pkward.com ideas and observations - Comments

Angela comments on foley in film: lessons for customer experience management

Angela — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 20:30:55 +0000

So true about bathrooms! I once covered the opening of a shopping mall in Oregon and instead of writing the expected angle, I wrote the story from the perspective of the bathrooms, which had a great design, were super private, and immaculately clean. Who wouldn't want to go to that mall?

Paul Ward comments on viral marketing: curiosity as drug

Paul Ward — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:57:51 +0000

The one to watch: Amy Powell, of INSURGE. Why? You'll only get hints if you Google her name. Which is perfect, considering what she can do.

Paul K. Ward comments on global capital, global markets, and creating value

Paul K. Ward — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 19:40:58 +0000

I think in general that banking regulation are positive globally, as they seek to create a balance between reserve policy and investment behaviors. I think the biggest issue is the level of integration internationally among banks when it comes to actual leverage, securitized instruments, and currency exchange risks. I would want to study this some more, but I am working under the hypothesis that Africa has recovered nicely from the global economic meltdown precisely because of a relative lack of integration with major developed country banking and financial markets. When America sneezed, it was "too far away" to catch our cold.

This is going to change, and I believe it is time for Africa to make sure it is training the next generation of bankers to deal with those risks. Of course, right now most African banks are scrambling just to train its staff on classic credit risk, and having to deal with unbanked and under-banked customers whose credit history is non-existent or spotty, even though they may well be "credit-worthy" in the African context. However, this is a tactical problem that I believe can be overcome through programs that (cough, cough) I hope to be bringing into West Africa in 2011. The strategic issue will remain: How will Africa's banks remain healthy as they integrate into the world economy?

Kwame Som-Pimpong comments on global capital, global markets, and creating value

Kwame Som-Pimpong — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 14:51:03 +0000

I am concerned about the implications of global regulation for African countries, negatively affecting the banking industry which is really starting to gain traction by leveraging the booming mobile industry. I recently read a piece a Foreign Affairs piece on the need for agricultural development on the African continent. The author highlighted the shift in agricultural policy during the green revolution, a shift that prevented African countries from reaping the benefits of countries like Brazil and Russia. I don't want global regulation to make it even more difficult for African countries to realize their collective economic potential.

Paul Ward comments on apple, inc. versus consumer reports

Paul Ward — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:39:39 +0000

Note that HP is getting more of a boost than Dell from Apple's woes (apparently). Dell is tracking NASDAQ, whereas HP has a lift in comparison. Do you think this destroys my argument that Apple is increasingly being viewed as a business products company?

Paul Ward comments on save me from the "timely, quality customer service" cheerleaders

Paul Ward — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:31:30 +0000

Hey, just wanted to add that I'm reading a book now that goes deeply into why "common sense" about what people need, and why people behave as they do, is rooted in brain evolution. Check out "A Mind of Its Own." Highly recommended.

Click here to link to the Amazon page for this book.

Angela comments on classical music, grief, memory, regret, leadership, and the long view

Angela — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 01:22:28 +0000

Zander is wonderful! I love the way you see the world.

Tim Wirth comments on classical music, grief, memory, regret, leadership, and the long view

Tim Wirth — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:37:47 +0000

Inspiring presentation... But why am I not surprise to see that you chose it!?!

Paul K. Ward comments on mac's customer experience: is it freedom, or discipline? apple's secret sauce

Paul K. Ward — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:13:47 +0000

So, to provide more clues about Apple's secret sauce, I offer two words:

1. Leverage
2. Desire

Paul K. Ward comments on mac's customer experience: is it freedom, or discipline? apple's secret sauce

Paul K. Ward — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:01:02 +0000

If it works for you, then that's fine ... although you might want to take another approach in which you can experiment with some of Mac's unique apps (iWork and iLife). There are also other apps that let you use Windows and OS X simultaneously, which would assist in the A/B comparison. If you do that, I think you'd be a perfect person (given your Windows background) to answer the question: what is it about the Mac? Simplicity? Or something else?