In a speech broadcasted on the ABC (19/1), Dr Edward De Bono told a good story about chefs in a competition (paraphrased here):
If all the chefs have the same raw materials, level of competency and experience, what would set the winner apart? The answer is obviously creativity.
The point: Businesses today suffer from "the commoditisation of competency and information." Everyone is certified (by a small handful of institutions with similar courses), and have gained experienced from businesses that operate in similar ways. Everyone has access to more or less the same information and knowledge. Most businesses have loads of competency but no new ideas or thoughts.
This means BORING businesses which all look and act the same. When customers can't tell you apart from your competitors, they default to buying on price alone. Guess who's got the best price at the moment? (Hint: think OUTSIDE of Australia/USA/Canada/UK etc).
