US Innovation: A High-Tech small sector led growth is the answer ?

Where can US Innovation lead to jobs is a question on everyone's  minds.  A clue is from today's stock rally,  spurred in part by the Fusion-io IPO,  after six days of stock market losses. Fusion-io makes flash memory storage and its largest customer is Facebook who use their infrastructure to manage all those millions ofContinue reading “US Innovation: A High-Tech small sector led growth is the answer ?”

End of Osama Bin Laden great endorsement for American spirit

Scenes of crowds of mostly young people cheering outside the White House even before President Obama’s address should assure the world about the spirit of America. This spirit was hugely evident, despite the  massive deficit, unemployment, and concerns about future American economic competitiveness. Truly the killing of Osama Bin Laden is a great endorsement ofContinue reading “End of Osama Bin Laden great endorsement for American spirit”

The connection between gas prices and innovation – share what you learn for every trip

The current US pain at the pump in the form of high gas prices impacts innovation. Let me explain how. Even with all the social media and Internet that last bit of crucial understanding and "feel" for something does happen by being there. This has a lot  to do with the "sticky" nature of knowledge.Continue reading “The connection between gas prices and innovation – share what you learn for every trip”

Air traffic controller “fam” trips with pilots a great idea- pilots should also spend time at the control room

This has been a tough spring for air traffic controllers and the FAA who have been literally caught napping,  getting the First Lady's plane too close to another and watching DVD's on night duty and letting alarmed pilots hear the sound of the movie "Cleaner" for three minutes. So the re -institution of"fam" or  "familiarity"Continue reading “Air traffic controller “fam” trips with pilots a great idea- pilots should also spend time at the control room”

How did Lowe’s at Raleigh NC save customers from the tornado? Store manager as ship captain

At a DIY store like Lowe's or Home Depot all customers  see  themselves and others as experts of some sort. So as the tornado is at the front door and Lowe's managers are trying to get everyone to the rear of the store and safety, a customer yells that "this is no tornado" and peopleContinue reading “How did Lowe’s at Raleigh NC save customers from the tornado? Store manager as ship captain”

Japan Earthquake: heartbreaking images -seismologists, structural engineers and nuclear power industry worldwide to learn

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Deja vu 1982- well not entirely for Tylenol with FDA consent decree

The makers of Tylenol have a consent decree with FDA who will be additional supervisors at three of their plants for primarily following good manufacturing practices. No one has died but sort of brings back memories of the 1982 Tylenol crisis that had almost passed onto history in marketing classrooms. This time the situation seemsContinue reading “Deja vu 1982- well not entirely for Tylenol with FDA consent decree”

Supply chain norms and incentives should be aligned internally as well

Have you heard of managers paying liquidated damages to  their employer for defective manufacturing under their watch? Probably not, but sure you’ve heard of suppliers paying liquidated damages for defective supplies. Depending on the alignment of incentives and norms of internal folks the external relationships with the supply chain and distribution channel can work betterContinue reading “Supply chain norms and incentives should be aligned internally as well”

“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”

Libya- is it time for private initiative to help Build,Operate,Transfer (BOT) democracy ?

One was aghast at seeing Libyan diplomats defect the Gaddafi Government. Diplomats are usually  very circumspect folks and this brings up the idea of private initiatives to Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) democracies in entire parts of he world. Seems like an unusual business idea but by the time official folks in the UN andContinue reading “Libya- is it time for private initiative to help Build,Operate,Transfer (BOT) democracy ?”