Business Cafe - Christmas 2011

The Christmas 2011 edition of Business Cafe - our digital learning resource for all Level 2 and Level 3 business courses, is now available to subscribing schools and colleges. Details of the new articles and case studies in this edition are summarised below.

In the Christmas 2011 Edition of Business Cafe

Are Town Centres Still Ideal Business Locations?

Location is an important strategic decision for businesses. By strategic, we mean that this decision is taken by senior managers (not delegated to junior managers); it’s difficult and costly to reverse if the wrong judgement is made and it has a widespread impact on the whole organisation. It is arguably the single largest expenditure a business makes and so affects break-even, profit and competitiveness.

Cadbury vs Nestle – the battle for Purple

Purple is not a colour that I would choose, I personally prefer blue! But the leading confectioners Cadbury and Nestle have employed their lawyers to fight over it during recent months. The outcome has been a win for Cadbury – so why all of the fuss and expensive legal costs.

That John Lewis Advert and the Act of Giving

The John Lewis Christmas 2011 advert has become an internet sensation with over 600,000 viewings on You Tube in the first three days of its release. This compares to the 440,000 times the 2010 advert was viewed on You Tube in 10 months. The 90 second advert tells the story of a small boy, played by Lewis McGowan, impatiently waiting for Christmas Day, so that he can deliver his present to his mum and dad. Lewis was chosen from over 250 boys who auditioned for the advert.

Christmas Comes Early on the High Street

Retail sales in the United Kingdom rose expectantly in October, rising by 0.6% in volume terms, on the back of a 0.5% rise in September. Analysts had expected sales volumes to fall by as much as 0.2%.

Changing Patterns on the High Street

The UK high street is under-going change – both demographics and technology are impacting on the way in which we do our shopping. In this festive month of Christmas shopping, this article looks at how business is having to adapt to our changing retail patterns.

Looking Backward, Looking Forward

In a short article, it is impossible to review the past year but as everyone knows, 2011 has been characterised by consistently poor news on the economic front and the early months of 2012 are not set to be any different. The latter part of this year has seen the Eurozone crisis in the news on a daily basis, accompanied by an upsurge of protests against corporate greed in the UK and in many other countries

International Marketing in the USA

As the effects of the recession in Europe begin to bite, some companies are beginning to look to other areas to expand their markets. The USA is still one of the largest markets in the world, but the brands that are successful in the American market today are changing from those that were popular in the past. To break into this market and achieve success, UK businesses first need to ensure that they investigate the situation carefully.

Regional Policy and Businesses

You will know, from studying ‘business location’, that in addition to factors such as proximity to markets, raw materials, and suitably skilled employees there is another significant influence on where a business chooses to operate; the government’s regional policy. Since the 1930s, when heavy industries in the north were devastated causing unemployment to rise to alarming levels, governments have taken measures to encourage businesses to locate in those areas of the country where economic activity is low. It is important that you are up to date with what The Department for Business Innovation and Skills (DBIS) which has responsibility for policy is doing and what the implications are for businesses.