I've put this here - it could equally be Microeconomics - but it seems as though Elon Musk's ill-advised foray into politics and his continuous sniping on social media have damaged the Tesla brand to the extent that EU sales for November are down by around a third. 

Oh dear, what a pity!

Asda's had a tough time, what with IT-related issues and the stagnant economy, and the complaint about the higher costs of business and fragile consumer confidence will resonate with many businesses. 

However, you'd also have to point out that the simple fact of the matter is that they are out-competed at either end of the market. Discounters undercut them, other stores are perceived as being of greater quality. Both are issues that Asda itself needs to tackle. 

Worth a look for Business Management students used to the ubiquity of low cost carriers operating from British airports, this BBC article celebrates the 30th anniversary of EasyJet taking to the skies, and it's remarkable to think how the business has changed - you used to book your flights over the telephone as the livery of the planes invited you to. 

However, Stelios Haji-Ioannnou, was a pioneer and many of the features of his venture have been replicated, not least the 20 minute turn around time. It's worth noting that 30 years on, a business with one aircraft and 77 staff has become Britain's largest airline, "356 aircraft, more than 1200 routes, and employs 19,000 staff – including 3,847 in Luton".

This Sarah Butler piece looks at the re-birth of the Next brand - with the clothing retailer seeming to be revitalised by a strategy of acquiring a number of other labels, signing licensing agreements with other brands and selling their products online and a rethink about its product range, and thus its marketing mix. 

It shows how third-party brands and online sales have helped the company regain its position in the market at a time when other brands are struggling. 

This could easily go in the International Economics section of the board but I've whacked it here because the Business Management syllabus looks explicitly at outsourcing. This BBC article highlights how outsourcing is a valuable source of income in South Africa, where unemployment is around 33%. 

It highlights how outsourcing can benefit the recipient economy and the workers that end up working for UK and US firms. In the case of South Africa, there are a number of advantages that extend beyond lower wages: employees speak English and the time zone means that they are effectively working at the same time as their UK -based colleagues. For the employees, too, there are higher wages.  

Ha ha. A Business Management 'scoop': a sharp increase in the number of cyber attacks, as reported by the National Cyber-Security Centre (NCSC), has led to them offering some sage advice.

Firms should have their contingency plans for such an eventuality written down on paper, and have paper-based alternative systems available on standby.   

The issue of cyber security is part of the IB syllabus, albeit a small part. However, I can see that future years examination questions will start to ask about cyber attacks and their potential impact on a business, making this sort of article essential reading.

It talks about the costs of such attacks, their increased frequency and the impact on revenues and brand image for the companies' affected.

More evidence of the importance of cyber security and information management systems, with the news that a cyber attack on Co-op cost the group an estimated £80m in profits last year. The attack gained members' data and damaged supply chain. 

It looks like Amazon's plans for world domination have been put on hold, with the news that it's to close its 19 UK grocery stores, almost all of them in London, albeit that 5 of them are being converted into Whole Foods stores instead. 

I particularly like the comments of the analyst: "I think that grocery everywhere in the world, including the UK is very competitive...It's unlikely that Amazon Fresh has created a differentiated offering and it may not even have ideal locations, so it's probably not been set up well for success from the start." However, even as an outsider, I doubt whether it would have taken me - or most good Business Management students that long to have figured this out. 

I scoop this because the Ben & Jerry's brand is iconic, and what has happened to it since it was bought by Unilever, and subsequently being spun off to the Magnum Ice Cream Company, is a depressingly familiar tale. The social activism that helped give the brand its appeal has been sidelined, and as a result, co-founder Jerry Greenfield, who's been with the company for nearly 50 years has had enough. He's resigned, symbolising the end for the original culture inculcated by one of the most famous iconoclastic brands.  

It's here, it's annual and for afficionados of the iPhone, it will be a must have. Apple have launched a thinner iPhone with a price tag of $999 and also enhanced AirPods and the Apple Watch. Plenty to think about in relation to marketing, brand loyalty and, for the economists who stray here, PED.

