Isabella Bonato's Blog

“If the United Nations was fully funded why would we need the Arc or social enterprise?” Sometimes the magnitude of ones reach is not always a benefit. This is the case with the United Nations. One of the greatest disadvantages the UN faces is their sheer size. Because of the broad scope of the organization, every decision must be carefully calculated. Acting as a global mediator means that they must be considerate of the sensitive nature their decisions have on relationships between countries. As a result, it does not have…read more

  My classmate Danni Liu posted about Russia’s response to Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple who publically announced that he is gay. Because of the nature of the issue, it becomes clear the effect this may have on international business. Danni spoke about Russia’s rationale behind such a decision being about the security of information stored on smartphones because of apples iCloud. However, I think this is all propaganda by the Russian government. Globalization of an issue such as gay rights has been enormously widespread. In places in the…read more

Knowing that the application you are typing may dictate your future can put an enormous amount of pressure on any applicant. With the complexity of a good application, it is an especially daunting task for any hopeful candidate to undertake. For some people, no face-to-face communication when seeking a position may be a blessing. Yet, for others, it seems unfair to account so much weight on a piece of paper. As most jobs require constant interactions with people, how much can an employer learn about candidate’s communication capabilities without meeting…read more

In response to Vanessa Lee’s blog post, another classmate, Dallas Barnes, added a different incite into the ongoing debate regarding the lack of respect women face in the workplace. Dallas commented on the notion that women gaining respect is not about males granting women their ‘rights’ but about women being liberated and taking action for themselves. I share the idea that in order to eradicate gender inequalities within high power positions, it is critical for women to have the strength and motivation to foster success. I also believe that it…read more

Thinking differently has been the basis of many revolutionary tech companies. It seems incredibly simple considering the complexity of their field of work. Yet, these simple values become critical to companies success in a constantly evolving field. Cultivating employees who feel empowered to trust their instincts and create is something I believe should be a universal standard.   Google’s insights into management seem basic yet are hard to come by in the job market. How many places bargain an allotted twenty percent of time to individual projects? Holding these philosophies also…read more

Purchasing a fair-trade coffee carries an impression of superior quality alongside the feel-good idea of supporting a sustainable and ethical cause.  It has become a trend to purchase distinguishable products that boast ethically sourced, fair-trade, or organic amongst the isles of specialty food stores.  Is this only a matter of consumer conscious?  In selecting such products, it is questionable how consumers are educated regarding their purchasing decision.  Though I believe it is wonderful that consumers respond to humanitarian causes, evidence suggests that in practice fair-trade is not aiding developing nations in…read more

Looking at many popular CEO’s, I find it startling that a majority conform to a certain image ideal. People like Steve Jobs, Trevor Burgess, and any female CEO are far from these standards of appearance. They do not conform to the traditional prototype of a white, muscular, tall, deep voiced male in any way, shape, or form. Yet, they have redefined limits and standards of management amongst businesses everywhere. They have become public figures and a model for pushing average standards. However, evidence clearly shows that the leaders dominating the…read more

It is impossible to ignore the First Nations as an integral part of our Canadian culture. This is especially so in a province rich in natural resources such as British Columbia. Reconciliation is a major issue for our province as we try to take responsibility for the unjust and unforgiveable damage caused to their heritage and culture. With the proposed pipeline, it seems completely irresponsible that a company like Enbridge feels they can offer financial compensation for a culture’s homeland. This is especially true considering the immense value and spiritual…read more

  If public companies must disclose all information, why wouldn’t something as public as health care be upheld to the same standards? The connection between business and health care is a puzzling one; especially considering everyone is a very dependent consumer. We are left at the mercy of our health care professions, hoping that they uphold to the highest quality of care. It seems like it has taken far to long for the hard numbers to be released in the United States disclosing all payments by pharmaceutical companies to health…read more

To recent graduates or students, internships are looked upon as a privilege.  To a company, interns are free labor and a risk-free trial of potential employees. With most internships being highly sought after positions, there is enough demand that interns can easily be exploited. There are also laws in place to ensure working people have their rights met, and a right is a job that pays at least minimum wage. So, why can an internship be justifiably unpaid when many interns carry the same responsibilities as employees? It is a…read more