Tae's Blog

Incorporating individuals from diverse cultures, different genders and various ethnicities within a corporation is valuable to any leader. While corporations appear to be utilizing this perspective to enhance their production and commitment to social responsibility, age, or more specifically, generation is an aspect of diversity that I feel is neglected. This negligence is especially pronounced in regards to the new generation entering the workforce, the millennials.

In general, millennials matured during relatively wealthy times and were the first generation to take technology for granted as an expectation over a novel convenience. Although they tend to be questioning, electronically networked and entrepreneurially driven, business executives are having a difficult time incorporating this generation into the workplace. Perhaps this is because employers are concerned with catering towards the myths of millennials rather than fostering them in an environment where everyone feels valued. According to the article derived from Forbes.com, it is clear millennials are much different than other generations, as they present with a sense of entitlement, have a hard time focusing and are eager to make an impact. Although I find these opinions valid, I agree with the author of article when he states that “executives should encourage transparency and openness, so everyone feels comfortable voicing opinions and learns how to take feedback.” This may be interpreted as a backhanded compliment however, as between the lines, he is suggesting that millennials are opinionated and with time, can utilize criticism to benefit the self and subsequently, the business.

Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of this generation, business executives should take advantage of the positive aspects. Millennials are known to set high expectations and are known to be entrepreneurs. These can be extremely desirable traits in a corporation where hard work and competition often lead to success and vitality. In incorporating millennials, companies will have to ensure that they embrace these qualities without jeopardizing collegial and teamwork environments.

Millennials require more assistance developing soft skills such as listening, conflict resolution and communication. Executives appear to be aware of these needs should therefore shift their focus from designing jobs to fit millennials needs to ongoing training to ensure a strong foundation of skills.

Word Count: 364

Works Cited:

Haugh, L. (2017, January 30). Millennials Don’t Need Special Treatment At Work. Retrieved March 28, 2017, from http://fortune.com/2017/01/30/how-to-manage-millennials-at-work/?iid=sr-link1

Langton, N., Robbins, S., Judge, T., & Robbins, S. (2013). Organizational behaviour (7th ed.). Toronto: Pearson Canada.

What drives students to universities?

Do students go to universities purely because of their passion towards higher-level education, or is it because their passion towards an easier route to a satisfied and potentially wealthy future?

In Exploring Ethan Tam’s blog post “What is a student’s motivation?” I started questioning the reasoning behind the pursuit of many students to attend UBC, even from the opposite side of the world, and what motivates them to be so dedicated to school work and be involved in clubs.

Ethan discussed that the primary motivation for students for joining clubs is their will to “feel sense of belongings,” as opposed to receiving recognition, as peers typically do not care enough about others’ participation to make it status symbol on campus. Although I agree with his argument, I want to expand on the reasoning behind participation further through applying Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory and how it applies to students’ will to fulfill these needs.

It is suggested that the titles of club positions will assist student resumes as an experience which will eventually reward them as making them more compatible in a competitive job market. Furthermore, getting better grades will get students into better programs, schools, and eventually careers, thus studying hard will reward students in the future as well.

The reward for joining clubs and being active on campus may not be monetary and likely will not present itself to students immediately, but the majority understand, or have been informed that their hard work will eventually pay off in the future through a variety of ways. For instance, it will bring them secure and well-paid jobs which are satisfying lower-order needs and even expand their opportunity to reach up to higher-order needs, such as social, esteem, and self-actualization.  Therefore, I believe that many students’ desire to fulfill such needs in their future motivates them to be more involved in school.

Wordcount: 316

Works Cited:

Langton, N., Robbins, S., Judge, T., & Robbins, S. (2013). Organizational Behaviour (7th ed.). Toronto: Pearson Canada.

Sleeping at work, where is the border between work and home?

In William Huang’s blog post ‘Sleep at Work?’ he discusses employees purposefully sleeping at work in Japan and its distinctive work environment when compared to Canada. In fact, the trend has a specific term in Japanese, ‘inemuri’, which literally means ‘to be asleep while at work.’

Yes, it seems bizarre as William mentioned, since Canada tends to have a stricter border between work and rest. However, in many Asian countries including Japan, this boundary barely exists for many salarymen.  I believe this could be in part due to frequent unpaid working overtime at night and random emergency calls to cover other employees; this behavior is common and often justified in Asian countries. Since the technological developments allow people to be connected 24/7 with each other, it is very hard to avoid such situations where some employees who always want to get a chance to show off their work ethic in pursuit of a promotion. In other words, they do not want to leave a negative impression on thheir boss by rejecting such calls.

