Katrina Del Rosario’s blog discusses Snapchat Inc., and how numerical data from ‘streaks’ and ‘Snapchat scores’ can affect one’s self-esteem and self-consciousness.

Being an adolescent myself, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone told me that Snapchat is the most popular social media platform among adolescents. Like Katrina, it is more likely than not that I am surrounded by teenagers and young adults using the application on their phones. However, I would not consider a score as a contributing factor towards self-esteem, but rather as a motivator towards being a consistent user of the application.

Through their job listings, Snapchat likes to describe themselves as a company who is passionate about building “the best platform in the world for telling great stories”. As an avid Snapchat user, I believe that the application is a great opportunity to show my friends highlights of my daily life in a casual, fun manner. In fact, rather than “negatively affecting self-consciousness”, Snapchat has given me the ability to stay in touch with friends from all over the world.

I perceive Snapchat to be an application that affects my self-esteem the least amongst others. Other competitors such as Instagram and Twitter have certainly affected my self-esteem much more. In fact, there have been several occasions where I had deleted an Instagram post due to a low number of likes, or because it doesn’t match my “Instagram feed”

To an extent, I agree with how seeing other Snapchat scores much higher than mine can be off-putting. However, the relevance of this simple number has immensely degraded since the introduction of what are famously known as “Snapstreaks”: a number and a fire emoji showing the number of consecutive days you and your friend have “snapped” each other.

Picture Credit: Business Insider

Being a freshman at university meant that I recently had to say goodbye to my closest friends, including people that I had grown up with. Snapchat has been the platform that has kept me closest to a majority of my friends. A majority of my streaks are from people back from, and it is something that I would not want to get rid of in the future. In my opinion, this marketing strategy of Snapchat is the smartest way to sustain customer loyalty and revenue in the long term.

In terms of Katrina’s recommendation, I would keep the numbers and implement congratulatory videos from the company. As Snapchat already greets their customers on special occasions such as Christmas, or Halloween, having additional videos sent involving Snapchat accomplishments and achievements would encourage users more than their current features already do.

Word Count: 432

Works Cited

Castillo, M. (2016, October 14). Snapchat is king among teens as Facebook declines in popularity: Survey. Retrieved November 12, 2017, from https://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/13/snapchat-is-king-among-teens-as-facebook-declines-in-popularity-survey-shows.html

Del Rosario, K. (2017, October 15). The Adolescent-Addicted Snapchat Age | Katrina Del Rosario’s Blog. Retrieved November 12, 2017, from https://blogs.ubc.ca/katrinadelrosario/2017/10/15/the-adolescent-addicted-snapchat-age/

Lorenz, T. (2017, April 14). Teens explain the world of Snapchat’s addictive streaks, where friendships live or die. Retrieved November 12, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/teens-explain-snapchat-streaks-why-theyre-so-addictive-and-important-to-friendships-2017-4

S. (n.d.). Snapstreaks. Retrieved November 12, 2017, from https://support.snapchat.com/en-GB/a/Snaps-snapstreak

Amazon Go Website showing the list of someone’s groceries and how easy it is to scan items

Would you ever find yourself in a situation where checking items out wouldn’t be required? Forbes’ blog post explores Amazon’s newly introduced Amazon Go application, that aims to improve the grocery shopping experience using the tag line “No lines, no checkout”. Instead of the typical grocery store, they use a digital shopping cart, allowing shoppers to walk in and out of the grocery without waiting in a checkout line.

When I read the Forbes post, I asked myself, how is this even possible? How can a business execute such a strategy that requires such advance technology? The list of questions that circulated around my head were endless.

It is not only Amazon Go that has amazed me, but many of their other innovations like Amazon Prime Air have also caught my attention. Having my own Amazon account and being in charge of family groceries, I can imagine the experience of walking out the doors without having to wait in a 20-minute line, or having to schedule when I should go to avoid peak hours. However, one major concern comes to mind: what happens to employees?

