Sammie Chan's Blog

After reading my classmate Bayne Vardy’s post, about airlines implementing in-flight wifi, my first thought was: I want to go on this airline for my next vacation.

In his blog post, Bayne mentions how United Airlines and Continental Airlines is offering in-flight wifi for customers mid 2012 and how this innovative idea allows these two airlines to differentiate themselves from other airlines. I agree with his opinion on this article because companies constantly need to incorporate innovative ideas to their products whether it is video chat for Facebook or in-flight wifi, customers will be drawn to whichever company implements the idea first. Regarding to the in-flight wifi idea, definitely majority of the people would want  have this feature on their flights. Who wouldn’t want to browse the web during a 13 hour flight? I know I would surely enjoy that. With that being said, I believe the target market for this feature ranges anywhere; anyone, young or old, can utilize this feature for their entertainment.

Picture: http://sparksheet.com/wifi-with-wings-qa-with-michael-planey/

Following Emma Thompson’s blog about Target creating stores in Canada, I have to agree with her blog post. Take a look around a local mall– how many stores belong to U.S. companies? Majority of the well-known stores like Wal-Mart, Forever 21, Starbucks, and Mc Donalds, they are all American stores. Recently, Target just bought out Zellers, making there another American store in Canada. I agree with Emma that this was a good decision on Target’s part because most Canadians rather shop in the U.S. than here. Why? Because of the price difference. Although the Canadian dollar is stronger than the US dollar at times, Canadian prices are still comparably more expensive. So why not drive down a couple of kilometers to purchase cheaper merchandise?

In general, I believe consumers will enjoy having Target instead of Zellers because Target offers newer and better products. Furthermore, since new products are generally available in the U.S. first, customers will enjoy that they will have relatively quicker access to these products via Target. Also, Target entering Canada does pose a competitive advantage because of its already well known reputation. Canadian customers will most likely enjoy purchasing from a new store.

Picture: http://manwifeanddog.com/2011/03/08/8-ways-to-shop-at-target-without-spending-all-your-money-promise/

After learning about social enterprises in class a few days ago, I curiously searched for more information on the topic online. Luckily, I came across this blog, which focuses solely on spreading the word about how social entrepreneurship can positively impact the world. John blogged about an interesting social enterprise: Cards from Africa. Cards from Africa is an African business which makes and sells handmade high quality cards, and “offers well-paid employment to those who need it the most”. The purpose of this business is to serve as a stepping stone for their employees to gain money and possibly start their own careers in the future. The company is also looking into offering entrepreneurial and management classes to their staff.

So what makes this company a social enterprise? Different from purely making profits, the company utilizes the profits for a social cause: helping the needy in Africa gain money and business skills. The employees gain 4x more income per day than the average Rwandan (which is $1 per day). Cards from Africa could easily become a private business where making profits is the most important.  I agree with the blog, the world needs more social enterprises!

Picture: http://cardsfromafrica.com/

“Many of our customers leave home without a wallet, but almost never leave home without their phone,” said Adam Brotman, senior vice-president of digital ventures at Starbucks.

Recently, Starbucks announced that they were incorporating a new, innovative way for consumers to purchase their drinks: using smart phones to pay. According to Adam Brotman, customers forget their wallets at home, but usually everyone remembers to carry around their phones. Starbucks has generated an official app for iPhone that allows their customers to enter their prepaid Starbucks card number and tap a scanner. Customers can just tap their phones on a scanner at a Starbucks counter after ordering and go, just as simple as that. The beneficial side to this new technological strategy is that customers can pay quicker, which reduces the wait in line for other customers. People will be less likely to leave the long line-ups for their favorite holiday drink, since a mobile-payment only takes six seconds compared to credit card payments!

By utilizing this method of payment, Starbucks can use management information systems to generate data from the sales. The company will be able to recognize consumers buying trends and thus, the company can implement ways for improvement.

Want to read more about the article? :http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/tech-news/starbucks-rolls-out-smart-phone-payments-in-canada/article2228467/

Read more about the new mobile app here: http://www.starbucks.com/coffeehouse/mobile-apps

Picture: http://blogs.ft.com/fttechhub/2009/09/starbucks-app-turns-iphone-into-a-wallet/

According to QuickMBA, the definition of entrepreneurship in a business context is “to start a business”.

Now, under what guidelines can one be considered an entrepreneur? Essentially, anyone who decides to start up and manage a business is under the classifications of an entrepreneur. After reading the definition of an entrepreneur online, the first entrepreneur that came to my mind was the world known Mark Zuckerberg.

Mark Zuckerberg, being the CEO of the global leading social media site, Facebook, is most certainly considered as an entrepreneur.

1) Amount of wealth creation: Facebook has $4.27 billion revenue

2) Speed of wealth creation: Within 2 years, Facebook has generated $52 million revenue

3) Risk: Mark Zuckerberg needs to keep users interested in using Facebook

4) Innovation: Facebook is constantly changing tools on the site, implementing more innovative tools like video chat.

Thus, using these guidelines, Mark Zuckerberg is considered as an entrepreneur.

Picture: http://www.insidefacebook.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook

Are you familiar with the sleepy, groggy feeling after eating lunch and then having to dive back into work? The MetroNap Energy Pod can be the solution to your problem.

Google is now equipped with a new sleeping pod for their employees, known as the MetroNap Energy Pod. The device works by simulating the feeling of a room and has a closed shield for privacy. Users can listen to relaxing music while they doze off to release work pressure.

