Social Networking on Four Legs

A recent article in MIT’s Technology Review, Social Networking for Dogs, covers a startup called Social Networking In Fur (SNIF) Labs.  SNIF’s chip technology enables dog owners to connect with each other, and with their dog by monitoring the dog’s daily activities. Soon, people will be able to rush home from work just when the dog need relief or suddenly gets sick.  In fact, they will probably know more about their dog than their other family members.

SNIF’s tags are slanted for sale in November this year.  More information can be found at their website.

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Energy Conversation: Bank of America and Sustainability

also by Alex Hershey and Tristan Becker

In our previous post, Energy: A Conversation about our National Addiction, we discussed the Department of Defense’s monthly lecture series which is dedicated towards bringing together a large number of senior leaders, academics, and researchers, from both inside and outside the government to listen, learn, connect, share, and collaborate on energy related issues. Each conference invites a new upper-level executive or academic to speak to the group on a topic of their expertise. Topics vary from energy efficiency, the emergence of photovoltaic technologies for military/commercial applications, conversion of waste byproducts into fuel, climate change, water security and agriculture.

The most recent conference featured renowned architect Bob Fox of Cook & Fox Associates. Fox is celebrated for his work on “Green” building projects, the most recent and revolutionary of which being the new billion dollar Bank of America Tower in midtown Manhattan. Standing at a height of 1,200 feet, One Bryant Park will be the second tallest building in New York, featuring an array of environmentally friendly materials and processes that will make it the world’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certified skyscraper.

In his presentation, Fox explained the importance of sustainability to our future. With nearly two “New York Cities” being built each year in China alone, booming third world populations who want exactly what America has, it is imperative that building designs embrace sustainability immediately. With over 65% of total U.S. energy consumption going into commercial buildings, and over 30% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions coming from them, this project represents a trend that will substantially help to reduce commercial energy consumption in future years, setting a precedent that all other commercial buildings can follow.

Fox and his colleagues have incorporated a massive amount of environmentally-friendly design techniques into One Bryant Park. From waterless urinals to rain harvesting systems, from recycled structural materials to ultra-purifying air filters, from floor to ceiling insulated windows to LED lighting, from an Ice Farm cellar used for air conditioning to a heated-energy-chimney-capture system, this building has it all. Each of these designs has a very competitive payback period when taking into account energy saved and tax credits granted.

In addition to efficiency, One Bryant Park also has a tremendous aesthetic appeal which Fox explained will increase worker productivity and contribute to the building payback period in the form of Bank of America profit. The building boasts an Urban Garden Room, a glass-enclosed subway entrance, and ‘ice falls’ that create an inviting atmosphere where the indoors and the outdoors become one. Workers will breathe purified air, they will be able to adjust their very own thermostat, enjoy natural sunlight, and observe prominent views of the adjacent Park that is its namesake.

Fox is committed to changing the way we all view sustainability in the future. In doing so, all environmental benefits incorporated into One Bryant Park will be thoroughly documented for the public to view over the internet. Our hats go off to Bob Fox and Bank of America for aggressively pursuing a sustainable future for everyone.

Please attend the next Energy Conversation on the economics of energy in Agriculture.

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Of Moonlighting Police and Innovation

Recently, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette featured an interesting story around innovations within the Pittsburgh police department. From the article we learn:

“The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police yesterday finalized its new method of handling side jobs for moonlighting officers who provide security at banks, bars, ballparks and other businesses. The bureau will use a computerized system to keep track of all off-duty details and charge employers $3.85 per hour per officer, a policy that went into effect on Monday for the Pirates’ home opener. Previously, if a business wanted to rent off-duty city police, it would contact one of several officers who ran their own security networks. That person would line up officers for the job in return for a cut of the pay.”

This concept makes a great deal of sense as local law enforcement has quickly become the eyes and ears of Homeland Security and even National Security within their communities. In addition, the police already engage in outside enforcement exercises where the costs are not easily tracked and fall outside of the standard 40 hour work week.

