Gabor George Burt

Pedaling for global impact

One of the most exciting spheres of application for Blue Ocean Strategy is the realm of Social Capitalism. This explosive market space is at the intersection of successful business and lasting social impact. Traditionally these two spheres were considered separate, but they can be pursued simultaneously via Blue Ocean Strategy. Periodically, I feature stories which illustrate stimulating ventures, ideas and concepts targeting this very market space.

This time around I’ve selected the story about a new type of bicycle, made almost entirely of cardboard, which has the potential for significant, positive change for the future of transportation.

Via NPR:    

"This is a real game-changer. It changes  the way products are manufactured and shipped, it causes factories to be built everywhere instead of moving production to cheaper labor markets, everything that we have known in the production world can change," he said. Elmish said the cardboard bikes would be made on largely automated production lines and would be supplemented by a workforce comprising pensioners and the disabled.

He said that apart from the social benefits this would provide for all concerned, it would also garner government grants for the manufacturers.

[Image via Kottke.org.]

More than just good business

One of the most exciting spheres of application for Blue Ocean Strategy is the realm of Social Capitalism. This explosive market space is at the intersection of successful business and lasting social impact. Traditionally these two spheres were considered separate, but they can be pursued simultaneously via Blue Ocean Strategy. Periodically, I feature stories which illustrate stimulating ventures, ideas and concepts targeting this very market space.

This week I’ve selected the story of the partnership between The Coca-Cola Company and the quite appropriately named Slingshot water purification system that will help to address clean water issues in developing nations. Learn more in the video above via BusinessWeek.

Perfect Calm Series: A new microlending fund for women entrepreneurs

One of the most exciting spheres of application for Blue Ocean Strategy is the realm of Social Capitalism. This explosive market space is at the intersection of successful business and lasting social impact. Traditionally these two spheres were considered separate, but the two can be pursued simultaneously via Blue Ocean Strategy. Periodically, we feature stories which illustrate stimulating ventures, ideas and concepts targeting this very market space.

This week we select the story: A new microlending fund for women entrepreneurs

Do you know of other companies, organizations or business visionaries sailing along the intersection of good business and social good? Share your ideas with the Creating Blue Oceans Community.

[Image via Google Images.]

 

Perfect Calm Series: The D.I.Y. Foreign-Aid Revolution

One of the most exciting spheres of application for Blue Ocean Strategy is the realm of Social Capitalism. This explosive market space is at the intersection of successful business and lasting social impact. Traditionally these two spheres were considered separate, but the two can be pursued simultaneously via Blue Ocean Strategy. Periodically, we feature stories which illustrate stimulating ventures, ideas and concepts targeting this very market space.

This week we select the story: The D.I.Y. Foreign-Aid Revolution

Do you know of other companies, organizations or business visionaries sailing along the intersection of good business and social good? Share your ideas with the Creating Blue Oceans Community.

[Image via New York Times.]

The Perfect Calm Series: RecycleMatch – A Curated Craigslist for Industrial Waste

One of the most exciting spheres of application for Blue Ocean Strategy is the realm of Social Capitalism. This explosive market space is at the intersection of successful business and lasting social impact. Traditionally these two spheres were considered separate, but the two can be pursued simultaneously via Blue Ocean Strategy. Periodically, we feature stories which illustrate stimulating ventures, ideas and concepts targeting this very market space.

This week we select the story: RecycleMatch: A Curated Craigslist for Industrial Waste from Fast Company.

Do you know of other companies, organizations or business visionaries sailing along the intersection of good business and social good? Share your ideas with the Creating Blue Oceans Community.

[Image via Fast Company.]

Our favorite TED videos

In the coming weeks, we will feature a selection of inspiring videos from past and present TED and TEDx talks.

This week we select the video “How great leaders inspire action” featuring Simon Sinek.  From TED: “Simon Sinek has a simple but powerful model for inspirational leadership all starting with a golden circle and the question "Why?" His examples include Apple, Martin Luther King, and the Wright brothers -- and as a counterpoint Tivo, which (until a recent court victory that tripled its stock price) appeared to be struggling.”

