November 10, 2014 · 12:24 am

Social Enterprise and the Arc Initiative Reflection

If the United Nations was fully funded, would we need social enterprise, or initiatives like the Arc? In my opinion, yes, we would. Having a fully funded United Nations entity would be a remarkable and world changing movement to greater rights for all, less inequality, and an overall more peaceful world; nonetheless, I believe the social enterprises, and “the Arcs” of the world would be just as necessary to foster all of The UN’s work and delve more in depth into certain issues.

I see the UN as a large body that touches various and most social issues that affect the world, but the UN’s efforts in my opinion are made complete by social entrepreneurs who make it their mission to focus on a specific issue, such as gender inequality, and enact their vision as a solution for that issue.

I believe it is the social entrepreneurs – the ambitious, mission-driven, strategic people – who are inspired to take action with their aspirations and change the world for the better that embody the very values that the United Nations works to promote worldwide. I would say it is the Arc Initiatives of the world that take The UN’s actions a step further by actually providing that on-going “two way flow” of engagement and true grass roots interaction with communities to work towards building a community they see for themselves.

Overall, I would say money can buy all the resources and books needed to help build prosperous communities, but social enterprise and Arc are the outcomes of inspired minds coming together to work for change. And they are priceless.

Sources:

http://www.un.org/en/aboutun/

https://connect.ubc.ca/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_45358_1%26url%3D

http://www.clipartbest.com/cliparts/Rid/6eA/Rid6eAni9.png

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November 9, 2014 · 11:35 pm

To Uber or Not to Uber: Classmate Blog Response

http://www.betcheslovethis.com/files/uploads/images/SweetLemonMag-UberCoolUberCabUber.jpg

My classmate Gaurika Sharma recently wrote a blog post on Uber’s potential entry into Vancouver’s taxi market, a topic that I am particularly interested in. Gaurika suggests a “there can only be one” possibility with the emergence of Uber’s services in Vancouver, and I tend to agree with her, not necessarily because I do not think Uber and taxis can co-exist, but more so because I do not think Uber should be allowed entrance into the taxi market.

Coincidentally,  in my recent Economics tutorial I was given an article about Uber’s attempt to “revolutionise taxi markets,” and therefore have gained some insight into Uber’s business model. While Uber is known to provide slightly cheaper prices than a regular “street-hailed cab,” during periods of high demand, such as holidays, Uber spikes prices up to seven times normal fares- a clear depiction of price discrimination.

I have several relatives that work in the taxi industry, and from their perspective, if Uber were allowed into Vancouver, their numbers of customers would decrease substantially, and with most cab drivers earning a bulk of their profits during rush times such as holidays, there would be a conspicuous discrimination against these cab drivers as well with Uber make much more money for the same distance drives.

While I have a bias for the taxi industry and opinion that Uber should be kept out of Vancouver, I realize that Uber’s dynamic pricing could be a needed disturbance to the taxi industry from a microeconomics point of view. Ultimately, if taxi drivers want to keep Uber off their territory, they are going to need to ensure the government hears their opinions.

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· 6:53 pm

Happy Employees make for Happy Customers

 

Zappos has a unique 360-day return policy, allowing customers ample time to return any purchases they don't end up loving.

Zappos has a unique 360-day return policy, allowing customers ample time to return any purchases they don’t end up loving.

 

American shoe retailer Zappos is a prime example of an organization which possesses a vibrant corporate culture. Upon reading Alexandra Jacobs’s “Happy Feet,” I concluded one thing for certain: I would love to work for Zappos. And, in my opinion, that’s what having a strong organizational culture is all about- having people who want to work for you because you are renowned for your positive relationships and treatment of employees. I believe Zappos does an effective job in fostering employees to embody company values, by providing extensive training and benefits to motivate employees to represent Zappos to the best of their abilities. At Zappos, I would say employees walk the talk, or actually believe in what their company stands for, and therefore prompt customers to do the same.

