Author Archives: Lourdes Kletas

The United Nations mediates issues between or within countries. These conflicts may be  due to sovereignty infringement , nuclear weapons, civil wars, disease, racism, violence, or patents, just to name a few examples. Social Enterprise consists of creating a business with a social conscience. A social enterprise  is an organization that applies market  strategies to benefit communities socially and environmentally. Sauder’s Arc  Initiative  takes students to developing countries such as South Africa, Ethiopia, Columbia, or Rwanda where they exchange entrepreneurship skills with locals. Through this Initiative, locals attend workshops where they learn the skills they need in order to be successful entrepreneurs.Even if the United Nations was fully funded, Arc or social enterprise would definitely still be needed. Arc provides locals in developing nations the tools to succeed. Instead of solving the problem for them, they are given skills which they can use to sustain a long term business. The United Nations often looks for immediate solutions and takes a long time to make decisions due to voting and debating. Arc or  Social Enterprise is  essential due to the hands on approach. Social Enterprise focuses on solving social issues while still making profit. Arc helps make people independent by helping them help themselves. Education is key to overcoming poverty. There is so much poverty in the world that social enterprise and arc initiative are definitely essential even if the United Nations was fully funded. 

Sources:

http://www.sauder.ubc.ca/Global_Reach/ARC_Initiative/Programs

http://www.csef.ca/what_is_a_social_entrepreneur.php

Image Sources:

http://www.chnook.org/partner/the-arc-initiative/

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t31.0-8/c0.143.851.315/p851x315/474633_422425427784491_133401115_o.jpg

In response to Sara Chitsaz’s blog post, I agree with the idea that a business should create another design even if they are being socially responsible. Although Sketchers also gives a pair of Bobs away for every pair of Bobs they sold, it was not ethical of them to copy the Toms design. I agree with Sara in saying that, had Sketchers created a unique design for Bobs, this would have decreased competition against Toms. This would mean more shoes given away because there would be a variety to purchase from attracting more customers. Toms and Bobs look the same so if a consumer does not like this model, no shoes will be donated. Sketchers could have appealed to another market therefore increasing the chances that shoes would be donated.It is good that Sketchers has adopted the one for one idea however it seems that this was not their main focus since they copied the Toms shoe model. In order to be completely ethical, a business should come up with its own ideas. Sketcher’s should have focused on the one to one program instead of trying to out-compete Toms.

Sources:

Sara Chitsaz’s blog:     https://blogs.ubc.ca/sarachitsaz/

Image :http://www.ecouterre.com/did-skechers-bobs-just-rip-off-toms-shoes/sketchers-bobs-1-2/

Some companies overlook human resources thinking that it is an unnecessary expense. The Globe and Mail article, “Five qualities for top employees”, by Mary Ray, outlines what characterizes a top employee. According to the article, a “type A” employee should have a desire to compete, champion’s mindset, self-discipline, integrity, and initiative. I agree with all of this. However , I believe that an employer contributes to an employee’s performance. This is where human resources becomes essential. Inevitably, an employee is affected by his surroundings. A friendly environment will attract cooperative employees.An employee will take initiative when they believe in their company. In many instances, people strongly dislike their jobs and do minimal work. Zappos, the online shoe company, is an example of a business who has mastered human resources. They know that top employees are shaped by their workplace environment. You attract what you emit.  Employees need to be motivated in order to have a “champion’s mindset”. Employees will have self-discipline if they feel devoted to their company. Poor treatment of employees, leads to poor employees.  For this reason when this article presents”the five qualities for top employees”, it is imperative to realize that a workplace generates these qualities. Employers should focus on training their employees in order to maximize efficiency.  An employer may hire someone with these qualities but if the workplace is an unsafe environment there will be no motivation for the employee to be innovative, self-disciplined or competitive. Labour costs may seem unnecessary but they are worth it in the long run.

