With rising fuel prices commuting by bike has become a popular way to get to work, class, or just getting around town. More recently some companies have including cycling in their business strategy not only to cut fuel cost, but also to reach out to the growing "green" world we are living in. This article talks about some relator's who use cycling to show homes in areas clients are interested in. This sort of business is certainly attracting a niche market at this time, but from what the article says its doing well and growing at a great pace.
I think ideas like this within a business are great. More and more people today are living green and doing their part in helping the environment. With more businesses offering eco-friendly services like this, its become easier for everyone to go green.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Big Events Means Big Business
According to an article on the NY Times website, the Democratic National Convention has brought more than just politicians and Democratic party supporters to Denver, CO. The massive attention the conventions are bringing this year represent perfect marketing opportunities for corporate America. Big name companies, such as Google, Best Buy, Pfizer, FedEx, Allstate, AT&T and Hewlett-Packard are already spending big bucks at both the DNC and the Republican National Convention to "promote their brands and their political agendas". Going with the "green theme" of the DNC, Union Pacific Railroad put on display their new hybrid locomotive, and Coco-Cola, named the "official recycling provider" promoted "recycling and offering free samples of the company’s vitamin water, lemonade, tea and Coke Zero".
The conventions are just some of the ways companies are using large scale attractions to promote their products in innovative ways. The Super Bowl is the one used most often by companies, but this summer brought the Olympics and the two political conventions, giving companies even more of a chance to showcase their goods. However, these prime marketing spots don't come cheap; Qwest, a telecommunications provider donated $6 million dollars worth of telecommunication services "to each host committee". That same amount of money will get a company only two 30 second spots at the Super Bowl.
The conventions are just some of the ways companies are using large scale attractions to promote their products in innovative ways. The Super Bowl is the one used most often by companies, but this summer brought the Olympics and the two political conventions, giving companies even more of a chance to showcase their goods. However, these prime marketing spots don't come cheap; Qwest, a telecommunications provider donated $6 million dollars worth of telecommunication services "to each host committee". That same amount of money will get a company only two 30 second spots at the Super Bowl.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Food for thought
China's been a bastion of human rights violations, placing the communist party's collective needs over individual rights. The way i see it, the trend of rampant capitalism overwhelming the nation's economy is going to eventually change the system of governance in China.
Consider this. As a communist country, the Chinese government controlled all assets/businesses. This changed when they allowed foreign investments in China, which began holding controlling interests in numerous companies. The Chinese people are also great entrepreneurs, starting numerous businesses and empowering poor people with money. What money gives people is limited control over their own decisions and their lifestyle, which could also be interpreted as sowing the seeds of independence from their government. They now choose what they want to eat, where they want to live, what they intend to buy, and who they intend to invest their surplus money in. In other words, over time, groups of Chinese investors/businessmen will have considerable influence over businesses and in effect, over the people that run their businesses. Soon, pockets of influence will spring up all over China, each representing their own region's interests and championing their own group's cause. Even if just restricted to the topmost percentile of Chinese citizens, these "private" investors would have the breadth to get their voices heard and the Government would be compelled to listen.
Pockets of influence also create lobbyists, who work with the upper echelons of the Goverment to promote their interests and individual requests. This is more a natural consequence of empowering people with money, rather than being a systemic disturbance in a communist society. Over a certain period of time, human rights lobbyists promoting individual rights and needs will eventually "have" to be heard and addressed. If China's going to be a progressive society that I hope it turns out to be, their citizen's voice will be heard. Their rights protected, and their identities promoted. This ofcourse would take ten of years, if not more, but their communist foundations of systemic control would eventually shatter as a result of their capitalistic aspirations.
Money empowers. Empowerment is the cradle of a progressiveness.
Consider this. As a communist country, the Chinese government controlled all assets/businesses. This changed when they allowed foreign investments in China, which began holding controlling interests in numerous companies. The Chinese people are also great entrepreneurs, starting numerous businesses and empowering poor people with money. What money gives people is limited control over their own decisions and their lifestyle, which could also be interpreted as sowing the seeds of independence from their government. They now choose what they want to eat, where they want to live, what they intend to buy, and who they intend to invest their surplus money in. In other words, over time, groups of Chinese investors/businessmen will have considerable influence over businesses and in effect, over the people that run their businesses. Soon, pockets of influence will spring up all over China, each representing their own region's interests and championing their own group's cause. Even if just restricted to the topmost percentile of Chinese citizens, these "private" investors would have the breadth to get their voices heard and the Government would be compelled to listen.
Pockets of influence also create lobbyists, who work with the upper echelons of the Goverment to promote their interests and individual requests. This is more a natural consequence of empowering people with money, rather than being a systemic disturbance in a communist society. Over a certain period of time, human rights lobbyists promoting individual rights and needs will eventually "have" to be heard and addressed. If China's going to be a progressive society that I hope it turns out to be, their citizen's voice will be heard. Their rights protected, and their identities promoted. This ofcourse would take ten of years, if not more, but their communist foundations of systemic control would eventually shatter as a result of their capitalistic aspirations.
Money empowers. Empowerment is the cradle of a progressiveness.
No Free Lunch
How many times have you heard in your Principles course the expression that there is "no free lunch?" China's experiment with shutting down the most polluting factories and limiting emissions from traffic during the Beijing Olympics has decreased air pollution to the extent that people could see the blue sky again. However, the cost of the experiment has been a slowdown of economic growth and job creation.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Welcome
Welcome to the Economic Systems blog. I am looking forward to seeing a lively and productive discussion and analysis of issues related to the course and economics in general.
Wishing you a great semester,
prof. Skosples.
Wishing you a great semester,
prof. Skosples.
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