E-Business in Moldova

More and more Moldovan customers prefer to buy and sell things online rather than going to markets and outdoor fairs. Today we are going to visit three of the most popular websites and rank them in the criteria below. At the end of the lesson you will have to decide which website is the best option for e-business in Moldova and explain why. I. Give the sites a score from 1 to 5

( 1 being unsatisfactory, 2 - poor, 3 fair, 4 - acceptable and 5 outstanding. )
999.md e-bun.md Makler.md
1) Which website has the best structure? (How clear is it from the home page what the site offers and where you can find the necessary information?)
2) Which site has the best visuals: icons, pictures, banners, etc
3) Ease of access - which website is the most user-friendly? (how easy is it to find the right product for clients, especially those who are not advanced Internet users)
4) Variety of services (which site offers a wider variety of products and services?)
5) Product information (which site offers a more detailed information about the products or services to be provided?)
Add up your scores and decide which site is the leader on the Moldovan market. Explain why.

II. Now, please write a short list of recommendations for each site - what can be improved / changed / enhanced / adapted / added / removed ?
Contrast and Compare: Check the Best Business Websites in 2010-2011 and compare with the Moldovan ones: 20 Best Business Websites

III. Next, let's read the expert opinion about what makes a good business site. Chose the article you like best and create a short 350 word summary.
Article 1: 35 Deadly Website Sins That will Kill Your Business!
Article 2: What makes a good business?
Article 3: 14 Steps to Good Business Website Design
IV Watch the video "Did you know 5.0" and write down the most interesting statistics.

Pepsi - Cola Wars

One of the most interesting battle between a market leader and a market challenger is represented by the Pepsi - Cola wars. The Cola Wars are a campaign of mutually-targeted television advertisements and marketing campaigns since the 1980s between soft drink manufacturers Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo Incorporated.

First, let's watch the following ads. Please rank them from the most to the least convincing one:

1) Coke Vs Pepsi

2) Pepsi versus Cola Ad

3) Joy of Pepsi

4) Coke / Pepsi Italian

5) Vannila drink

Second, read the article Cola Wars and answer the following questions:

• What did Coca-Cola and Pepsi particularly focused on? Give examples.
• What was Pepsi's positioning motto?
• How did the Pepsi Challenge blind taste tests work?
• What was Pepsi Stuff all about?
• Who won in the Atlanta Olympics Pepsi – Cola war? How?
• What did Pepsi Stuff in 2005 & Coca-Cola retaliated with Coke Rewards have in common?

Now, let's watch the Cold War Pepsi - Cola. Watch each part twice and create a short summary whichy would include its main points. Get ready to talk about each section for over 3-4 minutes.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Best Moldovan Brands in the "Trademark of the Year" Competition

One of the most essential parts of the "Made in Moldova" project is a yearly competition which aims to promote and recognize the best brands in Moldova called "Trademark of the Year".

1. What is a trademark? Also check the Business Dictionary for the same term.

2. Read the first page of the "Best Trademark" project and explain what the following information refers to:

- Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Moldova

- annually

- role of corporative image of companies,

- 700 /14 regions

- 150

- vital part

- many attendees at the event

- yearly edition

- 2 talented students

3. Which, in your opinion, are the 3 most important objectives of the competition?

4. Name three winners of the following categories:

- "APPRECIATION OF THE CONSUMERS"

- "Patrimony of the Republic"

- Professionalism Criteria TRADE MARK "EXPORT"

- Professionalism Criteria TRADE MARK "PROFI"

- Professionalism Criteria"REBRANDING"

- "REPUTATION AND TRUST" TRADE MARK

Read the following news and answer the questions below:http://totul.md/en/newsitem/22190.html

1. How many Moldovan companies have won the grand prize – the Golden Mercuryhigh professional award – within the Trademark-2010 competition?

2. How many projects participated in the competition in 2010?

3. What was the competition novelty?

4. Which joint companies were marked for their trademarks?

5. Which state official congratulated the competition laureates andwished them keeping the goods and service quality at the same levelin the future?

