Welcome to the election of professors, offering a weekly curated selection of FT articles from and for the Faculty of Business School to connect classes with current events and develop critical student thinking.
Read all appearances in www.ft.com/bschoolpicks. Save this connection to bright To receive e -mail that warns you of any new edition. Look for labels for relevant topics to illustrate the lesson points.
Comments or contributions? CONTACT profpips@ft.com
economy
Target warns Donald Trump’s tariffs can shorten profits
Label: Imports, prices, retailer, assistance, fees, trade, US
Briefing: The US retail chain target warned that additional US tariffs on imported goods could reduce its profits. Three -quarters of its sales come from general goods such as electronics, textiles or home decor – goods often imported into the US tariffs will increase the cost of imports and reduce consumer confidence. Target shares dropped almost five percent on Tuesday.
Classroom application: This article provides an opportunity for faculties and students to consider the impact of trade policies on company income statements. Strategic reactions to public policies can be identified and analyzed.
question:
-
How would the new tariffs eventually affected Target if the company did not respond?
-
Might what can prevent the target from passing additional import tasks for customers?
-
Should it change the source of its product? If so, which places should be preferred?
-
How should target be dealt with what he calls “tariff insecurity”?
-
Can can learn the objective of the precedent cases?
StefanLecturer, University of St. Gallen
International Business Management
Japanese vehicle sector Mexico bet $ 18 billion increases dangerous under the threat of Trump tariffs
Summary Donald Trump’s implementation on heavy tariffs in Canada, Mexico and China has caused rapid revenge, escalating the risk of a full trade war among the world’s largest economies. While immediate economic consequences are important, strict effects on global supply chains and international investment are even deeper. A wonderful example is the possible disruption in the Japan automobile industry, which has invested $ 18 billion in Mexico for vehicle assembly and component production.
Japanese vehicle manufacturers – currently the largest car manufacturers in Mexico – are now reconsidering their investment plans in the country. The proposed US tariff of 25 percent in all vehicles collected and parts of the car imported from Mexico can force these companies to rethink their production and supply chain strategies. If Japanese automobiles decide to withdraw from Mexico, the economic consequences would be severe, first for Mexico, which relies heavily on the industry, and then for Japan, which will face considerable interruption in its global supply chain. This situation underlines how trade policies can have widespread and immediate impacts on global industries, supply chains and economies.
Class application: This article offers a practical lens to analyze the critical trade policy intersection, global supply chains and international business strategy. It should allow students to research how trade wars disrupt cross -border investment, reformulate production strategies and impact economies. By examining the possible attraction of Japanese automobiles from Mexico, students can apply the theoretical framework from the real world scenarios, increasing their ability to navigate complex trade dynamics and make informed decisions in a globalized business environment.
Questions:
-
How can the trade wars between the US, Mexico and China reformulate the global competitive landscape for industry such as automobile production?
-
What are the possible long -term consequences for countries like Mexico when foreign investors reconsider their production and supply chain strategies due to trade policy changes?
-
What factors should Japanese automobiles consider when deciding whether to stay in Mexico or move their operations?
-
What are the potential risks to Japan if its motor companies are forced to restructure their global supply chains?
-
What ethical responsibilities have multinational corporations to the countries in which they operate, especially when they consider the relocation of operations due to changes in trade policy?
Fahd JamilUC Irvine
leadership
Item ‘One thing you were supposed to do last week’
Tags: Leadership, Micromanagement, Efficiency, Faith
Summary Elon Musk’s request for government workers to document what they did last week caused widespread confusion and concern and global media attention. Musk’s approach is the embodiment of the aggressive behavior of the micromaniagoer promoted by the belief that teams cannot produce efficient results without direct supervision and managerial interference. In contrast, Jensen Huang i Nvidia takes a proactive approach by encouraging employees to mark the five most important tasks they are working, known as T5TS, to promote a culture of concentration, advantage and transparency throughout the company.
Class application: This article offers an opportunity to discuss the role of managers in the team’s daily operations and to what extent the team efficiency depends on the narrow monitoring and managerial interventions.
question
-
What assumptions about the role of manager/employers are directing the approach of musk and huang management?
-
Role roles are trusting here and why do you think many managers do not have confidence in their teams?
-
What are the effects of micromaniac on engaging team members for their work and identifying with the organization?
-
What is the determination of the right degree of freedom for a team – especially in an increasingly rapid environment?
-
Benefit what benefits do you see with scriptures and reflect on the advantages and achievements? And to what extent should they be monitored by line managers?
-
DOESS What do you need to switch from a micromanopement to a more reliable leadership style?
Stefan KrummakerProfessor of Leadership Practice, Queen Mary University of London
Merits and purchases
Microsoft to close the Skype pioneer video clip
Tags: Digital Purchase, Video Conference
Summary Despite enthusiastic announcements with promises of significant synergies and increasing profits made by executives on both sides of the agreements, three -quarters of the unions and purchases fail to meet expectations. So -called “killer purchases” are extremely difficult to identify.
Class application: This article invites the faculty and students to explore the incentives for the purchasing company to “potentially kill the target” to avoid competition (“Buries of Killer”). It also encourages participants to create measures that can be decided to prevent such practices that may be of particular interest to antitrust authorities.
Questions:
-
After Nokia, is this another example of a European business determined to rest from a US “killing purchase”? Why was Skype a threat to Microsoft?
-
Otherwise, is Microsoft’s decision to close Skype the outcome of poor integration after years of lasday in a profitable rapid development market?
-
Skype was long before his time (Zoom became known years later during Covid). Is this one of the biggest lost opportunities for Microsoft?
-
Would the world have seen the birth of magnification if Microsoft-Skype integration had been a success?
-
What are the special research methods to apply to identify “killer purchases”?
-
What measures should be decided to address such practices?
-
What are the similarities, if there, between this case and the visa affair?
Krishnan RanganathanFaculty of Visitors, Indian Business Schools
Impressions of professors’ choices or willing to contribute? CONTACT bschool@ft.com Or add your selected items and questions to the comments below.