Wendy‘s Blog

With more and more people using smart phones, QR codes (Quick Response Codes) became a new opportunity for businesses to build their brand. These codes are similar to UPC codes but have a much stronger function. Customers simply need to download a free QR codes reader onto their smart-phone and they can instantly receive more detail information when they scan the code.

Some benefits of QR codes:

1)      QR codes on business cards and products can immediately allow someone else to find out more about you or a product whenever they want.

2)      QR codes can help expand selling opportunities to shop online and allow companies to give special discounts to attract customers.

3)      QR codes can simplify registration and follow-up processes.

I believe that QR codes will be an excellent marketing tool, especially attracting women as a major source of QR codes users. Since women are more likely to shop online, QR codes will be very convenient for them. Moreover, companies can use QR codes to collect customer data as well. For example, customers can fill in their information online, receiving a QR code in return, and present it to the company when they make their purchase.

QR codes will open a new path for companies to succeed.

Reference to Wendy Kenney’s Blog

More on QR codes

According to Linda’s article, Denmark decided to put a tax on products with more than 2.3% saturated fat. This decision was meant to alert customers on buying fatty products and motivates customers to make healthier choices.

Nowadays, fatty food is very common at home or restaurants. However, milk, which is also one product that would get taxed on, also contains nutrients that people need to consume. Therefore, it is not necessarily that food with fat will be unhealthy. The Danish government should not come to a conclusion so fast and use this method to promote healthy eating.

Moreover, I agree to Linda’s opinion of “the tax is insignificant to people who want to buy the food”. Just as people who still smoke knowing that smoking is bad for your health, when you really crave for these fatty foods, no one can stop you. Therefore, the Danish government should focus more on educating children on making healthy choices rather than imposing the Fat Tax. After all, children are the future.

Further references:

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/10/denmarks-fat-tax-now-thats-rich/246158/

http://www.helpingyoucare.com/15813/denmark-imposes-fat-tax-on-high-saturated-fat-foods-to-combat-obesity

Delta Cable will become the first to provide 3D capability for its video customers. When Delta Cable first enter the market, it broad casted movies and live sports 3D programming. In late last year, they confirmed that the company’s system is prepared to provide 3D movies and TV programs: “As our customers have been investing in this technology, we have been proactively preparing to deliver the best 3D programming experience. We have been installing HD and 3D ready digital receivers in our customers’ homes for over a year now and offer HD and 3D ready receivers to customers who require an upgrade.”

According to Ries and Jack Trait, positioning is a “communication tool to reach target customers in a crowded market place”. This step taken by Delta Cable will be an significant improvement in the company’s performance. However, the evidence about whether 3D TV is getting popular or not is still unclear. Therefore, this will also be a risk to the company.

Reference to article

iPhone 4S SWOT Analysis

Although the dream for iPhone 5 had shattered, iPhone 4S entered the market with significant changes and improvements over the previous generation. The pre-ordered for iPhone 4S 64GB version had reached a price of $20 000 HKD.

Some advantages for iPhone 4S are:

• Voice-activated personal assistant
• Image stabilization
• Improved lens
• Improved light sensitivity
• Seven times faster graphic response

Some weaknesses are:

• Limited changes in appearance
• Siri only understands three versions of English, French and German

Some opportunities are:

•  A perfect choice to new users to smart phones (twice as powerful as iPhone 4)
• Large amount of pre-orders from other countries

Some theats are:

• iPhone 4 users may not be ready for an upgrade
• decrease in price of previous generations
• other smart phones

Reference to article

iPhone 4S (left) and iPhone 4 (right)

Increasing Gas Tax to Pay for Transit

The Evergreen Line and other transit projects in Surrey and Langley was introduced to public to provide more convenient transit services. However, seven Metro Vancouver mayors will vote for a two-cents-a-litre increase in gas tax to raise the budget for these projects.

Although Burnaby, Richmond, North Vancouver and Delta hold strong opposition to this plan, other cities such as Coquitlam, Langley etc. have gained enough votes to pass it. According to the article, “transit-poor areas like Surrey and Langley will welcome another million people by 2040”. This calculation makes it crucial to start planning the resolution now.

This plan will be very helpful to students that need to commute to university and people who commutes to work. I definitely support this plan as being a part of the commuting group, and this will benefit to society as whole.

More information on the Evergreen Line

The Fight of Apple and Samsung

Last month, Apple has claimed that Samsung Galaxy Tab is too identical to its iPad and Samsung Galaxy S2 is almost the same as its iPhone.As a result,Apple has banned all Samsung Tab 7.7 in a huge tech fair in Germany. In return, Samsung has taken the step to the fight by arguing that 3G iPhone and iPad must be banned in a European Court and asked the court to ban all Apple subsidiaries across the Netherlands from selling iPhones and iPads. In addition, Samsung now aims to stop the launch of Apple’s next generation of iPhone 5 in the market.

In South Korea, Samsung has dominated the country by selling everything from baby supplies to coffins. Technology is surely held in Samsung’s firm grip as well. However, banning other products is not an effective method. The key to Apple’s success is their creativity and capability to produce what other companies’ can’t. It is the uniqueness of their products that attracted their massive customer flow. Therefore, Samsung should spend more time to investigate on products that could surpass the application of Apple’s to attract customers instead of “copying”and trying to ban them.

Other references: Apple iPad vs Samsung Galaxy Tab

 Kweku Adoboli, a 31 years old worker for UBS’s global synthetic equities division, was charged with fraud due to unauthorised trading between January and September this year. He had caused tremendous losses of $2 billion for UBS and exposed to UBS to risks. Last month, UBS had already announced 3,500 jobs cuts and Adoboli’s actions will cause further damages of up to thousands more job losses. His decision to challenge business ethics had not only ruin his life, but also lead to great consequences for others.

Adoboli’s example showed people’s selfishness and greediness to make a gain for themselves without considering other people. It also showed us the importance of personal business ethics and its negative effects. I believe that business ethics is not an individual value where you can draw your own border of what is right or wrong. Instead, it is a common value that everyone shares; it is the“rule of the game”, just like Friedman’s description in his article about businesses’social responsibility. Business ethics is what makes a business a better business and it makes an individual a better individual. If you do not follow the “rules”, you will not win respect from others.

Furthermore, this article showed the crucialty that business schools should teach students about business ethics. When we make a business decision, we do not only change our lives, we also change the lives of others.

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