Articles
The TTC & Rider Backlash: Grappling with Public Perception and Performance
Toronto’s TTC has long been the backbone of the city’s transit system, but rider dissatisfaction is reaching new heights. Concerns over safety and excessive prices are fueling public outcry. In this article, QBR Senior Editor Mayson Sattler delves into the TTC's inability to meet global transit expectations and the factors contributing to the high levels of consumer dissatisfaction. Does the TTC truly need to enhance its services, and what is preventing it from doing so?
How Strategic Innovation is Changing Healthcare
In this article, QBR Editor Simon Ing explores how emerging technologies are primed to disrupt the healthcare sector. As demand for services grows in magnitude and complexity in response to an aging population, current healthcare infrastructure is not sufficient for effective treatment. Stakeholders throughout industry segments must strategically integrate advancements in remote patient monitoring and operational optimization to transform the status quo moving forward.
Hotdog Heaven: The $1.50 Secret to Costco’s Success
Hooking in customers and driving sales, Costco’s hotdog combo is more than a cheap deal — it’s a successful pricing strategy. With loss leaders, producing its brand, Kirkland Signature, and its membership model, Costco establishes itself as the retailer customers trust for high-quality at low prices. QBR Editor Ninglee Weng explores how Costco’s unique approach has led to billions in revenue each year, creating an exclusive shopping experience like no other: free samples in one hand and a membership card in the other.
Whose Hands are Left Bloody: Will Metalloids in Tampons Spark Industry-Wide Change?
In July 2024, leading scientific journal, Environment International, released a study that revealed numerous harmful materials, including lead and arsenic, were found in tampons. However, upwards of two billion women experience menstruation, hence, must continue buying needed products, even if there are now more factors to consider when making this once-a-month purchase. In fact, tampons are continuing to increase in popularity, on a world scale, with an average CAGR over 5%. In this editorial, Katie Libitz examines the menstrual product industry and how this news will, or will not, cause changes in consumer behaviour.
The Great Wealth Transfer Is Here but Is the Next Generation Ready?
In our latest editorial, QBR Finance Editor Aaron Black explores the Great Wealth Transfer, a historic $84 trillion shift in assets from Baby Boomers to younger generations over the next two decades. This article delves into the challenges facing heirs, including financial illiteracy, changing investment priorities, and the lack of estate planning. While younger generations stand to inherit vast fortunes, Black emphasizes the importance of early financial education and thoughtful estate planning to ensure this transition is successful. As families prepare for this generational wealth shift, the article encourages proactive measures to navigate the complexities of managing new wealth.
Japan's Financial Odyssey: From Negative Interest Rates to Carry Trade Unwinds
In this editorial, QBR Finance Editor Reed Allen explores Japan’s unconventional monetary policy and its profound impact on global markets. Tracing the Bank of Japan's journey from zero interest rates to negative rates and yield curve control, this article analyzes the ripple effects of Japan’s recent rate hikes and the unwinding of the carry trade. As the central bank navigates normalization under Kazuo Ueda, there are profound implications for Japan’s stagnating economy, volatile yen, and global financial interconnectedness. Could this be the dawn of a new era for Japan's financial strategy?
Investing for Impact: How to Do Well by Doing Good
In this latest editorial, QBR Senior Finance Editor Chanelle Cai explores the potential of impact investing to create meaningful social and environmental change while also generating financial returns. Drawing on insightful statistics and real-world examples, Cai challenges the misconception that investors must choose between either profit or positive impact. She breaks down the key principles of impact investing, such as intentionality and rigorous impact measurement, urging future business leaders to rethink traditional investment strategies. This piece inspires readers to take action, highlighting the power of thoughtful, intentional investments to drive both financial success and lasting change.
Coca’s Role in Shaping South American Financial Markets
In this editorial, Queen’s Business Review’s Financial Markets Editor Ethan Chan delves into the paradoxical role of the coca leaf in South American economies. Once a revered traditional crop, it now straddles both legal and illegal markets, shaping economic policies and inflation while fueling the global drug trade. As legal uses expand, the coca leaf’s potential to transform rural economies offers a glimpse into the future of South American financial markets.
The Glass Ceiling of Conflict
In this editorial, QBR Politics and the World Editor Maya Galvin calls attention to an area of global politics deserving of more attention: the exclusion of women from peace processes, despite the disproportionate impact they experience during conflict and war. Galvin cites literature from the field of gender and politics to underscore how conceptions of hegemonic masculinity dictate who is afforded a seat at the negotiation table, and whose experiences during conflict are put forth. She engages with contemporary examples of Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and the Yemeni crisis to highlight this issue, its ramifications, and the importance for action going forward.
A Political Tug-of-War: Right-Wing Nationalism’s Rise vs. the Left’s Resurgence
In this editorial, QBR Senior Politics Editor Amin Nazari explores the growing divide between right-wing nationalism and progressive left-wing politics across Europe and the Americas. Nazari uncovers the socioeconomic forces fueling these opposing movements and examines how media strategies have amplified their influence. With a focus on the upcoming U.S. and Canadian elections, this piece delves into the broader ideological battle that could reshape the future of democracy on a global scale.