Skype at work?! – How video-conferencing could help a company

October 7th, 2010 • Uncategorized

How could MIS (Management of Information System) in a business use video-conference to increase the organization’s productivity and encourage its employees? Well an article in The Economist has given us a few ideas and reflections on how the market for professional video communications can be very helpful for a company.  Yesterday, on October 6^th, Cisco introduced to the market of video softwares (Skype for example) the ūmi telepresence which is a television screen that bring your living room to your friends and family. The attitude toward video conferencing has changed: people now feel more comfortable using it with family and friends.

Video-conferencing could also be used at work in order to increase the speed of information throughout the company, which would consequently increase the communication between the workers and their managers. “Gartner forecasts that the growth of high-end telepresence systems will allow companies to keep more workers at their desks, saving 2.1m airline journeys a year by 2012 and cutting car-rental costs.” (Article) If the MIS decided to increase the use of video-conference in a company, not only would it encourage the employees to communicate more and thus contribute more to the firm but it would reduce transportation costs! An idea could be transmitted much faster to your boss, information that arrive at an early time could make sure your company sign a contract with what will become a great customers, and so on. Skype or Cisco could therefore help a company stay ahead of the game and grow! Way to go!

Article: http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2010/10/cisco_bets_home_video-calling

Canada please trade with BRIC countries!

October 4th, 2010 • Uncategorized

“Canada will enhance its innovation and productivity by greater engagement with the BRIC countries and other emerging economies – or so a paper from the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity persuasively argues.” (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/editorials/time-to-ramp-up-bric-trade/article1719509/?cmpid=rss1)  The BRIC countries, which include Brazil, Russia, India and China, are considered emerging countries since they are at the same stage of economic development.  In the ICP paper, written by Daniel Trefler, an economist at the University of Toronto, states that  a free-trade agreement in 1989 led to productivity gains of 13 per cent. These great results means that if Canada would start or be more involved in free trade, especially with economically advanced countries, its productivity would go up drastically.

Canada should see trade agreements, trade offices and even political visits with the BRIC countries as an investment! Increasing their trading market could mean an exposure to more competitors and unfortunately it is unavoidable, however such an increase could also mean higher productivity of Canadian firms (as proved before). If Canada’s relationship with the emerging economies began to be stronger, the country could experience a boom in productivity growth, as a result of new opportunities of good exchange and expansion of trade.

RIM’s new product – PlayBook

September 28th, 2010 • Uncategorized

Just as we have seen companies win billions by successfully introducing a new product on the market, we have also seen them fail. With the phenomenal Blackberry, and its free and world wide messenger, RIM has already gained the addiction of its customers, from the young generations to the businessmen. Now RIM is introducing a new product: wait newer than the Blackberry Torch?  Yes, the PlayBook!  Its description is very similar to that of an iPad, but smaller. (informartion here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/rim-plays-catch-up-with-playbook-but-with-a-new-ally/article1731344/)

The fast-growing tablet market has made it clear to RIM that the company had to catch-up, however their experience in creating this technology is unknown which could affect customer’s decision in buying one. On the other hand, most people know how BlackBerry’s are “the device that first said your business life is your personal life.” (previous article)  Using the power of its applications and its popularity, RIM and BlackBerry could convince many to buy their newest creation.

But will the RIM’s new tablet be successful? How will they compete with the already existing markets which competition? And will it help RIM catch up with the market? Hopefully we’ll find out soon!

Business Ethics: Wal-Mart and the environment

September 16th, 2010 • Uncategorized

When do business ethical issues happen? And why are they happening? Well, when the company puts profit before its employees, customers or the environment, the result may be a dilemma. Here is an example: In March 2010, Wal-Mart agreed to pay $20 millions dollars in order to settle the accusations and prosecutions against them for irresponsibly dumping waste in California, thus violating various environmental laws of the state. The company was also accused of using pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals in an improper way. All businesses are responsible to prevent the pollution of the environment, meaning Wal-Mart violated not only laws, but ethical expectations towards the planet. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36918854/ns/us_news-environment/)

Milton Friedman states in his article The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits, that the “social responsibility of business is to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as (… it engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud.” (http://www.colorado.edu/studentgroups/libertarians/issues/friedman-soc-resp-business.html)

Wal-Mart’s “social responsibility” is not only towards its clients and employees but also our planet. Therefore it is reasonable to interpret the violation of the environmental laws by Wal-Mart as an ethical fraud.