Category: Blog

Why the global South remains optimistic about tech, while pessimism grips the rest of the world

In her latest book, Payal Arora tackles a pressing paradox: why the Global South remains optimistic about digital technology amidst rising global pessimism. Her insights highlight how hope can reshape tech futures and offer lessons for fostering global inclusivity. Interview.   Hello Payal Arora, why did you write this book now? Payal Arora: This book is a response to the growing pessimism-optimism divide we are witnessing over these last year’s, where the West is increasingly in despair about all things digital, and their future at large. On the other hand, the rest of the world is far more optimistic as captured in poll after poll in the last decade. This book makes sense of what appears like a pessimism paradox. How can the Global South, with all their issues with poverty, war, and population growth be hopeful? This book turns the question on its head, and argues that because the Global South are...

 

Posted By: Bertrand Jouvenot    Category: Blog, Interview    Date: November 15, 2024

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How small teams can outmaneuver giants

In Atomic Scaling, Ludovic Bodin reveals strategies for companies to unlock growth in today's digital landscape. With a focus on speed, agility, and the power of small teams, Bodin offers critical insights on how businesses can stay competitive. Interview. Hi Ludovic Bodin, why did you write this book… now? Ludovic Bodin: I wrote Atomic Scaling because there’s a massive challenge companies face today, whether big or small: they can’t seem to unlock growth online, even with loads of resources at their disposal. The secret sauce isn’t in throwing more money or people at the problem. It’s about having small, nimble, high-impact teams that can scale their efforts exponentially. This book is my answer to what’s really needed today—speed, agility, and innovation, especially in this fast-evolving landscape. An extract from your book that best represents you? Ludovic Bodin: A line that really resonates...

 

Posted By: Bertrand Jouvenot    Category: Blog, Interview    Date: November 1, 2024

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How to thrive in a context of constant disruption : Interview with Roger Spitz

In a world defined by rapid technological change, environmental crises, and systemic disruptions, Roger Spitz shares strategies for turning uncertainty into opportunity. His insights from Disrupt With Impact reveal how leaders can navigate unpredictability and shape the future with purpose. Interview. Hello Roger Spitz, why did you write this book now? Roger Spitz: The more I investigate the essence of our world, the more I realize that our systems are not just fragile but outright ineffective. Everything in our world is constantly evolving—except our organizations, strategies, and governance structures. Too often we act on flawed assumptions, believing in a world that is predictable, linear, stable, and controllable. But the cost and missed opportunities from these misconceptions are on the rise. My book Disrupt With Impact: Achieve Business Success in an Unpredictable World explores opportunities, risks,...

 

Posted By: Bertrand Jouvenot    Category: Blog, Interview    Date: October 18, 2024

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Unlocking Human Potential Through RDHY: A New Era of Business Transformation

In this interview, Umberto Lago shares insights into his latest book Global Business Model Shift, exploring how companies can break free from bureaucratic structures and harness the power of human potential. He provides a practical guide to adopting RenDanHeYi, a transformative model that redefines management by prioritizing human-centered approaches. Read on to discover his vision for the future of business and why he believes now is the time to make this shift. Hi Umberto Lago, why did you write this book… now? Umberto Lago: I have been researching the evolution of the Haier business model, known as RenDanHeYi (RDHY), for nearly 15 years. Recently, other companies have expressed interest in this innovative model but often feel overwhelmed by its complexity and the stark contrast with their existing organizational structures. This inspired me to write this book, where I aim to bridge the principles of...

 

Posted By: Bertrand Jouvenot    Category: Blog, Interview    Date: September 6, 2024

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Finding your work-life balance in a world that doesn’t pause

In latest book : Work–Life Bloom, Dan Pontefract shares insights on redefining traditional work-life balance. He introduces the concept of blooming—thriving across all life's seasons by meeting broader personal and professional needs. This interview is a must-read for those looking to find harmony in the modern work-life continuum. Hello Dan Pontefract, why did you write this book… now? Dan Pontefract: I wrote *Work–Life Bloom* to challenge and redefine the outdated concepts of work-life balance and employee engagement both of which have long been regarded as the gold standards for organizational success but have proven insufficient in addressing the realities of modern work and life. The book argues that these traditional notions are too simplistic and fail to capture the complexities and fluidity of how individuals truly experience their professional and personal lives today. Instead of...

