1. My solution for the first opportunity from my previous post would be, for the oil companies looking to get back into production now that oil is over $50 per barrel once more, to create a new, more economically efficient way to produce oil that would yield similar profits to those when oil was close to $100 a barrel just a few short years ago. This could include creating a drill that would be faster, more energy efficient, and cheaper to produce, for example.
2. My solution for the second opportunity would be for entrepreneurs and/or existing companies to create a new product or lifestyle set that would be specifically tailored towards millennials, focused on delivering a product that would be affordable enough for them to afford it while also maximizing appeal and allowing millennials to comfortably live on their own. This could include pre-made houses that defy that the traditional notion of pre-made houses, and could include modern furniture, appliances, and goods that specifically appeal to millennials.
3. My solution for the third opportunity would be for a major retailer, or retailers, to announce a policy that they charge for plastic bags before legislation forces them to. I believe that it would lead to stronger brand perception and appeal and better impact on the environment as a whole, as well as set precedence for other companies to follow suit. This could entail creating a reward service where, when customers bring in their own bags in order to transport their recently purchased goods, they receive a percentage off of their total sale price.
4. My solution for the fourth opportunity would be for the competing airbag companies that rival Takata, to deliver a higher quality airbag to those automakers that were affected by the recent recall of over 12 million airbags. This would lead to new contracts as the supplier of airbags for many of the automakers that were affected and allow the companies that capitalized on this opportunity to innovate and prosper. This could include creating a new, safer airbag that would address all of the issues that were found within the Takata airbag that had to be recalled.
Friday, May 27, 2016
Looking for Opportunity
Economic Trend Opportunities
1.
A recent increase in oil prices has pushed the price of one barrel to over $50 once more.
a. I found this opportunity through a web article that I found, located at the following link:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/50-oil-pose-major-threat-consumers-economy-39409315
b. The information presented in this source leads me to believe that an opportunity exists because oil prices are on the rise once more, and oil drilling in the U.S. is becoming more profitable than it was earlier this year and last year, meaning that more companies can begin to ramp up their oil production.
c. The prototypical customer would be the companies that are involved in the oil industry in the U.S. already, as well as those companies and people who are looking to stake their claim in the oil industry.
d. I think that this opportunity will be a simple one to exploit if the company already has the infrastructure in place to restart operations that were shutdown before the oil price collapse, and relatively difficult for those companies that are looking to enter the industry from scratch.
I saw this opportunity primarily because I believe that the U.S. should become energy independent, and although I'd prefer it be via renewable energy sources, doing it through traditional oil production also works, at least for now.
2.
Due to the effects of the Great Recession and other factors in the U.S., we are now faced with an economic trend in which the most popular living arrangement for people ages 18-34 is living with their parents.
a. I found this opportunity through a web article that I found, located at the following link:
1.
A recent increase in oil prices has pushed the price of one barrel to over $50 once more.
a. I found this opportunity through a web article that I found, located at the following link:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/50-oil-pose-major-threat-consumers-economy-39409315
b. The information presented in this source leads me to believe that an opportunity exists because oil prices are on the rise once more, and oil drilling in the U.S. is becoming more profitable than it was earlier this year and last year, meaning that more companies can begin to ramp up their oil production.
c. The prototypical customer would be the companies that are involved in the oil industry in the U.S. already, as well as those companies and people who are looking to stake their claim in the oil industry.
d. I think that this opportunity will be a simple one to exploit if the company already has the infrastructure in place to restart operations that were shutdown before the oil price collapse, and relatively difficult for those companies that are looking to enter the industry from scratch.
I saw this opportunity primarily because I believe that the U.S. should become energy independent, and although I'd prefer it be via renewable energy sources, doing it through traditional oil production also works, at least for now.
2.
Due to the effects of the Great Recession and other factors in the U.S., we are now faced with an economic trend in which the most popular living arrangement for people ages 18-34 is living with their parents.
a. I found this opportunity through a web article that I found, located at the following link:
http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/goodbye-empty-nest-millennials-staying-longer-with-parents
b. The information presented in this source leads me to believe that an opportunity exists because millennials are not spending as much money on things such as house, appliances, furniture, and other goods that generations had.
c. The prototypical customer in this instance would be the companies that cater to the millennials themselves, who, because of the recent state of the economy, haven't been able to do many of the same things their parents and grandparents did. If companies could find a way to specifically market more affordable housing options and goods to millennials, I believe that there is a lot of room to achieve success.
d. I think that this opportunity would be difficult for companies geared towards millennials to exploit because I think that their opportunity presents itself in such a way that it's easier said than done to achieve, and cutting costs in order to appeal to an entire generation is no easy task.
