The company View the Vibe  founded in Toronto by Nicki Laborie “uses technology to interact with consumers” that serves as a promising future strategy for restaurants to run their businesses in a more interactive, socially-aware and attractive way.
View and Vibe provides lively taken videos that portrays the intimate experiences, the atmosphere, service, food and network that customers can expect  in the restaurant.  Commented by Ms. Laborie in an interview, “These days, a video can properly showcase everything from the food, to the ambience, to the type of clientele, to the overall vibe.”

        The whole idea of View and Vibe introduces restaurants( and even other types of businesses like clothing retail stores) to a higher aspect of doing activities. This use of “differentiation strategy” can make this business stand out from its competitors with a close daily-basis interaction with customers and credible transparency. Imagine one could pre-experience the restaurant before going for the first time, ordering from digital menus, and even paying “anywhere with a card on a smartphone”,  efficiency and convenience for both customers as well as the company would be significantly enhanced.  And guess what this leads to eventually—profitability from increased revenues and less personnel costs.

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-marketing/advertising/how-restaurants-are-using-technology-to-transform-the-dining-experience/article15411158/

    As the company’s founder and chairman Chip Wilson countered with Lululemon pants’ quality issue of pilling by responding that “Yeah but there has always pilling. The thing is that women will wear seat belts that don’t work or a purse that doesn’t work or, quite frankly, some women’s bodies just actually don’t work for it.”,  Lululemon was set on a hot seat among the general public.

        Wilson’s claim on “some women’s bodies just don’t work for it” has excluded quite a number of customers who recognize themselves “unfit” and “lack of thigh gaps” as well as a public controversy on its brand position. Lululemon is known for its yoga outfits and as stated in its brand advertising, it stresses on the “quality and performance” of its products. This haste comment contradicts to the inclusivity of the nature of yoga that Lululemon’s customer target is greatly involved with. Regarding to this authentic and unique brand position that Lululemon has achieved in the last few years, public’s discontent with some quality issues could be alleviated in other ways instead of harming the overall brand reputation.

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/why-lululemon-founder-believes-some-womens-bodies-dont-work-for-their-yoga-pants/article15345965/

    The effects of economic crisis happened in Greece did not just keep it within the country’s market development, but also Greek people’s social life and even survival needs. Greek farmers have found a new type of agricultural product to grow—saffrons— which are flowers containing the rare, precious spice. “Within the purple petals lie two or three strands of saffron. These red threads are helping the villagers survive Greece’s economic calamity.” This labour-intensive production makes good uses of the nature and resources that Greece have even though its financial environment is vulnerable for a stable, healthy market that average people could not find their jobs.

         Due to the crack of financial market from large debts in Greece, its negative effects have spreaded through the market that not various demographic groups were harmed.  Zisis Kirow, a young man in his 20s with two degrees said that “I was hoping to live in Athens but now with the whole economic crisis it’s really hard to find a job that covers your needs.”

Fortunately, these “hands-on” jobs like “planting saffrons” provide opportunities for people and the market to recover from the unhealthy financial market.

Sources: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/08/business/greece-saffron-farmers-jobs/index.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/11/business/greece-economy-on-path-to-recovery/index.html

           “Dr. Matthew Lieberman is professor of psychology, psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at UCLA and author of “Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect”. “Thinking Business” focuses on the psychology of getting ahead in the workplace by exploring techniques to boost employee performance, increase creativity and productivity.”

          As what is mentioned in class 19’s lecture about Zappos’ ability to maintain a high level of customer service, its productivity benefits a lot from its positive organizational culture and human resource strategy formed in the company. The provision of free food at workplace, the entertaining events held in the office, and the guarantee of health insurance for each employee, all add up to the “happiness” of the employees at work.

          A positive organizational culture which also sheds lights on “social rewarding”, is proven by Dr. Matthew that it directly enhances intellectual rather than emotional motivations which lead to better productivity for the firm.

              “One study has found that employees were willing to give up almost $30,000 in         yearly salary to be recognized for high praise at work. Fair treatment, praise from others, and even the opportunity to help someone in need are all socially rewarding and activate the brain’s most primitive pleasure centers.”

