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Thanks for the insightful post. As a resident of New Orleans during several major floods, I know how much home security matters. However, thefts tend to spike during power blackouts, riots, and flooding [1]. Cocoon’s security package is compelling, but is rendered useless if the internet or power is down. While the system does notify the owner if the internet is down, I believe it should integrate offline options such as continuous filming stored on the physical device if the internet goes down [2].

1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/riots-arise-from-passion-but-looting-is-a-crime-of-opportunity-experts-say/2015/04/29/e1fe178e-ede6-11e4-a55f-38924fca94f9_story.html
2. http://homealarmreport.com/cocoon-vs-piper-nv-home-security-in-a-single-device/

Thanks for the post, Parker. I didn’t realize that the IoT market for aerospace had such tremendous potential. After looking at Honeywell’s recent investor presentation at the Gabelli Aircraft & Connectivity Conference, it seems that Honeywell has considerable opportunity in the space. Recent research shows that travelers prefer wi-fi to legroom and food offerings. There is also rapid adaptation with approximately 25,000 aircraft to be equipped with wi-fi by 2025 [1]. It also seems, an increased presence in China would present low hanging fruit, given that 47% of revenues are derived in the United States. The company sees substantial opportunities to capture the untapped Chinese market for infrstructure, digital economy, and vehicle emmissions / industrial VOC [2].

1. http://investor.honeywell.com/Cache/1500091104.PDF?O=PDF&T=&Y=&D=&FID=1500091104&iid=4121346
2. http://investor.honeywell.com/Cache/1500091500.PDF?O=PDF&T=&Y=&D=&FID=1500091500&iid=4121346

Great post, Phil. Many companies have survived the current downturn due the costs savings provided by the digitization of the oilfield. This subject has widespread implications for the future of the oil and gas industry and climate change. In regards to Shell, I think that the company should focus on improving its upstream operations (which operated at a $5.6Bn loss in 2015), rather than spreading resources across the entire business during the current downturn [1]. Bain found that big data produces the most value for oil companies in optimizing unconventional wells [2]. In the medium-term, I do agree that the entire oil supply chain should be synchronized to reduce costs and provide management with the most accurate information.

1. http://reports.shell.com/annual-report/2015/strategic-report/selected-financial-data.php
2. http://www.bain.com/Images/BAIN_BRIEF_Big_Data_analytics_in_oil_and_gas.pdf

Thanks for the insightful analysis, Charlie. Perhaps TWC should more heavily market that two of their platforms, The Weather Channel and Weather Underground, provide the most accurate forecasts of any service [1]. Additionally, I believe that instead of going back to Al Roker, TWC should increase the variety of TV programming when weather is forecasted to be nice, and stick to weather reporting when inclement weather is forecasted [2]. This strategy could even out TV rating trends and allow the company to increase its advertising prices.

1. http://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/25/this-weather-app-will-give-you-the-most-accurate-forecasts.html
2. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-10-09/weather-channels-web-mobile-growth-leads-to-advertising-insights

This is a well researched and topical piece, MC2018. I agree that the advent of HD TVs offers better a better viewing experience than actually attending the game. Integrating stadiums with technology is definitely one way to improve the live experience and bring back fans. However, I think that several other factors have a larger impact on attendance, including team record, comfort, and parking. For instance, the San Francicso 49ers built a new stadium in Santa Clara in 2014 and lauded it as the most technologically advanced stadium ever. However, fans have been turned off by the stadium due to high prices, intense heat, terrible parking, and a sterile atmosphere due to the “distractions” caused by some of the new technology. Maybe a better way to lure back fans is to use technology to reduce costs and time for fans by offering optimized routes and dynamic pricing. For more information on some of these factors, please see the following two articles:

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/49ers-Unveil-Plan-to-Improve-Levis-Stadium-Experience-322107082.html
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/NE/20141231/NEWS/141239925

Outstanding post, Cara. You raise concerning points about water use grape varietals in your post. I believe that wineries can cut costs by further utilizing technology (lab equipment and predictive computing) to optimize harvests by sugar and tannin content. In doing so, there will be less wasted harvest. Additionally, labor can be allocated at optimal times to reduce costs for wages and sub-optimal watering and treatment, as outlined in the following study: http://intrawww.ing.puc.cl/siding/datos/public_files/profes/smaturan_NBAIHYKHDFQXHNU/grapeharvest18.pdf

Fascinating post! Cement is an essential input to many applications across public and private sectors. Perhaps the company could also optimize its distribution network (additional locations, hub and spoke model) to cut down on the amount of heavy trucks needed to transport cement to direct consumers, and to reduce the distance the product must travel to businesses.

Great post! I agree that ExxonMobil should be more proactive in sharing its data about climate change. The company has recently taken steps to state that climate change is real and to disseminate their research regarding climate change: http://corporate.exxonmobil.com/en/current-issues/climate-policy/climate-perspectives/our-climate-science-history

However, burying blog posts on their corporate website is not enough. I believe that ExxonMobil could unlock significant shareholder value by publicly decrying that natural gas is more climate-friendly than oil and coal. Given their significant recent acquisitions in natural gas, ExxonMobil stands to gain from lobbying for more natural gas use by power utilities and manufacturers.

I thoroughly enjoyed the post, thanks for sharing. Cork is buoyant, elastic, and fire resistant. Even NASA uses the material for lightweight insulation. Cork companies might be inclined to adapt to changing markets by marketing their product as a building material. Cork can be used to build sustainable exteriors for homes, as outlined in the following article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/green/9617290/Eco-living-Lets-hear-it-for-cork.html

This is a very topical post, Katt. As an avid skier, I have fallen victim to shortened seasons in Vail. I opted to rent equipment in mid-December rather than using my own because I did not want the protruding grass and rocks to damage my skis. Climate change is absolutely detrimental to Vail Resorts’ business model. However, the company (and others like it) are uniquely situated to raise awareness. Many of the world’s most senior business leaders spend their winters skiing in Colorado and Lake Tahoe. The company should utilize its position to raise awareness about the negative effects of global warming on ski season in traditional areas, while simultaneously scouting new areas that will benefit from “new-norm” weather patterns (as Drew F outlined above). Further, Vail resorts should work to utilize big data and better predictive computing to optimize its artificial snowmaking, as outlined in the article below:

http://mountaintownnews.net/2016/03/15/which-ski-areas-might-actually-win-as-a-result-of-rising-temperatures4177/