Innovative Shark proof swimwear

An ingenious invention for surfers and swimmers:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23357682

 

 

Office for iPad

At long last Microsoft are going to produce Apple friendly versions of their all conquering Office software such as Word, Excel and Access. This will be a direct competitor to Pages and the other Apple versions of word processing, spreadsheets and databases.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26766995

 

Toyota's Indian Industrial Action

Two of Toyota’s Indian plants are in disarray after workers have refused to go back in to work after a lockout. The employees are wanting improved conditions and a pay increase – but Toyota are holding firm.

 

The Japanese car manufacturer locked the workers out on March 16^th but now are letting back in over 4,000 workers – but they are now refusing to go back in.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26780829

 

When David beat Goliath

It is the staple of many Hollywood movies, though in reality Big Business doesn’t often get bettered by the small town person who is up against the odds.

 

Here, however, are some tales of when the little guy beat “The Man” so to speak.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26758385

 

Footfall in Scotland down

Not such good news for the Scottish high street.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-26578833

 

Show business: The Twilight Movies

Ever since Stephanie Meyer wrote her Twilight novels which were very successful, Hollywood came calling. It was left to small production company, Summit Entertainment, to bring the movies to the masses. Adapting existing medium is crucial for studios as it lessens the risk slightly due to a book having a built in core audience. But then when the casting is announced book fans always complain about who is picked to play the roles in any movie version!

 

If we look at the 5 film saga we can see patterns common to Hollywood film series’ which they often call franchises – but we know that has a different meaning when relating to the likes of McDonald’s and Subway.

 

So if we look at the table we can see the first film was a relatively low budget movie in Hollywood terms, and it raked in a $356m profit. As the budgets for the sequels increased so did the profit margins, which were around double of the original movie.

 

Film	Year	Budget	Box Office	Profit
Twilight	2008	$37m	$393m	$356m
New Moon	2009	$50m	$710m	$660m
Eclipse	2010	$68m	$698m	$630m
Breaking Dawn Part 1	2011	$110m	$712m	$602m
Breaking Dawn Part 2	2012	$120m	$830m	$710m

 

Of course rising costs will play a factor in the budget going up, as actors become successful their agents will negotiate larger salaries, and advertising and promotional costs will also rise. In addition, expectation of fans normally mean that sequels will have to be bigger and have more of a spectacle which in the case of using special effects means more money to be spent.

 

There are different ways of judging the success of the movie. In terms of sheer profit, then the final movie made the most, but in terms of profit in relation to budget then New Moon’s profit worked out as approximately 13 times the budget.

 

These margins are excellent for Hollywood and indeed again spell out the popularity of the vampire movies with the general public.

 

One potential study point or discussion point is to compare the success of the Twilight movies with the likes of Harry Potter, Avatar, and the James Bond series of movies. It would be interesting to see the profit made and also the return on the actual budget.

 

But as we know when Hollywood spends big on budgets it is a huge gamble and if it goes wrong it can sink a studio (Heaven’s Gate and Ishtar are notable box office disasters which crippled or closed studios). So that is why studios like a variety of movies – a bit like diversification – so for every big summer blockbuster they will have a mix of low budget romcoms, teen movies, and other low risk movies.

 

But at the end of the day, as William Goldman, the Oscar winning screenwriter once said about trying to predict the success of movies: “Nobody knows anything.”

 

Customer Satisfaction and Disney

Here are some of the very oddest lawsuits brought against Disney by disgruntled customers:

 

http://www.themeparktourist.com/features/20140324/17110/10-strangest-lawsuits-brought-against-disney-theme-parks

 

For more interesting ones you should also look at http://www.businessinsurance.org/10-ridiculously-frivolous-lawsuits-against-big-businesses/ which includes the infamous Stella Liebeck versus McDonald’s lawsuit over hot coffee!

 

Kaizen in Ethiopia

Japanese methods being adopted in East Africa.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26542963

 

Inflation at a 4 Year Low

UK inflation is now at 1.7%, which has been attributed to lower petrol prices:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26730533

 

David Beckham: The Entrepreneur and Visionary?

Not content with being one of the most famous footballers on the planet, David Beckham – who was often criticised for moving to the ‘backwater’ of the American Major League Soccer (MLS) has now emerged with a vision: to bring football or soccer to the sun city of Miami, Florida.

 

The ambitious plans for the city, which has a large contingent of Latin Americans (who are naturally more predisposed to football) includes an impressive 25,000 seat stadium on the waterfront. The former Real Madrid  and Manchester United star is the front man for the Miami franchise.

 

Miami is a sporting city, famous for the Miami Heat basketball team and more famously the American Football side the Miami Dolphins. Miami currently doesn’t have a football team but the sun, sea and sand of Florida could certainly be a USP for any big world star nearing the end of their careers. Beckham himself went to the bright lights of Hollywood to star for LA Galaxy. So perhaps in the near future we could see players like Wayne Rooney leaving the dreary weather of the UK to go play in Florida? Who knows. Beckham knows he faces a challenge to put everything in place long before he creates a team able to challenge for the MLS Cup.

