Last Class - Ideagoras + Final Assignment

The concept that business innovation has to come from within the company walls has been 'disrupted' by Innocentive, Ideaconnection and other 'ideagoras'.

This is one of many disruptive trends that is driving new business models. Is there a trend or shift that you find most interesting?

The Final Post for this class:

-select a trend that interests you

-explain the trend - bonus points - create/find a visual of the trend

-examine how you see this trends influencing business models

-use 2 examples of the impact of the specific trend

-future watch - project what you think will happen - is the trend a shift, or shortlived? Grow or combine? Positive or Negative?

Post due date 29/02 - reminder - high quality, analytical thought. NO cut and paste. New revealing information that we did not cover in class. In short, impressive!

To help you sort out different trends, there is a map below. It can be found on 2 sites, FutureExploration and NextandNow.

Enjoy your intellectual exploration.

easy Carbon Credits

easyJet has just added its own carbon offset option for its customers, which you can learn more about here. The company follows a couple of years behind its bigger rivals, who implemented such programs long ago.

To consider:
What do you think has kept them from doing this sooner? What are the benefits of such a program, when easyJet's clients could offset their flights with an independent company?

More, Better - Less Time

Organizing

• Email address for school related - Inbound Info

Getting Filtered Info Sent to you - set up a few, good sources

• Email Newsletters - create file by topic, email auto sort
  
• RSS Feeds to above email account - create separate pages for each topic
• Alerts - Google, Yahoo to above email in box
• Shared Bookmarks

Sorting

• Review the headlines of all your filtered topics, from time to time
• Cancel those that are not delivering relevant info
• When you see an item that you think will be helpful, post the link in your blog as a draft - this keeps all your work in one place
• Share finds with each other
  

Researching

• Search with in your saved emails (above address)
• Wikipedia - search in ENG, when you find the right entry switch to your language - click on resources for THAT posting
• Google Scholar, Amazon 'Search inside the book' - almost all authors have an accompanying blog

Ongoing

• When you locate a valuable resource, add it immediately
• "Collect" resources - Don't wait until the day/week before you need the info...that never works

Painless Updates - Info Snacking

• MP3 downloads from business magazines and news sites
• Video - search your topic in Google video, YouTube, Daily Motion
• Videos from conferences and events - Davos, TED, Web3..and so on

Opportunity - if you would like to develop MBA Research Center with me, it can be a replacement of E-Business Course final exam. See me after class.

Radiohead's Free-for-All - Case from INSEAD

I thank Julia, our tutor for sending me this thought provoking link - the topic

Radiohead's Free-for-all: Performance Art or New Business Model?

Published: October 17, 2007 in Knowledge@Wharton

Transformation Thinkers - Opposable Mind

MP3 Podcast from Business Week with the Author, Head of the Business School at the University of Toronto.

Abstract from the Harvard Business Review article, less expensive than buying the whole book.
HBR

What distinguishes a brilliant leader from a conventional one? In this insightful book, Roger Martin shows that brilliant leaders are skilled at "integrative thinking"--the ability to hold two opposing ideas in their minds at once, and then reach a synthesis that contains elements of both but improves on each. And luckily, integrative thinking can be learned. "The Opposable Mind" lights the way past the binary limits of either-or thinking to help you craft creative solutions.

Topics for Remaining Classes

For all those 'planning ahead', here are the topics + assignments for the upcoming classes:

24/01 - Ventes Priveés

1. Please use the E-business analysis framework (as provided in an early post and handled out in class)

2. Please research 1 article which describes the strategies and growth of the company

3. Please text link to 2 examples of businesses now using Ventes Privées, within their websites.

Posting Due Date: 22/01

25/01 - Social Entrepreneur + Workshop - personal productivity tools

1. Please look up the definition of Social Entreprenuer

2. Read 'Good Works - with a Business Plan'

3. Post - In your opinion, is the concept a trend...or real shift to corporate responsibility?

Posting Due Date: 23/01

In class workshop - Tips and online tools to get more done while spending less time. Better/faster search results - how to. Nothing to prepare.

09/02 - Innocentive

1. Review the Innocentive website

2. Please use the E-business analysis framework (as provided in an early post and handed out in class) - post your analysis of the business model

3. What industries could benefit from open innovation R+D? Find or create an example.

Posting Due Date: 07/02

Prep for 12/01 Class - due date 10/01

The question for in-class discussion:
How can giving away product for free financially benefit an e-business?

To have a stimulating, insightful discussion, please prepare:
1. Research the 'freemium' concept
2. Write short post describing the concept with a text link to your info source
3. List at least 2 online businesses utilizing 'freemium' business model
4. Post a list of 3 advantages + 3 disadvantages of 'freemium' concept.

I'm looking forward to a lively discussion in class.