By Sarah E. NeedlemanA Best Buy commercial that aired during the Super Bowl on Sunday highlighted a growing obsession for me and likely many others � Zynga�s Words with Friends. The smartphone app is a modern version of Scrabble and it�s been eating up more and more of my limited free time, much like Angry Birds and a number of other addictive mobile games did before it. The Super Bowl ad even poked fun at my problem. It shows the creators of the game on an airplane playing it while a stewardess hovers over them, a snarky reference to a kerfuffle that made headlines late last year when actor Alec Baldwin got kicked off an American Airlines flight for refusing to turn the game off. ... Continue reading →
By Sarah E. NeedlemanA Best Buy commercial that aired during the Super Bowl on Sunday highlighted a growing obsession for me and likely many others � Zynga�s Words with Friends. The smartphone app is a modern version of Scrabble and it�s been eating up more and more of my limited free time, much like Angry Birds and a number of other addictive mobile games did before it. The Super Bowl ad even poked fun at my problem. It shows the creators of the game on an airplane playing it while a stewardess hovers over them, a snarky reference to a kerfuffle that made headlines late last year when actor Alec Baldwin got kicked off an American Airlines flight for refusing to turn the game off. ... Continue reading →
Facebook Inc., with an eye toward future business relationships, wants to be friends with more social-media start-ups. So it is going after those start-ups' investors. Facebook's new fbStart program is open to early-stage business investment groups, also known as "seed funds" and business "accelerators," that have social-media developers in their portfolios. Developers at companies supported by the fbStart partner firms will get an advanced look at new tools and features Facebook is creating for its site. In return, Facebook hopes that some of those start-ups could eventually build a business around its platform. So far partners in the fbStart program include Seedcamp, sFund, 500 Startups, TechStars, and Y Combinator, among others, a Facebook spokesman said. In documents filed for its initial public offering last week, ... Continue reading →
Two closely watched disputes now playing out in the courts are shining a spotlight on tensions between franchise owners and management. The growing rift between franchisees and franchisers—businesses that collectively employ roughly eight million people in the U.S.—follows three consecutive years of declines in the number of U.S. franchises, and as economic pressures prompt people to limit discretionary spending. Late last month, an association made up of roughly 185 U.S. franchise owners filed a lawsuit against Cold Stone Creamery Inc., a subsidiary of Kahala Corp., accusing the ice-cream chain of refusing to provide detailed information about funds that the franchisees believe should be set aside for their benefit in a marketing fund. The lawsuit, which seeks declaratory relief, is asking the court to force Cold ... Continue reading →
Two closely watched disputes now playing out in the courts are shining a spotlight on tensions between franchise owners and management. The growing rift between franchisees and franchisers—businesses that collectively employ roughly eight million people in the U.S.—follows three consecutive years of declines in the number of U.S. franchises, and as economic pressures prompt people to limit discretionary spending. Late last month, an association made up of roughly 185 U.S. franchise owners filed a lawsuit against Cold Stone Creamery Inc., a subsidiary of Kahala Corp., accusing the ice-cream chain of refusing to provide detailed information about funds that the franchisees believe should be set aside for their benefit in a marketing fund. The lawsuit, which seeks declaratory relief, is asking the court to force Cold ... Continue reading →
BY DAN GALLAGHER Groupon Inc. reported a net loss for the fourth quarter on Wednesday afternoon, surprising investors who had expected a small profit from the daily deal firm. In its first earnings report since going public in November, Groupon also posted better-than-expected revenues for the December quarter, and issued a sales forecast for the current period that was above Wall Street's expectations. But the disappointing net loss weighed down the results, and pushed Groupon's shares down more than 10% ...BY DAN GALLAGHER Groupon Inc. reported a net loss for the fourth quarter on Wednesday afternoon, surprising investors who had expected a small profit from the daily deal firm. In its first earnings report since going public in November, Groupon also posted better-than-expected revenues for ... Continue reading →
Facebook Inc.'s move to the public markets will be accompanied by plenty of superlatives. But no aspect of the company is as exceptional as the age of its founder and chief executive, 27-year-old Mark Zuckerberg. Mr. Zuckerberg will become the youngest CEO at a Fortune 1000 company once Facebook goes public, according to an analysis conducted for The Wall Street Journal by recruiters Korn/Ferry International. The success of Mark Zuckerberg is helping to revive the tradition of the young chief executive in the technology industry and elsewhere. Spencer Ante has details on The News Hub. Photo: AP Only four executives under the age of 40 took command of Standard & Poor's 500 companies between 2004 and 2008, according to a study by recruiters Spencer Stuart. ... Continue reading →
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the death of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. While his murder at the hands of militants in Pakistan shocked and saddened the world, it has also sparked efforts to build on Danny's ideals of tolerance and understanding across cultures. Below are some articles from the last decade that celebrate Danny's work, life and legacy. Reporter Daniel Pearl Is Dead, Killed by His Captors in Pakistan Feb. 24, 2002 A Selection of Daniel Pearl's Work Feb. 22, 2002 Memories of Danny Pearl Show He Was 'At Home in the World' June 24, 2002 Remembering a Terrible Ordeal, and a Good Man Sept. 30, 2003 Commentary: Judea Pearl on the Daniel Pearl Standard Jan. 30, 2008 Obama Signs Pearl ... Continue reading →
