Category
In the News
Was 2017 the year that independent bookshops turned the corner?
The Booksellers Association reports that, after two decades of decline, the number of smaller independent book stores stabilised in 2017 (it actually rose by one!). Mini case studies of localised...
Cotton provides a new thread of optimism in the North West
Here is a feature on the partial return of cotton spinning to the North West of the UK. It follows the supply chain of a bale of cotton imported from California eventually transformed into...
Toys R Us is saved - but only for the moment
Toys R Us has been in trouble for a while, and reported on plans to close some stores at the beginning of December. But its also run out of money to pay into its pension scheme, which means that...
Is there a gap in China's Instant noodle market?
China is the biggest market for sales of instant noodles - according to the World Instant Noodle Association (which is a real thing!) sales there are more than three times the next nearest market...
Barnsley Baker Explains What Exchange Rates Means for His Business
The effect of exchange rates can be difficult for students to digest, but this is a brilliant little one-minute teaching video. It shows how volatile exchange rates make business planning...
Fake pants scam
UK border officials are trying to get to the bottom of this one; they have seized £1.5m worth of fake Calvin Klein boxers, in the run-up to Christmas. If Santa brings you a pack of Calvin Klein...
2017's worst customer service errors
The Observer has this handy summary of some calamitous examples of poor customer service. In a digital age, happy customers keep quiet, unhappy customers voice their anger loudly and quickly.
Things that did not exist on Christmas Day in 2007
An interesting list here of products that did not exist on Christmas Day a decade ago. How many will still be around in another ten years? Might be worth discussing in the context of the product...
First mover advantage avocados
Do you think this is an example of a product innovation which is market led, or product led? M&S have just solved the ultimate middle class problem by introducing a seedless cocktail avocado,...
What companies do with surplus stock
One of the emerging business stories this year especially in the run up to Christmas has been the announcement by several businesses that they plan to donate surplus stock to charities.
More on 'surplus food'
As a follow-up to the story of the Co-op selling food which is beyond it's 'Best Before' date, there is a video report here about Wefood, a Danish supermarket which specialises in sourcing and...
Executive pay - taking a wider view
How do you build trust in a business, and how do you motivate top executives? For the UK-listed companies, these are issues that the Financial Reporting Council is addressing with a revised...
Starbucks aims to go venti in China!
The FT reports on a new 30,000 square foot coffee roastery that Starbucks is building in China. As per capita incomes rise, Starbucks has one eye on a major prize, namely capturing sales from...
Waste not, want not
What do businesses do? They use inputs - land, labour, capital and enterprise - to create goods and services, and a key focus of their operations department is to minimise the inevitable waste that...
The Biz Quiz - 1 December 2017
The last standard Biz Quiz of the year before our Annual Business edition for 2017 next week!
Don't cook, Just Eat
Anyone who has just watched this week's episode of The Apprentice, with the teams devising recipes and branding for home-cooked convenience food, will understand the rival appeal of takeaway...
Film star ratios
There is a nice little Ratio Oscars exercise in the Metro newspaper today. The article looks at research comparing the cost of making films starring British actors, and the revenue they earn from...
National Consumer Week, and trading standards law
National Consumer Week launches today, to coincide with Cyber Monday, and despite its name, is aimed just as much at businesses as it is at consumers. This is an annual event, involving Citizens...
The Biz Quiz - 22 November 2017
10 questions here on the business news of the last 7 days! Have a go...
Amazon opens a guerrilla shop
Has the past week seen a seismic shift in the UK's shopping habits: Amazon are opening a 'guerrilla shop' in London to cope with the increased demand for Christmas goodies on Black Friday, and...