 

For more read here:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26728226

 

Poor Customer Service

I was looking for examples of poor customer service to share with pupils and found this article today.

 

http://www.moneywise.co.uk/news/2014-01-10/yodel-and-hermes-named-uks-worst-parcel-delivery-firms

 

Also, pupils can read the reviews that real customers have left on My Hermes in particular. It makes for grim reading.

 

http://www.trustpilot.co.uk/review/www.myhermes.co.uk

 

I do wonder why they keep performing so badly and still keep going. They may be cheap but by all accounts certainly not cheerful, and when it comes to delivery services being on time and in one piece is invaluable.

 

The Business of Football - Etihad Campus

Startling plans for Manchester City to bring all their football teams, training facilities and even a sixth form college under one roof:

 

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/manchester-city-etihad-campus-bridge-6761241

 

Junk food adverts ban until after 21:00?

A PESTEC factor in action if campaigners get their way!

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26665952

 

Some countries already have a ban such as Sweden were all TV shows aimed at under 12s doesn’t allow any form of advertising, no matter the product on sale.

LiFi - The Future of the Internet?

LiFi is the next stage of the internet it seems. Imagine your internet connection powered by light. It is believed that it would be cost saving and far more efficient than WiFi.

 

Additional advantages of LiFi would be that it may be used in areas where WiFi may not be suitable such as on aeroplanes or in hospitals.

 

This is a good article on LiFi:

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/lifi-revolution-internet-connections-using-light-bulbs-are-250-times-faster-than-broadband-8909320.html

 

And this one too:

 

http://www.theweek.co.uk/technology/55813/lifi-light-based-broadband-puts-wifi-shade

 

LiFi research was conducted by the Ultra Parallel Visible Light Communications project, which involves several seats of learning such as the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, St Andrews and Strathclyde.

 

New £1 Coin coming in 2017

We are saying goodbye to the £1 coin which was introduced in 1983 to be replaced with a two tone coin with 12 edges like the threepenny piece which was discontinued in 1971.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The new £1 will come into use in 2017and is said to be the most secure coin in the world. Currently as many as 3% of all £1 coins in circulation are counterfeit.

 

We are already heading towards using plastic notes as is the common practise in Australia and Canada, so it is all change then.

 

Is the iWatch for real?

I have seen this on the newt quite a few times and to be honest I am unsure if this is true at all?

 

 

 

http://www.techradar.com/news/portable-devices/apple-iwatch-release-date-news-and-rumours-1131043

 

It seems if it is real then it will also combine technology from the likes of Fitbit and Nike to monitor a person’s health. This concurs with the view that the future of technology will be what is being referred to as “wearable tech”.

 

Management and Leadership

 

Great image which helps illustrate some of the differences between management and leadership and highlights the effect it can have on employee motivation.

 

 

 

Taking it further, the top image could be viewed as Theory X, whereas the bottom image would most certainly be Theory Y.

 

 

Manchester United and Team Behaviour

Not sure if I agree totally with the application of this theory in this situation, but a good theory of how teams can be formed, developed and indeed dissolved, or as is called in football “losing the dressing room”.

 

www.thesportinmind.com/articles/manchester-united-from-a-group-psychology-perspective

Facebook and Advertising

All is not rosy in the Facebook garden it seems:

 

www.businessinsider.com/advertisers-talking-about-discontent-with-facebook-2014-3

The Wipebook

This is an excellent article on a very simple business idea by a couple of students: the wipebook! It is a book you can write on and then erase away and reuse again and again and again. A great tool for students and learners.

 

 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/business-education/classroom-project-goes-viral-turning-idea-into-a-business/article17423015/#dashboard/follows/?22466333

 

The Purchasing Mix

Factors that affect the buying in of raw materials is an important question that may crop up in Higher Business Management and National 5 Business Management.

The factors that need to be taken into consideration are:

Quantity – does the supplier have the facilities to supply the firm with the correct amount needed?

Quality – what standard is the raw materials being bought in? I always think of GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out).

Cost – What price will the supplier charge? This will have a knock-on effect on the companies own profits.

Reliability – do the suppliers deliver on time and in the right quantities?

Lead times – how long does it take for the goods or raw materials to be delivered?

 

Quizlet - Business Glossary

Over 800 terms to try now…

 

http://quizlet.com/38840909/business-glossary-flash-cards/

 

Silicon Prairie

We have all heard of Silicon Valley in California however there are many ones now called Silicon Prairie including one near Dallas, Texas. An alternative version situated in the Midwest takes in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Missouri.

