Finally I get to write a blog about a topic I have been debating for years. While searching for a topic for my external blog, I came across Nick Loper’s blog.

The topic for this blog was “to get an MBA or to start a business”? In the post, the author discusses how getting an MBA would help him and if doing it would be worth it. He then talks about his fear of falling behind if he did not get a MBA and what would the employers even think of him if he had an extra degree?

He then discusses the pros and cons of a MBA degree and also gives the views of many people in the post.

Honestly, I think that getting an MBA is definitely worth it. People may say that not doing an MBA saves lots of money which could otherwise be used to do better things like start a business. But, I believe that a MBA gives you the tools to start your own business and excel in it.

In today’s world, many entrepreneurs are dropouts and are doing really well. But, I really think that the experience that an MBA degree gives to you is much more valuable than the money spent on it. I totally agree that it is a huge financial burden and forces debt on the people doing it.

But, in the long run it does pay off. As for me, this is what I think, but honestly I don’t know if I am ever going to get a MBA degree, but I would recommend it to anyone debating about it.

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http://bestcollegecourses.com/sites/bestcollegecourses.com/files/styles/large/public/field/image/Should%20I%20get%20MBA.jpg?itok=YrYnl2z9

In Troy Chesley’s blog, he discusses about a change being brought about by Daniel Meyer, the Chief Executive Officer of Union Square Hospitality Group in his 13 restaurants known as the “no-tipping policy”.

The dining industry in today’s world is all about the experience and one thing that troubles me at the end of the experience is that I have to calculate what to tip the waiter. Honestly, after reading this article, it does make sense to me.

The experience that I receive at the restaurant is a collective effort and everyone in the restaurant should be compensated equally. From the cleaner to the Head Chef, from manager to waiter, everyone is equally responsible in a restaurant, then why do only the waiters get compensated?

The no-tipping policy would actually help the waiters too. Referring to an article from 2014 about why there should be no tipping, it says that the tipped minimum wage in USA is $2.13 which is way below the Full minimum wage. This means that the waiters working under such pay scales are living in poverty. Their lives rely on the tips they get. If only they got something around the actual full minimum wage, they would not care about the tips.

Mr Chesley in his blog agrees with the fact that tipping should be abolished and that the tip amount should be included in the bill by the restaurant itself. This way everyone in the restaurant feels equally compensated and also restaurants can get better chefs because they would know that the tips are being shared equally. According to me, adopting this policy would be a win-win for everybody.

Image Source:

http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/articles/business/moneybox/2012/12/121214_MBOX_notip.jpg.CROP.article250-medium.jpg

I am opposed to the ‘one for one’ business model because it restrains the growth of the people they give aid to and also hinders the growth of the businesses in the areas where they give away their products.

The intentions of the one for one business model are pure but the effects that this model has on the community as a whole is not good. When free goods are given away to people who cannot purchase them leads them to be dependent on such sources. Even the businesses in the area feel the pinch because when free stuff is given away nobody wants to buy products, they start depending on such organisations.

A better technique of philanthropy would be to give employment to people, train them to achieve more, educate them about practices that can help grow in life. Like the idea of setting up manufacturing units in areas where people cannot meet their daily requirements would be a good way to start. Giving employment ensures that people earn money to buy what they need.

Another way of helping people would be to help them pursue their ideas. People who have innovative ideas but not the resources, usually end up not going forward with their ventures. Giving such people loans on no interest rate can help them achieve a lot.

Charity is important, but making people capable is even better. Medical help, essential clothing, food and water need to be given away to people in need but giving away products that companies produce is not a good idea according to me.

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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6f/Tom-Logo.jpg

Kexin Cheng’s blogpost discusses about Amazon’s plans to introduce drones for delivery. In her post, she discusses how Amazon says it would introduce drones for delivery of goods to customers within 30 minutes by 2017-2018.

Drones in today’s world being used for delivery of goods does not seem like a big deal to me, but the question is that if the world is ready for a change like this?

