It seems as though the stereotype for the average business student has been reassessed, according to this very agreeable article in The Globe and Mail. To many, when the word “business” is mentioned, they think of heartless businessmen or women with no conscience, with the sole purpose of making money. However, recent studies have shown that this is a complete misrepresentation of what it means to be a successful business person. In today’s business schools, students’ top concerns now involve social contribution and benefits.

Like we discussed in class, many “social entrepreneurs” are starting their business with not only profit in mind, but how their product or service will benefit others. Programs like UBC’s ARC Initiative promote social entrepreneurs like Tesfaye, who has a sustainable system of creating paper out of bananas. Personally, I believe this is the direction that business students should head towards. Not only learning ways to make a profit for a business in today’s competitive world, but doing so in a way that benefits not only the business, but the world that we live in.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/business-education/commerce-beyond-the-profit-motive/article15274613/

http://blog.e-180.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/forimpact.gif

http://www.salemsethiopia.com/images/coop_naturalbooks_v01.jpg

Fellow Comm101 student Matt Anderson makes a very interesting point in his blog on an article that immediately caught my attention. In numerous instances, both in class and out, Lululemon has been depicted as a prime example of positive business practices. This article(globeandmail) and video however, reveals a surprising mentality that  Lululemon Founder  Chip Wilson has on the company’s products, and the customers that use them.

In the video, Wilson makes the outrageous statement that “some women’s bodies just ‘don’t work’ for their yoga pants”, implying that the fabrics and shape of their products weren’t designed for certain non-athletic physiques. This obviously sparked a huge controversy, and supporters of the brand are extremely upset, with legitimate reason to do so. If we look onto any Lululemon bag, we will see the motivational statements in the photo above. Lululemon’s core values have always been about making their customers to feel good about themselves, including happiness, positivity, and freedom. The statements that Wilson makes, however goes completely against the values and organization culture of the company. Although it is very upsetting to hear these words come out of  an inspiration of mine, I do believe it was an honest mistake, and that work needs to be done in management to address the issue of lost support.

http://www.bloomberg.com/video/lululemon-pants-don-t-work-for-some-women-founder-ATKjgs7jQduIr_ou1z8XYg.html

http://www.coffeestain.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/lulu11.jpg

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/why-lululemon-founder-believes-some-womens-bodies-dont-work-for-their-yoga-pants/article15345965/

An interesting article written by fellow classmate Nick Haggert caught my attention, as it involved a service that I use very often. Nick’s blog is very well written, and for the most part, our ideas point to the same direction, although there are discrepancies. Earlier this week, Snapchat rejected a buyout offer from Facebook at the Valuation of 3 billion dollars US, but how has this non-revenue based company developed so quickly and successfully in just a short period of time?

Snapchat is a prime example of successful entrepreneurship combined with an efficient use of information technology systems. Although the services provided by the company is more of a vitamin than a painkiller, people experience enjoyment when sending a message or “snap”. Even though the company does not charge users for its service, they have been able to monitor the current number of snaps sent and received. With this valuable information, they have knowledge of the different demographics that currently use their services. Opportunities that emerge from information as valuable as this allows other companies to advertise their products to a certain demographic. For example, the next X-men movie is currently sending short clips periodically that eventually tell a story that cannot be found elsewhere.

Companies like Facebook not only find this information extremely valuable, but also see these emerging companies as a threat. Young users in the teenage range are found to be using Facebook’s services less and less. With that being said, Snapchat, with no revenue, only believes that their company can continue growing into more than what they are today. There have been instances in the past where companies overvalued their future selves, but only time will tell where this simply successful company will go.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303789604579196023009484870

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/14/technology/rejecting-billions-snapchat-expects-a-better-offer.html?ref=business&_r=0

http://www.smartinsights.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/snapchat.jpg

In today’s world, the internet has become part of our everyday lives. We can communicate through email, post pictures, and even pay bills all at the click of a button. Needless to say, a lot of our personal and private information can be found over the internet, but recently however, the U.S. government has been under fire for the non-warranted surveillance of this information, and Google employees are outraged.