However I recently watched the excellent TV show called “How the States Got Their Shapes” and it focused on the Silicon Prairie found in Fargo, North Dakota.

North Dakota has the lowest unemployment rates in the USA but does suffer like most of the northern Midwest from very cold winters, which may put off many migrant workers.

In Scotland we have our own version called Silicon Glen, found in the Central Belt.

These technological hubs of activity create jobs and generate wealth for the local communities.

 

High Speed Rail - We Want It Now!

The case for speeding up HS2:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26604074

 

China in particular have went from having almost zero HS Rail to having the most in the world and linking up all their major cities in less than 6 years. An incredible engineering achievement. The UK is not as cash rich as China nor can we keep costs as low as China can with their huge workforce and less stringent Health & Safety laws. What I would like to ask is why can’t we build from both ends? Rather than starting from London to Birmingham, why not Start at Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and all the other cities at the same time?

 

The Chinese view HS Rail as a cheap and effective alternative transportation system to flying. Chinese trains can take hundreds of passengers at their incredible 307 km cruising speed, meaning the 800 miles between Shanghai and Beijing can be covered in about 5 and a half hours. Just 45 minutes longer than it takes to get from Glasgow to London on the Pendolino… and it should be added that the Chinese route stops far more than the UK West Coast Line.

 

This economic argument is one which is interesting to students. This is a financial investment in our future. Infrastructure is vital to generating jobs and growth. We have seen it in every developing country that have held an Olympics or Commonwealth Games. The investment they spend in infrastructure for the competition reaps benefits long term. Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia is a prime example, how through the building of a new airport and rail links as well as the inner city metro system has transformed the city in less than 20 years.

 

The social argument is obviously different. Everyone is quite rightly a NIMBY. But surely we have to look at the overall benefit HS Rail could bring? Imagine Glasgow to London by train in 2.5-3 hours or even quicker? That would change our society overnight.

 

Mystery Shopper

I always remember the “Golden Smile” which I think was from Abbey National… but this article goes into a bit more detail into how you get that most difficult of jobs: The Mystery Shopper.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/mar/11/secrets-mystery-shopper

 

It is a bit like Undercover Boss in a way. People are paid to be fake customers who all the time are measuring and judging employee performance. After all, customer satisfaction is paramount these days.

 

Nubrella - Remember this?

Someone mentioned something in class today which made me think back to this:

 

http://mrmcgowan.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/nubrella-shark-tank.html

 

A quite crazy idea that secured money on Shark Tank. I do not think it has seen the light of day… it is discontinued on Amazon.

 

The Ever Expanding EU

With all eyes on the Ukraine situation, I learned some interesting things about the EU and indeed the Schengen Agreement. The Schengen Agreement is the deal that allows free movement of people without passport controls within the EU and the wider European area.

 

The UK and Ireland currently have opt-outs.

 

Switzerland and Norway are two non-EU countries who are signed up to the agreement – which is handy for people commuting over the borders (for example Swiss who work at Basel airport… which is actually in France!).

 

As we can see from the map, the newer EU nations from Eastern Europe such as Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania are duty bound to allow free movement very soon. All three are signing up within the next couple of years.

 

I have travelled recently to Croatia and Bulgaria and found them superb places to visit. Imagine how much easier it would be without the long wait at the border and the stamping of passports. I also suspect that Romania’s tourism would benefit from this too as many are intrigued by Transylvania…

 

Perhaps one day we will have free movement across the entire world. But for that to happen social and economic problems have to be resolved… and also far more deeply routed issues revolving around territory and even ethnic or religious divides. This may seem impossible, but look at Europe 100 years ago. In June 1914 the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo sparked the First World War. Then the unspeakable horrors of WW2 followed. Yet since 1945 Western Europe has not seen conflict on her doorstep and only the Balkans crises of the 1990s has seen war in Europe. So who knows what can be achieved?

 

However it will be achieved by globalisation, international trade, and boosting the standards of living for everyone, not just the West.

The Eighth Doctor and Quizlet

Streetcred went up with pupils today as I told them of reply from the 8^th Doctor @pauljmcgann on twitter!

 

Anyway, back to business!

 

Remember to try National 5 Business Management revision quizzes on Quizlet and see if you can beat my score!

 

http://quizlet.com/38251284/national-5-business-management-flash-cards/

Quizlet - National 5 Business Management

I have created a new set of Quizlet questions for National 5 Business Management.

 

http://quizlet.com/38251284/national-5-business-management-flash-cards/

 

Try ‘Scatter’ and see who can get the best score.

 

I have not added in the Finance questions yet, but will do so soon.

The Real Robocop?

Robotic exoskeletons are now in the testing phase. It reminds me of Aliens/Avatar powerloader or indeed the cyborg Roboop.

 

Read more in this BBC article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26418358

 

Some interesting uses of this concept apart from the obvious military ones include construction workers and helping people with disabilities. Truly incredible.