 

Posted By: Bertrand Jouvenot    Category: Blog, Interview    Date: August 29, 2024

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A leap forward in AI ethics and safety

In this captivating interview, Nell Watson shares insights from his new book Taming the Machine, which delves into the profound advancements and ethical considerations of artificial intelligence. Watson discusses the transformative impact of deep machine learning on technology and humanity, emphasizing the necessity for ethical standards and safety measures in AI development. Her book provides a comprehensive overview of AI's biggest challenges and practical advice on navigating its complexities responsibly. Hello Nell Watson, why did you write this book… now? Nell Watson: I have a background in Machine Vision, that's teaching computers to make sense of things in visual form, such as pictures and video. I have patents in that area, and founded a company enabling body measurement from photos from a camera, which is still going strong. These technologies were strongly enabled by the deep learning wave from...

 

Posted By: Bertrand Jouvenot    Category: AI, Blog    Date: July 5, 2024

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Embrace the power of taking less time to do more

In this engaging dialogue with Anne Morriss and Frances Frei, the authors of Move Fast and Fix Things, we delve into the essentials of leadership, the importance of urgency, and the transformative power of technology. Discussing their book, Morriss and Frei emphasize the need for quick action and effective problem-solving in today’s fast-paced world. Hello Anne Morriss and Frances Frei, why did you write this book… now? Anne Morriss and Frances Frei: No one has ever said to us “I wish I had taken longer and done less.” What we do hear again and again is the opposite. We wrote this book to give people the tools to take less time to do more of the things that will make their relationships, teams, and organizations stronger. We also wanted to rehabilitate speed’s bad reputation, which has been blamed unfairly for organizational dysfunction. The reckless ethos of “move fast and break things,” which...

 

Posted By: Bertrand Jouvenot    Category: Blog    Date: June 28, 2024

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Deep Utopia: Life and Meaning in a Solved World, Nick Bostrom

Nick Bostrom's latest book, "Deep Utopia: Life and Meaning in a Solved World," delves into the profound questions of our civilization's trajectory. In an exclusive interview, Bostrom discusses the urgency behind his work, the concept of living in a fool’s paradise, and the transformative impact of artificial general intelligence (AGI). As Bostrom explains, the superficial nature of our understanding of technological progress compelled him to publish his insights now, ideally before the singularity alters our reality irrevocably. His reflections offer a blend of philosophical musings and pragmatic foresight, making this a must-read for anyone intrigued by the future of humanity and technology. Hi Nick, so why did you write this book… now? Nick Bostrom : It seemed embarrassing that our thinking about where our technological civilization is trying to get to was so superficial.   As for why now, well,...

 

Posted By: Bertrand Jouvenot    Category: Blog, Interview    Date: May 21, 2024

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How many more suicides will it take to make an iPhone?

Suicides, excessive overtime, and hostility and violence on the factory floor in China. Drawing on vivid testimonies from rural migrant workers, student interns, managers and trade union staff, Dying for an iPhone is a devastating expose allowing us to assess the impact of global capitalism’s deepening crisis on workers. Interview with co-author Mark Selden. Hi Mark, so why did you write this book… now? Mark Selden: One important stimulus for my collaboration with Jenny Chan and colleagues was the suicides of eighteen Chinese rural migrant workers at the Foxconn factories in China in 2010, calling into question the pristine image of both Foxconn and Apple in making our iPhones, and, indeed, Chinese and American capital in the new global economy. Foxconn, a Taiwanese multinational corporation founded in 1974, had risen to become the largest electronics employer with more than 1,000,000 workers in...

 

Posted By: Bertrand Jouvenot    Category: Blog, China, Interview    Date: March 7, 2024

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Make strategy the rule, not the exception

Dive into this enlightening conversation with Jeroen Kraaijenbrink, author of "The One-Hour Strategy," as he challenges traditional strategy-making and offers a novel approach that engages everyone in an organization. Learn about his unique insights and what drives him to redefine strategy as we know it. Hello Jeroen , so why did you write this book… now? Jeroen Kraaijenbrink: My reason to write this book is the urgent need to change the way we think about and do strategy. Traditionally, strategy is a top-down board room activity, based on predictive analysis and separated from execution. Decades of research has consistently shown that this way of working is highly ineffective. Yet, many organizations stick to it, causing a lot of wasted potential, frustration and failure. It does not have to be like this. In “The One-Hour Strategy,” I outline a novel approach to strategy that engages literally...

