Apple, Microsoft and Innovation

An article in tech republic inspired me to think about innovation.

In summary, innovation can be borne from fresh perspective on existing ideas and products. Rather than just improving, evolving something new, innovative can enable you to leap frog over an old system or process within the organisation. Always keep it simple and subtle, the biggest changes are the easiest, yet most challenging.

Here's what Patrick Gray from tech republic said about the issue, particularly about Apple and Microsoft's approach.

Whether you’re a junior programmer or CEO, there are myriad opportunities for refinement of new and innovative ideas.

There may be systems or processes that have recently been unleashed on your company and abandoned by the project teams that built them, after the excitement of implementation is over.

A technical breakthrough may be applicable to other systems and processes in the company, and while the most innovative minds are chasing the Next Big Thing - the innovation can be vetted, refined, and institutionalized.

Following the Microsoft example and fostering innovation to the point that you are running from one burning hot concept to the next and leaving a trail of half-baked products in your wake is a great way to burn cash and leave customers partially satisfied.

Perhaps the closest contrast to Microsoft is Apple, particularly on the issue of innovation. While Apple is largely perceived as a trendsetter and technical innovator, most of its products are based on commodity technology. Apple’s personal computer products use the same Intel silicon and architecture as every other PC maker, and the iPhone and iPod are churned out of the same factories in China and use the same commodity components as everyone else. Even the Mac operating system is a variant of Unix, a technology developed in the Jurassic period of computing technology. Apple really is not a fount of innovation; rather they take existing products and concepts and refine them, excelling in adding that last 10% to a product companies like Microsoft have abandoned.


If you would like to discuss change, innovation or are interested in a tax refund from the inland revenue, please call Mark Hopgood on 01732 80 80 67 or email: mark@hopgood.eu


original article
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/tech-manager/?p=598&tag=nl.e101

Let's Evolve! - implementing change in the workplace

How do you do it?
You've identified that change is needed, decided what you are going to do, but there's one problem. How do you make sure the communication is out there and it sticks?

Philip Borremans (https://www.xing.com/profile/Philippe_Borremans) topped his presentation at the intranet 2.0 melcrum forum with the following line.

• explain, train, explain again
  

The key word again means you have to repeat, not just do it once. To make it work you have to live it. Every day you have to work on your team, encouraging them to go with your ideas.

How? ... You can't be there everyday standing in the corner saying your message. That's where 2 requirements come in. 1. Productize your idea. 2. Market your idea.

IDEA = WHAT WE WANT TO CHANGE = WHAT WE WANT THE TEAM TO DO

Using Plasmanet, you can market your idea to your team in a way that sticks.

STICKS = STAYS FRONT OF MIND = ON THEIR RAS

They cannot ignore the message, why would they want to? Your idea will help to change (transform the business), improve the customer experience and improve the business as a whole.

By using Plasmanet you will encourage a culture of change and learning.

Plasmanet is used by organisations to

• build a sense of community
• inform, train, raise awareness
• help identify problems and question teams
• drive forward change, improvement
• make messages stick

If you would like to learn more about this, please call Mark Hopgood (mark@hopgood.eu)

or call 01732 80 80 67

"the entrepreneur creates the world"

"the entrepreneur creates the world" Michael E Gerber

Bob Geldof, in his interview for fresh business thinking, talks about large companies needing small businesses and entrepreneurs for their ideas and how vital support for SME companies is.

Whatever ideas you want to make stick front of mind, Plasmanet has a set of tools to enable success in communication. If you'd like to discuss innovation and communications, feel free to contact me on 01732 80 80 67 or email mark@hopgood.eu

Here's the link to Bob Geldof's interview.

http://www.freshbusinessthinking.com/video.php?PID=1&Title=Interview+with+Bob+Geldof+%96+Rock-star%2C+businessman%2C+entrepreneur

Podcasts - inspiration from

Alex at SmallBizPod has scooped with his small business advice podcast. He has interviewed one of the world’s best known authors on entrepreneurship, Michael E Gerber on awakening the entrepreneurial imagination and transforming small businesses into extraordinary enterprises.

I found inspiration in that Michael mentions how a small business

Quotes
"a small business can grow into a great business when it's idea has scale and is transformational for the impact that it has on the people it touches"
"change the world or go home" - my inspiration to do something different
"the entrepreneur creates the world"


here's the link
http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/2008/07/31/smallbizpod-72-michael-gerber-podcast-dreaming-big-with-the-e-myth-author/

Customer Service - who cares?

I've been speaking with motivational expert, Mark Bradley about customer service. His program covers the process of discovery and planning. A new module developed by Plasmanet, allows you to make the message stick or remain front of mind. This can help in implementing a change management program like improving customer service. Often when improvements are required, it is the subtle changes in an organisation that can lead to big gains in the customer experience.

If you are interested in discussing this further, please contact me on 01732 80 80 67 or email mark@hopgood.eu

Innovation and Tax Refunds

I've met and spoken with experts at experience group, who have packaged the process of getting tax refund for innovation. Initial results show that we're eligable for 50-60k refund.

Your company might be eligible too, if you are interested in finding out more, I'd be happy to refer you, just drop me a line - 01732 80 80 67 or mark@hopgood.eu