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In the News
Netflix Finishes 2017 With a Record Profit
A staggering chart highlighting the surge in Netflix profits over the last twelve months. Having generated $11.7 billion in revenue, Netflix posted a record profit of $559 million in the last...
Delayering at Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's have announced that they are changing the way they manage their stores across the UK and scrapping some management posts - and that 'thousands' of employees may be affected as a result.
Ansoff: Inside Amazon's Store of the Future
Here is a solid example of Ansoff's Matrix. Amazon has opened a supermarket in Seattle with no checkouts although that hasn't prevented the obligatory queues! For the record, the new Amazon Go...
Lessons from the collapse of Carillion
What can we read into the collapse of Carillion? It is clearly a story with many, many different aspects; here are a few thoughts about where it touches the syllabus for our Business...
Bag tax extends to small shops
We all know that, when we're shopping, we have to pay 5p if we need a carrier bag. But have you spotted that you don't pay that charge if you are in a small business with less than 250 employees?
The dangers of short-term strategy
There is a brilliant article in the FT about the long-term disadvantages that can accrue from setting strategy for short-term benefit. (If you don't have access to articles from the FT, you can get...
Falling car sales
The fall in sales of new cars, following six years of sales growth, is widely reported today. This BBC article which offers six charts illustrating possible reasons for the decline is useful for...
Digital disrupters using AI
If you have access to FT for Schools, this collection of articles about the impact of Artificial Intelligence in real workplaces is worth a look.
Pret doubles the discount for using reusable cups
Working on the waste hierarchy principle that reducing trumps recycling, Pret has boosted their CSR credibility by doubling the discount given to customers who bring reusable cups into their...
New approach to advertising: 'Please don't buy our product'
You would think that a tobacco manufacturer would find the UK government's Tobacco Control Plan, aimed at cutting smoking rates from 15.5% to 12% of the population by 2022, and at paving the way to...
Location, location, location in Birmingham
Why is Birmingham so pleased to be chosen as host of the 2022 Commonwealth Games? Because of the massive boost it can bring for local businesses, and over a long term way beyond the games...
Years it took products to reach 50 million users
A festive hat tip to Phil Hensman for spotting this tremendous graphic which highlights creative destruction and the power of network effects in driving technology adoption in the digital age. It...
HRM: Travelodge and their Overseas Workers in the UK
What a wonderful example of human resource management! TravelodgeUK has written to its EU employees in their own languages to say how much they value their contribution and also guarantee a refund...
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.
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