Don1 the way to do IT for small countries.

[Stonigut]

http://hbr.org/2014/05/right-up-the-...go-global/ar/1

Take a look at this article, they just show you enough to get a feel and you have to register to get more.

Very interesting on the development of local IT firms.

[Stonigut]

Here is a nice little Israeli high tech company that may be destined for great things.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-0...ay-double.html

[Don1]

http://hbr.org/2014/05/right-up-the-...go-global/ar/1

Take a look at this article, they just show you enough to get a feel and you have to register to get more.

Very interesting on the development of local IT firms.

Stoni I'm very familiar with the Israeli IT model. Extremely successful IT is.

IT's based on the following which that article doesn't address:

* Israel is an advanced country with an extremely high technical level and huge intellectual capacity. IT's world class in many areas including aerial robots AKA drones, avionics, defense electronics, biotech, satcom tech etc.

* The Israeli education establishment is generally excellent ...especially in STEM... for example Technion is among the best institutions of its kind worldwide...Israeli universities routinely collaborate with the likes of MIT, Stanford, Caltech etc.

* Israel benefits from massive strategic & tactical support in technology transfers, cooperative tech development and project financing with the United States...That's both US govt. & US private sector support.
This support amounts to US$ Billions ...annually

So Stoni that's "how IT's done" in Israel. IT's super if you see this Israeli success as "the way to do IT for small countries"....and see IT as an aspirational model for Jamaica.
This shows you have very high standards...much higher than mine

However given the unique positioning of Israel in the geopolitical shitstem and also given my preference for recognizing what's realistic, I'm doubtful of Jamaica's prospects in replicating an "Israeli IT model" anytime within the next 100 years or so

Since I'm unwilling to wait that long... I'd be very happy if JA could achieve what the Ticos have and maybe equal or surpass them ... in say 10-15 years.

[Stonigut]

I hear you, but my wish is that both parties would get together over a growth manifesto that basically looks to focus on developing in specific value add industries where the price is more inelastic and it is not just a straight up price competitive industry in which we just cannot compete in the price drop wars.

The focus instead is building products and services where we have some stake already and then work on vertical integration to add the value and that will give us the kind of product differentiation that we need to get into the game and be able to play. With this kind of strategy overall we build industry that is not so reliant on the whims and vagaries of foreign owned capital investment as CR is now learning that lesson again.

For example we have a lot of knowledge on spices and mixing spices, we have jerk seasoning out there, grace and walkers wood etc and we have pickapeppa all of which are out there in the market and doing ok, well this is an area where we could do more, our foot is clearly in the door and when you look at a company like mrs dash with one 2.25 ounce product selling for about $3.00 pulling in excess of $50 million us per year is an attractive market to build a product to compete directly against mrs dash based on Jamaica's superior mix of spices in the same small package in the same price range, cost of producing and packaging that I believe offer a significant margin which is where we want to play. Can we then use It to communicate with our best growers, which allows a concentration on certain seeds, certain growing process, fertilization etc to produce an even higher potency and quality in our spice produce which is reflected in the final product.

[Karl]

I hear you, but my wish is that both parties would get together over a growth manifesto that basically looks to focus on developing in specific value add industries where the price is more inelastic and it is not just a straight up price competitive industry in which we just cannot compete in the price drop wars.

The focus instead is building products and services where we have some stake already and then work on vertical integration to add the value and that will give us the kind of product differentiation that we need to get into the game and be able to play. With this kind of strategy overall we build industry that is not so reliant on the whims and vagaries of foreign owned capital investment as CR is now learning that lesson again.

For example we have a lot of knowledge on spices and mixing spices, we have jerk seasoning out there, grace and walkers wood etc and we have pickapeppa all of which are out there in the market and doing ok, well this is an area where we could do more, our foot is clearly in the door and when you look at a company like mrs dash with one 2.25 ounce product selling for about $3.00 pulling in excess of $50 million us per year is an attractive market to build a product to compete directly against mrs dash based on Jamaica's superior mix of spices in the same small package in the same price range, cost of producing and packaging that I believe offer a significant margin which is where we want to play. Can we then use It to communicate with our best growers, which allows a concentration on certain seeds, certain growing process, fertilization etc to produce an even higher potency and quality in our spice produce which is reflected in the final product.

Great concept!
Specific to our spices - Great idea!!!
Doable!

Just imagine that in addition to inflows of foreign exchange...the local human benefits...example: inclusive of upgrading of our storage and delivery of water as usage of water/delivery of water demand cutting edge technology as different spices require its unique water-flow patterns.

There are technologies and management strategies available that conserve water while maintaining yield and production standards. These technologies and management strategies like improved irrigation scheduling and crop specific irrigation management often not only conserve water, but also save energy and decrease grower's costs.

Source: http://www.water.ca.gov/wateruseeffi.../agricultural/

...but that would also lead to improved delivery of water for residential purposes as effective transfer of knowledge would drive the arrival at all-island availability on a 24/7 basis. (No more any area or enterprise or residence having to face 'low pressure' or 'water lock-off'...imagine that?).

