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  Archives Select Month November 2011 October 2011 September 2011

While reading through the Economist, I found an interesting blogpost that raved about  an app called “Goodguide” designed for comsumer that analyzed company’s values embedded in the product. It was invented by Dara O’Rourke, professsor of environmental and labor policy at University of California, Berkeley when he stumbled a lotion product that he wondered was safe to use. He invented Goodguide 8 years after which allowed the consumers to scan the bar code of an item, and be presented with the information if the firms have a good human rights record. If not, they were suggested other similar products with similar pricing but with better ethical company.

I think this app is brilliant in a way that it has a lot of potential to gain attraction from huge field of consumers. It can range from mothers concerned about her children’s unhealthy diet, to consumers who feel strongly about human rights and ethical producing by the companies. Goodguide is opening up another concept to customers. That they are deserving to know more about the product when making a purchase decision and to even stop a company with bad production methods before they get popular . There are so many marketing fads that trick us in buying products in the media, and though it is successful branding and advertising tactics, I think they should be avoided for mass societal consumption through creations of apps such as Goodguide.

 

 

 

For the article: http://www.economist.com/node/21538763

After reading my classmate Jimena’s blog about Puma as sustainable business, it was unexpected for me to hear that from Puma. Then I thought to myself, why it shocking to hear that from a highly recognized brand? It was because of all the fake, copied items that I’ve seen in multiple places and occasions which had degraded high-brand imaging for the company.

I was in Korea this summer, and I saw a stunning amount of copied Puma products, that were noticeably fake. These are couple of the examples.

 

 

I don’t think Puma does enough copyright control of their product to brand their product as high-end products especially in the Asian markets. It has come a point where customers are buying these products as a “joke” because of the obviousness of the product which degrades Puma’s reputation as a company that provides high-end atheletic wear.

I feel like Sustainability regiments are something company’s with successful brand-imaging and customer loyalty would gain from such as Starbucks. Because the quality of their product is assured in customers, sustainable campaigns add as a bonus to attract more customers by stimulating the feeling of deed in supporting a good cause. Puma has yet to gain that from their products alone, and I think that is one of the reasons why their sustainable campaigns are not getting recognized or credited in the fashion market.

 

I found Conrad’s Blog Posting about the issue of Canadian government imposing a 75% packaging law very interesting in terms of the idea of company’s right in having branding it’s products. I couldn’t agree more with how despite the company’s harmful products to Canadian consumer’s they should be treated with equality as other product companies not equity. However,  It started to make me think about whether the tobacco industry was an ethical industry in the business world. The reason why had such powerful, invincible stance in the field was because their consumers suffered from medical “addiction” towards the product.

Is this ethical?

Can we say that despite it’s stunning revenue and growth of the business, it is an unethical business at the end of the day?

 

I have noticed the extensive packaging with gruesome pictures of lung cancer and what not on cigarette boxes before and have even asked the regular smokers if the disturbing graphics disturbed them at all. The answer was stunning. The packaging didn’t bother them all! The cigarette smokers were so “hooked” to the product, that they seemed to be at a point where the “product” was what they wanted and branding didn’t matter to them at all.

I think in business perspective, no in doubt is the tobacco industry a successful and influential industry that drives our industry. How they have that consistent customer return and stunning revenue defines them as industry that generates large sums of money. However, I don’t think it is ethical to attain this return through medical addiction. Not only is addiction the problem, but smoking initiates all the critical diseases and conditions in people such as various cancers resulting in death, which affects debt that people collect in the health care systems especially in the US.

Tobacco industry takes a significant portion in the world economy, and there’s no chance that it is going to disappear within time. However, I think it’s important for there to be no more invention of innovation of such product.

 

Check out Conrad’s Post: https://www.vista.ubc.ca/webct/urw/lc5116011.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct

When you order a hot drink at a normal coffee shop during the cold winter seasons in Vancouver, your cup of coffee is most likely to come with a brown piece of cardboard wrapped around your cup. This ” “Java Jackets” or “Cup Sleeves” was invented by a man named Jay Sorenson in 1991. He was inspired to create such an item when he dropped a cup of hot coffee on his lap because the cup was too hot. Since them Sorenson made his house basement the company headquater, and started to produce the product in his mind. The sleeves sold quickly when he introduced the item to the Annual Seattle coffee trade show and eventually all the coffee chains were demanding his product.

