Blogs
Data reuse on the Internet
Who owns data available on the Internet? An article in MIT Sloan Management Review examines that question.
Understanding the geography of venture capital
A new study explores the relationship between venture capitalists' location and their investments -- and finds some quite intriguing results.
Climate bill seen as a milestone
Joseph Romm, the indefatigable policy analyst at Climate Progress, makes the point that despite some shortcomings, the passage of the climate bill last week in the House was a milestone in a larger process.
Helping R&D and marketing get along
Relationships between a company's R&D and marketing departments aren't always cordial -- but they can be improved, according to a new article.
Report predicts Detroit profits rise with fuel economy
A paper from the Transportation Research Institute at U. Mich. projects that US car profits will rise if companies get in gear and ramp up fuel economy. And here's the kicker - profits will rise faster for Detroit than for the Japanese.
Is “green” marketing going the way of “natural”?
A couple of decades ago, there was a popular food label known as "natural." Problem was, companies began slapping it on everything and consumers lost faith in it. Which raises a question: Is "green" following in natural's footsteps?
Seeking innovation? Look in new places.
To generate innovative ideas, companies need to look beyond the familiar.
Tesla expects a profit on electric car
Electric car start-up Tesla Motors, set to begin delivery of its $128,500 roadster next month, expects to turn a profit, according to a blog post by CEO Elon Musk. Toyota also reported record sales for its new Prius.
The kind of innovation to pursue now
Innovation strategy expert Vijay Govindarajan thinks that businesses should be careful not to abandon innovation in their quest for efficiency and cost control during a recession -- but they may need to reduce their focus on risky breakthrough innovation plans.
Andrew Lippman on “open-architecture products”
Andrew Lippman of the MIT Media Lab discusses the problems associated with trying to build products that will have appeal for a long time. The alternative? Build architectures that allow people to build their own products.
Waste. Not. Clean tech in San Jose
Talk about novel ways to use waste. San Jose has embarked on a $20 million project to turn the remnants of human waste -- what usually ends up as sewage sludge in landfills -- into 900,000 gallons of biogas.
Should companies try to launch new ventures?
Should established companies even try to launch new ventures regularly? Two management researchers discussed that question recently.
Efficiency the big winner in global stimulus spending
Fifty-three percent, or $184 billion, of global stimulus spending is going to projects and to companies that improve the efficiency of buildings, transportation and industry.
Investing in a recession
Some companies pursue growth despite a recession --and there's a theory behind that.
Worries arise over food v. fuel in investor ‘land grab’
The rush by investors into agricultural land is becoming a hot issue. This week, for example, Fortune had a long piece about a hedge fund manager buying up farm land for investment in the U.S., but the same trend is underway globally.
Innovation’s silver lining
Innovation consultant Scott D. Anthony, author of a new book called "The Silver Lining: An Innovation Playbook for Uncertain Times," calls the era we're in "the great disruption" -- a period when competitive advantage is temporary. And "no matter how tough the times, innovation happens," Anthony observed[…]
Shell settles over Nigerian human rights abuses
Royal Dutch Shell agreed to pay $15.5 million to settle a case accusing it of taking part in human rights abuses in the Niger Delta in the early 1990s, though it admitted to no wrongdoing.
Too little U.S. innovation?
Has the U.S. economy suffered in recent years from a disappointing level of successful innovation?
Obama may visit climate talks, notching up action
President Obama may visit the climate talks in Copenhagen this December, bringing even more emphasis to a new regime. He said as much in Europe this week.
GM’s strategic (electric) shift
Environmental business consultant Joel Makower asserts that in the midst of GM's current crisis, the company is getting it. The "it," of course, is a strategic shift that will put the company on a greener trajectory
Innovation news
Two pieces of news: 1) Some companies are trying an approach to launching products that involves less up-front market research and more experimentation in the marketplace. 2) Innovation is on the agenda of the U.S.'s new CTO.
Cutting water use in half, without rocket science
NRDC in a new report finds that industry in California can cut its water use in half, saving as much water as San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego together consume.
Time for innovation — in New England and beyond
June has been declared "Innovation Month" here in New England -- where MIT is located. Maybe it should be "Innovation Month" everywhere.
The benefits of incremental innovation
Two researchers consider a number of Apple's innovations over the years -- and conclude, among other things, that incremental technological innovations can sometimes have more influence than more radical ones.
GM Volt: asset or liability?
The WSJ blog environmental capital argues that the GM Volt - that new electric car with a $40,000 price tag - may not make any sense once GM is in bankruptcy.
Recycling up in corporations
Aluminum cans, fluorescent lamps, wood waste, scrap metal -- all are hot items for corporate recycling and some companies are even making money from it.
Are the dynamics of innovation changing?
Are the dynamics of innovation shifting in ways that favor larger companies more than entrepreneurial ones?
Despite recession, wind power moved ahead in ‘08
Worldwatch Institute reports that global wind power installations climbed nearly 29% last year, with the U.S. leading the way. It now ranks first in cumulative capacity and electricity generation from wind, having surpassed Germany.
When innovation goes wrong
What should we make of the role of financial innovation in precipitating the financial crisis -- and how might problems with risk management that the crisis revealed be addressed?
Will carbon caps work? A couple of greens say no
It's a virtual belief from mainstream environmental groups to green VCs in Silicon Valley that the price of carbon must rise to change business and consumer behavior. Well, not all greens are buying it.
“Land grabbing” on road to food and fuel
While bankrupt ethanol producers are making headlines in the U.S., a less visible trend trend is underway of rich nations snapping up land in Africa and Eastern Europe for future food and biofuel operations.
Strategy as love, not war
MIT Sloan School professor Arnoldo C. Hax, a well-known strategy expert, thinks companies need a different approach to thinking about strategy.
Innovation born from frustration
The winning technology company at this year's MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition had its roots in an experience that began with frustration.
Sustainable seafood, the next wave?
We've all heard about organic and green products, but at the "Cooking for Solutions" conference at the Monterey Bay Aquarium on Thursday, executive director Julia Packard announced that 37% of all retailers were had removed seafood items from their shelves that were not sustainable.
Using online discussions to predict sales
Trying to create sales projections in an uncertain economic environment? New research suggests that the sentiments consumers express online may be a leading indicator of future sales.
China pushes ahead in coal technology
China is pushing ahead in coal technology, rolling out plants that are far more efficient in deriving electricity from coal. Whether this constitutes "clean coal" is another matter.
How Microsoft responded to an open source world
How has Microsoft adapted to the era of open source? A new book, Burning the Ships: Intellectual Property and the Transformation of Microsoft, gives a detailed view into that question.
Understanding your customer isn’t enough
According to Clayton Christensen, the customer is the wrong unit of analysis for innovators to focus on. Instead, focus on the job that customers are trying to get done when they use your product or service.
Obama walks line to save ethanol industry
The Obama administration is walking a tightrope to support the ethanol industry, rolling out more government loans for the battered industry but also delicately acknowledging environmental costs of the fuel.
C.K. Prahalad on managing volatility
C.K. Prahalad thinks we are entering a period where a key challenge is managing volatility and discontinuities.
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