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The Revolution in Knowledge Delivery Systems

By James T. Berger September 1, 2010

Are you ready for the new paradigms? Do you have a Kindle or iPad for reading books? Do you read your daily newspaper on-line? What kind of home entertainment system do you have connected to your High Definition TV that will allow you to see movies, previously available only at the video store or from a vending machine? What must a successful company do to survive and thrive in this environment?.

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P&G Shifts Pricing Strategy to Meet Post-Recession Market

By Tim J. Smith, PhD September 1, 2010

The Wall Street Journal has reported that Proctor & Gamble Co.’s new CEO, Robert McDonald, is “slashing prices” and warns of an impending price war in the branded consumer packaged good (CPG) industry.  Yet, Mr. McDonald states, “In my mind there’s not a price war going on.”  Is the Wall Street Journal guilty of hyperbole or is Mr. McDonald blithe to the profit destruction of price cuts?

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Introducing the Internet/Telephone Hybrid Survey

By Tim J. Smith, PhD August 3, 2010

Jim Berger’s latest (9th) intellectual property survey article (July, 2010 Intellectual Property Today) focuses on a newly developed hybrid telephone/Internet survey technique.…

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Top 6 – August 2010

By Tim J. Smith, PhD August 3, 2010

“Grilling, broiling, barbecuing – whatever you want to call it – is an art, not just a matter of building a pyre…

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The Undefeated, Undisputed King of Smartphones

By James T. Berger August 3, 2010

The saga of Steve Jobs and the Apple IPhone 4 gives warning to any strategic smartphone marketer who attempts to intrude on Apple’s turf.

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Price Change from $45 to $200,000,000: The Value of a Brand Part 1.

By Tim J. Smith, PhD August 3, 2010

How much is a brand worth? For Rick Norsigian, a garage sale hunter and public school building painter, it represents the difference between a $45 set of nice glass negative plates and a rare $200 MM find of Ansel Adams’ art.

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Price Change from $3.49 to $2.99: The Value of a Brand Part 2.

By Tim J. Smith, PhD August 3, 2010

How much is a brand worth? For Whole Foods, a premium grocer, it represents the difference between a $3.49 canister of Quaker Oats rolled oats and $2.99 canister of 365 store brand oats.

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Top 6 – July 2010

By Tim J. Smith, PhD July 8, 2010

“What business are you in?” Theodore Levitt, 1925-2006. First to market doesn’t make you the winner, the best offering does. A growing…

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Lessons from a Legend
A Tribute to Ted Levitt

By James T. Berger July 8, 2010

The other day when I was looking trough the archived articles in Harvard Business School’s  Working Knowledge, I happened on a piece published  on December 17, 2008 entitled ‘Ted Levitt Changed My Life.’ The author was Julia Hanna, associate editor (at the time) of the HBS Alumni Bulletin.

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Prices and Product Lifecycle – Must All Prices Fall?
An examination of Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Apple iPad

By Tim J. Smith, PhD July 8, 2010

The classic product lifecycle theory predicts that prices fall as competitors enter. Well, do all prices fall? Similarly, many pundits like to talk about first-mover advantage. Well, does it really exist?

An examination of e-reader market demonstrates some serious flaws in a cursory acceptance of these premises. In this article, we look at the price and product evolution of the Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Apple iPad to demonstrate some finer nuances of the product lifecycle.

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