From the category archives:

Innovation Thinking

The Don’t Be a Banker scholarship!

by Steve Livingston on July 22, 2011

We were busy running off a grant report for one of our tech startups when we stumbled across this inspired scholarship opportunity from Mint digital:

“The Don’t Be a Banker Scholarship – £4,000 – aimed at steering talented graduates away from a career in banking”

I originally thought it must be some kind of joke but its for real. What a fantastic idea!

The blurb states that the grant is also available for those graduates seeking to join large consulting firms so perhaps, if this had been released earlier, it could have “saved me from myself” too…..

Bad news: I understand the timelimit for applications has closed. Boo hoo

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Oil Regeneration: A slick idea!

by Steve Livingston on November 15, 2010

Whilst the herd frantically invests in oil futures to protect against rising oil prices, it is both refreshing and inspiring to see stories of the few who are prepared to think differently. In this case, to not only regenerate oil so there is some left for future generations, but also to take steps to reduce the amount of plastic waste that needlessly fills our landfill sites the world over.

Your lucky oil strike might be closer than you think…

5 minutes well invested.

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Open Offices for All

June 25, 2010

How long will office work in its current form last?
Seth Godin consigns offices to history as relics of the industrial age and I’m inclined to agree – but with an important twist.
I believe that offices do still have an important role to play in providing a place for human interaction at its most basic level. People who work [...]

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Effective communication need not cost the earth

June 15, 2010

If you’ve been wandering around the streets of Manchester of late, you might have noticed a new and ingenious advertising opportunity as demonstrated by ReverseGraffiti.co.uk on the pavements and side-walks.
ReverseGraffiti.co.uk cleans paving slabs using just water and a stencil to spell out each striking advertising message. Simple, eco-friendly, clean, innovative and 100 times more noticeable than a billboard!
Could this work for your business to [...]

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Inventive ways of winning that dream job

June 9, 2010

I am currently recruiting for a role within my team. I’ve yet to see anything as creative as this from the candidates I’ve seen so far!
Hat-tip to Matt Homann

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13 tips for attracting more luck in business

May 21, 2010

It is easier to look at successful entrepreneurs and business owners and think or say “You’re so lucky”.
But can you make your own luck in business?
Try the following:

Have a clear and meaningful purpose. Shout about it.
Practise (“the harder I practise the luckier I get” – Gary Player)
Be clear on your vision and what you need to [...]

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Social learning beats innovation to business success

May 15, 2010

Business Dilemma: You can build your business by either:

Copying your competitors or
Striking out to develop new Blue Ocean markets.

Which is likely to be more successful?
A fascinating new study carried out by Kevin Laland of the Universtity of St Andrews (covered in The New Scientist – 1 May 2010) suggests that the former copy-cat appoach is likely to [...]

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Business Playground unleashes business creativity

May 5, 2010

Dave Stewart (formerly of the Eurythmics) has turned his attention from music creativity to business creativity.
Speaking on BBC2′s The Working Lunch , Dave Stewart outlines how all businesses must become more creative if they are to even survive the next 10 years. No business is safe or immune.
I have just received a copy of [...]

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iPad frenzy begins – What can businesses learn?

April 2, 2010
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Today is the day that the media frenzy for Apple’s latest toy, the iPad, reaches new insurmountable heights with its launch in the US.
What can we learn from the iPad that you can apply to your business?
Here are some of the traits that strike me:

design thinking – it looks beautiful
usability – it looks easy [...]

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Manchester sparks further innovation with FABLAB launch

March 23, 2010

 
FABLAB as an institution is news to me but it sounds like a fantastic idea and – even better – they’ve recently opened their first UK based FABLAB in Ancoats, Manchester.
FABLABs offers a mini hi-tech factory where people or companies can design and create pretty much….. anything using latest 3D machine cutters and technology. There are now over 35 FABLABs in [...]

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