Olivier Trippet évoque la théorie de la poubelle que je ne connaissais pas.

Dans la théorie classique on présuppose que, face � un problème, les décideurs élaborent rationnellement une solution adéquate. Voici le problème, cherchons la solution. Mais selon les observations de March et de ses collaborateurs, le processus de décision ne se déroule pas ainsi. Il s’agirait plutôt de mettre en concordance des solutions pré-existentes avec des problèmes… Les décideurs puiseraient ainsi, dans une vaste poubelle, des solutions en quête de problèmes.

Lien

Je trouve cette observation très intéressante, et elle compte en effet une part importante de vérité. Mais pourquoi avoir appelé ça la théorie de la poubelle (ce qui donne fatalement une connotation péjorative � l’ensemble)?

Il est clair qu’on devrait fonctionner dans l’autre sens, mais appliquer une solution connue � un problème connu n’est pas forcément un ratage assuré non?

Fortune did a fascinating parallel, examining “seven old business rules whose shortcomings have become apparent” and proposing “seven replacements that point toward a new model for success”. Some of the pearls of wisdom of gurus like Jack Welch did not stand the test of the Internet. It is time to unlearn and build economy 2.0.

Link (via Slashdot)

PS: I created a PDF of this article, get it here (try to print from the Fortune website and you will thank me ;-)

Neville Isdell, Chairman, CEO, The Coca-Cola Company:

“Information is the lifeblood of the company”

Link

Not brand, not supply chain, not production. Information.

Neil Rimer (from Index Ventures) gives five tips for working with European entrepreneurs.

2. Help to de-risk the riskiest endeavor of their lives

Being an entrepreneur in Europe is a huge deal. Unlike in Silicon Valley, where being an entrepreneur is lauded, being an entrepreneur in Europe is viewed as a big risk – especially if you fail. It’s harder to re-integrate after a business fails, so learn how to structure a deal with that in mind. You have to learn how to “de-risk” an endeavor that is likely to be the riskiest deal in someone’s life.

North American investors need to adapt to a new reality where Silicon Valley is less attractive and, for the first time (and not the last, Brazil Russia India China!), they have to cope with the local culture. Not the opposite.

(via the alarm:clock euro)

Tom Coates wrote a long post about Paul Graham’s latest meme-speech (seems every time he steps on a conference stage a meme starts). This time Graham talked about what it would take to replicate the silicon valley, and came up with a few simple points (at least on paper).

All you need is the right 10’00 people and a country that:

1. Allows immigration
2. Isn’t a poor country
3. Not a police state
4. High quality universities
5. You can fire people
6. Attitudes that don’t associate ‘working’ with being employed
7. Not anal about business regulations
8. Huge domestic market
9. High levels of funding
10. People comfortable with career switching

France and Germany are behind on at least five counts (business regulations, firing people, attitude, career switching, funding), Switzerland on minimum three (immigration, huge domestic market, career switching). Asia? Police state, poor country, quality universities… No time to rest.

Every region has different problems, it will be an interesting race (and I have already explained my stance here).

Ebay’s strategy for Skype and PayPal is getting clearer, and now starts to make a lot of sense.

Skype has integrated Paypal money transfer. Both Paypal and Skype are owned by eBay. The sheer simplicity of this is compelling. Note there are no banks involved in this transaction, but there are over 100 million Skype and Paypal users worldwide and growing.

Link from the excellent bankwatch

The alarm clock reports that 2006 will be a record year for tech investment in Europe.

Link

The list would be even more impressive if Switzerland was included. What else will it take for you to start a company?

For LIFT we thought we would write a small intro on every single speaker, explaining why we invited this particular person and who should attend her/his talk. When I explained why Robert Scoble was among our guests, I wrote:

[…] by mixing tech-savvy comments, smart analysis and objective self-critics he has managed to not only change people’s view, but also mentalities inside the company. Did you realize that a single person’s attitude, when relayed by a blog, can spread that much?

Link

Having seen my share of large companies I always felt a huge frustration of being a third wave guy living in a second wave system. I never found a method to establish my way of working, nor did I have the patience to have a constructive approach. That’s why I am fascinated by the work Robert does at Microsoft – lately exemplified by this inspiring post – where he basically breaks all the rules of the old world (when was the last time you lessoned your boss?), endangers himself to some extent, just to try to make something happen.

I don’t want to get into the debate about the substance of his post – yes it can be discussed over and over – but I am really impressed by the form, and I see the future of the employer/employee relationship in his work.

So the valley is quite cold in march (the sunny state label is overrated but it’s a special la nina year), has an official uniform (blue button-down shirt and khakis) and some doors that you should feel lucky to have crossed.

It is both interesting and terrifying when you get to meet the guys who funded hotmail. This place is a constant learning and humbling experience.

One of the sectors I thought as absolutely unable to benefit from blogs is the banking industry.

These people sell secret, controlled, individual, formal and often complex services. Just the opposite of what blogs are, an open, decentralized, one to many, transparent and informal medium.

Seems I was wrong: Wells Fargo just launched a blog (via Micropersuasion). They don’t yet use it to promote their services – instead choosing to talk exclusively about some historic celebration they are involved in – but it is certainly an experiment to follow. And I am sure this small step has already started a huge internal debate so the seed has been planted. How will traditionally closed and centralized businesses cope with the social and interactive revolution?