Monthly Archives: November 2010
Netflix, which has already conquered Blockbuster in the DVD-rental business, is now focusing its resources on winning online video services. In an announcement yesterday, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings pretty much spelled out their strategy going forward: “We are now primarily a streaming-video company delivering a wide selection of TV shows and films over the Internet.” And the primary method for Netflix to accomplish this new strategy–a switch from providing both DVD-rental and online video streaming services to focusing solely on TV and movie video streaming–is through a pricing model change. Netflix announced that they are splitting their pricing model into two options – one that continues their old model where customers get unlimited streaming along with DVD-rentals, and adding a new option where customers get unlimited movie streaming without the option of DVD-rental. The unlimited streaming only option–which is clearly Netflix’s preferred method of delivering TV shows and movies– will … Continue reading
This Thanksgiving weekend’s post springs from something I’m thankful for: two recent social media strategy training presentations for non-profit organizations. Based on incredible turnouts for both social media training presentations, non-profit social media strategy must be a hot topic! One question from both sessions was how to attract a follower base for your non-profit organization. These sixteen ideas across three different areas should aid non-profits in growing a social media audience as much as they do other types of businesses and individuals as well: Be a Good Social Media Participant Be human and socially intriguing – This applies both visually (depict a person in your avatar) and in interactions (demonstrate personality and let people know WHO they’re interacting with online). Interact with people – Engage with people on relevant topics. Talk, respond, and initiate conversations. Regularly share strong, intriguing content, especially news & interesting links – It’s easy to say, … Continue reading
Innovation is not just a matter of getting new products out the door. It is often just doing things in a different way or, even better, doing different things. Some of us are in-novator in that our innovations stay within our organization. It is not an easier process though. We want things to change, people to move on, teams to try on new processes or products but stuff gets in the way. Sometimes even the best of us get weary. Sometimes the best of us get tired of having our ideas rejected. Often we are left pondering: Will we ever get people to do anything differently? So, right in time to include on your Christmas list, here is my selection of popular culture books, film and videos to help us realign with our goal and give us a mental kick in the pants, …
What a crazy week! I’m finally done with the rough draft of a very large paper, some of which deals with IP issues in this age of easy to copy digital media and CAD designs. Speaking of rogue IP, today’s post is about grey markets. About a third of university research commercialization transactions take place in an IP grey market. At least two separate research surveys have arrived at the same conclusion: roughly 30% of university research is commercialized in self-regulated networks made up of primarily of university researchers and industry product developers. The formal market, the university tech transfer office, handles only a portion of the university’s intellectual property dealings. See Aldridge and Audretsch and Link, Siegel and Bozeman. Grey markets emerge when the formal market isn’t giving people everything they want or need. For example, my relatives in the former Soviet …
During this most recent downturn, but similarly to other downturns, at least while I’ve been in the workforce, is the concept of “doing more with less” – that is, wringing more output or benefits out of the same, or often even less, inputs and resources. This idea hasn’t become a slogan, but a working reality for many businesses. That’s the nature of the beast – it’s far easier to cut resources and costs to sustain a certain level of performance than it is to “invest” in new people or new products in the hope of increased revenues, especially as the economy has people pulling in their spending. For good or for ill, the new management mantra is “do more with less”. In light of that admonition we need to understand how to get innovation done. US businesses can’t continue to cut, and cut, and cut, people, ideas and capabilities …
In a client presentation last week, I made the point of how Apple has deftly and consistently associated its brand with the concept of innovation. I offered its retail stores as one of many proof points; instead of starting where any normal, smart corporation would—studying the most successful competitive concepts (Best Buy, for example) and incorporating their best ideas, Apple set out to do retail the way Apple would do retail. A bold approach, it was, and perfectly consistent with its brand. A few hours later I picked up a copy of The Wall Street Journal, in which I read about Microsoft’s unveiling of a retail store of its own,near its headquarters in Bellevue, Washington. Not only does Microsoft call its retail concept—you guessed it—The Microsoft Store, its new location is a mere four doors away from the Belleview Apple Store. To its credit, Microsoft has introduced an “eye-catching element”—a … Continue reading