I believe sleeping at work is not only unhealthy for employees, it is also unhealthy for the company since their workers’ productivity cannot be maximized. I have seen news articles about how many companies in South Korea are getting sleeping rooms in the company building for the workers who need rest. This may seem like the company cares about their workers’ rest, however, in fact, it can also mean that the company assign extensive workload so the employees cannot get good enough rest at their home. I believe employee satisfaction and productivity would be maximized in a workplace that encourages a balanced lifestyle, in terms of work and rest.

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It is surprisingly easy to meet people who have experienced some kind of form of sexual harassment in their workplace. According to the statistics in 2015 from a survey conducted by the Huffington Post, 1 out of 3 women have been sexually harassed at work, and specifically, over forty percent of women who had non-managerial fast-food jobs reported that had been sexually harassed.

The article notes that this usually occurs through the misuse of authority by higher-positioned workers who are “abusing their power position.” According to chapter 8, managers, who are in high positions in charge of “reward and coerce” such as salary increase, promotion and holidays, hold significant power in the working relationship. This pressures employees into being obedient to their managers, even if the situation is unethical. For the fast food industry, this conflict usually happens in between workers and shift-managers.

Sexual harassment has been an issue for decades that has seen decent exposure, but statistics demonstrate that despite awareness, levels have remained relatively constant over time.

One reason supporting this lack of change is attributed to the phenomenon where people tend to avoid to talk about such experiences. For instance, only 40 percent of those who are sexually harassed report such incidences, leaving the majority of victims unreported.

To eliminate sexual harassment at work, I believe that education and awareness at the workplace is fundamental. Employees need to understand that sexual harassment is wrong and have to be encouraged to report it in a timely manner. Without telling people, the situation will not solve itself, nor will sexual harassment on a larger scale decrease. Further, companies should have well-established policies documented for such situations, which should prevent abuse of managers’ authority and protect the workers from mental health issues that subsequently follow sexual harassment.

References

Cohn, E. (2016, October 10). Next time you order fast food, consider what women face behind the counter. Retrieved from Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/fast-food-workers-face-rampant-sexual-harassment-2016-10

Langton, N., Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2016). Organizational Behaviour Concepts, Controversies, Applications. Toronto: Pearson. p274

Vagianos, A. (2015, February 19). 1 In 3 Women Has Been Sexually Harassed At Work, According To Survey. Retrieved from The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/19/1-in-3-women-sexually-harassed-work-cosmopolitan_n_6713814.html

“Servant Leader”.

When I first heard the term, “Servant Leader,”  I found it immediately interesting because it seemed like an oxymoron. How can a leader who is supposed to lead followers be a servant?

According to the Comm 292 textbook, servant leadership is “a leadership style marked by going beyond the leader’s own self-interest and instead focusing on opportunities to help followers grow and develop.”

Servant leaders appreciate the individual characteristic of a group to maximize each member’s ability by helping and taking care of them. Not only do servant leaders tend to their followers for the result of their collective works, but they are also mindful of their lives outside the workplace and are cognizant of opportunities that reflect their talents. This concept of leadership is found to be unique in our society, as positions of authority are typically characterized by narcissistic and demanding leaders who often exude an overbearing demeanor. This traditional leadership style may still generate success, but there is a high possibility that the leader is not maximizing the opportunities for both employees and the company.

I personally admire the idea of servant leadership, as I believe that I am more of a listener than talker. If the concept of service leads to success, the leader will be highly respected and tightly knit to his or her followers who feel appreciated and exude a sense of self-worth. This pleasant environment within the company will potentiate successful results and mitigate issues with human resources, a lack of trust, and health. In turn, followers’ genuine passion and motivation towards their work may develop a whole new level of outcome for a company. However, I believe this would be strongly dependent on the leader and the followers’ personality and previous experiences. For instance, a servant leader with voluntary limited authority may not be able to lead her/his followers when it is necessary.  Therefore, I believe that the balance in between servant leader and authority is a significant factor to think about as a leader.

In the 21^st century, there appears to be room for various types of leaders, but in 2017’s climate of change and uncertainty, especially related to the United States’ election of President Donald Trump, the idea of leadership is being contested on a daily basis. Perhaps what has worked for Trump in the business world in the last few decades may not spill over in the ultimate leadership role, leading me to think, was he more of a global servant leader who demonstrates care for all people, or would he have started off on a different foot?

