20/09/14 NGOs helping to increase cocoa yields whilst promoting sustainability in Africa –  Throwing competition to the wind: how cocoa manufacturers are collaborating.

21/07/14 Diversification at FoxConn. Mini case study from tutor2u which links to Your next retreat destination: A Foxconn resort?

27/05/14 The problem of a brand name turning into a generic term. Genericide – Brands destroyed by their own success.

22/05/14 Ethics of merchandising sweets to children at supermarket check-outs. Tesco to end check-out sweets choice’ move.

25/02/14 Ethics of using sex as a marketing tool. Adidas stops sales of ‘sexual’ Brazil World Cup T-shirts.

31/10/13 Social marketing. Can you persuade people not to buy stolen goods?

27/09/13 Flattening organisational structures. Valve: How going boss-free empowered the games-maker.

03/09/13 Cross-promotional activity in the mobile world. Android Kit-Kat unveiled in Google surprise move.

31/08/13 Critique of Maslow. Abraham Maslow and the pyramid that beguiled business.

18/05 13 World trade and the importance of containerization. The humble hero

11/05/13 Pricing of ice cream. Ice cream: How much would you pay?

08/04/13 Product placement. Digital product placement creates adverts out of thin air

10/03/13 Unexpected consequences of successful e-commerce. American Giant – The problems of being an overnight success

07/03/13 Product re-positioning with Adidas & Reebok. Adidas results hit by Reebok problems

27/02/13 Teleworking: The myth of working from home.

18/11/12 Joint ventures. Jaguar Landrover in China – BBC News

4/11/12 Diseconomies of scale The de-merger of Kraft in The Guardian
Q. Why is Kraft splitting itself into two separate businesses?

19/10/12 Pressure group targets Starbucks BBC News
Q. Why is Starbucks the target for pressure group action?

7/06/12 M&S becomes first UK retailer to become carbon neutral The Guardian
Q. Analyse the decision made by M&S to become carbon neutral

5/06/12 Lloyds Register – a not for profit business organisation. The Guardian
Q. How can a business remain successful when profit is not its main goal?

31/05/12 Banned TV adverts: Where should the line be drawn with regard to ethical Marketing? BBC News feature

28/05/12 Why is franchising becoming so popular in Brazil? – BBC news

25/05/12 Can a chocolate bunny wrapped in gold foil be branded? – BBC news
Q. Why have Lindt and Spruengli been denied an EU trademark for their classic chocolate bunny?

23/05/12 Business growing use of Social Media – BBC Business Article on Social Media
Q. Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of businesses using social media as a marketing tool

22/05/12 Qantas Split their International and Domestic Divisions – BBC News article re Qantas Operations Split
Q1. Why would Qantas want to split their company in two parts?
Q2. What are the benefits and drawbacks of such a strategy?

21/05/12 The rise of ‘Benefit corporations’ – Businesses that aim to do good before making profits
Q1. What are benefit corporations?
Q2. What legal protection is there for the directors of these types of business?
Q3. How might benefit corporations benefit their stakeholders?

18/05/12 Facebook announces share prices for its IPO – BBC News article re facebook share prices
Q: What are the benefits and drawbacks for Facebook’s owners in going public?

15/05/12 Outsourcing to the Philippines –The growth of call centres and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
Q1.Why are businesses in North America outsourcing work to Filipino companies?
Q2. Why is BPO work becoming more important to countries like India & the Philippines?

09/05/12 Importance of public relations – Ferrari PR stunt in Nanjing back-fires
Q1. Why might Ferrari have arranged to put their car on the Nanjing city wall?
Q2. Why is important to carefully manage public relations?

08/05/12 External environment – Impact of rising Chinese labour costs on foreign investors
Q1. Why are wages rising so fast in China?
Q2. Why do some businesses retain production operations in higher cost countries like the UK?
Q3. What are the implications of rapidly increasing labour costs for China?

03/05/12 Flexible Working – Hack your job
Q1. How is the rapid pace of change affecting people’s ability to do their jobs?
Q2. How can ‘hacking’ your job improve matters?

30/04/12 Ethical promotion & pester power – Mr Potato Head
Q1. What was innovative about the Mr Potato Head TV adverts?
Q2. How did the Mr Potato Head adverts affect the way businesses market their products to children?

27/04/12 Product life cycles Samsung overtakes Nokia as the world’s leading mobile phone manufacturer
Q1. What are the relative positions on the life cycle for Samsung and Nokia phones
Q2. What extension strategies are companies like Samsung, Nokia and Apple using to compete in the smartphone market?

24/04/12 Employment in China Changing employment practices in China
Q1. How are Apple & Foxxcon changing working practices in Chinese factories?
Q2. What are the likely implications of these changes for businesses, their workers and consumers?

06/04/12 Marketing Re-branding pink slime
Q1. How could US meat producers re-brand Lean Finely-textured Beef (Pink Slime)?

30/03/12 Marketing through social media Social media and marketing
Q1. How important is social media becoming to business organisations, and how effective are they at managing it?

19/03/12 Promotion through sponsorship Red Bull Promotional Activity – Sponsorship
Q1. What reasons would Red Bull have for sponsoring the sky diver?
Q2. Explain how this sponsorship could be more cost effective than paying for advertising.
Q3. Find out what other events Red Bull sponsor. How does this tie in with their brand management?

12/03/12 Social marketing Social Marketing – Kony 2012
Q1. To what extent does the Kony 2012 campaign illustrate the key features of social marketing?

10/03/12 External environment Coke & Pepsi change formulas
Q1. What external force has led to the change?
Q2. Analyse the formula switch from Coke & Pepsi’s standpoint.