In Japan’s two largest retailers: uniqlo and 7-eleven, more luxury items are now being introduced to the customers. Cashmere clothing and gourmet ice cream are known to be pricey and extravagant, but they are now showing up in these basic and conventional stores. The companies hope to expand their targeted customers and lift profit margins in hope that the shoppers would splurge once in a while. Even though these products are luxury items, they are still being sold at a fraction of the price they would usually be sold at in department stores. However, these items can also cause an increase in tax, possibly even decreasing the demand for them. Also, the companies are losing their cost leadership strategy yet not exactly embracing the differentiation strategy either, possibly causing a loss of loyal customer. So will these convenient type stores gain a bigger profit from these new items or will they lose it due to the reasons listed above? Only time will give the most accurate feedback now while we await the reactions of the household.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/06/us-japan-fastretailing-idUSBRE9950H620131006

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In our modern society, more and more people are beginning to use smartphones. They are our communication device, access to social media, work tool, and entertainment center. However, what if you are not the only one that can see what is happening on that brightly lit screen? Phone providers all have access to your phone, so that includes what you search up on a daily basis, your location setting, and they even have a good estimate on when you go to sleep. Creepy enough? Nope, apparently many private information are sold to other major companies so they have an easier time advertising their product;  according to the users personal interests and habits, they choose ads that are most relate-able to the user.

As a smartphone user myself, I was well aware of this phenomenon just like many other users. Yet, I still choose to give up part of my privacy for the useful little device that I am constantly holding, but, when does losing enough privacy becomes too much? When does a company’s profit motive becomes socially unacceptable? … I guess the answer lies somewhere around never. As long as the household is willing to put up with the high opportunity cost; and even if they are not, the market will always be unjust and immoral.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/technology/selling-secrets-of-phone-users-to-advertisers.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0

Major company like Amazon is increasing their hiring rate around the holiday season, saying that these worker’s temporary role will be converted into actual positions even after the holiday season. While hiring rate increase around the holiday season is normal due to increased customer demand, it is odd that these temporary roles will be converted into full time positions. Could it be that companies like Amazons are using this saying as an trigger for more volunteers for those empty temporary positions around the holiday season? If it is so, it would be unethical on a business level, as it is abusing the trust of some of the stakeholders. However, it is also more possible that Amazon’s decision is truly based on the fact there is an employee shortage, both for the holiday season and regular production times.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/amazon-hiring-40-more-seasonal-workers-this-year-1.1874469