Consumer-led growth in China

China announced its latest growth figures on Thursday. The speed of growth attracted most of the attention, but the source of growth is perhaps more striking. At a press conference, the National Bureau of Statistics pointed out that in the first three quarters of this year consumption* contributed over half (55%) of China’s growth, exceeding the contribution from investment. If that pattern holds, China’s growth this year will not be investment-led (let alone export-led), but consumption-led.**

 

 

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Inventing the Future

Futurist Thomas Frey: When Charles Corry walked onto the stage of the Shark Tank-like Piranha Pit at Saturday’s DaVinci Inventor Showcase, his iExpander product was still $6,000 away from making the goal of $125,000 on Kickstarter. As of this morning, he has not only passed his goal, now exceeding $140,000, but still has 6 more days to go.

 

 

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The trade-off between meaning and money in today’s economy

The point of a “capitalist” economy is to minimize the trade-off between meaning and money.

Why is an average investment banker worth much more than an average teacher? And why does a top hedge fund manager “earn” enough to pay for thousands of teachers?  Is there a trade-off between meaning and money? And if there is, how does one master — and perhaps — resolve it? Can it be resolved?

 

 

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When businesses become power players with much less manpower

Mike Farmer is C.E.O. of the start-up Leap2. He has one employee: himself, aided by seven contractors.

Mike Farmer had a staff of ten when he started a digital search company in 2004.  He is now on his third start-up and he has one employee: himself, aided by seven contractors working more or less part time. His budget, like his head count, is smaller, and by his account the new model is much more sustainable.

 

 

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Inventing the 3D Pill Printer

Futurist Thomas Frey: The next big innovation in healthcare may very well be a printer. But this is no ordinary printer.

Professor Lee Cronin heads up a world-class team of 45 researchers at Glasgow University in England. His team has figured out how to turn a 3D printer into a sort of universal chemistry set capable of “printing” prescription drugs via downloadable chemistry.

 

 

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Share decision making leads to better health outcomes for patients and lower costs

Shared decision making helps patients be better informed about their treatment choices and make better decisions.

Quality-improving and cost-cutting innovations don’t sit around for years while people keep muddling through with old technology in most industries. When an innovation is ready for widespread use, it disrupts the market, whether the market wants it or not. In the process, some entrepreneur usually makes a killing.

 

 

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Family run companies in the U.S. that have been around 100-plus years

Trimper’s Rides has been operating continuously for 122 summers on Ocean City’s famous Boardwalk.

It;s not uncommon for customers at Carl Heimerdinger’s family retail store for customers to bring in scissors for sharpening that were purchased there decades ago by a parent or grandparent.

 

 

 

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Data Scientist is the sexiest career of the 21st century

The shortage of data scientists is becoming a serious constraint in some sectors.

In June 2008 Jonathan Goldman arrived at LinkedIn for work, the business networking site still felt like a startup.  LinkedIn had a little under 8 million accounts but that number was growing quickly.  Users weren’t seeking out connections with the people who were already on the site at the rate executives had expected.  Something was missing in the social experience. As one LinkedIn manager put it, “It was like arriving at a conference reception and realizing you don’t know anyone. So you just stand in the corner sipping your drink—and you probably leave early.”

 

 

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