my short blog comments re: @BI Groupon China Off To A Bad Start

Groupon China Off To A Bad Start

Oliver Samwer, who runs Groupons international operations from Berlin, is flying to Beijing today to talk about the latest problems.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/groupon-china-off-to-a-bad-start-2011-2#comment-4d5e379849e2aecd0f5a0000#ixzz1EIkVkqrp

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/groupon-china-off-to-a-bad-start-2011-2#comment-4d5e379849e2aecd0f5a0000#ixzz1EIkM4CWP

my unanswered question: Mary Meeker's Latest Amazing Presentation About The Future Of Tech

Mary Meeker's Latest Amazing Presentation About The Future Of Tech

Top 10 Mobile Internet Trends (Feb 2011)

View more presentations from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

This is an institution of the internet... Brilliant presentation indeed!

however, sadly it does not still explain something pertinent, namely, given the ubiquitous nature of mobile (even in form of old symbian nokia, let alone the new android/iphone etc.).. and big % of populations worldwide of people that has access to internet and mobile services.. is it normal that we don't have visbility or hear what is the estimated percentage of people that 'transact' via ecommerce (online or mobile) channels? and if we know the typical transaction value, we can then surely talk 'business'...

is that the main reason why the whole market focus on things that are transient (although accepted) KPIs like site visits, eyeballs, market capitalisations etc.?

or am I asking a stupid question??

Quora is great but I asked this question weeks ago, but no decent and definitive answer:

Quora: What percentage of the online population makes transactions (pays for things)? Answer: http://qr.ae/onvX

Keep up the good work Mary, and congratulations in your new role!

@GarethWong

Revenue, but no profitability, real reasons?? Deloitte Football Money League 2011 | Sports Business Group | Deloitte UK

Deloitte Football Money League 2011 | Sports Business Group | Deloitte UK

It is strangely true that this report brought clarity to the world in terms of revenue, sadly it does not highlight the profitability.. guess it is not concerns for most auditors and consultants!?

Of course, it has not relationship with real reason for the report, PR, excuse to be closer to those has most cash and hence maybe more audit & advisory work.. and highlighting profitability just might not make sense, lets not annoy future and/or existing customers!?

below's blog post is interesting to read for sure.. :

the andersred blog: Deloitte “Football Money League” – vanity vs. sanity day: "

“Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity, cash is reality.”
To help maintain some sanity on FML day, here are some figures for 2009/10 for the seven English clubs who appear in the Top 20 of the FML.



* Arsenal turnover excludes property development
** Liverpool figures assume flat costs on 2008/09 and are proforma to exclude all interest payments (to reflect pay down of debt)
*** Villa figures assume flat costs on 2008/09"

Social Enterprise & as new Impact Investment asset class, opportunities & challenges

I was at the last Social Enterprise and Investment

event at Cass business, with some top industry leaders, & most impressed especially when I heard a fellow passionate entrepreneur like Nigel Kershaw spoke from his heart & soul. (yes bit slow, am not great at blogging)

Nigel Kershaw OBE, Chief Executive, Big Issue Invest

As most of my trusted & long term contacts knows, I feel very strongly about many things, but particularly social cohesion (& social capital) is lacking, both in the western and developing world, particularly due to the wealth gap(s) and in the western world benefit culture (why work? if got more benefits by NOT working).. therefore, I was keen to be there to learn what tricks Nigel had since we last met few years back and waiting to be inspired.

Indeed I was most impressed with what their aims/goals and achieved so far, and got top guys like Advent Int. Deutsche bank and PwC involved.. discussion were far & wide and of course some strange off topic questions, but all very informative, hope it was recorded.

Key reports which maybe of interest is the report on

Impact Investments | J.P. Morgan

Where the author had since joined Bridge Community Ventures, who I would have wished was part of the panel to see what he really thinks now that he is not part of JP.

I am particularly keen to learn more of the impact investments return, as Ron mentioned their expected IRR for their normal investments would be 30%, but 10% for social enterprise but of course that is via monetary return, not including social impacts.. which in some ways should be focus of the social entreprise?

Can't figure it out yet, but interested to learn more. there seem to be many impact investing network, like http://www.thegiin.org.. which one should we follow?

