John W Lewis

John W Lewis

Thinking, Understanding, and System modelling

  • Organising for innovation

    Aspects and characteristics It is unlikely that anyone doubts that the ability of an organisation to innovate is strongly dependent on the nature of that organisation. Its nature can be described by various characteristics (including cultural, behavioural and structural characteristics) and by several aspects (including the static and dynamic aspects) of those characteristics. 

  • Standards: who’d have them?

    Whether to standardise? “If only there were a standard!” How often have we heard this lament about the need for consistency and the benefits of uniformity? Standards free us from decisions and incompatibilities, and are extremely useful in many situations. On the other hand, there is the sceptical approach: “The great thing about standards is…

  • LikeMinds turn to “innovation and opportunity”

    Yesterday, LikeMinds 2011 was announced. Yet again, the fields of enquiry chosen for the conference are topical, substantial and accelerating: “innovation and opportunity”. What a choice! This will be the fourth LikeMinds conference in the UK in Exeter; other conferences have taken and will take place around the world: in Helsinki and in Dubai, for example.…

  • It’s not about the technology! Or is it?

    New experiences, behaviours and techniques come along from time to time. As children, at school, there was always the latest “craze” whether it was for conkers or marbles or assegais (remember those?). As adults, at work and at play, we call them innovations, whether they are new materials, techniques, goods, services, fashions or whole new…

  • No, Nokia, No!

    Oh dear, what a crying shame! Today is an awful day in the mobile communications industry. Symbian is dead; Nokia jumps to Windows Phone 7 Many predicted it, some welcome it, others are horrified. I am horrified. This seems such a long time ago: Go, Nokia, Go! What is there to say? … oh well,…

  • The big one for Steve Jobs? Let’s hope not!

    Today, we hear the news that Steve Jobs is taking leave of absence from Apple, on medical grounds. This is the second time; and, last time, his illness was extremely serious. While hoping that this is much less serious, I am unfortunately reminded of the proverb in “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho: Everything that happens…

  • Pull away

    How often does the response reveal more than the stimulus? There was an interesting observation in one of the comments on Robert Scoble’s recent post about Google and its difficulties with innovation. But there was an even more interesting remark in his response to the comment. In my earlier post, I described some general observations,…

  • Software innovation management: reboot required?

    Why is innovation so difficult in the software industry? In an interesting take on Google and its innovation, or lack of it, Robert Scoble provides an insight into Google’s manifestation of a very important issue for all organisations: their management of innovation. Much of his explanation and diagnosis rings true. However, many of the proposed remedies,…

  • Welcome, all you Like Minds!

    Welcome to Exeter in Devon, all of you who are attending the Like Minds conference this week (Thursday and Friday, October 28 and 29). The success of the Like Minds conference is a great credit to the organisers, the speakers, the sponsors, the local community and, of course, the participants. With each conference, there has…

  • UK success

    … and let’s stop shooting ourselves in the foot! The attitude that the UK Prime Minister specifies in this recent speech to the UK CBI is exactly what is needed. This is stirring stuff which will motivate the people in the UK who can do something about it. The challenge for the government is to…