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The Future of Cars; Gloom & Boom

The Economist takes an in-depth look at the future of cars. While some mean the motor industry’s fortunes are increasingly divided, in the right markets and with the right technologies, they look surprisingly bright. With that said, the Economist means that while consumers will be in heaven, an investment in the motor industry has to…

Quality: So what good is it anyway, from an operations perspective?

Okay, we know that ‘Operations types’ focus on production, yield, shipping/receiving of raw material, scheduling, and more production.  They figure their job is to make product, and more product, and continue making product according to the Master Schedule (at the required yield level) in order to make their numbers for the day/week/month.  And they are…

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Ferrari-Fueled Maserati at $65,600 Lures Bored BMW Buyers

Bloomberg reports that Maserati, the Italian maker of exotic cars, is shifting its focus from the elite to the merely wealthy. They hope to shift their target market (slightly) with a mid-sized sedan called the Ghibli. The new car, which will start at $65,600, is said to represent a direct challenge to mainstay German models like…

Business Rule #1: The customers have a choice … Make sure they pick you!

Business Rule #1: The customers have a choice … Make sure they pick you!

For every company, it’s a jungle out there… Every day, every moment, you are either the hunter or the hunted. The strong and the skilled survive while the weak get cut from the herd to be killed and eaten – or just fall back and left to die. And the pace gets quicker each and…

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Has Apple peaked?

The word according to The Economist is that the world’s most valuable firm may be past its prime. Indeed, stiffer competition in smartphones and tablets from the likes of Samsung has spooked investors in Apple. The two factors that have contributed largely to Apple’s decline, namely the death of Steve Jobs and Apple’s fantastic profit margins…