I saw this opportunity because when reading the article, it really hit home for me and I found it to be very relatable because I, myself, am a millennial. I've always had the concern in the back of my head that I wouldn't be able to find a well-paying job after college and would have to move back in with my parents while trying to find a job that would allow me to move out on my own.
Regulatory Change Trends
3.
This trend is about a recent addition to a proposal by the State Senate in Massachusetts that entails banning plastic bags from all major recent retailers in the state, and charging 10 cents per bag in cases where customers still want to use them.
a. I found this opportunity through a web article that I found, located at the following link:
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2016/05/27/plastic-bag-ban-massachusetts-shopping-stores-paper/
b. The information presented in this source leads me to believe that an opportunity exists because I think it would be a step in the right direction towards protecting the environment and doing away with wasteful use of plastic bags that could drastically reduce the impact we leave on the environment if it were implemented across the country,
c. The prototypical customer in this instance would be the companies and retailers that are affected by this regulatory change, which could add to revenue through charging for use of plastic bags, as well as lead to better brand image and benefits from reducing impact on the environment.
d. I think that this would be a relatively simple opportunity to exploit in that it would be very easy, logistically, to implement this change. However, the possible public outcry could be very serious and damaging to any companies that decide to implement this change sooner rather than later.
I saw this opportunity because during my time traveling to different countries around the world, particularly in Europe, many companies in these countries have already implemented these changes, and I feel that it would be a great idea. It would reduce impact on the environment and promote stronger recycling habits, as well as boost brand perception.
4.
This trend is about the recent regulatory announcement by Takata, an airbag manufacturing company, that over 12 million airbags, within cars from 8 different automakers, need to be replaced because they have been deemed unsafe and need to be replaced.
a. I found this opportunity through a web article that I found, located at the following link:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/8-automakers-recall-over-12m-vehicles-for-takata-air-bags/
b. The information presented in this source leads me to believe that an opportunity exists because when Takata supplied these faulty airbags, it presented an opportunity for other airbag manufacturers to take business away from Takata after they displayed their defective product and allowed it to affect so many different customers.
c. The prototypical customer in this instance would be the companies that compete with Takata for supplier rights to airbags that are used in the cars of several different automakers. I feel that many of the automakers will be weary of working with Takata again in the future because this issue has affected so many vehicles across different brands and types of car.
d. I think that this would be a simple opportunity to exploit for these competing airbag manufacturers, primarily because it would entail displaying how and why automakers should use their airbags over Takata's proven-to-be-defective ones.
I saw this opportunity because my father recently received a letter from his car's automaker indicating that he, in fact, had a Takata airbag installed in his car and it needed to be replaced. I think that safety should be a priority in these matters, and when companies like Takata cut corners to increase profitability, I find it deeply concerning.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Forming An Opportunity Belief
1. I have a belief that an opportunity exists within the Heavener School of Business on UF's main campus. That opportunity is to replace the existing cafe/eatery, known as Rising Roll, with another similar, proven to be successful competitor. I feel that this opportunity exists because from both personal experience, as well as the experiences that I've heard about from other business students, the vast majority would prefer Rising Roll to replaced by something else. Many have cited that they wished that Rising Roll was replaced by a similar restaurant like Panera Bread, or simply installing another Starbucks location on campus. Every time I walk into Heavener to go to class or to study and happen to glance inside Rising Roll, it is almost never busy and hardly ever has any customers inside of it. I truly feel that a new business in that location would be much more successful and would better serve the students in the business school.
2. The students and staff of the business school and the surrounding area have the need which is presented in this situation, because their desire for a close, easy-to-access place to get coffee and lighter food fare isn't being fulfilled by Rising Roll in its current state. This need has existed since shortly after Heavener Hall opened, and many quickly began to realize that Rising Roll was not as good as initially thought.
Iteration 1:
3. Prototypical Customer - Craig S.
4. Q1: Have you ever been to Rising Roll in Heavener Hall?
I first spoke with Craig about this potential opportunity by asking him if he had ever been to Rising Roll before. Craig told me that he had only been there once or twice.
Q2: What was your experience like?
He said he had an 'okay' experience, but stated that he had heard bad things about their coffee from others.
Q3: Would you rather have something else instead of Rising Roll in Heavener, like Starbucks or Panera Bread?
