THe culture of Ethics

            During the annual business seminar week I visited an early morning lecture by a professor  Samuel Mercier. According to Professor Samuel Mercier, from the University of Burgundy, France, there is a deep cultural difference between corporate ethics in Europe and the United States. Business ethics has increased dramatically in the states, while it has not caught on as strongly in places like France. The speech was very informative and gave some great examples about ethical dilemmas that occur in the business setting.

I learned that there are two types of ethical dilemmas, deontology and consequentialism. Deontology is the logic or moral obligation dealing with ethical dilemmas, while consequentialism makes people think about the consequences of each action of the ethical dilemma. Professor Mercier gave an example we would understand, using a well known show called 24, where Jack Bauer has to save American from disaters that could kill hundreds of people. He must make important ethical decisions where the end justifies the means. During this lecture I also learned about the ethical test used in other countries that has been adapted from an American one. This test is a serious of eight question to rate the type of profile employees are. Unfortuantly the validity of the test is flawed because in countries like France, the culture is so different that the way employees would answer some of the questions is off.

I thought the lecture was very interesting to listen too, and enjoyed a different perspective on business culture. It was fascinating to learn about the ways that the French handle ethical dilemmas in comparison to the American way. In Europe ethics in the business world are more of a questioning process than a matter of compliance.

Fashionista

This Ad describes my Innovator category, because it is a high fashion brand that is targeted toward young women that enjoy splurging on name brands like, Marc Jacobs. Wearing a piece from the latest Marc Jacobs collection is like wearing a piece of art that you live your life in. Not everyone is willing to pay for the expensive label but some, like myself and other Innovators find joy and pleasure in the purchasing of a designer brand.

Innovator / Experiencer

My primary VALS category was Innovator. I think this is a valid description of myself because it describes me to a T. I have always had a good self esteem and have always been very confident, I know that I will be very successful in what I decide to do after college because I wont accept anything less. I am somewhat materialistic and enjoy buying the latest trends and technologies. My taste reflects that I enjoy the finner things in life, which may sound superficial but is completely true. My secondary VALS category was experience, because of my age and desire to have the "cool" things in society it describes me very well. The experience likes sports and out door activities, which describes me very well. Being a young consumer  in the market I am impulsive in my buying decisions, the experience  is just that.

Four Rings

In my life I have always been somewhat of a materialistic girl. Shopping has always been an enjoyable experience as well as the shoppers high I get from purchasing things I desire. But even after I buy everything I could possibly want they never end up having the same meaning as my rings. I have four rings that I never take off with the exception of basketball games. these possessions may be small and insignificant in the scheme of things but they give me that feeling of identity. I have one ring that is silver with a gold cross, this ring is my extent of my religion. I have never been a religious person and never enjoyed wearing a cross around my neck,  but the ring is like a piece of art i get to wear and it symbolizes my faith. Another ring is one my brother gave to me for christmas a long time ago. It is my birthstone, aquamarine, surrounded by beautiful diamonds set in a white gold band. It is one of the most precious rings because my brother is one of the most important people in my life, and when I look down at it I think of him. The ring on my wedding ring finger is a very special ring I got in Hawaii. It has my name written in Hawaiian and on the inside its engraved with, "Maui 2008 love mom." This ring represents my love for travel as well as the experience I had in Hawaii with my mom. The last ring is an antique wedding band my mom was given by her mother, she gave it to me to wear years ago when I fell in love with it. These rings are not just possessions to me, they give me a sense of identity. Each one tells a story and holds a memory from life.

Framing

In my own life there are many example of framing. Just the other day I realized I was framing a problem when I was explaining something to my father. I had just got into a car accident, and it not being my first ( or second ), I knew he was not going to be very happy with me. When I called him up instead of my usual hysterical crying I stayed calm and collected stating that I might have done something he might not like but it wasn't that bad. Knowing my track record with cars and accidents my father knew right away that I was in some sort of accident, I explained that it was not a bad accident just a fender bender. I proceeded to tell him I had everything under control with the accident report and taking pictures of both cars. Instead of his usual fury he was much more calm and relaxed about the situation. By framing the problem as something that I could handle and by staying cool and collected he was not angry with me at all. Because framing is how you set the stage for what comes next in a communication, it is, in essence what you say before you say what you want to say. If I had done what I usually do by crying and making the situation sound much worse than it really was my father would have been much more upset with me and the whole situation could have been worse than it already was. 

Hawk Pride!

You see it everywhere, and you can hear its name echo from the walls of every gym we enter. We are the Lady Hawks. Coach calls us into the huddle, while we all circle around her you can feel the intensity building within our veins. We all put our hands forth as one unit and the count begins. "Hawks on three! ONE...TWO...THREE! HAWKS!. This symbol brings a great sense of community to our team. When the school chose a Hawk as our mascot they most likely chose an atheistically appealing symbol but it was the students here at RWU that have shaped the meaning behind the friendly bird.( Community Shapes the Brand ) The Hawk gives our school a sense of communal pride and invokes meaning and togetherness among a school of diverse students. For my Basketball team the Hawk represents our hard work and dedication to each other and our sport. The Hawk may not be as familiar as the Nike swoosh but if you are apart of our small University you have to be blind not to no what the Hawk looks like. It sets it apart from other groups or schools because other schools have a different symbol or mascot. Another group on campus that has a logo is the CEN ( Campus Entertainment Network ). They are a tight knit group of students that help set up events and concerts at our school. Though I am not in the group I can see they where their CEN shirts with pride. The symbol sets them apart from other students that dont get the behind the scenes look at our school functions. I am not sure it would be something that I would be interested in joining but it sure does look like they have fun and show a great passion for. 