Since Amazon bought Wholefoods in August, it is expected that the customer experience is going to become identical to Amazon Go. With that being said, could this jeopardize Wholefood’s 91,000 employees?

In an everyday grocery store, employees are highly valued. They make the lives of the customers easier by guiding shoppers to where they need to be and by scanning and bagging all the goods purchased. Recently however, the evolution of advanced technology has made this case less true. From the implementation of self-service checkout to now having no checkout at all. It is unfortunate to believe that the likeliness of redundancy of thousands is bound to happen. At the end of the day, all businesses desire to have is profit, and the use of technology that makes the customer experience faster and simpler is usually the optimal solution.

Why is this useful for not just me, but for us? Put yourself in my shoes: a university student who usually has barely anything in her refrigerator and really has to get lunch before her 1:00pm class. Having a grocery store like Amazon Go would be the ideal option. All you have to do is grab what you need and go, it’s that simple. In short, it could be, as Forbes says, “The Internet of Food”

Overall, the growth of Amazon over the last decade has truly amazed me. From buying a simple necessity on the Internet, to being able to have deliveries through drones, and no-checkout grocery stores. And all they hope to achieve are more Amazon users and more opportunity to benefit their customers.

Word Count: 450

Works Cited

Say, M. (2017, January 20). Amazon Go Is About Payments, Not Grocery. Retrieved October 28, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/groupthink/2017/01/20/amazon-go-is-about-payments-not-grocery/#38c849a467e4

It is essential for businesses in any industry to satisfy the needs and wants of their customers. Moreover, it is extremely crucial for international businesses to fulfil their customer’s desires to succeed and make a significant amount of revenue. An important factor considering international business operations is culture and how multinational companies can adapt to the ever-changing environment. Culture is defined as the beliefs, values and norms within a business that define communication, working relationships and motivation between internal stakeholders. (Hoang 3^rd Edition).

Starbuck’s Inc. is a classic example of adapting to cultural norms. They currently operate in more than 24,000 locations worldwide (Starbuck’s Inc.) in 70 countries including the USA and China. Through one of their core values being “creating a culture of warmth and belonging, where everyone is welcome” already shows the significance of culture and how it affects their sales and reputation.

A picture of Starbuck’s in Chengdu, Sichuan Province with traditional Chinese building elements (Mark Ralston) 

China and south east Asia’s market sales have largely contributed to sales. The 23% growth rate of income in 2016 would have not been possible without major changes to Starbuck’s marketing strategy and research and development. Through spending $378.8 million on market research in 2016 (Garnick, Puget Sound Business Journals), one major point that they found was that China had an emerging tea culture. (Sorkin, NYTimes).

Starbuck’s decided to release a tea line with Teavana for their Asian market. Being a loyal Starbuck’s fanatic from the Philippines, I observed that a large proportion of customers order tea instead of coffee. I was super happy when I discovered the release of Teavana at my local Starbuck’s. In fact, my favorite drink is part of the Teavana line! Not only did they add a line of tea beverages, but they also changed their store’s ambiance and altered their recruitment and management strategies to suit their Asian markets.

Was this worth it? Former CEO Howard Schultz said that he’d like to open 2400 more locations in China by 2021, and current CEO Kevin Johnson had recently announced that their ditching Teavana in the USA to focus on growing their business in China. (Quartz). It’s not like their 10% annual growth rate has done any good to the business!

The changes that Starbuck’s has made to satisfy China’s cultural norms have clearly affected their sales throughout their years of operation. With a total revenue of $21.32 billion in 2016 (Statistica), Starbuck’s remains at the top of the ready to drink coffee market with 75% of the market share (Trefis Team, Forbes). However, to achieve the satisfaction of markets of different geographical ranges, it is necessary to sacrifice costly expenses on factors such as high quality market research, operations, and a consistent human resource management.

At the end of the day, business is about taking risks, and learning from them.

