COMMENT, Global — The modern world seems complex.
That’s because we’re trying to understand it with modernist 1950s metaphors from the age of the soon-to-be-gone Oil Economy.
The Neo-Cons were really the last hurrah, and just look how well Iraq is working out for them.
That’s despite all the freedoms they managed to crush in Western countries by invoking a straw man of terrorism and turning a blind eye to some desert-dwelling nutcases.
But the fact is they don’t get it. The modern world. The internet. Or trends.
They just want to use an old tool war and suppression of rights to secure oil supplies because they think the World will end without it and that we’re all too dumb to get the answer.
We are not. We are smart. I believe we are innately creative and all but the last few years of Bush-idity back that up.
How do we get trends and innovation?
There’s been a lot of discussions about how trends both in the real world and Internet are formed.
Being human we intend to assume that everyone else is ‘like us’, whatever us is, or are else too broad to group.
This is true in part, but it is also not that useful to aiding knowledge and understanding.
2thinknow TM have some exciting new models but more on that later. For now, the internet is a useful way to understand trends, so let’s focus on that.
But how to usefully discuss the elusive internet?
First of all, it is hard to categorize or generalize the people on the net. And too often categories seem too inclusive of everyone or too exclusive of all.
One example: I am grouped as Generation X, but practically I feel the label is so broad as to be useless. In a recent post I had a similar reaction from those who fall within the Baby Boomer generation.
In traveling the world, and in much of our online feedback, most people have felt the same. Labels and categories are too limiting.
But if we don’t create yet another 5, 4, 7 or 10 category magic model (models like The Ten Faces of Innovation) what can we do?
(Aristotelian categorization and classification is useful, but it is also not the only framework that best captures internet-phenomenons or modern trends.)
And we all need some structure to understand the internet (and broader trends).
A preview of 2thinknow analysis of internet (and innovation)
I’ve worked a lot in corporates, small business, big business, charities and government broadly as a consultant or educator. 350+ organizations in fact.
Organizations like:
Multi-nationals, 3 banks, 4 global insurance companies, many global finance companies, a few FMCG, a stack of Government, agricultural co-ops, the Anglican and Catholic Churches and countless more…
Which is why I have been working on 2thinknow TM (whilst doing my main job of running an IT consulting firm working for many organizations) for many years now…
2thinknow TM started with a hand-inked logo, and a whole bunch of notes, then overseas trips, trademarks, legal, more overseas trips, some interviews, and so-on and so forth…
Now after recent overseas fact-finding trips 2thinknow TM is to be launched fully.
2thinknow TM have created some alternate models to the very modernist and classical frameworks trotted out by every consultant and book-peddler out there.
Why, When, What?
2thinknow TM analysis will deal with explaining, understanding and creating positive social change. In other words creating innovation.
It’s what I have learnt, researched and read from those 350+ organizations, and researching countless cities worldwide as well as visiting:
Boston, New York, Paris, Edinburgh, Rome, Vienna, Verona, Tirana, Leipzig, Munich, Berlin, LA, Sydney, Melbourne, San Francisco, Frankfurt, Strasbourg, Florence, Brisbane, Adelaide, London and a whole lot more places besides.
But mainly 2thinknow TM includes models, classifications and tools I have created to make up for a lack of satisfactory innovation model anywhere in current publication.
All will be revealed when our new website is launched with the analysis & research, very soon.
But for now let’s take an example to see in brief how 2thinknow TM Innovation models will help us all understand the very strength of the Internet.
What is the Web 2.0 Internet’s strength?
The Web 2.0 internet’s strongest point is that it is a many-to-many series of overlapping individual conversations between people.
That definition is not something many people get. Media are still dumping ideas.
But how to further explain the internet and Web 2.0?
Categorisation does not work. Nor do simple matrices.
One of our models can be used to understand and explain the concurrent and overlapping trends all over the internet.
The model uses simple visual tools to explain the complexity of the internet in a non-linear way. Once it’s release I can then say more about what it is.
What 2thinknow Innovation Models are Not:
They are not for selling more plastic cr*p.
Product innovation, a bolt-on brand extension is not really innovation.
Product innovation by multi-nationals never was innovation.
Multi-nationals are structures for implementing innovation not so much creating it.
So-called product innovation is more often about crowding out shelf-space to keep real innovations off the shelf. Provide enough varieties and you can cover the fact that you are dominating choice by controlling channels.
Above all else these corporation has to co-opt ideas from external innovators or at least small subsidiaries or pockets within themselves as very few originate from within the broader organization once they are huge sized monoliths.
Monolithic corporations can be the best tool for implementation with their global reach. They can also kill the idea though.
The leading-edge innovation corporations are different, of course. We’ll be talking about those at a later date.
