Week 7 (Agribiology, environmental & industrial)

Brief Summary:

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This week, we looked into how technological advances have impacted the biobusiness industry in areas such as agriculture, environmental and industrial life sciences. Though these industries differ greatly in their nature, there was one common goal that they were all striving for and that was the idea of sustainability. Quoted from Professor Gurinder in his slides, he mentioned that "When we are able to grow the resources we need, we will finally be on the road to sustainability".

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In the agriculture industry, constant research is being done to increase the harvest and food supply to feed the growing population of the world. This includes technology which both improves farming techniques as well as genetic modification in plants to increase their yield. For environmental life sciences, we focused on waste management, and the possibilities of using our waste as a alternative source of energy. A key aspect of industrial life sciences is that of biofuels, and how that could also contribute to being another source of energy to power the world. However we also noticed that there were hurdles to these developments. Strong protests against genetically modified food, for example have hindered its developments, and it is important to see how we balance these 2 conflicting points of views.

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Interesting Ideas

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An astonishing amount of food is thrown away each year. It could be due to food products meeting their expiry dates or restaurants throwing out half-eaten or unwanted food. I feel that if we could minimize wastage, this would greatly increase food supply and help in the meeting of increased demands for food. In Singapore for example, millions of kilos of food are thrown out every year. That is alot of food wasted which could have been prevented if we had followed better food practices.

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Even though some restaurants in Singapore have already started trying to curb food wastage by imposing extra costs on buffets for customers who have a large portion of uneaten food, it does not do enough to change the mindset of people towards food wastage. In a country abundant of food, it is difficult for people to understand what extreme poverty really is. Hence, to combat this, I feel that raising public awareness and education is of upmost importance. In addition, some form of incentive or deterrence has to be set up to ensure that this becomes a lasting solution.

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Key Takeaways:

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Technology has enabled us to battle some of the biggest issues that mankind face, including food and energy supplies. Breakthroughs in any of these 2 areas will allow the world to take one major leap towards sustainability.

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However, it is important to understand that while researchers and scientists have a huge role to play in our road to sustainability, we as individuals also have a massive role to play. Our every action might have a small impact on our surroundings, but when multiplied by the billions of people all over the world, the effect of the impact is greatly magnified. Hence, we should not undermine our role as a global citizen.

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Issues for dicussion:

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How do we choose to strike a balance between natural food and genetically modified food in the future? Do we have a 50-50? Or is it possible that we would only consume genetically modified food in the future? This is a question I feel is quite worthwhile to discuss more in-depthly.

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Ratings:

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I would rate the lesson as a 8/10. The lesson has provided me with new insights on the world and its attempt to attain sustainability. Many of the new technologies introduced, such as converting waste to energy, is really interesting and has left me curious as to what other new technologies are being developed at the moment.

Week 6 (Bioscience and healthcare)

Brief overview:

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Today we looked into the biobusiness sector, focusing on the biomedical and healthcare aspects. There are 2 main types of diseases, namely chronic diseases such as diabetes and AIDS, as well as communicable diseases such as respiratory system infections. The first trend observed regarding these 2 diseases is that while more-developed countries suffer from a high number of chronic disease cases as compared to communicable diseases, countries such as Africa were quite the opposite and suffered from a high number of communicable disease cases instead. Furthermore, from 1990 to 2020, chronic diseases have taken over communicable diseases as the leading causes of global deaths and disability. What these figures suggest is that even though some countries become more developed and are able to better combat communicable diseases by providing better living standards and sanitization, they now come face to face with a new type of disease known as chronic diseases.

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We have also looked into the healthcare revolution, where technology changes the way in which the healthcare industry operates. Treatment standards are improved with telemedicine as this allows doctors from different countries to communicate beyond borders and exchange ideas in regard to new treatments. The BioTech revolution also sees the increase in productivity of new vaccines and drugs with the assistance of technology. Contract Research Organizations also attribute to this increase in productivity as they are specialized in the research of these new drugs.

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Interesting Ideas:

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Is it possible to rid the world of diseases of any sort with the use of technology? With the advancements of technology, many new solutions to treat existing illnesses are being discovered rapidly. Take for example, regarding the recent SARS epidermic in the world, many scientists were soon researching and producing vaccines in order to combat the spread of this deadly virus. Though not all vaccines were effective, it can be seen how quickly the world can now react to and combat new diseases. Improvements in infrastructure such as the provision of clean water, good sanitization and improved hygiene can also help in battling communicable diseases such as the diarrhoeal disease.