Interesting little article looking at the decline of fast fashion brands Asos and Boohoo, suggesting that their product life cycle is exceptionally short, with the former dropping out of the FTSE 250.

But what has caused this? You'll have to read the article to find out - yes, the rise of Shein and Temu have played a part but there are some intriguing demand-side factors at play too,  

A KES-themed Business Management scoop: this time looking at the prospects for Costa Coffee amidst speculation that Coca-Cola are looking to sell the brand, for up to half the $4.9bn they paid Whitbread for it in 2019.

There are many reasons for this given in the article - it's worth a read if you are Business Management student because it highlights how trends change and sometimes major chains aren't nimble enough to react to changing market demand and their marketing mix isn't quite right.

A quick peak at the new branding for Great British Railways, with a reworking of the Union Flag, and the promise of better things to come. 

The cost of the cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover is apparent in its latest quarterly figures - revenues down 24% on the same quarter last year and The carmaker posted a £485m loss...compared with a profit of £398m for the same period a year ago."

Proof of the scale of the threat that a cyber-attack poses: it has cost Marks & Spencer an estimated £101m and around 55% of its pre-tax profit for the first six months of the year, despite the company receiving a £100m insurance payout. 

After a slightly disappointing quarter to September, Apple CEO Tim Cook has forecast 10%-12% revenue growth as a result of its new phones - the iPhone17, the iPhone 17 Pro and the super thin iPhone Air. Apple is pinning its hopes on sales picking up in China.

This is a fantastic article that every Business Management student should look at - Sarah Butler looks at how Tesco has quietly enhanced its position as grocery retail market leader, with market share up to 28.3% from 26.5% in 2020, largely as a result of smaller stores and online retail. The latter means that Tesco is responsible for 37% of all online grocery sales.

The other things that are also highlighted are the power of Clubcard and how Tesco might better leverage this, and the low profit margin that the company has as a result of the competitiveness of the UK grocery sector. 

And on the back of the previous story, it's a big day for Jaguar Land Rover as the carmaker's engine factory in Wolverhampton is restarting production, good news for suppliers.

That said, some of the smaller suppliers have already had to lay off workers and there's criticism of the government intervention because none of the funds offered have found their way down to the bottom of the supply chain. 

I'll just pop this here - the author of a book entitled "Enshittification Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It". He argues that Amazon is symptomatic of the modern world, and charts its decline. It's worth a read just to see whether you agree with it or not.

Has Disney lost its lustre? Certainly this Guardian article suggests that the wholesome values that used to be a central feature of the Disney brand are in short supply as the organisation abandons diversity and inclusivity. 

However, is its decline a function of the company and a failure of its culture or is it symptomatic of the wider challenges that face the market, not least because moviemaking simply isn't as profitable as it used to be. 

An excellent opinion piece in the Guardian looking at the decision of Jerry Greenfield to step away from his role with Ben & Jerry's and wondering about whether this signals something about the wider American business environment, namely that business - like everybody else - must kow-tow to the President.

It's a striking title too - is the era of corporate social responsibility over? And what does this mean for brands who purpose goes beyond profit and shareholder value?

This article suggests that one iconic craft brewing brand BrewDog has lost its lustre, with revenues flat. Some attribute this to a change in ownership with private equity taking a stake in the company, factor in reports of a "toxic culture" at the brewer and its brand image has certainly been tarnished .However, is this an almost inevitable consequence of successful, and rapid, growth?

It's a thought provoking article that all Business Management students should read.

Have President Trump's policies adversely affected US brands? I don't know perhaps you should ask Elon Musk.

Good brand never die, they just...I don't know, reappear at a later date. In this case, the Top Shop and Top Man brands dating from the 1960s, but which disappeared from the High Street five years ago, are back, albeit in partnership with John Lewis. Top Shop is going to appear in 32 of the company's 36 stores and the hope is that it has cross-generational appeal. 

On another note, the article highlights the fact that "Last year’s return of the group’s now 100-year-old price promise, never knowingly undersold had gone better than expected". I wonder if that was sacrificed on the altar of the previous Chair, Dame Sharon White, who had no retail experience and yet was installed with a near £1m salary.