“In the long run, though, the greatest IT risk facing most companies is more prosaic than a catastrophe. It is, simply, overspending. IT may be a commodity, and its costs may fall rapidly enough to ensure that any new capabilities are quickly shared, but the very fact that it is entwined with so many business functions means that it will continue to consume a large portion of corporate spending.” MayMeanLongEnoughFactsRunningFallCompanyRiskCostFunctionSpendingCorporateCapabilityPortionsLong RunsCommodityCatastropheEntwinedOverspending Author:Nicholas G. Carr
“Money is not the only commodity that is fun to give. We can give time, we can give our expertise, we can give our love or simply give a smile. What does that cost? The point is, none of us can ever run out of something worthwhile to give.” GivingDoeRunningFunCostWorthwhileCommodityOur LoveExpertise Author:Steve Goodier
“The value of any commodity, therefore, to the person who possesses it, and who means not to use or consume it himself, but to exchange it for other commodities, is equal to the quantity of labour which it enables him to purchase or command. Labour, therefore, is the real measure of the exchangeable value of all commodities. The real price of everything, what everything really costs to the man who wants to acquire it, is the toil and trouble of acquiring it.” MenWantMeanPersonsRealUseValuesTroubleHe ManCostEqualCommandAcquireLabourQuantityCommodityToil Book:The Wealth of Nations Source: The Wealth of Nations
“High fidelity is a rich experience, and you'll put up with terrible convenience to get it - maybe it's high cost, waiting in line, jumping through hoops. High convenience is the opposite - it's a commodity, but it's cheap and easy and ubiquitous. A great exclusive boutique shop is high fidelity; Wal-Mart is high convenience. Both are hard to establish in their own way. The thing to remember about sustaining either is that you can't sit still. Some other entity will always find a way to challenge your fidelity position or your convenience position.” WayStillsHardRememberEasyWaitingChallengesLinesRichPositionTerribleCostOppositesShopsEntityCommodityJumpingExclusiveConvenienceFidelitySustainingWaiting In LineHigh Fidelity Author:Kevin Maney