”If the United Nations was fully funded why would we need the Arc or social enterprise?”

I believe that we don’t need social enterprise, the Arc, or any other charitable/philanthropic ventures for that matter. Everyone can simply leave these activities to government organizations which are equipped to do so. What’s important about these charitable efforts external to the government is that they demonstrate empathy and compassion for one’s fellow man. Additionally, even if the United Nations were incredibly well funded, they still wouldn’t be able to cover every single location that requires assistance. Social enterprise can help many areas that are left neglected because they are low on the UN priorities list.

Furthermore, the Arc can be beneficial for the Sauder students involved, not just for the communities that are the target of the Arc Initiative. Students would not only immerse themselves in a different culture, they become more globally aware more knowledgeable of the issues and lifestyles surrounding various African communities. This makes the Arc mutually constructive and creates a synergistic relationship between both parties.

Social enterprise should not be seen as a substitute or an alternative to government-funded humanitarian programs. Rather, it should be viewed a compliment to those programs by filling in where government organisations might have disregarded.

Image: http://b.vimeocdn.com/ps/365/442/3654422_300.jpg

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

It has come to the attention of many students at UBC that a new college called the UBC “Vantage College” is being built for more than $127 million. Highlighted in this article, the Vantage College is international student exclusive, barring Canadian citizens from applying. At a cost of approximately $50 thousand a year, successful applicants to the college will enter a special first-year program designed specifically for those with weaker English language ability. Finishing the program will then enable the students to enter the regular second year at UBC.

According to the article, response to this move has been mostly negative. Students claim that this will create students who will not be fully integrated into UBC and divide the student body. Others, including myself, feel that the college is a deliberate cash grab and will exist purely to generate revenue. Rather than spending that huge sum of money on attracting potential international students, it should be spent on improving the experience for existing students. By making UBC a desirable school, it will attract more students by virtue of its reputation. Catering specifically to the students with the deepest pockets smears its academic image and alienates the brightest students who don’t want to attend schools that seem hungry for tuition revenue.

Image: https://twitter.com/UBCVantage

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ubc-s-vantage-college-canadians-need-not-apply-1.2826142

Marketing is one of the aspects of a business that is instrumental and directly correlated with the success of a business. Even if a firm produces a world-changing or revolutionary product, it won’t sell unless the masses know about it. I came across this blog post by Raza Razi detailing his thoughts as to what makes a strong marketing campaign.

In Raza’s post, he discusses the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and how it managed to spread awareness for the disease rapidly when it was relatively unknown before the Challenge picked up in popularity. This, in my opinion, is a great example of an effective marketing strategy. Within such a short time frame, it raised over $100 million as well as put boosted ALS awareness globally.

Raza also talks about the qualities of a successful marketing approach. Although he is of the opinion that forming an emotional connection with the consumers should be a key factor in any marketing strategy, I believe that marketing tactics are very diverse and cannot be summed up into any one phrase. Some ads rely exclusively on sexual or physical appeal and does away with any emotional depth. Although shallow, these ads can be some of the most successful, showing how marketing cannot be pigeon-holed into any particular “style”.

Image: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/08/05/mix-104-1s-salt-dares-wbz-tv-anchors-to-try-ice-bucket-challenge/

Marketing – How Effective Can an Idea Be?