He said yes, and stated he would probably go there several times a week if that were the case, because he would much prefer almost anything to Rising Roll.
Q4: How often do you feel that there is the need for a replacement for Rising Roll?
Craig stated that he only felt the need when in or around Heavener, but noted that that was quite often in his case.
Q5: Since you indicated you don't go to Rising Roll, but would go there if it was replaced, what're you doing to fulfill your unmet need?
Craig stated that he usually ended up bringing coffee from home, or going towards midtown to go to the closest Dunkin' Donuts, since its his favorite coffee chain brand.
5. I learned that several students have spread their negative experiences at Rising Roll around and that it had an impact on a student's decision on whether or not to continuing to go there in the future. This is important because public perception has almost certainly had a negative experience on Rising Roll's success.
Iteration 2:
3. Prototypical Customer - Amanda M.
4. Q1: Have you ever been to Rising Roll in Heavener Hall?
Like with Craig, I first spoke with Amanda about this potential opportunity by asking her if she had ever been to Rising Roll before. Amanda stated that she had in fact been there before, but has since stopped going altogether because of a recent negative experience she had with the coffee at Rising Roll.
Q2: What was your experience like?
She told me that she ordered a regular cafe mocha, and instead of what she ordered, she received an artificial, bitter-tasting substitute for cafe mocha that was both cold and unpleasant to drink. She said that after that incident, she wouldn't waste her money there again.
Q3: Would you rather have something else instead of Rising Roll in Heavener, like Starbucks or Panera Bread?
She was adamant about how happy she would be if Rising Roll were replaced, because she enjoys going to Starbucks on a regular basis and noted that it would be nice to have another Starbucks so close to her classes in Heavener Hall.
Q4: How often do you feel that there is the need for a replacement for Rising Roll?
Amanda said she feels that need almost everyday, because she's often on campus for other activities outside of class but told me that she often finds herself near Heavener, wishing that there was a place where she could go to get good coffee within the building.
Q5: What're you doing to deal with the issue that there's not a place for you to go around Heavener?
She said that she usually goes to the Starbucks at Library West, but that the line there is usually pretty long whenever she goes so she decides to get a coffee drink from the vending machine instead most days.
5. From Amanda I learned that someone has had a legitimately bad experience with Rising Roll, and has become dissatisfied with the cafe for good reason. It's important to learn this because it indicates it's more than just word-of-mouth that's hurting the reputation of Rising Roll and leading so many students to wish for it to be replaced.
Iteration 3:
3. Prototypical Customer - Alex B.
4. Q1: Have you ever been to Rising Roll in Heavener Hall?
Alex stated that he had never been to Rising Roll, and didn't really know all that much about it aside from the fact that he knew it served some kind of food.
Q2: Since you've never been, have you heard anything about it from anyone else? What was their experience like?
He said that he hadn't really heard much from his friends about it, but indicated that he never thinks of Rising Roll as a place to go when he wants to get food or coffee, because there are better locations close by that he already knows and likes.
Q3: Would you rather have something else instead of Rising Roll in Heavener, like Starbucks or Panera Bread?
Alex said it wasn't really that big of deal to him, mainly because he's not a big coffee drinker and didn't think that a place like another Starbucks would be appealing to him. He did note that he liked Panera Bread, so that it might be cool to have one inside Heavener.
Q4: How often do you feel that there is the need for a replacement for Rising Roll?
He said hardly at all, because he's never been there and never felt the desire to go there before, so there was little to no impact on him.
Q5: What're you doing to deal with the issue that there's not a place for you to go around Heavener?
He said that when he rarely feels the need for something close to get food or a small snack, he usually just eats something he brought with him from home or walks to closest restaurant to Heavener, which is Chipotle.
5. From Alex, I learned that not all Heavener students really know about Rising Roll, or have been there before. I feel that this means that there's probably a huge, potentially untapped market that UF could capitalize on in order to better serve the students in the business school.
7. After speaking with the people I interviewed, I still think that the opportunity is there for a replacement for Rising Roll. The amount of people interviewed was small, but none of my interactions boded well for Rising Roll. The opinions seemed to be neutral to negative, and I feel that a replacement would fare much better. I think, if anything, my opportunity is more accurate than before, because it confirmed many of my suspicions about how Rising Roll performed and was perceived as a company. I think that entrepreneurs should adjust their opportunities after getting customer feedback, to a certain extent. I think that they should be able to recognize when to make necessary changes but also realize that not every criticism is valid and that "sticking to your guns" on an issue can be very important.
