Business Reflection #8 - Brianna

Students Get a Failing Grade on Taxes 

Article taken from Times & Transcript March 10, 2014 

The article that I am writing about today is about students and doing their taxes. Getting taxes done is an important subject, and I will admit I am one of the people who has no idea how to do my own taxes. To be honest I would love to learn how to do it, and it is my goal to learn how before next year. The article was conducted by H&R Block and they found that more than three quarters of students did not have nearly enough knowledge to do their own taxes. On a scale of 1 to 5, the average of students ranked themselves as a 2.8.

Most students in the article thought there was no need to do their taxes because they had little or no income. In reality, it is the opposite because students can qualify for credits from the tuition they pay. Everyone needs to do their taxes, especially students because they pay tuition. This article was very important to me because as business students, we should all learn how to do our taxes (or at least know how they work).  

Business Reflection #7 - Brianna

Loblaw Expands Joe Fresh

Article taken from Times & Transcript February 21, 2014

I am sure we have all seen the orange Joe sign at our local Super Value or at least seen a commercial on television for it. Joe Fresh is a discounted clothing line offered by Loblaws to in Canadian grocery stores, and some American stores as well. Recently the Joe line announced they would be expanding their stores by adding 141 stores in 23 countries over the next four years. The stores will go to such places as South Korea and Europe, and Galen Weston said it the company has a belief that Joe Fresh should be offered to an international customer base. 

Right now Joe Fresh has 300 grocery store locations, so by opening 141 more business should boom for this popular clothing line. Unfortunately, sales have not been as well as the brand would hope, and it only got worse by a factory in Bangladesh collapsing and killing 1,100 people. Joe Fresh hopes to come back from their recent drop in business, and I believe the surely can! I have seen the clothes Joe Fresh offers, and they have tons of cute children's clothes, as well as very stylish adult clothes at a great price. 

Business Reflection # 6 - Brianna

Ice Cream Brand, Tims to End Partnership

Article taken from Times & Transcript February 21, 2014

Tim Hortons announced that Cold Stone Creamery will no longer be in their chain of stores. I have never tried Cold Stone, but I always wished that I would be able to. Knowing that Tim Hortons will no longer be associated with Cold Stone means the closest store to Miramichi (located in Bathurst) will be closed, and decrease my chances of trying the ice cream. Tims announced the choice to remove Cold Stone Creamery was purely a financial decision. Income was down by several million compared to previous years, so Tim Hortons decided to focus their attention fully on their main store. American Tim Hortons will not be affected by the removal of Cold Stone Creamery because it is an American ice cream chain. In my opinion, it makes me sad to have Cold Stone removed but Tims should focus on their own business. Tim Hortons knows how to please their customers, and I believe they can raise sales in the next year by removing the ice cream stores.