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Good morning. This will be a short issue as I am currently on convalescence after a major RTA due to no fault of my own. Weāre fine, so letās not dwell on that too long!
I usually pre-write a number of articles but this time I didnāt have the time to finish anything that I would be proud to publish. In that respect I thought Iād take a quick retrospective look at the past issues and show you what Iām currently working on as drafts and ideas. Iād love your feedback (hit reply to this email) about these in-progress topics and if you think I should cover anything else. I know many of you are French native speakers, donāt be shy, write to me in French ;) Oh, Iāve also added a nice little header graphic to each email.
Anyways, as always, Iām very grateful for your support and I hope this newsletter is of value to you. Have a good weekend.
Retrospective
Iāve so far written and published 8 Issues on subjects that trace the beginnings of digital technology to looking at the current state of digital in this region. Along the way Iāve taken a look at a couple of local initiatives (more are coming) to implement Digital Transformation strategies and only time will tell if they are successful or not.
A couple of articles have touched on the strategic and psychological aspects of the effects of this revolution in business. I even discussed the very definition of Digital Transformation, after witnessing after talking to clients and contemporaries, that a globally accepted definition of Digital Transformation doesnāt exist ā mine is a best attempt.
Work in progress
What have I been working on and what other ideas do I have on the boil?
Blockchain
One of the biggest subjects related to Digital Transformation is Blockchain. Iām currently researching its beginnings and potential use scenarios from cryptocurrencies to supply-chain management possibilities. As Iāve previously stated, I am very sceptical of the future of cryptocurrencies, so Iād like to get in to the weeds on that.
Aggregation Theory
Iāve references this a lot over the weeks, so I thought it would be good to better explain what it is and why it is important.
Autonomous Vehicles in the Caribbean
You canāt move these days, without coming across talk of fully autonomous cars on the roads anytime soon. Some companies are literally spending billions of dollars, but seemingly progressing in fits and starts. Iām writing about the potential and the difficulties in relation to our market. While we have many things in our favour (climate for electrical recharging - letās face it they are going to be electric) but those same advantages present enormous difficulties.
Ride-sharing in the Caribbean
If your island is anything like mine, the state of local public transport is an utter mess. We live with it in two ways. We shut our mouths and just get on with it, or we buy a car. Surely thereās a better way? This article was written a while back, where as a thought experiment I wondered if ride-sharing could be part of a better public transport mechanism, better adapted to our particularities than mass public transit (buses, trains, trams and subways).
Practical examples of Digital Transformation
Theory is all well and good, so I think itās high time I write about some practical examples of Digital Transformation and how you can envision your own transition.
Management Obesity
Digital Transformation and automation is understandably, very scary for workers. Particularly those in manually repetitive roles, but Iāve had a theory for a few years that it is actually middle-management that has most to fear from AI. Iād love to expand on that and debate in public these ideas.
The Security and Privacy Wars
Digital information, being inherently reproducible quickly and widely with minimal effort and minimal cost, provides purchase for the worst of us to exploit these data to devastating results for some ā see the Mexican Rockstar that took his own life recently (btw, I have no idea if he is innocent or guilty, thatās not what this newsletter is about). But what is evident, is that a new digital war has erupted between the biggest of actors pushing the virtues of their security and privacy policies. Iāll not get in to the details of who is better and worse, this is more of a philosophical discussion on the conflict.
That should keep me busy for a while. Let me know what youād like to read first and if you have a fetish topic, youād like me to explore. Once again, have a great weekend.
Reading List
Ostensibly not a Digital Transformation story as it an economics topic (imports versus exports of white sugar). However, when you look in to the details, they are financing what I have been advocating for years now, better data availability to help make better business decisions. You should read and reflect on this if you run a business. Improvising, intuition or using the āThe Forceā to run your business is nothing short of suicide in present times. Regardless of the fact that your business plans and strategy may require no changes, your clients are changing, and it is that change that will eventually for change upon your business.
Guadeloupe Moves to Set Up Internet Exchange Point - OECS BusinessĀ Focus
Great news for the internet infrastructure in the French West Indies. Coupled with the current rollout of FTTH in Martinique, Guadeloupe and Guyane, this can only have positive effects for digital business locally.
Barbados Innovators Find Difficulty Accessing Financing - OECS BusinessĀ Focus
This is clearly a problem across the region. Thereās surely a better way to finance start-ups by the banks and their partners. Perhaps CARICOM or the OECS could group its members to form an association to promote inter-regional financing for entrepreneurs?
The Future is Digital Newsletter is intended for a single recipient, but I encourage you to forward it to people you feel may be interested in the subject matter, it really helps. Thank you for your support.
Have a great weekend.