2. The students and staff of the business school and the surrounding area have the need which is presented in this situation, because their desire for a close, easy-to-access place to get coffee and lighter food fare isn't being fulfilled by Rising Roll in its current state. This need has existed since shortly after Heavener Hall opened, and many quickly began to realize that Rising Roll was not as good as initially thought.
Iteration 1:
3. Prototypical Customer - Craig S.
4. Q1: Have you ever been to Rising Roll in Heavener Hall?
I first spoke with Craig about this potential opportunity by asking him if he had ever been to Rising Roll before. Craig told me that he had only been there once or twice.
Q2: What was your experience like?
He said he had an 'okay' experience, but stated that he had heard bad things about their coffee from others.
He said yes, and stated he would probably go there several times a week if that were the case, because he would much prefer almost anything to Rising Roll.
Q4: How often do you feel that there is the need for a replacement for Rising Roll?
Craig stated that he only felt the need when in or around Heavener, but noted that that was quite often in his case.
Q5: Since you indicated you don't go to Rising Roll, but would go there if it was replaced, what're you doing to fulfill your unmet need?
Craig stated that he usually ended up bringing coffee from home, or going towards midtown to go to the closest Dunkin' Donuts, since its his favorite coffee chain brand.
5. I learned that several students have spread their negative experiences at Rising Roll around and that it had an impact on a student's decision on whether or not to continuing to go there in the future. This is important because public perception has almost certainly had a negative experience on Rising Roll's success.
Iteration 2:
3. Prototypical Customer - Amanda M.
4. Q1: Have you ever been to Rising Roll in Heavener Hall?
Like with Craig, I first spoke with Amanda about this potential opportunity by asking her if she had ever been to Rising Roll before. Amanda stated that she had in fact been there before, but has since stopped going altogether because of a recent negative experience she had with the coffee at Rising Roll.
Q2: What was your experience like?
She told me that she ordered a regular cafe mocha, and instead of what she ordered, she received an artificial, bitter-tasting substitute for cafe mocha that was both cold and unpleasant to drink. She said that after that incident, she wouldn't waste her money there again.
She was adamant about how happy she would be if Rising Roll were replaced, because she enjoys going to Starbucks on a regular basis and noted that it would be nice to have another Starbucks so close to her classes in Heavener Hall.
Q4: How often do you feel that there is the need for a replacement for Rising Roll?
Amanda said she feels that need almost everyday, because she's often on campus for other activities outside of class but told me that she often finds herself near Heavener, wishing that there was a place where she could go to get good coffee within the building.
Q5: What're you doing to deal with the issue that there's not a place for you to go around Heavener?
She said that she usually goes to the Starbucks at Library West, but that the line there is usually pretty long whenever she goes so she decides to get a coffee drink from the vending machine instead most days.
5. From Amanda I learned that someone has had a legitimately bad experience with Rising Roll, and has become dissatisfied with the cafe for good reason. It's important to learn this because it indicates it's more than just word-of-mouth that's hurting the reputation of Rising Roll and leading so many students to wish for it to be replaced.
Iteration 3:
3. Prototypical Customer - Alex B.
4. Q1: Have you ever been to Rising Roll in Heavener Hall?
Alex stated that he had never been to Rising Roll, and didn't really know all that much about it aside from the fact that he knew it served some kind of food.
Q2: Since you've never been, have you heard anything about it from anyone else? What was their experience like?
He said that he hadn't really heard much from his friends about it, but indicated that he never thinks of Rising Roll as a place to go when he wants to get food or coffee, because there are better locations close by that he already knows and likes.
Alex said it wasn't really that big of deal to him, mainly because he's not a big coffee drinker and didn't think that a place like another Starbucks would be appealing to him. He did note that he liked Panera Bread, so that it might be cool to have one inside Heavener.
Q4: How often do you feel that there is the need for a replacement for Rising Roll?
He said hardly at all, because he's never been there and never felt the desire to go there before, so there was little to no impact on him.
Q5: What're you doing to deal with the issue that there's not a place for you to go around Heavener?
He said that when he rarely feels the need for something close to get food or a small snack, he usually just eats something he brought with him from home or walks to closest restaurant to Heavener, which is Chipotle.
5. From Alex, I learned that not all Heavener students really know about Rising Roll, or have been there before. I feel that this means that there's probably a huge, potentially untapped market that UF could capitalize on in order to better serve the students in the business school.
