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|In: Industry Commentary|Last Updated:

To operate a computer, you point, click, double-click, or right-click. To operate a car you push on the gas, stomp on the brake, or crank the steering wheel.

Which is why you have to feel sorry for Steven Spear.

Spear, you’ll recall, authored Chasing the Rabbit (2008) — an in-depth analysis of what makes high-performance organizations tick. It’s a fine book. Spear based much of his analysis on Toyota, though, which has managed to mess up gas, brakes and steering … pretty much the entire driving experience.

The easy conclusion is that Spear is a chump and his book a waste of time.

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|In: Industry Commentary|Last Updated:

BIG/GAS stands for “Business Is Great/Government and Academics are Stupid.”

It’s a popular proposition among the shouting classes, but NASA — specifically Spirit and Opportunity — have, over the past six years, driven a few more nails in its coffin. While unpopular in some circles the two Mars rovers have, as of this writing, exceeded their planned mission lives by more than 2,500%.

Very few business successes play in that league.

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