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However, it is interesting to note from the trends mentioned in the brief overview that while we are able to solve many diseases of the past, many new diseases are also emerging. These new diseases, also known as the "disease of excess", could possibly be caused by our lifestyles which are influenced by technology. I feel that diseases such as high blood pressure and obesity result from our over dependence on technology where commuting is now so convenient. Fast-food that can now be prepared and served instantly also cause harm to our bodies if not eaten in moderation. Hence, while technology could assist us in battling some of these diseases, the convenience that it provides us with could also lead to the emergence of new diseases.

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Key takeways:

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I feel that the prevention of diseases in the form of good healthcare is both the responsibility of the government as well as the individuals themselves. Governments can do their part by providing good sanitization and clean water, thus effectively combating communicable diseases. Public education about healthy living is also important for the citizens to be aware of the causes of these diseases.

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Individuals themselves also have a huge part to play. By eating in moderation and exercising regularly, one is able to better safeguard themselves from diseases such as heart attacks, obesity and high blood pressure. Furthermore, educated individuals who are aware about HIV should also restraint from conducting activities that expose them to the risks of contracting the disease.

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Discussion Questions:

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It would have been good if we could have dwelt into the issue of the new medical practices versus ethics. Medical practices such as the stem cells research, which can be seen as a solution for many problems, is also violently objected to by many religious bodies who say that this practice is unethical. How do we find the balance between these 2 points of views?

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Ratings:

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I would give this lesson a 8/10. Personally, the opening video of the lesson regarding the future of bioscience opened my eyes to see the limitless opportunities that technology can bring. Though it seems like a optimistic view of the future, at the rate technology is advancing in our age, it could possibly be achievable.

Group Topic (Photography)

(Main page)

Executive Summary
- discuss why we decided to choose photography
- state that there are different kinds of photography in our current day
and age and that it has grown from normal films, to polaroids to digital
camera etc. (even the type of cameras have changed over the years)
- how has this development of photography impacted the world on a whole (source of information, social, political impacts)

Background/Introduction
- define photography
- probably give a list of the types of photography/camera

Historical Perspective
- background info on the invention of the camera? (who invented it, when and why etc)
- when the camera was first introduced, only specific people had access to a camera (a symbol of power)
- discuss the growth and changes in photography since it's invention (timeline of its evolution, using Kodak as a case study)

Current Situation
- how cameras are now available to the majority
- how has development in photography changed our lives? (To quote the iPhone advertisement "we can now capture any memory, every dimple, every smile, every …)
- are the impacts as a result of the changes in photography significant?
- How so? (We can mention how we get information from photographs (in journalism), advertisement, etc...)

Future considerations
- where do we see photography advancing to?
- are there any new developments in photography that is currently being
developed or researched? (could refer to the "wvil" that integrates the iPhone with the DSLR)
-In the near future, could there be a possibility of 3D photos?

Conclusions
- are we optimistic or pessimistic about the future of photography?
- can it potentially be replaced by another type of technology?

(Subsequent pages, 1)

Photography in sports
-how it has changed from the past, to the present
-what we foresee in the future

(Subsequent pages, 2)

Photography used in journalism (promoting certain values or ideas)
-how photography has been used for political or social agendas over time
-how everyone can be a photojournalist themselves now

(Subsequent pages, 3)

Photography and it's impact on culture (arts)
-impact on artists
-photography seen as a new artform (can it replace traditional art)

Week 5

Brief Summary:

Today, we have discussed about Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and how this might bring about world change. ICT is actually a very broad topic, and covers aspects such as mass media, the internet, gaming, wireless technologies, interactive technologies, information systems and cloud computing.

ICT is widely regarded as a step in a positive direction as it not only increases productivity, but could also be the solution to solve poverty, lack of education and gender inequality in countries. However, along with these benefits, it could also bring about security concerns where there is espionage of intellectual property, the invasion of privacy, identity theft and a possible exposure to corrupting influences such as pornography. This great leap forward towards a knowledge-based society, like the use of any other technology, can be either good or bad depending on how we use it.

Interesting Ideas:

I believe that the solution to many of life's problems is knowledge and education. With knowledge, many of life's greatest problems such as poverty, child mortality and gender inequality can be solved. Furthermore with the advancement of ICTs, knowledge is only a fingertip away from all of us as we can access countless sources of information with the use of the internet. With India and many developing countries looking to make ICTs readily available for it's people, I do foresee a very promising future the whole of mankind.

However, the greatest problem I see with ICT is that its greatest strength of connecting people together from all around the world, can always be it's greatest weakness. One wrong or insensitive comment on a medium of ICT is able to form ripples all over the world. One example would be when Danish newspapers published cartoons regarding religion causing massive uproar among many people. Sensitive comments placed on blogs are also open to rebuke by online citizens. It can be seen that the inappropriate use of ICTs could actually pose to be more of a problem then the good it serves (ps. I won't be going into freedom of speech).