Links:

Globe and Mail Article:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-managing/human-resources/five-qualities-of-top-employees/article20187731/

Image:

http://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/

Coca Cola and Pepsi have recently come out with Pepsi True and Coke Life. These beverages contain stevia, a natural sweetener, instead of sugar. I agree with my classmate, Stav Kimhi’s blog post on this. Coca Cola came out with the “green” cola before pepsi. They positioned themselves in the mind of the consumer earlier. In class we have discussed how brands need to be the first to position themselves in a market. We have learned this from Al Ries and Jack Trout, and this is true for Pepsi and Coca Cola. Coca Cola was the first to introduce the low calorie, stevia sweetened cola. For this reason, many people will think of it before thinking of Pepsi True. As the world attempts to combat obesity,there is more advertising against the consumption of sugary drinks. This puts companies such as Coca Cola and Pepsi head to head as they fight to stay relevant. Coca- Cola and Pepsi are not the only soda companies who have developed this. Dr.Pepper, Snapple Group and the American Beverage Association have all launched low calorie beverages to fight obesity. Although these soda companies are all working towards the same goal, I believe Coca-Cola has the advantage over them because it was the first to launch Coke Life .A brand will be successful when it is the first to implement an idea.

Sources:

http://www.businessinsider.com/pepsi-has-launched-a-new-green-cola-pepsi-true-2014-10

http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/pepsico-s-pepsi-true-salvo-cola-wars/295241/

https://blogs.ubc.ca/stavkimhi/author/skimhi/

Image Source:

http://fox2now.com/2014/10/02/coke-and-pepsi-launch-competing-green-stevia-sodas/

I chose this blog because I found interesting blog posts on customer service. In class, we have talked about points of differentiation and how they can make a business more successful. In a blog post, Jackie Huba talks about “Humanizing a brand”. A person might choose one clothing store, as supposed to another, based on customer service. They associate this business with a certain employee who pays attention to detail and provides excellent customer service. “Humanizing a brand” is a point of differentiation.Furthermore, Jackie talks about “Invisible Customer Service”. She recounts her experience at Nordstrom. Jackie’s Nordstrom visa card did not work and so she made a comment to one of the cashiers saying she would have to call customer service. That same week, Jackie received a new Nordstrom card in the mail. The Nordstrom employee took the initiative of ordering Jackie a new card. This is invisible customer service. In my opinion, these details serve as great points of differentiation for a business. Customers remember these details and so this creates customer loyalty. A company’s customer service reflects upon its brand. It is inevitable that people will associate good or bad customer service with a certain business.The good experiences, will generate good word of mouth which is free marketing for a business. Word of mouth is a a trusted form of advertising since people are generally influenced by their family and friends. For these reasons companies should use customer service as a point of differentiation.

Jackie Huba’s Blog:
How to humanize your brand post : http://jackiehuba.com/2010/05/felix.html

The best customer service is invisible: http://jackiehuba.com/2013/05/the-best-customer-service-is-invisible.html

Images:

clipboard: http://jackiehuba.com/2014/11/study-outstanding-customer-service-more-and-more-word-of-mouth.html

handshake: http://www.getacoder.com/blog/?p=9639

Historically, countries with a plethora of resources have put environmental concerns aside and exploited their resources to maximize profits. Norway has demonstrated that it is possible for resource-rich countries to grow economically while being environmentally aware. In the late 1960s, Norway discovered a gusher of oil and gas off its North Sea coast. Since then, it has been redistributing its energy wealth. Steep taxes and the creation of a government oil company and a sovereign wealth fund are elements of Norway’s resource strategy. Norway invests the dividends it makes from its oil wealth into education, health care, and research and development. Most of this research and development is focused on making Norway’s energy sector more efficient and eco-friendly. The Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund demonstrates that Canada has done the opposite. These oil royalties were supposed to be saved for future generations however most of the money has been used by the government. In my opinion, Canada should follow Norway’s example. Norway is employing strategies which create a triple bottom line. The country is benefiting socially, environmentally and economically. Canada should impose more taxes carbon emission and other forms of pollution while cutting taxes on income and labour. Environmental solutions do not have to come at a high economic cost when a country strategically implements taxes.

