One of the strategies we talk about in the book is to focus on the final disposal problem for products. A new strategy attracting attention draws attention to this problem. Hewlett Packard has made a… Read more »
Thought Sparks
Thought Sparks, the brainchild of Rita McGrath, are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Prior to 2025, episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast were known as Fireside Chats.
Tragic second order
Today’s Wall Street Journal tells a tragic tale of unanticipated consequences. It seems that many AIDS sufferers in South Africa are not taking their medicine in order to make themselves REALLY sick. Why do this?… Read more »
McGrath cited re: Lucent-Alcatel Merger
“Usually one company takes the more dominant role,” said Rita Gunther McGrath, an associate professor at the Columbia Business School. “They often have momentum and the decision-making ability. … There tends to be winners and… Read more »
McGrath cited re: Lucent-Alcatel Merger
“Usually one company takes the more dominant role,” said Rita Gunther McGrath, an associate professor at the Columbia Business School. “They often have momentum and the decision-making ability. … There tends to be winners and… Read more »
Empire Strikes Back: Netflix version
Netflix (see case study in the case study portion of our web site) did a great job of capitalizing on the dissatisfiers/enragers in competing offerings. Blockbuster, for instance, drove good customers crazy with their practice… Read more »
iPod software once more
I’ve probably spent a solid 6 hours with Apple people on the phone, trying to figure out why my shiny new iPod with video and photos won’t sync properly. They told me it was my… Read more »
Selling software on the Internet
I was recently asked to comment on Internet selling of software: Internet sales of software has obvious advantages: it is vastly less expensive than shipping physical products; allows a company to develop direct relationships with… Read more »
Ads replacing $$$
I was recently asked about the emerging practice of replacing payment for services with watching ads. Here are some thoughts: The practice of trading ad-watching for bill payments has been tried before, without very good… Read more »
McGrath cited re: Paying your cell phone by watching ads
New York business consultant and author Rita Gunther McGrath added: “The big disadvantage of (Orange’s) approach is that the people you will tend to attract are those with more time than money. “The people advertisers… Read more »
McGrath cited re: Flexible Business Models
“There’s been quite a bit of research that suggests [that] small businesses that allow themselves to get too diversified too early lose focus,” says Rita Gunther McGrath, a Columbia Business School associate professor and co-author… Read more »
McGrath cited re: No “Happily Ever After” Entrepreneurial Failure
“… location choice, lack of experience, underestimating the costs and effort are typical mistakes entrepreneurs make that lead to their business closing,” said Rita Gunther McGrath, an author and professor at the Columbia Business School…. Read more »
McGrath cited re: No “Happily Ever After” Entrepreneurial Failure
“… location choice, lack of experience, underestimating the costs and effort are typical mistakes entrepreneurs make that lead to their business closing,” said Rita Gunther McGrath, an author and professor at the Columbia Business School…. Read more »