Morning Advantage: The Real Loser in the Jeremy Lin Saga
HBR.org 2012-07-20
The National Basketball Association's New York Knicks hit gold last year when Jeremy Lin transformed into a superstar in just two short weeks. Now "Linsanity" may be in jeopardy. The unlikely Harvard-grad hero just signed a huge $25 million contract with the Houston Rockets, and the Knicks declined to match the offer. It's a risky business move for both teams, and according to Fortune's Alex Konrad, the winner is anyone's guess. Yes, Lin will boost ticket sales for the Rockets, but his marketing impact may not be as great as one would think. Since the league pools its merchandising and TV revenue, the Rockets will get a relatively small cut of the action and the rest will be shared with other teams. Then consider the Knicks. Last year, they alone drove 38% of the market share of league revenue last year — due in no small part to Lin. That’s a huge windfall, but if Linsanity doesn't take hold in Houston, the league may take a financial hit. So every team should break out their Rockets caps. Even Lin's former employer.
An Industry Scorecard on Big Data Business Challenges (Oracle)
Oracle recently surveyed 333 executives across 11 industries to gauge the growth of Big Data. The good news is that companies are collecting 86% more data than they were two years ago. The bad news: they’re having trouble keeping up with the deluge. Ninety-three percent of the executives surveyed said their organizations are losing revenue because they can’t take full advantage of the date they collect. Everyone (well 97%) agreed that improving “information optimization” should be a top priority over the next two years. Least prepared for the future are the public sector, healthcare, and utilities industries. The best? The communications industry. They graded themselves an A.
What Pet-Friendly Workplaces Can Do For Your Business (Fast Company)
It’s Friday, so let’s end on a high note. In this post, Denis Wilson discusses the benefits of animal companionship in the office. He details a number of studies that have shown dogs to be catalysts for collaboration and trust-building among colleagues. And if you need more ammo for your pro-dog campaign, Wilson argues that his own pooch, Louie, kept him to a regimented schedule and increased his productivity. Everyone wins.
Couch Potatoes
The World’s Laziest Countries (The Economist) Six Walmart Heirs Hold More Wealth Than 42% of Americans Combined (Mother Jones) Slideshow: 6 Big Tech Debuts for 2013 (Inc.)