Langton, N., Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2016). Organizational Behaviour Concepts, Controversies, Applications. Toronto: Pearson. p403

Image:

On The Beat: Servant Leadership [Digital image]. (2016, December 7). Retrieved February 5, 2017, from http://lawofficer.com/leadership/on-the-beat-servant-leadership/

Do you know that cliché scene in a romantic comedy where the interested male invites over a female he is infatuated to watch him prepare a meal for two? Ever recognized that dinner doesn’t last very long, and before you know it, they’re exploring something more affectionate?

“Ikea Effect” is a psychological phenomenon that “describes the notion that there really is love in people’s own labour [because] when [people] put effort into building their own things, they attach greater value to it” (Norton, 2011). In those romantic scenes, the labour of love that pours into the meal for the character is what makes the dinner appealing, and often results in a return on the male’s investment.

The term “Ikea Effect” originated from the feeling people experience as they bond to Ikea furniture because of the effort and time they put into the product (Rega, 2016). The labour they invested evoked a sense of attachment and pride in oneself and the product they pieced together, which makes the product more precious than something that arrived completely finished.

I believe that the concept of “Ikea Effect” can be broadly integrated into many workplace environments to arouse intrinsic motivators by achieving their higher-order needs such as “social belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization” (Langton, 2016). For instance, Dan Ariely, Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University noted that “we could get people to feel that something is theirs in a unique way,” by getting them to sign something or put their name afterwards which will create a connection with work.

The “Ikea Effect” can also translate to manufacturers themselves. For example, technology businesses tend to exhibit bonds to their original innovations, making it difficult for them to adapt to new technologies that fall outside their realm of comfort. Instead of utilizing new materials and plans, they tend to make minor adjustments and changes that mitigate drastic change to their original product. For example, Blackberry refused to abandon their once loved keyboard despite the reveal and subsequent success of touchscreen smartphones. Blackberry went from a leading telecommunications company to the proud owner of 0.8% of the smartphone industry. Why? The labour of love was hard to abandon.

I believe that the “Ikea Effect” is an interesting phenomenon that could add valuable meaning to goods or products, but we need to be aware of finding a balance between the love of labour and the love of a good resulting product. If companies assume that buyers are more attracted to the internal rewards of exerting effort more than the result of it, it may jeopardize practical decision making in the business world.

References

Langton, N., Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2016). Organizational Behaviour Concepts, Controversies, Applications. Toronto: Pearson. p174

Norton, M. I. (2011). The “IKEA Effect”: When Labor Leads to Love. Cambridge: Harvard Business School.

Rega, S. (2016, December 1). A psychologist explains how the ‘IKEA effect’ can motivate people to work harder. Retrieved from Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/dan-ariely-motivation-ikea-effect-ideas-2016-11

Image:

Ikea Logo [Digital image]. (2016, February 25). Retrieved February 5, 2017, from https://www.iconeye.com/opinion/rethink/item/12394-ikea-logo

Is it possible for a firm to increase its profits by increasing employee wages?

“Save money. Live better.” The slogan of Walmart’s main homepage reflects the firm’s primary characteristic and aim. Known for offering products at competitive price points, Walmart’s success was about saving consumer dollars, not providing customer service, resulting in an employee base of underpaid and low skilled workers that jeopardize quality service for falling prices.

Nayoung’s blog, “How Walmart increased its profits by paying its workers more” discusses several interesting perspectives towards the company’s recent decision to increase wage. As a result of declining profits due to customer dissatisfaction with service, Walmart raised their employer earnings to instigate them greater experience while shopping.  This investment is largely counterintuitive to the company’s traditional approach and equation for mass earnings; however, despite shareholders expressing opposition to the move, their sales went up by 1.6 percent.

I agree with Nayoung’s argument that the investment in human capital may be an effective way for Walmart to address strong online competitors, like Amazon. Furthermore, Nayoung suggests that increased wages encourage workers illustrate motivation and loyalty, which will maximize labour efficiency and effectiveness. Additionally, it’s possible that Walmart can alter their image from hiring individuals on their last resort in seeking employment towards being a socially responsible company that supports fair practices. It’s possible this could shift hiring those who hesitantly accept the bare minimum wage for increased workloads and the stripping of autonomy to appreciating employees who are willing to invest charisma and initiative for collective success.

