Yesterday, my mother exposed me to a website called Groupon. Initially, I was skeptical because it was a “one deal a day” website where one type of product or service was advertised at a “special price” for a span of 24 hours. How it works is that if you like the good or service being promoted, you make an online purchase for the coupon (before the 24 hours expire) and then use it after at the location. Apparently, this concept was launched in 2004 and there are currently more than 100 one-deal-a-day websites.

This is a form of Management of Information Systems (MIS) that can greatly benefit both producers and consumers. Companies are applying their business through forms of technology – the computer and Internet. In this way, they are using digitization to generate more awareness of their products and/or services, thus potentially generating more foot traffic into their stores.

My mother makes purchases on this site fairly often. I myself have made a purchase – a $30 meal at Hapa Izakaya for the price of $15. Not only do these promotions benefit customers, but they also promote and advertise for the companies that participate. What a unique way to apply MIS!

Whenever a classmate participates in Comm 101 classes, I turn to look at the speaker and in the process, get hit with a big dose of apples, glowing Macbook apples that is. How has Apple successfully established itself as one of the top computer manufacturing companies in the world?

“Why Apple Failed” is an article written in 2006 that lists several problems that Apple Inc. needed to deal with in order to distinguish itself from its competition. One of the main issues highlighted is Apple’s distinctiveness – Macs are not PCs, they run on completely different systems. As a result, Apple Inc. needed to improve on both it’s product and platform (product positioning) which in turn would inform customers of the unique features and benefits that Macs possess. In this way, Apple needed to expand on its own market and not on the PC market share.

It is evident that Apple Inc. has successfully positioned itself to the tastes of a vast range of consumers over the past years. Along with creative advertising aimed at differentiating itself from PC manufacturers, Apple also put effort into improving the overall quality of its products and its visual appeal. The results are evident as Apple Inc. is clearly one of the top computer manufacturing companies in the world.

Over several years, American Apparel has globally distinguished itself as a hip and trendy brand. The company, created in 2003 by Dov Charney, has immensely expanded to approximately 280 stores in 20 different countries in a short period of time. How did Dov Charney and his American Apparel team manage to do such a task in such little time?

One possible answer to this question could be effective  product positioning. American Apparel holds many points of parity such as fashionable, somewhat affordable, and basic clothing (ie. sweatshirts, cotton t-shirts, etc.). However, their point of difference comes from the fact that the goods produced for American Apparel is manufactured in America. This appeals to many who oppose common unethical forms of labour used by companies in order to reduce input costs such as the use of sweat shops and child labour.

However, with such a distinct brand, how has American Apparel gone from such a promising company to one on the brink of bankruptcy in the span of two years? Firstly, the “hip” brand reputation has been diminishing as people are gearing away from this company’s fads. As a result, American Apparel is going through a process of repositioning as it attempts to move away from trendy basics and enter the more stylish and expensive realms of the retail industry. In addition, over expansion and the loss of US factory workers have also greatly contributed to this company’s downfall.

For the past few months, I have been shopping for a new phone to purchase upon my contract renewal with Fido. After narrowing it down to a handful of choices, I have finally settled on the Blackberry Curve 8520 because of many features that I believe will benefit me as a consumer.

An improved version of the previous Curve 8300, this newer model has a track pad instead of a rolling ball. This is a great benefit because the ball was said to malfunction often due to frequent usage. Therefore, the chance of the phone breaking is reduced. The phone also has a full QWERTY keyboard, which makes it easier and faster for me to text. As well, this blackberry is a smartphone, with Wi-Fi capabilities. As I am on a minimal data plan, this feature benefits me because I am able to go on the internet for free where Wi-Fi is available. Lastly, Blackberries have the ability to compress internet pages, thus reducing the data I would have to spend on the internet without Wi-Fi.

All of these features produce benefits that I, the consumer, see as fitting to satisfy both my wants and my needs. Yes, a smartphone is definitely unnecessary and a want, but the features of the Blackberry Curve 8520 will benefit me in many ways.

The recall of a reported 9.5 million automobiles by Japan-based manufacturer Toyota Motor has raised a number of concerns regarding the safety and quality of the cars this company provides. Worldwide, 4.1 million cars have been recalled regarding accelerator pedal safety and an additional 5.4 million cars concerning the pedal and floor mats. Some attribute this manufacturing crisis to the company’s desire to supplant GM as the top car producer in the world, which in turn stretched the company to its furthest regarding quality control. This has been the second recall for Toyota, and one would think the lesson would have been learned initially.

The question that comes to my mind is how such a renown company could completely risk the safety of its consumers in order to reach the top. Weren’t there other ways that Toyota Motors could have employed to attain their goal rather than by cutting corners? Paying less attention to some of the basic necessities of a car, namely its safety features, is definitely a risky, unrewarding, and unethical decision!