According to me, it is very possible that this can be done. Technology in today’s world can make it possible. A lot of people would oppose drones by raising safety concerns, unemployment, but to be honest it would be a big hit and would save so much money for Amazon.

Initially, Amazon would have to spend a lot of money in investing in these drones but it would pay off as they would save so much money on delivery in the future and also they would be environment friendly as they would be saving costs on fuel.

It is evident that the world will adopt this change because machines are being used almost everywhere in today’s world. Even in the automobile industry, machines are used extensively for production. They would also make a lot of money by using drones. Because, initially everybody would want to see their goods being delivered by machines, so there would be a lot of demand for goods from Amazon.

All in all I think it would be a great venture to pursue and I am really excited to see how Amazon implements its idea and what follows.

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Recently, Bombardier Inc. has been in the news for being in financial trouble due to their delay in production and development of the new Cseries. Bombardier states that the Cseries would consume 20% less fuel per trip than its competitors.

The company does not have enough money to finish its development and production, which is the reason why the Quebec government wants to bailout the company. The company contributes to 2% of Quebec’s GDP and gives employment to a large number of its citizens. The Quebec government has confirmed the company a bailout amount of $1 billion and has also asked the Central government to step in.

As the new Liberal Government has already begun working, the company is expecting a lot from them. Justin Trudeau recently said, When the Canadian government decides whether to give aid to aircraft maker Bombardier Inc., it will take into account any possible trade challenge that might arise as a result.

Bombardiers troubles do not seem to end as one of its customers, Porter Airlines ordered a dozen of the new C-series on the condition that it would be allowed to fly to the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. The Transport Minister recently said that it would not allow passenger flights to fly out of that airport.

Another analysis shows that Bombardier would lose $32 million for each Cseries built in 2016-17.

According to me, the Government should properly analyse before investing into Bombardier and also know what could happen if they did so because the company’s management does not seem very stable. The decision will be very hard as Bombardier contributes a lot to the national economy and also to the Industry as a whole.

Image Source:

http://www.ainonline.com/sites/default/files/uploads/cseries_web.jpg

Recently, the third India-Africa Summit was held in Delhi, India from October 26-29^th, 2015. A total of 54 African nations were invited in the Summit and were represented by Presidents, Foreign Ministers and Kings.

The objective of this Summit for India was to expand its business relations in Africa and also get support for its candidature to be a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Web. 1 Nov. 2015.

India’s presence in Africa is nowhere close to the presence of China in the continent, but after this Summit things can start to turn in India’s favour. The conference was fruitful for India in a way because some countries responded positively. Egypt released two Indian prisoners that the country had held for 16 and 22 years respectively.

Angola’s Vice President said that India should do business with them, this could be a golden opportunity for India as the country is rich in diamonds to which Prime Minister Modi said it being a win-win for both nations. Somalia was also satisfied with the Summit as Prime Minister Modi of India said that India could send forces to counter terrorism on Somalian seas.

China’s revenue in Africa is more than twice of India’s. China’s trade earned them $222 billion from Africa last year while India at number two just earned $70 billion. But, according to me, India should not worry because they ought to catch up to China in the near future and Summits like these only make the process faster.

References:

http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/engaging-africa-indias-541-initiative/

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2015/10/india-challenge-china-dominance-africa-151028195608246.html

Image Source:

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References:

The Canadian dollar is living its worst nightmare currently. Its value has been depreciating day by day and has reached a record low which was last seen in 2004. There was a time when it used to be at par with the United States Dollar and now it is valued at about 76 cents. The big question is what led to this drastic change?

Web. 30 Sept. 2015. <https://postmediawindsorstar.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/loonie_20140109.jpg?w=630>.

There are a few reasons why I think the Canadian dollar is losing its value in the market. The first one being the fall in the demand of the Canadian exports such as oil and other commodities. The second reason could be the recovery of the U.S. economy. Lastly, the loonie’s value could also be influenced by the interest rate cuts introduced by the Bank of Canada.

