Malcolm Gladwell & Spaghetti Sauce

"The key to good decision making is not knowledge. It is understanding. We are swimming in the former. We are desperately lacking in the latter."

Malcolm Gladwell

Author Malcolm Gladwell discusses the important role of Howard Moskowitz, a psycho-physicist, who revolutionized food industry. Moskowitz was the first one to realize that it's not enough to produce food in one style. There have to be many flavours of one product to please all American people. Gladwell tells how Moskowitz came to this idea, about his struggle to spread it and about his success. Gladwell says, not only did Moskowitz enriched the market with many sorts of product variations, but he also uncovered several important aspects of consumer behavior which ultimately effect brand strategies.

The MEAPA Way suggests that individuals, business, schools, communities and other organizations can learn a variety of lessons from this story by watching this 18 minute video and answering the following questions:

• How does this video demonstrate the need to accept and discuss new ideas?
  
• What lessons can non business people take away from the story of Howard Moskowitz?
• What was the calculated risk Moskowitz took with self-promotion and why do you think it took so long for brands to use his approach?
• How does this story demonstrate the ability to differentiate from others in the marketplace?
  
• As you seek to further your personal and professional development, what lesson can you take from this story and apply it to your ability to respect and discuss new ideas, get comfortable being uncomfortable or differentiate?