Gandhian Engineering
Do you need to sacrifice quality or features to produce an inexpensive product? Should only the world's richest people be able to afford the newest technologies? Is developing technology only about making a profit? The answer to such questions is a resounding no, according a fairly new concept called Gandhian engineering. Embracing Mahatma Gandhi's ideal of "doing more, for less, for more," the g... posted on Feb 25 2010, 3,829 reads

5 Ways to Start a Kindness Revolution at Work
We spend around 2,000 hours a year with our coworkers. Given how much time we spend with them, a little bit of kindness can really go a long way. It doesn't require any money or training, and you can start right away either individually or as a team. That's the beauty of it! Leading by example, putting an end to petty criticism, welcoming new employees with open arms and recognizing the strengt... posted on Feb 19 2010, 8,874 reads

No Laptops Allowed At This Cafe
A North Oakland cafe is trying something revolutionary. No, it's not fat-free croissants or half-price lattes. The owner is asking customers to leave their laptops at home and actually speak to each other! "When we opened this place we wanted to create a community. Instead it's just been a room full of laptops," said Sal Bednarz, who opened Actual Cafe six weeks ago in Oakland. "I don't have anyt... posted on Feb 18 2010, 3,508 reads

The Zero Rupee Note
A zero-sum game is one in which the gains of one player are exactly balanced by the losses of another. In India a local NGO has invented a new sort of zero sum which, it hopes, will leave everyone better off: the zero-rupee note. The note is not legal tender. It is simply a piece of paper the colour of a 50-rupee note with a picture of Gandhi on it and a value of nothing. Its aim is to shame corr... posted on Feb 16 2010, 5,655 reads

To Be A Better Leader: Give Up Authority
In chaotic times, an executive's instinct may be to strive for greater efficiency by tightening control. But the truth is that relinquishing authority and giving employees considerable autonomy can boost innovation and success at knowledge firms, even during crises. Our research provides hard evidence that leaders who give in to the urge to clamp down can end up doing their companies a serious dis... posted on Feb 03 2010, 6,326 reads

70 Words of Wisdom for 2010
Seth Godin, the innovator, writer, and blogger extraordinaire, persuaded 70 other innovators, writers, and bloggers to participate in a project he calls What Matters Now.The idea is simple: Each of us suggests one word -- literally one word -- that all of us should think about in 2010, and then takes one page to explain why and how that word matters. The result is an intriguing, inspiring, and at ... posted on Feb 02 2010, 13,413 reads

Why Wise Leaders Don't Know Too Much
"Could it be that knowledge is overrated? Don't get me wrong -- knowledge is a good thing. But there is a point at which it may be bad. Even the sturdiest shelf crumbles under the weight of too many books." In this thought-provoking article, Jeffrey M. Stibel, an entrepreneur and brain scientist shares more about the 'knowledge trap'.... posted on Jan 20 2010, 6,814 reads

Markets With A Social Mission
Around the world, social stock exchanges are launching to connect donors and investors with non-profits and businesses with a social mission, in the same way traditional markets present businesses and products to investors. "This is a cultural phenomenon," says Daniel Crisafulli, director of ecosystem investments and partnerships at the Skoll Foundation, a California-based philanthropic organizati... posted on Dec 25 2009, 2,850 reads

Wired To Care
In his recent book, "Wired to Care: How Companies Prosper When They Create Widespread Empathy," CEO Dev Patnaik argues that it is not the lack of innovation that hampers companies, but the "empathy gap" -- the chasm between employees in organizations and the people that they serve. Companies, he said, "do a good job of stamping empathy out of employees, then are surprised when employees make poor ... posted on Dec 12 2009, 3,358 reads

NeighborGoods
If you have a lawnmower, you may use it for five to 10 minutes during a two-week span. The rest of the time it simply takes up space in the garage while your mower-less neighbors are fretting about the jungles of grass in front of their homes. NeighborGoods launched last week in Los Angeles as an online community that allows people to freely share, borrow, and lend the things they already own wit... posted on Nov 24 2009, 2,526 reads