Innovation needs a “challenge vs. threat” organization culture

Today (March 16, 2011) Karim Kassam (then of Carnegie Mellon University and in 2021 at Jacksonville Jaguars) talked  about challenge vs threat  and measuring stress in the lab through blood pressure , heart rate etc. at  the Yale SOM -Behavioral Marketing -Eli Seminar Series.  This got me thinking about the organizational culture you need to allow innovation. But first let’s differentiate between what we see as a challenge vs. threat.
[Note: This post from March 16, 2011 was updated and reformatted on May 31, 2021]

US pharma imports 80% of active ingredients: Heparin contamination from supply chain

The CBS 60 minutes story  by Dr. Sanjay Gupta had my attention when it mentioned  the Heparin  case  and FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg admitted that  80% of active ingredients  in US Pharma production are imported from countries like China,India and others. For three years the Heparin contamination matter is unresolved as the US-FDA and theirContinue reading “US pharma imports 80% of active ingredients: Heparin contamination from supply chain”

“Privacy” and social media -SEC to track Facebook and Twitter

The SEC is going (back in 2011) to track Facebook,Twitter,Linkedin  postings. Consider this imaginary scenario, more plausible as the Facebook generation grows up.
[ Note: This post from March 9, 2011 was updated for formatting issues on May 31, 2021]

Strategic Oil Reserve and the “desultory” Libyan Conflict- Energizing Libyan Entrepreneurs

There was a BBC correspondent who came up with the word “desultory” to describe the Libyan conflict. Today there were visuals from both the rebel and Gaddafi camps that sort of supported this brilliant one word “desultory” description. Should US  put out the 60 days Strategic Oil Reserve for something that might last a fewContinue reading “Strategic Oil Reserve and the “desultory” Libyan Conflict- Energizing Libyan Entrepreneurs”

Unemployment now under 9% -the Science and Math Education Value Chain

// <![CDATA[ // &lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push([&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;_setAccount&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;, &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;UA-857684-6&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;]); _gaq.push([&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;_trackPageview&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;]); (function() { var ga = document.createElement(&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;script&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;); ga.type = &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;text/javascript&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;; ga.async = true; ga.src = (&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;https:&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; == document.location.protocol ?Continue reading “Unemployment now under 9% -the Science and Math Education Value Chain”

Getting the customer through the door by cell phone text message

 AT&T wireless  is teaming up  with retailers (March 2010) via Placecast to text messages of shopping alerts of  deals when you are near a store. The cell phone company knows where you are and if you are willing to sign up you’ll get  a text message for that last minute holiday gift or regular groceryContinue reading “Getting the customer through the door by cell phone text message”

“Customer first Technology next” is the message from Yale Conference

The Yale Consumer Insights Conference  on “Marketing and Innovation in a Shrinking World” was  today. Dean Sharon Oster opened the conference with a reference to the momentous people’s  movement  in the Middle East and the enabling power of the Internet and social media which was echoed, in the marketing context, by several other speakers. AContinue reading ““Customer first Technology next” is the message from Yale Conference”

35B$ Boeng mega contract to create jobs in low-cost US locations: what about high cost States?

// <![CDATA[ // &lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push([&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;_setAccount&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;, &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;UA-857684-6&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;]); _gaq.push([&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;_trackPageview&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;]); (function() { var ga = document.createElement(&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;script&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;); ga.type = &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;text/javascript&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;; ga.async = true; ga.src = (&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;https:&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; == document.location.protocol ? &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;https://ssl&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; : &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;http://www&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;) +Continue reading “35B$ Boeng mega contract to create jobs in low-cost US locations: what about high cost States?”

Facebook relationship status, DOMA and B2B Relationships

With the latest “Facebook relationship status” categories(February 2011) and the Government decision today that it will no longer defend the Marriage Act or DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) B2B marketing thought is truly at a cross-roads. Because ever since Dwyer,Schurr and Oh’s 1987 article on relationship marketing, the customer funnel has been seen as B2B partners proceeding through the following relationship phases viz. 1) Awareness 2) Exploration 3) Expansion 4) Commitment. The parallel logic is based on the sociology of the traditional marriage starting with exploring possible mates,dating, engagement and marriage.CRM systems speak to this kind of linear view and to some extent SRM systems also take such a perspective.

[Note: This post from February 23, 2011 was updated for formatting issues on May 22, 2021]

Disintermediation with Technology and the Indian phone booth

Three years ago I posted about the cell phone charging business in India and my friend Devinder the owner of the shack like structure here. This January, almost exactly three years later I decided to catch  up with Devinder as I found him mostly at his new photocopy center in  the regular brick and cementContinue reading “Disintermediation with Technology and the Indian phone booth”