7. After speaking with the people I interviewed, I still think that the opportunity is there for a replacement for Rising Roll. The amount of people interviewed was small, but none of my interactions boded well for Rising Roll. The opinions seemed to be neutral to negative, and I feel that a replacement would fare much better. I think, if anything, my opportunity is more accurate than before, because it confirmed many of my suspicions about how Rising Roll performed and was perceived as a company. I think that entrepreneurs should adjust their opportunities after getting customer feedback, to a certain extent. I think that they should be able to recognize when to make necessary changes but also realize that not every criticism is valid and that "sticking to your guns" on an issue can be very important.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Identifying Local Opportunities
1. "BOLTS CHAIR THEFT SUSPECT ON HOT SEAT"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CF35700B4BBD28?p=AWNB
This story is about a man who recently had his Tampa Bay Lightning chair stolen from his front porch in the middle of the night. Fortunately, he had a surveillance camera watching the scene and was able to get video of the person who stole his chair. The person in the video was wearing a Tampa Bay Lightning jersey while committing the act, and has yet to be caught. The problem in this story is that the man had his expensive chair stolen by a fellow Lightning fan, and the suspect has yet to be caught. The man who owned the chair in this story is the one who had the problem.
2. "Students sent home for flag shirts on Haitian Flag Day"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CFF47A59146518?p=AWNB
This article is about a group of students that were sent home for wearing shirts with the Haitian national flag on them during school. It was Haitian National Flag Day, which commemorates the day that Haiti gained its independence, and is an important holiday for many Haitians. The school code of conduct dictated that they were not allowed to wear Haitian, or any other flags, aside from those specifically listed. The problem in this article is that the students were not allowed to celebrate their heritage in the form of wearing a t-shirt at school, as well as the school's code of conduct seeming very backward. The students at the school are the people with the problem in this situation, and an easy remedy would be to change the school's code of conduct.
3. "Seminole schools, teachers reach a tentative pay deal"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CF728BF840D160?p=AWNB
This article was about the Seminole county school district and the teachers union reaching a new agreement for higher wages, which will go into effect in time for the start for the new school year. The teachers union was upset about their pay and wanted to negotiate for new, higher wages and were able to successfully resolve the issue after much debate and discussion. The people who had the problem in this article were the members of the teachers union and their problem was that they felt that they were not being paid enough for their work.
4. "Red snapper won't have open season this year Federal regulators say species has been overfished; anglers disagree"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CFEA5AEC370BC8?p=AWNB
This article is about the fishing season coming up, and the recent announcement that Red Snapper, a popular sport fish, will not have an open season this year, a measure being made in order to protect the already-low levels of the fish in recent years. Local anglers and companies are upset with this act because it affects their industries, as well as their hobbies and what they can and can't serve in their restaurants and homes. The people with the problem in this story are those that depend on the fish as a source of income, and the fishermen and restaurant owners who cannot catch their own fish during the upcoming year.
5. "Wildlife advocates concerned for pelicans that get fish carcasses stuck in throats"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CEC8FDB52894E0?p=AWNB
This article is about the recent trend among fishermen that throw their filleted fish remains to the pelicans in the bay area, causing the pelicans to get the filleted fish stuck in their throats and ultimately die a slow, painful death. Wildlife advocates are making many efforts in order to curtail this issue by trying to inform fishermen of the effects of their actions. The people who have the problem in this story are the wildlife advocates who are trying to prevent harm to the pelicans and other wildlife that may be affected by this issue.
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CF35700B4BBD28?p=AWNB
This story is about a man who recently had his Tampa Bay Lightning chair stolen from his front porch in the middle of the night. Fortunately, he had a surveillance camera watching the scene and was able to get video of the person who stole his chair. The person in the video was wearing a Tampa Bay Lightning jersey while committing the act, and has yet to be caught. The problem in this story is that the man had his expensive chair stolen by a fellow Lightning fan, and the suspect has yet to be caught. The man who owned the chair in this story is the one who had the problem.
2. "Students sent home for flag shirts on Haitian Flag Day"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CFF47A59146518?p=AWNB
This article is about a group of students that were sent home for wearing shirts with the Haitian national flag on them during school. It was Haitian National Flag Day, which commemorates the day that Haiti gained its independence, and is an important holiday for many Haitians. The school code of conduct dictated that they were not allowed to wear Haitian, or any other flags, aside from those specifically listed. The problem in this article is that the students were not allowed to celebrate their heritage in the form of wearing a t-shirt at school, as well as the school's code of conduct seeming very backward. The students at the school are the people with the problem in this situation, and an easy remedy would be to change the school's code of conduct.