6. Which exclusive right does the participation in the competitionprovide its winners with?

7. Which organisation organised the competition?

8. How old is the The Trademark of the Year competition?

Skype Linkup with North Carolina

Last week we started an online collaboration with our American partners from Forsyth Tech Community College in North Carolina, USA using Skype linkup. Our wonderful American host, Suzanne Stafford, Professor of Macroeconomics at Forsyth Tech Community College suggested we let the American and Moldovan students get to know each other better using Skype and also start working together on an international exchange. Our main topic of discussion was sources of information for students interested in reading about the current news in the world. We mentioned CNN Money and BBC Financial as our main resources. Our special guest last week was Olesea Fortuna, the Executive Manager of American Councils Moldova and the Open World Program Coordinator. Mrs Fortuna talked about another similar Skype project in collaboration with North Carolina wine makers who taught Moldovan entrepreneurs about marketing strategies in US: "Recomandări Strategice în Marketingul Viti-Vinicol ".

Banca Mondială îşi deschide uşile pentru Studenţii de la ASEM

Pentru a le deschide studentilor ASEM de la Facultatea de Bănci şi Finanţe perpective noi asupra posibilităţilor de a studia economia în baza studiului de caz, am organizat o masă rotundă cu tema: „Banca Mondială– proiecte de dezvoltare economică în Moldova: istoric şi perspective actuale” avîndu-l ca invitat special pe Domnul Victor Neagu, reprezentant al Băncii Mondiale Moldova, Departamentul Relatii Externe. Evenimentul a fost găzduit de către noul Centru American de Resurse (ARC) administrat de către Secţia pentru Cultură şi Presă a Ambasadei SUA la Chişinău. Studenţii au aflat ..... (Read more here)

Writing an Argumentative Essay

1) Watch the 2010 World Bank International Essay Competition 2nd place winner and answer the following questions:

- Why do you think it receved the second prize?

- What type of essay is it?

- How does the author support his point of view?

2) Download the PDF file and take the quiz then check your answers.

3) Now let's practise how well you can use connectors. Take the QUIZ.

3) What is a thesis? Watch the video and write your own, detailed definition.

4) Watch the Video Essay "A Scenic America" and write your opinions about the essay in 150-200 words.

Ratings of Molovan Companies

What are 10 most expensive companies in the Moldovan Stock Exchange? Which companies are leading with the highest market value in 2010 ? What are the most efficient banks in Moldova? Read and find out for yourselves.

Magenta Consulting - Research in Moldova

Dear FB students,

We have discussed a lot about international business projects, but not too much about how business is being approached in Moldova. Meet Magenta Consulting - suring 2009, Magenta Consulting has carried out 62 researches that have been based on 18.840 interviews, over 470 mystery shopping situations, 115 in-depth interviews, 68 focus groups, 42 store-checks, 16 feasibility studies and 8 industrial analyses of the Moldovan market.

Select one of the following studies and write a short response essay: 1st paragraph - a summary and the 2nd - your personal opinion / analysis / interpretation / prognosis, etc.

1. The Moldovan consumer is chosing commercial centers over markets

2. Social Networking and Advertising

3. Most preferred advertisement means in Moldova

4. Awareness of Magazines in Moldova

5. What are the expenses reduced during crisis?

Voicethread Projects

This week we have been working on our Voicethread Projects. Let's have a look at each of them and decide together which projects are the best! Evaluating the following: organisation, creativity, how the topic was presented, research (Did the student use data, numbers, satistics, etc?). Good luck!

1) Elena Effective Advertising
2) Marina Nokia versus Apple
3) Cristina Toyota's Problems
4) Eugenia Cadbury- World's Chocolate Leader
5) Sabina Best Business Opportunities in 2009
6) Cristina R. Top 10 Most Profitable Companies in USA

7) Max Apple's new product: the iPad

8) Tatiana Most Influential People in Moldova 2009

Video Resumes

Dear FB students,

one of the projects we have been working on is creating video resumes. It's tie to decide which project is the best! Check on the following links and send us your opinion: which one did you like best? Why? Pay attention to: organisation, creativity, English fluency, vocabulary, structure and sense of humour! If you were an employer, who would you rather give a job to?

1) Resume 1 Sanda
2) Resume 2 Victoria
3) Resume 3 Cristina V.
4) Resume 4 Radu
5) Resume 5 Elena
6) Resume 6 Cristina R.