“The place you love during the day now has more reasons to love it at night.”—Starbucks

  Image from http://www.starbucks.com/coffeehouse/starbucks-stores/starbucks-evenings

Starbucks is pressing ahead dinner-type food. Most Starbucks have not sold dinner yet, but Starbucks is testing the evening menu in 32 stores in the U. S.

The present evening menu includes small plates, desserts, wines, and beer.

Grilled Vegetable Plates

Image from http://www.starbucks.com/coffeehouse/starbucks-stores/starbucks-evenings/menu

The evening menu starts at 4 pm until the closing hours; while the regular food and beverage menu are still available after 4 pm.

Providing evening food is a wise idea. Many people look for convenient dinner in a relaxing environment. Starbucks has this kind of environment for casual meeting and unwinding. In addition, Starbucks has a big success in the lunch menu; so they are possible to get another success in dinner menu since they have the reputation.

Image from Wine and Starbucks: http://bakingbites.com/2013/01/wine-at-starbucks-a-starbucks-evenings-visit/

Starbucks surprises me when it adds alcohol on the evening menu. Coffee and alcohol have different cultures as well as different production processes. When Starbucks mix the two cultures together, it is not a traditional coffee shop anymore; instead, it becomes a restaurant.

Sources:

http://bakingbites.com/2013/01/wine-at-starbucks-a-starbucks-evenings-visit/

http://www.starbucks.com/coffeehouse/starbucks-stores/starbucks-evenings

http://www.starbucks.com/coffeehouse/starbucks-stores/starbucks-evenings/menu

http://www.thestreet.com/story/12942754/2/dunkin-donuts-starbucks-are-preparing-to-sell-dinner-in-2015.html

Images from These Mar Jacobs Headphones Can Be Thrown In The Wash Like A T-Shirt

The blog title These Marc Jacobs Headphones Can Be Thrown In The Wash Like A T-Shirt on Fast Company thrilled me! I cannot imagine throwing a piece of electronic device into a washing machine.

However, after reading through the whole blog, I am not that excited about the washable feature. People can peel off the headband and the ear cushions and throw them into the washing machine, but not throwing the entire headphone directly into the washing machine.

Apart from this unexcited news, the new headphone still reminds me “positioning”. Beats’ headphones are widely recognized with high quality. Urbanears cannot compete with Beats at this perspective. However, Urbanears is smart. They cooperate with Marc Jacobs, a famous international fashion company, to design this washable headphone “Humlan”. Teaming up with Marc Jacobs brings “Humlan” a sense of fashion. In addition, the unique washable feature still makes life easier when the headphone gets dirty. Also, this headphone only sells for $60, which is much cheaper than Beats. Urbanears can be a nice substitute for Beats with less cost.

Image from Fast Fashion- There’s a Reason Your Clothes Are So Cheap

I am a big fan of H&M, GAP, and Uniqlo. The reason is simple: they are trendy and cheap.

However, I have the problem that Amy (Chae Won Wu) mentioned in her blog Can Fast Fashion be Both Affordable and Ethical —I do not wear them often. Because of the low price, I do not hesitate to buy much clothing every time I shop. How wrong I am! After I bring them home, I realize that I hardly have chances to wear them in most of my life. Originally, I choose fast fashion is to save money, but indeed, I am wasting money.

As a consumer, my shopping habit is insane but common. Millions of girls consume fast fashion like me. I really appreciate these fast fashion companies’ marketing strategy. Cheap fashionable clothing is like drugs. Customers are addicted to buying more and more.

Image from The Business of Fast Fashion

I do not think a good marketing strategy means unethical, but making toxic products is unethical for certain. According to Greenpeace (2012), H&M’s and Zara’s products contained hazardous chemicals that could cause cancer and hormone disruption. Reducing cost is important for the fast fashion industry, which is a competitive market with low price. However, customers value safety more than cheap trendy clothing. If they keep selling toxic clothing, I would rather spend more money to buy a sense of safety.

Image from 10 Life Lessons From Girlboss

This week I read Catherine (Niki) Non’s blog. The article #Girlboss attracts my attention. #Girlboss is a book written by Sophia Amoruso, the CEO of Nasty Gal.

