Christmas is a time for giving. It’s a time for sharing, loving, and caring. And, this year, Canadian Airline ‘WestJet’ has taken that into some serious consideration. Instead of spending millions on commercial marketing, this clever company decided to take a different route. With the help of 175 volunteers, an in-house flash mob, and Santa himself, they sought out to make holiday wishes come true. After setting up an electronic booth that asked customers what they’d like for Christmas, volunteers scrambled into a shopping spree to find everything that was on the wishlist. Not everyone received exactly what they wanted, like a large diamond ring, but many lucky recipients received tablets, phones, and even a flat screen TV. But the idea wasn’t to buy off customers; it was to let them know that they were being heard.

Perhaps not everyone can afford such a grand gesture, but it’s nice to know that some businesses believe that people truly come first. And, in this tear-jerking video, we see just how easy it is to make a difference.

It seems like everywhere you look, especially at a place like Baruch, everyone is paying attention to his or her smartphone. It has become such a huge part of our lives that taking away these devices would probably cause a huge disturbance in our daily routines. Most probably, the phones that see on campus are likely to be Apple or Samsung products.

Apple and Samsung control nearly half of the market when it comes to smartphones. According to recent data, these two companies are the major players in the $279.9 billion global smartphone field. However, an ongoing dispute between the two companies could have long-term implications on the smartphone market.

The White House decided against overruling a ban on certain Samsung products imposed by the International Trade Commission in August after the panel ruled that some older Samsung devices infringed on Apple’s patents. There won’t be any immediate effects and Samsung will likely seek to delay the ban by appealing in U.S. courts. Even if the South Korean manufacturer is forced to stop selling their phones in the United States, only older, unpopular models would be affected.

The issue isn’t just about which phones Samsung can sell in the U.S. In my opinion, the White House isn’t giving Samsung the same advantage as Apple by letting the ban stand, even  after a similar ban on Apple products was overruled earlier in the year.  A Samsung spokesperson commented that the ban “will serve only to reduce competition and limit choice for the American consumer.” From South Korea’s end, it appears that the U.S. is playing favorites and giving an unfair advantage to American businesses. Such a precedent might give other American companies the impression that they will be protected by the government if similar disputes break out with foreign competitors.

If the law weren’t in favor of the California-based smartphone giant, you would have been hearing about a ban on Apple products instead. How would you feel if you were planning to buy a new model of the iPhone only to learn that it was unfairly banned?

China, the world’s most populated country, also happens to have the world’s largest car market. You may be surprised, however, to learn that Chinese buyers aren’t buying Chinese cars- they’re drawn to the American-made for their luxury appeal. And with the rising interest in American cars, companies such as Ford are opening larger markets in China while Chinese car manufacturers, such as Shanghai-based SAIC, are suffering.

In 2012, 19.27 million automobiles were made in China, which was far more than in the U.S. However, despite China’s growing auto industry, its reputation in the West isn’t very positive. In fact, in the early 2000’s, Chinese automobiles were known to have low safety standards and perform poorly in crash tests. Though their redesigns cut costs and made up for many setbacks, Chinese car makers had already made a bad impression. As a result, American vehicles, with a far better track record for performance and safety, are trickling into the blooming Chinese auto-market with high hopes. In fact, Ford is attempting to double their share in the Chinese market by introducing new cars intended to catch the eyes of Chinese buyers. After all, the Chinese economy has flourished and now, more than ever, people are earning enough to splurge on vehicles.

But it’s not just manufacturers that are reaping the rewards. Kelley Blue Book (KBB), known as one of the most prominent automotive pricing and data providers in the United States, has drawn the attention of the Chinese auto market in hopes of increasing domestic car sales. KBB offers valuable information for buyers and allows them to compare vehicles, search for dealerships, and estimate prices. And, in order to introduce and implement these services, they’re filing a joint venture with Bitauto Holdings Limited, a Chinese marketing firm. KBB’s entry into the increasing Chinese market has now officially ended the search for someone to organize the high demand.

