After Apple announce their new mobile wallet, most of the consumers show their curiosity and interest to this innovative payment method.  Meanwhile, Apple’s are scrambling to prevent it from being too successful.

A coalition of retailers refused to accept it in their stores. More than 50 companies make up this group, the so-called Merchant Customer Exchange or MCX, including global retail giants like Walmart, Best Buy and Gap Inc.(nytimes.com). They are not resist new technology, actually they see the mobile wallet as a way to help retailers understand more about their customers’ shopping habits and, potentially, let merchants avoid the high fees they pay when processing credit card transactions.  However, MCX are building another mobile wallet, CurrentC, which will connect directly to customers’ bank accounts or store-specific credit card. It won’t be available until 2015.

Compared to Apple Pay, first, just like Ms. Webster says, “It just didn’t have the same sort of consumer froth around it.” in terms of the influence to the whole market, MCX is way to behind Apple.  Second, reference to what we have been discuss in the Value proposition lecture, Paul said that there are ladders in a specific category, in this case, mobile wallet, Apple already got to the top of the ladders, although CurrentC trying to climb on the ladder, apparently they cannot push Apple Pay out of the top.  Hence we call tell that how important  to be No.1 in a specific features in positioning of consumers’ mind.   

Reference

Isaac, Mike. “Apple Pay Runs Afoul of MCX, a Group With a Rival Product.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 Oct. 2014. Web. 30 Oct. 2014.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/29/technology/apple-pay-runs-afoul-of-a-rival.html?_r=0

The Site C Clean Energy Project (Site C) is a proposed third dam and hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River in northeast B.C(bchydro.com). The dam would flood 83 kilometres of the Peace River Valley from near Fort St. John to Hudson’s Hope, destroying farmland and wildlife habitat. This project aims to satisfy the growing electricity demand of B.C. province.http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuT-7mnFqOY#t=38

However, Site C is in a dilemma because of the strong disagreement from the local aboriginal groups.  According to the chief of the First Nation,their communities are interested in supporting smaller projects in areas such as wind, solar and geothermal power. But they say the valley flooding would impair their rights to fish, hunt and use the area for ceremonial purposes.

The delay of the project remind us how strongly will the macro environment influence the business,  especially social impact in this case.  Aboriginal people in Canada were treated unfair in the past, so that their right are taking seriously since people start to respect the ancestor of the land.   PEST analysis is a great way for companies to have an awareness about the macro environment before they make any decisions, in other words, BC hydro’s dilemma can be avoid by deeper analyzing before they make the proposal.

Reference

O’neil, Peter. “First Nation Chiefs to Stage Site C Showdown.” The Vancouver Sun. Web. 5 Oct. 2014.http://www.vancouversun.com/life/First+Nation+chiefs+stage+Site+showdown/10215965/story.html

“Site C Clean Energy Project.” Site C Clean Energy Project. Web. 5 Oct. 2014.  https://www.bchydro.com/energy-in-bc/projects/site_c.html

I read the blog of Yimin (Jack) Jia talking about the newly coming apple watch. the link is showing here as http://blogs.ubc.ca/jackjia/2014/10/04/the-second-generation-of-apple-watch-is-already-here-and-you-can-buy-one-today-from-motorola-com

According to Jack’s words, the design of Apple watch is extremely awful because it is not circle, and the failed in design will make apple watch lose their position in the competition of other high-tech watch companies such as Motorola and Samsung.  In my opinion, I do admit that I prefer a circle watch, but It is hard to agree that we can judge a product only by appearance because people have different appreciation.  If you have watched the keynote of Apple when Tim Cook started to introduce Apple watch, you will noticed that the audience cheers for the watch when they saw it.   I believe as an electronic product,  the function and the user experience are much more important.  If the product has no difference between a normal watch, will consumer spend around four hundred dollars on a watch even though it is a circle one？  Tim Cook describe Apple Watch as an “entirely new product” ,  not only has it the necessary function such as message, music, time, but also combined the watch with the concept of Health; what is more, Apple watch is also customizable product.  It has three edition with 6 colors and 6 different type of bands.  Consumers can choose what they like and they can also choose the type of timepieces in there watch.  In conclusion, I hold a positive expectation to the market of Apple Watch.

“In September 19th, 2014, Alibaba’s stock had just started trading, and it immediately jumped in value. It ended the day up 38 percent, at $93.89, giving the company a market value of $231 billion. The company set the record for the largest initial public offering in history ” (dealbook.nytimes.com) .  As another large e-commerce company,  Alibaba enlarge their markets to the North America, which is a huge threat to Amazon.  However, why Alibaba can be  such successful?  In this blog I want to do a brief SWOT analysis.

Strength  1. Comprehensive services: Alibaba’s vast e-commerce empire includes services such as wholesale, retail, group buying, and payments.                                                                       2.Low cost: Alibaba does not sell anything directly to the consumers and has no storehouse,which means the company can save investment spending on infrastructure.                                     3.deeply rooted among people: Alibaba operates an “open marketplace” that connects buyers with sellers. And it become an extremely successful model that makes the company win a large percentage of market.

Weakness  1. Imperfection of Management: “insiders have a permanent lock on control of the company but hold only a small minority of the equity capital.”(nytimes.com).  This faultiness might lead to the hesitation of investor.                                                                                                          2 .Experience logistic and supply chain management  is insufficient.

Opportunity 1.Flush with IPO cash and a lucrative stock as currency. (Forbes.com)                         2. E-commerce develop consistently in the time period.                                               

Threat 1.Amazon is still the e-commerce leader in North America. So, “Alibaba will find it very difficult to compete with Amazon’s strong brand and well-honed supply chain and logistics skills in Western markets.” (Mohanbir)

Reference

BEBCHUK, LUCIAN. “Alibaba’s Governance Leaves Investors at a Disadvantage.” Nytimes.com. 18 Sept. 2014. Web. 4 Oct. 2014.

George, Bill. “Jack Ma on Alibaba, Entrepreneurs and the Role of Handstands.” DealBook. 22 Sept. 2014. Web. 4 Oct. 2014.

Sawhney, Mohanbir. “Alibaba vs. Amazon: Who Will Win the Global E-Commerce War?” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 22 Sept. 2014. Web. 4 Oct. 2014.