Category: Blog Post

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Job Vacancy in Saskatchewan

There is a major job vacancy currently in Saskatchewan. Job vacancy is described as a job posting that had been vacant for over four months. Over 11,700 positions need to be filled in, which equals to a 3.6% vacancy rate. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business says that Saskatchewan “has the highest job vacancy rate in the country for private sector companies”. This vacancy rate is tied with Alberta’s vacancy rate. They also state that the reason why there is so many job vacancies is due to the lack of specific skill requirements and pay levels, along with many others. The overall national vacancy percent was 2.4% from July to September.

I find this very shocking that they are so many job vacancies in Saskatchewan and Alberta. The population of these two provinces are relatively low so I presume that it is difficult to find people to fill in the necessary job positions. In Vancouver, this is not the case because it seems like no where is ever hiring – or if they are, people fill these spots quickly. According to the “Labour Market Snapshot” of British Columbia, the vacancy rate of BC in June 2012 was 1.6%, on par with Ontario and Newfoundland. They are the fifth highest in comparison to the Canada’s provinces.
(Source: Saskatchewan tied for highest job vacancy rate in Canada: CFIB, Labour Market Snapshot, Now Hiring IMG)

 

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Blog Post Comment on Article

Social Entrepreneurship gets Google Involved


Google Headquarters

Randy Haykin, Founder and Partner of Gratitude Network is hosting a social entrepreneurship event at Google’s headquarters. His aim for this conference is to improve and create radical changes in education. Previously held at Pixar, this conference is populated by many influential people from the entertainment, entrepreneurship, science and technology industry. Entrance fees will go into the award pool for three social entrepreneurship’s up to a total of $30,000 – known as “crowdfunding”. The three main aspects that this conference will focus on regarding education change is: process, business model, and technology. He hopes that this will spark innovation and allow people to share their “passion for improving education”.

I believe that this conference will be able to help many schools that lack the funding to have proper technology to finally be able to utilize these new technologies. Not only that, this conference will inspire many other future social entrepreneurs to aim to create such a big and successful event. However, as I read this article, it raised a few concerns to me as to where the $30,000 grand award will be finally utilized. Perhaps many people with the right mind set attending this conference will pay for the admission fee – but the final allocation of these fundings will not be entirely to the right cause.

At the end of the day, Haykin describes this as “labour of love. All because we want to make a global impact starting with education”.


(Source: Social Entrepreneurship Event at Google HQ Aims to Catalyze Change in Education, Google Headquarters, Gratitude Network)

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Blog Post Comment on Article

Windows Phone 8 Trying to become the Next Best Smartphone

Windows Phone 8 promotes their new and innovative way of being the next best smartphone. Claiming that Apple and Android have not come up with new ways to interact with the phone and the user since its discovery – Windows has found the solution and the way to make smartphones more personalized to the user. For one, Windows Phone 8 launches the new ‘live app’. This live app will allow apps to have continuous updates streaming from their app logo without having to press into the app. Not only that, but you can also see these live apps through your lock screen. Secondly, Windows Phone 8 is also promoting the new Kids Corner – where adults can safely give their phones to their children without having to worry about any important notes or files being deleted. One of the most important improvements and innovations is the Data Sense. The Data Sense is a “new feature built into Windows Phone 8 that keeps track of all your data in real time” by compressing Web pages so that your data will be able to last longer.

These new features of the Windows Phone 8 is very attractive to consumers. These apps and new ideas sound personable, friendly and fun to use. Windows has been very good with their innovative ideas and marketing strategies so far. Compared to brands like RIM – Windows is truly trying to outcompete their competitors, Apple and Android. With this new Windows Phone 8, many customers that do not have a specific preference for Apple, Samsung or other Androids may choose to go with this new and improved Windows Phone 8.

(Source: Windows Phone 8 Article, Windows Phone 8 IMG)

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Blog Post Comment on Other Blogs

RIM Slowly Slipping through the Ranks (Comment on Joseph’s blog post)

In this post, Joseph talked about how RIM has fallen in the ranks from 56th to 93rd. This is due to Blackberry’s lack of innovation and creativity compared to the Apple and Android phones. Because of these competitors, Blackberry must come up with a new way to present their phones and show business professionals why they should choose Blackberry again. Joseph also raises the question of how RIM can improve their brand again and create a new POD (BBM vs iMessage).

I agree with Joseph that the Blackberry in comparison to Apple and Android phones lack in the specialness and differentiation. However, I feel that this also raises another question – previously known as the “business” phone, Blackberrys had the main concept of what businessmen required in order to properly communicate during the day; does that mean that all people using Apples and Androids are business professionals and need such intelligent devices throughout the day. Could RIM try to focus more on the business aspect of the functionality of the phones instead and create their POD that way?

(Source: Joseph’s Blog Post, Blackberry IMG)

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Blog Post Comment on Article

iPad Mini to be Launched

Wall Street analysts presume that Apple will launch a smaller version of the iPad, called the iPad mini – to compete with other competitors such as the Amazon Kindle Fire HD Tablet and Google Nexus 7. An unnamed source claims that Apple will announce the product on October 23rd, three days before Windows announces its Windows 8 Surface tablet. This mini version of the iPad will be more accessible to consumers because it can fit easily into their pockets – on the go. This product however may not be launched at a proper time. Although Apple stocks are at 55%, they are down 10% from their highest record. Also, Amazon and Google have not had much luck with sales for their tablets; Apple’s new mini iPad may be the same. Ironically, former owner of Apple – Steve Jobs had strongly opposed to the idea of a 7″ screen tablet, saying that “the devices should come with sandpaper so that users can file down their fingers to use them”.

