Canadian Tire’s innovative ‘digital retail lab’

Posted by & filed under Environment, New product, Strategy, Technology.

Description: After acquiring Forzani Group’s stable of sports brands, led by Sport Chek, Canadian Tire, Canada’s largest sports retailer, is digitally revamping its stores. Sport Chek’s store in upscale Toronto has digital kiosks and interactive screens where you can customize your shoes. Source: Yahoo Finance Canada Date: May 17 2013 Text link:  http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/canadian-tire-rolls-focus-innovation-180000867.html Questions for Discussion: Is… Read more »

Canadian cellphone bills likely to rise further

Posted by & filed under Change, Environment, Innovation/Creativity, Strategy, Technology, Video Report.

Description: Canadian cellphone users are already paying a high rate, but with Telus likely to acquire Mobilicity, the cellphone bills are likely to increase further. The consolidation of the Canadian cellphone market will mean that the large cellphone players have fewer incentives to reduce prices. Source: CBC Date: May 16 2013 Video link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2385683002/ Questions… Read more »

Passengers bypassing Canadian airports

Posted by & filed under Environment, Ethics, Global Management, Social Responsibility, Video Report.

Description: An estimated five million Canadians hop the border every year to catch their flights from U.S. airports. By driving a few extra hours to U.S. airports, Canadian passengers save thousands of dollars. Source: CBC Date: May 03 2013 Video link:  http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2383198577/ Questions for Discussion: Should Canadians be flying out of U.S. airports given that… Read more »

Loblaw on Bangladesh

Posted by & filed under Communication, Decision Making, Environment, Ethics, Global Management, Leadership, Social Responsibility, Strategy, Video Report.

Description: Following the tragic collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh, Loblaw decided to compensate the families of the victims and to continue their operations in the country. They also stressed that they will increasingly audit the working conditions at their outsourced factories. Source: CBC Date: May 02 2013 Video link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2382985825/?page=2 Questions for Discussion:… Read more »

Should the temporary foreign worker program be scrapped?

Posted by & filed under Diversity, Environment, Ethics, Global Management, Human Resource Management, Management, Social Responsibility.

Description: Recently, the temporary foreign worker program has come under heavy criticisms. This program allows Canadian employers to hire foreign workers when they can’t find Canadians to fill the job. Source: National Post Date: April 12 2013 Text link:  http://opinion.financialpost.com/2013/04/12/temporary-foreign-worker-program-works-for-canada/ Questions for Discussion: List the benefits and drawbacks of this program? Are employers misusing the… Read more »

PC sales plunge

Posted by & filed under Change, Environment, Innovation/Creativity, New product, Strategy, Technology, Video Report.

Description: Sales of personal computers experienced the biggest decline since 1994. There is high uncertainty over the future of personal computers. Source: CBC Date: April 11 2013 Video link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2375459219/ Questions for Discussion: Have PCs reached the decline stage of their product life cycle? Can you suggest any modifications or innovations that can revive the… Read more »

Discouraging job numbers for Canada

Posted by & filed under Environment, Human Resource Management, Management, Video Report.

Description: Nearly 55,000 jobs were lost in Canada during the month of March 2013. This is in contrast to the rise in the number of jobs for the month of February 2013. Source: CBC Date: April 05 2013 Video link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2371637436/ Questions for Discussion: Why are the job numbers in Canada fluctuating so much? Do… Read more »

Banning bottled water in university campuses

Posted by & filed under Change, Conflict, Environment, Ethics, Social Responsibility, Video Report.

Description: Increasing number of universities is banning the sale of bottled water in university campuses. They want students to instead use municipal water. Source: CBC Date: March 15 2013 Video link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2345918765/ Questions for Discussion: Do you agree with the decision to ban bottled water in universities? Do you agree with the argument that the… Read more »

Good news in the job market

Posted by & filed under Environment, Human Resource Management, Video Report.

Description: Latest news suggests that many new jobs have been created both in Canada and the U.S. These numbers have surpassed expectations. Source: CBC Date: March 8 2013 Video link: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Business/ID/2341643160/ Questions for Discussion: Does this news signal that the economy seems to be on the rebound? How confident can we be that these numbers… Read more »

Canada Retail Sales Plunge

Posted by & filed under Environment, Global Management.

Description: In December 2012, Retail sales in Canada fell by 2.1%, the largest monthly drop since April 2010.              Source: National Post Date: February 22 2013 Text link:  http://business.financialpost.com/2013/02/22/canadas-retail-sales-plunge-most-in-three-years/  Questions for Discussion: Which sectors saw the biggest declines? In your view, what are some of the reasons for drop in retail sales? Do you see the… Read more »