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We respected BlackBerry, but we never loved it. (http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/10/10/we-respected-blackberry-but-we-never-loved-it/)

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In James Cowan’s Blog: We respected BlackBerry, but we never loved it (MacLeans). He suggested that BlackBerry is different from other smartphone industries, that it lacks a sense of personality and emotion bond between the product and its customers. For example, “Google’s Android has a cute robot that manages to make an operating system seem warm and fuzzy” (Cowan). This shows that customer relationships with the firm has great influence on consumer’s decision on purchasing a product. In fact, the emotion bond between the user and the smartphone stands in a significant role for such relationship because it develops over time as users get used to using the system it employs.

“Even a tech company that targets business users benefits from a bit of personality” (Cowan). Cowan strongly believes that Black Berry needs to learn from his understanding in order to climb back up in the market against other smartphone industries. However, research on why people favor BlackBerry shows that they like the fact that they are working like a mini-computer, with physical keyboards and not much emotion. Unfortunately, more customers tend to enjoy that emotional bond, which hints that BlackBerry should reconceive its products to target larger customer segment.

Wesley Hong’s Blog: Tim Goes Global (https://blogs.ubc.ca/wesleyhong/2013/11/10/tim-goes-global/)

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In Wesley’s Blog: Tim Goes Global, it mentions that Canada’s coffee giant, Tim Horton, is looking into expansion in its marketing field all over North America by first starting in the States and the Middle East. After the completion on market research, the CEO, Marc Caira, identifies the problems and admitted to the lack of competitiveness in technology comparing to company like StarBucks, where apps provide services for customers to pay online. Moreover, he notices that a wider variety of coffee drinks and food selections could hold on to more younger customers. In conclusion, the company is planing to take actions on expanding the market field, servicing through technologies, and inventing new products.

Tim Horton is heavily embedded in our daily living that it has become part of the Canadian culture. Such approaches for the company will create shared values and sustainability, that there will be more interested customers. In addition, they would benefit the firm on competing with other coffee industries because of globalization that makes it more powerful in the market. As long as cost of production remains low, Tim Horton’s new marketing strategy in a cost leadership position will help the firm to gain some competitive advantage.

Joseph Lee’s Blog: Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Action (https://blogs.ubc.ca/josephlee/2013/11/13/sustainable-entrepreneurship-in-action/)

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After reading Joseph’ blog: Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Action, it gives me a insight on how business innovation can heavily impact the environment and the reputation of the business.  Such intelligently invented electric car has great advantage on saving gases, being affordable in the market, and meets the basic safety standard. It is the uniqueness of the product that attract customers because it is new in design and environmentally friendly. In addition, the innovation of the business does not only address the profitability, but the lacking idea of responsibility concerning environmental problems.

Cody and Tyler Kor, creator of the product, have considered its aspect on creating shared value over corporate social responsibility. The innovation in their company has the value of benefiting the society and the economy relative to cost as mentioned above by those factors. Also, it seeks to maximize its profit that the value added to the company assist them on future competition against other firms. The business uses a method of reconceiving its products to target the market in a much more appealing fashion.

Apps for brats (http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21588403-american-parents-snap-up-apps-make-their-children-less-horrible-apps-brats)

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In America, over 12 million children and adolescents are over weighted. Also, a lot of teenagers are obsessed with video games. Parents always have troubles dealing with their children’s health and laziness. They believe that a good way to change such problem is to force them into eating health food and doing household tasks. However, a new solution has come up. Some apps (Eater) appear to be effective in getting children to eat the food that they don’t like. (e.g. vegetables) It allows the players to feed an affectionate character with healthy food, where they will eventually understand that those foods are good for them. Other apps encourage children to help with household tasks. It assigns tasks in the categories of age groups, where each completion earns certain amount of points.

The business is targeting a relatively new market that past apps have failed. Market research must be put under considerations that whether these apps are effective and have a high demand. According to the article, obesity and lack of diligence is a main concern to parents. There are a lot of potential developments in this business that positive word of mouth can be contained if these apps are effective.

Low-cost tablet wars: You won’t find an Apple under every Christmas tree (http://www.economist.com/blogs/schumpeter/2013/10/low-cost-tablet-wars)

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The market for tablets is competing at a lower-price range. More companies (Amazon, Barnes, Tesco) are willing to produce low price tablets. Although such products do not produce high profit for the company, the business strategy is to link them to other products that the company offers. This would give consumers a feeling that they are facing a really good deal on a product, but after they purchase it, there might be other products linking to the previous one, that they need to buy as well in order to make them function together. (Well, I would think it’s still a good deal.)

It is likely in the future that more people will be using these products because they are cheap and they can provide mostly what Apple, Google, and Samsung do. However, it is true that they are not as efficient, but there is a wide range of customers interested in these kind of products because they cannot afford expensive tablets. I would conclude that these companies are managing with a cost leadership strategy where products are linked to one another and the companies are competing at a low-cost range.

