A blog post at Harvard Business School states that the USA cannot make the Kindle.  The article gives lots of insight into the design and manufacturing of the Kindle.  More importantly, it raises the questions associated with the importance of our (USA) ability to manufacture a product such as the Kindle.

The US Can’t Manufacture the Kindle and that’s a Problem

What do you think?  Does the USA NEED to be a manufacturer?  Why?   Is this “killing innovation”?

While clicking around the INSEAD KNOWLEDGE website, I came across an article and video of Michael Porter.  The video, from October of 2008 has Porter talking about what “not” to do and what “to” do in a downturn. Do not worry about the stock price! — MP

Revisiting Five Forces Framework

What do you think?  Anything new here?

I learned about this new book from an article and short video on the INSEAD KNOWLEDGE website.

The article is “The Innovation Manual“  and we can see from the perspective of a marketing professor a number of key points, many of which we have discussed in our classes, but it serves as a great reminder about the “basics” .

David Midgley, the author of the book, uses the example of the Apple iPod and the business model it created.  Once again, we see this model coming out as a key to success. Further, the role of customers in product/service innovation and development.  We also read about the importance of an innovation culture and the challenges of maintaining a culture of innovation.  The book promises to tell us all about it.

What do you think of the reminders here?  What should be emphasized more?   Less?

In a Forbes.com  article we learn that this Apple, “App Store” thing is now huge.  The article, “Sony Gets Vicious for App Store” we read of another product that has adopted the service/partner parallel.  Can we launch a product that does not have a service component or an “Information Dimension”?

Will this mean success for Sony’s PSP?  Will it just keep the product in the game?

What do you think?    When should it have thought about this NPM strategy?

Seems to be a bit of a theme this Fall, but yet another article about the Kindle.  (I bet you can guess what might be on my Christmas List this year) However, as we think about NPM (New Products Management) we need to understand how important “Launch” is, and pricing.  This article points out a bit about how we need to think about launches in multiple countries may in fact, cause problems for us.

The FAST Company article “Has Amazon Bungled Kindle’s International Launch” gives us a bit of a case study.  What could/should they have done differently?   What have we learned about the importance of a “service” strategy that becomes part of a product launch?  What have we learned about partners?

In a Baseline Magazine article (July/August 2009) entitled “Keeping a Lid on Risk” there is a section I feel is particularly important.  This section is called “Understanding Risk“.   The section goes on to explain the differences between business risk, technology risk, legal/regualtory risk, and external risk.  EVERY project has risk.  EVERY IT project has these types of risk.  All risk must be actively managed and mangement requires mitigation as well as contingency during project planning as well as during project management.  Proper governance  must include risk management.

Another posting on Project Risk Management “Forecasting the Success of Technology Projects”

How well does your firm manage risk?  Does your firm or organization have a governance plan or approach?

What did you think about this article? What dis you learn?

An article in FORTUNE Magazine entitled “How Facebook is Taking Over our Lives”  discusses the profound impact that Facebook is having on all of our lives.  As a technology, it is fascinating.   The online article has some great data that presents some amazing facts about the growth of Facebook users, daily users, time of use per day etc..   As a technology, it took only 5 years for it to reach 150 million users.  The telephone took 89 years, TV took 38 years.   Usefulness aside, it is a huge phenomenon.  Microsoft has taken a stake in Facebook, has been collaborating on some projects while competing in some respects. Why?

What do you think about Facebook?

Where will it go?

What is the role of Facebook in the “corporate world”?

Amazon buys Zappos Jeff Bezos video — 8 Minutes

Bit of the history of Amazon along with  “how to conduct business” Amazon style and a welcome message.  Customers. Focus on invention — Kindle.   He admires Zappos as customer savvy.

What do you think?

Another article today on FAST COMPANY  — Kindle Killer  reports a partnership with AT&T and its 3G network.  Do you recall how we spoke about how these kind of “technology partnerships” are the current wave and the way of the future?  No new product is just a product, it is always a service, and coupling/connecting it with strong partners that lead to make it a service offering — with ease of use and ubiquitous availability makes this a formidable competitor to the apparent leader.   Sometimes “first” or even fast follower is not the best position. 

What do you think?

20 Ideas in 20 Minutes  by Dave Winter to the MG-801 Class.

Dave made this presentation in our class and the link is posted here for review and comment.   He presented his ideas on leadership and management.

Any additions or comments?

Thanks Dave.

A FAST COMPANY blog article says that, based on patent filings we may be seeing contextual ads in the Amazon Kindle.   Ads on the Kindle     From the article “What the patents set out is that downloaded text content for the Kindle could be spotted with contextually-sensitive advertisements: Mention of a restaurant on a particular page could result in a dynamic-embed for a nearby restaurant to the user on the opposing page.”.  