Personally, I do not think that Apple should launch the new iPad mini with their stocks looking unsteady at the moment. There are too many risks with introducing this “new” tablet that has already proven not much of a profit earner. With the new iPhone 5, Apple should lay low for a while and see how things go and perhaps stocks will rise again.

Source: iPad mini Launches on October 23, iPad mini Image

 

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Blog Post Comment on External Blog

Google’s Official Blog (Comment on External Blog)

The blog that I found is Google’s Official Blog on Blogspot. The reason I chose this blog over other possible blogs such as Facebook, or The Homeless Man was because of the post that was most recently updated. The post was titled  “Celebrating teachers who make a difference with Google” and talked about how our favourite teachers have impacted us in such a way that way that have changed our entire lives. Google then incorporates some technologies that they provide that try to enhance and improve education around the world. This post really captured my attention because it had such a heartwarming story and message at the beginning and lead onto interesting innovations that Google had created which I had no idea about.

This blog is effective because it not only provides a platform for Google to promote their new ideas, but also a way to connect with the general public on a different, more emotional level. Google attempts to talk about problems that all users may be experiencing and tries to speak to us in a friendly way – as if the person typing these blogs was just a regular old friend updating us on his projects. I throughly enjoyed looking through what Google had to offer in which I had no ideas of. This is truly a good blog for users to understand more about Google and by reading these blogs, you can understand and see what the people culture is like at Google. Friendly!

(Source: Official Google Blog, Google IMG)

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Blog Post

LinkedIn’s tactic to Increase Users

LinkedIn Links Up with aPanel of  ‘Influencers’

LinkedIn proposes a new marketing strategy where they will create a feature for users to ‘follow’ a panel of 150 business professionals and entrepreneurs including Barak Obama and Mitt Romney. Users of LinkedIn will be able to receive updates and watch videos that these professionals post up on their profile. LinkedIn hopes that this new image will turn the website into “something more than a digital rolodex that unites people looking for a better job with talent-hungry employers.”

I believe that this will make LinkedIn become more similar to Facebook and other Social Media sites. Before this new feature, many people would refer to LinkedIn as a website for users to feel professional and have their resume online for business professionals to see. However, with this new feature, many of the business professionals and entrepreneurs may take advantage of this and turn it into Facebook and promote things aside from what they’re ‘asked’ to post by LinkedIn. This feature most likely won’t be very personal because these professionals would be too busy to care for their ‘LinkedIn’ account. Therefore, it would be another platform for these famous people to promote their businesses or their campaigns.
This was a smart conception however I do not feel that this will be used properly in the way that LinkedIn proposed it to.

(Source: Barak Obama and Mitt Romney, LinkedIn Logo)

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Blog Post

Translink’s New System: The Compass

Have you been seeing new fare gates at various skytrain stations? Are you wondering what they are for? Well Translink is finally installing The Compass, an “electronic fare card system” (Orton, 2012). The Compass will allow Transit users to quickly pay for skytrain or busses by tapping their card on card readers. The catch, is that users will also have to tap to get out of the bus/ skytrain. This way, users will have to pay the full 3 zone price first and if they leave before 3 zones they can tap out and get their remaining money back. If users do not tap out, they will have to pay the full 3 zone price.

As a frequent traveller to Hong Kong, London, and Singapore – I have been in contact with these types of Transit machines before. Although many people may complain how it will be a longer and more tedious process to get through gates, and to tap out before they can leave the bus, I believe this will be a major benefit to Translink for 2 reasons:

  • Translink will no longer lose money over bus/ sky train passengers that illegally board without paying
  • Translink will be able to properly allocate time, effort and money towards transit authorities and their services

It is about time that some passengers started paying for what they’re using. This is the most fair and just way to make sure no one illegally boards these modes of transportation. No longer will we need Transit Authorities to stand on the platforms checking each and every person that walks by them. This will make Translink look all  in all much more professional and complete as a transportation system.

(Source: New Transit passes Usher Speedy Trips, Skytrain IMG, Fare Gates IMG)

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Blog Post

Quiznos’ Quizzical Actions

For the past summer, my brother has worked at Quiznos as a part time job. Over the course of the two months, he’s have had countless complaints about the manager and the management style. Some of the poor treatments he experienced included:

– If employees work more than 8 hours, they swipe out at exactly 8 hours to avoid getting reprimanded, and then continue  their duties until finished

– Getting scheduled for 7.5hrs many times so to avoid getting a paid break for working 8 hours+

– Not getting a break after 5 hours

– Guilt tripping employees into not quitting/ continuing to work/ working more

I believe (aside from the other moral, or humane issues) that the main ethical issue involved was the meal break issue. According to the Government of B.C., Ministry of Labour, Employment Standards Branch, under section “Meal Plan” it states that “an employee must not work more than five hours in a row without an unpaid 30 minute break”. My brother has no choice but to stealthy grab a ‘crushed’ cookie from the front and eat it in the back in substitute for his break. He works long hours and the manager schemingly designs the schedule so that employees work long hours without getting a break and therefore not paying for non-labour. The manager is clearly infringing on labour laws to get the most out of her employees without having to pay any extra fees. This is unethical and luckily he was able to quit after getting guilt tripped multiple times (he knew of cases where employees quit and was still scheduled for work afterwards).

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