In class, it was interesting to participate in the debate for or against Zappos’ benefits for their employees. Despite the great costs to maintain all these employee benefits, intriguingly most students, when given the choice of which side they would prefer to be on, chose the side of keeping employee benefits. In an ideal world, I think we all would love to have 100% of our Medicare covered, exciting employee activities and of course, who wouldn’t love daily free food? Overall, as a fellow classmate mentioned, most shoe retailers make 20% in profits, while Zappos makes only 5%. Nevertheless, perhaps in this unique environment established by company CEO Tony Hsieh, the lively culture that promotes happy and productive employees comes before the profit. While feasibly not all companies can be like Zappos, this shoe retailer certainly has set the standards for a successful corporate culture and is a refreshing company to hear about.

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· 12:28 am

Finally Getting Warmer to the Solution

Suzanne Goldenberg’s article “Pentagon: global warming will change how US military trains and goes to war,” illustrates how even one of the world’s mightiest armies cannot evade the inevitable effects of global warming.

The military faces the daunting task of adapting to the increasingly changing climate of today, and the future.

Upon reading just the subtitle of this article, I was intrigued to see how the military must adapt to changing environments by making tactical decisions in regards to planning and operations, just as any business would need to in order to adapt to a changing market.

I recalled the concept of the triple bottom line, and its connection to the military’s aims for successful operations. Particularly, the military is just now coming to recognize climate change as a primary factor affecting pivotal budgeting and operational decisions, despite having established climate change as a “threat multiplier” for years. As a result, I believe by not preparing for the progress of climate change early on, the military wasted vital time in which they could have developed efficient strategies to ready their troops for changing climates. I feel the American military’s failure to consider the environment pillar of their triple bottom line shows how even having just one weak pillar of the three causes the bottom line as a whole to weaken.

When, alas, military officials finally realized that climate change “indeed is a risk today,” I would propose that their realization has come much later than needed, and now the military is faced with the challenge of re-vamping budgeting, operational, and field decisions as the clock is ticking and climate change is only increasing in severity.

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October 6, 2014 · 8:43 pm

A Prosperous Park or a Profitable Mine

Fish Lake: A geographical feature that would be a part of the proposed Dasiqox Tribal Park.

 

Vancouver Sun’s Larry Pynn discusses the Tsilhqot’in First Nation group’s intention to assert a large part of the Chilcotin region as a Tribal park. Notably, this declaration would merge the area where a Prosperity mine has been proposed-an area not legally entitled to the Tsilhqot’in nation- to the 1,750 square feet of land lawfully belonging to the group.

The political, as well as social factors of a PEST analysis can relate to the conflict of interests occurring in the Chilcotin region. Through a political lens, the Tsilhqot’in nation does not have legal ownership over the intended mining area; therefore, the First nation’s claim to that area is illegitimate and should not impact the potential installation of the$1.1 billion copper-gold initiative. However, through a more socio-cultural perspective, the Tsilhqot’in people in general lived in the region prior to the arrival of the European immigrants, and the ever blurry lines of the controversial Indian Act come into play.

It is debatable who should be able to use the particular area for economic use; however, already existent apprehension from the federal government about the mining project may allow the First Nation’s group to establish their park with less of a fight than expected.

Sources:

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/metro/Unilateral+park+declared+Tsilhqot+includes+Prosperity+mine/10192766/story.html

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/background-the-indian-act-1.1056988

 

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October 5, 2014 · 6:40 pm

Response: Microsoft’s Fast-forward to Windows Ten

Classmate Tristan Bunyard wrote an intriguing post on Microsoft’s plan to skip a Windows 9 model in order to move straight to Windows 10- a reconstructed synthesis of the highly criticized Windows 8  with some familiar features of older Windows versions.

Tristan makes a valid point on how moving straight to Windows 10 allows Microsoft to quickly revamp and re-establish a strong brand image. However, the quick turnover from a less than successful Windows 8 quickly to a 10 may not be the best strategy for Microsoft.

