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(source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, via Haver Analytics; shaded areas = recessions)
Broadcasting - Magna Global (Interpublic Group's media services division) reported that median age of TV viewers watching 5 networks live is 50 = first time (CBS - 54; ABC - 50, NBC - 49, Fox - 44). Those below 50 choose the Internet and other forms. Traditional television no longer the first 'screen' seen by younger people.
INDUSTRIES
Arts.
Donald N. Thompson (2008).
The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of
Contemporary Art. (New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan,
272 p.). Teaches Marketing, Economics in the MBA program at
Schulich School of Business (York University in Toronto). Art,
Modern --20th century --Economic aspects; Art, Modern --21st
century --Economic aspects; Art --Marketing --History --20th
century; Art --Marketing --History --21st century; Art
--Collectors and collecting --Psychological aspects.
Economics,
psychology of contemporary art world; why record prices achieved
at auction for works by 131 contemporary artists in 2006, new
heights reached in 2007?; money, lust, self-aggrandizement of
art world in attempt to determine what makes particular work
valuable while others ignored; economics, marketing strategies
that enable modern art market to generate astronomical prices.
Agribusiness.
(Beef), Andrew Rimas
and Evan D.G. Fraser.
Beef: The Story of Cattle, Culture, and Civilization OR The
Untold Story of How Milk, Meat, and Muscle Shaped the World.
(New York, NY: Morrow, 256 p.). Managing Editor (The Improper
Bostonian); Senior Lecturer; Senior Lecturer: Sustainable
Development (University of Leeds). Cattle --History.
Cow - source of food, means of labor,
economic resource, inspiration for art, religious icon; how it
became more factory product than animal; from powerful auroch,
once revered as mystical totem, to dairy cows of 17th Century
Holland, to frozen meat patties, growth hormones today;
panoramic view of cow's long, colorful history.
Entertainment.
(Warner Bros.), Richard Schickel and George
Perry (2008).
You Must Remember This: The Warner Brothers Story.
(Philadelphia, PA: Running Press, 480 p.). Film Critic (Time
magazine); Film Critic. Warner, Harry Morris, 1881-1978; Warner,
Jack L., 1892-1978; Warner Bros. Pictures--History.
Fully
authorized history of studio in connection with its 85th
anniversary of screen icons, legendary films,
history-making achievements; companion to five part
documentary in PBS American Masters series by author Richard Schickel.
Warner Brothers - L-F
from top: Jack, Albert, Sam, Harry
(http://nd.blog.cz/f/filmstar.blog.cz/nahledy/973854.jpg)
Internet.
(Google), Randall Stross (2008).
Planet Google: How One Company’s All-Encompassing Vision Is
Transforming Our Lives OR One Company's Audacious Plan To
Organize Everything We Know. (New York, NY: Free Press,
288 p.). Columnist (New York Times). Google (Firm); Internet
industry --United States --History; Web search engines --United
States --History. Audacious vision for future, consequences for
business world, culture at large; strategy behind company's bold
moves, all driven by pursuit of business plan to become
indispensable gatekeeper of all world's information, one-stop
destination for all information needs; 68% of all Web searches,
profits that are the envy of business world, surplus of talent;
in recent years - has launched new services, advanced into whole
new businesses (introductions of controversial Book Search,
Google Earth, bidding for slice of wireless-phone spectrum,
purchasing YouTube for $1.65 billion); has taken direct aim at
Microsoft's core business; offered free e-mail, software from
word processing to spreadsheets and calendars; pushed
transformative (disruptive) concept known as "cloud computing"
(users will increasingly store all of their data on Google's
massive servers); more offerings Google adds, more ubiquitous
its presence, more dependent its users become on its services,
more information they contribute to its uniquely comprehensive
collection of data.
Sergi Brin and
Larry Page - Founders, Google
(http://www.mihaidragan.ro/images/imgarticole/Sergey-Brin-si-Larry-Page-_id_41a1f22a1adbd.jpg_thmb.jpg)
Publishing.
(Viking Press), Al Silverman (2008).
The Time of Their Lives: The Golden Age of Great American Book
Publishers, Their Editors, and Authors. (New York, NY:
Truman Talley Books,, 512 p.). 1972 - CEO of Book of the Month
Club, president and editor-in-chief of The Viking Press.
Publishers and publishing --United States --History --20th
century; Authors and publishers --United States --History --20th
century; Publishers and publishing --United States --Biography;
Book editors --United States --Biography.
1946 - late 1970s,
early 1980s - period in publishing that was good, formed
distinguishing landmark of culture in American life; editors
published to their tastes; more than 120 of most notable heads
of houses, editors, publishers of this time shared many
never-before told stories about how most important books in
postwar America came into being, still being read today.
