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Marketplace for Thursday July 17, 2014
Jul 17, 2014

Marketplace for Thursday July 17, 2014

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Microsoft is laying off 14 percent of its staff, 18,000 employees. We look at how you manage a layoff process this big over that kind of time, and what effect it has on productivity and morale. Also, Amazon is preparing to launch an e-book subscription service, according to a page on its website. The service, called  “Kindle Unlimited” would apparently give subscribers access to 600,000 books at a monthly cost of $10. The monthly-subscription model works well with movies but how well will it work in the book world? We investigate? Also, housing starts were down in June, and way down in the South. But as with all monthly data reports, the question is, what does this mean? 

Segments From this episode

Would a Marketplace by any other name smell as sweet?

Jul 17, 2014
Branding is about logos and slogans, yes - but it's also about scent.

How companies like Microsoft should handle mass layoffs

Jul 17, 2014
Microsoft is laying off 14 percent of its staff. But it'll be six months before the redundancy process is complete.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks during his keynote address at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2014 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC, July 16, 2014.
SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Of borders and businesses: moving forward in Murrieta

Jul 17, 2014
Have anti-immigration protests affected business in Murrieta, California?
Demonstrators outside the Border Patrol station in Murrieta, California on July 11, 2014
Lindsay Foster Thomas

Streaming books on Amazon?

Jul 17, 2014
The online retail giant is jockeying for space in a budding market.

'Bad' housing numbers might reflect good news

Jul 17, 2014
Or maybe a chilly spring in North Carolina. Experts are still puzzling it out.

Yes, Facebook is sucking your soul

Jul 17, 2014
Just in case you needed social science to prove it.

Microsoft is laying off 14 percent of its staff, 18,000 employees. We look at how you manage a layoff process this big over that kind of time, and what effect it has on productivity and morale. Also, Amazon is preparing to launch an e-book subscription service, according to a page on its website. The service, called  “Kindle Unlimited” would apparently give subscribers access to 600,000 books at a monthly cost of $10. The monthly-subscription model works well with movies but how well will it work in the book world? We investigate? Also, housing starts were down in June, and way down in the South. But as with all monthly data reports, the question is, what does this mean? 

Music from the episode

Nothin' N.O.R.E.