Business is all about competition, which is not possible without a strategy that takes care of relevance and survival in any market. Could it be that the ultimate tool for survival is the way businesses collaborate? If we take a long view of say the next 20 years, what do you think the chances that a business will matter if it is not highly skilled in collaboration? I, for one, imagine it wouldn’t be a contender. Judging by the fact that car makers are collaborating, as is the tech industry, hospitals are finding that collaboration works well, even the Pope is calling on more collaboration on climate change adaptation, it probably pays to be better at it by learning from those who are already proficient. Enjoy this week’s selection of recommended reading.

Sincere thanks to those who have suggested articles for this edition of Roadmender Recommends.

UK and US governments announce digital collaboration

The UK and US governments have announced plans to collaborate on the development of digital government services. The tie-up will see the UK’s Government Digital Service (GDS) working with the US Digital Service (USDS) and Washington’s 18F agency to exchange knowledge and experience. “By sharing knowledge and exchanging skillsets we build digital teams that are the best they can be. I’m incredibly proud of all GDS has achieved over the past few years,” said Cabinet Office minister Matthew Hancock during a visit to the White House…READ ON

Is the Future About Collaboration?

I usually don’t talk too much about other players in the file sync and share market. But this article raised a few interesting points about the market and where we are going. I agree with the statement that the future is collaboration. So file sync and share will expand in new areas and has to include communication and collaboration features. Only syncing and sharing files won’t be enough anymore. It’s great to make files and folder available to other people inside or outside your organization, but users expect richer functionality then just a folder that suddenly appears on their desktop. This is why most…READ ON

Millions of patients to benefit from radical new hospital collaboration drive

NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens will today (Friday 25 September) announce radical new options for the future of local hospitals across the NHS. The new models being developed by 13 new hospital Vanguards represent the next stage of implementing the NHS Five Year Forward View. Today’s new group of NHS Vanguards involve some of the best-known and best-run hospitals in Britain, including the The Royal Marsden, Northumbria Healthcare Trust, the Christie, the Royal Free London, Moorfields, Salford Royal, and UCLH (University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust). They will now be extending their geographical reach, stepping up to the challenge of driving efficiency and improvement across the country…READ ON

Millennial entrepreneurs may be delusional, new study finds

With little or no regard for business planning and inflated growth ambitions, the under-35s display a worrying lack of common sense. Young entrepreneurs may be twice as ambitious as their older counterparts about the growth potential of their businesses, and four times as likely to hire staff, but this could mean they are delusional rather than talented. The latest Albion Growth Report, an annual poll of Britain’s small businesses, which is now in its third year, found that entrepreneurs aged 35 and under – the “Millennials” – were bullish on the growth prospects for their new ventures, with 14pc predicting “dramatic” expansion compared to just 8pc of 45 to 54-year-olds…READ ON

Autonomous car future will demand tech company and automaker collaboration

Google has taken an early lead in self-driving car future, but…
(Photo: Martin E. Klimek, Special for USA TODAY)

The Bay Area now teems with tech companies interested in engineering the next generation of vehicles as well as outposts of major automakers determined not to be left behind by the coming revolution. So if this is a race, who will win? The answer is easy: consumers. That’s one of many conclusions to be drawn by a new report from Deloitte Consulting, out Thursday. In “The Future of Mobility: How Transportation Technology and Social Trends Are Creating a New Business Ecosystem,” the firm’s argues that…READ ON

Innovation Centre overhaul to drive collaboration

Marking its 10th anniversary, a major refurbishment of Sci-Tech Daresbury’s Innovation Centre has just been completed, keeping the building at the forefront of business space aimed at the science and technology community in the Northwest. The refurbishment has also incorporated additional design improvements to further aid collaboration between the site’s high tech companies. The building comprising of office and laboratory space is a key part of the site, which is home to over 100 high-tech companies attracted by the co-location with world-leading research facilities. The Innovation Centre was originally developed in 2005 and provides premium space specifically for science and technology companies…READ ON

Collaborating for Greater Impact

Do you need to be recharged and plugged in to the power of collaboration? As our field increasingly recognizes that today’s complex challenges mean that nonprofits and grantmakers cannot go it alone in solving social problems, philanthropists of all types are increasingly interested in and engaged in collaborative efforts (whether they label those efforts coalitions, collective impact, networks, learning communities, co-funding, movements, or something else). However, some aspects of our sector discourage collaboration and even some grantmakers…READ ON

Buhari urges African countriees, partners to enhance collaboration for continent to achieve industrialisation

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday in New York urged African countries, development partners and the organised private sector to ensure collaboration for Africa to achieve full industrialisation by 2030. Buhari made the call while delivering his remarks at a high-level side event ahead of the General Assembly Debate, organised by the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) entitled: Operationalisation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda for African Industrialisation…READ ON