How will you get this analysis & research?
When we launch our new website we’ll launch our new research & analysis, some of which is available already in printed form, but is now much expanded.
2thinknow TM innovation analysis will be more open than universities and closed door academics, and ‘journals’. And more current.
A lot of this analysis and research from 2thinknow is the very latest thinking from around the world, and will not be found in bookstores in the ’10 XYZ models’ category.
I have sought out the very latest thinking ahead of the curve.
The analysis will also take the best part of business-thinking: the insistence on practicality. (which many zeitgeist-dwellers don’t)
Analysis will be available to anyone as a brief overview version online on the new site.
The analysis will be cutting edge, but structured in an organized way.
A lot of it will apply to web 2.0 which is the tool for global ideas and themes.
How you can get you some new thinking:
We will be making these ideas available as to everyone…
You will be free to quote us broadly and widely for academic, commercial and other purposes.
But I’d like to point out also that this analysis & research has taken a lot of time, money and effort to develop. So you will be asked to quote responsibly. And we will however be protecting the analysis against copyright infringement.
There will be paid in-depth versions available for purchase that provide the nuts and bolts as well as advisory services available.
Why protect Ideas? Napster anyone…?
Writers and artists, and especially innovators have to see financial returns on their innovations, which is why idea-theft is to be treated seriously.
At the same time students and other need access to ideas freely, and that is the balance we are striking. We will provide overviews of ideas free to all and encourage debate.
This blog will always have the latest ideas before they become new analysis, and will always be free to all.
Ideas don’t pollute, but they are not always free, someone is footing the bill, even if it’s for a web-server. It may be a silent partner or a donor, but like artists of the 18th century, their needs to be a model for the creative people to eat.
If you want to leave the modernist oil-driven mass-production economy the problem of business models for the new Creative Age economy needs to be solved. Without all that resource-intensive mass production.
And the fact is the ultimate investment in our economy is a single good idea… with a framework for execution and a potentially viable audience.
Ideas even get bankers excited for a potential windfall..
And then get involved…
And you will be able to get to involved. Your ideas will add to and shape the research.
They already have, those of you who have responded to early drafts or posts on this blog, either publicly or privately, and media like Fast Company who featured us on their website front-page and main blog, and also any feedback from other forthcoming interviews.
But I want to hear from you either here, or anywhere on the net…
Take care,
Christopher
Neo-Cons don’t ‘get it’, you do!
COMMENT, Global — The modern world seems complex.
The Neo-Cons were really the last hurrah, and just look how well Iraq is working out for them.
That’s despite all the freedoms they managed to crush in Western countries by invoking a straw man of terrorism and turning a blind eye to some desert-dwelling nutcases.
But the fact is they don’t get it. The modern world. The internet. Or trends.
They just want to use an old tool war and suppression of rights to secure oil supplies because they think the World will end without it and that we’re all too dumb to get the answer.
We are not. We are smart. I believe we are innately creative and all but the last few years of Bush-idity back that up.
How do we get trends and innovation?
There’s been a lot of discussions about how trends both in the real world and Internet are formed.
Being human we intend to assume that everyone else is ‘like us’, whatever us is, or are else too broad to group.
This is true in part, but it is also not that useful to aiding knowledge and understanding.
2thinknow TM have some exciting new models but more on that later. For now, the internet is a useful way to understand trends, so let’s focus on that.
But how to usefully discuss the elusive internet?
First of all, it is hard to categorize or generalize the people on the net. And too often categories seem too inclusive of everyone or too exclusive of all.
One example: I am grouped as Generation X, but practically I feel the label is so broad as to be useless. In a recent post I had a similar reaction from those who fall within the Baby Boomer generation.
In traveling the world, and in much of our online feedback, most people have felt the same. Labels and categories are too limiting.
But if we don’t create yet another 5, 4, 7 or 10 category magic model (models like The Ten Faces of Innovation) what can we do?
(Aristotelian categorization and classification is useful, but it is also not the only framework that best captures internet-phenomenons or modern trends.)
And we all need some structure to understand the internet (and broader trends).
A preview of 2thinknow analysis of internet (and innovation)
I’ve worked a lot in corporates, small business, big business, charities and government broadly as a consultant or educator. 350+ organizations in fact.
Organizations like:
Multi-nationals, 3 banks, 4 global insurance companies, many global finance companies, a few FMCG, a stack of Government, agricultural co-ops, the Anglican and Catholic Churches and countless more…
Which is why I have been working on 2thinknow TM (whilst doing my main job of running an IT consulting firm working for many organizations) for many years now…
2thinknow TM started with a hand-inked logo, and a whole bunch of notes, then overseas trips, trademarks, legal, more overseas trips, some interviews, and so-on and so forth…
Now after recent overseas fact-finding trips 2thinknow TM is to be launched fully.
