On October 22nd, 2013, RIM finally decided to launch BBM on Android and iOS, and I say this with little enthusiasm. The BBM application was long overdue, serving as a bitter reminder of what could have been if they had only launched the app years ago. Although there is a high demand for the application, I do not see a bright future for RIM. The company is trying to salvage what little remains, and is doing a terrible job might I add. Blackberry announced on Twitter that they had reached 5 million downloads after eight hours of launching (Burns, 2013). As one of many who attempted to download the application upon its release, I was wait-listed due to its excessive demand. I found this completely ridiculous, and agree with Thomas’ post about how the company is nothing but a sinking ship. BBM was once a unique application that allowed its users to send picture messages, have group conversations, show read receipts, and more. Now it is the mere equivalent to every other messaging application in the app store, having almost no ‘product differentiation’ at all. I believe that what sparked the high initial demand of the application was purely nostalgia. Users similar to myself wanted to relive their glory days in high school where they treated BBM as a form of ‘MSN’ or ‘instant messaging’ on-the-go. However, in simple terms, BBM just isn’t the same. Nice try, RIM.
References
https://blogs.ubc.ca/thomascampbell/
http://techcrunch.com/2013/10/22/bbm-finally-launches-for-android-and-ios-years-too-late/
http://media.idownloadblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/BBM-crossplatform.jpg
Courtesy of Netflix
Below is a promotional video made by Netflix regarding their upgraded interface.
Introducing: A Brand New Netflix Experience On TVs
References
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/11/netflix-new-software-platform/
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/images/article_images/79420_620x345.jpg
CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk announced plans to build a pickup truck within the next five years. Although the electric car company has a dedicated target niche by selling eco-friendly luxury vehicles, profiting from a pickup truck is going to be nothing short of an uphill battle. Musk told Business Insider that the company intends to build a pickup modeled on the Ford F-150, which is America’s top-selling vehicle (Weissman, 2013). Tesla aims to have a hybrid version of the truck by 2020.
Judging from this news, one might not see an issue regarding Tesla’s upcoming plans. Unfortunately, building an electric pickup truck may not be as hard as marketing it. As of now, Tesla’s home base of California is the source of half its customers, and the largest market for electric vehicles. However, the state of Texas is home to the majority of pickup trucks. Sadly, the ratio of electric cars or hybrids that the residents of Texas buy are 4% and 6%, respectively (Weissman, 2013). If that isn’t bad enough, “Texas banned Tesla from marketing its cars in state, thanks to a statute that bars vehicle manufacturers from selling directly to customers” (Weissman, 2013). The electric car company already lost at its attempt to change the law earlier this year. Unless it finds an alternative plan soon, building a pickup truck will be nothing but a short-lived dream for Tesla.
CEO Elon Musk
References
As of November 14th, Pinterest released its first API for developers. This means that third-party sites will be able to embed Pinterest pins, making it easier for them to post content onto the site. The list of first partners for the service includes Zappos, alongside other big brands such as Walmart, Disney, Nestle, Random House and Hearst.
Zappos on Pinterest
What does adding an API mean for the company? Existing pins will “now be more useful to sites and brands, and also make it easier for people to post to Pinterest” (Lunden, 2013). Therefore, the company will be more efficient in keeping track of data. Pinterest states that users can now pin directly from their partnering sites, “so there’s no need to interrupt your shopping, reading, or browsing” (Lunden, 2013). This release feels like a mere tease when it comes to the company’s plans moving forward.
References
http://techcrunch.com/2013/11/14/pinterest-launches-its-first-apis-partners-with-zappos-walmart-disney-nestle-random-house-hearst-on-first-rollout/
http://pleth.com/sites/default/files/pictures/zappos-pinterest.jpg
On November 4th, the Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women, Dr. K. Kellie, revealed a government-supported project that “aims to increase economic opportunities for women in Canada” (Thomas, 2013). The project includes the Canadian federal government promising $500,000 in order to create more economic opportunities for female entrepreneurs. It aims to cut off the systematic barriers that lead to under-representation of women-led companies in Canada (Thomas, 2013). With the help of this project, the government wants to not only foster supplier diversity, but also increase corporate support of female entrepreneurs. This initiative is currently under the responsibility of WeConnect Canada, which is an organization supporting female business owners. After hearing the news about the federal government’s pledge, president of WeConnect Canada, Mary Anderson, stated, “We are very pleased to partner with the Government of Canada for this project that will help more Canadian women succeed as entrepreneurs”. Since 2007, over $46 million has been approved through the Women’s Program for initiatives that support economic security and prosperity for businesswomen (Thomas, 2013).