3. "Seminole schools, teachers reach a tentative pay deal"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CF728BF840D160?p=AWNB
This article was about the Seminole county school district and the teachers union reaching a new agreement for higher wages, which will go into effect in time for the start for the new school year. The teachers union was upset about their pay and wanted to negotiate for new, higher wages and were able to successfully resolve the issue after much debate and discussion. The people who had the problem in this article were the members of the teachers union and their problem was that they felt that they were not being paid enough for their work.
4. "Red snapper won't have open season this year Federal regulators say species has been overfished; anglers disagree"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CFEA5AEC370BC8?p=AWNB
This article is about the fishing season coming up, and the recent announcement that Red Snapper, a popular sport fish, will not have an open season this year, a measure being made in order to protect the already-low levels of the fish in recent years. Local anglers and companies are upset with this act because it affects their industries, as well as their hobbies and what they can and can't serve in their restaurants and homes. The people with the problem in this story are those that depend on the fish as a source of income, and the fishermen and restaurant owners who cannot catch their own fish during the upcoming year.
5. "Wildlife advocates concerned for pelicans that get fish carcasses stuck in throats"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CEC8FDB52894E0?p=AWNB
This article is about the recent trend among fishermen that throw their filleted fish remains to the pelicans in the bay area, causing the pelicans to get the filleted fish stuck in their throats and ultimately die a slow, painful death. Wildlife advocates are making many efforts in order to curtail this issue by trying to inform fishermen of the effects of their actions. The people who have the problem in this story are the wildlife advocates who are trying to prevent harm to the pelicans and other wildlife that may be affected by this issue.
Friday, May 13, 2016
Bug List
My bug list is as follows:
1. One of the first things that comes to mind that bugs me is that many of UF's business courses are entirely online (including this one). It makes sense that ENT 3003 is online, and I'm only take it while studying abroad because it *is* online. However, other classes, like Economics, Stats, Accounting, Management, and Marketing all have online lecture, meaning that there's no real need to go to class in-person. I feel that this takes away from the college experience in some ways, despite its benefits.
I think this bug exists primarily because there are simply too many students to accommodate in a normal classroom setting, and having the lectures offered online is an efficient alternative, even though it creates a disconnect between the students, the professors, and the campus.
2. Another is Frontier Communications, the company that recently acquired Verizon's cable and internet business across the US. This change affected my family dramatically when, for the first time since we moved to Florida, we experienced an internet outage that lasted for several days, and wasn't resolved smoothly or easily.
This probably happened because Frontier is still working out kinks in the system since the switch from Verizon to their company, but I also believe that Frontier's sheer incompetency may have been an additional factor in causing the outage that affected several metropolitan areas across the nation.
3. My laptop can hardly hold a charge anymore, and if I'm to use it for any extended period of time, I have to always bring my charger with me. The laptop usually dies with a few hours of usage without it.
I think this bug exists because our battery technology may not be as good as our developments in other areas of technology yet, and it could also be due to "planned obsolescence", in that companies intentionally make their products worse and worse over time, in order to encourage people to buy new products, which allows the company to make more profit.
4. The bus routes that service my apartment complex, 38 and 34, are often too crowded and slow to get to campus and it results in trips that can last over 40 minutes, and that negatively impacts my schedule on every day I have class.
I think this is mainly due to the huge population of students that use these routes, and possibly poor planning and scheduling on the part of the RTS service, which should have enough buses running the route that this doesn't happen.
5. I'm 21 years old and many of my friends still have yet to turn 21, meaning that I can get into bars and clubs in Gainesville and beyond that they cannot, and it severely limits the amount of options we have when we go out.
This is due to many bars and clubs not letting people in under 21, but on a larger scale, the federal drinking age limit, which is 21. I believe that 21 is an arbitrary age that is unnecessary and causes more trouble than its worth, especially when you look at other countries and see that the age limit is much younger and they have much less alcohol-related problems among their population.
6. School acceptance standards for transfer students. I recently had a friend, with an exceptional work ethic and solid grades, attempt to transfer to UF. He had all of the credentials to be accepted as a transfer, or so I thought. He was denied admission and now his options for the future are more limited than before.
This is probably due to the acceptance standards set by the school to which students apply, but I believe that the standards for transfer students should be different, especially for those who excel in their time before transferring to another institution.