Although increasing wages may temporarily demonstrate a positive effect in terms of revenue, I personally believe paying workers more is not a perfect solution, as fundamentally, high-quality service has not, and likely won’t be the reason that consumers choose Walmart; they are there for cheap prices, not premium services. Perhaps the same can be said for store aesthetics, as it may be argued that shoppers would prefer the environment of Whole Foods, but given Walmart’s financial success, it can be assumed that many people are willing to endure a bland environment and indifferent employees for savings.

To eliminate or reduce Walmart’s generally negative reputation as a big box store who negates employee well-being and their subsequent efforts to increase customer satisfaction, I agree that an increase in wages was an inevitable step to remain in a competitive online retailer market. Walmart, and other stores that rely on in-person shopping have to allocate resources to advantages they have over online markets; face to face customer service. To appease the informed modern customer and encourage them to return, companies should offer appealing conditions, which includes positive and helpful interactions with employees and low prices.

Word count: 447

Resources:

https://blogs.ubc.ca/nayoungim/

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/16/upshot/how-did%20-walmart-get-cleaner-stores-and-higher-sales-it-paid-its-people-more.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FWal-Mart%20Stores%20Inc.&action=click&contentCollection=business&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=collection

Image:

http://www.walmart.ca/en

Each day, the number of Chinese tourists across the globe rapidly increases. For instance, approximately 2m Chinese visit the US every year, but by the end of the decade, this is expected to reach 3m. To both accommodate and benefit from this trend, the American hotelier market is expanding, with significant investment from Chinese nationals who recognize the opportunities associated with accommodating their fellow citizens abroad.

In Gulliver, the business travel blog in The Economist, A.W. examines HNA and other large Chinese corporations’ current business decisions on huge investments in American hotels and the rationale behind it. 

This week, HNA group, the 4^th biggest aviation company in China, announced that it is to buy a 25% stake in Hilton Worldwide Holdings while being a shareholder in other well-known hotelier brands such as Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn and Conrad. Following HNA Group, other massive Chinese investments in American hoteliers were made, escalating the trend and Chinese ownership in the market. Despite being anchored in industries irrelevant to hotel-based tourism, these companies are continuously and aggressively purchasing popular and profitable properties in what would appear to be a random manner.

Why would aviation or insurance companies buy hotels in the US? The writer argues that to Chinese investors, American hotelier is a safe haven for Chinese investors to park their money during volatility in the Chinese economy. Since a recent downturn in the financial stability of China, the securing of money in American hotels has brought a sense of safety to investors’ accounts.

I would applicate similar trends are occurring throughout the real estate sector, as ownership by Chinese foreigners is becoming common around the world. In general, Chinese investors tend to lean towards safe purchases rather than pursuing risky opportunities that could stimulate greater profit. In turn, this leads Chinese investors to focus on luxury areas that are economically and politically stable, such as metropolitan areas like Vancouver and New York.

I believe HNA group’s current investment decision was a wise choice in both the short and long term. For the short term, it is the safest and most solid option for the company to retain their money, and quite possibly achieve a return, even if minimal, on their investment. Over the long-term, there is more possibility to achieve the HNA group’s ambitious goals for the future to be in top 100 companies by 2020 and 50 by 2030. By stepping into the hotelier market, the company has doubled in size, thus, it is more likely for them to attain its goals. One benefit of adding breadth to their ownership would be opportunities to combine aviation and insurance with accommodations, which essentially monopolizes the tourist sector and beat competitive companies by offering bundled costs for consumers.

Word count: 450

Resources:

http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2016/10/rooms-growth

http://www.hnagroup.com/en/corporation/group-profile/about-us/index.html

Images:

http://assa.aero/archives/18968?cat=1&ckattempt=1

https://www.expedia.ca/St-Louis-Hotels-Hilton-St-Louis-Downtown-At-The-Arch.h1152198.Hotel-Information?rfrr=Redirect.From.www.expedia.com%2FSt-Louis-Hotels-Hilton-St-Louis-Downtown-At-The-Arch.h1152198.Hotel-Information

While browsing through classmates’ blogs, Michelle Kwok’s submission, titled “Mobile Nintendo?” had several interesting perspectives on Nintendo’s current business decisions that I found relatable and largely support.

Nintendo is a Japanese company that started the “era of living-room gaming.” Nintendo is often credited as the precipitator for an enormous consumer base today with companies like Sony and Microsoft entering the market with their video game consoles.

