STORY/OPPORTUNITY #1
Title: "At the NCAA, money is rolling in-but so are challenges."
Andrews, G. (2016). At the NCAA, money is rolling in-but so are challenges. Indianapolis Business Journal, 37(6), 4. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1781570619?accountid=10920
Description: I love college basketball, especially March Madness, so this article piqued by interested when I learned that not only is the NCAA organization based in Indianapolis, but March Madness generates "generate 85 percent of the NCAA's" $1 billion in revenue. The NCAA is increasing its reliance on the men's basketball tournament broadcasting for revenue generation, specifically CBS/Tbrner. The article discusses the risk in the NCAA's strategy by having all their eggs in one basket(ball) while facing the decline of cable viewing, a $70 million settlement for athletes with brain or head-related injuries, and a $20 million settlement for profiting from players' likeness in video games. After internally and externally analyzing their risk, the NCAA has decided to still distribute $200 million to Division I schools this year, but they did create a "financial recovery plan," an emergency case strategy, to implement if it turns out one year that the men's basketball tournament cannot be counted on to contribute the dollars the NCAA depended on.
STORY/OPPORTUNITY #2
Title: "Shocking discovery"
Schoettle, A. (2016). Shocking discovery. Indianapolis Business Journal, 37(6), 3-3,26. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1781570573?accountid=10920
and http://search.proquest.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/docview/1781570584/fulltext/803D14EA774D49A7PQ/6?accountid=10920
Description: Local breweries have increased in popularity and I enjoyed reading this article about sours - a style of beer - because I enjoy sours. Sours were always rare to come across at small breweries and now I know why, "terminal acid shock." Terminal acid shock, which the article describes as occurring "when craft brewers add extra yeast to beers after fermentation to create carbonation before bottling," affects only craft breweries who are attempting to make sours. This problem was originally faced by craft breweries because it was a risk when attempting to add sours as a product line, but Bloomington's Upland Brewing Co. has partnered with an Indiana University research professor to develop the cure. Developing a cure for terminal acid shock is not the cure that this professional had in mind when he started working with yeast and DNA to find new ways to fight cancer. Although the article does not mention it, conquering terminal acid shock means local breweries no longer have the problem, the commercial beer companies do as the introduction of this new product line by craft beers competes with the traditional selections of InBev and similar corporations.
(Note: for some reason the article is split across two different links)
Title: "At the NCAA, money is rolling in-but so are challenges."
Andrews, G. (2016). At the NCAA, money is rolling in-but so are challenges. Indianapolis Business Journal, 37(6), 4. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1781570619?accountid=10920
Description: I love college basketball, especially March Madness, so this article piqued by interested when I learned that not only is the NCAA organization based in Indianapolis, but March Madness generates "generate 85 percent of the NCAA's" $1 billion in revenue. The NCAA is increasing its reliance on the men's basketball tournament broadcasting for revenue generation, specifically CBS/Tbrner. The article discusses the risk in the NCAA's strategy by having all their eggs in one basket(ball) while facing the decline of cable viewing, a $70 million settlement for athletes with brain or head-related injuries, and a $20 million settlement for profiting from players' likeness in video games. After internally and externally analyzing their risk, the NCAA has decided to still distribute $200 million to Division I schools this year, but they did create a "financial recovery plan," an emergency case strategy, to implement if it turns out one year that the men's basketball tournament cannot be counted on to contribute the dollars the NCAA depended on.
STORY/OPPORTUNITY #2
Title: "Shocking discovery"
Schoettle, A. (2016). Shocking discovery. Indianapolis Business Journal, 37(6), 3-3,26. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1781570573?accountid=10920
and http://search.proquest.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/docview/1781570584/fulltext/803D14EA774D49A7PQ/6?accountid=10920
Description: Local breweries have increased in popularity and I enjoyed reading this article about sours - a style of beer - because I enjoy sours. Sours were always rare to come across at small breweries and now I know why, "terminal acid shock." Terminal acid shock, which the article describes as occurring "when craft brewers add extra yeast to beers after fermentation to create carbonation before bottling," affects only craft breweries who are attempting to make sours. This problem was originally faced by craft breweries because it was a risk when attempting to add sours as a product line, but Bloomington's Upland Brewing Co. has partnered with an Indiana University research professor to develop the cure. Developing a cure for terminal acid shock is not the cure that this professional had in mind when he started working with yeast and DNA to find new ways to fight cancer. Although the article does not mention it, conquering terminal acid shock means local breweries no longer have the problem, the commercial beer companies do as the introduction of this new product line by craft beers competes with the traditional selections of InBev and similar corporations.
