kirstinlovas

Not only is Tata innovative in the automotive market, but the multi-national is now selling a water filter and purifier that doesn’t require running water or electricity- it filters water using ash.  It is currently being sold in the Eastern India market, and is sold at an affordable price. The product is ideal for a market that has a problem with waterborne illnesses- 80% of diseases in India originate from unsafe drinking water.

This branch of Tata in entrepreneurial according to Joseph Schumpeter’s definition- It’s creating a new product that results in new demand. Demand is high because clean drinking water is a necessity of life.

Tata is obviously more than a small business. It is a multi-national corporation that conducts business in many industries worldwide and is worth billions of dollars.

Tata will likely continue to be innovative as it has the money to support the risks it’s taking. I feel that Tata, in particular Tata Swach, is an ideal example of entrepreneurship; it is helping society as well as generating profit.

1) http://www.tataswach.com

Title of Article: China’s New Focus on Africa

Source: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/

0,28804,2000110_2000287_2000276,00.html

Africa seems to have become China’s experiment. The two-way trade between the continent and the country was $90 billion in 2009, which made China Africa’s largest trading partner. China now has a larger amount of trade with Africa than the U.S. does, and China continues to pump more money into Africa’s economy. China is taking advantage of the commodity boom in Africa, investing in infrastructure in return for mines. The U.S. is not pleased with this agreement, insisting that China is taking advantage of Africa and not paying fairly. Even with the concerns, China is able to offer Africa something the U.S. is not: quick deals and results. Deals with the U.S. can take years and there are many regulations. In contrast, China formalized an agreement with Angola in just weeks. If the U.S. wants to help Africa, or even make profit, it should consider taking a different approach. Until now, the U.S. has given aid through organizations, religious groups, and peacekeeping forces. These forms of aid have had mixed results, and have not changed problematic infrastructure. Investing in companies in Africa, just as China is doing, seems like a good option for the U.S. Investing in Africa not only seems promising, it may be more beneficial to the African economy than donating.

Title of Article: With Billboards, it’s location, location, location

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/property-report/with-billboards-its-location-location-location/article1705963

Billboards are good advertising tools because they generate revenue for both the advertiser and the building owner. The location of billboards is extremely important as many advertisers target a specific segment of the population. They have become more high-tech with the implementation of LCD screens. These screens come at a high cost, as well as limitations because of the potential distraction to drivers. Despite this, billboards can be used creatively to position a product in the mind of the consumer. Creative advertising lets a company differentiate itself. I saw an example of creative advertising in a bathroom, where the ad was actually a mirror. The image of a Samsung phone rotated about the screen as I could see myself in the background. This is an amazing tactic because people love to look at their reflections. This idea could be used for billboards. A good location to do this would be at a shopping mall, as it would likely fascinate the shoppers. This idea may seem strange, but advertisements are becoming more technologically advanced, and “like the Internet in its early days, this technology will scare people at first. A line will be established on what’s kosher and what’s not.” 1

1 Mourtada, Rasha, “With billboards it’s location, location, location,” The Globe and Mail, 13 Sept. 2010, 28 Sept, 2010 <http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/property-report/with-billboards-its-location-location-location/article1705963/>.

Title of article: Holt’s takes a cue from Wal-mart

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/style/holts-takes-a-cue-from-wal-mart/article1738461/

It’s true that online shopping can save time and effort, which led the luxury brand Holt Renfrew to step-up in-store service. Holt’s has now introduced a team of “Holt’s Hosts” to mingle with shoppers and build relationships. This new strategy shows that Holt’s strives to draw customers into the stores based on customer service. Surprisingly, this luxury brand was influenced by Wal-Mart’s customer service, such as its employment of greeters. Although Holt’s strategy is a point of parity with Wal-Mart, it aims to distinguish itself based on the in-store experience for shoppers. In theory, this seems like a good idea, but consumers’ desires and added costs must be considered. Holt’s want the “hosts” to be able to determine a customer’s desired interaction level. It would seem that finding good employees to do the job would be very difficult and costly. Will the increase in profit really make up for the cost to the company of hiring a whole team of these “hosts”? The greeters seem like a good idea, as Wal-Mart has showed. Also, Holt’s should bring its business to the Internet. With the ever-increasing popularity of the Internet, the chain will be largely disadvantaged if is doesn’t keep up to speed.

Title of article: Vancouver’s Olympic village train wreck rolls on

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/vancouvers-olympic-village-train-wreck-rolls-on/article1739080/

Vancouver was given the great opportunity to host the 2010 Winter Olympics – What an honor, but what a cost. The city really needs to find a solution to the $700-million debt from the Olympic Village construction. This money should be going towards city services. The big debate is if the Vancouver Vision Council should sell the Village at a low price to recover some money immediately, or if it should hold onto it. As in investing, the question is of timing. By remaining in possession of the Village, the city of Vancouver would not immediately recover the costs, but, if it sells, the city would likely loose money because of the poor housing market. If the city holds onto the Village, should it rent or sell the units? Even though the selling price would be lower after the units have been rented, Councilor Raymond Louie claims that some models show the renting option could work. I believe this to be the best possible option. By renting the units, Vancouver would see some money upfront, as well as returns in the future. A portion of the units could also be exclusively for-purchase only. This seems like a good median between selling all units immediately for a cheap price and holding onto them.

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