Amoruso’s experience is interesting. She has neither business background, nor a college degree. She breaks the stereotype of a woman. As the quote Niki took from Newsha’s blog “Not Quite There Yet”, Amoruso is an entrepreneur “who doesn’t quite fit the mould of a stereotypical businesswoman”.

Actually, I do not agree with Newsha’s expression of “sterotypical businesswoman”. All people have their own ways to success. It is unreasonable that successful businesswomen should have same traits.

Image from Does Integrated Marketing Mixed With Femininity Equal Success?

Also I suppose Newsha’s opinion builds on gender stereotypes. People usually link entrepreneurship and success with males; and treat female entrepreneurs as exceptions. Like Newsha thinks, most businesswomen share stereotypes. I am sure if Amoruso were a male, Newsha would never name Amoruso “not as a stereotypical businessman”.

Businesswomen are not exceptions. The two Sauder alumnae visited COMM 101 on Tuesday, Amielle Lake (Tagga) and Emma Smith (Zimt Artisan Chocolate), were both successful female entrepreneurs. Stereotypes are untrue; please stop talking about it!

Image from http://www.technologytell.com/apple/138413/tim-cook-receives-praise-for-ios-vision/

The article Tim Cook just publicly declared he’s gay and Wall Street doesn’t care on Marshable that I read today shows that Cook’s announcement does not affect Apple’s stock price.

The peaceful stock market surprised me. Cook is the first CEO in a Fortune 500 company that announced homosexuality. There might be some other CEOs that are gay, but they do not tell. They are afraid to ruin their own fame as well as the company’s fame. However, investors do not care much about Cook’s sexual orientation. Cook is an excellent CEO and that is all.

This news is a good sign for social equality. My favourite teacher in high school was a gay. He told me that he had lost several jobs because he was a gay; so he did not tell anybody he was gay at my high school. (I was the only one that was told at the end of my high school year, because he trusted me.) When I asked why he was fired, simply he answered: “because I was a gay.” I could not understand that a company could fire a person merely because he or she was gay.

Thankfully, the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning) discrimination reduces. More and more LGBTQ stand out and fight for equality. I support Tim Cook, my high school teacher, and all the LGBTQ. Each LGBTQ can have a good job and reputation.

Image copied from: http://www.fastcodesign.com/3037597/catch-the-addictive-new-game-by-a-graphic-design-guru

I read an article named Catch: The Addictive New Game By A Graphic Design Guru, which introduces a new IOS addictive game called “Catch”. “Catch” is an easy game. “There’s a yellow ball bouncing on your screen and you have to catch it three times before time runs out.” (Catch: The Addictive New Game) The game is going to be more difficult as the level goes up, but basically, the rule is simple. Although the rule is simple, the design is creative. Devices are 2-D, but the game is 3-D. Other than tapping on the ball and catching it, players tap in front of the ball. After tapping, a hand comes out of the background, raises and catches the coming ball. This design requires players to make a prediction of the ball’s flying direction and speed. Games with simple rules are easy to be addictive. For example, Angry Birds, Flappy Birds, and 2048, are all addictive games with simple rules. People love them because these games are easy to understand, and players only need repetitive practice to level up. Though I am not keen on games, I downloaded and tried “Catch” on my iPhone. First I thought the game is a piece of snack, actually it is not, at least for me. I need to keep practicing to catch the ball in a shorter time and avoid hitting flying bars. I believe this game can catch people’s eyes, because of the creative design and simple rule.

Photograph by: GORDON HOEKSTRA

After reading the article “There will be no pipeline” by Gordon Hoekstra, I understand that the First Nation people concern about sustainable development.

Many First Nation people suppose that spilling of oil is going to damage the whole environment. The Stuart Lake is home for lots of animals, like salmon, geese, black bears, and beaver. If oil leaks out at the bottom of the lake, the animals are in danger.

However, the possibility of oil leaking is insignificant. According to Enbridge’s calculation, “the probability of a major rupture in the B.C. Interior is once in 1,566 years (about a 0.06-per-cent chance a year). For a “pinhole” leak, the probability is once in 79 years (about 1.2 per cent a year)” (paragraph 45, Hoekstra) If the number is precise, people should not worry about the environment’s risk.

