Innovation

摘要

After a wonderful week in Stockholm at the Swedish Standards Institute, I was navigating Arlanda airport on my way home. I had been chairing an ISO working group on ISO 10018, a standard for people involvement and competence in quality management.Leafing through the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal in the airport lounge, I was intrigued to see similar themes appearing in both glossies: "Luxury in the age of abstinence" from the Wall Street Journal and "How to spend it" from the Financial Times. Both magazines were full of adverts from up market brands such as Louis Vuitton, Jaguar, Armani, Sotheby's and Chanel. The pages took me back to the days before the recession struck. Was this a signal that we are climbing back from the abyss?