I came across this business blog, that really caught my eye. It’s called The Small Business Blog, although the blog really doesn’t seem too small to me. This blog has many categories, ranging from “How to…” to Quote of the Week to Business Start-up to Women Entrepreneurs. This blog seems to incorporate many aspects of business, becoming a one stop shop for anyone who wants to learn a little more about business or is interested in getting their week started with a great quote. I was personally interested in the quotes. Looking at this blog post, this business blog allows for interaction between reader and blogger. I thought that was a great way to share stories and opinions, because they can ask a question at the end of the blog and allow readers to interact by commenting. This blog seems to get it’s revenue from the Ads posted on the site. It also allows readers to connect with the blog via Facebook, Twitter and Google while allowing them to share blog posts on Linked In, Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus. I think this a great, informational and accessible business blog.

Dax Aquilini has blogged about the release of the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C. He states the release of the iPhone 5C is going to open Apple to a new market, allowing people with a lower income the ability to buy an iPhone while the iPhone 5s keeps the higher end users a new toy to play with. I don’t agree though. As much as this a great marketing strategy for Apple, coming out with small changes in the hopes people want the ‘newest and greatest’, I feel the change in price of the iPhone 5C is not enough to encourage less wealthy people to buy iPhones. The price is only just over $100 dollars cheaper as Dax states and I do not think that is enough to entice people to buy the iPhone as this article argues. It goes on to say many people in India cannot afford the price of this product. Not only is it not much cheaper, I feel like as much as it’s a great marketing strategy, the product is not different at all…they changed the color and the iPhone 5S only has minor differences, the touch ID and a new processing chip that ‘supposedly’ makes the phone run twice as fast. I think buying an iPhone 5 or even an iPhone 4S is not going to make any difference in the experience you get out of the phone.

As explained in Kathryn Huynh’s blog post on Snapchat, they have most recently rejected a multi-billion dollar proposal from Facebook. Snapchat believes they will be worth more in the future and does not want to give up the idea that Snapchat is worth more than that. Regardless, they have a better plan to earn money as the article explains. This idea, as Kat explains, revolutionizes the major issue of advertising. Advertisements are continually popping up in many our Applications, many we don’t want to see or need. WeChat and Line from China and Japan, respectively have found new ways to advertise that Snapchat has seemed to be interested in. They allow users to pay for stickers that they can send to friends while using the app. Another great idea is allowing it’s users to subscribe to well known brands to get messages from them. This is a new way to look at advertising because the advertising will be what people want to see. I agree with Kat when she states this strategy may be worth more than billions if implemented. Snapchat should run with this idea because they will get the most money from their company.

Apple is opening up a new plant in Arizona. This brings new jobs to the states rather than outsourcing. Outsourcing leads to potentially unsafe working environments. Other countries may have different labor laws than those in developed countries such as the United States or Canada and it saves Apple from being investigated for child labor or other possible infractions to the American law. Bringing jobs to the States, allowing more Americans to be employed will help the United States economy. Not only will it create more jobs in the American economy, the new plant will be very environmentally friendly which many businesses are trying include these days with Corporate Social Responsibility. It will run on 100% renewable energy, allowing it’s environmental impact to be low while helping the social area of Corporate Social Responsibility by creating the jobs. I believe this is a great approach for Apple. This will help to rid allegations of unlawful labor practices and boost the economy in the US. It is a great way to be environmentally friendly as well! I think Apple setting up a plant in Arizona is an all around wonderful idea for Apple, and for the United States.

As Blockbuster closes its doors to internet and TV movie distribution, the last movie rented is “This is the End.” The closure of all but 50 Blockbuster stores comes as our technology is rapidly increasing. Businesses are always trying to improve and innovate and with the introduction of Netflix, Blockbuster started going downhill very quickly. I remember learning about this when we were shown the Kodak stock as it went out of business for lack of innovation. This also reminded me of the entrepreneurship class because there are entrepreneurs everywhere. Entrepreneurs are always trying to find something people need but don’t have, something that will make our lives easier; they are always trying to innovate and unfortunately Blockbuster couldn’t keep up. People were more interested in being able to watch any movie from home when they wanted to, instead of having to go to the movie store to rent it. This goes for the rent-by-mail as well. This is the only innovation Blockbuster invested in, and as soon as Netflix came out with the same thing as well as online, Blockbuster was destined to go out of business due to the convenience for consumers to get movies without leaving their home.