Word count: 449

Works Cited

* All products require an annual contract.    Prices do not include sales tax    (New York residents only). (n.d.). Starbucks: revenue 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2017, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/266466/net-revenue-of-the-starbucks-corporation-worldwide/

Hoang, P. (2014). International baccalaureate Business and Management (3rd ed.). Place of publication not identified: Ibid Press.

Purdy, C. (2017, July 28). Starbucks is ditching its tea business as it shifts focus to China. Retrieved October 13, 2017, from https://qz.com/1040957/starbucks-teavana-stores-are-closing-as-the-company-pivots-to-china/

Ralston, M. (n.d.). Picture of Starbucks in Chengdu with Chinese traditional building elements [Photograph]. Chengdu, Sichuan Province.

Sorkin, A. R. (2017, July 31). While Other U.S. Companies Flee China, Starbucks Doubles Down. Retrieved October 13, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/31/business/dealbook/sorkin-china-starbucks.html

Starbucks Reports Record Q2 FY17 Revenues and EPS. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2017, from https://investor.starbucks.com/press-releases/financial-release/2017/Starbucks-Reports-Record-Q2-FY17-Revenues-and-EPS/default.aspx

Team, T. (2016, September 19). Let’s Look At Starbucks’ Growth Strategy. Retrieved October 13, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2016/09/19/lets-look-at-starbucks-growth-strategy/#2fdd92243d71

It was announced that Uber lost their license to operate in London due to its possibility to endanger “public security and safety” This will surely reduce the success that Uber has had over the past couple of years, but how will this affect the U.K. economy?

2017 has been an obstacle for Uber: from the #DeleteUber trend in January, to the resignations of former CEO Travis Kalanick. Despite their multiple controversies, Uber remains one of the most prominent companies today, with a $10 billion increase in revenue over the past year and their ability to operate in 84 countries worldwide.

Uber driver and blogger Harry Campbell shared that most of his riders are under the age of 30 and going to an event with alcohol. As I consider myself as a loyal Uber customer under 30, the thought of losing the ability of immediately contacting a safe and reliable driver whenever and wherever gives me anxiety. I wouldn’t want to go out or spend time with my friends as often.

It is likely that the loss of Uber in a major city could be risky to many service businesses: clubs, restaurants, and areas where people usually go to when they need an Uber. After speaking to multiple friends who reside in London, most have depended on Uber to get to social events, run errands or get home after a night out.

London is amongst the top 10 largest Uber used cities and is their largest source of income in their European market. With 3.5 million users and over 40,000 taxi drivers, losing their license in London could cost them a large proportion of their profits. Not only could this be a loss for Uber, but also to the economy and other London-based businesses. Fortunately, their unemployment rate remains at 2.1%, much lower than most regions; could the loss of Uber change this?

In contrast, this controversy could in fact be a gain for the British, who’s public transportation accounts for 6.9% of the UK’s GDP. As London is known for having a large taxi and subway system, it is certain that more people will begin using public transport which can increase their GDP.

The final verdict? Clearly for Uber, this is a loss. They are guaranteed to lose a proportion of market share, and a significant amount of revenue. But for the U.K. economy, there are its pros and cons: for the tertiary sector, it could possibly be a downfall, but for the transportation industry, it is certainly an economy booster. Personally, I feel for Londoners. Moving to Vancouver, without Uber is tough; I’ve had to develop my trust and adapt to public transport daily.

Thanks God for free transport!

Works Cited

[GIF of Jimmy Kimmel saying “You know what Uber is, right?”]. (n.d.). Retrieved September 25, 2017, from https://media.tenor.com/images/1157cf065dc4ee4a3b16cf0083979643/tenor.gif

Campbell, H. (2015, June 11). Have We Become Too Dependent On Uber? Retrieved September 25, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/harrycampbell/2015/06/09/have-we-become-too-dependent-on-uber/#2d2b6e17758b

Kirka, D. (2017, September 22). Uber to lose licence to operate in London. Retrieved September 25, 2017, from https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2017/09/22/uber-to-lose-licence-to-operate-in-london.html

