Like many other foreign journalists descending on Japan amid a resurging pandemic to cover the Tokyo Olympics, Cathal Kelly had to endure nonsensical airport procedures on arrival: …verify forms, verify apps, get new forms, verify those forms, get our forms all mixed up, get them unmixed, spit in a tube, wait to hear how that... Continue Reading →
The Pandemic-Induced Digital Transformation in Charts
Data from Q2 and Q3 of this year show that the pandemic-induced acceleration of digital transformation isn’t taking shape as believed by many. Below I present charts that demonstrate retreating Telehealth trends, uneven SaaS revenue growth rates, and declining demand for tech jobs. Put together, this data confirms that despite the realities of remote work,... Continue Reading →
No, the Pandemic Isn’t Accelerating Digital Transformation
Microsoft’s Satya Nadella pronounced that, amid the pandemic, they’ve “seen two years’ worth of digital transformation in two months.” Nadella’s words quickly became a catchphrase, which appears ad nauseam, though in different forms, in articles and thought-pieces that seem to come out on an hourly basis. For example, Forbes said that “because of COVID-19, manufacturing... Continue Reading →
Canada’s Financial Inclusion Opportunity
For the one million unbanked Canadians, and the many more who are underbanked, the COVID-19 crisis is compounding financial hardships to dangerous levels. Those Canadians are the ones who have been marginalized by financial institutions and the fintech ecosystem. In an article that I wrote last year, I showed that less than 2% of fintechs and pretty much... Continue Reading →
It’s Time for Collaborative Finance
Saving Circles can smooth unsteady incomes hit by COVID-19. COVID-19 government relief packages aim to lessen the burden on the many who will lose their jobs or suffer income reductions. Will these measures be enough given the protracted situation? For many, probably not. People can adopt an age-old communal money-saving practice to help smooth their... Continue Reading →