Sources: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/31/business/happiness-at-work-why-money/index.html

Law I-552 of labeling genetically modified foods didn’t pass in Washington State, becoming a second failed initiative after the same case happened in California last year. Considering that “a New York Times poll released in July, 93% of Americans want labels on food with GMOs” as a powerful social need for GMO indication on food packings, there are stronger opponents, represented by big corporations like“Monsanto, Dupont and Dow”, who impede this law for their own interests.

      If one knew a package of corns produced by Monsanto was genetically modified while an alternative choice of organically grown corns by local farmers is right beside on the grocery shelf, more purchases would be probably driven towards the natural, non-GMO foods. The regulation of labeling GMO could act as economical and reputational threats to the agricultural companies as more costs and “revelation about  foods” involved.  However, as customers, we have rights to know the ingredients of the food and this practice can contribute to a company’s social value and also, in the long run, economic value when it reconceives its productivity chain and is highly recognized by loyal customer bases.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/01/opinion/cohen-greenfield-gmos/index.html?hpt=hp_t5

Apple unveiled its new iPad during a San Francisco event on Oct. 23rd, 2013.  “Thinner, lighter and more powerful”, as Apple advertised it, legitimize a new name — “iPad Air”. This imperative move of Apple of launching its undated iPad just after iPhone 5S and 5C came out not long ago, directly speaks to the slumping sale of iPads in this third fiscal quarter, 2013. During Q3, iPad sales fell to $6.3 billion which dropped 27% over the same period in last year.

   In the maturing market of tablets, Apple’s iPad update launch was aimed to generate a higher edge over its rivalry such as Microsoft’s Surface Pro tablets and Nokia’s Lumia 2520. “Lack of update” of the third version iPads mis-fulfilled customers’ expectations and gave away its competitiveness over its rivalries. But Apple figured out a way soon enough to regain iPad’s profitability using “production innovation” and  “differentiation” which sheds lights on Porter’s Five Forces business strategy. Facing with the competitive supplier power and threats of substitutes in tablet market, Apple’s strategic move of launching its updated, high-end Pad Air can enhance its level of competitiveness and grow a higher edge over its rivalries, which would promisingly boost its future sales.

Resources:

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/22/tech/mobile/new-ipad-apple-event/index.html?hpt=ibu_c2

http://money.cnn.com/2013/10/18/technology/mobile/apple-ipad/index.html?iid=Lead

The “everlasting” frenzy of Apple products has been reinforced as Apple launched their iphone 5C and 5S in late September, 2013. As smartphone market having becoming more and more competitive and elastically demanded with price, Apple fought back its domination over Samsung Galaxy series and Android as it tops its sales among the major U.S. carriers, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint andT-Mobile.

The launching of Iphone 5C hasn’t been as welcomed by the market as it appears on the “Top Sales Charts” in the beginning.  Complainants about the expensive price regarding to its physical “no-change” from Iphone 5 except for the choices of colors of the phone cover impeded their value standing of consumers’ view in the market. However, the sales were quickly boosted after carriers like Best Buy dropped Iphone 5c’s price to $50 with a promotion method of providing gift cards or signing a two-year contract.

Besides the marketing strategy of offering promotions, Apple applies its “forward thinking” in Iphone 5S operations. The new technology of fingerprint senor is used to unlock the screen rather than entering password codes. A better qualified camera meets consumers’ needs with higher defined photo-shooting. And a new processor is also embedded in this new phone. These high-end technological features aiming at satisfying higher market needs perfectly demonstrate the smart forecasting that Apple conducted in the expected market.

Works Cited:

Padilla, Richard. “iPhone 5s Tops Sales Charts at Major U.S. Carriers as iPhone 5c and Galaxy S4 Battle for Second”. MacRumors. Monday October 7, 2013. Oct. 8, 2013.

< http://www.macrumors.com/2013/10/07/iphone-5s-tops-sales-charts-at-major-u-s-carriers-as-iphone-5c-and-galaxy-s4-battle-for-second/>

Stern, Joanna. “Best Buy Drops the Price of iPhone 5c to $50”. ABC NEWS. Oct. 3, 2013. Oct. 8, 2013. < http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/apple-iphone-5c-best-buy-weekend-50/story?id=20463745>.

