http://www.fastcompany.com/3019158/leadership-now/can-business-solve-poverty

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bj-gallagher/mal-warwick-and-paul-polak_b_4019605.html

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1320612/sutherlands-passion-solve-problem-poverty

In a world dominated by massive corporations and an overwhelming global struggle for the dollar, it can be difficult to see the bright side of the seemingly destructive world of business. Now, don’t get me wrong, one cannot deny the corruption and social turmoil inevitably caused by our First World obsession with wealth and power. But, what if I said that business could in fact be the solution to the immense humanitarian problems it has caused. Could business actually solve poverty?

Across the globe, there are hundreds of inspired individuals who believe so and are working towards that very goal. Through hands-on teaching, numerous NGO’s, and the support of businesses around the world, people living in underdeveloped countries are being given opportunities to better their own lives and their communities. Families, including women, are being taught how to become involved in and start their own small businesses. This stimulates the local, national, and global economies and empowers people to break the cycle of poverty. Businesses like these create jobs for others in the community and “catalyze long-term economic growth,” yielding both “social and environmental benefits.”

The issue of global poverty is one that is very close to my own heart. My experiences of the tragedies of poverty and the impact it can have on communities and entire countries is something I will always carry with me. However, I believe in the power of business to make the world a better place, not worse. I believe in people. I know the stereotype of the corporate world: ruthless and power-hungry, profit being the only thing that matters; but I know that it is the business people – the innovators and creators, the visionaries and leaders – that will change the world. As the fortuitous residents of the developed world, I believe we have a responsibility to share the wealth and to use our prosperity to help others. As the young new generation of business people, of visionaries and leaders, I know we have a responsibility do better than the generations before us. So, yes, I believe that business actually can solve poverty and I intend to be a part of that solution.

http://www.businessinsider.com/carrie-marketing-stunt-pranks-people-2013-10

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/07/carrie-prank_n_4059363.html?utm_hp_ref=entertainment

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/viral-video-unleashes-carrie-coffee-shop-155157580.html

The movie adaptation of Stephen King’s best-selling classic “Carrie” is set to release mid-October 2013 just as Halloween lurks around the corner. But in a time flooded with horror movies and things that go bump in the night, how would yet another thriller stand out from the crowd? The New York-based viral video marketing company, Thinkmodo, had a unique idea. As a company known for their innovative marketing schemes – such as a video portraying a man hacking the Times’ Square television screens to promote the movie “Limitless” and flying people-shaped remote-controlled airplanes over the Hudson River to promote a superhero movie “Chronicle” – it was obvious something unbelievable was about to happen in New York City.

This time around, Thinkmodo pulled off a stunt in a coffee shop in Manhattan that left customers shocked and terrified, exactly what the movie “Carrie” is meant to accomplish. In a shop filled with unsuspecting patrons, a woman wreaked havoc with her apparent telekinetic power; throwing a man into a wall, ripping books and pictures off the walls, and sending tables flying. In the words of Thinkmodo co-founder Michael Krivicka: “we basically scared the living hell out of people.”

While some might not see the point of a prank like this due to its lack of direct advertising for the movie, it is in fact a truly genius marketing campaign. With a movie about the horrors of telekinesis on the verge of release, what better way to entice an audience than to give them a first-hand experience? Thinkmodo’s innovative approach to marketing gives them an edge above their competition who only use the traditional forms of advertising. They bring the magic of movies to life and let real people experience it for themselves, a technique that inevitably generates interest in the film. If this level of originality continues, Thinkmodo could soon be leading the charge in the marketing industry.