Royal Bank Strategist Mark Chandler says, ‘ The weakness in oil prices is spilling over in a nasty fashion in Canada.

The falling value of the loonie has worried everyone in the country except for the manufacturers who expect to make money by exporting their goods for cheap. It may help them a bit because it will make importing Canadian goods cheaper but it would also lower their value in the market.

The tourism sector also expects to make easy money due to the inflow of the numerous American tourists coming across the border to have fun and relax while also staying in budget. Walking down Vancouver’s downtown on weekends these days, I see Americans everywhere. This is the only good thing that can happen with the dollar falling. But, the big picture still suggests that Canada is not having a good time right now which can be seen in the conversion chart below.

Web. 4 Oct. 2015. <https://chart.finance.yahoo.com/z?s=CADUSD=X&t=1y&q=l&l=off&z=m&a=v&p=s&lang=en-US®ion=US>.

On a personal note, I think that the falling value of the dollar is good for me because I being an international student save a lot of money while exchanging currency to pay my tuition or just for my own expenses. So in this situation this is the bright side for me.

So, What do you think?

References:

http://business.financialpost.com/investing/loonie-drops-to-lowest-point-in-more-than-a-decade-as-oil-and-gold-buckle-under-pressure

“Loonie Drops to Lowest Point in More than a Decade as Oil and Gold Buckle under Pressure.” Financial Post Loonie Drops to Lowest Point in More than a Decade as Oil and Gold Buckle Underpressure Comments. Web. 2 Oct. 2015.

http://business.financialpost.com/investing/loonie-drops-to-lowest-point-in-more-than-a-decade-as-oil-and-gold-buckle-under-pressure

“Falling Loonie Should Boost Windsor.” Windsor Star. Web. 2 Oct. 2015. http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/falling-loonie-should-boost-windsor

A well planned business is like a well crafted watch. What makes the gears of the chronological marvel slip through time like silk are like values that come together in successfully establishing a business. Ethics, rules, regulations and moral values are some notions that determine the inner workings of a business. Decision making is through ethics and execution is of course by dedication towards success.

Every business operates within social guidelines as business is an eternal part of society. So no business or entrepreneur can expect to grow and perform well without keeping in mind its social obligations and responsibilities. According to Edward Freeman , The main objective of a manager should be to maximize profit with due attention to society and keeping in mind the benefit to all the stake holders.

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Wipro , A Multi-National Corporation based in India models for all the business corporations in Asia. Being one of the biggest business empires in the world, they have not forgotten about the morals of business and are carrying out their duties properly. They are one of the very few companies that actually serve the society and make a difference in the world.

Many initiatives taken by Wipro are centered in India. 16 projects across the country are funded from a trust which was formed back in 2003. These projects provide healthcare for people who cannot afford these services and this is being done at large scales that cater to more than 75000 citizens residing across 53 villages. Along with these 5 Indian cities benefit from education based projects. Wipro’s initiatives draw out to the Indian environment and focus on sustainability too where more than a hundred thousand plants and trees are planted cross country eventually increasing the way of life.

Apart from the company’s philanthropic contributions, their chairman, Azim Premji has also done a lot to make a difference in the society. According to reports, he has given away shares worth Rs. 53,000 crore($10.5 billion)  in about five years to bankroll philanthropic activities focused on improving the public education system and other critical areas of need in India.

Even though many businesses in today’s world only care about making profits and forget about the morals that make them what they are, there are still a few who like to play within the rules. According to me, Azim Premji and his company Wipro have shown to the world how a business should function.

“Premji Gives Away Half His Wipro Stake for Charity | Mydigitalfc.com.”Premji Gives Away Half His Wipro Stake for Charity | Mydigitalfc.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2015. <http://www.mydigitalfc.com/news/premji-gives-away-half-his-wipro-stake-charity-383>.

“Sustainability at Wipro Is All about Good Citizenship.” Wipro Sustainability. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2015. <http://www.wipro.com/about-Wipro/sustainability/>.