Since its inception in 1945, the United Nations has become a medium for individual countries to address key global issues through collaboration. Although greater funding will ensure that the UN has the resources to take greater action, it is possible that smaller, localized issues may be ignored. This creates a gap that can be filled with social entrepreneurship.

Image from http://www.povertycure.org/media/blog/what-is-a-social-entrepreneur-and-why-do-they-matter/

Like the UN, social enterprise and initiatives such as the Arc are dedicated to addressing challenges encountered by communities around the world. By providing individuals and communities with the knowledge and infrastructure to tackle these issues independently, social entrepreneurship offers solutions that are sustainable in the long term. Because these communities are given the freedom to approach problems creatively, they can become self-sufficient and develop strategies to address future challenges.

Social enterprise and the United Nations must work jointly to confront the issues of today and tomorrow. Relative to the size of the UN, social enterprises are much smaller. They also have fewer resources, which prevents them from tackling more complex issues that impact larger regions and/or multiple countries. I believe the United Nations should focus their efforts on larger issues such as disease and famine. However, the UN should guarantee that social entrepreneurs have the ability to access new locations and offer solutions to previously unaddressed problems. This can be done by providing them with appropriate funding and proper resources.

Sources:

http://skollworldforum.org/about/what-is-social-entrepreneurship/

http://www.sauder.ubc.ca/Global_Reach/ARC_Initiative/About_ARC

In an article published by the BBC, call centre workers in the UK were fined for taking washroom breaks, even though they were given large amounts of water to “lubricate their voices” for the job. Employees are the foundation of call centres, as they are the ones who directly communicate with customers. However, the actions taken by the unnamed call centre in the article might be counter-intuitive. I can see the reasoning behind these actions; by deterring employees from taking breaks, the call centre can take more calls and reduce the length of wait times. Although the call centre will be able to assist more customers, the quality of customer service will decline as a result of these measures. Employees are clearly going to be distracted by their desire to visit the washroom when taking calls, but the inconsiderate nature of these rules may also reduce their motivation to deliver better customer service.

Image from http://www.ibiblio.org/Dave/Dr-Fun/df200201/df20020118.jpg

I feel that offering high quality service is more important than providing a greater quantity of service. From my own observations, I have heard countless rants and stories about poor customer service from call centres. Given the nature of the Internet and social media, scathing reviews and heated discussion about these bad experiences can rapidly circulate, negatively affecting a company’s public reputation. The call centre mentioned in the article should re-evaluate their “toilet tax.” In my opinion, preventing employees from going to the washroom does not foster a positive working environment and organizational culture where employees can be comfortable and excited about their job. This can directly influence the amount of effort and enthusiasm employees put into their work, which can be very noticeable to customers over the phone.

Sources:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-29932505

Image from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/life-after-blackberry-canadas-innovation-vacuum/article13825154/?page=all

Danny, a classmate of mine, recently published a blog post outlining Lenovo’s interest to purchase and take over BlackBerry. In the blog, Danny stated that partnering with Lenovo would be an advantageous move for the company. I agree with Danny’s viewpoint completely. In recent years, BlackBerry was unable to maintain a strong position in the mobile phone industry, due to increased competition from Apple and Android devices. By aligning with a large, multinational company, BlackBerry will have access to new technologies and markets. Ultimately, this provides BlackBerry with the option to further innovate and differentiate their product, along with opportunities to establish a stronger presence in the international market.

After reading a couple more articles discussing this topic, I discovered that the Canadian government is opposed to the foreign takeover of key Canadian businesses. In fact, Prime Minister Stephen Harper described Lenovo’s bid for BlackBerry as “hostile,” and argued that BlackBerry should “grow as a Canadian company.” Although large companies are encouraged to establish strong relationships with governments, this should not compromise the organization’s ability to make autonomous decisions. Personally, I believe that government intervention in business should strive to achieve a balance between national and corporate interests. The Canadian government’s intention to keep BlackBerry’s technologies a Canadian commodity is particularly alarming, as it essentially restricts BlackBerry from pursuing certain prospects (such as a takeover from Lenovo) that can potentially lead to greater prosperity in the long run.

Sources:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rim-should-grow-as-a-canadian-company-harper/article544008/

After reading Cisco’s blog, I was astounded by their commitment to corporate social responsibility. From providing affordable IT education in North America to disaster relief in Asia, Cisco supports a diverse range of programs and initiatives that positively impact and empower communities around the world. However, one particular non-profit that Cisco partners with, Good World Solutions, stood out to me because it demonstrated that specialized areas of business, such as IT, are capable of creating shared value in their own unique ways.

Image from https://www.honesttea.com/blog/a-clear-vision-of-fair-trade-impact/

In developing countries, a lack of technology strains the relationship between workers and management. To address this issue, Good World Solutions has developed a mobile platform called Labor Link that improves company-wide communication. Just by using a mobile phone, Labor Link allows workers to respond to survey questions designed by management. Not only does this provide management with real-time data that can be used to analyze and improve the business, it finally offers the ordinary employee with a voice in the decision-making process.

As someone who finds social entrepreneurship interesting, Good World Solutions creates shared value with IT, an element of modern business that was discussed in a recent lecture. Although the collection and analysis of data will undoubtedly lead to changes in the supply chain, the transparency of this information ensures that management remains accountable and does not take advantage of its employees. Since many of these companies are suppliers for larger firms, reports suggesting unethical conduct compel these businesses to respond to employee concerns, so that a reputable image can be presented and upheld. Ultimately, Labor Link facilitates changes in organizational structure that can improve the well-being of thousands of workers.

Sources:

http://blogs.cisco.com/csr/csr-partner-good-world-solutions-wins-social-entrepreneurship-award/

http://csr.cisco.com/casestudy/good-world-solutions

Understanding how to motivate employees is an important part of performance management. To stimulate productivity, many companies actively reward exceptional employees for their work. Instead of having a conventional employee reward system, Costco’s business model embraces a reward system that motivates employees in an unorthodox way.

The White House praised Costco’s business model, stating that “increased productivity, better morale and lower turnover rates” was attributed to the company’s commitment to its employees. Image from http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/01/29/costco-wages-walmart-federal-minimum-wage-obama/5029211/

Unlike other companies, Costco does not provide incentives to employees after a given period of time. Alternatively, all Costco employees receive competitive wages, a benefits plan and other bonuses. This essentially removes the limitations of reward systems we are accustomed to seeing. In Steven Kerr’s article, “On the folly of rewarding A, while hoping for B,” Kerr states that many reward systems are poorly conceived because they actually reward undesired behavior. Employees are able to find and exploit shortcuts to earn rewards, which can actually prevent company-wide goals from being achieved in an effective and timely manner.

By rewarding employees before, rather than after, Costco employees are immediately more engaged, or committed to the company they are working for. I believe this particular type of reward system makes it easier for Costco to successfully set expectations for its entire workforce. Costco’s employees are more likely to embrace the company’s core values and make a contribution that benefits the organization as a whole, since they know that their role in the company is valued. Additionally, the above average wages that Costco employees are paid sets a benchmark that encourages stronger performance, which justifies Costco’s decision to spend more on its workforce.

Sources:

http://business.financialpost.com/2014/10/30/a-stick-and-a-carrot-at-the-same-time-why-costco-pays-twice-the-market-rate/

http://www.ou.edu/russell/UGcomp/Kerr.pdf