Big Snickers, Twix bars are going to disappear
Mars Inc. says it will stop selling chocolates with more than 250 calories by end of 2013. Good for them! When a Big Snickers packs a whooping 540 calories, a third of the calories of an average diet, I would say it’s time for a change. Now, if you really want a 500+ calories Snickers the choice is very simple: just buy two Snickers! Me? I can’t eat the stuff anyways so…have at it! :)
RIM Says It’s “Ready To Compete” Even As It Loses Major Clients, Developers to iOS
Ouch! Looks like it’s time to throw out that Blackberry and pony up for a real smartphone! ;)
The Dumbest Idea In The World: Maximizing Shareholder Value
In this article from Forbes, Roger Martin, author of Fixing the Game, makes the argument that corporations can learn a lot from how the NFL operates. I highly recommend reading Mr. Martin’s book. I just started reading it and, so far, it provides a very interesting perspective on the problem with our current system of business.
Bill Moyers talks with former Citigroup Chairman John Reed about his role in bringing down the Glass-Steagall Act. I urge you to take some time and listen to this interview. It’s very interesting and revealing about the full scope of the problems within our financial system. This is the part that I think really sums it up:
I used to tell my kids, “Why do you think a car has brakes?” And they all would say, “To stop.” And I’d say, “No, a car has brakes so that you can drive fast. If you got into a car that had no brakes and you knew it, how fast do you think you would drive? You wouldn’t drive very fast at all.” And that’s the same reason we have rules. You want the private sector to be free to be creative and exuberant and whatever, within a framework, okay?
Indeed, having a well crafted framework of rules that promotes balance and fairness would be highly welcomed. Why Congress hasn’t done this already is beyond me.
Windows XP still hanging on as dominant OS
It doesn’t surprise me that Windows XP is still the top OS in the market. Windows Vista was a horrendous release and, as such, probably didn’t help sales of Windows 7 very much.
For enterprise in particular, I would imagine that the holdout for upgrades to Windows 7 probably has a bit to do with rollout and management tools. With Windows Vista, Microsoft changed the setup process quite a lot. As such, rollout and management tools that used to work with XP wouldn’t work so well with Vista. Even with Windows 7, enterprise customers have to find ways to manage both Windows 7 and Windows XP computers at the same time. i would bet that managing both can be a real pain and thus they tend to stick with the lowest common denominator, Windows XP. I believe the old saying “If it works, don’t fix it!” would apply here.
Freddie Mac Betting Against Struggling Homeowners
Wait a minute…so you mean to tell me that a taxpayer-owned mortgage company has executives making over $2.5 million and is participating in mortgage investments that are similar to the ones that caused banks to go bust? Something is seriously eschew here.
Ron Johnson, Apple’s former retail chief, is looking to revitalize J.C. Penney. A recent article on Reuters and a new ad in the Wall Street Journal hints at what J.C. Penney’s new CEO is up to. Looks like Ron is aiming to bring the same sensibilities he brought to the Apple Store. This is good news and I’m very eager to see what J.C. Penney can do!
In the past 10 years or so, the traditional brick and mortar retailer has been in trouble. The most obvious ones that come to mind are companies like Blockbuster and Best Buy, both of which have had many failings due to missteps in their ability to bring a solid retail experience to customers. Even Walmart has not been immune. The problem stems from two things:
- Isolated pricing and availability between in-store and online inventories
- Lackluster in-store shopping experience
People are tired of the disparate nature between a company’s in-store and online experiences. Why companies don’t tie the two together into a seamless experience baffles me. How do these companies intend to compete with the likes of online only retailers without it? Doesn’t make sense.
People are also tired of the seemingly lackluster shopping experiences that most brick and mortar companies are offering. No one likes to be hassled when they shop nor do they like being toyed with. Bring back the days when customers received true customer service from the retail experience. Give customers a straight-up great shopping experience.
If the results of the Apple Store are any indication, I have a feeling Ron Johnson aims to nail both of these issues with the new and improved J.C. Penney. Might have to do some clothes shopping when they do.
How do I get out of this chickenshit outfit?
Ever have one of those days when you feel like Hudson from the Aliens movie?
Gorman: Any questions?
[Hudson raises his hand]
Gorman: What is it, private?
Hudson: How do I get out of this chickenshit outfit?
Apone: You secure that shit, Hudson!
- From Aliens (1986)
Merlin Mann talked a bit about bringing change to a company in an episode of Back to Work. Promoting change in a work environment can be tough, especially when corporate culture is so ingrained. What companies need to realize is that innovation doesn’t come by setting policies that will mystically create innovation. Innovation can’t be created per se. Instead, innovation is a by-product of people actually doing stuff. Some of the things people create stick and become successful and, as such, others may call it innovation.
But unless you promote an environment that allows people to go against the grain and do something different you’re never going to repeat the same level of innovation that you had once before. After all, isn’t that by definition what innovation means? Doing something that hasn’t been done before? A company can’t expect great results unless they’re willing to embrace people who know well enough when to step outside the restraints of corporate culture, think outside of the box, and create stuff that challenge the status quo and lead to innovative results. If a company can’t do that then, well, I guess their just another chickenshit outfit. Stack, repeat.
Actually, I think I feel more like Tom Hanks in Joe Versus the Volcano. Except, instead of a flickering light, it’s the incessant cackles of laughter that have my eyes rolling into the back of my head. It’s not like nails on a caulk board; that I can take. More like the sound of constant feedback from a microphone being too close to a speaker. Damn annoying!
How the U.S. Lost Out on iPhone Work
The President, in his State of the Union address, is talking about bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States. Here’s the stark reality: China is efficient…REAL efficient:
A foreman immediately roused 8,000 workers inside the company’s dormitories, according to the executive. Each employee was given a biscuit and a cup of tea, guided to a workstation and within half an hour started a 12-hour shift fitting glass screens into beveled frames. Within 96 hours, the plant was producing over 10,000 iPhones a day.
“The speed and flexibility is breathtaking,” the executive said. “There’s no American plant that can match that.”
96 hours to throw together a plant that produces 10,000 iPhones in the United States? Not a chance…not without some serious infrastructure changes and education reform.
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