Culture

Like it or not, politics and technology are forever intertwined in a symbiotic dance. The influence of social media bots on the outcome of the 2016 U.S. election has been much discussed over the past year, and with Mark Zuckerberg facing the Senate recently to provide his testimony regarding the Cambridge Analytica scandal, you don’t need to look far to see […]

In 1968, astronaut Frank Borman said, “When you’re finally up at the moon looking back on Earth, all those differences and nationalistic traits are pretty well going to blend, and you’re going to get a concept that maybe this really is one world and why the hell can’t we learn to live together like decent people?” […]

While streaming has taken off — with more than 60 percent of young Americans using streaming services as their primary TV venue — it’s also invaded our bedrooms. A 2018 Tuck survey of 1,300 Americans found that more than 85 percent of us watch streaming TV in bed, with 70 percent of them falling asleep to […]

Congratulations on eyeing the international market for your business growth. We are living in an age of globalization and more and more companies are recognizing the profitability of taking their products and service offerings globally at a relatively small incremental cost. It is an easy calculus to recognize that international consumers are able to be […]

Smart cities can add value not just through money saved by efficient operations but also through the added benefits for citizens and local businesses by adding great design. Let’s change the design — and build a city. The key to building truly “smart” and efficient cities of the future is improving not just infrastructure — […]

At media companies, 2018 might be remembered as the year that someone finally got data sharing right. To be sure, there were some missteps. Facebook’s series of data scandals cost the social network around a quarter of its value. But Twitter, Google, Reddit, Snapchat, and even Facebook each tweaked their privacy policies to better balance […]

With Thanksgiving just behind you — and what you’re thankful for still top of mind — it’s only natural to be thinking about gratitude and giving back. Giving Tuesday, which is just three days away, is vital for nonprofits. If organizations prepare for Giving Tuesday well, they’ll raise more money during this annual fundraising day, […]

Every year, predictions about how consumers will spend their money crop up. Covering the most popular toys and the most wanted tech gadgets, these lists tend to push people toward a herd mentality rather than a thoughtful examination of their values at a crucial time of year. PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts that consumers will spend $1,250 each […]

Snack bars, counters, cabinets and drawers have become the newest office staple. These containers present a challenge for companies wishing to satisfy their employees’ cravings. People want a little bit of everything, so office managers must get ahead and adapt quickly in the face of an evolving workforce that always seems to crave what’s next. […]

Do your Sales, Support, or Creative teams have the blues? Could your employee morale use some help? If productivity around the workplace is little slow, or people seem a little melancholy, and nobody seems particularly excited to strive for a greater, common purpose — you may have an employee morale problem on your hands. While […]

For years, the business world lived under the false pretense that open plan offices were a killer idea. I myself even bought into the hype. At Netconcepts, the digital agency I founded (and sold in 2010), only the executives had offices with doors that closed. Open plan offices were a win-win for anyone looking to […]

The time of millennials is gradually shifting to make a place for Generation Z. This surely is more than just a newly coined term today. In fact, businesses are evolving to satiate the needs of this new and upcoming generation. Organizations are pulling up their socks to understand them, their lifestyle and growing habit. And […]

We’ve all heard the statistic: Most Americans consider themselves above-average drivers. Just because you think it — is, of course, not reality. In a similar vein, most of us believe ourselves to be tech-savvy when what we really are is merely tech-dependent. We are tech-dependent with our health, our work, our lifestyles and yes, even […]

Many large companies approach improving its customer experiences differently. Most common approaches come from the perspective of customer support solutions, user experience design, and account management. While these pathways are vitally important, more businesses could benefit from looking at customer experience through the lens of productivity. The bottom line is when you think about agile […]

The internet’s instant access to information is crucial for education, spreading ideas and activism. This makes it a significant threat to authoritarian governments, leading many countries to strictly censor websites, content, and communication. But, which countries have the strictest internet censorship? Platforms like Twitter and Facebook were central to the uprisings of 2011’s Arab Spring, […]

Over the last few years, we’ve observed the technology economy as it has grown, warped, and evolved. From the perspective of other industries, the tech universe looms and fascinates. But now, we can’t only watch from the sidelines. Technology is no longer just driving tech companies — it is such an economic force that it has a […]

In 2019, anxiety is still part of being a startup. But it doesn’t have to be. Capital efficiency is the name of the game, as access to financing rounds is narrowing. Investors are more nervous about bets that may not pay off for some time. They are focused on the business that works today – […]

The way companies work is rapidly changing. On average, companies use over 1,000 tools to run their business, and although plenty of informational tools are designed to help workplaces succeed, none of that matters if the tools are not easy to navigate. It’s critical to effectively gather, organize, and share information to improve the knowledge […]

Everything starts with your mindset. It’s the foundation to your successful skill set. You can adjust your mindset for success. Let me tell you a story about adjusting your mindset. Back in 2011 I was leaving one of the top Investment Banks in the world (after six solid years). The reason? I was surplus to […]

