Thinking the Future.

Not for sale! Britain has a football problem. The Football Association (FA) – which oversees British football – has 91 000 affiliated clubs in 1 100 leagues. Most are ‘grassroots clubs’ in small towns and cities. Because of funding cuts to local authorities, pitches and facilities are becoming neglected. Last year, more than 147,000 grassroots…

Flying cow art by the legendary Barry Downard. Used with permission. See more of his work here.   Like cattle to the slaughter Nothing says you’re successful in business like a corner office with a view. For everyone else, there’s the bullpen. And you don’t want to be in the bullpen. Successful startups usually begin…

This is going to hurt. Saying “we need a turnaround strategy” is a little like saying, “we need some water”…because you’re on fire! It is a scream of panic wrapped in jargon whisper. It’s also the start of a game of pain. Essentially a turnaround strategy is an admission that the direction a company has…

Icebreakers no longer needed. A dramatic and unfortunate game is playing north – way up north – and it’s pitting economics against the environment. Last month, the Arctic Ocean – normally a no-go area for all but the bravest of sailors in specially-constructed icebreakers – saw the first ever container ship slip alone, and somewhat…

Funny money Whereas some games have been around since humanoids dragged their knuckles across the plains of Africa, others have only emerged since those knuckles have wrapped around cellphones. Imaginary money is one of them. Standard (fiat) currencies such as pounds, dollars and rands are issued – and, importantly, backed – by central banks or…

A massacre in the wings A cat-and-mouse game is about to become a massacre. For the last 7 years, forces of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria – backed by Iran and Russia – have been pursuing rebel forces holding out in towns around the country. The towns, and the civilians within them, have been…