Autocatalysing innovations
Autocatalysing innovations are innovations whose outputs lead to a virtuous cycle of further adoption and innovation. Steam engines The earliest steam engines were used to… Read More »Autocatalysing innovations
Stuart Patience
“The successes pay for the failures”
They say that publishing works on this basis, with the most successful books subsidising the disappointments. Within the limits of publishing’s Rule Number One (“Remain… Read More »“The successes pay for the failures”
Innovation as network phenomenon: Matt Ridley on who invented the motor car
So who invented the motor car running on an internal combustion engine? Like the steam engine – and as I will show later, the computer… Read More »Innovation as network phenomenon: Matt Ridley on who invented the motor car
Contribution
Skimming a book of biographies of mathematicians I see few originators but many contributors: “She advanced the study of…” “He made many invaluable contributions…” “He… Read More »Contribution
A non-trivial improvement
How much of an impact does a project need to have? How much change is necessary for the work to be worth it? What you… Read More »A non-trivial improvement
Our problem
They say a problem shared is a problem halved, but it gets better than that: some burdens feel much less than half as light when… Read More »Our problem
Strategy (7): interlude – strategy and scarcity
This is the seventh post in a series – start here. There will never be enough time, tools, people, or other resources to achieve everything… Read More »Strategy (7): interlude – strategy and scarcity
Would I click on this?
… is an excellent question to ask yourself when you write, share, promote something. Would I use this term to search for this? Would I… Read More »Would I click on this?
The way forward (local maximum)
A local maximum is a high-point that’s lower than other peaks, like a small hill on the edge of a mountain range. At a local… Read More »The way forward (local maximum)
Tacit knowledge
What is tacit knowledge? Wikipedia says, “Tacit knowledge or implicit knowledge (as opposed to formal, codified or explicit knowledge) is the kind of knowledge that… Read More »Tacit knowledge