SQ 1 A

3.Is a firm that competes based on the features of technology engaged in operational effectiveness or strategic positioning? Give an example to back up your claim.

Assuming that the features can be replicated, firms competing based on features alone are likely to be engaged in operational effectiveness. The automotive industry is an example of an industry that relies heavily on operational effectiveness because features such as power steering, antilock brakes, tire pressure sensors, and the like can be easily duplicated.

1.How is social media impacting firms, individuals, and society?

Everything some one does can be shown to someone on the other side of the world and will there forever, this can effect how people act due to the possibility of people recording.

4.What factors enabled the hackers to breach Target and Equifax?

For target the breach was the fault of the security team because they had detected the breach and they ignored the warning twice, they even had software that was capable of deleting the malware off of their servers, but the security team disabled it. For Equifax, they failed to do maintenance to fix a known vulnerability and it caused roughly everyone in the US with a bank account to be compromised.

2.What effect did FreshDirect have on traditional grocers operating in New York City? Why?

Fresh Direct became a alternative to traditional grocery shopping and it got so big it was able to buy a distribution center. This destroyed traditional grocery stores. They are also able to buy products straight from the market. They also have people who taste test a lot of products and rate their freshness that allows a customer to be more informed when shopping with them.

2.Examine the FreshDirect business model and list reasons for its competitive advantage.

Fresh Direct uses technology to better their customer experience giving them a competitive advantage. They are resistant to imitation because competitors would be straddled between two business models. They have a much longer lead time allowing for the firm to develop a brand, scale, data, and other advantages that newcomers lack =.

4.Why do law enforcement agencies struggle to cope with these types of computer crimes?

Law enforcement agencies are increasingly outnumbered, out skilled and underfunded.

1.What kinds of skills do today's managers need that weren't required a decade ago?

Todays managers need to have at least a base level knowledge on tech, because a vast amount of all companies rely on tech to operate, and it is expected to go even farther so. As seen during this pandemic the world is moving into a more remote way of work. There is also a new threat of hackers.

4.What valuable things did the hackers steal in these breaches?

With Equifax, the hackers stole addresses, social security numbers, tax IDs, drivers licences numbers, and some credit card numbers. At Target, the hackers stole the credit cards of everyone that used it at any of their stores.

4.If you were the type of consumer who uses these firms, would what you know about these breaches change your attitude about dealing with either of these firms? How do you think your attitude would have changed and why; or, why would your attitude not change?

Yes and no, I am a customer of target and it worries me to know they ignored a warning and put customers data in danger. I would more likely now use a cash or debit card to avoid being hacked. With Equifax, I am more worried about the company not doing the necessary maintenance on their detections.

4.Who should have been responsible for these breaches, that is, how do you think the firms could have prevented the attacks and what should they do in the future to heighten security and win back customer trust?

Both of the attacks could have been prevented or contained if it were for better procedures. Target should have not ignored their warnings and responded to the threat immediately and Equifax should have completed the necessary maintenance prior to the attack considering there were known vulnerabilities. With Equifax there was also most likely something shady going on due to the stock price lowering prior to the attack going public.

3.Which is the better basis for competing - operational effectiveness or strategic positioning? Why?

I believe that strategic positioning is better for new comers because then it takes away the advantage that the original company had by being the first. It can also help differentiate their product or service from the original, this can be effective if there are more kinks in the new company because they will not be companied side by side.

2.Would a similar business work in your neighborhood? Why or why not?

I do not believe so due to the fact that I live in a very small town, so it is a farther drive for a delivery service to offer same day.

1.Venture capitalist Ben Evans, who works with Andreessen, has said "mobile is eating the world." Give examples of how mobile has built billion dollar industries that wouldn't exist without handheld computing power. How should today's managers be thinking about mobile as an opportunity and threat?

Mobil is eating the world because as it says in the book it took decades for 70 million people to get phones but now it can only take a night to have that many download a new game. This is harder for managers because now everything they do is and can be broadcasted to the whole world and is pertinant.

3.What is strategic positioning?

Performing different tasks than rivals, or the same tasks in a different way.

3.What is operational effectiveness?

Performing the same tasks better than rivals perform them.

1.How have the costs of entrepreneurship changed over the past decade? What forces are behind these changes? What does this mean for the future of entrepreneurship? Why are we in the 'golden age' of technology entrepreneurship? What factors are helping entrepreneurs more rapidly achieve their vision, and with a lower cost?

The cost today have changed companies like google and apple have people writing code that is then given away for free/there are services and platforms for all different companies to make and sell their products for little to no cost and it allows anyone to be an entrepreneur.

3.What are the dangers of competing only on operational effectiveness? Be sure to describe and discuss how consumers make decisions when evaluating products that are highly similar.

The dangers of competing only on operational effectiveness is that if a consumer is going to judge the exact same product from different places already the original has the edge, but then things like customer service, quality, and efficiency come into play. It is harder to compete with a company when they do the same thing because at that point the little things make a difference.

1. How do recent changes in computing impact consumers? Are these changes good or bad? Explain. How do they impact businesses?

The world is now completely digital, the largest taxi company has no cars and the largest hotel service owns no rooms. These are not necessarily a good or bad change but it does impact the way people do business. It allows everyone to be their own boss.