Quote from

Maff Potts, Chief Executive, Novas Scarman Group was brilliant, his company help council and government saved cost of £600,000.00 but their own funding of £200,000.00 is not met! Surely there must be ways of integrating this into the calculation!??

Most important of all, we are not addressing one key issue, how do we 'change' people's behaviour and get them to 'engage' with social enterprise?? why would people be so keen to spend good money on buying celebrity's shoes and giving money to africa (where they have never been nor likely to go) but to help the guys down the street who are desperate, and one day might be forced to break into their fortress of a home?

somehow the value chain is broken and it need to be fixed. It is for sure not the best society for us to live in when the behaviour of the Channel 4 'documentary' call Shamless is the norm!??

Key challenge is that for those people that can help, the priority of engaging with social enterprise (or social investment/impact investment) just is not there. We need a cultural shift, this can only be done with transparency and understanding of goals of social investments and key performance indicators of social enterprises, not only on financial returns but also the impact such investment deliver... our world need help to improve social cohesion by more investments in social capital across all communities/regions worldwide.

Side view of Ron Sheldon, Managing Director, Advent International

Philip Wright, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers

jj

Sarah Forster, Director of Development, Big Issue Invest

Jonathan Randall, VP Strategy Deutsche Bank UK

Protecting Reputation in a Digital World

Protecting Reputation in a Digital World

Nice follow up to Alva's presentation last week.

good presentation from Tim & Candace. ;-)

Protecting Reputation in a Digital World

View more presentations from Hill & Knowlton UK Ltd..

American Red Cross Social Media Guidelines

American Red Cross Social Media Guidelines

thanks @JohnMNBarnes 4 pointing it out.

very insightful.

American Red Cross Social Media Guidelines

View more presentations from Ping Elizabeth.

Chinadaily BBS - China Watch - 8,000 dishes for a grand family feast

Chinadaily BBS - China Watch - 8,000 dishes for a grand family feast

Knowing China, this could very much be real and not for PR purposes..

Chinese new year, short introduction to the most important of four arts of cultured scholars, 琴、棋、书、画, namely Qin or Zither 古箏, 琵琶 and 二胡

Its Chinese new year now, and time to get to know more about the Chinese culture.

These three instruments are Chinese music institutions! Chinese believe cultured scholars should master the four arts 琴、棋、书、画 (Playing Qin or Zither, Chinese Chess, Calligraphy, and paintings, where 弹琴 is the most important!)

Key demonstrations below are:

Guzheng (古箏) - 16-26 stringed zither with movable bridges or 古筝

Pipa (琵琶) - pear-shaped fretted lute with 4 or 5 strings

Erhu (二胡) - two-stringed fiddle

Enjoy...

YouTube - Chinese erhu music: 江南春色 Spring scenery of Jiang-nan /二胡：邵琳: ""

YouTube - Chinese music - traditional pipa solo by Liu Fang 霸王卸甲 劉芳琵琶: ""

More populist, the the viva girls are more pop and simon cowell.. really.

二胡 Erhu - 王颖 Wang Ying plays 卡门 Carmen

Su Chang - Guzheng | YTSO 2011 Sydney | Soloist Introduction Video | 苏畅 - 古筝

Enforcement of average speed cameras on A13 to begin on 31 January | Transport for London

Enforcement of average speed cameras on A13 to begin on 31 January | Transport for London

Watch it... or don't watch it..

just drive as per the speed limit then, BE WARN..

is it good that it does not mention what would be the cost of the ticket and points off??

they look like below:

New, inescapable speed cameras - Yahoo! Cars

Lets be frank, very thick Glass ceiling in UK. short blog. BBC News - Social mobility: Less privileged face fight for top jobs

BBC News - Social mobility: Less privileged face fight for top jobs

Lets be frank, getting a job is first of the several hundred rungs..

at the very top of majority of major firms in UK, still is from the elites.. lets not fool ourselves..

the more I meet top guys, the more saville row and genetically better looking human beings I meet, kid you not!!

and yes, some not so good looking, but generally, they are with titles and very posh accents.. and some took years (literally) for some Sirs and Dame to notice and say hi to me.. will never be 'accepted' period.

but hey, this might mean opportunity, for sure!!??

I for one say, embrace it, and get to know it and find out and capitalise on the potential opportunities!!!

@GarethWong