Dragons' Den - Culture, entrepreneurship, and sources of finance
Tuesday 15 October 2024
A topical case study that reminds us about the need for “cultural appropriation” in the world of business. The case is all over social media, so your students are likely to be aware of this, but let’s align this to what they study in the Business Management course.
In a dramatic episode of Dragons' Den, Marvel actor Simu Liu confronted two entrepreneurs pitching their Canadian bubble tea company. He accused the couple of “cultural appropriation” because they did not acknowledge bubble tea’s Asian roots by claiming the product is “not an ethnic product anymore.” Liu emphasised the importance of respecting cultural heritage in business. The Canadian entrepreneurs were seeking $1m for an 18% stake in the company. After huge social media backlash, the company apologised and promised to review its branding.
Reach more about this case in BBC News, and ask students to link this to content and concepts such as:
