by admin | May 23, 2014 | Innovation, Uncategorized
Even though it didn’t have any major new models to announce, Ford (NYSE: F ) had a big presence at last month’s New York International Auto Show. Ford celebrated the 50th anniversary of the original Mustang’s debut by unveiling a commemorative model — and with an epic stunt at the Empire State Building. The company also showed off its refreshed-for-2015 Focus, and many key Ford executives were on hand. Those executives included Ford’s Chief Operating Officer, Mark Fields. Fields opened the New York show’s media days with a keynote speech that framed the show as a showcase of innovation. Fields’ speech keyed off of the 1964 World’s Fair — where the original Mustang was unveiled, and which Fields attended as a small child — to talk about innovation, the characteristics of innovative companies, and how Ford is looking to the future of transportation. It was a fascinating speech, one that got even more fascinating with last week’s announcement that Fields will soon succeed Alan Mulally as Ford’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Read more about how the new Ford Motor Company CEO is going to successfully drive innovation...
by admin | May 23, 2014 | Innovation
At AT&T’s Innovation Showcase in New York City Friday, the company showed off a variety of projects being developed within AT&T Labs. The event’s general theme was the shift to more cloud-based networks and the greater interconnectivity of devices (the horribly titled, “Internet of Things“). Most of the projects on display at the Innovation Showcase are proof-of-concepts or foundations for larger ideas. These aren’t necessarily technologies that will make their way to market as commercialized products, but the research and development work may be used as the basis for more fully-formed products in the future. It’s worth noting that many of the technologies aren’t intended to be consumer-facing. Some are clearly targeted at the enterprise, while others offer a glimpse at features that AT&T or its partners could implement into future services. Read more about what was featured at AT&T’s Innovation Showcase...
by admin | May 16, 2014 | Innovation
Poor Lou Gerstner. A widely respected executive credited with leading RJR Nabisco and American Express to corporate glory, the 51-year-old had just accepted the job nobody wanted.For nearly a century, IBM had risen practically unfettered from bland holding company to industrial-strength powerhouse. A premier technology provider globally, IBM was credited most recently with ushering in the personal computer revolution. But that was then. By 1993, as Gerstner took over as CEO, “Big Blue” was in free fall. Bloated and teetering on bankruptcy, the company posted an eye-popping $8.1 billion loss the year before. IBM under Gerstner quickly returned to profitability. But stopping the bleeding was one thing, restoring relevance was another. Read more about the ‘innovation mindset’ and the 8 keys you can use to unlock it...
by admin | May 16, 2014 | Innovation
Microsoft officials say they plan to open one of their first training centers in the United States on the city-owned east campus of the former St. Elizabeths hospital, in one of the poorest areas of Southeast D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D) has made redeveloping the east campus of St. Elizabeths one of his top economic development priorities and has repeatedly said he would like to see Microsoft play a role in it. Officials for the software giant said last week that they were committed to doing that by way of opening one of its Microsoft Innovation Centers, facilities in emerging economic areas where the company provides software training for students and entrepreneurs. To date, Microsoft has nearly 100 innovation centers worldwide, with concentrations in Eastern Europe, India and Brazil. There are none in the United States, though one isopening shortly in downtown Miami at a tech incubator and accelerator called Venture Hive. A second center may open in Houston. Read more about Microsoft and the plans that they have outlined...
by admin | May 5, 2014 | Innovation
Jim Manzi is the founder and chairman of Applied Predictive Technologies, and one of the originators of cloud computing. He is also a well-known libertarian/conservative thinker, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and a contributing editor to the National Review. Between his tech background and his politics, he’s about the last person you’d expect to praise the historic role government has played in the critical business of innovation — or to call for that role to be stepped up in the here and now. But that’s exactly what Manzi has done in a new and important essay in the spring issue of National Affairs — an essay that is getting widespread attention. Titled “The New American System,” Manzi’s essential point is that American innovation — the key to our prosperity — has always relied, to some extent, on government support. In the early days of the republic, he writes, Alexander Hamilton proposed government help for the developing manufacturing industries — “the high-tech sector of its day.” Hamilton’s basic insight, he adds, was “that the enormous economic value that innovative industries could offer the nation merited public efforts to enable their success.” Read more about how government nurtures innovation...
by admin | May 5, 2014 | Innovation
“The cure for Apple AAPL +0.03% is not cost-cutting; the cure for Apple is to innovate its way out of its current predicament.” Steve Jobs made that bold statement when he returned to Apple after a 12-year absence. Apple was close to bankruptcy. We all know what happened next. Steve Jobs launched one innovation after another after another, revolutionizing computers, entertainment, music, retail, mobile, and telecommunications. It’s no wonder that CNBC named Steve Jobs the #1 most innovative and transformative business leader of the past 25 years. Read more about these innovation secrets of Steve Jobs...
