9I�� News - Vivek Astvansh

Amazon to close Quebec warehouses, affecting 1,700 jobs

webfull — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 19:07:38 +0000

Amazon Canada is closing all of its Quebec warehouses, affecting nearly 2,000 employees. The company claims the move is to provide long-term savings to customers and is unrelated to recent unionization efforts. However, industry experts, including 9I�� business Professor Vivek Astvansh, suggest the closures are a response to union activities.

Published: 31 January 2025

Got(oat) milk? Neighbourhood café can’t give it away for free, but they can be transparent about the costs

webfull — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 19:04:46 +0000

At Café Origine on Sherbrooke Street, oat milk costs extra—and there’s a reason for that. Non-dairy milk substitutes like oat milk cost more than cow’s milk does. Some large chains like Starbucks have stopped charging extra for milk substitutes, but independent cafes can struggle to absorb the costs. “A local café doesn’t have the sales volume,” says Vivek Astvansh, Associate Professor of Quantitative Marketing and Analytics.

Published: 31 January 2025

Montreal retailer Frank and Oak files for creditor protection for second time

webfull — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 17:25:58 +0000

In January 2025, the Montreal-based retailer Frank and Oak filed for creditor protection for the second time in recent years. A company statement said it was to protect employees, assets and operations from creditor claims while exploring options to restructure. “The brand is not standing out in an environment where other brands have done well,” said Bensadoun School of Retail Management Executive Director Charles de Brabant in an interview with the Montreal Gazette.

Published: 17 January 2025

Donald Trump’s counterparts learned best practices during his first term

webfull — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 18:55:39 +0000

Donald Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian steel before and also lifted them. And then imposed them again. The on-again, off-again tariff truce cycle has played out in multiple industries, and Canada can expect more incendiary rhetoric on trade in a second Trump term, writes Professor Vivek Astvansh in The Conversation Canada. So how should Canada engage with Trump’s theatrical approach to politics? “Ideally, leaders talk to each other and resolve disagreements,” says Astvansh.

Published: 11 December 2024

First Trump presidency holds lessons for the second

webfull — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 20:54:43 +0000

The first presidency of Donald Trump was nothing if not unpredictable, and as Canada prepares for a second go-around, it needs to expect the unexpected. The U.S. president-elect regularly uses exaggerated rhetoric about the country’s trading relationships, writes Vivek Astvansh in The Conversation. But the first Trump presidency taught us that the most effective way for foreign leaders to respond to Trump’s political theatre is to retaliate with countermeasures, be muted in one’s rhetoric, and hope for a truce.

Published: 21 November 2024

Prospect of new U.S. tariffs creates uncertainty for QC businesses

webfull — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 21:16:01 +0000

For Quebec businesses, Donald Trump’s planned tariffs are a source of significant uncertainty. The Federation of Quebec Chambers of Commerce nervously awaited the results of the U.S. election. With Trump proposing a 10 per cent tariff on all goods entering the United States, many Quebec businesses could be hit hard. “We are extremely dependent on the United States, and that dependence is not mutual,” says Vivek Astvansh, Associate Professor of Quantitative Marketing and Analytics.

Published: 15 November 2024

Corporate social responsibility disclosures have benefits, but also come with costs

webfull — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 19:00:21 +0000

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures can enhance a company’s public image and contribute to increased sales. However, these benefits may come at a cost. In a study analyzing CSR disclosures from companies in China, where such reporting is mandatory, Associate Professor of Quantitative Marketing and Analytics Vivek Astvansh found that while these disclosures attract customers, they may also discourage new suppliers.

Published: 6 November 2024

Experts: U.S. presidential election

webfull — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 14:23:05 +0000

The American elections are upon us and polls suggest it is going to be a tight race between the two candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

These experts from 9I�� are available to share their insights:

Published: 4 November 2024

Automotive safety recalls are usually free – but many owners of older vehicles still don’t participate

webfull — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 19:58:55 +0000

Automotive safety recalls are commonplace, and, most of the time, the required changes are performed for free at your local dealership. Yet, many owners of older vehicles don’t bring in their vehicles when there is a recall. Inertia is part of the problem, according to Associate Professor of Quantitative Marketing and Analytics Vivek Astvansh.

Published: 15 October 2024

Presidential candidates’ choice of words reveals aspects of their personalities

webfull — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 15:39:24 +0000

The words a speaker chooses communicate more than just ideas and opinions. Language reveals much about a speaker’s personality. In the recent U.S. presidential debate, two very different personalities were on display—that of Democratic candidate and Vice-President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

Published: 25 September 2024

9I��������� News - Vivek Astvansh