mlazarczyk's Profile

Very interesting to hear about Nokia’s push for open innovation and its movement into the IoT space. In regards to your question on Industry 4.0, I definitely feel that Nokia has taken the correct steps to date to place itself as the customers’ choice. I believe this is driven by Nokia’s use of crowdsourcing through its Bell Labs Prize competition, which signals to the market that Nokia embraces innovation and truly values the ideas brought forth by potential consumers. As a result, as the world becomes more interconnected through the use of new technology, it will be the companies that have developed this type kind of strong network amongst innovators that will flourish and sustain a competitive advantage.

Great topic! As a LEGO fan myself it is great to see the Company making advancements to stay relevant in an increasingly digital world. Although privacy can be a concern with this growing focus on crowd-sourcing and information sharing, I do feel that the benefits from such a program definitely outweigh the risks. I truly feel the best way to relate to your customers is to allow them to help source your ideas, which I believe will be imperative to LEGO maintaining its competitive advantage going forward. Also, as we continue to move into this focus on a more digital world I believe that children will only get more knowledgeable on such topics. As a result, it does not seem necessary to me that LEGO shift its target market.

Very interesting information on the prospect of 3D printing for Nike! In terms of maintaining a competitive advantage over Adidas, I do feel that Nike must maintain an edge in this 3D printing movement to do so. As Nike has established itself as an innovator in the space, in order to keep that image amongst its consumer base it needs to focus on staying at the forefront of its production processes. As a result, since Adidas has made a conscious effort to commit resources to additive manufacturing it will be crucial that Nike do the same in order to sustain a competitive advantage.

Very interesting to see a shoe manufacturer taking advantage of additive manufacturing! I think you bring up a very valid point in terms of the amount that consumers will be willing to pay for these new 3D printed shoes. I believe that in order for these types of manufactured shoes to be successful at that price point they will need to rely on credibility. This will likely need to come from a partnership with another prominent athlete, whether that be amongst the Company’s existing relationships or someone new. This would then provide the market with the signal that the shoes demonstrate equivalent or better performance capabilities than traditionally manufactured shoes, warranting their premium price point.

Very interesting technology! Providing law enforcement and social services with such substantial data points about different locations could be a valuable tool, especially when making resource allocation decisions. These organizations seem to be constantly stretched and this could prove to be extremely helpful in deciding where individuals could do the most good. In terms of the inherent biases, I definitely agree that this is a very real issue that must be addressed. Could it be possible to give that task force you mentioned some enforcement authority? Potentially allowing them to research agencies and if need be require them make changes to personnel to ensure fair representation.

As Allstate continues to grow its ML business, I believe it will be crucial that it continues to offer training opportunities and retain its existing employee base. As a consumer that places a premium on customer-provider relationships with such products, I feel that maintaining the human element is crucial and serves as a point of differentiation. Additionally, as other companies within the industry continue to cut staff, this maintained focus on keeping that human customer experience should provide for an increased sustainable competitive advantage.