en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/867322 Comments by Guy http://catarinasworld.com/white-house-maker-faire-will-it-inspire-innovation/#IDComment793473850 I think it's a great idea - innovation is what creates new business opportunities and enriches nations! Mon, 10 Feb 2014 13:37:18 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/white-house-maker-faire-will-it-inspire-innovation/#IDComment793473850 http://catarinasworld.com/will-more-investors-opt-for-impact-investment/#IDComment791399476 Good post - I think this really ties back to a growing realisation that 'short-termism' is not a good way to run business. The focus we've seen on short-term results, where every quarter has to exceed the previous one, has led CEOs to focus entirely on the short-term or face ousting by the board at the behest of the shareholders. Many studies have now shown that running a business in a way that benefits the community - having a focus on the longer term, rather than the immediate quarter - returns much better performance over the medium term, as well as resulting in happier employees and a richer (in all senses of the word) community. This is where Impact Investing comes into play - if investors stop looking only at the short-term, everyone benefits... Mon, 3 Feb 2014 16:30:40 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/will-more-investors-opt-for-impact-investment/#IDComment791399476 http://catarinasworld.com/which-were-the-best-global-brands-last-year/#IDComment789479053 Many people confuse brand with logo (I seem to recall you having an earlier post on this topic), whereas in reality a company's brand is everything that makes that company - products, service, attitude, employees, community/market perception, and so on. Traditional marketing forms a relatively small part of this whole. Successful companies are absolutely recognising this and branding for them is a key discussion in the C-Suite. I'm not surprised to see Apple leading this year - one only has to look at what has happened with the company in the past 5 years to understand how they have become such an integral part of the lives of so many people, and done so in a way that has grown a strong community of supporters and even evangelists. What the Internet is facilitating for branding is a far greater reach than ever before, and also a far more vociferous and immediate level of feedback - both being opportunities for companies to expand their brand and threats to the brand if they don't keep on top of what's being said about them. Brand management is truly a 24x7 activity today, and the companies that understand this will flourish. Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:24:19 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/which-were-the-best-global-brands-last-year/#IDComment789479053 http://catarinasworld.com/which-economies-will-grow-fastest-this-year/#IDComment783794249 I do think that African economies in general - probably excluding South Africa for the time-being - are set to be among the world's fastest-growing ones. While South Sudan is tipped here to be the fastest of all, I am not sure that will happen as the instability there is likely to overtake things. However, in much of the rest of Africa, growth will be very significant. I also believe the Middle East countries that could grow quickest (e.g. Iraq) probably won't for reasons of instability, too. With the possible exception of Macau, Asia will be seeing slower growth, I think. Mon, 13 Jan 2014 17:36:20 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/which-economies-will-grow-fastest-this-year/#IDComment783794249 http://catarinasworld.com/can-mary-barra-lead-general-motors/#IDComment780242491 That must mean I'm a "young man" which is great news for me :-) !! Mon, 6 Jan 2014 16:38:38 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/can-mary-barra-lead-general-motors/#IDComment780242491 http://catarinasworld.com/can-mary-barra-lead-general-motors/#IDComment780220468 I don't see a problem here, Catarina. Mary Barra has spent her entire working life in GM and has run divisions as diverse as Engineering, HR, Design and Supply Chain successfully, so clearly understands all the facets of the business. My view is that gender is of less importance to people nowadays when deciding whether or not they respect them as leaders - it's more about that leader's understanding of the business and the ability to communicate a clear vision. There's no question that she understands the business and her past leadership roles have shown her to be a successful leader. Mon, 6 Jan 2014 15:41:40 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/can-mary-barra-lead-general-motors/#IDComment780220468 http://catarinasworld.com/are-you-a-disruptive-innovator/#IDComment760525290 An excellent short video, Catarina, and highly pertinent. I agree that too many big companies focus on "adding more bells and whistles" to persuade customers to buy more / upgrade (just look at the PC software industry today - how many people use more than a very small fraction of the features of a typical Office suite?), and miss the opportunity to give customers what they really need. Disruptive innovation is about clearly engaging with (potential) customers and listening to them. But it's one step more than that - hearing what they say they want now (as few will look ahead) and then taking the leap into producing something that they will discover they want / need in a couple of years. What is interesting to watch