David Brooks, in a recent column for the New York Times said that the U.S. has one clear advantage over Chinese competition: branding. He notes that U.S. firms are powered by “eccentric failed novelists” (presumably from agencies and consulting firms that are gifted at brand positioning and execution) and “visionary founders” (think Steve Jobs) who have created exceptional brands.
Continue reading… “Why Chinese firms have weak branding”
Futurist Thomas Frey: What does it mean to “own” something?
I’m sure there are legal definitions, but most of us believe that once we purchase an item, we own it. Our relationship with that object shifts from ogler to owner in the blink of a cash register transaction.
Continue reading… “The End of Theft”
The world is speeding up.
Grant McCracken, a research affiliate at MIT and the author of Chief Culture Officer was recently asked by a client to comment crisply on the future. He came up with these observations.
Continue reading… “Grant McCracken says the corporation is at odds with the future”
A growing percentage of U.S. citizens engage in entrepreneurship.
Babson and Baruch Colleges issued a report last week that points to an exciting trend in the U.S. economy: The percentage of adults involved in startups in 2012 hit 13%–a record high since Babson began tracking entrepreneurship rates in 1999.
Continue reading… “Entrepreneurship in the U.S. hits a record high”
The technology-enabled business trends will not only be a boon for consumers but also stimulate growth.
McKinsey & Company described ten information technology three years ago that enabled business trends that were profoundly altering the business landscape. Since then, the pace of technology change, innovation, and business adoption has been stunning. Consider that the world’s stock of data is now doubling every 20 months; the number of Internet-connected devices has reached 12 billion; and payments by mobile phone are hurtling toward the $1 trillion mark.
Continue reading… “10 tech-enabled business trends for the decade ahead”
Where will the jobs be, and how can companies carve out a competitive advantage in the global economy?
Exactly what technologies and trends will change our lives are hard to predict. Few people understood just how powerful the Internet would be, dismantling entire industries and creating millions of jobs.
Continue reading… “Top 12 disruptive technologies that are transforming the world”
Employees at Intel, a semiconductor-chip-maker, recently devised a new chemistry process that reduced chemical waste by 900,000 gallons, saving $45 million annually. Another team developed a plan to reuse and optimize networking systems in offices, which cut energy costs by $22 million.
Continue reading… “Sustainability important in the battle for talent”
81% of people in the surveys said that “power today is about influence rather than control.”
When people around the world were surveyed about the ideal modern leader, 64,000 people in 13 countries–from China to Canada–wished their leaders were slightly less polarizing and more collaborative.
Continue reading… “Future leaders will be flexible, selfless, and more collarborative: Study”
Travel can affect a company’s bottom line.
A new study conducted by Oxford Economics and commissioned by the U.S. Travel Association has found businesses that continued to send employees on the road during the recession were more profitable than those that cut back on business travel.
Continue reading… “Cutting business travel hurts profits: Study”
The Italian paper notebook maker Moleskine is a stunning anachronism in a business environment that glorifies tech startups and digital business models.
A “retro-innovation” trend is emerging against an accelerating backdrop of datafication. New products and services are designed to connect us with the past in ways that are both nostalgic and interactive.
Continue reading… “‘Retro-innovation’ is the next big thing”
How do you turn your social network into the ultimate lead generating device?
You have an incredibly valuable resource at your disposal already when it comes to creating leads for your business: your own social network. What is the best way to leverage this resource? From discovering new leads to maintaining links to old ones, here are ten social media power-tools that will help you turn your social network into the ultimate lead generating device.
Continue reading… “Top 10 social media power tools”
Currently in the business world we are witnessing something like the epic collision of two galaxies — a rapid convergence of two very unlike systems that will cause the elements of both to realign. It’s all thanks to the Internet of Things.
Continue reading… “The Internet of Things changes everything”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.