Wade Larson, the Director, Co-Founder and Vice President of UrtheCast was a guest speaker presenting to us in last week’s lecture. The company installs HD cameras in space that shows videos live of certain parts of the Earth at different times. When he first introduced the company I was so amused by how he can have such a big idea and that his company is actually working with national space agencies such as Energia from Russia.

UrtheCast, as Mr. Larson explained, has four main focuses for the future: media content sales, Earth observation sales, application platform sales and web advertising. Out of these, the last one is where they see the most potentials. Web advertising is definitely a great marketing strategy I think because with technology constantly developing, internet and the web are going to be people’s primary sources. It is where people will get information the fastest and most convenient way.  The company also has a great advantage of being the ones  having the first HD video camera in space and they are also highly differentiated. This strength will help the company a lot against other competitiors and in the process of implementing their plans.

Source: http://www.urthecast.com/ and Comm 101 Class 19.

Pictures:

http://www.techshout.com/internet/2012/26/urthecast-plans-to-broadcast-the-earth-in-hd/

http://createblueprint.com/2012/07/urthecast-tech-teaser-social-media-day-flashmob/

During last week’s lecture, I was lucky to have met Janice Cheam, CEO of Energy-Aware, and listen to her experiences of starting a company of her own. I think her story is really impressive and motivating. After graduation, she had an idea and she could actually turn that into reality, now having an expanding company of her own… wow!

With the expanding population and increased demand for energy it is important that we find ways to conserve it. One of the her company’s products is the Power Tab In-Home Display, which shows your power consumption and rates in the house. You can put it anywhere you want, its quite convenient to move around. It gives instantaneous information about the elecricity use this way people will see if they are using too much. It is very useful as Janice said because you only receive the bill at the end of the month to see your consumption level, but this way people are able to track it every day. It saves a lot of electricity and money, it is especially useful for people living in areas where energy is more expensive. Innovation really makes our lives more comfortable and convenient.

Source and picture: http://www.energy-aware.com/

Video: iPad Mini vs Kindle Fire

Retaling giants like Target Corp., Wal-Mart Canada Corp.or Canadian Tire Corp are now facing pressing threats: the fast-growing dollar strores. They have been a serious concern for years but are becoming a “bigger force” such as Dollarama Inc. and US Tree Stores Inc. who have been “expanding aggressively”.

Why is that, that “Dollar store sales are rising by about 9 per cent annually – more than three times the average annual uptick in the overall retail sector over the past five years”?   They are definitely a special type of business that has its own unique strategy. Its not as big as a Wal-mart but still offers an enourmous range of products so customers can get what they want for cheaper, and they can do all this without having to walk into a huge hipermarket; this is very convenient and saves a lot of time. And time can mean a lot for certain people.

Dollar stores “draw customers with low prices, convenience and simplicity” That could be their points of difference or brand positioning and what makes them a seriuos competitor. Is that all that has made these dollar stores have such a large influence now, that even retail giants find them threatening?

source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/how-canadas-retailers-discounted-the-rise-of-the-dollar-store/article4596897/

picture:http://www.frontiermall.ca/tenants.html

Sony Mobile Communications AB is targeting the Chinese smartphone market becoming a major rival for Apple. The industry is extremely competitive having many international companies, as well as a number of active domestic brands. But Sony Mobile will gain huge opportunities if it “focuses on the right products, is quick to respond to market demand and is speedier in innovation”(Shen)

Sony Mobile seems to have a very optimistic future if they can come up with strategies (long-term) suited for the fast growing Chinese market. Meaning, if Sony wants to bring the most out of the worlds biggest smartphone market, they have to know the market and target their consumers very well. This implies that marketing research on China’s smartphone market is now Sony Mobile’s fundamental focus and base.

The company is already ahead of the game for having already established itself in the Chinese’s customers’ minds and having its points of differences,it now has to take it the next stage. “Sony is a rare, comprehensive entertainment company, with operations in movies, music, gaming and financial services. If it integrates well, those resources would quickly make Sony devices stand out,” said Wang Ying, an analyst at Analysys International.

source: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2012-09/24/content_15777457.htm

Picture: http://www.giantrobot.com/random-musings/a-blurb-on-jobss-international-legacy/attachment/sony-vs-apple/

China as one of the world’s largest  manufacturing country, is again accused of dumping products on the international market, which means selling it below the production price.

This time, 25 solar gear producers in Europe have filed complaints to the E.U. about Chinese companies selling the products to other markets at a lower price than they charge in China; rather making losses just to drive out competitors out of the market. The US has also been taking similar actions against Chinese solar panel producers.

But why can’t China just simply have a comparative advantage in manufacturing products, thus being able to sell them at a lower price? Dumping or not is very hard to determine but its seems like China is blamed every time they have an advantage in competing on the international market. Labour is cheap in China, and I think its very reasonable for them to be able to produce something at a lower cost. If China is capable of competing by selling products cheaper, even if it means making loss, why can’t they? Its not the problem of China or Chinese companies that firms in other countries are not able to do the same.

Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_21484201/eu-anti-dumping-probe-into-china-solar-panels

Picture: http://www.renewablepowernews.com/archives/3212

Paying workers, especially when they are working overtime seems like a very natural thing, but seems like Wal-mart has a different view on it.  As one of the biggest retailers and companies in the World, Wal-mart does not have a good reputation when talking about  salaries and working hours.

According to abc News, former Wal-mart employees has filed a suit against against the firm for forcing them to work overtime without actually paying them. Maria Gamble says that when she worked there, she and other workers would be regularly locked in the store to restore merchandise and count out the cash registers that could take up to two hours.

Wal-mart is also charged for making workers to work during breaks, meaning working more than 10 consecutive hours daily for only one additional hour of minimum wage pay.

Wal-mart’s spokesman Bill Wertz does not give specific information about the suit’s allegations. He says : “This is directly contrary to our policy, and any supervisor who violates our policy is subject to disciplinary action, including termination,”

Looks like at Wal-mart, not only prices are low but wages too. What could be their managers’ view on stakeholder theory?

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=87844&page=1#.UFD02rKTtD0

Picture: http://shs.umsystem.edu/historicmissourians/name/w/waltons/index.html