Murgia, M. (2017, September 24). Uber launches effort to save crucial London market. Retrieved September 25, 2017, from https://www.ft.com/content/9e315c30-a137-11e7-9e4f-7f5e6a7c98a2

Rozario, D. (2017, July 12). The Mayor of London and the London Assembly. Retrieved September 25, 2017, from https://data.london.gov.uk/apps_and_analysis/labour-market-update-for-london-july-2017/

Taylor, K. (2017, July 05). Millennials are reviving Uber during the darkest time in company history. Retrieved September 25, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-makes-major-gains-among-millennials-2017-7

Picture taken from FTI Journal’s “Is “Business Ethics” an Oxymoron?”^[1]

How does one know whether an action is considered ethical, whether it has to do with school, daily life, or in this case – business activity? For instance, when a company has to make employees redundant. It may be ethical for the success of the company by allocating costs more efficiently, but could also be unethical for those made jobless. Two questions are raised in these scenarios: do all business decisions have to be ethical to succeed, and can businesses be ethical towards all stakeholders when making decisions?

It is important for businesses to consider their associated parties to succeed in any industry. This is why every business must conduct a code of practice. Executives have to keep in mind of ethical principles, such as honesty, integrity, and loyalty, to maintain and sustain performance. Otherwise, the fate of the business could be at stake.

American network Nickelodeon’s parent company, Viacom International Media Networks, announced their plans to build a 100 hectare underwater theme park in El Nido, Philippines. Although proposing to prioritize “ocean conservation focus”^[2], immediate backlash from those of Greenpeace, and Philippine environmental activist Grizelda Mayo-Anda have thought otherwise, regarding the project as “sad and alarming”^[3]

One must be aware of the unethical harm that this could cause towards marine life in the Philippines. With this comes a relevant discussion: environment versus profit.

From the perspective of Filipino, building a theme park would disrupt the distinct and natural features that contribute towards the environmental beauty of the Philippines. This disappoints not only environmentalists, but also the residents of Palawan. Thus, this can be considered unethical, right?

Think about other stakeholders: employees, the local community and the government. Wouldn’t this development create thousands of job opportunities in a third world country that is the Philippines? The answer to that is, certainly. Boosting Philippines’ tourism rates and increasing revenue sounds like an ego-booster for the Philippine economy. Unfortunately, with every ethical decision, comes unethical consequences.

The possibilities of being ethical whilst simultaneously satisfying the needs and wants of all stakeholders in any business are minute. A beneficial choice does not necessarily mean that it is ethical. Achieving success requires the ability to take risks and be spontaneous, some that could be immoral. In fact, 24% of Wall Street executives from the US and UK think that it is essential “to engage in unethical or illegal conduct in order to be successful.” ^[4]

Everyone has the opportunity and need to be unethical, selfish, or immodest. In today’s society, competition is shooting, and with this change, comes the need for greed. It is not about being either ethical or successful, but instead sacrificing ethical values to succeed, and sacrificing success to be ethical.

Written by Marga Chan

Works Cited

[1]       Holder, Frank L. “Green Stop Sight with the Quote ‘Is ‘Business Ethics’ an Oxymoron?”.” FTI Journal, FTI Consulting Inc., Feb. 2014, www.ftijournal.com/article/is-business-ethics-an-oxymoron.

[2]       Affairs, G. N. (2017, January 10). Nickelodeon to build underwater theme park in Palawan. Retrieved September 12, 2017, from http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/travel/595288/nickelodeon-to-build-underwater-theme-park-in-palawan/story/

[3]       Manila, A. F. (2017, August 23). Nickelodeon abandons Philippine resort plan after backlash. Retrieved September 12, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/23/nickelodeon-abandons-philippine-resort-plan-after-backlash

[4]       Plaue, N. (2012, July 10). A Quarter Of Wall Street Executives Say You Have To Be Unethical To Succeed. Retrieved September 12, 2017, from
http://www.businessinsider.com/a-quarter-of-wall-street-executives-think-unethical-activity-is-required-to-succeed-2012-7

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