1. Using published reports, select two CEOs who have recently made public statements regarding a major change in their firm’s strategy. Discuss how the successful implementation of such strategies requires changes in the firm’s primary and support activities. 2. Select a firm that competes in an industry in which you are interested. Drawing upon published financial reports, complete a financial ratio analysis. Based on changes over time and a comparison with industry norms, evaluate the firm’s strengths and weaknesses in terms of its financial position. 3. How might exemplary human resource practices enhance and strengthen a firm’s value-chain activities? 4. Using the Internet, look up your university or college. What are some
... The Times, at the beginning of 2013, isn’t being pushed backward; it’s just not making much forward progress.")
Ed Atorino, an analyst with Benchmark, thinks there's still more fat to trim.
"They have no choice," he told Capital. "I understand they have a wonderful staff and Arthur Sulzberger Jr. is trying to ease the pain, but sooner or later they're gonna have to fess up."
Atorino's advice for Thompson: "He's gotta get tough and cut costs."
Thompson, for his part, seems open to that.
"We believe some cost-cutting is inevitable and necessary," he said in his prepared remarks, adding a caveat that may lend some comfort to the reporters and editors at 620 Eighth Avenue: "We will work hard to maintain a sizeable and robust newsgathering operation." sks customers to "come back" to the department store, alluding to heavy losses suffered from sweeping changes made by ousted CEO and former Apple executive Ron Johnson.

The 30-second spot, posted to the company's Facebook and YouTube pages, atones for the recent changes believed to be the reason for a steep decline in sales, which resulted in a $12.99 billion year-over-year decline in revenue for fiscal 2012.

During his tenure at JCPenney, Johnson, who was the driving force behind Apple's hugely successful brick-and-mortar Apple Store retail chain, made a number of substantial tweaks to the department store's business model. The initiatives,