Does (Retail) Size Matter? $/sq. ft. of Mall Stores

November 9th, 2010

by Ram Ganeshan

I recently took my daughter to a birthday party at a local mall. Having a couple of hours to kill, I headed to the cramped and crowded Apple Store to checkout the new MacBook Air. After succumbing to the allure of the iPod Touch and a quick coffee stop at Barnes and Noble’s Café, I settled in a comfortable sofa, like many others waiting, listening to the live piano music at the bright and airy Nordstrom that anchors the mall. I could not help wonder that this comfortable space sandwiched between Women’s Shoes and the Make up counters was a lot larger than the Apple store. How large the stores in the mall are and how effectively they use their space? Read on…do the results surprise you?

A Day in the Life: Pearbudget’s Charlie Park

October 24th, 2010

by Ram Ganeshan

Charlie Park is the founder of two internet startups. One (pearbudget.com) is a personal finance web application (see it featured on CBS “The Early Show”). The other (monotask.com) is still-in-beta-testing, a web application focused on attention management — he describes it as “Ritalin for your computer.” He didn’t set out to be a business entrepreneur when he got his B.A. from William and Mary in 2001. Today he discusses how he got where he is, what has contributed to his success, and what a typical work day is like.

How Much is a Frequent Flyer Worth?

May 14th, 2010

by Ram Ganeshan

I recently watched “Up in the Air” and could not help but marvel at Ryan Bingham’s (George Clooney’s character) perks as an elite frequent flyer on American Airlines. Out come the Champagne and a visit from the airline’s chief pilot on crossing 10 million miles. While Hollywood has taken its usual liberties with Ryan Bingham, airlines [...]

5 Products, 5 Supply Chains, 5 Carbon Footprints

April 11th, 2010

by Ram Ganeshan

Individuals, corporations, even governments have adopted carbon emissions as an indicator of our impact on the environment. As part of the Earth Day 2010 series of articles, this article will explore the “carbon footprints” of 5 common products: Tropicana Orange juice, a Big Mac, iPhone 3GS, Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket, and Nika Bottled water.

A carbon footprint of a product measures the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that it produces from “cradle to grave.” This typically includes the amount of CO2 produced in the extended supply chain: from the extraction of raw material, to the manufacture, transport, and use of the product; ending eventually in the disposal and recovery of the product. Read, share, and enjoy (and yes, next time you buy something, take a look at its carbon footprint).