As an aspiring female entrepreneur, I’m pleased to read about this recent pledge by the federal government. Although some may argue that women-led businesses are treated equal to their male counterparts, I disagree. I don’t believe that men explicitly discriminate against women in the corporate world, but women do have less opportunities. For females, taking the great “entrepreneurial leap” is tough. Women are taught the importance of having children and creating a family from childhood. Therefore, women who seek to become entrepreneurs find it hard to go against conforming to the stereotypical lifestyle of what a woman should be. It isn’t easy juggling a CEO position and motherhood, and I believe that this is the main reason why females tend not to choose entrepreneurship as a career. However, with the help of this government pledge, and other initiatives that aim to foster women-led businesses, the career does have the potential to grow. To all of the aspiring female entrepreneurs across Canada: We can do it!
References
http://www.techvibes.com/blog/increase-opportunities-for-canadian-women-entrepreneurs-2013-11-04
http://www.weconnectcanada.org/
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/We_Can_Do_It!.jpg
Since the U.S. government shutdown, many have been concerned with what this means for the economy. United States defense contractor Lockheed Martin stated that it would put 3,000 workers on unpaid leave. One of the consequences of the shutdown includes not being able to collate economic data. Penny Pritzker, U.S. Commerce Secretary, described how this current situation is affecting businesses because of their inability to receive data. Furthermore, the number of staff members on leave is said to grow if the shutdown continues. Not only has the United States government shutdown had an affect on the country’s economy, but it has a global impact as well. Due to the fact that the U.S. economy is the number one economy in the world, it is inevitable that their affairs concern the rest of the world as well. The Chilean President Sebastian Pinera suggested that the country confront its fiscal problems in a more efficient way that wouldn’t include shutting down the government. However, President Obama refuses to negotiate with Republicans over budget issues until they decide to pass a temporary bill to reopen the government as well as raising the country’s borrowing limit. In terms of businesses, many feel that congress needs to find a solution now.
References
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24419564
http://americasfailureiniraq.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/ObamaShrugMouth4-30-12AlexWongGty_600_jpg1.png
Seaspan Shipyards has announced a new $3,300,000,000 contract from the federal government in order to build vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard. Holy ship, that’s a lot of zeros! This recent news will mean that up to 17 vessels will be built Seaspan, including 7 ships from a previous contract confirmed in April. What exactly does this mean for Canada’s economy? Harper’s government claims that it will create jobs and generate significant economic benefits not only in shipbuilding, but other industries across the country. The article claims that 4,000 jobs are expected to be created from the first Vancouver contract alone. Minister Moore feels that The Government’s National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy has played a significant role in revitalizing the province’s shipbuilding industry. The amount of long-term jobs in this industry alone show signs of future economic growth. Construction, manufacturing, and engineering companies will continue to benefit from this project. Meanwhile, opposing parties are pressing the Harper government to see if they can follow through with all of their promises. Only time will tell exactly how beneficial this project will be for our economy.
References
While economists and older generations fear the end of economic growth in British Columbia, the province’s youth seem to have little concern for what their future entails. The article below highlights how the decline of economic growth in our province should not be an issue for future generations. With a finite number of non-renewable resources, it is evident that a strain on our economy was bound to occur. The article then goes on to state that youth today have adopted a hippie (or hipster) lifestyle that may be the key to what our province should think about on a much larger scale. Activities such as thrift shopping, composting, and bicycling are not only encouraged, but considered trendy for today’s generation. If this trend continues to grow, young people will be more inclined to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle and be more conscience of the world’s natural resources. Luckily, British Columbia has an abundance of protected territory compared to other provinces, as well as people who still know how to harvest. These key factors will be extremely beneficial for the province moving forward. As more and more youth continue to develop hipster characteristics, there may still be hope for British Columbia’s future economic state.
References
http://www.vancouversun.com/Growth+ending+that/8966889/story.html
http://media.canada.com/idl/vasn/20130307/VASN_20130307_Final____A3_118839_I001.jpg
When formulating key factors of what make up a successful business, what most people fail to take into account is the importance of corporate ethics. The common stereotype that comes along with starting a business is that the sole incentive is making money. However, I have to disagree. As western culture continues to grow, there has been a rise in sustainability and non-profit organizations. A prime example would be an initiative that I am currently involved in, Down to the Last Straw. It is a campaign to end the use of plastic straws, and other plastic cutlery. Organizations such as these should be examples for future leaders regarding the importance of putting principle before profit. In an article from The Globe and Mail on “How to Become a Social Purpose Leader”, Paul Klein from Impakt argued that companies should edge away from the term “corporate social responsibility” and fully understand the direct social and environmental impact their products have. When looking at companies today, their ability to minimize the use of natural resources and reduce their carbon footprint play a role in their success. More importantly, it is something that is of concern for all stakeholders.
Photo taken during Down To The Last Straw’s Shoreline Clean-up in association with the Vancouver Aquarium. From left to right: Sukhdeep Grewal (volunteer), Monica Dhaliwal (member), Dayah Johal (member), Sargam Saxena (member)
Sharad Khare (member) and family during the Shoreline Clean-up
References
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