To consumers, skipping a version 9 and moving straight to the 10 could be confusing for Windows users who would just see the 10 as an unimproved extension of the 8. Unveiling a modified version of the 8 or even a newer version 9, could be a potentially safer transitory step for Microsoft to see which features are gaining the best responses from consumers. Consequently, Microsoft could use their “test-run” results to make the best possible Windows 10 that would receive mostly positive reception.

Without taking the time to thoroughly consider what customers want, and the fundamental problems they have that need solutions to in regards to their Windows experience, who’s to say Microsoft won’t face another negative response to their newest Windows 10?

Source:

https://blogs.ubc.ca/tristanb/2014/09/30/microsoft-pushes-for-windows-10-and-skips-9/

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· 3:28 pm

I want a milkshake!

A Nutella milkshake

A stop at the nearest drive-through before you begin the treacherous morning commute can be the perfect fix when time is scarce on a work day. Carmen Nobel’s “Clay Christensen’s Milkshake Marketing” describes how unexpectedly, many consumers purchased milkshakes for their morning food option.
When milkshake servers discovered that 40 % of their milkshakes sales were coming from morning commuters buying milkshakes to keep them busy on their drive, the company made additions to their milkshake menus to give the morning customer base greater options; essentially they were able to appeal to a specific consumer problem, and give them a broadened solution.
As a consumer, I can see how the tactic of getting inside the mind of the consumer can be effective in finding what exactly a consumer wants for a particular need. Having a company segment you into a particular, but still large group of people does not give the company a significant point of difference. On the contrary, if a company is able to offer me something that can solve a certain problem I have, the company is more likely to make a lasting impression in my mind.
Source:

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· 3:06 pm

Tesco Accounting Scandal: Numbers gone wrong

 

Tesco, one of Britain’s largest grocery companies has added another case to its series of recent accounting mishaps. An overstatement of 250 million pounds in profit  happens to be just one of three accounting warnings Tesco has had in the past few months. With Tesco stock shares going down to a low they have not seen in over a decade, newly acquired Chief Executive Dave Lewis evidently has more on his plate than he had hoped for.

The Tesco case brings up ideas discussed in class involving fraudulent financial reporting and why some financial reports are intentionally prepared incorrectly. Tesco’s position as the biggest under performer among Britain’s top four grocers puts pressure on Tesco to improve business. Weak internal controls  causing flawed documentation and pressure from investors may have played a part in Tesco’s inaccurate accounting disclosure.

It will be interesting to see what the FCA and Tesco’s own independent investigation find. Dave Lewis certainly is in a tough position having been left with a mess he did not make, but if fraudulent activity is eminent, while it would not be surprising, the scandal could be the ultimate demise for Tesco as a player in the top grocer market.

Source:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/10/01/uk-tesco-probe-idUKKCN0HQ33L20141001

 

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September 8, 2014 · 10:36 pm

Business Ethics: Refreshing company values to promote revitalization

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/leadership-lab/a-call-to-recalibrate-corporate-values/article20302525/

John Dalla Costa’s “A call to recalibrate corporate values” discusses the importance for companies to prioritize values and company character in the post financial crisis period. While focusing on what the company needs to accomplish to re-build during a time of economic instability can become the primary criterion on a company’s agenda, Costa recognizes that before effective action can take place, values relevant to today’s economy should be instilled to allow companies to make successful decisions in current fast-paced environments.

Interestingly, stopping to re-think and re-evaluate fundamental company principles, and stopping in general is not the first priority on the minds of company executives, who tend not to relate quick recovery and innovation in their respective industries to company integrity and character-traditional company aspects that require time to revisit. Yet, in his article Costa explores how having a strong set of values specific to one’s company can ultimately accelerate the rate at which vital decisions are made in the long run.

Despite the observed productiveness of companies who have up to date value sets, many companies lack adequate description in what their values are, or have values that are simply indistinguishable from those of their competitors. It seems that the only companies that will thrive in any upcoming uncertainty are those who are certain about what they believe in, and what they will decide as a result.

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