MESSAGE FOR WEEK BEGINNING 23rd April 2001

..new ideas and business..

All businesses start out with an idea. The idea may not be very original. The idea may copy exactly what someone else is already doing and aim for a share of the market.

The idea has to provide value for the proposed customer. The idea has to be feasible. Finally, the idea has to be profitable.

But once a business is up and running then new ideas are seen as a risk. The psychology of risk taking suggests that as soon as there is something to lose then people become very risk averse.

Most corporations could double their profits with a good idea. Once a corporation is running effectively, with skilled people', a distribution system and a productive capacity then is the time to welcome new ideas.

Problem-solving, efficiency and new idea creation are all very different activities. Only the first two are taken seriously.

Edward de Bono nmt
22nd April 2001
Canada