Hail A Cab (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mtdata.hailacabhouston&hl=en)(http://www.economist.com/news/business/21588101-ever-more-cities-smartphone-apps-are-reshaping-taxi-market-tap-hail)

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Hail a Cab is a smartphone app for ordering cab service. The app target consumers in business, on vacation, and at home.  The idea is that it could create more convenience for customers. “Just tap to hail, and your cab will be on the way.” The app also provides cab locations at any time, where customers can pick the nearest cap by just clicking the button. In addition, Hail a Cab have future service for customers to plan their ride in advance. Instead of making phone calls for arrangements, it can be done through using the smartphone. Furthermore, Hail a Cab even remembers the previous drop-off or pick-up location. This can be a useful tool for customers who are not familiar with the area that they are exploring. Moreover, will a given I.D. on each trip, customers will know the arrival and departing time of their cab. (No More Guessing!)

Such improve in technology strengthens the customer relationships, that they will certain rely on the service for the convenience it provides. The channel of delivering the service is quite efficient as well (online). The value propositions of the business stands on a strong platform of delivering useful informations to customers.

Un-marketing rhino horn (http://www.economist.com/blogs/schumpeter/2013/10/business-conservation)

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“Rhino horn is sometimes ground to a powder, mixed with water and drunk. Rhino horn is made of keratin, like fingernails. Yummy!” (Natasha Loder). The product is a symbol of health and authority. People often buy it as gifts to one another. However, the high demand for such product creates a poaching crisis in South Africa.

The market for rhino horn has put the species in great danger. 668 rhinos were killed in 2012. Rhinos grow so slowly that such production cannot satisfy the people’s demand. Ironically, when legal trade for the product is banned, it does not reduce producers’ incentive to supply. This is because of the black market, where consumers are willing to pay more for the product.

A solution approached through spreading fear and uncertainty in the media, that consuming rhino horn is poisonous and can cause serious illness. Consumers are more likely to reduce the risk of getting sick, which lowers the demand for rhino horn. The media is a powerful source for products’ image and brand image. The government’s attack on value proposition wiped out consumer’s demand towards such market.

 

Stringing it together (http://www.economist.com/blogs/schumpeter/2013/09/online-travel)

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Whenever you decide to go on a trip, do you find it confusing or frustrating to deal with transportation? Waymate and GoEuro, are companies that provide planning services to customers for their traveling plan before their trip. The goal is to achieve the most convenient and/or cheapest way. Although the companies’ operations may seem like a straight forward idea, making plans, the airline industry significantly differs from train and bus companies. They use different operating systems on reserving and ticketing. Moreover, companies do not prefer sharing data about their customers with others. Under such reasons, the companies cannot simply check information from websites and combine it with their work system.

Waymate built on to a bigger picture, followed by GoEuro. They believe that gaining more reliable data stands an important role and will certainly stabilize the accuracy of their plans. These two successful businesses rely on commissions from travel operators. However, “the task remains incredibly complex”(Christian Nagel). By saying that, it suggests the uncertainty of their plans being served to customers. There are no guarantees–bus drivers are not always on time!

Guns and coffee: The right to bear arms is not absolute (http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2013/09/guns-and-coffee)

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“Compromise, is part of the glue thats holds us together as a nation… That sense of respect we owe others, whether or not they believe as we do… is the price of citizenship,” wrote Richard Bosson, the New Mexico Supreme Court justice. On September 17th, Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, respectfully requested its customers in America: please don’t bring guns to our stores. In his open letter,  he stated the reasons for his demand, the people’s demand, that such behavior upsets other customers and is troublous. Some commented on his decision and referred to him as “anti-American” and “pro-socialist.” However, isn’t Schultz trying to claim the sense of respect for those who do not feel comfortable with people carrying  guns around them?

People should live to respect others, but not to abuse their Individual Right to obtain their personal convenience or desires. Schultz put aside the benefit of his company to pursue what was right to do. His consideration towards others shows the strong value of his company and the reputation it deserves. He is asking instead of declaring for the cooperation from its customers to stop bringing guns to their stores. “That shouldn’t be too hard. Right?” (Jon Fasman)

Food waste is not only about wasting food (http://www.farminguk.com/News/Food-waste-harms-climate-water-land-and-biodiversity-says-report_26416.html)

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We should not waste food at any time because resources are scarce and not many people  are lucky enough to be able to feed themselves on a daily basis. After reading this article, i learned that food waste not only creates ethical issues, but it harms biodiversity in a serious way. According to the article, staggering 1.3 billion tones of food per year wreaks major harm on the natural resources, excluding the fact that it causes significant economic losses. For all the food that are produced but not eaten each year, it can gather up the volume of Russia’s Volga River. In addition, they can add up to 3.3 billion tones of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. It’s even more ridiculous that reports on the world’s natural resources point out that we globally waste one third of all our food. I believe businesses stand in an important role for food waste because they are the flow of food production. A great way to start is by controlling the management of food production, especially from restaurants, food suppliers, markets, and finally linking to individuals. Responsibilities should be carried not only by customers, but also businesses.