“For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.”
On 02/06/2012,
in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, society,
by Daniel Christian
On 02/02/2012,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, changing business models, digital learning, elearning, global / globalization, online learning, videoconferencing, web-based collaboration,
by Daniel Christian
Apple’s greatness, and its shame — from Harvard Business Review by Andrew Winston
Excerpts:
Is there such a thing as too much profit? A disciple of Milton Friedman would say “never.” The idea that companies should only maximize shareholder value has had a stranglehold on the business world for decades. It’s time to rethink this assumption.
…
Our system of competition yields amazing results — incredible technological innovation provided in massive quantities very quickly. But these marvels often rely on very real human costs. The whole system has some deep flaws that we must fix.
Apple prides itself on changing the game. So just imagine a world where the company applied its staggering innovation and design skills to create the iSupplyChain or iWorkingConditions. Everyone, including this fan of Apple products, would be a lot iHappier.
From DSC:
Readers of this blog already know that I’m a big fan of Apple’s products and Apple’s ability to reinvent itself, think big, and change the world.
But when Steve Jobs quickly answered Barack Obama (when the President asked what would it take for Americans to produce the iPhones, etc.) that “those jobs aren’t coming back“, his answer caused me to reflect on several questions:
- What is the ultimate purpose of a business?
- Does it exist solely to serve Wall Street and investors or does it exist to serve Main Street?
- Can there be a bit of both?
- How do local economies thrive when globalization continues to roll out?
On 01/27/2012,
in game-changing environment, global / globalization, learning ecosystem, lifelong learning, marketplaces, society, technology (general), workplace,
by Daniel Christian
10 findings that will shape students today for the workforce tomorrow — from GettingSmart.com by Dr. Tracey Wilen-Daugenti
Excerpt:
“Tomorrow’s Evolving Workplace” is from the upcoming book Society 3.0: How Technology Is Reshaping Education, Work, and Society, by Dr. Tracey Wilen-Daugenti (Lang, January 2012).
In the worst economy since the Great Depression, Californians are struggling to earn a living, get an education, and raise a family. How will we adapt to learn, work, and connect in the future? A new book with findings from Apollo Research Institute describes how businesses and workers will compete for jobs and opportunities in a global, technology-driven marketplace.
Below are just some of the findings…
From Acts 5:33-39
33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
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From DSC:
The above image was taken/edited from the infographic below:
On 01/13/2012,
in career development, corporate / business world, creativity, disruption, economics, future, global / globalization, innovation, morals/values, political science, reinvent, society, staying relevant, United States, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
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From DSC:
I originally saw this at Gerd Leonhard’s MediaFuturist.com where he entitles a blog posting:
- Thomas Friedman video on ‘That used to be us’: Must-watch for everyone in the U.S.!
(Thanks Gerd!!!)
Some of my notes on this video — Friedman’s main talk finishes around 35:45 w/ a Q&A beginning at 36:00
(From DSC: I’ve added my own thoughts in red)
- Non-routine work — is the kind of work that you want to be able to do (there’s also the non-routine, local work — butcher, grocier — but that wasn’t the focus here)
- Routine work — has been crushed via algorithms, outsourcing, (robotics), etc.
The bar has risen in non-routine work as we’ve moved from connected to hyper-connected world.
We are in the middle of an IT revolution/transformation — cloud, mobile, social, other — where Information Technology changes and globalization are creating global supply changes. Tom’s key point is that the United States needs to be involved in these changes or we’ll get left in the dust.
In their Help Wanted chapter, the following skills are wanted:
- Critical reasonsing
- Problem solving
- Non-routine work oriented
- But most of all, you must be able to invent and reinvent your job WHILE you are doing the job
- Creative
- Innovative
- (Pulse-checker and responder; which is why universities and colleges must begin offering classes on futurism/developing scenarios)
- Unique value creation
- Be able to bring your EXTRA
Average is over. Now that we are hyper-connected, “average” is over. If average is over — you must bring your “extra”.
From DSC:
If “average” is over, are we developing and raising up a generation of students who are learning how to bring their “extra”? Does standardized testing help us or hurt us in this regard?
3 key attitudes you need if you want to “lean into this world”:
- Think like a new immigrant
No legacy place waiting for me; I better figure out what world I’m living in, and then I better work hard to uncover and pursue the opportunities that current world presents; nothing is owed to me - Think like an artisan
Unique, hand-made; one-off’s, work in ways that you would be proud to carve your initials into your work - Think like the waitress at Perkins Pancake House in MN
Where she gave Thomas’ friend extra fruit and she mentioned that to them both; she brought her extra in areas where she had the control to do so
United States may be in relative decline — as we experience the “rise of the rest”; but what the US has to worry about it absolute decline
American exceptionalism — hogwash; no one owes us anything; have to earn our way; formula for success was a great private public partnership going back to Alexander Hamilton and built upon by Lincoln, Eisenhower, other (person asking question used the word ecosystem). 5 main pillars of this formulate for success/ecosystem:
- Education
- Infrastructure
- Open immigration policy
- Best rules for capital formation and risk taking
- Solid gov’t funded research
We’ve moved away from these 5 puillars of success and we’ve treated our nation like it’s a football that can be dropped w/ no resulting issues; the reality is we’re more like an egg; in another analogy, we can cut and hit arteries quickly…doing actual damage.