Globe and Mail article:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/european-business/norway-proves-oil-rich-nations-can-be-both-green-and-prosperous/article21514455/

Images:

http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/oed/Subject/oil-and-gas/norways-oil-history-in-5-minutes.html?id=440538

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-02/norway-oil-fund-made-29-billion-last-quarter-as-stocks-rose-1-.html

The issue of the Northern Gateway pipeline is one that greatly affects the First Nations of British Columbia. An example of this would be the Gitxaala First Nation which was granted leave to appeal the Northern Gateway pipeline.The court application believes that the federal Conservative cabinet did not consider the Gitxaala’s aboriginal rights in approving the oil pipeline proposed by Enbridge (Calgary based company). The village of Kitkatla, in B.C.’s North Coast region, is home to the Gitxaala Nation. Like many other bands, the Gitxaala Nation feels that Enbridge would be violating the connection their people have with the nature. If there was an oil spill, the natural resources of the area would be ruined.  The sockeye salmon could be affected by the pipeline and so could other fish and animals.    Band lawyer, Rosanne Kyle , states ” the pipeline would interfere with the Gitxaala’s aboriginal title, and their economic, cultural and spiritual way of life.”  If the pipeline were to proceed, huge tankers would travel through Gitxaala harvesting territory which provides 80 percent of their food. Yes, it may seem that the Aboriginals stand in the way of a lucrative project but their reasons are extremely just. This would disrupt their livelihoods and a pipeline have the potential to destroy many natural resources. In seeing so many environmental issues, Enbridge should be moving past petroleum. Companies should be investing in the fuels of the future rather than working on something that will soon see its end. It is evident, that the potential profits of the Northern Gateway pipeline in no way surpass the potential pitfalls and the negative effects on surrounding Aboriginal communities.

Works Cited

“Gitxaala First Nation granted leave.” CBC. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Oct. 2014. <http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/gitxaala-first-nation-granted-leave-to-appeal-northern-gateway-pipeline-1.2779604>.

Evidently, a manager is a central part of a business. In the workplace, there will be conflict. Many managers are deemed useless because of their inability to deal with conflict or lack of leadership. In some cases, they might even be the conflict instigators. Managing is difficult because of interpersonal skills. A manager must be patient because dealing with people often consists of ongoing issues where maturity is key.Many managers are chosen based on the fact that they preformed well in repetitive office work. For this reason, many struggle when they need to use critical thinking to solve practical problems. After reading this article, it is evident that all managers must go through training and perhaps surveys completed by other employees. These surveys on a manager’s performance would be an efficient way of knowing the workplace is a productive and being managed properly.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/leadership-lab/why-are-so-many-managers-useless-as-leaders/article20864299/

Vancouver has the most expensive real estate in Canada. It is also one of the most expensive cities in the world. After reading this Vancouver Sun, it is evident that there is a correlation between off-shore investing and rising house prices.The high growth Asian economies have brought a lot of wealth to Vancouver  in terms of real estate investment. This surge of immigration is one of the reasons for the expensive real estate. Vancouver is a desirable place to live in due to security, the natural beauty and the diverse environment. This desirability is known by the world. This surge of high income investment has made it hard for locals to keep up. There is an increasing amount of young families moving out to to Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, White Rock and Surrey.  This trend seems to be going nowhere as Vancouver continues to be desirable, and thus real estate prices will keep rising.

http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2014/06/27/why-vancouver-housing-is-unaffordable-and-what-to-do-about-it/?__federated=1

When one mentions the company McCain, everyone thinks frozen food. As written in the Globe and Mail, McCain is working on changing their target market. In the 1980’s they were known for their family oriented commercials for quick and easy meals. This shift towards not including as many children in their advertisements is due to decreasing family sizes. McCain does have a point in doing this in order to still be relevant. However, in the article when they talked about becoming “healthier” some skepticism came to mind. McCain is not associated with healthy foods, it is better off continuing being  a leading brand in the frozen food market.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/marketing/mccain-foods-reinvents-itself-to-adapt-to-new-priorities/article20937714/