evolution

Do you think that the speed of innovation is too fast for your customers? or just right? Do you know how your customers feel about the pace?

As we enter the year 2015, it seems like the headlines have never been worse. A conflict in Ukraine has sparked a new Cold War between Russia and the west. Deadly terrorist groups like ISIL and Boko Haram threaten entire states. The Ebola outbreak threatened to become a global pandemic.

Has digital technology really made us better off? While there are lots of impressive gadgets, the impact on our actual well-being has been surprisingly mild. In fact, by many measures, we’ve become worse off since personal computing took hold.

There has been a lot of hype on 3D printers at last year CES and now this year I saw tons of competitors offering low-end models as well as high-end professional desktops. XYZprinting Inc. from Taiwan, a new entrant revealed their da Vinci 3D printer with a starting price of just $499, which costs as much as a color laser printer did a few years back. It is a simple plug-and-play design for small business and personal use.

When I posted my Christmas cards, it turned out I wasn't alone. In an era of text messages, Tweets, emails and short videos, research for the Royal Mail found that 78% of UK adults would be sending Christmas cards via the post, and each person would send an average of 17 cards. 

History provides a revealing context for identifying the significance of the present and an outlook for the future. I became convinced of this when I recently perused a marketing journal from 13 years ago.