The internet’s instant access to information is crucial for education, spreading ideas and activism. This makes it a significant threat to authoritarian governments, leading many countries to strictly censor websites, content, and communication. But, which countries have the strictest internet censorship? Platforms like Twitter and Facebook were central to the uprisings of 2011’s Arab Spring, […]

For years, the business world lived under the false pretense that open plan offices were a killer idea. I myself even bought into the hype. At Netconcepts, the digital agency I founded (and sold in 2010), only the executives had offices with doors that closed. Open plan offices were a win-win for anyone looking to […]

In 2019, anxiety is still part of being a startup. But it doesn’t have to be. Capital efficiency is the name of the game, as access to financing rounds is narrowing. Investors are more nervous about bets that may not pay off for some time. They are focused on the business that works today – […]

Perhaps, the most common mistake made by retail companies in planning and executing digital transformation is to treat technology acquisition as a goal in itself. You will find that the code of “people first” as the golden rule of retail digital transformation will make great sense if you start to follow this rule. Organizations that […]

Boston has long been associated with beacons and lanterns, and even today the reputation holds. Only now Boston is lighting the way for a new community: tech. Never content to live in the shadows of more significant tech enclaves like Silicon Valley and New York, Boston has returned to its “founding fathers” roots. Today the […]

Many professionals are comfortable working remotely, especially sales team members. For the employees who were surveyed, 86% felt they were most productive when working alone. Without the distractions of noisy coworkers and impromptu desk meetings, a remote work environment increases productivity. But the question is how to manage remote sales teams. Although the benefits of […]

Everything starts with your mindset. It’s the foundation to your successful skill set. You can adjust your mindset for success. Let me tell you a story about adjusting your mindset. Back in 2011 I was leaving one of the top Investment Banks in the world (after six solid years). The reason? I was surplus to […]

Likely the most notorious item coming out of the college admissions scandal in recent weeks is a method involving doctoring photos. Applicants’ heads were actually made to appear on athletes’ bodies for scholarship applications. Many following the news were left feeling the rich are gaming the system — yet again. The ability to pay for […]

Luxembourg is a country which prides itself on its individuality and welcoming mentality. The origin of the nation’s motto says it all: Kommt hier aus Frankräich, Belgie, Preisen —  Come here from France, Belgium, Prussia, Mir wellen iech ons Hémecht weisen              —  We want to show you our fatherland Frot dir no alle Säiten […]

The question has been asked, “Is data the next front in the Trade Wars? Will our data threaten Global Commerce? What will become of data in this simmering conflict?” These, indeed, are vital questions — for all of us in the world. What are the ramifications of the tit-for-tat tariff strategy? Every week a new […]

Getting people to love the idea of talking to computers instead of people is proving more difficult than we thought. Two decades after a generation of young internet users logged in to AOL Instant Messenger to talk (sorta) with SmarterChild, chatbots haven’t made much real progress in the eyes of users. Even the one’s industry insiders love to […]

In this digital age when all the information in the world is readily accessible at our fingertips, the secret to digital transformation and innovation is not data — it’s questions. If you can ask the right questions and reframe the issues your organization is facing in the right light, then you can challenge assumptions and inspire true innovation […]

Peter Drucker (1909-2005), the late Austrian-born management consultant, once famously said that culture eats strategy for breakfast — i.e., while a sound business plan is excellent, nothing is more important than a company’s culture. That philosophy, later adopted by Ford Motor Company president Mark Fields, is still fully embraced by C-Suite denizens today. A Modern […]

The way companies work is rapidly changing. On average, companies use over 1,000 tools to run their business, and although plenty of informational tools are designed to help workplaces succeed, none of that matters if the tools are not easy to navigate. It’s critical to effectively gather, organize, and share information to improve the knowledge […]

Many of the self-employed workers are employed in sectors such as tech and finance — two industries that could potentially see a drain in people and investment if the UK’s economy takes a nosedive in the wake of the country leaving the EU. Interestingly, 63 percent of the UK’s five million who call themselves self-employed […]

All too many founders assume that, as they grow their team roster, their diversity will naturally improve. In reality, companies build on what they have.

Unicorns aren’t exactly a dime a dozen, but they’re not quite as rare as they once were. Today, private companies with a valuation in excess of $1 billion number more than 300, prompting some analysts to look for a more precise indicator of unicorn potential. According to a report from Comparably, that indicator is culture. […]

Before 2019, Elon Musk was a version of a rock star — maybe he still is — we sure follow what he does.  He takes drugs, stays out late and dates famous women. He also runs four companies and is worth $20 billion. In a 2016 poll, startup founders named him their most-admired tech CEO. […]

At media companies, 2018 might be remembered as the year that someone finally got data sharing right. To be sure, there were some missteps. Facebook’s series of data scandals cost the social network around a quarter of its value. But Twitter, Google, Reddit, Snapchat, and even Facebook each tweaked their privacy policies to better balance […]

Every year, predictions about how consumers will spend their money crop up. Covering the most popular toys and the most wanted tech gadgets, these lists tend to push people toward a herd mentality rather than a thoughtful examination of their values at a crucial time of year. PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts that consumers will spend $1,250 each […]