Samuel Tjandrawinata's Blog

Blackberry Passport: Is Squareness Enough?

Posted by Samuel Tjandrawinata in Competition

It was the first smartphone to feature a Internet-based PIN instant messenger. And it was the device that put businessmen in awe when its small red lamp blinked, notifying an incoming email. But when Apple released its iPhone and began to dominate the smartphone market; Blackberry struggled to keep its relevance. Last Wednesday (24/9), Blackberry is again a trendsetter – or at least, trying to be one. CEO John Chen released the Canadian company’s newest smartphone: the Blackberry Passport. The device caught my eye because it does not look anything…read more

Sep.27

Why iPhones are always the next big thing

Posted by Samuel Tjandrawinata in Innovation, Marketing

I first used the original iPhone in grade 7. I’m loving my iPhone 5. And I’m going to love the iPhone 6. The question to ask here is: just how much do I—and you—need the iPhone 6? Here are a few thoughts I took into consideration. I don’t need it, I want it. When I opened iPhone 6’s homepage, this phrase caught my attention: “it’s better in every way”. Yes, it has a smooth metal surface and a new Retina HD display. And yes, the iPhone 6 is…read more

Sep.16

Starbucks’ First Coffee Farm: Ethics or Expansion?

Posted by Samuel Tjandrawinata in Innovation, Strategy

Photo courtesy of Starbucks Coffee Company To a business, customers are one of the most valuable assets. Investors go in only if they know that there is a market demand for the product. Still, in an increasingly competitive business environment, is high profits alone enough to drive business value? Milton Friedman’s answer is yes. My answer is yes…and no. Take Starbucks as an example. The largest coffeehouse company recently purchased a farm in Costa Rica. For one thing, the 240-hectare farm will “support growers and their families” and allow Starbucks…read more

Sep.09