Obsolete What seems obsolete can be catapulted into the frontier! Use of UK postboxes had fallen as we switched online. But they’re now vital receptacles for secure, fast & frequent collection of Covid test samples. For their intended uses, windows, buckles, bricks, forks, paper & shipping containers are also unbeaten. Unlike cutting-edge tech, all these…
Category: O
Oldest At 233 years, the US Constitution is the world’s oldest. A messy compromise on 4 pages of parchment, it united States with different interests, laws & cultures. Should we revere its age or its usefulness? Designed to check the power of 1 branch of government against the other, it also proves that agreements can…
On Always on culture: It’s the weekend; are you working? 1/3 of UK workers do paid work on Saturdays/Sundays. Who are they? Men rather than women, and 34% of the self-employed, compared to 22% of employees. Top 5 sectors for weekend work are Food & Beverage, Gambling, Farming, Accommodation and Retail. The longest hours are…
Overstay Don’t overstay in your holiday city: working there changes your tax landscape, too. Work income is taxed in the country where you work + your worldwide income is also taxed in the country where you usually reside. If you’re a manager, your firm’s profits could also get taxed in the holiday city. Pre-Covid19, UK…
Out Lockdown release: who should be let out, to return to work? Let everyone out for 4 days, then back in lockdown for 10 days to wait for Covid-19 symptoms to show. Or let people with odd- and even- birthday dates out on alternate days. Or all those under age 50 return before the rest. …
Out of stock The list of Out-of-Stock essentials rolls on. But now is the time for firms to identify how, what & where to stock items they need as Covid-19 lockdown eases. Switzerland holds 3 – 6 month’s worth of staple foods, fuels & medical supplies. But stockpiles are held by private firms, so large…
Order in Lockdown = order in some food! Online orders boost sales, but to pivot to delivery, a restaurant must overhaul menus with transit in mind, coordinate couriers, absorb delivery firms’ 30%+ fees, re-jig kitchen layout to include dedicated production lines to fulfil digital orders, & install pick up units in place of tables &…
Other side Coronavirus: how will it be on the other side? Unwillingness to commute far for work. No need for big offices, or to live in costly city houses. More home cooking & buying online. No dividends. No interest from savings/investments. Higher taxes. More health spending. And no faith in insurance, which turned out not…
Outbreak Outbreak outlook 2020: the bugs will spread. Now that a keyboard can do more damage than a gunship, we overlook the most devastating enemy – contagious disease. During World War 1, flu killed more people than warfare. Firms need to put up their own defences against disruption & loss, as governments can’t do much. …
Open Data troves held by tech giants will be forced open, to benefit consumers & level the playing field for rivals. Further crackdowns likely: ban on sharing data across their businesses, unwinding of mergers, new rules/fines for use of personal data. The pain will fall mainly on their reign over internet search, digital advertising, e-commerce &…