Bruno Pieter’s can show just how sustainable and ethical a business can be by creating his own company Honest By. This entrepreneur shows how easy it really is to have Social Responsibility.  He speaks of how he runs his business as transparent. Everything is open to the public, including where it’s made, how it’s made, how materials are used and this means nothing unethical can happen behind the scenes.

Ethics and Social Responsibility is very big in business these days and Pieters wanted to show how easily it can be incorporated into a business and how people can demand it in all their clothing. He says how anyone can really input their ideas and request change in the business.

People are blaming corporations for unethical practices when they can go in and make a change tomorrow. They can stop buying clothes that are made offshore and force businesses to practice Social Responsibility.

These two characteristics will make Honest By an enticing business for customers because they know exactly what they are buying and it may even provoke some change in the world of clothing lines to become more sustainable and socially responsible.

Check out Honest By and what they stand for:

http://www.honestby.com/

Starbucks UK is introduces The Duffin. The donut-muffin, the newest product of their baked goods is already a permanent item on the Starbucks UK menu. This company with such a big brand name will be known as the first company to do such a thing when in fact there have already been companies to introduce this idea. One example is the cronut (croissant donut). This is when brand position comes into play. Starbucks UK has already learned from previous companies how this product is received by customers, but these companies are not as well know and this is why I feel they are in a great position to really sell themselves as the first well known company to offer this product. It seems they’ve got a lead on competitors because they already have established a great name worldwide whereas the cronut company is strictly based in New York. I feel it will attract customers as a healthier alternative to just donuts and even the croissant but will satisfy the sweet tooth.

Amazon workers in Germany are threatening to go on strike due to low wages. German workers are under a union and have forced Amazon to agree to collective bargaining agreements. Is this a case of business ethics? Is Amazon not paying its workers enough to be on the job? This seems sort of like the blog I covered on Walmart and their feud over worker’s low wages but Amazon allows their logistics workers to be in a union. They also claim the workers receive above average pay for that type of work, suggesting they do not do any unethical things. The workers are threatening to strike over the Christmas season when it will do the most damage to Amazon. This may be a good idea if they are being unfairly paid and Amazon is being unethical but if the workers are just looking to get extra pay, I feel that it is unfair of the workers to go on strike leaving Amazon helpless. I would like to look into this situation more to see if Amazon’s employees current wages are really unethical. This might just be a case of workers wanting to receive higher pay in return for nothing.

Twitter is looking at linking itself to TV. Twitter has promoted ads; sharing revenue with anyone who is looking to grow their business in Twitter’s promoted tweets. This is just the start of Twitter’s plans to include ads and TV events into the social media website. With Twitter going public soon they are looking at increasing their growth to show real time TV clips, encouraging users to go and watch the big game or the season finale. Before watching these clips, users may be required to watch a 7 second ad from company.

This looks like a great move for Twitter. With so many people going to Twitter to tweet about everything they are watching, adding TV tracking makes it even more appealing. This will allow them to open up their revenue stream and a great value proposition as it will pull away from other competitors. This point of difference allows people to connect through what TV shows they’re watching or might peak someone’s interest through promoted tweets. This will initially allow Twitter to get in the market and become the first company in user’s brains giving them a lead on competitors.

“Social Responsibility” is a key aspect to a successful business as outlined by Friedman. Social responsibility is using the stakeholder’s money as most people would think, for good rather than putting it back in the company to be profitable. But as Friedman states, this is really not the case. Walmart’s use of taxpayer’s money is a great example, http://www.forbes.com/sites/lauraheller/2013/05/31/are-wal%E2%80%90marts-low-wages-a-drag-on-the-economy-new-report-says-yes/.

Walmart has employed many workers all across many countries but these workers receive low pay. The taxpayer’s money goes towards benefits for these employees allowing them to enroll in BadgerCare, costing taxpayer’s upwards of $3000 a person each year for each employee. This is not good use of the taxpayer’s money and in fact, a burden on the economy. Although claiming to be giving higher paying jobs and many opportunities to move up in the business, there are still many low wages with benefits, given at the taxpayer’s expense. This a poor use of the public’s money that could be going to other things.

Although Walmart is definitely not suffering financially, as more and more people realize what Walmart is doing with their money, they may not be as apt to buy there. Yes there is the thought that they are doing ‘good’ with the stake holder’s money but why is it up to the stakeholder’s and not Walmart to give employees a decent wage. This money could be going to improve Walmart stores or maybe just give the tax payer’s a break. $1,744,590 a year sounds a little bit ridiculous to me to just go towards benefits for these employees when Walmart could be raising their wages.