http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-growth/sustainability/green-waste-disposal-solution-brings-unexpected-benefits/article4261374/

Many companies often find themselves conflicted with pursuing sustainable business practices as they believe it will increase costs, but for Bylands Nursuries Ltd. there was the opposite effect.

Bylands grows a wide variety of plants annually, and is a successful thriving business throughout Canada and the USA.  Through production of plants much green-waste is created. As costs of disposal increased, Bylands decided to use these byproducts to its advantage; in breaking up the waste, Bylands now “produces about 18,300 metres of compost a year and has replaced peat moss formerly used in its potting mix with compost”.

This process saves the company over $400,000 a year, and the compost soil is more effective than the chemical fertilizer that was previously used. Win, win, win.

Companies like Bylands that use sustainable practice to its advantage are favoured by consumers and are contributing largely to a greener world. The idea that sustainability costs money is often not the case, Bylands was fortunate that it could use green-practice as an advantage in a major aspect of its business, but preservation of resources such as electricity and water are a “win-win” as well; companies save money, and practice sustainability.

Moreover, in a world where the importance of green-practice is increasing, companies must embrace sustainable conservation practices, as they will likely benefit the company and the Earth.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/mobile/rim-adds-free-call-feature-to-bbm/article5274314/

The smartphone industry has grown exponentially in the past half-decade and companies lacking innovation and strong research and development are being left in the dust.

Ironically, Research in Motion (RIM) has seen decreased profits and is facing massive competitors such as Apple and Samsung, which it is unable to rival due to its lack of innovation. It would seem that RIM has only a matter of time before it is consumed by its competitors.

One popular feature that keeps Blackberry users loyal is the coveted BBM application that users (for some reason) love. Blackberry has just announced that it will be adding “BBM Voice” to this enhanced chat messenger, allowing users to talk over wifi. The wifi only limitation was created so as not to “alienate wireless carrier partners anxious about losing voice revenue”, but it may alienate RIM, as many of its rivals offer similar services over a cellular data network.

This addition to the successful BBM application will likely change little to the motivations of potential Blackberry customers. With the ongoing, more significant innovations in companies like Samsung and Apple within a similar price range, what is encouraging them to buy a blackberry?

Research in Motions’s lack of research in motion with regards to the current markets have led to this eventual decline, and future inevitable peril.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/jobs/for-young-job-seekers-no-relief-in-sight/article4464246/

An uncertain global economy has led to widespread unemployment throughout the world. Here in Canada we are not unaffected. Despite these difficult economic conditions, Canada has seen employment increase through the first half of 2012; as for the second half, according to Ora Morison of the Globe and Mail: “economists [are] trim[ming] their expectations for Canada’s economic growth to below 2 per cent for the rest of 2012”.

In times of economic unrest, the Canadian government should be stimulating the economy through tax cuts and incentives to small and large businesses allow them to thrive and hire more employees. Allowing the market to run freely is beneficial in times of economic growth, but in order for this growth to begin the government must catalyze expansion and encourage new development in the economy.

The implementation of an increase in minimum wage in BC, although minuscule in the scope of the entire national economy, is detrimental to economic growth. This disincentive to hire is preventing the hiring of willing and able, potential employees.

With minimum wage hikes and the lack of government incentives, the unemployment rate in Canada will remain unnecessarily high.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/marketing/frozen-yogurts-next-heat-wave-comes-north/article4572859/

With a population that is thinking more and more about nutrition and health, new markets have been created, and are exploding in popularity.

The frozen yogurt scene in Canada has only just became extremely popular, through companies such as “Menchie’s”, consumers self-serve and customize their yogurt to their liking. Companies such as “Yogen Fruz” (where yogurt is blended with fruit by employees) have always existed in Canadian markets, but in today’s market “The customers want to customize … If Yogen Fruz stayed with its original system, [It would] be a dinosaur pretty quickly”.

Industry professionals have been watching the expansion and growth of these frozen yogurt companies and examining the trends – “younger customers targeted by these chains primarily expect customized service”.

In an increasingly health-conscious world, companies that offer products that are both delicious and low in fat and sugar will thrive – frozen yogurt chains such as “Menchie’s” and “Qoola” are on the right track to success. When consumers have the ability to decide for themselves and personalize their product, they have control over the price – a feature unknown to the dessert industry until now.

The revolution of frozen yogurt has begun.

In a capitalist empire like the USA, sustainability is often not highly prioritized. Initiatives that promote sustainability in the United States are few, and seldom do they make a considerable impact on the environment.

The Obama administration has been pushing an energy loan program that lends money to companies with sustainable business strategies and innovative ideas, such as Tesla Motors.

Tesla Motors Inc. is currently in the process of producing the “Model S”, a luxury car running solely on electricity that starts at $57,400. Concerns have been raised involving the company’s production process as orders of the new Model S are being delayed.

Peter Eavis of the New York Times writes that, “Tesla is now entering a critical phase,” as the company has taken out a loan of $465 million and the government, due to current forecasts of the company, have informed Tesla that early repayment must begin in October.

Is a company like Tesla fit to succeed in the current economic climate?

Although Tesla Motors vehicles are part of a niche market, a high end, stylish, and solely electric car company has yet to exist, giving them little competition. Should Tesla Motors market themselves correctly and push through these tough economic times, they may eventually succeed and thrive.

Often consumers purchase clothing produced in third world nations, considering the cheaper price. Therefore the question must be answered, why are these clothes so inexpensive?

According to the article by Serajul Quadir and Ruma Paul (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/asian-pacific-business/unrest-threatens-bangladeshs-19-billion-clothing-industry/article4528109/) workers are unhappy with conditions in factories, earning about 51 USD per month. Along with unfair pay, “working conditions and safety standards are poor, employees and some analysts say.”

Second only to China, the textiles sector in Bangladesh is a $19-billion industry, making up “80 per cent of the country’s $24-billion in annual exports.” In such a large industry it is common that employees are treated unfairly. This unrest need be resolved before large corporations decide to take their business elsewhere. The U.S. ambassador to Bangladesh, Dan Mozena described, “Many companies’ representatives told me about their concerns about buying from Bangladesh.” The CEO of H&M Karl-Johan Persson met with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and, “called for increasing the minimum wage and also for annual wage reviews for workers in the country’s textile industry.”

Poor ethics has created great unrest in the Bangladeshi textile industry. Improving overall working conditions is the only way to regain confidence from international investors and restore order among the employees.

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