The 21^st Century has presented the proliferation of smartphone gaming, technological advancements and independent developers outside of the mainstream video game providers. The rapid growth of the smartphone market has forced companies to remain competitive in that industry, provoking traditional gaming companies to adapt their strategies and utilize smartphones as personal gaming devices.

Michelle discusses the “huge change” of Nintendo to “jump-start” into the mobile gaming market with mobile “Super Mario Run,” and resisting their conservative approach towards games. Additionally, Michelle offers her opinion, which postulates that Nintendo’s efforts to sustain themselves by refocusing their production are beneficial to the company.

I agree with Michelle’s point that shifting their focus to smartphones was a wise choice for Nintendo. Free-to-go smartphone games are ubiquitous, and their primary customers (casual gamers) would prefer to pay a small amount of money rather than purchase an expensive console. Likewise, many consumers already own smartphone devices, so the idea of paying for additional applications at relatively low costs is appealing to everyday users.

As in any market, consumer opinion and taste change with time and trends. As customers’ shift their values and needs, companies have to adapt in order to satisfy demand and prevent becoming obsolete. For instance, if the Gap continued selling wide leg jeans instead of keeping current with consumption trends, we can assume they would not generate a revenue. The same can be said for cars, sports merchandise and technologies.

The relationship between businesses and customers’ buying style reflects the natural process of coevolution; in order for a business to remain competitive, they must adapt to changing customer preferences. Nintendo provides an example of this awareness by recognizing a trend and utilizing this to reestablish themselves as innovators in the field.

The concept of transient advantage refers to a strategy that allows firms to change more quickly and more often to maintain a strong position in the market for many years. Nintendo embraced the fact that they need to adapt and recognized that utilizing transient advantage meant that needed to pursue new initiatives. However, Nintendo has not abandoned their traditional interests in developing gaming consoles, which illustrates their belief that they remain influential and competitive in that realm of gaming.

Word count: 434

References:

http://www.economist.com/news/business/21707949-giant-console-industry-has-lost-generation-gamers-smartphones-can-it-reclaim

https://blogs.ubc.ca/mkwok/

https://www.innosight.com/insight/making-the-shift-from-sustainable-to-transient-advantage/

Image:  https://www.nintendo-europe.com/

The rapid declining population of bees are a significant concern for both scientists and entrepreneurs who capitalize on their production. Bees play an imperative role in the human food chain through pollinating a majority of global crops for consumption. The bees’ role is pertinent in sustaining the world’s physiological needs as well as the economy and its various sectors. This decrease has been well-documented and researched, which has evoked several fundamental causes for the plight of the honeybee. For instance, in a recent finding, American beekeepers lost 44.1% of their hives between March 2015 and April 2016. Researchers note that there are two primary reasons generating this sharp decline; the varroa destructor, parasitic mites that kill bees, and the abundance of US aerial spraying, which is utilized to target mosquitoes that could carry the Zika virus, which also killed an overwhelming number of bees. One article from South Carolina dramatically illustrates the emaciation of bees as a result of their being “nuked.”

To address the ongoing extinction of bees, as well as to mitigate food and financial security issues, the BBC highlights the technology firm, Bee Smart, who developed a tool that monitors hives through live-streaming video to allow beekeepers to easily and efficiently check whether threats to their well-being. Bee Smart compares this to a home-security system, but as opposed to familial protection alone, their innovative product could extend beyond the hive through preventing substantial loss in agriculture and its related markets.  Therefore, the idea of being able to remotely monitor the state of a bee hive is becoming increasingly significant and potentially life-saving.

Delving into the beekeeping industry appears to be a well-informed decision for Bee Smart. In the past, beekeepers have largely been able to ignore significant development of technologies because they simply did not exist, and like other sectors where employee work-ethic and reliability are taxing, bees were evolved to produce. However, Bee Smart will face some competition in the field, as rival firms are producing chemicals for treating varroa, while others pursue breeding varroa-tolerant bees. Although competition exists, Bee Smart stands out because it utilizes non-biological and non-chemical technology. While others are trying to address an inherent weakness of bees, Bee Smart is working to maintain the quality of bee hives, which should entice investing beekeepers who strive to maintain their populations and remain in the market.

Bee Smart is an ethical business that is based on addressing a global issue with a socially responsible goal of maintaining bee populations and doing so without compromising ecological environments. Additionally, Bee Smart has potential to be highly profitable, as there is a high possibility for their technology to assist in increasing agricultural revenue.

Word count: 443

Sources:

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-37386490

http://www.beesmarttechnologies.com/en/