 

Posted By: Bertrand Jouvenot    Category: Blog, Interview    Date: December 7, 2023

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How Founderz is disrupting business education

With Founderz, Pau Garcia-Mila is literally disrupting the training industry by stepping into the gap left between elite training courses and the non-degree courses proliferating online. To better understand this winning strategy, which has already won him the backing of giants such as Microsoft, we interviewed him? Hi Pau, what problem do you propose to solve with your company? Pau Garcia-Mila: When we began this project, we recognized a dramatic shift in education – especially in business training. We saw two main options: either traditional business schools with rich educational heritage but steep price tags, accessible to only a select few; or online platforms offering videos, yet lacking guarantees on employability or genuine learning. We aimed to bridge this gap. Our mission is to provide high-quality education accessible to everyone, through innovative programs that are more affordable than typical...

 

Posted By: Bertrand Jouvenot    Category: Blog, Interview    Date: September 26, 2023

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Geoffrey Moore crosses the chasm between the non-existence of God and God’s creation of the world

In a departure from his tech-strategy roots, Geoffrey Moore tackles the grand questions of human existence in his new book, "The Infinite Staircase: What the Universe Tells Us About Life, Ethics, and Mortality." Using an interdisciplinary approach, Moore builds a metaphorical ladder from the Big Bang to daily ethical decisions. Today, we sit down with him to explore this intellectual odyssey and its implications for our secular age. Stay tuned. Hi Geoffrey, so why did you write this book… now? For all my adult life I have embraced a worldview based on secular metaphysics (the Big Bang, evolution, etc.) while at the same time sought to live in accordance with values based on Christian ethics. The nagging question for me was always, if there is no God, what authorizes those ethics? I did not want to abandon them, but I also did not want to abandon the secular narrative of how the universe came to be. So, this...

 

Posted By: Bertrand Jouvenot    Category: Blog, Interview    Date: August 28, 2023

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Will you love an invitation to rethink tired notions of product marketing and practice a more dynamic, customer and market-centric version?

Drawing inspiration from the giants of Silicon Valley (Apple, Netflix, Microsoft and Salesforce), the author of LOVED shows us the way to an inspiring and innovative product policy thanks to four easy-to-remember fundamentals: ambassador - strategist - storyteller - evangelist. Martina Lauchengco shares with us the "recipes" of successful brands: tell a story before the launch of a product, which the consumer will appropriate to preach the good word and "recruit" brand ambassadors. Interview. Hi Martina Lauchengco, why did you write this book… now? Martina Lauchengco: I kept seeing product marketing getting confused with its outputs (launches, product collateral, sales enablement) rather than its core intent: to drive product adoption by shaping market perception through strategic marketing activities that meet business goals. I wanted people to understand what best-practice...

 

Posted By:    Category: Blog, Interview    Date: February 21, 2023

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Why Community is the Last Great Marketing Strategy

Is community the last great marketing strategy? Mark Schaefer answers yes in his last book Belonging to Brand. He explains why community is a massively overlooked marketing opportunity for most organizations and how three major trends collide in a way that makes brand communities the future of marketing strategy. Interview. Hi Mark, so why did you write this book… now?  Mark W. Schaefer: I have a good track record of discerning marketing trends and discussing them before others. To me, there are three mega-trends colliding right now that point to community as the next big thing in marketing. Coincidentally, the day I wrote the last words of the book, McKinsey came out with a major research report stating that community is the next trend to watch in marketing, so that was a mic drop moment for me! When I have these big ideas and I'm sure I'm right, then I need to get this out into...

 

Posted By:    Category: Blog, Interview    Date: January 19, 2023

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A Digital Marketer Walks into a Bar… and asks the first person they see to marry them

When the world's biggest brands want to sharpen their digital marketing strategy, they call Neil Hoyne – Google's Chief Measurement Strategist and Senior Fellow at the Wharton School. In his first book "Converted", he offers a simple, research-backed playbook that anyone can use to find their best customers and develop relationships that last. Interview. Hi, Neil. So why did you write this book now? Neil Hoyne: Hi! I wrote it because my experiences in marketing—all the advertisers I helped get the most out of their digital marketing, all the stories I heard—pointed to a problem. Customers are the most important thing to any business, but especially during the pandemic, most companies have lost touch with them.For airlines and hotels, with customers on lockdown: Will they ever come back and fly or stay with us again?For car companies that found themselves short of inventory: Are the people who...

 

Posted By: Bertrand Jouvenot    Category: Blog, Interview    Date: January 17, 2023

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