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The importance of business intelligence
On 15, Feb 2005 | In Uncategorized | By Marcia K
Japanese management scholar Ikujiro Nonaka sums up the challenges facing today’s companies this way: “When markets shift, technologies proliferate, competitors multiply and products become obsolete virtually overnight; successful companies are those that consistently create new knowledge, disseminate it widely throughout the organization, and quickly embody it in new technologies and products.” That’s the essence of BIQ—business intelligence quotient. But while most companies would lay claim to having BIQ, many founder when it comes to execution, the Achilles heel of many organizations. Management consultant Oren Harari says to execute like a winner, leaders must set priorities and provide the resources to achieve them; must develop strategies based on solid information and real data points that provide …
Leadership and the failure of Innovation
On 15, Feb 2005 | In Uncategorized | By Marcia K
When it comes time to execute a strategy, many companies find themselves stymied. They carefully identify the opportunities within their reach, then wonder why results fall short of expectations. The problem? New strategies and initiatives demand leadership, but many companies fail to recognize that fact. So the innovations are doomed from the start. McKinsey consultants Tsun-yan Hsieh and Sara Yik take it one step further. They believe that leadership is the starting point of strategy. So what is “leadership”? While good managers deliver predictable results, leaders generate performance breakthroughs. Leaders create something that didn’t exist before: they launch new products, enter new markets, boost performance while lowering costs. A company’s leadership reaches well beyond a …
Welcome to the Itemized Economy
On 15, Feb 2005 | In Uncategorized | By Marcia K
Maybe it’s the Wal-Mart mindset, which has made us all cheapskates, or maybe it’s the Internet, which has made us all better shoppers. But in more and more industries, customers are demanding—and getting — the opportunity to buy exactly what they want and nothing more. In advertising, for example, customers of Google and Yahoo’s Overture Services pay only for surfers who actually respond to their ads. In 2001, before Google embraced pay-per-click pricing, it had $86 million in revenue; in the 12 months ending September 30, sales hit $2.7 billion. A la carte pricing is creeping into all sorts of everyday transactions, from 99-cent music-by-the-song downloads to $5 stock trades. Law firms are breaking out …
Round up of new retail concepts from around the world
On 10, Feb 2005 | In SEO (Findability | Search Visibility), Uncategorized | By Marcia K
A roundup of new retail concepts from around the world, as reported on Springwise a site devoted to trendspotting. Sweet and sticky – Australia Sparschwein – consumers are richer than they think – Germany What will NOT be personalized – US Oil & Vinegar & World Domination – Holland Luxury for Rent – US Manboo – Japan Sweet and sticky- Australia From Down Under with sweet love: Suga Candy Kitchen in Melbourne and Sticky in Sydney take the candy experience economy to the next level by turning rock candy into a personalized, name-embedded feast for the eyes and stomach. Candy is hand-made on the premises (a serious case of retail-theater), with crowds forming in front …
