4 Nisan 2009 Cumartesi

In You Our Fathers Trusted

April 4, 2009 8:07 pm

In You Our Fathers Trusted

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

Psalm 22:1-5 ESV

Obstacles to Business Model Innovation

April 4, 2009 8:07 pm

Obstacles to Business Model Innovation

At each of my workshops we usually discuss what the obstacles to business model innovation are in companies. I thought it could be interesting to open up this discussion to the Web through my blog. Please share your experience rather than just an opinion.

Some of the most frequent points mentioned were:

  • current success - it prevents companies from asking themselves how their business model could be replaced
  • risk avoidance - people are often unwilling to take risks on a personal level, but also as an organization. It is easier to stick with the status quo.
  • organizational structures - because they are not designed for new business models to emerge. They sustain the status quo.
  • lack of customer understanding - of course organizations understand their customers, but not good enough to design new business models that address their emerging needs.
  • required size of innovations - in big companies a potential new business model must immediately demonstrate an opporunity of millions of additional revenue.

These were just some few points to kick-off the discussion. Please share your EXPERIENCE!

You may also want to share your experience from a start-up perspective. What is preventing start-ups from more business model innovation (though many innovative BMs come from that universe…).

Some Like It Cold

April 4, 2009 8:07 pm

Some Like It Cold

Remember the movie A Christmas Story where Ralphie’s friends Flick and Schwartz dispute over whether a person’s tongue will stick to a frozen flagpole? They give a “triple dog dare” to find out. Well forget about that thought right now because otherwise you will need a “quadruple dog dare” to check out the Ice Hotel (including the Ice Bar) in Sweden.

Ivan Misner reports on his experience staying at the Icehotel in Sweden — a worldwide franchise co-developed by an entrepreneur turned international entrepreneur with Absolut Vodka. The Ice Bar concept has spread to locations in Stockholm, London, Tokyo and Copenhagen. With more to come, I’m sure.

Read the blog entry here.