While reading this article, I noticed that there were many parallels in between the way the Canadian government handles aboriginal affairs and Abaka Energy Solutions. Abaka Energy Solutions strives to “empower the world’s underdeveloped communities through the application of solar and wind energy technologies”. Similarly to how early versions of the Indian Act were “clearly aimed to assimilate First Nations”, Abaka’s first project aims to educate the underdeveloped community of Kiseru. Abaka plans to introduce and sell solar electric systems to the people of Kiseru, and set up a community center to serve as a hub for education on these new technologies.

Seeing these parallels makes me wonder if Abaka’s ‘solutions’ are ethically sound. Perhaps people of Kiseru do not want to learn to use the new technologies. In Abaka’s business plan, there is no mention that the people of Kiseru requested a ‘solution’ to their current situation. Nonetheless, Abaka shares that they want to ‘expose’ the community to renewable energy and entrepreneurship. Although Abaka assumes that their energy solutions will have a positive effect, it is a little worrisome that they want to make big changes to a society. Hopefully providing an energy alternative is not forcing anything into or out of Kiseru culture.

Image: http://realtybiznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/green.jpg

“The 15-hour workweek: Canada’s part-time problem”

This article talks about problems some workers are facing with their part-time jobs and states that there are “nearly a million Canadian who work park-time when they’d prefer full-time hours”. People with part-time positions usually don’t have most of the benefits that full-time positions do, and usually get a lower pay.

With economic competition ramping up, many companies are looking to cut costs by employing more part-time workers. Variability in work hours can cause stress for may of these part-time or temporary employees, and creates an unstable economic situation for them.

I think that this is really reflective of the class preparation we did for Class 7: Business Model Canvas and Strategy. We compared and contrasted ‘Porter’s Generic Strategies’ with Rita McGrath’s ‘Transient Advantage’. Companies that are employing more part-time workers are practicing the use of transient advantage. They are making labor more ‘disposable’, thus making it easier for the companies to remain fluid in changing business strategies as they go. McGrath’s “Transient Advantage” is the more modern of the two strategies, so the increasing amount of part time workers might be a result of more companies trying to gain a transient advantage.

Image: http://www.futuristgerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/wave-of-transient-advantage-rita.png

“‘Isis’ name a black flag for businesses”

This article is about the consequences some businesses are facing from having a business name that includes ‘ISIS’. ISIS is an acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, which is recognized by Canada as a foreign terrorist organization. ISIS claims territory along with ‘religious authority’ over all muslims and has been terrorizing civilians with “targeted killings […], abductions, rape and other forms of sexual and physical violence”.

Some companies that use ‘Isis’ in their names are catching heat from consumers who might assume the company is affiliated with ISIS. I thought that this was directly related to discussions we’ve had in class about value propositions, and how you have to get into the perspective of the consumer. Some consumers are seeing products with ‘Isis’ in their names negatively, questioning the origins of the product and sometimes refusing to buy. Many companies using ‘Isis’ have completely rebranded to avoid damaging their reputations, while others are trying to defend their established brands. An Australian construction company named ISIS has recently told its workers to not wear their uniforms to “limit attention from misinformed people and ensure the safety of […] employees”.

I also found out that the Sauder School of Buissness has its own ‘ISIS Research Center’, which is aimed at applying business tools to come up with solutions to “exsisting social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental challenges”. Although they have a clear positive mission statement, are not focused on directly selling a product, I wonder if they have run into any trouble with their name?

Images:
http://www.isis.com.au/media/237253/careers_women_in_construction.jpg
http://egyptianstreets.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/econ.png

“Apple CEO’s Privacy Letter Indirectly Slams Google, Facebook: seeks to reassure users that company is fully committed to privacy”

This article is about an open letter that Apple CEO Tim Cook released to give consumers clarification on Apple’s privacy and security. This seems timely, and strategic, as many users are showing concerns with how different companies are handling their personal information.

I believe that this is related to positioning, as Tim Cook is positioning his company as ‘secure’ in comparison to large, internet based, social media sites like Facebook and Google. Cook assuages consumer fears by sharing that Apple has “never allowed [outside] access to its servers” and that they don’t “profile or monetize user behavior”.

I’ve always been afraid to press the “save this password to keychain” button. I believe privacy and security are a major concern. Companies like Facebook, Google, and Apple require their millions of users to input a lot of personal information. One can only hope that their information is in good hands when they are using these services. It is now common knowledge that personal information can be shared, and that security can be breached.

Many of these services defend themselves by reminding consumers that they are ‘opting in’ when they create accounts, enter their personal informations, and use the interfaces. However, the use of services like Google are so widespread that it is more of a necessity than an option. For example, I was required to use a Google account as my primary email address in high school, and I was required to make accounts on various interfaces, such as Youtube, to turn in projects and assignments. I couldn’t opt-out of homework, so I had to share some personal information.

Image: http://homepages.wmich.edu/~tdw8957/images/google_cuffs.jpg

“Race into space opening new horizons to private sector: SpaceX and Urthecast show profit potential in exploration, tourism and satellites”

I chose this article because we’ve been discussing Tesla a lot in class, and Elon Musk seems to be a hot topic. I was aware that he is the co-founder of several companies besides Tesla Motors, but I was surprised to find that one of his companies, SpaceX Designs, is focused on manufacturing various rockets and spacecrafts. The company states that it has the “ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets”.

I was drawn to this article because it talks about the possibility that a lot of businesses will want to utilize the frontier of space. SpaceX believes that their lower cost will enable more companies to launch their businesses into space, thus making space more accessible to people. I’ve always wanted to go into space, so I was pretty excited to read that. I didn’t realize that technology had advanced this far already… Companies are emerging in this new space market ready to “tackle the commercialization of space”, and there are endless possibilities in this new frontier.