NickelsMcHughMcHugh - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

Zippo Lighters Burning Brighter Than Ever

November 15, 2014

Thanks to tough legislation and widespread public education, the number of U.S. smokers has declined 50 percent since the habit’s heyday in the 1950s. Although this significant customer drop-off has hurt many tobacco companies, business has been booming over the last few years for the iconic lighter brand Zippo. The Bradford, PA-based company earned $200 million in sales last year, a record for the lighter maker. What’s more, Zippo’s expanded global presence and diversified product line has increased sales by Continue reading →

Product Development, Licensing, Branding, Product Lines, Zippo

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 7: Management & Leadership, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

[VIDEO] Supply Chain Reaction

November 15, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

This video reveals some of the unpleasant origins behind the world’s most common products and highlights the importance of understanding supply chains.

Questions:

Have big companies improved work standards in their supply chains?

Should consumers be involved in making sure supply chains are managed humanely?

From We the Economy

Global, Ethics, Product Development, Distribution, Supply chains

Videos

Capturing Value: Innovation’s Vital Second Step

November 13, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

When it comes to innovation in business, creating a viable and valuable product is just the first step. After all, the arrival of the portable MP3 player made many companies stand up and take notice of this revolutionary device. One of those firms was Apple, who soon came to dominate the market with the iPod. Although the signature MP3 player was released later than its competitors, the product’s dependability and stylish design quickly allowed it to capture the bulk Continue reading →

Product Development, Innovation, Ethics, Value, Corporate Social Responsibility, Lifestraw

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Mobile Advertising Overtakes Print and Radio

November 6, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

By the end of the year, mobile advertising spending will eclipse the amount of money that companies spend on old media like radio and newspapers. This historic shift shows just how far smartphones and tablets have come after less than a decade of existence. In contrast, newspapers have been in circulation for centuries while radio has been a media fixture for nearly 100 years.

Analysts estimate that companies will invest nearly $18 billion in mobile ads this year while newspapers Continue reading →

Innovation, Advertising, Smartphones, Old Media, Marketing, Social Media

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Desperate Restaurants Focus on Food Gimmicks

November 2, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Although it’s been more than six years since the start of the Great Recession, many in the restaurant industry have failed to adjust to the “new normal” created by the downturn. In fact, visits to U.S. restaurants have fallen by a staggering 1.3 billion since 2008. As American eateries become desperate for business, many have turned to gimmicky menu items to drum up interest. From Taco Bell’s Waffle Taco to the $100 “Never Ending Pasta Pass” at Olive Garden, restaurants Continue reading →

Product Development, Promotions, Taco Bell, IHOP, Marketing, Food

Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

[VIDEO] The Debt and the Deficit

November 1, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

This animated installment from the We the Economy video series explains the intricacies of the country’s budget deficit and national debt.

Questions:

How does the number of social security recipients impact the economy?

If the economy grew from 2 percent to 4 percent would that help the debt?

From We the Economy

Finance, GDP, Economics, Global

Videos

Ivory Soap Could Finally Sink

October 31, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

The multi-billion dollar home goods company Procter & Gamble produces hundreds of items, but the iconic business owes much of its success to just one brand. More than 135 years ago, James Norris Gamble led a team that created a vegetable oil-based soap with a distinctly white hue. The color presented the company with the perfect brand name, Ivory, while the item’s ability to float provided a unique selling point. What’s more, Gamble advertised the bar of soap as being Continue reading →

Product Lines, Health, Procter & Gamble, Ivory Soap, Product Development, Branding

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price

The Red Menace of the Apple World

October 28, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

For more than 50 years, the Red Delicious has dominated the American apple market. But while no one can dispute the fruit’s famous color, many consumers have begun to take exception to the “Delicious” portion of its name. Even though the U.S. still produces 54 million bushels of Red Delicious annually, production of the fruit has dropped 40 percent since 2000 as demand for other varieties has increased.

The Red Delicious began its ascent way back in the 1870s when Continue reading →

Product Development, Branding, Distribution, China, Apples, Food

Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price

Texas Instruments’ Dated, Dependable Calculator

October 26, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

With so many teenagers equipped with smartphones, it can be easy for older Americans to feel a little jealous of their younger counterparts. After all, cramming at the last minute before a big history exam is a lot easier if you can quickly double check facts on your iPhone. If the subject’s algebra or calculus, however, today’s high school kids have about the same technological edge as students did 10 years ago. That’s because the TI-84 Plus graphing calculator Continue reading →

Product Development, Branding, Education, Texas Instruments, Marketing

Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

The Personalized Future of Medical Care

October 23, 2014

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Society depends so greatly on medical procedures like blood transfusions and vaccines that it can be difficult to remember that these practices have only been around for about a century. In fact, it wasn’t until the 1940s that hospitals became sophisticated enough to offer a patient better care than they could receive in their home. Since then, human life expectancy has leapt to nearly 80 years while advanced procedures like organ transplants are now common.

With so much ground broken Continue reading →

Innovation, Health, Customization, DNA Mapping

Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media