tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post3054582655281986422..comments2024-03-27T08:53:29.267-04:00Comments on CURMUDGUCATION: Is There an Education Uber?Peter Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511193640285760299noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-10185931987085436762016-05-22T17:10:31.671-04:002016-05-22T17:10:31.671-04:00These techno-disruptions typically reduce the cost...These techno-disruptions typically reduce the cost of doing things, putting services that were affordable only by the wealthy within reach of the non-wealthy. This is most evident in the developing world, where smartphone technology has changed the lives of the poor by giving them access to communication technology and a banking system. Readers might be interested in the impact M-Pesa has had in Kenya, or listen to the Ted talk by Iqbal Quadir (https://www.ted.com/talks/iqbal_quadir_says_mobiles_fight_poverty?language=en)<br /><br />As for Uber, the wealthy are able to afford to buy houses for their cars to live in during the vast majority of the its life that it is just sitting there, pay for taxi services whenever a destination is outside of a comfortable walk, or hire a full time driver. Uber draws 15% of its customers from people in the bottom 25% of the income distribution and 34% of its customers from the middle 50% of the income distribution. It is not the wealthy that use Uber, it is the urban young.<br /><br />Source for income distribution of Uber customers: http://www.globalwebindex.net/blog/the-demographics-of-ubers-us-usersAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-54427787771304020542016-05-22T09:31:07.523-04:002016-05-22T09:31:07.523-04:00Edu-Uber is a nonstarter. Those are "friction...Edu-Uber is a nonstarter. Those are "frictionless" tech consumer services. Education can't be frictionless. Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03776737318318394287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-37101476882480440682016-05-22T08:58:00.039-04:002016-05-22T08:58:00.039-04:00I would suggest that virtual schools are the edu-U...I would suggest that virtual schools are the edu-Uber, promising to hook every student up with the course needed. I've never used Uber, but I hope they do a better job of delivering the consumer to the desired destination.<br /><br />As for Amazon, "Despite its reputation as a money loser, Amazon has now turned a profit — even if barely — in nine of the last 15 quarters. Amazon is known for re-investing the money it makes on mature businesses into new initiatives, but the company’s CFO has said in recent quarters that it was going to be more prudent in cost management." Source: www.recode.net<br /><br />Maybe we should take a cue from Amazon and REINVEST in our schools!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03544213160574214282noreply@blogger.com