The Artisan Way

After reading about Tito's Handmade Vodka it was interesting to learn about how the company started. How a mortgage broker had a passion for distilling and flavored vodkas and left his comfy job to pursue a risky path. Tito is a self taught distiller that produced a smooth tasting homemade vodka for the consumer. Sailor Jerry's Spiced Navy Rum also has a unique story behind it as it was created by a company that originally designed tattoos. Walker says that Branding is a process of attaching an idea to a product, for Sailor Jerrys, its the tattoo history that creates the idea behind the traditional seafaring recipe. With Tito's company, the idea attached to his vodka is that its handmade by the owner himself in the first and oldest distilling factory in Austin Texas. What Tito's Handmade Vodka and Sailor Jerrys have in common is the artisan idea attached to each. Tito goes through an extensive process of distilling that most Vodka companies do not, while Sailor Jerrys has limited edition designs on each bottle drawn by the the actual artisit, Sailor Jerry. Walker also said if a product is successfully tied to an idea, branding persuades people to consume the idea, I think Walker would agree that these brands have successfully done that!

Pretty Good Problem

The Ipad. In my opinion, the greatest invention since "sliced bread." Recently I purchased an Ipad and i believe that it successfully gets around the Pretty Good Problem with ease. With every new innovative idea it is inevitable that there will be competition and similar products made by the competition. The Ipad has had its share of copy cats when we consider all the new hand held "tablets" that are being introduced to the consumer public. The nook is barns'n'nobel's version while the Tablet is Samsungs. There are many similar products in its category but none that do everything the Ipad does. The Ipad is so far beyond the competition, it completely gets around the pretty good problem. It also meets Godin's criteria for Remarkable. Like the purple cow the Ipad gives something for people to talk about. Critics say that the Ipad is just a large Ipod touch then again thats what is so remarkable about it. It is a light weight hand held laptop that does everything a computer and ipod can do but in style. An Ipad is not only useful, but somewhat of a novelty with all the applications available to it, some completely useless.

Pajama Jeans

So the other day I was watching TV in my dorm pretty late when an infomercial appeared on the screen. There were trying to sell pants that looked like jean material but were actually pajama pants or yoga pants for lack of a better word. It made me wonder if this was going to be a new trend or just another product that passes by without any recognition. It certainly made me laugh at the idea and say to myself, "I wouldn't be caught dead wearing those. " But after reading McCracken's rules for trendspotting it made me more aware that this could actually catch on. A year ago I would never had thought I would be sitting in class wearing black stretchy yoga pants, but they have become an essential part of my collegiate wardrobe. Another trend that I never thought would catch on, that is similar, is Jeggings. Jeggings are spandex leggings that are made to look like jeans. They have become very popular with teenagers and young adults. In my opinion I don't think Pajama Jeans have a chance in todays market but I guess i'll have to wait and see if these will be the new have to have item on my christmas list next year! For fashions sake I hope not!

Rachel C.

Love+Passion

-If I can only scrape a living, at least it’s a living worth scraping. — Mickey Smith


COLD LIVING was a recent post on the advertising blog I am following. The author posted a short video called "Dark Side of the Lens," where we get to know a surfer, photographer named Mickey Smith. Smith works as a photographer in some of the harshest climates of sea life. Lucky for him though, it is his life long passion and dream. He describes it as a blessing and a curse, as he feels he must pay tribute to the majestic waves he surfs on.   The message that the author is trying to get across is that if you are lucky enough to find something you love doing, you are at an incredible advantage in life. The author writes, "For you, work will never feel like work, no matter how hard you work at it." He uses examples from other well known brands like Burton snowboards. Founder Jake Burton runs one of the most successful and creative snowboard companies in the world. His mission statement to himself is to spend 100 days a year snowboarding; his first passion and love. Unfortunately in this life our time is limited, this post reminds us that it is important to do what we love now. The author wrote, "Start at the bottom. But start at the bottom of something that is related to your dream. In the beginning it won’t make you rich, but it will always make you happy." 


-Rachel C.

Abroad Obsessions

So recently I have been going through the process of applying for the abroad program here at RWU. If all goes as planned, I will be jetting off  to Florence Italy for an entire semester next fall. One of my recent purchases happens to be a real life account of a women's travels to Italy, India, and Bali. Purchasing the book was an adventure itself since I ordered the book in December off Amazon and just received it this week. So far I have been enjoying the book far better than I enjoyed watching the film. Listening to the author describe the Italian culture is almost like poetry and music to my ears! Another Item I recently purchased was Rosetta Stone Italian, to help me further my knowledge in the Italian language. Though I have yet to open the intimidating yellow box, I think its safe to say I am obsessed! 

- Rachel C. 

My name is Rachel Chuckran, I am a sophomore studying as a Business Management major. I am originally from a small town called Bridgewater in southern Massachusetts. When I am not immersed in the everyday academia at Roger Williams University I can usually be found in the campus rec center, either at practice or getting ready for a game for our school's women's basketball team. My brother graduated last year from RWU and has moved on to the family business, where one day I will join him! 

Sincerely,

Rachel C.