is the number of big companies that encourage "skunk works" divisions in the business - remote from the normal product teams, and focused on "the next big thing." This enables these companies to continue servicing existing customers in the normal way, while preparing themselves to disrupt their own products with the innovations coming out of the skunk works. Mon, 2 Dec 2013 08:51:09 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/are-you-a-disruptive-innovator/#IDComment760525290 http://catarinasworld.com/do-you-agree-with-joseph-stiglitz-that-inequality-is-a-threat-to-growth-and-stability/#IDComment727529383 This is a very complex topic, Catarina. I think it has more to do with societal norms and pressures than the size of the gap - look at India, for example, which has on of the largest gaps between rich and poor, and yet the poor are generally less fractious there than in many countries with much smaller gaps. The biggest danger is too much government - after all, governments do not inherently have money (democratic ones, that is), but take money from some people/companies and give to others - a modern-day Robin Hood, if you like. The danger is that the size of government keeps increasing, costing more while delivering less. I saw something a while back that suggested that Whitehall today had more than 100 times the number of civil servants that it had when England had an empire covering 1/4 of the world. There certainly isn't 100x the workload! People need to feel that if they work hard and take (business) risks, they can reap the rewards. The less fortunate needing a helping hand, but it should be a helping hand onto the ladder, helping them to be able to succeed - the old story about teaching a man to fish rather than just giving him one. This is where Western governments should be focusing their efforts, and reducing the cost of government, too... Mon, 30 Sep 2013 06:53:52 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/do-you-agree-with-joseph-stiglitz-that-inequality-is-a-threat-to-growth-and-stability/#IDComment727529383 http://catarinasworld.com/do-you-agree-with-harvard-about-the-worst-mistakes-leaders-make/#IDComment192541170 They all make great points, Catarina - thanks for posting this. I think that Bill George probably best encapsulates it by talking about the disturbing incidence of executives putting their own interests first - above those of the business. Under UK Company Law (and that of many other countries) this is, of course, illegal, but it can sometimes be hard to prove and it certainly does lead to executives showing the other traits mentioned in the clip. Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:22:46 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/do-you-agree-with-harvard-about-the-worst-mistakes-leaders-make/#IDComment192541170 http://catarinasworld.com/external-directors-boost-startups/#IDComment143826347 An excellent post, Catarina. In fact, there is a strong push for companies to appoint independent Non-Executive Directors (or, external directors, as you put it). The latest UK Corporate Governance Code, for example, suggests that larger companies have a preponderance of independent NEDs (including a Non-Executive Chairman) and that even small companies have at least 2 independent NEDs on their board - for all the reasons you give. It's not just starts-ups: but all companies... Apart from anything else, as a business owner/CEO you're able to draw upon the extensive skills and experience of your NEDs, you will have mentors available to you and, very importantly, somebody independent to talk to (alleviating the loneliness of being at the top). A key point to remember, too, is that as company directors - even Non-Executive ones - these people have a statutory duty to act in the best interests of the company, whereas outside consultants have a duty to their own company first. Mon, 18 Apr 2011 08:09:52 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/external-directors-boost-startups/#IDComment143826347 http://catarinasworld.com/blood-diamonds-on-linkedin/#IDComment141851716 Frankly, anyone buying diamonds via social media is asking for trouble and more likely to be relieved of their money than getting value for it. Diamonds are complex and you need expert guidance to determine size, colour, clarity, cut and the consequent value - otherwise you risk, at best, ending up with pieces of glass, crystal or cubic zirconium. We've never bought, nor would buy, blood diamonds and always insist on them being properly certified before we would consider purchase. Mon, 11 Apr 2011 08:30:32 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/blood-diamonds-on-linkedin/#IDComment141851716 http://catarinasworld.com/what%e2%80%99s-your-online-reputation-worth/#IDComment127865520 It's amazing how many companies just don't understand this, Catarina! Many seem to think that by not monitoring what's being said about them, they can avoid trouble - but all that happens is that things can easily get out of control. Companies MUST track what's being said - it's so easy to do with Alerts, etc. - and react very quickly. Taking an unhappy customer and showing you care can turn him/her into a brand advocate, and there's little that's more powerful. Just look at the trouble the Benihana chain is getting itself into due to the Kuwait franchise trying to sue a blogger over a mildly critical review. The hashtag #BenihanaKUW says it all... Mon, 14 Feb 2011 10:08:09 