(Note: for some reason the article is split across two different links)
STORY/OPPORTUNITY #3
Title: "Carrier move to save $65M"
Carrier move to save $65M. (2016). Indianapolis Business Journal, 37(6), 6. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1781570626?accountid=10920
Description: At first, United Technologies Corp.'s decision to move the machinery production of its heating, ventilation and air-conditioning subsidiary companies out of Indiana, USA (Carrier Corp.'s Indianapolis plant and United Technologies Electronic Controls' in Huntington) and instead to Monterrey, Mexico seems to make perfect logical sense. Operating in Mexico will save $65 million, which is a lot of money! This sum makes the negative impact of job loss on the Indiana residents and decreased business taxes paid to the state seem justified... until the article puts $65M into perspective. United Technologies Corp. (UTC) is a huge corporate umbrella based out of Connecticut. It owns many large multi-national companies and nation-wide worksites such as: Pratt & Whitney in Jupiter, FL, Otis the largest manufacturer of elevators and escalators worldwide, and the Carrier Corp. plant in Indianapolis discussed in the article. To a company as large as UTC, $65 million is "less than 1 percent of the company's $18 billion annual revenue in the heating and air-conditioning section of its business..." and an even smaller fraction of UTC's $56 billion in revenue across all its companies. With this perspective, the companies now seems like the bad guy for firing so many working Americans for a petty sum of money. Carrier Corp. and UTEC not only have a public image problem, but Carrier's 1,400 workers and UTEC's 700 workers have a problem of finding work and income to support themselves and their families.
STORY/OPPORTUNITY #4
Title:"Scheduled IndyCar race on streets of Boston canceled" & "IndyCar finds replacement for canceled Boston race"
Scheduled IndyCar race on streets of Boston canceled. (April 29, 2016). Indianapolis Business Journal. Retrieved from http://www.ibj.com/articles/58372-scheduled-indycar-race-on-streets-of-boston-canceled
IndyCar finds replacement for canceled Boston race. (May 13, 2016). Indianapolis Business Journal Retrieved from http://www.ibj.com/articles/58591-update-indycar-finds-replacement-for-canceled-boston-race
Description: IndyCar faces competition for spectators from the other types of car racing (FormulaOne, NASCAR, FIA, etc.) and has had a difficult past few years, but Jay Frye is their new President of Competition and Operations leading IndyCar into 2016. IndyCar has committed to a 16-race schedule, which includes rebuilding relationships with tracks like the ones mentioned in the articles and attempts to break into new markets like the Boston area. The problem faced is shared by IndyCar and the local organizer in Boston since they have entered into a multi-year contract to do business with each other. The local organizer in Boston is unable to deliver the product because city officials feel the event is in conflict with the best interest of the are where the track would be. Since Boston would be trying something new, there is obviously a lot of concern.
(I have also included the newspaper's follow up, since the original article seemed pessimistic that things could be resolved in Boston, and IndyCar ended up abandoning Boston for Watkins Glen International in New York.)
STORY/OPPORTUNITY #5
Title: Farmers fear lag in worker visas will threaten crops
Hayden / CNHI State Reporter, M. (2016, May 12). Farmers fear lag in worker visas will threaten crops. Tribune-Star, The (Terre Haute, IN). Retrieved from http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15CD7DE19D00AEC0?p=AWNB
Mike Worrall and many American farmers like him are facing a labor problem. They need affordable temporary labor during a predictable time of year, and like most farmers use H-2A visas to get typically Mexican workers in, housed and fed for low-cost labor. This is still a significant cost to the farmer and delays in the workers' arrival is even more expensive to the business, as examples in the article provide. The farms' labor shortage is the original problem, which continues to grow, and the holdups in the H-2A process are additional problems faced by farmers, with a few possible improvements on the horizon.