We have written about law enforcement innovation many times on this blog and have sought the expertise of Dr. Paul O’Connell to offer his assessment of the utility of this concept. Dr. O’Connell is a leading expert on the Compstat system that helped transform operations of the New York City police force. In an email exchange with Dr. O’Connell he said:

“This is a new application of a Compstat-like system. I haven’t seen it before. It makes sense and was a long time in coming.

Departments have traditionally struggled with this issue, having cops perform “security-related” jobs off duty. In New York State for example, some police officers actually ride around in patrol cars in OTHER jurisdictions as “part-time” police officers. This is very cost-efficient for the secondary employer, but places the original employer at great risk, from a liability standpoint. Departments have attempted to limit this practice, but it is often a bargained-for item in their collective bargaining agreement or, at the very least, a firmly engrained practice. To change this practice, you really need to change the culture.

This is another example of how “just counting, can bring about a positive change.” By seeing who is doing this, when and where, the employers can discern certain patterns that will inform their decisions regarding allowing this practice. It’s also a good way to see who is calling in sick after “racking up the overtime” during their regular days off. This is behavior that certainly needs to be monitored, and it seems reasonable that outside employers seeking to employee these people “as police officers” should be asked to pay a moderate fee for that right. As the article says, it’s used to offset insurance costs, etc. that are being incurred and borne by the original employer/jurisdiction.

There is no new technology or process involved here. It’s simply an example of inventive application of a Compstst-like system.– a good use of imagination and innovation.”

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Service Innovation - The New Business

While most everyone is familiar with product innovation, few are conscious of service innovation. However, the latest statistics from Peer Insight, a service-innovation research firm, reveal that service industries are rapidly overtaking product industries as the most prevalent and profitable forms of business. As the service industry grows, so to do consumer expectations. Increasingly, customers weigh the services that come along with products they purchase, such as the ‘Geek Squad’ support that comes with many products purchased at Best Buy, when deciding whether or not to purchase more expensive products, such as homes or electronics.

This change in the market’s attitude has drawn the attention of executives at IBM, who organized the SRI Initiative; a consortium of academics and executives from both the public and private sector, who gather to consider the effects of service innovation on the broader business community.

For more information on service innovation and SRI’s vision statement, read Reena Jana’s article in Business Week and visit the SRI Initiative website.

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Can a Company Be Run as a Democracy?

Ternary Software Inc. is a small company with a very interesting approach to management. Ternary runs itself as a democracy, and requires that all decisions are made unanimously by employees who have voiced their opinion to the issue at hand. CEO Brian Robertson says that ever since switching to a democratic management style, Ternary has enjoyed a quicker decision process, added employee buy-in, and increased innovation. As for his role as the chief executive officer and facilitator for employee consensus, Robertson says, “It takes getting beyond your ego.”

Several other companies use similar management strategies systems, but none to the extent of a unanimous agreement policy. Google Inc. prides itself on an egalitarian culture that encourages executives to field questions from employees on a weekly basis. Honest Tea Inc. shares its financials with employees in hopes that they will contribute to annual planning and strategy meetings. Each of these companies value the diverse perspectives and ideas that reside in there very own organization, and are determined to tap into this potential.

Ryan Quinn, a management professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business, believes that these unorthodox practices can succeed at both small and large organizations if the company is willing to sacrifice some profits in the short-term, and pursue innovation and other goals that might pay off later.  To the contrary, Harry Katz, dean of Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, feels that Ternary’s management strategy can only exist in smaller companies because of conflicts of interest between management and employees. Either way, Ternary’s democratic management style is worth the debate as it bespeaks to the continual shift away from the traditional top-down management practices to a style that better embodies the “diversity of the crowds.” In this case, the diversity of the crowds is coming from within the organization.

Please read the Wall St. Journal article, “Can a Company Be Run as a Democracy?” [1] [2]

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