Actually, about 40 percent of First Nations in BC support Enbridge’s Northern Gateway oil pipeline project. There might be more First Nations agree to sign on the equity sharing agreement. After all, they need development.

First Nations own many businesses. Nak’azdli owns a grocery store and a gas station, and have a share in several lumber, and bioenergy companies. However, they do not agree with this project.

Though they do not oppose developing, they care of their home.

For more information:

“There Will be no Pipeline”

Bill Gates starts his condom business. He offered $100,000 from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to invent a “next generation” of condom, which is thin like nothing.

This is a great move for caring society. World high fertility rate and venereal diseases are partly caused by men not wearing condoms. It is said that men refuses to wear condoms because condoms affect men’s sexual pleasure. If scientists could invent an ultra-thin condom, men would be more willing to wear condoms, which could then reduce birth rate as well as diseases spreading.

Condom is a grand market. Husbands and wives, and many teenage boys and girls, need condoms. Bill Gates is sensitive to the customers’ dissatisfaction of condoms. People want condoms that are thinner and more comfortable. When people are complaining about the products, business opportunities come. Bill Gates’ future high-tech condom is going to change the market’s structure. As the thinnest and most comfortable condom in the world, Bill Gates’ company would easily win costumers’ heart.

Although Bill Gates is not the first one doing the condom business, he can still get a large share of the market with the advantage of what customers really want. Therefore, observing customers’ dissatisfaction and try to give people the product they want can be a great start of business.

See more reading:

Bill Gates funds creation of thin, light, impenetrable graphene condoms

Bill Gates Offering $100K For Better Condom Invention

Pictures found on  Google. The links have been attached on the pictures.

Recently, China blocks Instagram, after blocking Facebook, Twitter, and Google services. The direct reason for blocking Instagram is the Hong Kong demonstration.

On September 28, Hong Kong residents occupied the city’s central business district as a peaceful protest toward the Chinese central government. However, Hong Kong police force reacted to the incident, which was quite unusual in Hong Kong. Hong Kong residents broke out conflicts with the police force; and the force threw tear bombs to people.

Chinese government does not want mainland residents to know much about the protest and the police force’s reaction, so the government decided to block Instagram, which was widely used in both Hong Kong and China.

Doing business in China, especially media, is tough. Although China is the world’s largest market, China has one of the world’s strictest censorships. Freedom of the press is control government’s control. Instagram, as global socializing software, certainly contains restricted information, like the Hong Kong demonstration. In order to survive in China, companies, such as Phoenix Satellite Television (Hong Kong), has stopped reporting news that the Chinese government does not like in Mainland China. However, other companies, such as Google, insist in the freedom of the press; as a result, they abandon the great Chinese market.

In order to do business in China, companies have to follow the government’s wishes. Otherwise, the government is going to oppose them.

See more information about Hong kong demonstration

The passage “CVS Vows to Quit Selling Tobacco Products” written by Stephanie Storm shows why CVS stopped selling tobacco products. CVS can earn a lot of money from tobacco products owing to the large smoking population. However, CVS chooses to quit selling cigarettes because they are “health provider” (Paragraph 2, Storm). Dr. Brawley said, “If you’re in the business of promoting health and providing health care, it’s very hypocritical to be selling tobacco products.” Therefore, CVS makes the decision to become a true healthy pharmacy.

In addition, the decision shows CVS’s social responsibility. It can be normal for CVS to continue selling tobaccos since big companies like Wal-Mart and Walgreen are still selling them. Surprisingly, CVS abandons the tobacco business though they will lose part of their incomes. CVS chooses to help building a better society instead of merely taking smokers’ money. As Troyen A. Brennan, the executive vice president and chief medical officer for CVS, said, “What we’re thinking about is if others want to emulate this business decision we’ve made, then over time that will make cigarettes less available—and scientific literature does suggest that a reduction in the availability of cigarettes reduces smoking.” Profits are important for the company, but a sense of social responsibility is more important for the company’s reputation. Companies can be more respectful and well known if they make money based on social morals.

“CVS Vows to Quit Selling Tobacco Products”:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/06/business/cvs-plans-to-end-sales-of-tobacco-products-by-october.html?module=ArrowsNav&contentCollection=Business%20Day&action=keypress&region=FixedLeft&pgtype=article