” If  the United Nations was fully funded why would we need the Arc or social enterprise” Do not mistaken the Arc initiative with a charity. In fact, organizations like the United Nations and the Arc both have a unique way of approaching the alarming problems in developing countries and achieve very different results. In time of catastrophes, and natural disasters, the aid provided by the United Nations and other charitable organizations, provide a tremendous amount of help to those in unfortunate conditions. The Arc tends to achieve something of a more long-term result. By nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit and promoting self-sustainability through hands-on programs, individuals in developing countries get the chance to pursue their goals of becoming young entrepreneurs. These opportunities are often not widely available to people in regions that poverty and famine are incredibly common issues. By promoting workshops, programs and internships for those interested, people now have a opening to become independent from charitable donations by becoming self-sustainable.

This article is in response to Steven Gao’s article. 

What once seemed like science fiction just a year ago has turned into a reality. PhoneBloks holds the technology of a fully-functioning modular phone. This means you can take apart physical pieces of the phone each a unique feature. Their concept video last year explains the final product quite well.

If consumers are open to the concept of the modular phone and the technology exists to support it, the release of PhoneBloks will be the largest since the release of the first iPhone in 2007. Owned by Google, this piece of technology has a fighting chance to dominate the entry-level mobile phone market, and compete with the iPhone, a smartphone that holds the exact opposite values; The concept of consumers not knowing what they want and their belief in closed systems (physically and in software). It’s motto of “built exclusively for 6 billion people” emphasizes on its incredibly large user base. Because humans love to customize and the freedom to express, I believe this phone has a competitive advantage over every manufacturer in the world.

With the purchase by Google made of PhoneBloks, that was an increase of a distribution channel of Google’s mobile OS, Android. The success of the Nexus devices that ran Vanilla Android (stock, untouched) with a niche fan base proves that there is a great chance of these modular phones become the primary carriers of Android OS. With Samsung’s sales dipping in the last quarter, they should be seriously concerned with the decreasing demand and incentive for customers to purchase Android phones from third party manufacturers.

This is a response to Nadine Ku’s article. News Source

Being a commuter for much of my student life in high school has allowed me to believe how flawed our transit system is in Greater Vancouver. When Translink first announced an electronic ticketing system followed by the contest to name this system, I was relieved. Having been to Hong Kong and using it’s incredibly successfully Octopus Card system, I find it hard to believe how long it is taking Translink to adapt to it. Along with the costly project to implement ticketing gates and purchase machines in each Skytrain station, Compass cards have been rolled out for beta testing but are experience glitches with its “tap-out” feature. Errors with its technological system should not be happening because this is not new technology; Hong Kong has been using for over 17 years.  The delay in the system has cost Translink a hefty amount of money because of the inflated costs of implementation.

One of the reasons why Translink thought the decision to introduce an electronic ticketing system was beneficial/lucrative was because of the amount of riders who don’t pay for fare. It has become incredibly common until recently, Translink tightened up on security to catch and fine the “free-riders.” Everyday until this system is released, implementation and “free-riders” will cost more of Translink’s money and take an even longer period of time to break even.

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This blog post is a response to this article on re/code.

The media dubbed “Anti-Facebook,” Ello, just raised $5.5 million by venturer capitalists like Foundry Group. Ello attracted the media’s and the internet’s attention last month in September when it was first released as an ad-free social network. The purpose of this website isn’t to simply remove the ads that some may find annoying but rather to value the privacy of each individual user.

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To keep this contract with the user, the makers of Ello filed a legally binding charter that forbade them putting up advertisements and selling user data. It makes me wonder whether this site will succeed or just become the next Google+. CEO, Paul Budnitz. claims they already have over a million users and three million on the waiting list but Google+ also bragged an incredible 25 million users after 24 days since launch.

With the signed agreement that prevents Ello from running advertisements, I, and I’m sure so are investors, are concerned how this company will possibly earn any money. A brave move indeed, but I can’t wait for the company to release their business model.

After studying so many firms, I am relieved to find out a company that actually cares for the users privacy and safety as an individual. By sealing this anti-advertising deal, Ello demonstrated signs of business ethics and corporate social responsibility. The social issue of privacy has been a public concern for a while now since the leak about the NSA and this may be one the limited companies that consumers may actually trust.

This blog post is a response to Shoalts’ article in The Globe And Mail

Yes, you heard it right, it is now Roger’s Hockey Night in Canada. After a monster payout to the NHL for broadcast rights for the next 12 years by Rogers’ for $5.2 billion, CBC gave up the hockey culture it once formed 62 years ago with Saturday Hockey Night in Canada. Although the transition will likely be seamless (especially when Rogers’ will still be using the CBC studio), all the money will go directly to Rogers now. CBC will retain a fraction of its revenue by renting out the office space/studio and staff. A familiar face will now host the show: George Stroumboulopoulos. Ron Maclean will remain in Coach’s Corner with Don Cherry but will host Rogers’ Sunday Hometown Hockey. Though this story is predominantly about hockey, it takes into perspective that hockey is more of a business than a sport. The meltdown on this particular CBC department cost a loss of 657 total jobs and a $130 million budget cut because of the companies’ lost of $250 million earlier.  With companies with a larger capital and more power in this market, CBC is facing a large threat in its professional sports broadcasting department due to their decreasing government funding (lack of opportunity) . The budget at CBC has been shrinking and thus lost one of their greatest strengths: broadcasting rights to CFL, NHL, and even World Cup Soccer matches.

