Month: October 2010

Since we discussed the Toyota SWOT analysis in class, the news about the possible new line of Prius was interesting news to me.

It has been confirmed that Toyota will introduce two new vehicles to the Prius line up next year. Toyota aims to turns the Prius brand into a classic and an innovation. Although Prius is the best selling model of hybrid vehicles in the North American market,　the best seller has recently encountered a major recall resulting in a plummet of the brand name. It will be interesting to see how Toyota will recover their brand image and regain trust through the introduction of a new line up in the questionable hybrid sector of their business.

Perhaps their announcement of a fully electric model of the Prius that can run up to 48km on one charge can impress the picky consumers in the current market? However, it will probably take more than technological enhancements of fully electronic vehicles to satisfy and regain the lost shares. Be sure to keep an eye out for Toyota’s strategies as it will be decisions that affect the outcome of the future of the car industry.

Currently, the Japanese economy is quickly falling. A combination of deflation and the rising yen are both major factors crippling the country’s funds. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has recently endorsed ¥5.05 trillion stimulus package which equals about 0.6% of the nation’s economic output. This money will roughly create or retain 450,000-500,000 jobs. However, where are these funds coming from? The huge amount of funding is getting generated from last years left over funds and the money saved because of the decrease in repayment interests for national bonds. On top of this, the funds are expected to come from tax increases. This stimulus package is aimed to re-established the power of small and middle class companies struggling in current economic conditions. You many ask if raising taxes will be a bad idea, but Japan’s taxes are currently 5%. Quite low compared to many of the developed countries, especially European ones which have up to 25%.

So I think its time for Japan to make a decision; raise taxes and contribute a little bit more, or just watch the country enter a complete state of economic depression.

This summer, Sony introduced a new genre of digital slrs (single reflex cameras.) Their newest innovation, the Alpha Nex-3 and Nex-5 are the world’s smallest cameras with interchangeable lenses. So why is this such big news you may ask. It’s because these “micro” slrs can be a possible product that can fill an unexplored gap in the digital camera industry. Currently the market of digital cameras are divided between casual point and shoot cameras and the advanced digital slr cameras. Although there are entry model slrs, they still seem to be a little too intimidating for the average beginner to step his/her photography up to the next level. Through the introduction of micro “slrs” which stand inbetween the point and shoot and dslrs, it is targeted towards beginners looking for a multi-functioning camera while exploring dslr qualities or dslr users looking for a smaller second camera which has superior quality over a regular point and shoot. After purchasing one for myself as a second camera, I quickly fell in love with the convenience and high quality photos it provides. I found that I was using it quite often but the Nex-5’s role did not clash with my high level dlsrs role of taking serious photography. I think the introduction of “micro” dslrs to the camera market was a great method of catching indecisive consumers looking for a multifunctional, yet high quality camera.

http://www.sony.ca/view/press_900.htm