How the Apple store lost its ‘wow factor’
Apple is not just a giant of technology; it has also grown into one of the biggest American retailers, with more than 500 stores across five continents. But the shine of its signature stores has dimmed, and they’re facing a pivotal moment — even before Apple announced this week that its retail chief will soon depart.
Industry analysts say that the same product woes and slowed upgrade cycle that have led to Apple’s declining sales are reflected in the waning perception of the stores themselves — with a focus on iterations of marquee products that no longer dazzle and lack immersive, loyalty-inspiring experiences.
WASHINGTON POST
Canada’s plan to counter foreign interference is a good start, but the work’s not done
For Western nations, the threat of foreign interference doesn’t just mean bad actors working to affect the outcome of an election, but also the systematic undermining of our democracy by sowing discord and breaking down trust in our institutions, media and society. And with a federal election looming, Canada needs to know that it is a target for the kind of attacks we’ve already seen in Europe and the United States in recent years.
GLOBE AND MAIL
Strategy Talk: How to Help Your Team Get More Creative
I applaud your efforts to demand creativity from your team. Creativity is essential to innovation, and innovative strategy is the only way to avoid long-term stagnation, no matter how good your execution might be. Fortunately, creativity is a skill that you can foster. Yes, just as some of us are, to your point, inherently taller than the rest, some people instinctively exercise more creativity than others. But unlike getting taller, anyone can get better at generating new and useful business ideas. The key is to reverse engineer how creative breakthroughs actually happen in the business world, and then ask your team to mirror that when they need genuinely new thinking and ideas.
STRATEGY + BUSINESS
Canadian AI strategy focused on research, not value, critics charge
In May 2017, Uber announced it had hired a renowned University of Toronto professor to lead a Toronto-based team that develops autonomous car technology. The ride-hailing company also pledged $5 million for the university’s brand new Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence.
While the move drew praise from academics, others derided the notion that taxpayers should pay the salary of a professor whose intellectual property would go to a foreign corporation.
CTV