The faces of the new Hockey Night in Canada from Rogers. (from left: Ron Maclean, George Stroumboulopoulos, Don Cherry)

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This blog post is a response to Rosenblum’s blog post

The business model that is keeping Amazon.com in business is keeping them from being profitable. According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon.com is reportedly opening a retail store in New York City in hopes to increase their profits. It’s hard to believe, but if you think about it, Amazon is barely profitable. With it’s low cost items and delivery, their revenue comes from Amazon Prime membership and a fraction of every item sold. This is a very important issue because although Amazon accounts large portion of America’s online transactions, they must rely on retail stores in order to become profitable. I find it puzzling to comprehend what Amazon will use this physical location for besides pickup because it is impossible to provide nearly as much variety as they do online in person. The amount of inventory Amazon.com would need to have in their physical location would go against the business plan of Dell. Rosenblum suggested that Amazon can now play the role of the logistic providers in Manhattan, keeping the money they would have otherwise placed in Fedex or UPS’s pocket. Thus they can supply cheaper and quicker same day deliveries.  The amount of Sears retail locations closing gives Amazon a selection of cream of the crop locations that can be extremely advantageous to their operations. It is comforting to see that even the King of the Online Marketplace must resort to the most conventional way of “long-term and sustainable profitability” through physical locations and a digital presence because it shows that human-to-human interactions still got a couple more years to go.

Amazon’s options to be profitable are limited. Perhaps this will be the future of Amazon.com: a dual presence in physical and online retail.

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The current situation with the controversial Northern Gateway Pipeline is a prime example of a threat to a firm’s business. The proposed business plan consists of a 1,177 kilometre long pipeline that carries oil from the Alberta tar sands, across British Columbia so it could be exported to foreign countries to refine. The problem with this $6.5 billion project, despite creating numerous employment opportunities and a boost to the receding economy, is it goes across many Aboriginal reserves. Since the Natives considers the land to have a historical, spiritual, and resourceful value, a conflict has risen between the parties involved in this deal. I agree with the Natives on holding off the pipeline because the province cannot afford to risk the chances of a rupture. What defines this beautiful province is its nature and approving this project will tarnish that exact distinction. Since Enbridge has already offered royalties to the Aboriginal groups that are disapproving, Enbridge should consider making the pipeline more safe or take a route that wouldn’t have as big as impact spill were to occur or that didn’t traverse Native reserves. This standoff by Natives I feel is very important because it proves that large corporations can’t do anything they want even with money.

The results of an oil spill on wildlife

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This is a response to an article on Forbes.

With the record-breaking IPO of Alibaba last month, it left many pondering on why they hadn’t invested in it sooner. Terry Yang, co-founder of Yahoo, won’t be asking that question because he “made the most lucrative bet in Silicon Valley History.” The $1 billion dollars that he invested in Ma’s Alibaba on behalf of Yahoo back in 2005, made them one of the largest share-holders at 30%. Yahoo later sold off a chunk last year at $13/share but the 16% stake they still own is valued at over $36 billion. Yang investment is a redemption from being ousted from his own company when he refused to sell Yahoo to Microsoft while his company slowly lost to Google. His own company AME also primarily invests in tech startups including Evernote and Tango. What we can appreciate from Yang’s successful business ventures is his ability to see the potential of a company. When he first met Ma (as a tour guide for the Great Wall), Alibaba was still run from its HangZhou apartment. Despite Yahoo evidently losing to Google in the race of being a No. 1 search engine, Yang was able to move on from the past and form his new company that he claims he is “able to do things at [his] own pace, make mistakes” and happier.

In response to “The TV Model is Broken”

Cable television has not longer been a staple in every household for entertainment. There has been a trend of declining customers in cable -TV services and service providers. In fact, according to the National Cable Television Cooperative reported that small companies representing 53,000 customers have gone out of business. This is mainly due to the fact that networks are demanding more money to license their channels. Viacom recently demanded a 50 percent increase in payments forcing mid-size companies and lower to drop Viacom channels. As a consumer that has been watching all TV programme now on my computer, I believe network companies need to consider that their price and convenience is driving business away. Cable companies often require you to purchase a batch of channels when you only watch the one or two thats included. However, if you pay a la carte, that will run you almost as much as the package. This article doesn’t affect me as much since I would only watch TV for live sports which is already possible to view on the computer for free. The pricing models have been responsible for the recent success of online streaming services including Netflix, HBOGo, and WatchESPN. With less and less customers that watch TV, or pay for their TV programme in general, it is time for the major programmers to make viewing more affordable for both the cable companies and the consumers.

In response to Lapowsky’s “Alibaba’s Founder on Why His Company Is Killing It in China” on Wired

Those who haven’t heard of Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, will be hearing a lot him after his company’s record breaking IPO last week, generating $25 billion. Alibaba is the largest and primary e-commerce network in China. Spectators are predicting that with this move to go public, the company is looking into entering the US e-commerce market competing with Amazon and eBay. However, instead of exposing the company to two of the largest e-commerce networks at once, Ma mentioned his company’s plan to expand into developing countries where the infrastructure of commerce is weak. The lack of competition in these countries will prove to be an advantage for Alibaba similar to the market in China. Asides from business plans, he also decided to invest $3 billion in “environmental and educational projects in China to ‘help hose who want to be successful.'” As someone who once made $20 a month and started Alibaba from home, Ma believes with his investment he can nurture creative/entrepreneurial talent in his home-country. While his IPO marks the 30th spot on Forbes’ billionaires, practice of good business ethics is evident here. Asides from his generous donations, his success story sends a message similar to the one of the late Steve Jobs: It doesn’t matter where you’ve come from, as long as you have passion, you will succeed. Ma quotes, “…When you have more than $1 billion, you have responsibility.” The world could use more wealthy people with a sense of social responsibility.