Blackberry’s CEO Thorsten Heins, predicts that tablet PCs will soon be a thing of the past and will be taken over by smartphones.
Personally I am unsure as smartphone screens are still too small and give many people (me included) eye strain. So personally, I think his argument may be flawed.
In Higher Business Management graphology is mentioned briefly as a selection method in Human Resources. While the UK and USA experts do not think it is a valid, France (and Poland for that matter) take it a bit more seriously.
Here is an article from the BBC here.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22198554
Also remember to look at the differences in Richard Nixon’s signature (I have put it on the blog before). One that was taken when he was newly elected, and later when he was under severe stress of the Watergate scandal. There is an incredible difference.
QANTAS is not a made up word designed to be unique because of no ‘U’ after ‘Q’ as is often said.
In fact it stands for Queensland And Northern Territories Aerial Service!
Websites that allow customers to review products and services are often criticised for allowing unfair or even fraudulent activity to appear. Trip Advisor has many counts of potential false reviews by hotel rivals. Now it seems that this dark practice has spread to the world of electronics.
Fair-trade officials in Taiwan are looking into reports that Samsung paid people to criticise rival HTC online. Samsung is alleged to have hired students to post negative comments about phones made by Taiwan's HTC.
Samsung, based in South Korea, said the "unfortunate incident" had gone against the company's "fundamental principles".
If found guilty of engaging in "false advertising", Samsung and its local agent could face fines of up to of 25m Taiwanese dollars (£547,000).
Read more here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22166606
Customer review based websites are excellent in my opinion. For example, I always look at Trip Advisor when looking to book hotels in a strange or foreign city. How do such websites prevent false or unfair reviews from appearing? At the same time we do have to allow criticism to appear. If every review had to be approved then all the firms would do is publish positive reviews and reject negative ones.
It has certainly changed consumer behaviour, so it is still a relatively new concept, but in my opinion a welcome one.
Talking of strategic decisions in Higher Business Management, here is a real life one from Tesco – the UK’s largest supermarket.
Tesco's annual profits have fallen for the first time in almost 20 years, as it confirmed it was pulling out of the US.
Tesco is winding up its US chain of 199 Fresh & Easy shops, which have never made a profit, at a cost of £1.2bn. The company has also announced a one-off UK property write-down of £804m. Pre-tax profits were down 51% to £1.96bn, but post-tax profits including the cost of the US exit were just £120m, down 95.7%.
Tesco said sales at UK stores in the past three months, excluding fuel and VAT sales tax, rose 0.5%, a slowdown from growth of 1.8% in the six weeks to 5 January when the company hailed strong Christmas trading.
Read more here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22179255
So what products/ideas have the pupils come up with?
You can check it out here.
Here is Alice’s idea: http://www.bloomvc.com/project/The-Check-U-Later
And here is Louise’s idea: http://www.bloomvc.com/project/The-Ultimate-Phone-Accessory-Cover-It
Two of our stellar S6 Higher Business Management pupils, Louise Christie and Alice Wilkinson, have reached the semi finals of the first ever Bad Idea competition held at Glasgow Caledonian University.
Pupils come up with an idea for a product and then have to deliver a 5 minute presentation to potential investors.
Hamilton Grammar School are very proud of our competitors and we wish them all the best and hopefully they will qualify for the final and be in the running for the £3,000 grand prize.
A consortium of oil companies is to invest more than $500m (£330m) in an appraisal drilling programme which could lead to further development of a giant North Sea field. The BP-led consortium said drilling had already started on the first of five wells planned over the next two years at Clair, west of Shetland.
Up to 12 wells could be drilled, depending on initial results. The news came as the UK government unveiled a new oil and gas strategy.
BP's partners in the appraisal drilling programme are Shell, ConocoPhillips and Chevron. It is the latest in a series of announcements, aimed at transforming the Atlantic's role as an oil-producing region.
Clair is already known as a "monster" field, holding eight billion barrels of oil. Clair oil field was discovered 35 years ago, but production has only started in the last 8 years.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-21955536
I have often wondered when the vast Oceans like the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans will be drilled for oil. They are so vast and huge that it is possible that we have only scratched the surface of Earth’s oil reserves. The technology may not be available yet or it is too expensive at present to drill.
Maybe we will get to see oil drillers like in James Cameron’s science-fiction movie The Abyss.
McDonald’s often gets a bad rep for the low pay and the working conditions of its employees. The dreaded term ‘McJob’ was defined based on the roles and duties that McDonald’s workers do. Long hours for low pay in a job with few career prospects. However, perhaps this is very harsh on the Golden Arches staff.
