The only thing more shocking than my attempt at a humorous title would be the new Walmart pay statistic reported by analyst Dana Lime of NerdWallet. She unearthed the fact that Mike Duke’s retirement package is worth almost 6,200 times more than the average 401(k) balance of a non-executive employee. It has an estimated value of $113 million, and although this may not be the largest retirement package, it has the largest CEO pension multiple. Walmart has previously been under fire for its controversial CEO-to-worker pay ratio being extremely high, but even this is trumped. Walmart spokesperson has attempted to defend the immense retirement package stating that the package was derived from an accumulation of pay over the years.

I was not expecting the difference between the retirement packages to be of this magnitude, so I was astounded when I read this article. Walmart is, of course, a giant in the world of commerce, but it has had its fair share of controversy in the past. From the issues with illegal-immigrant workers, to the ridiculous CEO-to-worker ratio, and now this latest discovery that will most likely spark criticism from many critics. I find such events unfortunate considering the existence of such people like Tony Hsieh who gets paid less than some of his workers and is still able to develop a unique and profitable company

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*Note- I tried to make a pun with the title of a Duke, and Mike Duke’s last name in the title (You know its a bad joke when you have to explain it)

Once again the “Darling of Wall Street” has found a way to alter an aspect of its business model, and this time, it is all about the customers. By creating an all new interface that will take a step into the background, Netflix believes that customers will be able to connect with their programs in order to boost the number of titles watched by each customers. The initial results from the testing of this update showed positive results, as more had indeed been watched. This shows how taking advantage of Information Technology can boost sales, and customer experience, since producing a simple, yet effective, platform for customers will improve a customer’s opinion about the company, and also shows the customer that the company cares about their experience.

This article was especially interesting tot me as Netflix has been discussed numerous times in class, and the fact that I am a subscriber of Netflix. I personally am a customer of Netflix, and I must admit that I have seen large improvements. Initially, I was not a big fan of Netflix, as I did not see the value of its services. That being said, I have found myself more inclined to use their services as they continue to update their platform. One of the main goals of Netflix is to retain their existing customers, and I can safely say that they are doing a splendid job.

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Ikea has always been a firm that has stood behind its values of the importance of being an environmentally conscious company, and once again it has proven this to be true. With the goal of being energy independent by 2020, Ikea is right on track after acquiring a 20-turbine wind farm located in Alberta. Ikea is a shining example of what it means to be a company that participates in corporate social responsibility. Being environmentally conscious has been a priority that many companies have neglected. Becoming a sustainable responsible business is something that current companies should put a large focus on. I believe that Ikea is showing the world that it is possible to be profitable, yet sustainable. Not only is it trying to become energy independent, but it is also aiming to use a renewable source of energy. This is beneficial to the environment, and also the workers on the wind farm as they are now provided with a stable job. Having previously invested in wind farms all across Europe, Ikea knows the extensive benefits of these investments. This is also great for marketing since consumers can confidently view Ikea as a sustainable company. Also, it shows clear signs that Ikea is doing its best to recover from the horse meat scandal.

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The Canadian Grocery industry is turning into a fight of the survival of the fittest. Instead of drawing blood from the other competitors, however, these giants are drawing revenue from one another. The continuous saturation in the retail market is causing giants Loblaws and Metro to experience losses in their third quarters. The emergence of Target also continues to put pressure on these companies forcing both of them to cut prices. This is a prime example of how being the first to enter a market does not guarantee safety from the threat of being over-powered. Kodak knows this better than anyone else, after it was sunk even though it was deemed to be unsinkable. Competitors are appearing from very unlikely sources in the retail market as can be seen by Amazon Canada beginning to offer dry goods. This shows how technology is affecting countless aspects of the world today. Of course the success of buying such foods online will be determined in the future, but for now it still poses a threat to the existing retail stores. Overall, the incoming influx of competition will force all the companies to develop strategies that will enable them to retain the market power that they currently hold.

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Novia Scotia-based telecommunications company Eastlink has taken a huge step in announcing that it will put aside any roaming fees, with the hopes that it will be able to compete with the big three telecom companies that are Telus, Bell, and Rogers. Earlier this year Eastlink became the first TV service provider to allow the customers to be able to choose specific channels, as opposed to having to choose bundles. This shows the industry, and the government, that Eastlink is prepared to break away from the traditional practices of telco companies and pave a way of its own in order to gain a larger presence across the nation. These actions come at a time where the telecom industry has been in the spotlight with regards to the looming threat of Verizon creeping over the border. Eastlink is a prime example of a company that is willing to adjust to consumer behaviour by altering its business model. The actions will impact the revenue streams, key partners and the cost structure of the company. However, Eastlink President Matthew MacLellan has made it clear that Eastlink wants to separate itself from all the other carriers. I believe that these bold steps will put pressure on the big three, and possibly inspire other smaller carriers to put up a fight.

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Alex Wou’s blog post touches on the issue of ethics and marketing. After Mr. Barilla publicly stated that he was opposed to the idea of having a gay family in the company’s advertisements, it is understandable why it had caused quite an uproar. On the surface, it appears that Mr. Barilla is opposed to gay families, but I believe this issue should be further analyzed. Barilla is an Italian company whose headquarters are based in Parma, Italy with Mr. Barilla himself being Italian. Italian culture is, of course very strong, and it is reinforced in the culture that the women in Italian families have the key role in the cooking. These views would naturally have an affect on the way the company markets its products, as the values of the society tend to have similarities with the values of the companies. Also, I personally have not seen an advertisement on any form of media that involves a gay, or lesbian family. All this being said, however, I think that it was still inappropriate for Mr. Barilla to respond the way that he did. Companies should always be looking for ways to adjust to the current needs of society, even if it may involve dropping past values.

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