Now, 10 years later, the Sorenson family have sold over 1 billion coffee sleeves making customer’s happy as well as themselves. These Java Jackets can be found in any small coffee stores to big chain stores such as Starbucks or Blenz Coffee, and it’ll continue to be in the hands of the customer’s for a long time.

I consider Java Jacket Company an enterpreneurial company because they have created and marketed something that has never been introduced to the people. Java Sleeves are brilliant yet such simple piece of item that is being put to use in people’s everyday lives, and because of Sorenstein’s connection to his everyday annoyance to the invention of a everyday life product, it was bound to be successful. The product itself is truly an entrepreneurial product, because no one has thought of creaitng the sleeves before Sorenstein. Considering how much success Java Jacket has experience over the course of 10 years, the rapid company growth  and how much impact it has on people’s life, I think Java Jacket is one of the most enterpreneurial companies.

 

 

Check out the company: http://www.javajacket.com/

Steve Jobs vision and accomplishments with Apple has set to be the “golden” standard for many business hopefuls. Apple has revolutionized the world market by bringing high-end, efficient technology that has improved the lives of every individual to be convenient. However, before the rise of Apple, the main figure head in the business world was Bill Gates. He was the founder of Microsoft, resigned at 2006 and with his Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation that helps with the world-wide, humanistic issues, he has gained tremendous respect not only as a business man but as a humanist/activist in the world.

Both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs is no doubt a revolutionary figure in the business world. However, I think the difference between the two is that Bill Gates has taken initiative in inproving the world, not just through innovative technology but through investing and spending his monetary values towards a cause. It states in the article that Melinda and Bill Gates foundation has donated over 15 billion dollars towards a worldly cause. That is more than what a sucessful, well known company would be worth.

Steve Jobs have perfected the art of delivering customer-happy products. Apple has ushered the personal computing idea to the customers and his world in undoubtedly a work of genius. I think it is unfortunate that he weren’t able to be around as Bill Gates to give back to the community. He was busy in building his empire Apple to be the top-notched technology company in the world, and never got to experience that position at the top where he could focus more on the worldly causes to gain his reputation not only as a business leader but as an human being with strong ethics and morals.

I think it’s really crucial for a leader, and a large figure-head to genuinely show interest in worldly causes, and really give back to the community. It shows ethics, and morals of the business community, and at the end the day, we all gain and win when everyone is happy.

http://www.businessweek.com/management/idolize-bill-gates-not-steve-jobs-11012011.html

Jersey shore star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi has brought a new found “Jshore” phenomenon in the media with her ditsy personality and “non-filtered” manners on TV. Well most of us think of her as a reality tv star, we don’t even consider the fact that Snooki is in fact a “business woman.” With no previous business education of noticeable knowledge, with her fame on the show, she has managed to become New York Time’s best seller with her novel “A Shore Thing” and it is reported that her personal appearances and such command a net worth of $20,000. Her Unique style on the show with her standard “bling”, fur and leopard prints have brought lots of attention to it’s viewers, and the company that produces her furry boots recently experienced a web crash when she tweeted about where they could find those items online. With the expected launching of her perfume line as well as a clothing line, Polizzi’s future as a fashion icon looks bright.

Can Snooki really be defined as a successful business woman? As an aspiring business student, it is almost insult to consider her as a successful woman with a  business career. Compare to individuals with professional business education, training and knowledge, she is getting overrated media attentions as well as making significant profit through her products. How can someone who conducts such shallow behavior and controversial attitude who displays zero professionalism become so successful?

I think Snooki is a product of successful branding through the show. It doesn’t necessarily mean “positive” or “high-class” branding, but she has shown herself enough that people are “intrigued” by her lifestyle. She has made people believe that you can attain fame and wealth through shallow behaviors, and by buying her products you can become that kind of individual who don’t have to worry about societal norms. I think Snooki is at her prime time of branding herself with the end of the new season, and she is in fact being very strategic in promoting her products at this period. However, I don’t think she should be defined as a business figure as she is majorly nothing but a temporary product of a show.

Check out the Article: http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/02/smallbusiness/snooki/index.htm?iid=HP_River

Reading through the CNN business articles, this article immediately caught my attention because I’ve noticed that China plays a huge factor in the world economy for their manufacturing of goods.

The country always ran across to me as a “low-cost-manufacturing” site, not much as a place to start up a business but after reading this article, it made me realize how cultural and strategic factors come into factors in building a successful business model in China. However, the article emphasizes how China is growing it’s attraction to be a business site for many, and that because of the area and the culture that is embedded within the country, it is essential to know of couple points that you should take into account before starting a business there. This article talks about the importance of knowing the mosaic of markets, business culture and etiquette, market-based approach, patience, and about building a solid local team.

