Thursday, December 14, 2006

A Complex Diagram for Complex Problem Solving

Idiagram.com has some really great visual models for tackling difficult problems. I was particularly interested in the diagram for Art of Complex Problem Solving in light of the recent case competition held by the Value Centered Leadership Lab.

This diagram is fascinating. It is well organized and well designed visually (organigraph anyone?).

A Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose.

What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet.

Does this hold true for Microsoft? Can Microsoft brand is way to coolness?
Branding is one place to start. Product names like “Xbox” and “Zune” are arguably a lot cooler than “Visual Studio 2005 Tools for the 2007 Microsoft Office System.”
Microsoft is developing a product line to compete with Adobe Systems (who pretty much dominates the design professionals' software market). Microsoft's Quartz, Acrylic, and Sparkle will face off against Dreamweaver, Photoshop and Illustrator.

While Xbox and Zune are cooler names than Visual Studio 2005 Tools blah blah blah, at the end of the day the product has to work and work well for designers.

Microsoft has a challenge ahead. Winning over design professionals is not easy. It will be interesting to see.

I leave you with a question...

Is it true that a Microsoft tool is a Microsoft tool is a Microsoft tool is a Microsoft tool?

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Price Fixing

OK, I know we're feeling a bit bruised after our Econ finals...so let's talk about price fixing some more!

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to reconsider a 95-year-old rule that forbids companies from setting a minimum retail price for their products:

High court to weigh ban on price fixing

The currently-standing 1911 ruling "outlaws contracts or agreements between manufacturers and independent sellers that require these retailers to charge a minimum price for a product." In essence, it outlaws price-fixing.

If overturned, this case could have significant pricing ramifications across many industries, potentially leading to higher retail prices for consumer products. Of course, it could also strongly benefit upscale brands and brands in specialty markets such as department stores, while digging into the revenues of discount superstores and chains such as Wal-Mart. It would also empower manufacturers to have much more power in dictating the markets in which their products are sold, and the desired quality of the brand, among other benefits.

Stirring up the pot like this might be just what is needed to resuscitate a once-thriving specialty market that has been in decline since the huge discount chains began gobbling up old department stores and homogenizing our shopping experience.

Something to ponder over a whiskey sour while you check your Econ grades on Wavenet.

Happy holiday shopping!

Friday, December 08, 2006

2006 Lists

As a part of our new gorilla marketing effort (gorilla is old-school "viral") to boost traffic (and ad revenue) before year-end, Mixed Business (or at least this post author) invites you to post your "best of" lists for 2006.

This is an ongoing tradition started by a young friend of mine and this is the third year I have participated. Hopefully, you will post more than one list. Be creative, and no, they don't have to have 10 items. Need some ideas? Check out

1,2,3,...Jamboree!

I am partial to these:

Paul Bost's top 20 albums
or
5 unfortunately funny quotes (shameless self promotion)

Good tidings to all,
JTK