£21bn ‘Fat Finger’ mistake
I love the expression ‘fat finger’ mistake to describe a data entry error that nearly cost Swiss Bank UBS a whopping £21bn.
read more...»ITV under the cosh
Interesting article in the Telegraph speculates that the under-pressure broadcaster is preparing to sell its digital assets - including Friends Reunited…
read more...»Diary of a Music Entrepreneur - The Story of Dolphin Music
I really like this recent piece in the Telegraph in which one of the co-founders of Dolphin Music outlines the key stages in the development of his business. Some great learning points in there, even though the article is relatively brief. You can learn more about Dolphin Music here.
What happens inside the Amazon warehouse at Christmas
A terrific 2-minute video here that takes us inside the Amazon distribution centre at the busiest time of the year - the weeks before Christmas. Perfect for illustrating technology in operations!
Moonpig signs seals and delivers
Moonpig is a very British success story but, as Nick Jenkins remarked in his talk to the Eton College Entrepreneurship Society last night, there were moments and plenty of them when the survival of the business was on a knife edge.
read more...»Start-up case study - Petmeds
An excellent case study in The Sunday Times today tells the story of how Ricky Thomas set up Petmeds after spotting an opportunity from a change in legislation…
read more...»Wrapit’s persistent losses seal the wedding service fate
We reported on the financial problems facing Wrapit in a recent blog article and, unfortunately, the business has now been closed and put in the hands of the receivers…
read more...»Marketing mix - the online retailers have never had it so good
An interesting article in the Sunday Times highlights the strong sales growth being achieved by online retailers who have got their business model right…
read more...»Cash flow problems could mean its a wrap…
Are we about to see the return of the dot.com bust as online businesses also struggle to handle the consumer downturn?
read more...»Funerals enter the digital age and kick up an ethical storm
Is it ethical to charge people to watch a funeral using digital video conferencing? That is the question facing stakeholders in the funeral service in Southampton.
read more...»Bebo has been boughto
Bebo, the social networking website beloved of UK school students, has been bought by AOL
read more...»Is email a broken business tool?
Both the Guardian and the Telegraph have picked up on a report from an obscure social networking consultancy claiming that email is a “broken business tool”.
read more...»Has the Google bubble burst?
What on earth is happening to Google’s share price? Google’s shares first hit the market at $85 in August 2004 and by November 2007 had risen nearly ninefold, turning Google into one of America’s most valuable companies.
But since reaching a record closing price of $741.79, the share price has plunged more than 40 percent.
read more...»Swapping tat for quality in the retail clothing market
A fascinating article in today’s Guardian contains some really useful material for any AS or A2 Business student or for those taking the BTEC First in Retail.
read more...»Another Business that doesn’t ‘get’ the internet: Hollywood
There are plenty of websites that offers films for download to personal computers, iPods or other hand-held devices, or to burn to DVD. They look professional, with easy to use features, detailed descriptions of each movie, editors’ picks, customer reviews and screen stills. Even the prices are reasonable. The catch is – they’re illegal.
read more...»The Social Network that Friends Forgot
Browsing Facebook the other night I saw a passing reference to one of the earliest social networking sites - Friends Reunited. I remember using that site a few years ago, before it was bought by ITV for £120m and wondered what had happened to it since?
read more...»Small businesses still don’t “get” the web
I’m really surprised, and a little disappointed, by news of a recent survey from Microsoft. It suggests that only half of the 4.3 million businesses in the UK with fewer than 10 staff have a website. The figure is reduced to 28% when sole traders are included, according to a poll by Jupiter Research.
read more...»Is Ebay right to ban negative feedback?
Ebay’s phenonmenal success is based on many factors, one of which is trust between buyer and seller. Until now, both buyers and sellers were allowed to leave feedback on the transactional process between two parties. However, things are about to change, much to the annoyance of Ebay sellers.
read more...»