Do you have a favorite TED talk which you think should be featured on Creating Blue Oceans?  Let us know via the 'email me' tab in the upper left-hand corner.

[Video via TED.]

Perfect Calm Series: Turning toilet wastewater into electricity

One of the most exciting spheres of application for Blue Ocean Strategy is the realm of Social Capitalism. This explosive market space is at the intersection of successful business and lasting social impact. Traditionally these two spheres were considered separate, but the two can be pursued simultaneously via Blue Ocean Strategy. Periodically, we feature stories which illustrate stimulating ventures, ideas and concepts targeting this very market space.

This week we select the story: Turning toilet wastewater into electricity .

Do you know of other companies, organizations or business visionaries sailing along the intersection of good business and social good? Share your ideas with the Creating Blue Oceans Community.

[Image via Dexter Browne.]

Our Favorite TED Videos

In the coming weeks, we will feature a selection of inspiring videos from past and present TED and TEDx talks.

This week we select the video “How to live before you die” featuring Steve Jobs.  From TED: “At his Stanford University commencement speech, Steve Jobs, CEO and co-founder of Apple and Pixar, urges us to pursue our dreams and see the opportunities in life's setbacks — including death itself...”

Do you have a favorite TED talk which you think should be featured on Creating Blue Oceans?  Let us know via the 'email me' tab in the upper left-hand corner.

About Steve Jobs
The pundits of Silicon Valley have a term for Steve Jobs' charisma: the reality distortion field. But the truth is, most of us like living in Jobs' reality, where exquisite design and sheer utility make for some addictively usable tools.

Jobs' famous persuasive power is equalled by his creativity and business brilliance — apparent in legendary hardware and software achievements across three decades of work. The Macintosh computer (which brought the mouse-driven, graphical user interface to prominence), Pixar Animation Studios (which produced Toy Story, the first fully-3D-animated feature film), the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad (and who knows what's next?) all owe credit to Jobs' leadership and invention.

In recent years, Jobs has battled with a rare form of pancreatic cancer — adding to an epic life story that mirrors the story of Apple itself: ever the underdog, ever the spectacular success.

[Video via TED. ]

The Perfect Calm Series: How to power the energy innovation lifecycle

One of the most exciting spheres of application for Blue Ocean Strategy is the realm of Social Capitalism. This explosive market space is at the intersection of successful business and lasting social impact. Traditionally these two spheres were considered separate, but the two can be pursued simultaneously via Blue Ocean Strategy. Periodically, we feature stories which illustrate stimulating ventures, ideas and concepts targeting this very market space.

This week we select the story: How to power the innovation energy lifecycle .

Do you know of other companies, organizations or business visionaries sailing along the intersection of good business and social good? Share your ideas with the Creating Blue Oceans Community.

[Image via Extra Zebra.]

Ideas worth spreading: Measuring what makes life worthwhile

In the coming weeks, we will feature a selection of inspiring videos from past and present TED and TEDx talks. 

This week we select the video “Measuring what makes life worthwhile” featuring Chip Conley.  From TED: “When the dotcom bubble burst, hotelier Chip Conley went in search of a business model based on happiness. In an old friendship with an employee and in the wisdom of a Buddhist king, he learned that success comes from what you count.”

Do you have a favorite TED talk which you think should be featured on Creating Blue Oceans?  Let us know via the 'email me' tab in the upper left-hand corner.

About Chip Conley

In 1987, at the age of 26 and seeking a little "joy of life," Chip Conley founded Joie de Vivre Hospitality by transforming a small motel in San Francisco’s seedy Tenderloin district into the now-legendary Phoenix. Today, Joie de Vivre operates nearly 40 unique hotels across California, each built on an innovative design formula that inspires guests to experience an "identity refreshment" during their visits.

[Video via TED.]