The economic benefits to the island?
'Out of this World'!!!!

Bwoy, Stoni...dem need yuh a yaaard!

[Don1]

Stonigut;494088]I hear you, but my wish is that both parties would get together over a growth manifesto that basically looks to focus on developing in specific value add industries where the price is more inelastic and it is not just a straight up price competitive industry in which we just cannot compete in the price drop wars.

Agreed. What you refer to is the ability to influence market pricing or demand based on some unique product characteristics. With globalization this is exceedingly difficult...but not impossible.

It would require an innovation revolution in JA to do the above. Innovation requires R&D. With our schools producing so many dunces and our curricula & pedagogy being stuck in the mid 20th century, Jamaica currently has VERY limited capacity for either R&D or innovation. That needs to be fixed.

Would you like to know how you can assist our innovation thrust?

The focus instead is building products and services where we have some stake already and then work on vertical integration to add the value and that will give us the kind of product differentiation that we need to get into the game and be able to play. With this kind of strategy overall we build industry that is not so reliant on the whims and vagaries of foreign owned capital investment as CR is now learning that lesson again.

For example we have a lot of knowledge on spices and mixing spices, we have jerk seasoning out there, grace and walkers wood etc and we have pickapeppa all of which are out there in the market and doing ok, well this is an area where we could do more, our foot is clearly in the door and when you look at a company like mrs dash with one 2.25 ounce product selling for about $3.00 pulling in excess of $50 million us per year is an attractive market to build a product to compete directly against mrs dash based on Jamaica's superior mix of spices in the same small package in the same price range, cost of producing and packaging that I believe offer a significant margin which is where we want to play. Can we then use It to communicate with our best growers, which allows a concentration on certain seeds, certain growing process, fertilization etc to produce an even higher potency and quality in our spice produce which is reflected in the final product

Stoni without creating internationally competitive products for which we own the IP this will not occur. It is only by spurring R&D and innovation that we have a chance to create such products.

So you see Stoni everything progressive inexorably comes back to having a STEM focus and creating a culture of veneration of science... and also giving the yutes 21st century skills to actually CREATE products

Now enuff yappin on these armchair theories... let's discuss practical ways we can assist the creation of an innovation culture in Jamaica.

What's your area of interest to assist? Would you like a strong STEM apps program at C-bar for example???

We're ready to provide the project roadmap and help your team to execute. Action... ar a bag-a-mout???

[Stonigut]

Haha, I am already wholly immersed in my own philanthropic adventures , but certainly would love to keep abreast of your efforts.

Btw we do have more than a few companies in Ja that can do this right now.

[Stonigut]

Hey funny enough on the water use thing, that the best spice farmers in Ja are in Se st Elizabeth and they are masters of water conservation and masters of retaining moisture for their crops during drought periods, it is amazing what the culture in that area has produced consistently as small farmers over the last two hundred or so years.

[Don1]

Ok boss.....

But anytime Calabar ready fi deal wid Century 21 STEM applications mek mi know

[Stonigut]

You have a website on that. Let me see what this is about.

[Don1]

You have a website on that. Let me see what this is about.

This link is somewhat dated as they've been some changes since 2010...but it's still instructive as to the program's mission

As far as Cbar is concerned I find that robotics generates tremendous excitement among kids...while driving skills in software programming, CAD, electronic-electrical-mechanical engineering etc

I would recommend a Cbar Robotics Club for starters

[Muadib]

and the winner and still World Champion of IT development for small countries is....

Singapore..

Long live Lee Kuan Yew !

[Stonigut]

What better than Israel?! I will take a look.

[Stonigut]

Very nice Donman. What kind of inputs have been made thus far, from a dollars, technology, knowledge shared hours, so what would a starter program look like for Cbar in terms of funding and time. I have one brethren here in Texas who has a small IT services firm who might be interested in that.

Btw how are you measuring program success.

[Don1]

Stonigut;494245]Very nice Donman. What kind of inputs have been made thus far, from a dollars, technology, knowledge shared hours, so what would a starter program look like for Cbar in terms of funding and time.

The scale of inputs depends on how you structure the program. HS Robotics is a very low cost affair using off the shelf Tetrix type kits & accessories (~US$1-2K). See this link for a suggested HS robotics program launch scenario.
If you want to send someone a link this is better

Since there are currently zero competitive robotics opportunities in JA (even at tertiary levels) the JC program is oriented to American competitions via US FIRST Robotics. So our input costs are significant...averaging ~US$25K+/year depending on how far the team advances. But that's mostly foreign travel/accommodation/subsistence costs

Once a few schools (say 4) have robotics programs then we can have a JA competition and schools can avoid those foreign costs....
Startup costs for a HS in a JA robotics competition would be ~$5K and annual recurrent costs ~US$2.5K

I have one brethren here in Texas who has a small IT services firm who might be interested in that.

Outstanding. Link up!!

Btw how are you measuring program success.

We're tracking the post HS academic choices & outcomes of participants. Early results are VERY encouraging