Author Archives: matthewwang

Since it was founded, WestJet offered domestic flights at discounted prices. It was able to do so following its low-cost model by having only one model of plane with an all-economy class configuration to under-utilized airports, reducing its maintenance costs. In a recent Maclean’s blog, Chris Sorenson discusses Westjet’s plan to offer intercontinental flights from several Canadian cities to Dublin. The success of WestJet can arguably be due to its low-cost model. By having only one type of plane and […]

There has been a lot of buzz with this new piece of technology known as “coin”. In Huiyin’s blog on a all-in-one credit card, she discusses this new prototype credit card produced by the coin team. I think that there is definitely a market for this new product as it offers such a unique value proposition of easiness and organization to our lives. In today’s fast-paced world, speed is key. The faster something can be done, the more we like it. […]

It appears as though women are not impressed with recent comments made by Lululemon founder Chip Wilson. Wilson made comments to Bloomberg TV – saying that certain women’s bodies “just don’t actually work” for Lululemon’s yoga apparel. In an attempt to calm the storm of backlash he faced, Chip issued an apology. However, many decided that his attempt to make amends was just not good enough. An online petition has been started to get Chip Wilson to stop shaming women’s […]

Green Arc Tire Manufacturing Inc. has a recycled tire production plant in the works, and it’s en route to being the largest recycled production plant in North America. The company will feature green winter tires with improved traction and fuel efficiency at lower prices, according to Mike DiCenzo, COO of Green Arch. The manufacturing process remolds used tires, effectively utilizing 80% of the originals. DiCenzo went on to state that he is associated with distributors in 90 countries worldwide. Will […]

Apple’s recent release of a new iPad Air came as no surprise. A few years ago, the iPad was the only (and arguably the best) option on the market if one was looking to purchase a tablet. Today, Apple remains a consumer favourite, but in order to justify their high prices their products must continue to exert their superiority in both function and style. The iPad Air does just that, heightening the air of simplicity and minimalism that marks the […]

HP has long been known for their technological innovations resulting in birth of Silicon Valley and egalitarian culture which many organizations model themselves after. However, in recent years, HP has been struggling with their products but most importantly, their culture. HP’s CEO, Meg Whitman, expressed her concerns through an internal memo asking employees to work in their offices instead of at home. This decision is based on the theory that collaboration between employees through face-to-face contract increases creativity and productivity. […]

In response to my friend Justin Yee’s post on the intellectual property of Blackberry, I completely agree with his statement that Blackberry’s technology’s popularity coincided with when the smartphone maker itself was popular. However, despite its current situation, there is definite value in Blackberry’s intellectual property portfolio. Blackberry’s popularity was largely due to its endorsement from governments and large corporations. Their encryption technology, such as encrypted e-mail and messaging service, prevents sensitive data from being obtained. Whether or not the […]

On Friday September 20, 2013, Blackberry announces that it will write off $1-billion worth of phones and part and also cut 40 percent of their current workforce in an attempt to save the company from free fall. This write off is largely due to an inventory surplus of Blackberry’s new Z10 smartphone. The lack of sales in the smartphone division will result in a quarterly revenue of under $800-million, significantly less than the $1.7-billion it reported a year ago. This […]

Roaming is an important factor to many consumers’ choice of carrier. Being one of the 3 major telecommunication providers in Canada and holding virtually monopolistic power, Bell is giving in to its subscribers’ demand for lower roaming rates. Its new roaming plans will have their prices be cut by as much as 50 percent. This decision was largely due to the feedback provided by its customers. In a press release, Bell stated, “We’re starting with the most popular destination, and […]

It has recently been revealed that the workers of the production company, Jabil Circuit, which manufactures the new iPhone 5C, has had their rights ‘flouted’ by the company. The news came in after allegations made by China Labor Watch, a non-profit organization, that workers were required to work 12-hour shifts, six days a week, with only two 30-minute breaks. There has also been claims that female employees were asked to take pregnancy tests; this violates both Chinese laws and the […]