Forced saving – a solution to the looming pensions crisis
TomorrowToday's UK team has started a new blog, focused on UK and European issues specifically and trying to understand and respond to issues related to the new world of work. We've called it, "The New World of Work" and it can be found at...
A solution to the pension crisis – force people to save
Dan Ariely is a behavioural economist, specifically focused on why people make irrational decisions (and the implications thereof). His work is always thought provoking and very practical (and of the type where you say, "doh, why didn't I think of that?"). Last week,...
Mobile phones in BRICI countries
When we talk about "bricks" in relation to cell phones, those old enough to remember the introduction of mobile phones in the the early 1990s immediately think of those big, chunky hand held phones of the early days. But the big BRIC news these days is about Brazil,...
Challenging conventional customer loyalty wisdom
This is a cut and paste of an article I wrote on our sister blog site connectioneconomy It received fantastic comments and certainly stirred up the kind of debate I was hoping for. It forms part of a series that I will be writing on customer experience and customer...
Blockbuster Bankrupt! Not a surprise, but still a shock
The news came as a shock today: Blockbuster videos filed for bankruptcy protection in the USA today. I say it's a shock - not because it's a surprise, but because it is another deeply disturbing sign that the world of work is truly undergoing some deep structural...
Blockbuster Bankrupt! Not a surprise, but still a shock
The news came as a shock today: Blockbuster videos filed for bankruptcy protection in the USA today. I say it's a shock - not because it's a surprise, but because it is another deeply disturbing sign that the world of work is truly undergoing some deep structural...
How to make the most of crowdsourcing
I was really interested to pick up a fairly simple piece on the Harvard Business Review blog about how to get the most out of crowdsourcing. This is a growing technique, but many businesses have no formalised processes for doing it successfully - it's mainly hit and...
The forever recession, by Seth Godin
I like Seth Godin. I like his style (see some videos of him in action - 1, 2 or 3), and I like how he does a daily thought bullet on his blog. Yesterday he made a really important point about how the world is changing fundamentally at the moment. I think he's...
The Liberal Democrats conference and UK public spending cuts
As the Liberal Democrat's conference unfolds in Liverpool, and Nick Clegg enjoys unprecedented media coverage as the UK's deputy prime minister, I must admit to a little bit of self-congratulation. On the day that Gordon Brown called the election (6 April 2010), I...
The Liberal Democrats conference and UK public spending cuts
As the Liberal Democrat's conference unfolds in Liverpool, and Nick Clegg enjoys unprecedented media coverage as the UK's deputy prime minister, I must admit to a little bit of self-congratulation. On the day that Gordon Brown called the election (6 April 2010), I...
Build a talented business – the genius of Nelson Mandela
This a a white paper and introduction chapter of the book that I'm writing, I'd value your views and comments greatly. The Assassin The sun rose quietly over Dawn Park, a suburb on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa. It was Easter weekend so most people were...
Business Continuity in Age of Constant Change
Conversations about knowledge continuity often relate to succession planning and the retirement of key older leaders. While these considerations are obviously important, they can mask the fact that, these days, business critical expertise and knowledge often reside...
Do conferences have to be so dreadfully dull?
Conferences seem to have taken a backward step during the economic downturn. Boring presenters, out-dated content, cheaper venues and food, and old-fashioned technology are all contributing to dreadful experiences for delegates. Dr Graeme Codrington spends a lot of...
Women and the New World of Work
I have read two articles recently, both in the Times (and thus you need to pay for them - but I attach the links at the bottom of this post anyway. The first is a piece about Generation Y Mothers (Sarah Harris, July 10). There isn't much in the way of hard facts,...
The world of tomorrow, today
In this warp-speed world it is no longer enough to learn from experience - you have to learn from the future! We live in a world where constant change is both a cliche and an understatement. Change, change, change. You've heard enough consultants pushing this mantra...
Standing room only: the future of air travel?
A few weeks ago there was a lot of buzz about a photo that showed a new form of seating being tested for airlines (see below). It's called the Sky Rider, and is a "saddle" rather than a seat. It allows airlines to reduce legroom by seven inches, and could potentially...
Reflections on Grameen Bank
A friend of mine, Samantha Braithwaite, just returned to South Africa from an adventure in many parts of the world. The last stretch spending time with the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. Her final update of her trip arrived this morning via e-mail. I asked her for...
A revolution in how we read: Stephen Fry's memoirs show the future of (some) books
Stephen Fry released his memoirs today, and he has done something remarkable with them. In addition to the book, "The Fry Chronicles" (buy it here at Amazon.co.uk), he has released a smart phone version called myFry (download the iPhone App here). I am a huge Stephen...
A revolution in how we read: Stephen Fry’s memoirs show the future of (some) books
Stephen Fry released his memoirs today, and he has done something remarkable with them. In addition to the book, "The Fry Chronicles" (buy it here at Amazon.co.uk), he has released a smart phone version called myFry (download the iPhone App here). I am a huge Stephen...
Improve your business by deliberately creating chance encounters
Jim Dator, a professor in the Futures Department of the University of Hawaii shared an interesting model with a colleague of mine (Keith Coats) recently. It's about where futurists go to develop their scenarios for what is shaping the world of work. Up until a few...