Monday, October 18, 2004
Carnival of the Capitalists Anniversary, Part 2
A year ago, Carnival of the Capitalists was one of the foremost things on my mind. Today, CotC takes second place, at least, as I have a “distraction” I would never have predicted then:
I could recycle the CotC graphics I created last year, but Sadie is much cuter. I’m sure if she could type, or even talk, she would join me in welcoming you to the 54th Carnival of the Capitalists. If I counted right, there are thirty-five excellent entries this week.
Since this is the anniversary of the second week of CotC, when who knew what would happen with it, I was planning to write extensively on the history, where we’ve been, where we may be going… heck, I was going to completely revamp the Carnival of the Capitalists hosts and information page, as it has been needing. Well, see that picture above… yeah, the 19 day old little center of the universe makes things interesting.
Worse, I always advise people to start compiling CotC early when they are hosting. Oops. It’s almost 5:00 AM and I have been at this for the bulk of eight hours to get the great links here organized and described. So here’s what I will do. Rather than crowd this with commentary, or delay it, I will put some closing remarks at the end of this post, and put the bulk of anything I have to say in a separate post, linked as an entry. Which makes the count 36. Since I’d like to sleep, I will put almost nothing in that post until later today, so I invite you to check it again.
Now, about the layout here. People seem to like categories. I tried to do categories, laid everything out into what I thought might be appropriate named categories, then left them in that order but chose to remove the demarcations. Thus if a post is in a category you like, an adjacent zero or more posts may be in the same category. The largest number could be described as “Marketing” posts.
Each entry has a link to the main blog, followed by a link to the post, followed by a blurb describing or excerpting to tantalize you into wanting to go read. Some of them were provided by the entrants (bless you!), some by me, and some are a combination. In one case, I wrote a blurb, then realized I didn’t need to, but used mine anyway.
Without further words of mine between you and the entries, here’s the good stuff:
Reflections on how Carnival of the Capitalists began, the course of the first year, and perhaps where it might go in the future. Initially incomplete, to be expanded later so check back if it’s not labeled as done.
The ETI repeal bill is a big deal. It will provide an huge and complicated new tax break for “producers”—manufacturers, farmers, construction, and some related businesses. It also provides some narrow tax breaks that will be huge to affected industries. This post concentrates on the new deduction for “producers.”
A look at the post-industrial economy and how things continue to change when knowledge is the means of productions.
Jim Stroup reviews a book recommended to him by Professor John Adair, in response to his reading of Jim’s recent book, Managing Leadership, in which Adair’s Action-Centered Leadership model is discussed.
This post provides a ten question self-assessment in regards to the quality of Customer Service a business is providing. Important stuff.
Interesting discussion of how mobile operators should encourage innovation in the mobile/cell phone sector, while keeping their main focus on core competencies they do best. This is undoubtedly not the only industry to which the suggested approach could apply.
Examines why David H. Maister’s book, Managing the Professional Services Firm has applicability to corporate change efforts and their dismal record of success.
In a panel discussion with 5 successful entrepreneurs who founded or were executives with internet based businesses before or during the dot-com euphoria, we get these fundamentals to starting a business: clarity of concept, good people, prudence, perseverance and unique business approach. These were not often cited during the boom time as what was required to build businesses in the new economy, but turns out the old ways still worked pretty well.
Is the recent run up in oil prices sufficient to tip the economy into recession? The ECRI’s Weekly Leading Index (an index of leading economic indicators) indicates that the answer is no. However, economic growth will be slow for sometime. Further, Steve reminds us that the so called “record” prices for oil are not records when one accounts for inflation.
Arnold Kling’s habit is to post topics for discussion. A question he has recently posted is: Fifteen years from now, do you think that energy costs will be higher or lower than they are today? Tex discusses the factors involved.
On the danger of seeing correlation and assuming causation inappropriately, in investments and economic predictions, as well as political matters. Ultimately, gasoline is indicated as an appropriate example.
Jim posits a theory regarding undermeasurement of the massive productivity improvements of recent years, and the benefits that accrue to workers who keep part of the gain to themselves.
A brief analysis on how to cash in on one of the government’s most popular social service catastrophes.
Jeff discussed the challenges of being in business with a spouse, which for some is best avoided.
While the public is calling for increased accountability and transparency from publications, media of all kinds still need to consider their bottom line and their places in their communities. This is a far more complex situation than most people realize, when you consider media outlets as businesses.
Kirsten takes a good looks at the performance of businesses own majority by women versus equally by men and women, and finds there remains room for improvement.
Wal-Mart overcomes the impediments and roadblocks and continues to grow because it is “the better mousetrap” of the retail world. The company is the top retailer in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. with significant and growing presence in Europe, Asia, and South America.
Executives with excessive egos may wind up paying too much for acquisitions.