I found an interesting article entitled “5 life lessons learned by working at McDonald’s” which you can read below:
DVD rental store Blockbusters video has been saved by Gordon Brothers and Deloitte, which will save 2,000 jobs across 264 stores. Blockbuster have been hit with similar problems that other high street chains such as HMV and Jessops have also had.
Blockbusters owed creditors a staggering £139 million, but now a deal has been reached.
Read more here:
Greg Holloway is using his Raspberry Pi for a novel use. He is using it to programme a robotic boat to cross the Atlantic Ocean!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21848104
Here’s a great article on the problems Google are having with the cars that drive themselves:
http://www.businessinsider.com/google-self-driving-car-problems-2013-3
A video from Apple about the iWatch – the must have item of 2013… or 2014. Or 2015.
<script src="http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#ec=dxNjNlOTrGVNvDwRYIBUMtnjovW4JTus&pbid=6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>
The BBC have an excellent video of life at the bottom of the deepest part of the Ocean, where James Cameron explored on his own, piloting Deepsea Challenger to the famous Marianas Trench.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17521115
We’ve had the A-bike and folding bicycles. So what now? What is the latest in transport? Folding cars?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21805068
Here’s a thing. So you are given a question to describe the benefits of staff training.
The command word is Describe. Now if you just listed what is in the marking schemes then you will get a Family Fortunes noise (I don’t know how to spell that sound).
Eg Increased productivity
That is not good enough.
However if you use words such as “as”, “so”, “because” then you will deliver the goods.
So you could say one benefit of staff training would be increased productivity because employees will have updated skills, making them better at their job.
This is a worthwhile activity to do when you have the past paper books in front of you and it is all too easy to just give in and copy it out. You need to add something to answer the questions “Why?” and “How?” or my favourite “So what?”
I will start posting materials, ideas etc on my new National 5 Business Management blog, which can be found here:
http://n5business.blogspot.co.uk/
Please feel free to share ideas, especially I want to know your thoughts on the assignment.
Also any good business stories or examples we can use in the classroom, would be greatly appreciated.
The diplomatic row between the UK and Argentina over the Falkland Islands has long interested me. I have always been sceptical that the real reason behind our interest is the potential for oil and gas deposits along the sea and ocean floors. Just think of the size of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. We haven’t scratched the surface of what could possibly exist down in the deep.
Now we can see the emergence of the new frontier in mining the oceans.
British firm, UK Seabed Resources a subsidiary of Lockeheed Martin has joined the rush to exploit minerals in the depths of the oceans. It has plans for a major prospecting operation in the Pacific.
The company says surveys have revealed huge numbers of so-called nodules - small lumps of rock rich in valuable metals - lying on the ocean floor south of Hawaii and west of Mexico.
The exact value of these resources is impossible to calculate reliably, but a leading UN official described the scale of mineral deposits in the world's oceans as "staggering" with "several hundred years' worth of cobalt and nickel".
An expedition to assess the potential environmental impact of extracting the nodules will be launched this summer amid concerns that massive "vacuuming" operations to harvest the nodules might cause lasting damage to ecosystems.
Read more here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21774447
New rights for airline passengers have been unveiled by the European Commission. They include rerouting travellers with rival carriers if a flight is delayed for more than 12 hours.
The rules also clarify what are considered exceptional circumstances for compensation. For example, mechanical failures on board the aircraft do not count, but natural disasters and traffic control strikes do.
The Commission says the new rules, which are not likely to become law until 2014, will give a lot more certainty to airlines and passengers.
Many view this new law change as a consequence of the Volcanic ash disruption in April 2010. What the impact will be on airlines if something similar happens in the near future is questionable. Many airlines are struggling as it is at present.
In the US two of the major airlines have merged to form the world’s biggest airline.
A court has blocked a ban on the sale of large sugary drinks - including soda - from restaurants in New York City, a day before the law was to take effect. Judge Milton Tingling ruled that the measure was "arbitrary and capricious", after industry groups sued the city.
The law would forbid the sale of drinks larger than 16 ounces (473ml) in food-service establishments. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the judge was "totally in error" and has vowed to appeal against Monday's ruling.
He has touted the ban as a way to reduce obesity. Research suggests that 58% of adults in New York are obese or overweight.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21747568
Similar bans or even a so called ‘Fat Tax’ has been mooted in the UK. But would any such ban on large drinks or taxing them heavily actually stop consumption?
Look at schools. Many schools now offer healthy foods. However, some pupils end up eating outside the school at fast food takeaway shops. How to tackle the obesity problem is one facing developed nations without a proper satisfactory outcome. Many accuse the Governments of being the proprietors of a ‘Nanny State’ , while others say that overweight and unhealthy diets will increase the burden on the NHS.
A new report from the BBC:
A lack of computer skills could be damaging the career chances of young people, a charity has warned.
