The Medici Effect
I rarely recommend a book before I have finished it but rarely does one come along that captivates me like the Medici Effect. The last was probably Crossing the Chasm.
The Medici Effect is a book after my own heart. It’s all about innovation and how we can develop and advance various disciplines by learning from other seemingly unrelated fields; then apply new principles with a fresh perspective to achieve true advancements and innovation.
I have long thought that information security will benefit from this approach. I know some research has been done in the field on various topics but think about the cause and effect of the propagation and control of viruses. In the UK they grow organic watercress and the waste water feeds organic trout ponds from which the fish don’t need any feeding. In France they use flowers to indicate the health of the vines and in many cases ward off specific insects and pests. The propagation and control of disease and plagues, viruses, the study of battle tactics and financial risk management. The list could go on. I am specifically interested in business management techniques like Six Sigma and Balanced Scorecards.
You can download a free PDF eBook of the Medici Effect here.
Very inspiring!
March 6, 2008 at 1:51 pm
[...] Once we realize that, fundamentally, we’re not as unique as we think we are - we can stop pretending we’re an island and start looking to what other disciplines do and learn from them. [...]