In addition, China hopes to continue its joint-ventures with U.S. companies in order to learn from global competition and increase domestic sales. Hopefully, this increased circulation of information and expertise will help buyers make educated decisions and stimulate the Chinese and American economies.

To learn more about the automotive market in China, you should check out ‘China Car Times’, which features photos of the newest models, updates on progress and presence in the market, as well as user commentary.

If you’re interested in global finance and marketing, international business studies or marketing may be for you. Baruch offers courses such as: New Product Planning and Development, Buyer Behavior, Marketing Strategy, International Economics and Finance, and International Markets, Cultures, and Institutions.

China has long been recognized as the world’s leading manufacturer of goods, but recent trends indicate that the country is becoming more service-oriented. The Chinese service sector has been progressively growing with nonmanufacturing activity accounting for 45% of GDP . Although the service sector in China is still small compared to the U.S where it makes up almost 80 percent of the economy, it has doubled since 1980. This increase is supported by policy makers of BIG’s (Berggruen Institute on Governance) 21^st Century Council, an assembly for action on global governance whose members include former heads of state, global entrepreneurs and political thinkers.

The Alibaba Group, which made headlines earlier this year for its recent interest in Weibo, is one example of a successful company prominent in the service sector. The e-commerce titan made a record in processing more than $5.75 billion in its online payment system in a single day.  The company reported it had 402 million unique visitors to their sites which is more than a third of the adult population in China. The reason? November 11th is a holiday in China known as “Singles Day” due to the four lonely 1s. Companies take advantage of these prime times for holiday shopping by hosting online shopping events similar to our Cyber Monday, the day after Thanksgiving weekend where retail sites encourage online shopping by advertising promotions and deals. Not only has China’s economy created their own version of our biggest e-commerce event but they have surpassed our profits in a short amount of time—a sign of a rise in the service industry.

Chinese consumers are expected to spend $290 billion at online retail sites this year–$30 billion more than the U.S., according to Forrester Research. Now the world’s number one digital retail market in value with a drive that’s expected to continue, China is likely to expand its service sector even further.  In addition to the education industry, the travel and hospitality sectors are likely to become more prominent in China’s economy. China’s president, Xi Jinping, showed his support of these developments as he met with the Council in Beijing: “There are sufficient factors supporting China’s economic development. We are confident that the Chinese economy will keep growing in a sustained and healthy way.”

To learn more about past and current economic conditions of Asian countries check out the Asian and American Studies major.

Looking back at all the great innovations the Silicon Valley has given to us, it’s exciting to see what advances another tech hub will bring and how it can benefit students like us. From cell phones to computers, Silicon Valley has given us all sorts of gadgets that we use every day. Just imagine if we had another source of technological innovation in the world. It turns out that we do.

A recent report by the Startup Genome named Tel Aviv the second most lively startup network in the world, just behind Silicon Valley. Strong investor support has made Tel Aviv stand out from the rest of the globe. Why, you ask?

Well, Microsoft opened its first startup accelerator in Tel Aviv 18 months ago and is already hosting its third selection of young companies. A startup accelerator supports companies with funding, mentoring, training and events for a definite period, in exchange for equity. However, without even taking an equity stake, Microsoft provides a creative workplace, expert technicians and a network of customers and partners. For the growing startup scene in Tel Aviv, support from investors like Microsoft has been vital.

One of the most successful startups from Tel Aviv is Wix, a website development platform that allows users to create professional HTML5 websites. Wix provides hundreds of website templates and a sophisticated drag and drop website builder which includes apps, graphics, image galleries, fonts and more.

What does this mean for you? Wix has already expanded to three other cities, including New York and San Francisco. As companies like Wix expand beyond the Middle East, you can expect to see more products and services from Israeli entrepreneurs. More international offices also mean more open positions. Who knows? You could end up working for a company like Wix someday!

Whether it’s support from international investors or startup accelerators, Tel Aviv is emerging to be a serious contender in the startup scene on a global level.

If you’re interested in interning for a startup, the Baruch Entrepreneural Intern Fellowship Program provides financial assistance to undergraduate students that take an unpaid internship with a startup. Stop by the Weissman Center for International Business if you’re interested in applying for the Spring 2014 semester!