Business 2.0 March 2004 Issue Highlights

Business Wire,  March 1, 2004  

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Business Editors

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 1, 2004

COVER STORY

"The Next Boom Towns," by Paul Kaihla, page 94

Business 2.0 reveals America's 20 hottest job markets, and why they need you. Far more than in previous rebounds, job demand will favor the "haves"--the most skilled, best-educated segments of the workforce--over the "have-nots." If you want to go where the elite jobs will be, follow the elite workers. These markets promise to be fertile ground for job seekers and employers alike.

OTHER FEATURE ARTICLES

"Bechtel's Power Outage," by Ralph King and Charlie McCoy, page 80

Even as it helps rebuild Iraq, engineering giant Bechtel is reeling from the aftershocks of new-economy follies it wishes no one knew about. According to past and present Bechtel employees and internal company documents, during the past few years the company has written off about $200 million invested in busted telecoms and dotcoms and has cut the value of its stock by roughly a quarter. It now carries a heavy debt load estimated at more than $500 million. There's no telling exactly how the firm's financial struggles may be affecting its crucial work in Iraq, but the strains have opened a rare peephole into the inner workings of one of the world's great industrial empires--at a time when the focus of the entire world is upon it.

"The Pill That Will Make You Thin," by Susan Orenstein, page 108

Pharmaceutical companies are in hot pursuit of the blockbuster of all blockbusters--a drug that lets you lose weight safely and effortlessly. With at least 44 million obese Americans as potential customers and expected annual revenue for such a product ranging from $25 billion to $50 billion within 10 years, it's no wonder the race to create a "thin pill" is getting more crowded by the day.

"Is the Music Store Over?" by Paul Keegan, page 114

The big CD retail chains may have only a few years before the downloading craze buries them. They can survive, but only by becoming like no store you've seen before.

"Titans of Tech: The Amazing Sony-Man," by Brent Schlender, page 105

It would be difficult to name a company more threatened than Sony by "digital convergence." To lift Japan's electronics powerhouse to new heights, CEO Nobuyuki Idei has to spin a web that connects TVs and PCs--starting inside his own company.

"Mission: Business Travel," by Jason Daley, Gretchen Reynolds, and Brad Wetzler, page 121

Business 2.0 provides detailed plans of attack--business-friendly bivouacs, allies to get your jammed laptop firing again--for the places road warriors do battle, from New York and Cincinnati to Wal-Mart HQ in Bentonville, Ark.

COLUMNS

Face Time, by John Heilemann, 46

Bubble survivor and Friendster CEO Jonathan Abrams is coy about how he's going to turn his site's eyeballs into cash. If he's smart, that's a problem he won't have to solve.

The Message, by John Battelle, page 70

Influencers are critical to business success. Instead of treating them like a mass market, do the hard work of cultivating them in a personal network.

The Human Factor, by Jeffrey Pfeffer, page 64

If offshoring knowledge workers is simply global laissez-faire at work, then what are shepherds doing in the toniest of English suburbs?

PLUS

In Front:

Marketing, page 33: In the face of stiffening competition in the low-carb market, can Atkins Nutritionals exploit its own success?

Interview, page 36: Harvard University cognitive psychologist Howard Gardner on how to win at mind games.

Next Big Thing, page 38: Inside SmartMart, the first fully automated convenience store.

What Works:

Factory Floor, page 53: How "flexible manufacturing" makes it possible for Ford to deliver ever more custom features to its truck-loving consumers.

Overseas Success, page 58: Zippo lights the way for companies looking to sell U.S.-made products in China.

How to ..., page 68: Leverage a well-known name, as taught by J. Peterman company founder John Peterman.

What Doesn't Work, page 72: Prada spent millions on IT for its futuristic New York "epicenter," but the cutting-edge technology has turned into a high-priced hassle.

Cheat Sheet:

How to Win Customer Loyalty, page 77: Anytime a member of your staff interacts with the public, you can win or lose a lifetime of business. Here's how to polish your customer service and cut down on churn.

Bonus:

Investing, page 127: By chasing the scandal du jour, regulators have missed the mutual fund industry's most serious problems. A look at what really needs fixing in the mutual fund biz.

Health, page 130: Anticipating a hell week at the office? How you can survive--even thrive--by sticking to a painstaking regimen.

Power Toys, page 132: The brainy Acura TL can hold a conversation, play secretary, and serenade you with a virtual symphony--all of which makes it a very smart buy.

Gizmos, page 134: The ultrachic iPod mini, Panasonic's new pocket-size digicam/media player, and more.