We misread environment — at end of cold war we put our feet up, thinking victory was won; the U.S. chased Al Queda instead of China, Brazil, other
Q&A
- Q: Influence — how changed and how stay the same
A: To have influence, must get substance right — content is key; diamond-hard realities are key; not the spins; still need to do grunt, basic work; can never be a Thor throwing down lightning bolts from on high - Q: Labor arbitrage
A: Rebalancing happening, but may take time; what was outsourced may not stay where originally went to - Q & A about Occupy Wall Street — was/is about injustice; taking $ and treating it like they were in a casino; people doing that got away with it; what will leadership look like in a hyperconnected world?
Final thoughts:
- Idea of OODA loop from the world of Air Force pilots — observe, ___ decide, act — speed of OODA loops are key; our political leaders are talking about A when X,Y, and Z are really happening (and the two circles rarely intersect)
- How long can we be a great country when our political systems cannot deliver optimal results?
- Our political system needs shock therapy — Friedman argues that we need a 3rd party — see AmericansElect.org
From DSC:
Each of us must be able to continually do pulse checks on a variety of forces that may be affecting our domains/places of work. We must be able to develop future scenarios and our responses to those scenarios. The ability to do that will become even more important as we move forward at ever-increasing speeds.
We can’t be looking 5-10 feet ahead when we’re driving at 180 miles per hour in this new, hyper-connected world!
On 01/12/2012,
in Daniel S. Christian, faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, society, technology (general),
by Daniel Christian
A reflection on “Making Holes in Our Heart” from The Technium:
Excerpt — that is also quoted in that piece:
There is a hole in my heart dug deep by advertising and envy and a desire to see a thing that is new and different and beautiful. A place within me that is empty, and that I want to fill it up. The hole makes me think electronics can help. And of course, they can.
They make the world easier and more enjoyable. They boost productivity and provide entertainment and information and sometimes even status. At least for a while. At least until they are obsolete. At least until they are garbage.
Electronics are our talismans that ward off the spiritual vacuum of modernity; gilt in Gorilla Glass and cadmium. And in them we find entertainment in lieu of happiness, and exchanges in lieu of actual connections.
From DSC:
Readers of this blog know that I lean towards a pro-technology stance! 🙂 However, I also realize there are limits to what technology brings to the table. Though the author goes onto comment about his being ok w/ holes in our heart, I think he misses the greatest void in the human heart that only the LORD can fill — not technology and/or other things that humankind may create. I’m not saying that I’ve always known what that feels like to have the LORD fill that hole in my heart, but I continue my journey in my relationship with Him, pressing on…sometimes feeling His presence…hearing Him speak to me at different times and in different ways…all the while hoping that I will know that feeling intimately and consistently. But ultimately, all of this technology — when compared to knowing Christ – IS garbage.
The Apostle Paul puts it this way in Philippians 3:8 (NIV):
8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ
On 01/12/2012,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, educational games / serious games, emerging technologies, media/film, online media, smart/connected TV, technologies for your home, television,
by Daniel Christian
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On 12/21/2011,
in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, society,
by Daniel Christian
Matthew 2:4-6 — from Bible Gateway’s Verse of the Day
“When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’””
On 12/01/2011,
in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, society,
by Daniel Christian
“[The Word Became Flesh] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Pingtan Experimental Development Zone — from nextbigfuture.com
.Excerpt:
China is expecting to spend US$4.6 billion in infrastructure in 2011 alone for the Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone, US$15.4 million a day on average, and in the next three years more than US$15 billion, reaching US$38.5 billion by 2015. China is building a gigantic special economic zone on a cluster of islands on the other side of the Taiwan Strait some 150 km from the port city of Taichung, for the sole purpose of enhancing cross-straits industrial cooperation.
International architectural firm 10 Design has recently won the opportunity to master plan a 93-hectare (230-acre) waterfront central business district as part of a new development for Pingtan in China. Pingtan, being the closest Chinese island to Taiwan, is to be transformed into a new commercial hub in an effort to attract trade between the two sides of the Straits.
West Michigan colleges among top institutions nationally with most students studying abroad — from The Grand Rapids Press by Monica Scott
On 11/21/2011,
in content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate / business world, future, game-changing environment, global / globalization, new business models, publishing, reinvent, staying relevant, technology (general), trends,
by Daniel Christian
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— excerpted slides from
http://gerdleonhard.typepad.com/files/telemedia-and-content-gerd-leonhard-total-telecom-public.pdf