Date: Saturday, August 1st 2015

Participants (from 10 countries):

Panel PRO: Boboy, Brady

Panel CON: Rick, Faiza

AUDIENCE: Johny, Aziz, Sunita, Thiago, Adeem, Miranda

Host: Rick

Moderator: Johny

Panel PRO summary:

Products of a small store are often handmade thus they are made with love and care.
A family business can be passed on to the kids of the owner; they don’t lose the family business.
A small business can buy, adapt and implement new techniques, policy, executives’ management due to more streamlined approach and less bureaucracy.
As an employee in a business with a small number of employees, there is more opportunity to share benefits, especially if starting in a small start up and as it expands.
With various layers of bureaucracy, you often don’t know what is going on; you cannot predict what will happen with your job, with the company, with the products. You better understand the bottom line.
When you inherit this small business, you would try to keep your beloved family business.
When you enter large company store as a consumer, the environment may not be as friendly than a small family store.
More of a direct impact to the local economy.
Easier to change business strategy, and business model, due to less "red tape" and administrative layers.
In a small business, you may have the opportunity to cross train and learn new skills due to the lower number of employees and the need to diversity your knowledge (sales, inventory management, marketing, customer service etc)

Panel CON summary:

Volume: a megastore operates off a large production, distribution and marketing base, which results in lower priced products on the shelf being available for consumers (lower per unit cost)
A large company has business transactions with a variety of vendors, other stores etc, which results in more diversity being made available for the consumer (clothing, appliances, tools, etc.)
Big companies tend to operate with a higher standards; they are required to apply quality assurance so the quality of both product and customer service may be better.
If you are an employee, you can achieve a position inside the company which would allow you to travel abroad for doing business with other companies around the world, as well as to apply for international positions in the same company.
If you are a hard worker in a big organization and if you are able to show you are top performer, you can have more opportunities to be promoted and reach higher positions.
Small companies often do not offer as many benefits whereas large companies do.
Small business does not have exposures to new products, to other companies or to better supplies, thus they may not have as much diversity in products in their shelves.
Large foreign companies still collaborate with and offer a small benefit to the local economy.
Personnel of small family business may not be as much professional. They can involve personal issues in the workplace environment, which can negatively impact customer service and degrade the reputation and credibility of the business.
As an employee you have the chance to work with very well qualified personnel and bosses and you can learn about high standards about costumer treatment policies.
As an employee in a big mall you have the opportunity to visit other stores and buy food during your lunch break.

AUDIENCE summary:

Aziz voted for the team B
Johny voted for the tam B
Sunita left early.
Miranda voted for the team B
Thiago voted for both teams. (remained undecided)
Adeem just listened.

Team B won this debate, Thanks everyone for participating!

Below are the links to listen to our chat:

Listen online:

Download:

Small family business vs Megastores - Voice chat Recording file

For people who did not join the live discussion, feel free to contribute the ideas in the comment blanks below.