7. Our standards of healthcare and healthcare coverage in US, specifically the exorbitant costs associated with any form of medical treatment. I recently had a friend who needed to take an ambulance after a rough night out, and while he ended up being fine, he was still charged over $500 for the ride in the ambulance. If something was seriously wrong, the costs would've been even higher, and I think that the fact that healthcare companies profit off of those who need medical attention is truly unfortunate.
This probably happens because, at the end of the day, the primary concern for most companies is profit, and medical care and services have become one of the most profitable industries to work in.
8. The insane amount of school loyalty and pride that I see among some members of our student body, as well as others. I often see people that I know let their school loyalties get in the way of their friendships, especially during football season, and can turn from simple school pride into elitism and ill-will towards people, just because of where they go to school.
I think that this happens because many students think its okay to judge someone based off of where they went to school, and make assumptions based off of that knowledge. I think that, at the end of the day, we're all students and we're all just trying to improve ourselves, learn more, and secure a brighter future after college.
9. Tipping in United States versus other countries around the world makes the US system look arbitrary and strange, and I personally think it doesn't make a lot of sense. An example is that in the UK, tipping is very casual and not nearly as much percentage of a service as it is in the US, and it not something that is frowned upon when someone doesn't tip.
It's hard to think of the reason for why tipping happens the way it does in the US, but a reason could be that the minimum wage is purposely lower for those who work in tip-oriented positions, and this could be because a cultural belief among Americans that those in service positions deserve to be rewarded based on how much effort they put in.
10. Air travel, while it's allowed people travel faster than ever before, has turned into a hassle that many people, myself included. While I know that I'm very fortunate to be able to travel, I wish that the experience of flying itself was better because it seems like most airline companies, like the medical companies I mentioned earlier, are primarily concerned with profits, and not their customers. A recent flight I was on appeared to offer many different services and goods to make the flight more enjoyable, but nearly all of them came with hidden, subversive fees that seemed like they were designed to trick their customers into spending more money that they actually intended.
This probably happens for the same reasons that the medical companies have, in that nearly all companies are primarily concerned with profit in today's world, and that the customers come second after the money that is made.
// Many of the things that I've talked about so far are broad sweeping bugs that annoy me, so now I'll talk more about the little things that can be annoying "bugs" to me.
11. Often I put my headphones in my pocket, trying to keep them wrapped up in a neat way so that they don't get tangled, but almost every time I take them out to use them, they end up being a nest of wires that take a decent amount of time to untangle and get into working order.
This probably happens because they're constantly shifting around in my pocket while I'm not using them, and end up becoming tangled without me even realizing that it's happened. Maybe I should change the way I store my headphones.
12. Another small thing that annoys me is when I do a small gesture for someone and they don't say "thank you." If I'm going out of my way to do something for you, especially something that I wouldn't normally do already, the least someone can do is say that. When someone doesn't say "thank you", it makes me think that person is ungrateful and rude.
This probably happens because some people are probably blissfully unaware of their mistakes and what irks others, and also because some people are actually ungrateful and rude, with the former probably accounting for the majority of the reasoning.
13. When I'm browsing the internet, I click on something on when the page loads, and instead it moves and I click on an ad instead, resulting in redirecting me to a new page that I have absolutely no interest.
Honestly, this one probably happens because that's what internet ads are meant to do, to be seen and clicked on in order to advertise and attract new customers. The thing is, I'm generally not interested in anything advertised on websites with these intrusive ads.
14. People who aren't aware of the concept of personal space is another thing that I would consider to be a "bug", and I believe it's a big one with some people. Personal space is very important to most of us, and when someone invades that personal space, it provokes feelings of discomfort, and possibly resentment and/or anger.
This is probably caused by people who don't think before they act, and/or people who have little regard for the concerns and needs of others. It honestly could be attributed to either ignorance or malevolence, in most cases.
15. When people decide to stop walking in the middle of the street, or in an airport or train station. I recently experienced a family who completely stopped in the middle of the airport and blocked an entire section of the walkway, and it was something that really annoyed the people around them, including me.
Again, I think this is because some people are truly unaware as to the consequences of their actions, and may or may not care what those consequences are, even if they are aware.
16. People who drive terribly and/or don't obey common traffic rules. I experience people every time I drive that don't use turn signals, or don't wait their turn at stop signs, or something else that could be considered rude to the average driver.
I think this is because Americans, for the most part, value their time over anyone else's, and that mentality is reflected strongly in our driving habits and how we act on the road.
