The title of this article is both a provocation and a simple statement of facts.
It is funny to observe as something that was often the most critical issue with startups and growing SMEs is now visible in sensibly larger organizations.
The issue? The temptation of reducing risk by spreading too thin across multiple line of activities.
In [...]
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Preview: Maximizing costs, minimizing ROI
Thursday, January 7th, 2010
Fair weather friendship
Monday, November 23rd, 2009If you read newspapers from around Europe over the last few days, you found an almost unanimous “thumbs down” on the choices for first European President and the first Foreign Affairs Secretary (it will be clear later why I use “alternative” job titles).
It is quite funny: the consensus bridges the Euro-sceptics and the Euro-nationalists.
Personally, I believe that the Euro-sceptics do not realize that the train already left the station, and now the issue is only how fast and where it will go.
As for the Euro-nationalists: do you really believe that it is possible in the XXI century to rebuild a Charlemagne-style empire?
from cacao pods to cocoa nibs – and beyond
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009Not too long ago, I wrote that I would have posted online my real-time mind-maps: or, my outline of any conference that I attended.
Well, I discovered yesterday that today is an holiday in Belgium.
And yesterday evening I attended a conference on the science of chocolate.
First and foremost- thanks to the RSC for organizing it, the BSB for being the guest, UGent Cocoalab for the presentation and… Molitor for the dégustation (and also the providers of the “liquid” side of the dégustation)
This article is not a mindmap- but, as I share a passion for chocolate with many of my online friends, I had promised before and after to post a short article.
AGB2009: Bridges
Sunday, November 1st, 2009This part of the AGB2009 series (see the presentation)
AGB2009: BRIDGES
BACKGROUND
I know what some of the locals would say.
But, on an overall “helicopter view”, it is irrelevant.
ABSTRACT
Mixing change in politics and business is always a risky affair- and I am not referring to the tulip craze.
Just read the enclosed bibliography.
I might be wrong- but changing a culture requires a long-term view, that sometimes requires more real-politik and less short-term results.
A practical impossibility
Saturday, October 31st, 2009If you follow my blog, you know that, beside the rumors, I surrendered to the idea that, without Dutch, I would never be able to do here what I did since 1990 (project and change management).
But this is not the practical impossibility I am referring to in the title.
On my personal Facebook profile, I started a small count-down, as since I passed an A2 exam in Dutch in June 2009, I was looking for any position that could use as much as possible of my experience and skills (or add new ones, if needed), while completing my language skills (local and not).
The tool? Studying more formally for the exam was a first step- you can get individual language training (up to 60 hours) if you get at least A2.
This article is 750 words, but divided in sections (150 words each; excluding the index).
Beyond microfinancing: the vision
Monday, October 26th, 2009If you pick up any newspaper or magazine covering economic issues, every month you will find articles about microfinancing.
The idea of microfinancing expand globalization benefits available to developing countries, by changing the way funding is accessible.
Figures do not lie. And the picture that is projected, despite the 2006 Nobel peace prize to the Grameen Bank founder, is closer to the old way of managing financial relationships with developing countries, creating what was described already in 1990 in a Museum in Germany as the “spiral of debt”.
The idea? Merging microfinancing and charity to deliver self-sustaining development.
This article is the sequel of the “Beyond Microfinancing” article, published on 2009-10-12.
Focus: an action plan for ethical micro-financing.
(1000 words)
AGB2009: Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes
Saturday, October 24th, 2009This part of the AGB2009 series (see the presentation)
AGB2009: QUIS CUSTODIET IPSOS CUSTODES
BACKGROUND
Look around: you will see an increasing role in our complex society for various forms of “oversight”, “audit”, “watchdog”, “rating” entities.
ABSTRACT
The first issue is certainly related to authority and initiation.
If, by consensus, established authorities set up a watchdog, the line of authority is clearly inherited from the source, and the initiation contains also the framework for the potential evolution (or dissolution) of the new watchdog.
But what about some of the pre- and post-Internet self-appointed watchdogs?
AGB2009: the future of IT
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009This part of the AGB2009 series (see the presentation)
AGB2009: THE FUTURE OF IT
BACKGROUND
It has been a long time since IBM supposedly said that few computers would be enough to forever satisfy all the computing needs of humanity.
Do not worry: this is not a technical article.
ABSTRACT
My suggestion? Well, I still hold an Italian passport.
Therefore, I suggested an idea inspired by another industry: segmenting the market by building standardized elements, and then offering different levels of “tailoring”, but with an option to then re-insert, after sometime, the custom-designed services into the basic portfolio.
But, in my view, the issue is becoming even more nuanced. And more complex. And still actual.
Taxing the digital economy:blueprint for a virtual nation?
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009This short article (1000 words) tries to see some potential side-effects of the digital economy
Certainly, I am neither the first nor the last.
But it is a little bit disheartening to see how the discussions proceed as if reality had been frozen when the discussions began.
Probably SecondLife was the first case where a real-world entity had to sustain a virtual world currency to avoid a crisis of confidence.
And who should regulate these neo-financial virtual entities?
A short article.
As usual, with more questions than answers.
Considerations on PIIGS and post-colonial EU Governance
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010I was actually preparing an article on why stamping out tax evasion without first removing the main reasons why institutional corruption exists is as results-oriented as the charge of the 600.
Then, few articles attracted my attention: a statement from Theodoros Pangalos (vice-premier of Greece), an article/contribution from the Deutsche Bank, a series of commentaries on [...]
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