Wall Street - Capitalists &
Financiers.
(Buffett), Alice Schroeder (2008).
The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life.
(New York, NY: Bantam Dell, 976 p.). Former Morgan Stanley
Insurance Analyst. Buffett, Warren; Capitalists and financiers
--United States --Biography; Investments --United States.
Portrait of Buffett's life, values, strategies, total
experiences; array of paradoxes; perfectionist, highly focused,
emotionally needy husband, absentee father; treated investors as
partners, acted as their steward, championed honesty as an
investor, CEO, board member, essayist, speaker; became world’s
richest man; his larger philosophy, his principles, ideas that
have enriched people’s lives.
 Warren
Buffett (http://images.forbes.com/
media/moreon/b/buffett_warren.jpg)
MANAGEMENT
Blunders & Failures.
Paul B. Carroll, Chunka
Mui (2008).
Billion-Dollar Lessons: What You Can Learn From the Most
Inexcusable Business Failures of the Last 25 Years.
(New York, NY: Portfolio, 320 p.). Former Reporter (The
Wall Street Journal); Former Chief Innovation Officer at
Diamond Management and Technology Consultants. Business
failures; Management. Lessons from managements of
companies that lost millions (if not billions) in
pursuit of strategies that led to big losses; most
significant failures of last 25 years: 750 bankruptcies,
major writeoffs, discontinued operations; #1 cause of
failure was misguided strategy (not sloppy execution,
lack of leadership, bad luck); categories of strategies:
1) synergy, 2) financial engineering, 3) rollups, 4)
staying the course, 5) adjacencies, 6) riding
technology, 7) consolidation.
Ethics. Matthew Bishop and Michael Green
(2008).
Philanthrocapitalism: How the Rich Can Save the World,
and Why We Should Let Them. (New York, NY:
Bloomsbury, 272 p.). Chief Business Writer of the
Economist; Expert on the Relationship Between Government
and the Nongovernmental Sector. Social responsibility of
business; Businesspeople --Conduct of life;
Philanthropists; Humanitarianism. How capitalism's
winners are using vast fortunes to change world by
giving away billions of dollars; small group of people
who will change enormous number of lives; new generation
of billionaires reshaping way they give â€" like
business; use big-business-style strategies, expect
results and accountability; new movement, its
implications; how web of wealthy, motivated donors has
set out to change world; may be greatest force for
societal change in world, source of political
controversy.
Entrepreneurship.
Sam Wyly (2008).
1,000 Dollars and an Idea: How an Inspired American Entrepreneur
Built a Billion-Dollar Fortune. (New York, NY: Newmarket
Press, 256 p.). Wyly, Sam; Businessmen--United
States--Biography; Entrepreneurship--United States--Biography;
Billionaires--United States--Biography. Thought processes,
relationships, financial machinations behind building diverse
businesses over last four decades; 1963 - risked $1,000 of
savings to found first "computer utility" company in business
world; 1965 - took University Computing Company public, became
instant millionaire; waged successful anti-monopoly battle
against AT&T (built "telephone highway" for computers); grew
modest Bonanza Steak House chain ("inherited" as the result of
bad debt) to 600 outlets, sold it for huge profit; created new
systems software company, Sterling Software (sold for $4
billion); 2000 - sold Sterling Commerce to AT&T for $4 billion;
expanded small arts-and-crafts chain Michaels Stores from 10 to
1,000 stores (sold for $6 billion in 2006); founded Green
Mountain Energy (largest, most profitable green business in
country).
BUSINESS HISTORYCrises - Financial.
David Smick (2008).
The World Is Curved: Hidden Dangers to the Global Economy.
(New York, NY: Portfolio, 272 p.). Johnson Smick International,
Inc. International finance; Financial crises; Globalization
--Economic aspects; International economic relations.
Global
liquidity crisis. How today’s risky environment came to be, why
mortgage mess is symptom of potentially far more devastating
trouble; how bad could things really get in today’s volatile
economy? what can we do about it?; why China (next great bubble
to burst) represents powerful threat to everyone’s pocketbook;
how Japanese housewives have taken control of their nation’s
savings, why it matters; how greed-driven bankers, investment
bankers have put everyone’s pensions and 401(k)s at risk; why
today’s "incredible shrinking central banks" may not be able to
save us when next crisis hits; why big-money Russian, Chinese,
Saudi, Dubai sovereign wealth funds represent tectonic shift in
global financial power, away from United States, Europe, Japan;
why world desperately needs "big think" financial doctrine to
guide today’s dangerous ocean of money.
FICTION
ANNIVERSARIES - 2008
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