July 30, 2007

Charles River (Boston)

Last week I went to the Harvard Boathouse to row for a while and I found a funny banner addressing to Harvard students that says:



My experience is that my brain works better after rowing a few miles everyday. In spite of the fact that my arms tremble while holding the book I'm reading because of the effort you have to make in every rowing stroke.

Some days, when it's not very hot, I read for a while besides the Charles River. Actually, yesterday I spent a couple of hours reading in this bench by Charles River. Although, It was sunny (but Google images just threw my this winter picture...).



I've just finished the book How Customers Think, by Gerald Zaltman, and I strongly recommend to reed it. An today I will start with:

July 25, 2007

Associate Professor at Instituto de Empresa

I've recently been appointed as Associate Professor at Instituto de Empresa Business School.
My first seminar will be in September 25th for Union Fenosa managers. And the topic will be Managing Change Through An Innovation Process.
Link to see the program:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=d2tkdzd_1dgvzvj
I'm really looking forward to teaching in this Business School.

July 23, 2007

How Customers Think



I'm reading How Customers Think, by Gerald Zaltman, this week.

This is perhaps the best text I've read on understanding the mind of the consumer. Zaltman takes potentially complex information and presents it in a form that is relatively easy to digest.

Zaltman explains how new brain science research indicates that the confidence marketers have placed in focus group methodology has been based on a number false assumptions including the following: 1. Consumers think in well-reason, linear ways to evaluate products and services. 2. Consumers can reasonably explain their emotions, feeling, preferences and behaviors - and translate them into words; and 3. Consumers' memories are accurate reflections of their experience.

According to Zaltman, the reality for consumers is really quite different. But I do not want to spoil the content of the book.

Last weekend I stayed with friends in a wonderful house in the south of Boston. It was such an experience to row for a while in a pond an to read besides it... See below the landscape around:


July 18, 2007

Seven weeks in Harvard

Well, after two years running from client to client and from seminar to seminar, I’ve decided to spend seven weeks in Boston, to charge my intellectual batteries in Harvard Business School Library.

I’ve just arrived last Friday, but I already have several memorable impressions that I'd like to share:


Harvard University library is full of young students seeking knowledge and wisdom, I guess. It reminded me of my university years in Pamplona. However, Harvard Business School library is now rather empty, what makes even more pleasant researching there.



Boston is a city worth touring by bicycle. It's plenty of paths for bikes, and they are specially pleasent along the river. When I was about to take this picture from the bridge, a bostonian asked me "Would you like to be in the picture?", what says something about their hospitality.





Now I'm studying this book, Designing Organizations, by Jay R. Galbraith, that offers interesting insights about how to structure and organice teams and companies for innovation.

I will keep you posted on new impressions every week.

July 6, 2007