More than one in 10 young people do not think their computer skills are good enough to use in the job they want, the Prince's Trust said. The research follows a £500,000 donation by hip hop star will.i.am to the Trust last year.
His donation will be used on projects to improve STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills.
"I was intimidated by science and advanced maths," said the music star, who donated his fee for appearing on BBC talent show The Voice.
"When I say, 'Hey kids, you guys should want to be scientists, technicians, engineers and mathematicians...' I say that because I too am going to school to learn computer science.
Is it the case that young adults have computer skills in using word, excel and the MS Office packages, but when it comes to IT skills can’t program and write software or indeed fix components of a machine? Just how practical are the courses we offer pupils?
Read the article in full here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21747206
I have often wondered why we don’t have a practical IT course for pupils who want to actually take apart machines and fix them rather than use software. And not everyone is keen on programming, but some are interested in getting their hands dirty with a PC.
Cloud computing pioneer Piers Linney has been named as the new member of the Dragons' Den, replacing Theo Paphitis.
Mr Linney is the co-CEO of Outsourcery. Linney will join regulars Duncan Bannatyne, Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden and another new Dragon, Kelly Hoppen.
In Dragons Den (a show which originated in Japan), venture capitalists leaders hear pitches from inventors and entrepreneurs before deciding whether or not to invest.
Some successes have included the iTeddy and some notable hits that escaped have been the Trunki and the Road Refresher (a non-spill dog bowl which President Obama even bought one!).
Took part today in my second Learning Rounds activity at the school where we were joined by visitors from India. It was very informative.
For those interested here is the briefing paper we received thanks to our DHT Mrs McAuley, before our class observations:
The key learners in Learning Rounds are the team of observers. Observers learn from the practice they observe, often finding their perceptions both validated and challenged. Above all observing combined with the group discussions which follow creates deeper understanding around the process of Learning and Teaching, especially on the learning experiences of pupils, and the process of effective change leadership. Members of the group are required to refrain from evaluative comment when involved in group discussion around the observed data.
Observed Colleagues
The Learning Rounds protocol means that there is no evaluation of the individual and the practice observed is described in non-evaluative language eg I saw… A composite set of descriptive data is drawn from the observations. Many observed colleagues have found the experience interesting and have become involved as observers in the next Learning Round.
· We meet at 8.45 am in the staffroom for coffee and muffins. This allows for a recap of the approach and review of the theme being observed.
· We spend the morning in the allocated classes (20-25 mins) – the “ swap “ over times need to be adhered to allow for as comprehensive an overview as possible
· Colleagues keep a record of what they see by whatever means suits them. There are no formal recording sheets ( memory, brief notes)
· We will take a morning break in the staffroom. There should be no discussion at this stage of what has been observed
· At the end of the schedule, mirror teams meet for 15 – 20 minutes in the allocated rooms for the initial post observation discussions, and to begin to agree their descriptive data.
· The full team meet to exchange the evidence generated and agree a final consensus on what was seen using the descriptive voice.
· At the end of the Learning Rounds, the information generated by the Learning Rounds will be collated.
My group visited PLP, ICT, Art, English, Maths, RE, and Science. A rich spectrum of classes and a variety of really interesting and stimulating lessons.
I would recommend this experience to every teacher.
Is Teleworking and Homeworking not the most efficient way of working after all?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21588760
Ever thought of leaving the shores of the UK and immigrating to Australia or New Zealand? Well it seems that the dream of living Down Under is not as cheap as it once was.
In the following article it shows just how the cost of living has sky rocketed over the last 10 years. One key fact is that a decade ago Australia didn’t have one city in the Top 50 most expensive cities to live in. Now it has 3 in the Top 15!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21519050
Australia is often seen as a land of plenty. But many of her natural resources seem to be getting dug up and shipped to China. So will Australia eventually face the same manufacturing dilemma faced by other Developed nations?
And Australia, due to its unique geographical location, still sees a massive drain of talent, even if just in the short term as young Aussies head abroad for what they call the OE or Overseas Experience. Yet immigration has helped increase Australia’s population from a relatively small 14 million to nearly 23 million in less than 20 years.
So Australia as we know it is changing rapidly. But at what cost?
Could the days of cheap Foreign Holidays be a thing of the past? The pound is heading towards a crisis.
Sterling has continued to weaken against the dollar and the euro on continued worries about the health of the UK economy. Against the dollar, sterling fell to a seven-month low, and against the euro it was nearing a 15-month low.
The falls came after Bank of England policymaker Martin Weale said that sterling may need to weaken further to bolster the UK economy. Currency speculators are also betting that sterling will fall, data shows.
Sterling fell 0.5% to $1.543, its lowest since 13 July, 2012. The euro was up 0.3% against sterling, making a euro worth 86.3 pence.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21496997
