tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25074340179314523942011-11-27T17:14:20.289-08:00Industry Sector AnalysisThe purpose of this blog is to outline the factors underpinning specific business sectors, as well as providing an analysis of the economic drivers. This would be of use to analysts and investors for long term decision-making.About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comBlogger101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507434017931452394.post-53624412108084523162009-04-11T16:26:00.001-07:002009-04-11T16:55:18.273-07:00Renewable energyThe prospects of energy market reform are going to change the world. The pace of this change is likely to depend on two factors:1. The capacity of manufacturers to produce the plant needed to drive markets, to allow market participants to respond to price signals2. The pace at which government can draw up legislation. Of course that is always the greatest bottleneck. To some extent this obstacle About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507434017931452394.post-80404394750997086772009-01-03T16:25:00.000-08:002009-01-03T16:26:35.975-08:00Vertically integrated food enterprisesFood retailing is big business. In small markets it can be very lucrative business. Most countries have established food enterprises that display a great deal of market power. There are 2 types or models that I have observed:1. Developer-retailers: This model is particularly popular in Asia, with the likes or Robinsons and Shoe Mart (SM) in the Philippines, and Seibu in Japan. It is in the About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507434017931452394.post-81003255148499862072009-01-03T16:24:00.000-08:002009-01-03T16:25:25.903-08:00Moves towards integration and customisationThis article on Chumby strikes me as the way of the future - or at least one path. This path promises several things:1. Customization of product - I believe we are moving to an era where style will be less important than functionality, and that styles will not come & go, but they will just move. I mean, you will be less inclined to refurbish your house in Gothic style, you with just sell your About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507434017931452394.post-61424310000996464472009-01-03T16:23:00.000-08:002009-01-03T16:24:03.632-08:00Simple housingFor years we have been able to buy kit homes though they were never very easy to assemble. In alot of western markets we have seen property prices taking off. Its fair to say there is a disconnect between the materialists and the spiritualists in terms of what is important. The materialists are of course chasing money and material possessions, whereas the spiritualists live simpler lives with About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507434017931452394.post-50971287025204795832009-01-03T16:20:00.000-08:002009-01-03T16:21:12.950-08:00The future of publishing - A New Publishing ModelPublishers like to overlook the fact that authors plagarise other authors work by merely getting their authors to sign a disclaimer that protects the author. I can’t imagine it being an easy task to define the ‘originality’ of a piece of work, yet under the current scheme it strikes me as difficult to protect the original content of a book. As we move towards a greater concentration of electronicAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507434017931452394.post-34093054493049152752009-01-03T16:18:00.000-08:002009-01-03T16:19:59.102-08:00My new career as a futuristOn this page I get to be a futurist. It occurs to me that the same skills that make me a good writer, a great CEO, a great investor, are largely the same skills that make me a great futurist. There are several important underlying attributes:1. Superior capacity for critical thinking2. A large general knowledge about the worldOn that note I will explore some of the ideas that I think make me a About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507434017931452394.post-39949715114692449712009-01-03T16:17:00.000-08:002009-01-03T16:18:10.871-08:00Open Source - its strategic directionOne of the big attractions of open source is the idea of tapping into external labour markets. Afterall there is a plethora of people out there wanting to learn on the job, in an environment where they can get support, and they are willing to do it without payment. That is a compelling business model.The closed ‘commercial model’ is supported by those whom regard OS as ‘disastrous in practice’. About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507434017931452394.post-50676304211450319272009-01-02T19:29:00.000-08:002009-01-03T16:16:16.153-08:00Strategic trends in farm economicsCheck out the following insights into the strategic direction of food retailing worldwide. It has implications for all farmers.About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507434017931452394.post-15995491491013452922008-10-29T00:13:00.000-07:002009-01-03T16:16:16.153-08:00Product marketing - Japan styleWhen I travel around Australia it amazes me how little Australian farmers know about the Japanese market. There are some good ABC programs that give people a guide as to the best approach to these markets. Its not easy because you really need to live there to understand the culture. You will not understand Japan by talking to or employing Japanese sales consultants. There are just too many About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507434017931452394.post-10625651893790446152008-10-27T19:33:00.000-07:002009-01-03T16:16:16.153-08:00Determinants of farm valuationLike any business the value of a farm comes down to anticipating its future stream of incomes. In assessing those cashflows its normal for the market to go through cycles of under-appreciation of the business value to periods of excessive optimism with respect to farm output. These cycles often relate to speculative cycles based on credit (interest rates), market developments and technological About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.com