Cowboy Economics News - May 2009 Archives
What do Tetra aquarium supplies, Elector-Nite sensors and Nissha touch panels have in common? They are typical "hidden champions," mid-sized, unknown companies that have quietly, under the radar, become world market leaders in their respective industries. Hermann Simon has been studying these hidden champions for over 20 years, and in his new book "Hidden Champions of the Twenty-First Century," he explores the dramatic impact these companies have on globalization and their outstanding international success.
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Despite the global recession and the crisis in the banking sector, consumer confidence in financial services remains intact, according to a report compiled for the Nottingham University Business School.
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Reusable and recyclable packaging are shooting up the news, public and political agenda, and increasingly can offer a cutting edge to the growing number of environmentally-conscious consumers. But what makes a refillable product successful, and why do so many fail to hit the mark? A new study publishing today in Packaging Technology and Science examines what consumers want from refillable packaging and how manufacturers can make a success of their green initiatives.
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Let's say you planned to buy a new car at the end of the year. But then your car conks out and suddenly you need to make a purchase. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research says you'll use different criteria to evaluate vehicles in that situation than you would if you planned to buy a car immediately but then had to postpone the purchase.
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When we choose to spend $10 more than usual for a bottle of wine, we'll have $10 less to spend on an appetizer, a dessert, or ten songs on iTunes. That's known as the "opportunity cost" of that choice. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research looks at the benefit of drawing consumers' attention to opportunity costs.
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The time-honored tradition of displaying emotions to try to get a better deal might actually work, but inflating emotions can backfire, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
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 | A study examining more than 500 toy recalls between 1988 and 2007 suggests ways that firms can minimize the business impact of a recall. ...> Full Article |
Canada's persistent weakness in productivity growth is due to business strategy choices. "Too few Canadian businesses and entrepreneurs choose strategies that emphasize innovation", says Robert Brown, Chair of the panel of 18 business, labour and academic authorities appointed by the Council of Canadian Academies to analyze the innovation performance of Canadian businesses. The panel's report, Innovation and Business Strategy: Why Canada Falls Short, presents a fresh look at innovation as an economic process.
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 | Rising shale gas production in the United States and Canada as well as potential natural gas supplies from Iraq could be pivotal in curbing Russia's ability to organize an "energy weapon" against European consumers, according to a new study released today by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. ...> Full Article |
Assessment on the impact of industry experience on entrepreneurial performance and innovation in medical device start-ups
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Authors develop and test emergent nature construct, in which "high emergent nature" consumers use experiential and rational thinking simultaneously to develop and refine new product ideas that will succeed in the marketplace.
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Genealogical tourism redefining leisure travel market, professor says
Rush to develop stock markets has huge downside
'Main Street' economic conditions misread by GDP
Stiff party competition, modest salaries good for state government, study shows
'Subjective time' can improve your bottom line