Monthly Newsletter

* February 2012 * Monthly Newsletter Quick Links: Video Index Abstract Index

* * VIDEO INDEX • How Haagen-Dazs Got Its Start • Why Kenny Rogers Is a Hit in Asia

* * • Apple’s Manufacturing Scandal • New Laws Make Unions Easier to Organize • The Rise of the Househusband • Job Interviews—The Google Way • Learning from the Worst Companies in America • Keeping a Close Eye on Customers • An Expensive Experiment at Wendy’s • McDonald’s Flourishes in France • Breaking Franchises into Tiers • CouchSurfing Attracts VC Cash ABSTRACT INDEX

* * • Apple manufactures the iPhone and iPad through Foxconn, a Chinese industrial company. • Although efficient, Foxconn employees work grueling 12-hour shifts in dangerous working conditions. • Foxconn employees have engaged in suicide protests to demand changes to their work environment. Apple’s Manufacturing Scandal

* * • What’s the major problem Apple faces with the situation at Foxconn? What do you think? • Should Apple move production back to the United States? Photo courtesy of Robert Scoble

* * • Membership in unions dropped to just 6.9 percent of the working population in 2010 after falling steadily for years. • New organizing laws prevent employers from making legal challenges until after a union vote has been counted. • The law also limits the ability of union leaders to interfere once a vote has been taken to disband a union. New Laws Make UnionsEasier to Organize

* * • Have labor unions lost their appeal in today’s workplace? What do you think? • Does politics play a role in labor/management relations? Photo courtesy of Fibonacci Blue

* * • On average women under 30 make more money than their male counterparts while some 23% of wives outearn their husbands. • An increasing number of men are retiring early to become stay-at-home dads while their wives pursue careers. • Seven of the 18 women who are currently CEOs of Fortune 500 companies have or have had househusbands at some point. The Rise of the Househusband

* * • Why are women gaining a dominant position in the workplace? What do you think? • Has the workplace become a level playing field for men and women? Photo courtesy of Project 404

* * • With only 1 job available for every 6 applicants, companies face a wider field of candidates than ever before. • Google uses critical thinking questions and brainteasers in order to learn more concrete job skills from interviews. • The questions are open ended and strange, but the interviewer is almost always looking for a certain response gleaned from a small detail. Job Interviews—The Google Way

* * • Why are so many job applicants eager to work for Google? What do you think? • What does the use of Google’s unique questioning tell you about the interview process? Photo courtesy of Aray Chen

* * • Facebook recently topped a list of most hated companies in America thanks to privacy issues and constant site redesigns. • Best Buy made the list after they failed to tell customers until Christmas that some items that they bought online were actually out of stock. • American Airlines landed at number two on the list and is in real danger of shuttering after the bankruptcy of its parent company. Learning from America’sMost Hated Companies

* * • As long as they are profitable, should companies be concerned about consumer opinions? What do you think? • How do companies maintain customer respect long term? Photo courtesy of Richard Smith

* * • Websites can track what products customers click on and how much time they spend looking at an item’s page. • Some brick and mortar retailers are trying to track their customers by running their security video feeds through software. • One startup called Footpath controversially tracks a person’s movements within a store using their cellphone signal. Keeping a Close Eyeon Customers

* * • What’s the benefit of retailers tracking consumers’ activities? What do you think? • Do companies like RetailNext violate consumer’s privacy? Photo courtesy of Miki Yoshihito

* * • With 92% of its revenues coming from the U.S., Wendy’s is trying to branch out overseas. • At select locations in Japan, Wendy’s is selling a $16 hamburger topped with truffles and foie gras, a pricey goose-liver pate. • Wendy’s hopes the expensive burger will appeal to Japan’s love of fads and experimental business stunts. An Expensive Experimentat Wendy’s

* * • Why does a fast food company like Wendy’s need to have a global presence? What do you think? • What do fast food companies have to remember about global markets? Photo courtesy of Tavallai

* * • Despite early vocal opposition, McDonald’s more than 1,200 French locations account for its second-most profitable market in the world. • McDonald’s found a recipe for success when it introduced French favorites like chevre cheese and macaroons to its menus. • The company uses electronic ordering kiosks so that employees are free to provide table service to customers. McDonald’s Flourishesin France

* * • McDonald’s succeeded in France by recognizing what key factor? What do you think? • Would McDonald’s French model be successful in the United States? Photo courtesy of Erwyn van der Meer

* * • With financers harder to come by in today’s economic climate, some companies have split their franchise offerings into differently priced tiers. • Doc Popcorn gives franchisees 3 investment options: $150,000 for a store, $100,000 for a mall kiosk, or $70,000 for a mobile cart. • Although cost effective, standardizing smaller or mobile locations can be difficult. Breaking Franchisesinto Tiers

* * • What’s a major risk of the tier system of franchising? What do you think? • What’s the advantage of franchising to aspiring business owners? Photo courtesy of Rusty Clark

* * • At CouchSurfing.com, users can connect with people in different cities who offer a free place to for travelers. • Although CouchSurfing operated as non-profit for years, in 2010 it became a B-corporation after failing to fall into any IRS categories. • Like many social networks, CouchSurfing has a broad user base but potentially unsustainable revenue streams. CouchSurfing AttractsVC Cash

* * • What’s the primary objective of a venture capital firm? What do you think? • How was CouchSurfing able to grow in a competitive market like lodging? Photo courtesy of Kris Sikes

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