 1) Mosaic of Markets
China’s sprawling population of 1.3 billion people makes it a highly diverse market. The country itself is more of a mosaic of cultures, and the companies have to remain flexible and innovative in deciding what kind of market their product would fit into. The more specific market you target, and the more distinct your product is from others, the more successful you are likely to be in the Chinese market.

2) Business culture and Etiquette
You need to understand China’s business culture and social etiquette to prevent misunderstanding that would possibly harm your working relationships. The article emphasizes the concept of “face” which is the image that you give off to your business partners. Attending meetings, accepting invitations, providing suitable expensive gifts is couple of things that you can do to give positive “face” to the partners. Acts that are show lack of self-control and weakness is detrimental in developing a professional “face” in the field, and you need to treat people with respect at all times, whoever you are dealing with.

3) Taking a Market-based approach
It is crucial to be aware of local preferences and adapting your product to the chinese community. Because of the distinct culture that China has, it is important to tailor those values and life-style to your products. No matter how great your product is at the origin, the product really needs to be in context of China for it to attract consumers

4) Procedures in China Take time, patience and money
Success in China takes time, patience and lots of resources. It is important to look forward in meeting the demands and trends that are going to come in the future, and to find ways that is going to match the future china through looking at current characteristics of China.

5) Build a strong local team
Surrounding yourself with a local talent that can help you break deals, understand the culture and complexities of the market is crucial in having a successful business in China. Even if you have adapted the values and culture of the country, you can’t possibly know it better than someone who has grown in the country.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/21/business/china-business-investors-culture/index.html

Watch Video: Apple – Introducing Siri on iPhone 4S

Lots of people were disappointed when Apple introduced it’s most updated product IPhone 4S to the world. Many assumptions about the new product circled around the topic as some were expecting a ground breaking design that was a mix of Android and Apple, so when the product was released, many were disappointed. What makes it different? Apple announced that IPhone 4S has included a revolutionary system of Siri that allows you to use your phone by commanding vocal orders. While many found this to be disappointing, the statistics of million phones being booked within 24 hours of released showed that there were many customers out there who were keen to get the new product.

Are costumers attracted to the product for the “revolutionary” system of Siri, or is it for attaining the most new Apple products? Apple has been revolutionary in the IT technology with it’s sleek design and convenient apps that it provides, but compare to the advancements that it has made to it’s products before, Siri seems to be a dissappointment. The voice-over tech has been introduced before in Android phones, and I personally don’t think Apple has come up with a “wow” factor that is innovative enough to give costumers enough reason to buy the newest products.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/tech-news/apple-books-a-million-iphone-orders-in-24-hours/article2196807/

One of the largest Airline service Air Canada is caught between the dispute of staff in revolt, versus costumers demanding lower fares. The root of the conflict kindled when the Airline introduced a new plan to create a low-cost division, hiring up to 1400 staff at reduced wages in return of discounted fares on leisure routes areas such as Europe, Asia and Mexico. The workers felt threatened that this new plan would threaten their wage and job security which resulted in a plan of 6800 walk out staff. However, Air Canada’s new plan was essential in the growth of the company as customer demand for cheaper fares was increasing, but now they were faced in making a trade-off of retaining their staff or losing costumers to other airlines.

It is essential for Air Canada to retain good relationships between it’s workers. Even if it were to lose it’s costumers due to it’s airfare cost that fails to meet costumer demand, the airline wont be able to operate without it’s staffs. With controversies about the unfair treatment that the airline workers have received from Air Canada, I think it’s essential for them to regain the positive relationship it had with its workers. With better worker satisfaction, Air Canada could be reputed as an airline with the best on-air service which could contribute positively in solving the fare problems.

Article : http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/air-canada-caught-between-employees-and-customers-in-labour-dispute/article2196420/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Movie fanatics were enraged when a popular movie-streaming website Netflix proposed to separate three cost of it’s DVD-by-service from online streaming service. Netflix Head Executive, Reed Hastings introduced the idea of creating a stand-alone DVD service named “Quickster” and proposed that the two separate distinctions in services would result in two different billings as well. Once peaking company Netflix experienced a lost of 1 million subscribers because of this new plan, and the share value of the company was dropping at an alarming rate of 16% a day.

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