Arnold Kling discusses what it would take to move to market-based healthcare, changing both current regulatory and private aspects of what is, after all, a business.
An Ogre’s tale of how the government, the real ogre in the story, has caused vaccine shortages by interfering with the magic of capitalism. I noticed the author had a followup post on the topic of flu vaccine availability: Only Rich to get Flu.
Does imposition/increase of minimum wage increase youth unemployment? Is water wet?
Patri Friedman analyzes the reasons why the Dutch government has a surplus of marijuana and takes apart government officials’ puzzled reactions.
Extensive, entertaining advice on how to market to women who are shopping online, and how it may differ from catering to men. For starters, don’t get the wrong impression of the women who come to shop at your site based on the depiction of “babes” on TV and in advertising.
Useful advice for marketing online to an international audience, in which there are considerations easily overlooked.
Excerpt: Mixing cinematic metaphors in an homage to Field of Dreams and Bullitt, Ford is bringing Steve McQueen back to life in an advertising campaign the company hopes will revive the aging Mustang brand.
Marketers are struggling to get a handle on digital technology embraced by consumers. This includes our favorite foil for traditional media and ways of doing things, blogs.
Wayne discusses the promotional possibilities of not merely link-swapping, but content-swapping. Doing so with other businesses that are not direct competitors sounds almost like a virtual version of BNI.
Guest poster and motorcycle industry expert John Wyckoff analyzes the re-birth of the motorcycle chopper - how it is fueled by reality TV shows, and the corresponding decline in “coolness” of Harleys.
How market forces—rather than the nature of the audience—causes most talk radio programming to emphasize opinion over research. The same market forces will also tend to drive newspapers toward heavy opinion content and will tend to make political conservatives hate NPR more as a consequence of *decreased* government funding for public broadcasting.
McDonald’s UK is temporarily replacing the Golden Arches with a question mark, to promote their new line-up of healthful offerings, and to try to replicate the success they’ve had with them in the US.
Jason, the proprietor of the Rednersville Country Store, is using the Rednersville Loyalist blog to answer the question everyone asks about antiques, “What the heck is this?” This is a fascinating example of the use of a blog to promote and intrigue people about a business.
In short, it’s a new, simplified way to invest, with potential to shake things up from the way they are currently done. As the author described it in his submission:
This past week Ameritrade announced a new type of brokerage account that allocates an investor’s assets among exchange-traded funds (ETFs) based on the investor’s tolerance for risk. I argue - and this analysis is unique and did not appear anywhere else online or in print - that this is an enormously significant development for investors and professional money managers. For regular investors, this kind of account is the cheapest and best way to invest in stocks for the long run. For money managers, the low fees are a serious threat to other forms of investments.
Phil says:
I did a post last week on how a mathematician may have unlocked the secrets of predicting a crash in the financial markets buy studying the digits of Pi. No, seriously!
Howard Stern may be running afoul of legal constraints by promoting his future gig via his current one. How could that be? Professor Bainbridge explains.
Review and summary of a presentation regarding the role of HR in a business, which should be beneficial to productivity and business goals, rather than a cost center and target of derisive humor, as is all too common and, worse, deserved.
This comprehensive, practical post addresses the nuts and bolts of workers comp, from getting an insurer, to the all-important topic of experience mods, to managing claims. A voice of experience, sharing what nobody bothers to teach.
There you have it. The next edition, dated October 25, will be hosted by The Big Picture. Send your entries to cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com or capitalists -at- elhide -dot- com. Please remember to use one of these addresses, rather than sending to me, Rob, or whoever you think is this week’s host.
The ideal entry includes the following:
Name of blog
URL of blog
Title of post
URL of post
Brief description that might be usable in CotC, or might help the host understand the post and why it is entered, if the topic is esoteric or it might not be clear how the post qualifies as business or economics related.
Including the entire text of your entered post is optional. Some hosts may find it more convenient than others, and it’s insurance against your blog being down right at the time the host compiles the entries.
For a list of future hosts, and details about CotC, including what types of topics are considered business and economics, you can always check the Carnival of the Capitalists page.
Past CotC locations are listed at the past locations page, appropriately enough.
I would like to thank Bigwig for creating Carnival of the Vanities and inspiring Carnival of the Capitalists. At that link you can see a list of upcoming CotV locations, plus a list of various memes inspired by CotV. He has graciously included CotC in that list or otherwise linked it since our early days.
I would like to thank Glenn Reynolds for reading a relatively verbose description of CotC a mere two days after Rob hit me with the idea, expressing enthusiasm, and going on to link almost every week’s edition. That brings a lot of mainstream readership to business writings that might otherwise have a far smaller audience.
I would like to thank all the people who have hosted, who have volunteered to host in the future, and who have contributed posts. Not to mention Rob, for having the idea and letting me run with it. Plus anyone I’ve forgotten!
Here’s to more great years of Carnival of the Capitalists....