

Videos

Using Tech to Curb Smartphone Theft

May 6, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Like all coveted consumer items, smartphones are a prime target for theft. As the devices have become increasingly common, so have reports of muggings and break-ins involving the gadgets. According to Consumer Reports, more than 1.6 million Americans had their smartphones stolen in 2012. Meanwhile, smartphone thefts accounted for more than 50 percent of robberies in San Francisco and 75 percent of thefts in the neighboring city of Oakland.

The uptick in gadget-related larceny has led to an outcry among Continue reading →

Crime, Ethics, Innovation, Security, Smartphones

Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media