March 2009
7 posts
Lessons from a 96-year-old business guru →
“Her mind is sharp as a tack, especially her business mind.
She and my grandfather used to own a store in Boston that sold freezers, which came fully stocked with frozen meat. That was their way of adding value to a commodity product.
That was over 50 years ago.
I asked her this weekend how she compares her memories of the Depression with what’s happening in our economy today.
Her...
Famous Evolutionary Biologist Explains How To Get...
We can extract from human history a couple of principles. First, the principle that really isolated groups are at a disadvantage, because most groups get most of their ideas and innovations from the outside. Second, the principle of intermediate fragmentation: you don’t want excessive unity and you don’t want excessive fragmentation; instead, you want your human society or business to...
Nobel Prize Winner Milton Friedman Explains It... →
Excellent little video with some great commentary on the page too.
Why a logical product lineup may not be the most... →
“Simply put, introducing the higher-priced machine “framed” the previously most costly unit as a compromise, or middle of the road choice. Buyers were no longer spending too much on the “Cadillac” of the line, but rather making a wise and practical choice. Before the higher-priced machine was introduced, customers may have compromised on a still lower-priced machine, or perhaps bought none...
Slow cooking, Zimbabwe-style →
“We have lived for many years with austerity and it has become part of our culture I suppose. The food we eat and how we eat it has become more special. Each meal has become a celebration. Many people who visit say that everything tastes so much better in Zimbabwe. Nothing is wasted.”