What do you think?  Would you like (accept) this?  Is this just the “way things are” and Amazon is just at the forefront? 

Also from the post  ”But it’s the possible extension of this idea to book texts that gets uncomfortable. Would you be happy reading a copy of The Hobbit, only to find an embedded ad for pedicure treatments on certain pages? The framework for this to happen isn’t clear from the patent, though it would be reasonable to expect Amazon to start by offering the ads in books with discounted prices”. 

So would you accept the ads if you got the book at a discount?  Does that change anything?

This interactive timeline is amazing!  (A bit slow, but wow!)   Talk about innovation, this list of milestones is just one technological hit after another. 

Xerox PARC Milestones

Just to list a few of the inventions on the timeline:  Laser Printing: 1971, Object Oriented Programming: 1972, Ethernet:1973, WORM Program: 1978, Ubiquitious Computing: 1988, Electronic Reuseable Paper:2000. Plus many more.

What do you think about the “vision” of the “Office of the Future” (Founded in 1970) and the string of developments that came from the team they assembled?  Which is your favorite?

When creating our technology strategy, we need a full understanding of our business strategy and the market (economy), we must consider purchasing other firms or platforms as part of that strategy.  The following linked article on FORBES.com describes some of the thought process.

Why ORACLE wants Solaris

Is this a good idea for ORACLE?  For anyone else?  GOOGLE Perhaps?  What are the Lessons Learned from this article on creating technology strategy?

Continuing with a bit of a theme around “design”, we have an article that suggests five ways to use “design” in this economic time of recovery.  I like the idea of recovery versus crisis, don’t you?

“Roadmap for Recovery: Five Ways to Come Out on Top”

Do you think “design” can play the role the author suggests?  Why or why not?  Should design be articulated in new product or innovation strategy? How?

Design, and by that I do not mean “engineering design” is central to successful new products.  An article entitled “Creating Cults and Culture with Design“  from FAST COMPANY.  The article talks about APPLE (of course) but also gives examples of other companies that are successful.  Southwest Airlines and METHOD.  However, one of the issues is that everyone wants to be APPLE and tries to create “APPLE-like” products, which are really not innovative. To create your own “iPod” one must have design as one of your business objectives.   The article mentions the role of the CEO.  From the article “First, is design on the CEO’s list of legacy objectives? If not, the design activity is often about creating better window dressing or optimizing a product for usability–but not about creating a remarkable offering. There just won’t be the organizational will that standout products require to survive the corporate development processes. Companies that deliver these kinds of products and services have a creative and empowered culture that wants to understand the customer and that goes the extra mile when perfecting the design. This kind of culture has to come from the top”.

What do you think about “Design”?  Is it part of your organization’s strategy?  What do you think of Southwest as an example?

In Businessweek’s article “Is Innovation Too Costly in Hard Times?” they talk about the priorities of R&D and innovation.   This article is the context of their rankings of the “Most Innovative Companies”   (Slide Show) Companies such as Apple, Google, Toyota, Microsoft etc. 

What do you think?  Are the “hard times” the time to get innovative and invest in R&D and New Product Development?

In Stephen H. Wildstrom’s column entitled “Meet Cisco, the Consumer Company“  we red that Cisco, long a technology company is now becoming a consumer company.  It is taking its shot at “convergence” which we have discussed in some classes; convergence is is where computers, entertainment, and the internet come together.

We can already see that HP, APPLE, SONY, and Microsoft are working in this (convergence) space.  Is the wireless network the place to pull this all together?

CISCO is coming out with the “Conductor” a wireless home audio device.  Interesting.  I already have a Cisco wireless router in my home; seems a logical extension.  The article points out that Cisco is already working with the cable companies, it may have some trouble keeping both their B2B customers as well as their B2C customers happy.

What do you think about Cisco’s moves?   What are your thoughts on convergence?

Well as a professor that teaches classes in strategy, new product managmement and innovation as well as a few others, I could not pass up this article.  It includes a quote from one of my favorite authors and teachers, Gary Hamel  “Influence is like water, always flowing somewhere.”

The article mentions a number of companies that they (editors and their panel of experts) feel are the most influential.  There is a video  that describes a bit about the definition of “influential” and then also talks a bit about social networking.

They profile a number of companies (List of Companies) and I have to agree with them on many of the selected companies.  A few of those that should be no surprise to anyone who attends class regularly.

APPLE         GOOGLE     TOYOTA

Of the other companies named, which do you agree with?  Any you do not?  Why?  Do you like their definition of influence?   Who would you add to the list?