We need to be careful about equating company size with company 'nastiness'.
The mining firms are (partly) of a huge scale because that is what is needed to succeed globally, and they have achieved the scale through very considerable international expansion (including substantial mergers - think Rio Tinto, and BHP Billiton).
As the post argues, the two big Australian retailers haven't been anywhere near as 'brave' internationally.
Not really, Walmart amounts to about 10-12 cents of every dollar spent in the US on fast-moving consumer goods. In Australia Woolworths and Coles/Wesfarmers account for almost 70 cents. At that level, it's not appealing for anyone to try and take them on!!
Who woulda thunk selling umbrellas could be so interesting? :) A 7-stage interview over 18 mths was a bit much, but there are some useful entrepreneurial insights there...
Pretty solid analysis. Yes, Facebook may be effective in changing the behaviour of a very small bunch of diehards, but these are a very small percentage of customers. Facebook as (very) niche markeing channel.
But the blogpost is arguing that it is the tangibility of vinyl that is its savior, comobined with good sense of record labels to also provide the download...
Amazon's supposed push into bricks and mortar would fit under that banner too... although I'm not sure where the transaction cost arguments would fit in...