Week 3:5<\/p>\n
I listened to a politician talk today.<\/strong>\u00a0 And I wonder when it is that I start talking with so much jargon that the uninitiated simply zone out?\u00a0 The topic was technology and innovation and the event was hosted by the YMCA.\u00a0 The result was that from one end the politician spoke about policy (changing), productivity (going up) and the squeezed middle. \u00a0And from the other end the YMCA was talking about particular cases; speaking with startling granularity about getting the children of families which are the fourth generation unemployed into work.\u00a0 Technology happens in the middle, between these extremes.<\/p>\n With some practise the squeezed middle should be able to become the toned middle.<\/p>\n Quotes from speakers:<\/p>\n (retired engineer, serial industrialist) There has been a linear decline in manufacturing since 1997 and, unlike Northern Europe; the UK has a negative balance of payments.\u00a0 The UK should be making its own clothes, cups and saucers… pacemakers! We can now change to a 4 day working week.<\/p>\n (strategist at IPPR North) We must use what we have around us.\u00a0 She has evidence of the benefits that accrue to companies who work with universities.\u00a0 This should be made easier to do.\u00a0 Example of Finland.<\/p>\n (catapult centre) We make progress by converting inventions into things that we use.\u00a0 Practical things.\u00a0 Opportunities exist in optimising processes for cost of energy \/ raw materials conversion to recycle or re-use waste \/ convert from fossil fuel sources to natural sources.\u00a0 Where are the national labs that fuel innovation? \u201cI need people who can do things and universities do not provide people who can do things.\u201d<\/p>\n Medium sized (family) businesses need to be able to access innovation.<\/p>\n Local systems create local social capital.<\/p>\n And in other news.<\/strong><\/p>\n If I have a business idea, what then?\u00a0 The sorts of ideas that I have always have to do with problems that I encounter or particular needs that I have.\u00a0 On the Magic Whiteboard above my desk I am collating information about a possible bit of technology that I call the bicycle friendly car.\u00a0 That leads from my cycling (and driving) experiences.\u00a0 But today\u2019s problem… or rather yesterday\u2019s problem that I was solving on my way in today… is: cycling to school yesterday I dropped my youngest son\u2019s lunch bag and school bag (they had been strapped to the bike carrier but came loose behind me and leaped off.\u00a0 I realised this when we reached school and I went back along our path where I found the lunch neatly put aside<\/p>\n Working with a team member.<\/strong>\u00a0 How fabulous is that?\u00a0 I forget and then remember because really I can\u2019t know that I forgot something until I remember it.\u00a0 Right?\u00a0 There is a luxurious aspect to working in a team, at an office.\u00a0 The desk is set up; the laundry does not need doing, and all that but the best bit, the bit that makes working good, is people.\u00a0 There is a team and I don\u2019t have to do all the bits.\u00a0 She is doing the data mining and I am doing the crafting of the information.\u00a0 And she says, this is good and we need a bit more there.\u00a0 We create something bigger.\u00a0 We create a piece of the universe that did not exist before.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t Follow Me I am Breaking the Rules<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Week 3:5 I listened to a politician talk today.\u00a0 And I wonder when it is that I start talking with so much jargon that the uninitiated simply zone out?\u00a0 The topic was technology and innovation and the event was hosted by the YMCA.\u00a0 The result was that from one end the politician spoke about policy … Continue reading The Toned Middle<\/span>