October 26th, 2010 § § permalink
In the wake of the recession, there has been an outcry for greater transparency in businesses. Volkswagen took transparency to a whole new level with their Phaeton assembly plant in Dresden, Germany. Dubbed the Transparent Factory, it has glass walls, resembling something from a futuristic fairy tale. VW facilitates daily guided tours for anyone who is interested in seeing one of the greenest manufacturing plants in the world. Even the way VW moves parts and supplies is green, using an electric tram transportation system.
If I could hop on a plane to Germany, this is one stop I definitely wouldn’t miss. It would be amazing to witness what VW is doing for sustainability. While their competitors are trying to cut costs and payback government bailout, the German automaker is focusing on sustainability.
Indubitably, riding on the forefront of the “Green Wave” is advantageous for VW’s image. I believe it is also vital for their survival. Traditional transports rely on diminishing supplies of oil. Furthermore, air pollution and congestion resulting from conventional transports cause inefficiencies in supply chains, increasing the production cost. Thus, going green is not only embracing a dream of happily-ever-after for mankind; it is financially viable as well.
October 4th, 2010 § § permalink
Criticizing Walmart is quickly becoming a national past-time, second only to mocking Sarah Palin. There were individuals who were so considerate as to provide a channel for our Walmart-bashing—hence the creation of People of Walmart. For the uninitiated, this is a website dedicated to user-submitted photos of overweight, poorly dressed or simply awkward shoppers at the supermarket.
I am ashamed to admit, the site tweaked a few chuckles out of me. But, I have to wonder, why is there such an outpouring of hatred towards Walmart? Perhaps the competition between “mom and pop shops” versus the international conglomerate is too easily compared to David versus Goliath. As consumers, our sympathies go to the underdog. Allegations of predatory pricing and employee mistreatment certainly don’t help Walmart’s public image.
If any corporation is in urgent need of Community Relations 2.0, it is Walmart. In a SWOT analysis of the supermarket, negative public perception would be a blindingly obvious weakness. Social media is an important tool that the company needs to utilize to win over the public. I’m sure we won’t have to wait long before Walmart starts sending out friend requests on Facebook. Meanwhile? I’ll be a regular visitor of peopleofwalmart.com.
October 4th, 2010 § § permalink
Marketers are the Christopher Columbus-es of the decade, always trying to reach unexplored territories. Female sexuality is the new New World.
From a rational standpoint, I must applaud Pfizer, the maker of Viagra, who is developing female sexual dysfunction drugs. Currently, it occupies the number one position in the erectile dysfunction drugs market.
Already has it won the battle for the consumer’s mind, the “bam-chicka-wow-wow” commercials and the little blue pills have become a part of popular culture. Pfizer can cement the public’s perception of their products and expanding into a new market with its female equivalent.
Worrisome news comes with the revelation that Pfizer has manipulated medical research on female sexuality and is helping to define the disorder. This seems to confirm the paranoia that has long dogged Big Pharma: they are inventing or promoting medical conditions to sell their products. I can’t help but be concerned about this trend of merging medical research and marketing.
Little pink pills? A savvy business move, but questionable morals.
October 2nd, 2010 § § permalink
Our visions of futuristic worlds often involve cyborgs, the perfect union of man and machine. So it was not without a certain amount of surprise, alarm even, when I found myself surrounded by cyborgs. Attached to their hands are Blackberries, acting as if they were a natural part of their bodies.
RIM is facing the dilemma of standing by their principles and refusing to give access or losing the significant Indian market. The Indian government argues that monitoring communications is necessary in order to combat terrorism. National security, some argue, should take precidence over personal privacy.
Others, however, say that would undermine personal privacy and corporate security. More than a question of ethics, Blackberry has gained a loyal following on the strength of its security features. If RIM concedes, it could potentially lose more customers to Apple and Google in the increasingly crowded smartphone market.
To give way or not give way, that is the question.
September 30th, 2010 § § permalink
Here, we grumble and mumble about Tourism B.C.’s expensive star-studded “You Gotta Be Here” Campaign. Millions of tax-payers went to movie stars and sports legends to hock our coasts and mountains. Our neighbours over in Alberta are rumbling about quite the opposite. An advertisement campaign launched by Corporate Ethics International is urging travelers to stay away from the Rockies and Lake Jasper.
Displeased with the provincial government’s support of oil sands, “Rethink Alberta” compares Alberta to the recent Mexican Gulf Oil Spill and the plundering of Pandora. Pulling at heart-strings and attracting eye-balls, our sister province has gained plenty of unwanted attention. Alberta’s brand image has been tarnished. Regardless of what the reality of the oil industry may be, it is the perception that matters. Many American and British travelers are choosing another destination.
Conceded, we do need to consider the moral implications of our choices. What troubles me, however, is the people who are impacted by “Re-think Alberta”. Instead of Big Oil, it is the ordinary Albertans in the travel and service sectors who are suffering.
This campaign needs to rethink.
September 9th, 2010 § § permalink
The world’s largest electric component maker, Foxconn, makes waves as the producer of trendy gadgets like the iPad and the iPhone. Earlier this year, it made waves with quite an unusual trend—worker suicides. Over a five month period, a rash of 13 suicide attempts were made by employees of Foxconn’s Shenzhen based plant, resulting in 10 deaths. Suicide-prevention netting was installed and workers were asked to sign no-suicide pledges.
Foxconn came under scrutiny concerning its employment practices, with reports of long work hours and discrimination. As the largest employers in the region, the company has a significant social impact. From a strictly commercial standpoint, the impact of low worker morale and negative public image are worrisome for Foxconn. Even Milton Friedman can’t find anything wrong with the management rushing to improve worker wages.
Corporations, while being commercial enterprises remain a part of our society and can’t escape that obligation. Sweatshops are morally repulsive to all human beings and as such, should not exist. After all, sprawling numbers on spreadsheets do not have any tangible meaning for the ordinary citizen. Without ethics, corporations are cancerous moles, mindlessly expanding, unsightly, and potentially fatal—as the Foxconn workers know too well.