This ingenious device is perfect for ensuring employees in a workplace to have enough energy for work efficiency. Providing sleep pods like the MetroNap Energy Pod is important to a company’s organizational culture because it keeps employees motivated to work. Like Zappos, their employees are committed to work because the work environment is unique. For example, retrieving a snack from the vending machine is free. Maintaining a high job satisfaction within employees is crucial to the workplace since it will reduce the turnover rate and eliminate costs for hiring new employees.

At the Googleplex (Google’s corporate headquarters), employees can be seen riding bicycles to meetings, sitting on massage chairs, or even playing ping pong during their breaks.

Employees playing game consoles at the Beijing Googleplex

Pictures: http://diptanshu-darklord.blogspot.com/2008/12/we-already-knew-that-working-for-google.html#.TtBmu2P7T1Q

Google’s Culture: http://www.google.com/about/corporate/company/culture.html

Read more at: http://www.businessinsider.com/google-sleep-pods-2010-6

When we see a Gucci logo, or a Lamborghini on the streets, the words “expensive, exclusive, and luxurious” pops into our minds. Despite their expensive prices, how do those companies still manage to make profits and last decades?

These companies have established a good brand name, one that is recognized universally and has high consumer demands. Who wouldn’t want a luxurious sports car that leaves people staring with envy as they zoom by on the streets? In our contemporary society, people wish to fit in with the latest trends.

Take Starbucks for example.

Upon doing the Five Forces of industry attractiveness exercise during the last class, I came to realize that Starbucks does not have any TV ads, or any advertisements in general. The predominant way they publicize their product is through consumers. When we see someone holding a cup of coffee, half of the time it is from Starbucks. Although there are cheaper coffee drinks from Mc Donalds, people still choose to purchase Starbucks coffee merely just for the brand.

Does Starbucks really differ that much from other coffee companies?

Pictures: http://starbucks-secretrecipes.blogspot.com/, http://www.famouslogos.us/gucci-logo/

Toms Shoes founder, Blake Mycoskie, personally putting on a pair of Toms on a child

Take a look around the UBC campus. How many girls (and sometimes guys) are wearing Toms? Numerous.

So why are people choosing to wear this certain type of light weight canvas footwear? The answer is simple: it’s stylish, comfortable, and charitable. Toms shoes , founded by Blake Mycoskie, is a for-profit organization with the principle of “One for One”. With every pair of shoes sold, the company donates a free pair for shoes to child in need. Although the company is for-profit, according to LA Times, the company has only turned a marginal profit. With corporate citizenship being a new business trend, Toms is smart in embracing this as a marketing tactic. Companies are now involved in charitable organizations one way or another, for example, Pepsi and it’s new Pepsi Refresh Project.

Although consumers can choose to purchase cheaper canvas shoes elsewhere, Toms has creatively positioned itself in the consumer’s mind. They have established their points of difference from their competition, making Toms unique from other footwear or social entrepreneurship companies. People are appealed by the idea that they can fit in with the trend, support a child’s need for shoes, and wear comfortable shoes all by purchasing a pair of Toms.

Article: http://www.latimes.com/features/lifestyle/la-ig-greentoms19-2009apr19,0,1059085.story

Official Store website: http://www.toms.com/ 

Picture: http://whereamiwearing.com/2011/04/06/toms-shoes/

Recently, Bank of America, U.S.’s largest bank by deposits, announced that they will implement a new $5 fee for debit card users in 2012. The 5 dollar monthly charge targets the bank’s debit card users for using their cards to make purchases, but the debit card holders are still able to get free cash withdrawals. This risky move by the bank raises a common question: will they lose customers or will other banks begin to follow?  If other banks begin to follow, Bank of America card holders will have no other choice but to pay the required monthly fee. Thus, those that were thinking of switching to another bank, it is most likely not worth the switch. High chances are that the fee charge is a new trend here to stay.

My view on this article is that this change can be risky yet smart. Considering if the other banks do not follow this trend, then Bank of America will lose its customer base, and people will choose other banks. However, if other banks implements this fee as well, then Bank of America will have an advantage of being first.

Picture: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/bank_of_america_corporation/index.html

Read more on this article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15133612

Apple Inc., the ‘Nike of Consumer Electronics’, has grown to be one of the highly successful companies in world. With annual sales of $65.23 billion, surely they can afford to provide a safe and comfortable work place for their employees right? Quite the contrary. In fact, last year there were media reports of Apple contractor Foxconn employees committing suicide because of long working hours and unfathomable pressure every day. Workers claimed that they were ‘being treated as machines’ and announced that they only earn $300 USD monthly. After nine suicides in one year due to the working conditions at Foxconn, Foxconn ensured no more suicides by making its employees promise not to commit suicide. Furthermore, Apple was found using suppliers that uses child labour and chemicals which poisoned dozens of workers. With companies like Apple and Nike embracing these unethical practices in order to sustain their company’s high profits, other companies will follow their steps. This may not be only Apple’s problem, but it can be seen as a global problem where companies are determined to find the lowest-cost suppliers for financial benefits.

Picture: http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/25271/20100528/china-taiwan-foxconn-apple-dell-hewlett-packard-iphone-ipad-assembler-contractor-technology-electron.htm

Want to read more? http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/25271/20100528/china-taiwan-foxconn-apple-dell-hewlett-packard-iphone-ipad-assembler-contractor-technology-electron.htm