17. Another bar-related annoying "bug" is that when I'm at a crowded bar trying to get a drink, and there are people just sitting at the bar with the drinks they already got and taking up space that someone could use in order to get their drinks.
Like I've mentioned many times before, this is something that I think can be attributed to either ignorance or malice on the part of the people sitting at the bar, but probably mainly due to someone being unaware of their actions and their effects.
18. When people are late to a meeting or something that we've scheduled to do at a certain time, and don't let me know ahead of time. It's not that big of a deal if someone lets me know they'll be late beforehand, but when the time goes by and they haven't showed up yet, it feels to me like they don't value my time, or at least not as much as theirs.
This happens mainly with people who don't know how to manage their time properly, and it affects everyone around them when they don't keep to commitments they've made.
19. People who text and/or talk during movies. When I go to pay to see a movie, I don't want to have a bright screen or hear someone's conversation that distracts me and takes away the focus from what I came to see in the first place, the movie. If you're going to come to the movie just to talk or be on your phone, then why did you come in the first place?
Another malice/ignorance type of cause for this "bug". I think that most people who do this kind of thing in a movie theater don't realize how truly distracting and annoying it can be to those around them, especially if they've never experienced themselves before.
20. People who constantly litter and seem to have no regard for the environment. Just the other day I watched a woman walk down the street, finish eating a bag of chips, and just drop the bag on the ground as she kept walking. Now, more than ever before, has there been an emphasis on protecting the environment and practicing habits that are considered to be "green". While it may not be an issue with immediate effects, sooner or later it'll catch up to us, and we'll regret it if we continue to do these kind of things.
I think this happens because the people who do it have little concern for the well-being of the environment and taking care of it, and it's something that I find to be very annoying because it instantly gives me a negative impression of that person when I see it happen.
When writing this "bug list", I found it somewhat difficult to come up with things that I considered "bugs" in my everyday life. I don't really think about these things too often, and it presented itself in the form of me initially struggling to come with additional things I could write about. My strategy consisted of first writing about "bugs" that I would consider to be more 'big picture' issues, and things that many people are currently faced with. For the second half, I wrote more about small things that I find to be "bugs" in my everyday life, and are things that are relatively inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Once I was able to focus my thoughts into different categories, it made the assignment easier in that I was able to come up with more things to write about.
My Entrepreneurship Story
I've had many entrepreneurship-focused experiences in my life so far, but one that sticks out to me is when I was in the Boy Scouts of America, where I had to sell popcorn in order to raise funds for our troop. I engaged in door-to-door sales, as well as setting up stands in order to advertise and attract customers outside of places like grocery stores and local churches after services ended. It taught me a lot, considering I was relatively young at the time and didn't know all that much about how people deal with door-to-door salesmen and being approached and asked for money. I ended up being quite successful at selling popcorn, in part due to my belief that my age was a factor in people being willing to buy what I was offering (mainly in the sense that I was a young kid and they were willing to help my cause because they liked me). I also believe that my father, who has worked in sales consulting for a good part of career, helped me earn more business because he was able to provide a lot of good advice and tips on how to be a better salesman.
For the second half of the assignment, and as an answer to the questions of why I enrolled in in the class and what I hope to get out of it, there are several reasons. I am currently writing this blog from my flat in London, United Kingdom because I'm doing the UF in London study abroad program, and I wanted to be able to take a course online through UF while I was here. Entrepreneurship has always been an important part of my life, because many of my family members were/are entrepreneurs, and I believe it is something I would like to learn more about and possibly be a field I can become more successful in, in the future. I hope that I will learn more about entrepreneurship's human aspect and what makes a successful entrepreneur, as well as possible skills and concepts that I can apply in other parts of my life and career after my time at UF has ended.
For the second half of the assignment, and as an answer to the questions of why I enrolled in in the class and what I hope to get out of it, there are several reasons. I am currently writing this blog from my flat in London, United Kingdom because I'm doing the UF in London study abroad program, and I wanted to be able to take a course online through UF while I was here. Entrepreneurship has always been an important part of my life, because many of my family members were/are entrepreneurs, and I believe it is something I would like to learn more about and possibly be a field I can become more successful in, in the future. I hope that I will learn more about entrepreneurship's human aspect and what makes a successful entrepreneur, as well as possible skills and concepts that I can apply in other parts of my life and career after my time at UF has ended.
Test
This is a test blog so I can learn more about how Blogger works as a tool for my ENT 3003 class.
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