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/what%e2%80%99s-your-online-reputation-worth/#IDComment127865520 http://catarinasworld.com/do-you-ask-yourself-what-who-why-how-and-when/#IDComment126440508 A good article, Catarina - the KISS principle is key, as you say... People often over-complicate things, be it process or message, and lose their audience as a result. Mon, 7 Feb 2011 09:28:08 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/do-you-ask-yourself-what-who-why-how-and-when/#IDComment126440508 http://catarinasworld.com/how-to-get-your-news-in-the-media/#IDComment123451740 A good article, Catarina! As you say, one of the key points is - as you put it - to create news. I call it, "having an opinion." A press release for your new Widget 1.02 is unlikely to attract interest or attention, but a story about how customers can benefit through saving time/money/whatever (particuarly in the context of current events) with Widget 1.02 is likely to get a good deal more coverage... Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:31:30 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/how-to-get-your-news-in-the-media/#IDComment123451740 http://catarinasworld.com/africa-growing-faster-than-asia/#IDComment121861828 Part of the reason for South Africa's growth rate being lower is simply the size of that economy and its relative sophistication. Countries like Angola have extremely high growth rates as they're effectively coming off a zero-base after 30 years of civil war, and now oil/gas finds. Most of the Asian economies are significantly larger than those of African countries and so their growth rates will be lower as it's much harder to grow quickly from a large base than a small one. Mon, 17 Jan 2011 13:30:06 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/africa-growing-faster-than-asia/#IDComment121861828 http://catarinasworld.com/africa-growing-faster-than-asia/#IDComment121847783 Catarina - I really hope you're right, but I suspect that it will take somewhat longer than either of us would like. Africa's governments are the biggest single stumbling block to sustainable growth and an improving standard of living. For example, since 1994 the number of people in South Africa living below the official poverty line has actually increased by 25%, rather than decreased - the new elite are entirely focused on their own short-term wealth gains. And as for Zimbabwe - formerly "the bread basket of Africa" it is now a country entirely reliant on outside aid just to feed itself... Corruption, nepotism and general crime need to be rooted out before things can seriously improve. Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:31:43 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/africa-growing-faster-than-asia/#IDComment121847783 http://catarinasworld.com/public-relations-how-to-make-your-business-well-known/#IDComment107199596 Yes - spent a good deal of time developing relationships with the media (press, radio and even TV). It really established the company as a thought-leader and market-leader in technology, although we were a dibutor (normally the most invisible part of the channel). We ensured all articles that went out had opinions and never just (re)produced standard product releases, were always available for interviews and/or quick questions from the media, and looked for opportunities to contribut to features, etc. We got enormous coverage which was incredibly valuable as, like most distributors, our marketing budget was tiny and this got our name across and boosted our image continuously in an extremely cost-effective way. We were in every edition of every IT publication in our market, as well as having fairly regular slots on radio and even a TV appearance or two. Mon, 1 Nov 2010 17:38:36 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/public-relations-how-to-make-your-business-well-known/#IDComment107199596 http://catarinasworld.com/public-relations-how-to-make-your-business-well-known/#IDComment107171866 Some good points, Catarina. I've long believed that PR is the least understood part of marketing: too often, people think it is a question of press releases about new products. WRONG! PR is about managing everything to do with your organization's image - and no press release should ever go out without an opinion. Simply announcing version 2.132 of a product is guaranteed to get you ignored. Use the media (in all its guises) to establish yourself/company as an expert in your field and you will get all the coverage you can handle. Mon, 1 Nov 2010 14:09:05 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/public-relations-how-to-make-your-business-well-known/#IDComment107171866 http://catarinasworld.com/crisis-management-can-you-handle-it/#IDComment97261353 As you say, Catarina - being upfront, honest and caring (and available) is key. Try to hide, confuse the issue or show you don't care and you will feel the effects - in such cases the pen is truly mightier than the proverbial sword... Ask Tony Hayward. Mon, 6 Sep 2010 08:48:39 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/crisis-management-can-you-handle-it/#IDComment97261353 http://catarinasworld.com/would-you-read-an-article-about-yourself/#IDComment96182504 Well put, Catarina - sales people need to understand the concept of a customer's "Lifetime Value" and to focus on the customer's needs and wants, rather than their own... Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:01:36 +0000 http://catarinasworld.com/would-you-read-an-article-about-yourself/#IDComment96182504