10 Common Mistakes In Developing an Enterprise Culture

Many projects designed to stimulate an enterprise culture fall foul of one or more of the following:

they focus too much on the individual and not enough on the enterprising ecosystem – failing to address social context – instead trying to help individuals to ‘overcome the odds’
believing that the reasons for low levels of enterprise are [...]

Educating the Next Wave of Entrepreneurs

This is a new report from the World Economic Forum.
Download it here.

Rise and Fall

I am sad to hear that the Rise Catalyst Centre in Seacroft, Leeds, that was only opened in November last year is closing.  Instead of an investment producing entrepreneurs it will  now be used to train bricklayers and similar trades.
I have nothing against bricklayers, but genuine entrepreneurship is needed to help communities to grow in [...]

Worlds Most Wicked Problems – Or Just Great Questions

2008 Survey of Wicked Problems

Balancing long-term goals with short-term demands
Predicting returns on innovative concepts
Innovating at the increasing speed of change
Winning the war for world-class talent
Combining profitability with social responsibility
Protecting margins in a commoditizing industry
Multiplying success by collaborating across silos
Finding unclaimed yet profitable market space
Addressing the challenge of eco-sustainability
Aligning strategy with customer experience

Survey sponsored by Neutron [...]

Multi Level Marketing and Enterprise Development

I went to a fascinating workshop last night organised by a multi level marketer and hosted at Shine in Harehills.
The evening kicked off with a series of presentations from the Business Link Yorkshire Ideas Team, Job Centre Plus and HMRC.  Three competent, wide ranging presentations.  For me, just too many talking heads.  Still I suspect [...]

An Enterprise Anthem From Placebo

Seems like Placebo know more about enterprise than many policy makers:

Check the lyrics here.
What other anthems for enterprise would you suggest?

Right to Read

I have blogged before about the Right to Read campaign.  I was reminded of it by this list of 30 dyslexic entrepreneurs.
I wonder what they would have achieved had they let their dyslexia define them?  Had they listened to those who said ‘you won’t amount to much until you learn to read and write well’.
Perhaps [...]

New Measures and New Approaches to Development

Just recently I have been thinking about what we measure and why we measure it in various development programmes.  In economic development, measures are based on productivity, a measure usually derived from Gross National Product or Gross Domestic Product.  Anything likely to increase the productivity of the economy is deemed to be a good thing [...]

If you have a dream you have to protect it…

Wipes tear from eye….

Ef Schumacher Wise Words

“Our ordinary mind always tries to persuade us that we are nothing but acorns and that our greatest happiness will be to become bigger, fatter, shinier acorns; but that is of interest only to pigs.
Our faith gives us knowledge of something better: that we can become oak trees.”
EF Schumacher