2thinknow TM have created some alternate models to the very modernist and classical frameworks trotted out by every consultant and book-peddler out there.
Why, When, What?
2thinknow TM analysis will deal with explaining, understanding and creating positive social change. In other words creating innovation.
It’s what I have learnt, researched and read from those 350+ organizations, and researching countless cities worldwide as well as visiting:
Boston, New York, Paris, Edinburgh, Rome, Vienna, Verona, Tirana, Leipzig, Munich, Berlin, LA, Sydney, Melbourne, San Francisco, Frankfurt, Strasbourg, Florence, Brisbane, Adelaide, London and a whole lot more places besides.
But mainly 2thinknow TM includes models, classifications and tools I have created to make up for a lack of satisfactory innovation model anywhere in current publication.
All will be revealed when our new website is launched with the analysis & research, very soon.
But for now let’s take an example to see in brief how 2thinknow TM Innovation models will help us all understand the very strength of the Internet.
What is the Web 2.0 Internet’s strength?
The Web 2.0 internet’s strongest point is that it is a many-to-many series of overlapping individual conversations between people.
That definition is not something many people get. Media are still dumping ideas.
But how to further explain the internet and Web 2.0?
Categorisation does not work. Nor do simple matrices.
One of our models can be used to understand and explain the concurrent and overlapping trends all over the internet.
The model uses simple visual tools to explain the complexity of the internet in a non-linear way. Once it’s release I can then say more about what it is.
What 2thinknow Innovation Models are Not:
They are not for selling more plastic cr*p.
Product innovation, a bolt-on brand extension is not really innovation.
Product innovation by multi-nationals never was innovation.
Multi-nationals are structures for implementing innovation not so much creating it.
So-called product innovation is more often about crowding out shelf-space to keep real innovations off the shelf. Provide enough varieties and you can cover the fact that you are dominating choice by controlling channels.
Above all else these corporation has to co-opt ideas from external innovators or at least small subsidiaries or pockets within themselves as very few originate from within the broader organization once they are huge sized monoliths.
Monolithic corporations can be the best tool for implementation with their global reach. They can also kill the idea though.
The leading-edge innovation corporations are different, of course. We’ll be talking about those at a later date.
How will you get this analysis & research?
When we launch our new website we’ll launch our new research & analysis, some of which is available already in printed form, but is now much expanded.
2thinknow TM innovation analysis will be more open than universities and closed door academics, and ‘journals’. And more current.
A lot of this analysis and research from 2thinknow is the very latest thinking from around the world, and will not be found in bookstores in the ’10 XYZ models’ category.
I have sought out the very latest thinking ahead of the curve.
The analysis will also take the best part of business-thinking: the insistence on practicality. (which many zeitgeist-dwellers don’t)
Analysis will be available to anyone as a brief overview version online on the new site.
The analysis will be cutting edge, but structured in an organized way.
A lot of it will apply to web 2.0 which is the tool for global ideas and themes.
How you can get you some new thinking:
We will be making these ideas available as to everyone…
You will be free to quote us broadly and widely for academic, commercial and other purposes.
But I’d like to point out also that this analysis & research has taken a lot of time, money and effort to develop. So you will be asked to quote responsibly. And we will however be protecting the analysis against copyright infringement.
There will be paid in-depth versions available for purchase that provide the nuts and bolts as well as advisory services available.
Why protect Ideas? Napster anyone…?
Writers and artists, and especially innovators have to see financial returns on their innovations, which is why idea-theft is to be treated seriously.
At the same time students and other need access to ideas freely, and that is the balance we are striking. We will provide overviews of ideas free to all and encourage debate.
This blog will always have the latest ideas before they become new analysis, and will always be free to all.
Ideas don’t pollute, but they are not always free, someone is footing the bill, even if it’s for a web-server. It may be a silent partner or a donor, but like artists of the 18th century, their needs to be a model for the creative people to eat.
If you want to leave the modernist oil-driven mass-production economy the problem of business models for the new Creative Age economy needs to be solved. Without all that resource-intensive mass production.
And the fact is the ultimate investment in our economy is a single good idea… with a framework for execution and a potentially viable audience.
Ideas even get bankers excited for a potential windfall..
And then get involved…
And you will be able to get to involved. Your ideas will add to and shape the research.
They already have, those of you who have responded to early drafts or posts on this blog, either publicly or privately, and media like Fast Company who featured us on their website front-page and main blog, and also any feedback from other forthcoming interviews.
But I want to hear from you either here, or anywhere on the net…
Take care,
Christopher
Executive Director of Innovation, at 2thinknow. Expert on Innovation Cities and innovation analyst. An experienced data analyst to business and government for over 13 years.
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