For a company like Google, a number of issues will surface as a result of this. Firstly, Google is a tech company with a global infrastructure, so  wherever their services are used, information will be sent onto a global network. If the U.S. government is able to gain access to this information, countries in other parts of the world will not feel safe using Google’s services. Brazil for example, is considering “data localization laws”, preventing Google from doing business in “one of the world’s most significant markets”.

Another issue that arises is the fact that this completely goes against not only Google’s undermining organizational culture, but business ethics in general. To the public, Google has always been known as a positive place to work, with lots of empowerment and intrinsic motivation for employees. When something their users realizes the information they give while using Google’s services have been under surveillance from the government, it takes a huge lash at both the trust they share, and the revenue streams of Google.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/14/google-employees-speak-out-about-government-spying/?hpw&rref=technology

http://images.electricpig.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/google-hq-6.jpg

Creation. The fundamental of entrepreneurship is either taking something that’s been done already, or is completely new, and creating something out of it. It’s always interesting to see where technology takes us next, and with the world developing so quickly, it’s safe to say that entrepreneurs can find success in almost any industry. But what about an entrepreneur who finds a business in creating other entrepreneurs? This blog in the NY Times explores, Adeo Ressi, founder and CEO of the Found Institute, who has done just that. In just under 4 years, Ressi has mentored and helped developed over 1000 successful business, with a 90% survival rate. In doing so, 10,000 jobs have been created, and the company is on track for 20,000 by 2020, essentially “globalizing” Silicon Valley, from Johannesburg to New York.

It’s interesting to hear about an entrepreneur who stands out from those who already stand out. Like we have learned in our class, entrepreneurs do not think of good start-up ideas, but rather find something missing in our everyday lives, and creates something to address that. Ressi has done just that. The value proposition offered by this company cannot be found anywhere else, offering first hand training on how to specifically make your dream a reality.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/14/business/smallbusiness/an-entrepreneur-who-manufactures-entrepreneurs.html?ref=smallbusiness

http://fi.co/

http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/13/is-this-the-way-to-teach-entrepreneurship/

http://fi.co/system/upload/FI_Adeo_World.jpg

Mercedes Benz, Daimler’s motor vehicle division, once a king in the European automotive industry, is watching from the sidelines as BMW and Audi pull away from the crowd. Since 2010, both BMW and Audi have grown considerably in terms of sales and profit, and are only growing. While Mercedes is roughly at the same amount of shares as in 2006, BMW has doubled. Evidently in China, home to the world’s largest automotive market, BMW outsells Mercedes by 70%, and Audi 100%. With all of this, current CEO Dieter Zetsche still believes they will become the world’s number one premier carmaker by 2020.

If Mercedes is truly looking to reach this goal by 2020, they must address a number of reasons. Firstly, they must look at their brand positioning: what is the point of difference of the products they offer? At the moment, BMW and Audi are destroying them in every car class possible. Mercedes claims to be a high-class luxurious auto maker, but at the same time, the poor quality and reliability that they offer cannot justify the premium prices that they charge.

The second issue they must address is the expansion of their brand into China, the world’s leading automotive market. BMW and Audi have already settled nicely with local firms, but MB has yet to make a favourable deal. The company must set up a successful network of outlets to catch up to the already settled BMW and Audi.

Although their goal seems to be far fetched at the moment, with the right guidance and adjustments, the Daimler company may not have to stay in third for long.

http://www.economist.com/news/business/21589466-daimler-set-keep-chugging-down-autobahn-behind-bmw-and-audi-stuck-third

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/30/us-china-autos-mercedes-idUSBRE97T02920130830

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Mercedes-Benz_S_350_CDI_BlueEFFICIENCY_4MATIC_%28W_221%2C_Facelift%29_%E2%80%93_Frontansicht_%281%29%2C_6._Mai_2011%2C_Velbert.jpg