“Where can you find the most reliable financial information on a company like Coke?” My Professor asked in class.

The most useful information I found on Tesla came directly from its website. Not only does the website include general information on the company but it also has additional sections dedicated for blogs. One type of blog is specifically for the administrative staffs to update customers on the company and its new products. The other type of blog called Customer Stories is for sharing customer’s personal experience with Tesla.

For example, I found the blog, All Our Patent Belong To You, extremely helpful.

1. The blog provides the most reliable and accurate information released because it is written by the CEO; or in other blogs by its administrative team.
2. The blog is a marketing channel for the company because it updates the quickest and newest information. Customers are actively visiting the website for updates and reviews.
3. Customers can comment below the blog for their opinion on the issue which creates a platform for customers to interact by agreeing or disagreeing; in this case to appreciate what the company does.

Look around at what is bugging you, that is where you should begin your idea.

After looking through the coolest inventions of 2014 from the James Dyson Foundation Annual Awards, I had one question:

Can these inventions really achieve positive long-term changes or are they just ‘cool designs’ used to entertain us?

Inventions that are intended only to improve the existing problems by adding an additional layer of protection are unlikely to sustain a positive change in the long run. If the problems are not treated directly, over time, flaws will arise and complicate or worsen the current situation.

In comparison, disruptive innovations are powerful enough to spark a new trend, approach the problem in a different perspective and overcome the previous obstacles. The invention that enlightened me the most was the self-filling water bottle which was initially designed for cyclists. I would consider this one to be a disruptive innovation because the concept behind the invention could be make a significant difference in people’s lives. By collecting moisture from the air, this design has access to the unexploited freshwater in the atmosphere. Currently, the invention can collect half a litre of water in half an hour in a humid environment. With the help of professional research and experiments, we may have found the solution to the issue of inadequate water supply.

There has never been a fair deal between the government and the First Nations in Canadian history for rights, freedom, land or justice. The Indigenous people had no choice but to fight for their land to ensure that there would be no mining, no flooding and no commercial road building in their homes. The result of defending their “Aboriginal Wilderness Preserve” was a difficult, costly and time consuming battle which took a quarter of a century to win — only a more justice response.

This article spits out the truth about First Nations and environment issues that are often unrevealed by the media and industrial companies. The article warns the readers “Seek no great truths from them” which is certainly agreeable.

According to this news article, Supreme Court of Canada affirmed the Aboriginal rights and titles. The new partnership with the Natives would decrease the power and revenue of the Government since the First Nations would also be included in the decision making process. Also, the First Nations Chief has already requested for an expansion of revenue shares. Christy Clark expresses her view and replied that  “partnerships don’t mean we won’t have disagreements.” This new partnership with the First Nations is certainly a first step in improving the distorted relationship for the Government as a “relationship” is an important factor in any business canvas.

The demand for pursing a post-secondary education has risen enormously over the past decade. Thirty years ago, more students dropped out of high school and chose to work without pertaining any educational diploma but that has changed significantly. Why? The reason is simple: education didn’t make the same difference in a person’s life back in those days. But now without a post-secondary diploma, it is hard to even find a job that can sustain an ordinary life and paid off one’s daily expenses.

In Si Jia’s blog, she argues that “universities are not preparing students for the right occupation” which I strongly disagree with. Our University was never meant to prepare us for a specific occupation because half of the students don’t even know what they want to major in yet. Universities are suppose to provide us with the environment to learn, grow and expand our networks. We need this opportunity to strengthen ourselves with knowledge and the ability to solve problems on our own regardless of the occupation we pursue in. Just like the Input and Output model we learned in class, Sauder takes in inexperienced and eager learners, transforms the students by providing an influential environment, education and experience which then leads to an outcome of sophisticated and confident professionals who would be ready to challenge the competitive business world.

The latest news revealed that Facebook has been secretively manipulating the news feed of over 700 000 users to scrutinize users’ emotional outcome with either heartbreaking or heartwarming posts. As a Facebook user who merely and routinely updates news feed for new stories and events, Facebook has certainly violated users’ privacy and the business’s own ethical practices. Even the thought of such an action terrifies me regardless of its initial purpose.

The results from the experiment concluded that “emotions expressed by others on Facebook influence our own emotions.” In other words, the experiment may have mildly or severely affected users’ moods –which could also be expressed as playing with other people’s emotions. Facebook has implied consents from users but that is only because agreeing to its policy was mandatory in opening a new Facebook account. Therefore, these kinds of experiments should not be allowed without the users’ formal consent. 

There are many possibilities for Facebook to investigate the experiment with its users. This video by The Science of Happiness carries a similar purpose as Facebook’s experiment but has clearly implemented a more appropriate procedure in capturing and analyzing individuals’ moods and emotions.

When Professor David Silver questioned the class about problems with Apple products, this video I saw a while back, called “Who Pays the Price? The Human Price of Electronics” instantly flashed in my mind. Approximately 1.5 million workers in Apple’s supplier factories are exposed to benzene poisoning without proper training and equipment. This brings back the whole idea about business ethics and how companies often take advantage of the vulnerable people. So, how has this event not affected Apple’s reputation?

Apple does an amazing job at advertising their “business ethics” and their improvements on their website but new articles have proven that Apple has not taken the responsibility to change the situation.

The truth is, many Apple customers are actually unaware of this crisis and the consequences of benzene poisoning. Apple is a well-established company, and with the power and profit it has generated over the years, the company is definitely capable of ensuring that its suppliers are providing appropriate training and a safe environment for its suffering workers. It is Apple’s responsibility to ensure that its suppliers are manufacturing with safe substances to also guarantee the safety of its faithful customers.