Joseph Liu's Blog

Since this is already my 10th blog post, that means the semester and therefore this course, is sadly almost at its conclusion.

Even though Comm 101 is not mandatory course for first year Sauder students, I strongly believe those who decided not to attend this class forwent an incredibly valuable experience. This class introduced to us countless useful concepts of business; such as business ethics, entrepreneurship, several tools:

SWOT: Diagram showing “Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats”, which provide a solid overview of a company.

SWOT Analysis

Porters 5 Forces: Displays the characteristics of an industry, and can be used for strategic planning for a business.

Porters Five Forces Template

and many more.

Differing from other classes, instead of simply teaching the concept, we were given the opportunity to apply what we learned through the class’s many interactive activities. I thoroughly enjoyed this method of learning, as I learn better through doing, rather than conceptually visualizing. The projects we were given were challenging, yet not impossible, which motivated me to learn. Another aspect of this course that I appreciated was the open, yet professional learning environment Jeff and Paul created in that class. Their knowledge in Commerce is undeniable, and their willingness to make our learning enjoyable was something I found incredibly admirable.

Thanks for Making Comm 101 Enjoyable

Comm 101 was a wonderful experience, and although my career in business has just begun, I feel much more prepared than I did in September.

After BC Hydro’s announcement of the introduction of Smart Meters, the response from local citizens was generally negative largely attributed to the lack of information given in regards to their purpose. Smart Meters seem to provide few visible benefits, while they seem to give BC Hydro many advantages.

Powersmart? Or Profitsmart?

Where is the support for the Smartmeters?

Smart Meters act as ‘surveillance tools’ and give BC Hydro detailed energy information about each household. Unsurprisingly, this has brought forth the formation of several Anti Smart Meter protest groups; not only are citizens fearful of their privacy, health, there have also been cases of increased electricity bills immediately after the installation of these devices. Consequently, I would agree with Frederick Wong’s blog post regarding the public’s disapproval of Smart Meters, but I would argue on his statement that Power Tab’s should “steer clear of British Columbia”.

I believe it is completely unfair that Smart Meters are mandatory, and Power Tabs could be a rather effective alternative. If households are allowed to use a product that has its functions explained in detail, users are much less likely to protest.

Frederick Wong’s Blog: https://blogs.ubc.ca/frederickwong/

In last week’s Comm 101 class regarding entrepreneurship, we were introduced to actual entrepreneurs, Janice Cheam and Wade Larson, who shared their innovative product ideas to our class. Both Janice and Wade are in the process of developing and releasing their products in the near-future, and after listening to their sales pitches, both seem to have developed potentially successful products.

Janice Cheam

Janice’s main product, the PowerTab, aims to assist users in lowering energy usage/costs, while also bringing attention to sustaining the environment. By measuring and displaying the amount of energy a household uses, families will begin to apprehend the amount of electricity they use, and consequently look to use less energy. This is a brilliant idea, but will individuals be willing to spend $50-$100 to measure their energy use?

The PowerTab helps you track your energy use, saves money and the environment at the same time!

Wade Larson

Wade’s innovative idea, URTHECAST, is a service that provides real-time HD satellite imaging that brings a revolutionary experience to the world. Although the idea is risky due to the high startup costs, I believe the wide interest it will gather  will allow the service to become lucratively profitable. Wade’s partnership with RSC Energia is one of the companies greatest strengths, as it allows him to forgo the multimillion dollar cost of purchasing a satellite by sharing it instead, thereby giving his company a competitive advantage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVZA1V4Ttc0

Although both entrepreneur ventures are impressive, I personally believe URTHECAST will become a more lucrative business due to its broader target market. People of all ages will find this service intriguing.

Anyone who has ever been interviewed for a job position can relate to the amount of stress and psychological pressure connected to the situation. Therefore, doesn’t it seem unfair for companies to further distress their candidates by asking unanticipated questions about their personal life?

Susan Shellenbarger of the Wall Street Journal Blog certainly believes so. In her post, she regards simple questions relating to a candidate’s past history, such as: “When did you graduate from high school?” and “Are you currently using birth control?” as discriminatory questions that are too personal.

Although these types of questions may trigger some discomfort in the candidates, my personal opinion is that job interviewers have every right to this knowledge, as the applicants are in line to work at that organization for a potentially lengthy period of time. Consequently, Shellenbarger must sympathize for businesses, as they are most likely interested in hiring employees that provide the best fit, and least likely to cause internal problems in the organization. As long as questions are relevant to providing a better understanding of a candidate’s ability to do what is expected of them, companies should have the right to ask those kind of questions.

Wall Street Journal: http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2010/09/13/when-job-interview-questions-become-too-personal/

What attracts millions of gamers to camp outside their local video game retailer a day or two prior to its release? Call Of Duty.

Avid Gamers Lining Up for the Midnight Release

It would be ridiculous to say that the Call Of Duty series is not one of the most successful in history, as the last 3 titles have sold a whopping total 43 million copies. Consequently, there is no doubt that Black Ops 2, the next instalment, will sell millions of copies, but the question on everyone’s mind is how much longer can the makers retain this incredible level of success?

Large Sales Numbers indeed, but will a downward trend continue?

I have long been regarded as a Call Of Duty ‘fanboy’, but myself and many other players have become bored of the same game with minor tweaks here and there. This reality is observed through the last instalment, which is currently selling slower and behind 2.7 million copies than its previous game, which is a cause for concern. If Black Ops 2 fails to rejuvenate and capture its players with something fresh on its release tonight, it may indicate the Call of Duty franchise has passed its peak and heading on a downward trend.