Trademarks identify the uniqueness of products with special packaging, signs, labels, etc.  British confectionary company Cadbury has being fighting for its lawsuit to register its distinctive packaging purple color defined as Pantone 2685C; however, it was denied after its five-year battle in the appeal court in London on Friday, Oct. 4th. The big rival on court is one of the largest food company Nestle, which brought up a testimony that a UK chocolate manufacturer has maintained a use of a particular shade of purple since WWI.

What’s wrong with Cadbury officially applying for its distinctive “shade of purple” which has been recognizedly used for packing since the 20th as a trademark? Cadbury responded to the “unfair competitive advantage” of trademarking Pantone 2685C by arguing  that “so many other shades were available there” for other manufacturers.  In people’s minds with conventional trademarks, they are usually uniquely designed logos such as “Coca-Cola” and “H&M”, a distinctive symbol such as a bitten apple for “Apple” and a rabbit head“Playboy”, or artistic patterns such as Burberry’s check design.  Maybe the recognitions of colors, smells or even sounds as one’ trademark are not acceptable yet for it will create new conceptual complicities.

The formal lawsuit testimony below put Cadbury’s trademark application to death sentence. “The mark applied for thus lacks the required clarity, precision, self-containment, durability and objectivity to qualify for registration.”

Trademark plays an important role in branding and marking for a company. It adds to the points of difference in determining the value proposition of a company. Therefore this is why Cadbury would fight for this battle for five years and its competitor Nestle would join in the appeal court to overturn the recognition of Pantone 2685C as its trademark. Before the unconventional trademarks like colors become more relevant and credible for the market, use of Pantone 2685C has to maintain publicly useable for other manufacturers.

Works cited & more reading:

“Cadbury denied right to trademark Dairy Milk purple”.  FRIDAY, OCT 4, 2013. <http://www.salon.com/2013/10/04/cadbury_denied_right_to_trademark_dairy_milk_purple_newscred/>.

Most of the times, economy works the best itself for trade and expansion. In this case, however, some Canadian business benefit from the government’s action of introducing the new business market in southeast Asia.

 (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is paying a visit in Malaysia this Saturday, October 5th, and it has been 17 years since the last “sitting Canadian prime minister” had a visit there. The reconnection between Canadian businesses and Southeast Asian market has been mostly driven by the emerging economy from the global economic growth point of view. Besides, “a growing Southeast Asian middle class”, is another driving factor in this market expansion.

CAE Inc. has launched its successful pilot training for Air Asia, a regional fast-growing discount airline. Other Canadian companies such as CAE Inc., Talisman Energy, Bombardier Rail, and Teknion Furniture  are already in the move to cash in the prospective Malaysian, Philippine and other southeast Asian markets along with the friendly political environment in light of Stephen Harper’s current visit.  As we can see, business expansion in new international market has been a lucrative and unavoidable trend in current economy, and government creating a friendly diplomatic environment has become essentially helpful in this market expansion.

Works cited:

“Harper eyes regional growth for new business in Malaysia”. The Canadian Press. Oct 05, 2013. <http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/harper-eyes-regional-growth-for-new-business-in-malaysia-1.1913826>.

When talking about business ethical issues, some serious business fraud which lead to  customers’ physical and considerable loss come into our minds. However, would the confidential insecurity resulting from a business activity fall into the concerns of business ethics? I definitely say yes.

Using Health Apps on the smartphone can make our life as active and healthy as we want it to be. Yet, the inconvenient side comes when confidential health information can be publicly accessed due to the lack of privacy management of the Apps network.  A research financed by the California Consumer Protection Foundation discovered that “Only 13 percent of free apps, and 10 percent of paid apps, encrypted all data connections between the app and the developer’s Web site.” (Carrns, Ann. “Free Apps for Nearly Every Health Problem, but What About Privacy?”.  “The New York Times”. September 11, 2013.)

Unlike a health clinic where the medical information is legally protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, there are not legalized policies on privacy protection for Health Apps. It is basically up to the network company to decide on how much capital and finances they would put on securing personal information for their users/customers.  If their social responsibilities are not priorly or even solely on “increasing their profits” (as Milton Friedman suggested in his essay “The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits”), some important customers’ rights such as medical privacy on Health Apps ought to be considered seriously.  However, before the Apps business securely manage their online privacy motivated by business ethical responsibilities, as customers we better go with the paid credible Health Apps for our own interests.