Blog 7 – The useless economic entities

1) Using newspapers, Internet and other sources find a story (no more than five lines, you can also post the link) on a useless entity, answering the following questions: What is the name of the entity? Why is it useless, unproductive? Why is it still surviving?

Blog 6 – The attribute of Economicità

1) After reading the article “Henry Ford and the model T” (please click here to download it), analyse the effectiveness and the efficiency of Ford Motor Company, before and after the year 1924. For instance, after 1924 was Ford Motor Company both effective and efficient? Or effective but not efficient or efficient but not effective? Why?
2) After watching the YouTube video you discussed in Blog 3, do you have the elements to evaluate the strategic effectiveness of the economic entity? Why?

Blog 5 – The productivity of the workers

1) Suggest how to increase the productivity of the workers and/or materials, in the production process of the YouTube videos you discussed in Blog 3 (e.g. How is made Hot-dog)

Blog 4 – The needs satisfied and to be satisfied

1) Select a firm that during the last years has satisfied more your needs, indicating also what are the needs satisfied.
2) For the selected company identify at least three competitors (e.g. if you select Fiat, the three competitors may be Renault, Toyota, Peugeot), saying why the company indicated in the point 1) has satisfied more your needs.
3) Select three of your needs that so far no company has satisfied yet. Be specific about your needs. E.g. I desire a waterproof bag because when I go to the sea I would like to feel free to… So indicate WHY you want that waterproof.

Blog 3 – Factors of production

Using the framework of the Business Model contained in Table 8, describe what are the inputs (e.g. type of manufactured capital; intellectual capital; human capital; nature capital) shown at least in one of the following videos:
a) “How is made hot-dogs”
b) “How is made honey”
c) “How is made baseball”
d) “How is made Lego”
e) Find in YouTube an “How is made” video

Blog 2 – The tangible and intangible products

1) Indicate one organization that produces tangible products (e.g. Coca Cola) and one that produces intangible products (Vodafone).
2) Describe the characteristics of those products (e.g. the transportability; intrinsic characteristics), discussing why, in your opinion, some people prefer those product instead of those produced by competitors (e.g. some people choose Coca Cola instead of Pepsi because…).

Blog 1 – Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

1) What are your most important unmet 5 needs?
2) What are your most important unmet 5 wants?
3) After watching the YouTube video “An introduction to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs” for each need and want indicate the level of the Maslow’s scale

Chapter I - Questions for the Blog discussion - Objective of the organizations

The Blog activism is worth 10% of the total final mark. So please discuss on the Blog at least two of the following questions. These first three questions must be answered preferably immediately after the introduction of the course:

1. Do you think that there is a single objective (or purpose) for all the organizations (e.g. an hospital, a firm like Apple, Microsoft, a non-profit organizations)? Why? 
2. What could be the interests of the entrepreneur in running a business (e.g. a restaurant)? Do you think the business (i.e. the restaurant) may have a different interest compared to its owner? Why? 
3. What could be the interest of a politician in running a public administration?

If someone just copy and paste the questions/answers of others, acting as a free rider, please whistle blow letting me know anonymously by email.