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Creating human senses, the Kiwi’s are coming, is the iWatch another distraction?
We start this month’s newsletter with a slightly different perspective. Most people and organisations try to leave their world in a better shape by making lives easier, more productive. For professionals such as Doctors, Nurses and teachers Cochlear can take this to a whole new level. Cochlear has the claim to be the only firm to create a sense, in its case, hearing. This is an extraordinary use of technology and medical knowledge and is inspiring as to how some incredibly talented people can make the world a better place for individuals and entire societies.
The innovation coming out of New Zealand is a real highlight of how a country can use it’s comparative differentiation, in this case knowledge capital and an sense of the big opportunity. Cloud accounting innovator Xero is just the leader in the innovation that has come out of what is a small economy. The reasons for the innovation are many and varied, but Australia and other mid sized countries can learn from New Zealand, particularly with the attitude to Silicon Valley. For some reason in Australia, going to Silicon Valley is selling out. For an increasing number of New Zealand innovators, it is having a shot at the big time.
Another country who plays above its weight is the Czech Republic, we recently wrote about how it is easy to respect that the Czech Republic has kept its national identity despite some big and hostile neighbours. Some countries and IT vendors alike who adopt a follow me attitude could learn from this.
The jury is still out on the impact of the Apple iWatch and related wearables. CEO’s and senior executives I have talked to are vocally concerned with yet more distractions during meetings. If participants are not checking their Tablet, Phone or other device, they are waiting too. Another distraction with the iWatch maybe a bridge too far in terms of productivity perceptions. The regular ping of email, Facebook mention etc. may prove to become too much. Having said that Apple has an extraordinary hit rate.
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