Title: "Carrier move to save $65M"
Carrier move to save $65M. (2016). Indianapolis Business Journal, 37(6), 6. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1781570626?accountid=10920
Description: At first, United Technologies Corp.'s decision to move the machinery production of its heating, ventilation and air-conditioning subsidiary companies out of Indiana, USA (Carrier Corp.'s Indianapolis plant and United Technologies Electronic Controls' in Huntington) and instead to Monterrey, Mexico seems to make perfect logical sense. Operating in Mexico will save $65 million, which is a lot of money! This sum makes the negative impact of job loss on the Indiana residents and decreased business taxes paid to the state seem justified... until the article puts $65M into perspective. United Technologies Corp. (UTC) is a huge corporate umbrella based out of Connecticut. It owns many large multi-national companies and nation-wide worksites such as: Pratt & Whitney in Jupiter, FL, Otis the largest manufacturer of elevators and escalators worldwide, and the Carrier Corp. plant in Indianapolis discussed in the article. To a company as large as UTC, $65 million is "less than 1 percent of the company's $18 billion annual revenue in the heating and air-conditioning section of its business..." and an even smaller fraction of UTC's $56 billion in revenue across all its companies. With this perspective, the companies now seems like the bad guy for firing so many working Americans for a petty sum of money. Carrier Corp. and UTEC not only have a public image problem, but Carrier's 1,400 workers and UTEC's 700 workers have a problem of finding work and income to support themselves and their families.
STORY/OPPORTUNITY #4
Title:"Scheduled IndyCar race on streets of Boston canceled" & "IndyCar finds replacement for canceled Boston race"
Scheduled IndyCar race on streets of Boston canceled. (April 29, 2016). Indianapolis Business Journal. Retrieved from http://www.ibj.com/articles/58372-scheduled-indycar-race-on-streets-of-boston-canceled
IndyCar finds replacement for canceled Boston race. (May 13, 2016). Indianapolis Business Journal Retrieved from http://www.ibj.com/articles/58591-update-indycar-finds-replacement-for-canceled-boston-race
Description: IndyCar faces competition for spectators from the other types of car racing (FormulaOne, NASCAR, FIA, etc.) and has had a difficult past few years, but Jay Frye is their new President of Competition and Operations leading IndyCar into 2016. IndyCar has committed to a 16-race schedule, which includes rebuilding relationships with tracks like the ones mentioned in the articles and attempts to break into new markets like the Boston area. The problem faced is shared by IndyCar and the local organizer in Boston since they have entered into a multi-year contract to do business with each other. The local organizer in Boston is unable to deliver the product because city officials feel the event is in conflict with the best interest of the are where the track would be. Since Boston would be trying something new, there is obviously a lot of concern.
(I have also included the newspaper's follow up, since the original article seemed pessimistic that things could be resolved in Boston, and IndyCar ended up abandoning Boston for Watkins Glen International in New York.)
STORY/OPPORTUNITY #5
Title: Farmers fear lag in worker visas will threaten crops
Hayden / CNHI State Reporter, M. (2016, May 12). Farmers fear lag in worker visas will threaten crops. Tribune-Star, The (Terre Haute, IN). Retrieved from http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15CD7DE19D00AEC0?p=AWNB
Mike Worrall and many American farmers like him are facing a labor problem. They need affordable temporary labor during a predictable time of year, and like most farmers use H-2A visas to get typically Mexican workers in, housed and fed for low-cost labor. This is still a significant cost to the farmer and delays in the workers' arrival is even more expensive to the business, as examples in the article provide. The farms' labor shortage is the original problem, which continues to grow, and the holdups in the H-2A process are additional problems faced by farmers, with a few possible improvements on the horizon.
I think it is quite interesting opportunity 4 and opportunity 5
ReplyDeleteIndyCar race in Boston has to be very cool. This reminds me a post in someone else blog about Beckham's problems in finding a place to build a soccer stadium in Miami. There are strong political barriers for new markets in sport.
And finally, worker visas and immigration bureaucracy is a problem that has not improved despite several changes and might affect US economy.
But I have faith in the system, that is far from efficient, will improve with time. Nonetheless I do not see an strong opportunity in this situation.
Best wishes
Adrian
ReplyDeleteHi Christie,
I like your article selections. I found your fifth article interesting, particularly because in your entrepreneurial story you mentioned that your grandparents owned a farming business. Even with obtaining the H-2A and paying the workers, is the cost still lower than hiring a temporary worker domestically? Knowing the time of year provides some advantage to the farmers as they could start the process earlier. However, if there is a consistent lag then there is an area of opportunity for our immigration system. We know from the problem I presented in class that I think there are a few opportunities to be explored in the immigration receipts.
Christie,
ReplyDeleteThese are some very interesting articles. It is interesting to consider the ramifications of some of these problems to the business. It would be a good use of drones and bots that could be used to replace the farm workers. Speaking of drones, I saw a drone flying/racing competition. Apparently an investor put a million dollars into drone racing. People must love the speed sports. Indy Car may face even more competition in these types of sports. Finally I am a proponent of keeping US businesses right here in the US. Organizational moves, in part or as a whole, to international locations is just unpatriotic as our country recovers from the economic collapse.
A drone race? That sounds freakin awesome!!!!!!!
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