Nurhian Dulay's Blog

This is an advertisement for Maxi-Milk, a ready-to-drink protein shake by the company MaxiNutrition. It depicts a shirtless man hanging off of a cliff ledge with only one arm. The man has significant muscle definition, indicating that he’s highly athletic and fit. He is taking a drink of the Maxi-Milk. It looks like he’s wearing climbing shoes and has a pack on his hip, which could be full of chalk to make it easier to climb. The text on the ad says “Milk for Real Men” which suggests that this…read more

Initiatives and social enterprises such as the Arc Initiative are programs that aim to create value and sustainability within communities. They educate business owners and entrepreneurs so that they can contribute to the development of the local economy and community. Comparatively, the United Nations aids communities by perhaps providing funds for entrepreneurs or businesses. Businesses cannot be sustained without the proper knowledge on how to establish a business strategy, or how to evaluate the macroeconomic environment, for example. This is one of the main reasons that the UN alone cannot…read more

Beyoncé Giselle Carter-Knowles, better known as Beyoncé, is one of the better known – if not the best known – celebrities in this era. However, she is not just a singer/performer but also a business. In a sense, all that she does and is contributes to her business, making her an incredibly successful business that made $115 million in the past year. The main value proposition of her business is the brand name of Beyoncé. There are many other artists and performers out there, but what sets Beyoncé apart is…read more

As Adam mentioned in his blog, Virgin Group recently unveiled a new company policy that allows employees to take “unlimited” vacation days, meaning vacation days are not numbered. Virgin’s founder, Richard Branson, admitted he got the idea from Netflix, another company that has done away with vacation days. Branson wrote that an employee may take a vacation if they feel that they are up to date with their work and that their absence would not harm the company, or their career. As Adam said, this policy will hopefully encourage relationships of trust…read more

In class a while back, we discussed the importance of knowing a company’s value proposition and how that value proposition is often not just the product they are selling. One of the main parts of the value proposition for any business is often the brand name and associations made with that brand name. Anita Campbell makes a compelling argument when she says any business can’t afford to not do branding. In other words, all businesses should have a strong brand name that they have worked on. A brand name is…read more

Today, Oregon voted to legalize marijuana which represents a major change that we are seeing all over the US as more states are bringing the decision to their voters. Although a few states have voted to legalize weed, many states are still voting no. However, from a non-political standpoint, the legalization of marijuana is a great opportunity for businesses and the economy. Many entrepreneurs are excited to be able to open up shops where they can sell retail marijuana, especially since the legal marijuana market is expected to grow 64% in the…read more

Although many believe that Ebola is a purely medical problem for the world, it has been proven that it is causing many issues for businesses as well. As Ariella mentioned, many airlines have stopped their flights to areas in West Africa which is a definite loss of revenue for the company. Also, a foreign company that does mining work in Sierra Leone saw its shares plunge by 19% partially because of the impact of the crisis on forecasts. However, Ebola is having an even greater effect on small businesses located in…read more

Victoria’s Secret is owned by a man named Leslie Wexner who also owns La Senza and Pink (a sub-label of Victoria’s Secret). Together, these three brands make up around 40% of America’s lingerie market. The next competitor makes up 1% which makes rivalry a very small concern for Mr. Wexler. When you consider that monopoly, it’s hard not to ask how he’s done it. Victoria’s Secret has a unique strategy and has positioned itself on the top of most ladders in the lingerie market. Victoria’s Secret bras are pricey, but…read more

As Enbridge Inc. fights to build their pipeline through British Columbia, many First Nations tribes are taking to court to counter this attack on their land. At least nine legal actions are being taken by various First Nations groups as a joint effort to stop Enbridge from building on First Nations territory. This should be taken seriously by Enbridge as it is a great example of an external factor that can seriously impact their business plans and model. First Nations groups are opposed to the potential environmental impact that the pipeline…read more

  In the era of online streaming, internet downloads and Netflix, it seems like the market for DVDs and CDs is rapidly dying out. These days, more and more people are buying their music, movies and TV shows online. Netflix has become commonplace and renting a movie from a store is not even an option in many cities, let alone a common occurrence. Music also has moved to the digital era through iTunes and downloading. Yet somehow, despite the clearly narrowing market for CDs and DVDs, HMV has opened up a…read more