1. Our Wall Street Journal article for next week is “Wal-Mart Defies Retail Slowdown,” November 14, 2008, p. A1. A “hard” copy of this article will be handed out in lecture on Tuesday.   If you have an online subscription to the WSJ, you can access the article at http://online.wsj.com/public/page/us_in_todays_paper.html?mg=com-wsj .  If you do not have a WSJ online subscription and would like to access the article before receiving the hard copy, please see instructions at the end of this article.  In preparation for our discussion, you should consider the following issues:
   1. What are likely explanations that Wal-Mart is currently doing relatively well?  Do you expect this advantage to last?
   2. What proportion of non-auto U.S. purchases are now made at Wal-Mart?
   3. Two years ago, which problems did Wal-Mart appear to face?
   4. How has Wal-Mart’s current position affected relations with vendors?
   5. What are some threats and complications that Wal-Mart is currently facing?
   6. How have foreign Wal-Mart operations performed in the past, and what are their prospects?
2. A study checklist for the final examination has been posted on the course web site at http://www.buad307.com/PDF/FinalChecklist--F08.pdf .  A hard copy of this checklist will be distributed in lecture on Tuesday.
3. The PowerPoint slides and notes for the remaining topics for the semester have been posted to the course web site at http://www.buad307.com/PPT_notes.html .
4. The updated grade progress report is scheduled to be sent out this evening.  To ensure that the report will display properly, it will be in the form of a PDF file attachment.

To access this week’s article through the Marshall Library:

1. Login to MyMarshall at https://mymarshall.usc.edu
2. Click on “Academics,” then “Marshall Library,” and then “Electronic Resources.”
3. Select the "ABI/Inform through Proquest Direct" link.
4. Click on the “W” link under “Show all publications.”
5. Click on the Wall Street Journal, Eastern Edition link.
6. Click on November 14, 2008.
7. In the list of articles, find the article entitled "Wal-Mart Flourishes As Economy Turns Sour."  If the index structure remains static, this will probably be article #103.  To reach this, you would click on the number screen #10 and then on #11 on the bottom right corner of the screen and then select article number 103.

BUAD499.jpg (122.94 kb)

A number of individuals have reported problems in uploading assignments through the Turnitin feature of Blackboard.  Technical support has now provided me with a solution that they believe should resolve the problem.  If you still experience problems, please let me know.

I regret the frustration many of you have experienced in trying to upload!

1. In view of the modest rates of readership this semester, I have “thrown in the towel” and decided to hand out “hard” copies of the Wall Street Journal articles at lecture sessions for the remainder of the semester.  If you have to miss lecture or if you would like to read the article before the lecture session, access information is listed below.  Please note that, for copyright reasons, I cannot post or e-mail you directly an electronic version.  Given this adjustment, individuals who still fail to read the article in preparation for discussion will be judged severely. 
2. Our Wall Street Journal article for next week is “Marketers Take a Softer Tack to Reach Uneasy Consumers” by Stephanie Kang, November 4, 2008, p. B3.  If you have an online subscription to the Wall Street Journal, you can access the article at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122575290974794763.html?mod=djem_jiewr_MK .  If you do not have an online subscription, you can access the article for free through the Crocker Library.  Please see instructions at the end of this e-mail.  In preparation for our discussion and questions on the final examination, please consider the following questions and issues:
   1. What are the motives behind General Mill’s "Home Is Calling" advertising campaign?  What are some characteristics of this campaign?
   2. Currently, how is Pillsbury’s advertising budget being adjusted?
   3. How are current advertising themes similar to those employed in the aftermath of September 11, 2001?
   4. What are themes of Ikea and MasterCard’s current advertising themes?  What is the rationale behind these advertisements?
   5. What is the rationale for Toys ‘R’ Us’ current advertising theme?
3. Everyone who has submitted a project proposal should have received comments below.  Your score is indicated in today's announcements e-mail.  If you did not receive your comments, please stop by my office to pick up your comments.
4. A more complete grade progress report will be mailed out as a PDF attachment by Monday afternoon.
5. It has been brought to my attention that an error resulted when attempting to download the actual PowerPoint slides on Market Research from the course web site.  This problem has now been fixed.
6. If you attend class regularly and have already picked up your Midterm II, please disregard the following message:  Individuals who have still not picked up their second midterms should do so in lecture on Tuesday.  Those who fail to do this are at serious risk of being classified as a “grossly substandard student” (GSS).  For individuals who have been ditching lectures with impunity, this is a good opportunity to stop this reprehensible and slothful pattern.  Failure to attend may be condoned at substandard institutions such as the one across town, but at the Marshall School of Business, it constitutes conduct unbecoming to a Trojan. 

To access this article through the Marshall Library: 

1. Login to MyMarshall at https://mymarshall.usc.edu
2. Click on “Academics,” then “Marshall Library,” and then “Electronic Resources.”
3. Select the "ABI/Inform through Proquest Direct" link.
4. Click on the “W” link under “Show all publications.”
5. Click on the Wall Street Journal, Eastern Edition link.
6. Click on November 4, 2008.
7. In the list of articles, find the article entitled "Marketers Take a Softer Tack to Reach Uneasy Consumers."  If the index structure remains static, this will probably be article #64.  To reach this, you would click on the number 7 on the bottom right corner of the screen and then select article number 64.