The failed newspaper in the FWI made several strategy mistakes, but what could they have done?

After writing many words on the failed newspaper business model, I want to write about what could have been done to save France-Antilles and hopefully develop a simple framework for other publications across the Caribbean. Regardless, I hope this promotes discussion. What’s your take?

You can comment directly from the email by clicking the comment icon next to my profile picture.

Explaining Disruptive Innovation and asking the question about its relevance in our markets.

I had a great weekend and got a lot done for once. I’m still writing up the show report from my visit to the UK, but the week’s events turned my attention to a different topic.

On to the update.

Disruption Theory

Since the death of Clayton Christensen, I’ve been spending a little time looking over his works and particularly the theory of disruption, or Disruptive Innovation. The theory describes a repeatable mechanism whereby small newcomers to a market provide a good-enough product or service, often cheaper, that gains initial traction, enticing those same users away from the incumbent. As time passes the improvements to those less-costly products and services develop to rival the large corporations’ offerings such that the corporation can no longer compete, thereby forcing the incumbent to search higher up the market. This cycle often repeats itself, with the disruptor eventually being disrupted itself.

A personal journey with a truly disruptive product and person

The iPad has turned 10 years old; here’s a personal relationship with the product. Additionally, Clayton Christensen died recently. His influence will be felt for years to come.

Please do share, look it’s easy 👀

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Photo: Apple

Back from a tiring transatlantic trip, I delve in to how Facebook collects data, an update in the ongoing newspaper media failings and a surprise profit-making store related to digital media

I got back late Sunday night from a trip to London to take in the wonderfully tasty Curry Houses that are everywhere there, but most importantly, to participate in the Microsoft Ignite The Tour Conference. I’m preparing a show report for the newsletter, but I haven’t finished it yet. Meanwhile, I thought you might be interested in the data practices of Facebook and an update on what’s happening to the newspaper industry in the Caribbean.

Where did they start out and how do they work?

I wanted to get this out earlier in the week, but I’ve been busy finishing off projects from 2019, preparing 2020 and flying out on a trip. I’m in a technical conference next week and my plan is to report back on what I learned over the coming weeks. 

On to the subject of the day… I spend a lot of time researching and writing about Digital Transformation and its immediate impacts on business. I thought it would, however, be a nice change of pace to talk about some of the more social aspects of these new technologies and the way we work with them.

Digital Transformation in training, decision-making and modelling, using 3D, AR and VR

Let me first start by wishing you a very Happy New Decade, The Twenties! Finally, we can call it something intelligent!

In this edition, I took time with Nicolas Augustin of DevOxyz here in Martinique, to ask him about his work, the challenges and how Digital Transformation is helping his clients. It’s an appealing look at how small businesses can use digital tools to not only create products and services but serve the globe from a small island in the Caribbean. I hope you enjoy it.

A digital newsletter requires a digital review!

It’s nearly the end of 2019 and the end of a decade. It is a year that has witnessed many changes for me. As is wont, this is the end of the year review issue.

On to the update.

As I said, a year of lots of changes for me. I finally got my business up and running and will be profitable in the first year, yay! I have 6 clients this year, with a couple of sizeable projects, and others that I work with regularly, earning recurrent income. That’s pretty much how I envisaged it going this year, or to be fair, how I hoped it would go. Next year brings new objectives for me, fingers crossed it will happen.

They’re not always for good. It's more complicated than that.

Reports of my demise (writing for this newsletter) have been greatly exaggerated.

On to this weeks’ briefing.

If it is not apparent, I am quite positive and reasonably optimistic about digital technologies and what they can do for us in business, but also what they can help us with for society. Steve Jobs once said that computers were like bicycles for the mind. He referred to a study done for Scientific American, where the Condor was outclassed by a human using a bicycle in terms of efficiency (distance travelled versus calories used). Humans classed well blow average without the bicycle.

I've updated the website. Let me know if you want me to resend an updated email

For nearly two hours I’ve been agonising whether I should send another email to let you know that I do know how to count and that I just made a quick editing mistake and had 10 items in the list and not 9 as the text suggested. 🤦‍♂️

I’ve fixed it on the website, but if you’d prefer the updated version by email I’d be more than happy to resend it if you request. 👍

Apple’s correction course — undoing poor design decisions and ignoring theory

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I’m a little late getting this one out the door, having not written an update last week at all. My apologies. Life got in the way, preventing me from taking the time to sit down, research and write the email. It’s a long process and demands a lot of concentration-time, something that is increasingly difficult to find for good reasons. Truth be told, I’d been working on several projects concurrently and hadn’t gouged time in the week to produce something of quality. Ho-hum. I’ll do better next time.