Alibaba And The Recombinant IPO – Can a Copycat Ever be an Innovator?
I have been following all the hoopla about Alibaba’s upcoming IPO. Yep, I know it’s a big deal. It’s the biggest internet company in the world by a long shot. It has a lock on the Chinese market (for now at least). On paper it should be able to rise to even more commanding heights. […]
Chinese IPOs in the US – How Low Should You Go?
So Weibo and Alibaba are planning to go public in the US. They follow a number of other Chinese companies that already went public. What has the record of these Chinese IPOs been? US investors are generally a pretty trusting crowd. Partly this is because the word “China” makes them think of vast numbers of […]
Trump or Maxwell? Will Eike Batista Rise Again?
So I guess everyone knows about Eike Batista, the Brazilian who has, at least temporarily, fallen from grace. The big question: can he come back? I can think of two business personalities similar to Batista’s that we can view as possible models. One is Donald Trump (“the Donald”), the New York real-estate tycoon. The other […]
The Twitter IPO – Can a Successful Leader Have Two Different Masters?
So the Next Big Thing is the Twitter IPO. It hits all the high notes. The creation of a new global elite, the Twitterati. Facebook-like dynamics. Creator of revolutions. Steve Jobs sounds-a-like. And Jack Dorsey is not only a bachelor; he’s a vegan to boot (dating a yoga instructor as well!). What’s not to like? […]
Yahoo – Product Bling 1, Business Acumen 0
There’s been lots of talk about whether or not Yahoo can come back from the dead. Marissa Mayer is splashiferous and acquisitive. Yahoo has received kudos for some “new” products (Tumblr – an acquisition and Yahoo’s new email – just a better mouse-trap)) but revenues are going nowhere fast. Will she make it? Well we don’t have […]