Image Source: Vancouver Sun

Although the federal government’s decision to reject Taseko’s $1.5 billion gold-copper mine project may appear as an appeasement of tensions with First Nations, I believe the decision resulted from the society’s change in attitude andt priorities. Taseko faces new social, political and environmental external pressures.

Largely due to the First Nations, British Columbia has embraced ecological values, becoming more conscious of the effects of industry on the environment. In order for Taseko to deliver on its value proposition, they will inevitablely disturb to the fragile ecosystem of Tsilhqot’in tribal park through its key activities. The court outcome is a result of the advent of a cultural limitation.

Image Source: Edmonton Journal

From an ethical standpoint, the government has a social responsibility to act in accordance with societies values but also to promote economic activity. I believe there is a chance that Taseko will receive the grant to proceed because of the potential economic benefit, but the company will face environmental regulations. This will increase costs as they must use ecofriendly practices and alter the way they channel and market their product.

Image Source: Globe and Mail

Lastly, in order for Taseko to be allowed to operate near protected land, they must cooperate with First Nations. This is an opportunity as First Nations could provide the resource of knowledge of the land, and also to gain society’s support.

Image Source: Google Images

Shannon discusses an interesting topic in her blog about Apple’s success and loyal customer base as a result of maximizing its value proposition.  Not only does Apple stand out for its innovative, quality and aesthetically-pleasing technology, the company has associated an experience to its products which could be its point of difference.

The successful use of the Value Proposition Canvas has led to the creation of the “Apple Ecosystem” as this article describes.

ec·o·sys·tem: (n) a system formed with interconnecting & interactive parts

Image Source: Google Images

For instance, the newly released Apple watch must be used in conjunction with an iPod or iPhone; It compliments existing products instead of of being a stand-alone product. Stephanie discusses how Lululemon has diversified from workout wear in order to dominate the woman’s closet. This is comparable to Apple, as they are branching out into all facets of life, from exercise, to entertainment, to potentially transactions.

Image Source: Google Images

This is a smart business strategy because Apple makes it easy for customers to adopt their technology and ensures all customers’ needs and wants are satisfied. Most importantly, this increases consumer reliance: “the more they are locked in, “the more they must stick with Apple.” This is where it is crucial for Apple to consider ethics as many stakeholders would be jeopardized by a security breach.

Image source: Google Images

The catastrophic failure of Blackberry as a company should act as a warning to all companies that currently dominate the market of what happens when a company becomes complacent. Blackberry “only accounts for less than 1% of sales worldwide” and has lost customer favour to competitors like Apple, Samsung, and Android.

However, John Chen’s Focus differentiation strategy to revitalize Blackberry theoretically is promising. By marketing itself as “the one-stop shop for security-conscious businesses” it targets narrow segment of governments and big corporations. The company can direct innovation to satisfying this unmet need of security.

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It would be futile to compete head on against Apple (for instance). In order to move up “the ladder” Blackberry could instead try to reposition the consumer’s opinion on the safety of competitors’ products by capitalizing on the Jennifer Lawrence’s iCloud scandal and the danger of Chinese hackers. This is an example of a “Transient Advantage” as Blackberry becomes relevant by recognizing opportunities and exploiting them.

Another recommendation is co-creation with these large firms and governments or providing customization services to satisfy their exact needs. This would give Blackberry a point of difference.

Can Blackberry recover, or is the company permanently damaged from committing the first of the Seven Dangerous Misconceptions?

Image Source: Google Images

Image source: google images

I agree with Eric that the Tim Hortons – Burger King Merger is advantageous for both companies, but not on the premise of selling similar products in each chain. This article confirms that the top executives of each company do not plan to make changes to the brand – “no Tims’ coffee in Burger King and no Whoppers at Times.”

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In my opinion, the problem with serving similar products in Tim Hortons and Burger King restaurants is it weakens each companies value proposition. It would also reposition each company in the consumer’s mind. For instance, Tim Hortons’ food is perceived as being healthier than Burger King, which contradicts the need the company satisfies.  This could be considered a risk of merging.

However, both companies benefit by achieving economies of scope with more access to distribution channels. This is especially important since the main reasons for the partnership is “growth … and [bringing] beloved brand[s] internationally.” Knowledge is power, and each company has an understanding of the markets they have operated in. For instance, the merger allows Tims to share strategy, market experience, and consumer expertise so Burger King can emerge successfully into the Canadian market, and vice versa.