by Barry O'Gorman | Feb 21, 2020 | Disruption
A needed data Strategy
The paper (https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/european-data-strategy_en) outlines a series of steps designed to position the EU to prosper in the data agile world. Some of these will undoubtedly challenge the status quo and may provide contentious with some of the currently dominant providers. However looking at it from an EU Inc. perspective difficult to argue with the requirement for change, for investment and coordination – nor to deny the opportunity. Makes for an interesting read.
EU published European Strategy for Data on 19 Feb 2020. Makes for an interesting read – as EU looks to position/ protect itself to prosper in the ‘data agile’ era. The document is an interesting reminder of many of the developments, challenges and opportunities. And, inf this format, very much at the strategic, if not aspirational, level – but none the less important for this.
Have we missed the boat?
There is a sense reading this that the EU produces lots of data but has ceded much of the advantage to overseas players e.g. those running the data centers and providing the cloud based applications. Running through the document is a sense of a missed opportunity – which this strategy will now aim to redress. Some of it relates to investment, some to a need for improved coordination across the EU, some to training/ awareness/ education. and underlying it all is an uneasiness as to whether non EU owned cloud providers are committed to complying with EU legislation and expectations.
What is the opportunity?
The volume of data is only headed one way – continuing to grow exponentially. And the strategy paper anticipates most of this data will not reside in data centers. The data does offer huge opportunities for business and government to collaborate and great improvements in quality of life for EU citizens. But a number of frameworks are required if the EU is to exploit and leverage the opportunities.
Next steps
by Barry O'Gorman | Jul 26, 2019 | Disruption, Travel
In Ireland we have Uber in name – but not in the availability of private cars. What is the objection to this level of disruption? Would the disruption not result in better experience for consumers, better value for consumers, more capacity and greater use of these services by consumers? Clearly there would be disruption for the current incumbents – but this is inevitable with all new ways of doing business.
My own recent experiences in the US and Portugal have served to remind me that true Uber services are part of a modern economy – particularly when you are looking to attract and retain a strong tech community or to attract and develop tourism. And we want these people to grab an Uber rather than clogging up the streets with more cars.
Curious to see what transpires. Uber has of course attracted its own share of controversy in its short history. But as someone visiting foreign cities I have found the service to be outstanding – and represent much better value to me as a tourist than the traditional taxi options.
Just about to hop in another Uber…
by Barry O'Gorman | Nov 1, 2018 | Disruption
I gave up buying daily newspapers a number of years ago. I do, however, subscribe to the Financial Times and the Economist – reading one online (sometimes) and listening to the other (sometimes). We have the Irish Times delivered home on Saturday – but I do not read much (if any) of it. And for the last number of years I have bought the Sunday Times and the Sunday Business Post on Sundays. But, to be honest, find myself increasingly bored by both.
Problems with newspapers?
So, what’s the problem? Has the standard of journalism dropped so much that I am not interested? Has the content changed and become less relevant to mey tastes in news? Is my life too busy to find time to read a newspaper?
I think the biggest change is that no one else in the house is interested in reading newspapers – or, should I say, interested in waiting for the newspaper as a source of news. When I was growing up as a kid the newspaper made its way around the house – read by one, if not two parents, and different pieces were read by different kids (including myself). But now now – not in our house and not in many houses.
And whatever about paying more than €3 for a newspaper on Sunday which may make sense if read by three people not sure it represents great value if only read by one person. And there is no interaction with other household members re the Sunday paper – because they get their news elsewhere – and are online all the time.
I do not have any particular issue with the quality or content/ relevance of the newspapers. But I am inundated with other news – news sites, twitter, blogs,various aggregation sites – far more than I have time to process.
No longer setting the weekly agenda
There was a time when the Sunday newspapers were looking to set the agenda for the week – the breaking new stories which would play out over the following week. No longer any need for this – the news breaks real time all of the time.
Keep paying?
So why do I continue to pay for subscriptions to the Economist and the Financial Times? I think I am still convinced, just about, that the spend is worthwhile for the content. But it’s marginal.
Not sure the newspapers have done a lot wrong – but I think to remain relevant, they have to find a way to become part of the future social framework – which is real time, mobile and largely free.
