When we think of innovation we usually focus on narrow technology or business topics. Yet there are many non-business topics that could use a dose of innovative thinking as well (not to mention a good IT infrastructure!)

At least, according to our very unscientific, quick-and-dirty online poll, that is. Analytics is important, not just for the sake of data analysis but for the cultural significance it imparts.

Not just the hip girl and geek boy, even N=1 and R=G can now lip-lock on the dance floor. Welcome to Surya, the world's first ecological nightclub. Not that it looks earthy, but the dance floor has "magic" crystals that generate electricity when you dance. What's more, take the tube to King's Cross in London where the club is housed and you'll even get in free!

This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the Model T, the first widely (and wildly) successful car. What does the evolution of the Model T, and the automobile industry, say about business innovation?

Real-time analytics is the key to N=1, R=G. In the new age of innovation, "Foresight, not hindsight, is of value," point out authors Krishnan and Prahalad. Most managers are aware of the need to leverage the data their organizations generate or have access to. But real-time analytics is easier said than done.

In a previous blog entry, I discussed how N=1 encourages meta-vendors, what a meta-vendor is, and the implications of "meta" for an organization's employee hiring practices. I said meta imposes a premium on talent, skill, and experience. But there's more to it than that.