Key Takeaway Messages:

I believe that ICT would be a major factor is providing solutions to some of the major problems we face today as it provides us with an endless flow of information. However, it is important to note that we are to be careful in how we use the different mediums of ICT as inappropriate actions could bring about massive consequences now that the world is so connected.

Furthermore, the flow of information increasingly changing from what used to be a "one to many" system, to one now where individuals are able share information with one another. The information available on the internet might not always be accurate as ideas can now be contributed by individuals instead of going through regulating institutions. Hence, it is important for one to be able to discern between correct and incorrect information on the web.

Issues for discussion:

An issue I thought we could have dwelt-in deeper was the idea about responsibility of the people governing these modes of ICT. As ICTs could greatly influence one's way of thinking, these people play an important role in determining the general mindset of society. Hence, it would be interesting to see what the decision-making process is like in this highly-influential industry.

Ratings:

I would give the overall lesson an 8/10 as it introduced me to many ideas regarding ICT that I had never considered before. The idea of using ICT to alleviate poverty is especially new to me as ICT was traditionally considered as something that was available and widely-used only by developed countries. Furthermore, I feel that the concepts taught during class is very relevant to our current situation where advancements in technology constantly changes our modes of communication.

Week 4

Summary:

Drivers of world change come in many different forms and each have different impacts on the world. Some examples of these drivers are environmental change, technological innovations and globalisation. However, one key concept to consider when dealing with these drivers are whether they cause an evolutionary or revolutionary change. Evolutionary would be, as the name implies, a slow and gradual change over time as the world adapts to the driver. Revolutionary, on the other hand, implies a sudden and extreme change which sends shockwaves through the entire world.

We also looked into what differentiates a leader, a visionary and a manager. A visionary has great insights and understandings of the workings of this world, and is able to see what the world requires in the future. A leader is one who is able to create a framework and is able to band people together for a common purpose. A manager is the one who manages these followers and ensure that they follow the framework laid down. Each role is not mutually exclusive, and one may possess more than one of these qualities.

Interesting Ideas:


While I am certain that there are many drivers that can cause change in the world, for example global warming changes the living conditions of people and many policies have to be put in place to curb the emission of greenhouse gases, I would also propose that world change has a major hand in producing these "drivers". I believe that while these "drivers" affect world change, world change can also be seen to be the driving force behind these "drivers".

Let us look at a simple analogy. Technological advances have made information more accessible for people with the invention of the internet. However, it could also be argued that people's growing need for information was a key driver in the development of the internet by the IT industry. Hence I feel that we cannot view these "drivers" and world change as seperate entities, but we have to view them as a whole in order to have a better understanding of the entire issue.

I also asked myself, among the qualities of a visionary, leader and manager, which is the most important? Can they thrive in isolation? I believe the answer is no. All organisations, regardless of size, require people to fulfill many different roles and all these roles are equally important. A visionary, by himself, though possessing greats insights, might not have the skills neccessary to band together a group of people to support his cause. Leaders might not know how to manage people, and managers might not possess good insights.

Key takeaways:

One key takeaway I have is that if we are not prepared to deal with changes and do not change our mindset towards innovative thinking, we might not be able to deal with a revolutionary change effectively. This will result in us lagging behind the rest of the world as the rest continue to surge forward. Changes cannot be prevented, but it is how we react to them that makes the difference.

Another takeaway is that while it is best that we possess all 3 qualities of a visionary, leader and manager, good teamwork is often the best way to attain success. Instead of trying to take on everything by myself, it would probably be better to find a group of like-minded individuals each possessing different qualities to strive for the same goal.

Issues for Discussion:

I thought another aspect of in which we could have dwelt in deeper was the idea of an effective visionary or leader. There are many that claim to be visionaries but what makes some tick but others not? And also what makes some leaders more effective than others? This is an issue that is quite relevant to our daily lives where everyone is seen as a leader.

Rating:

I would give the class an 8/10 as I was really intrigued by one of the videos shown during class. The main message was about how it is not only about the leader, but the first follower who gets the ball rolling. This made me reflect alot about the role of a leader and how sometimes, we have placed so much emphasis on being a leader that we have forgotten that it is the followers that really keep the "dream" going.

Outline for Individual Project - Invention of the Television

Executive Summary (Why I chose the television):

• The television has become an integral part of our current lives
• We will want to see how the television impacts us socially, politically and economically
• Determine the future of the television

Background

• The television has evolved from normal flat screen to HD and now even the 3D.
• There is a shift from the radio to the TV in being the main source of information and entertainment

Historical Perspective

• Before the TV, the most common source of information was the radio and the press
• Even without moving images, these were the main sources of entertainment, as well as political and social
• Eg. The radio was used by the Japanese to broadcast propaganda speeches during the war
• Eg, In the King’s Speech during WW2, the radio was used to broadcast wartime messages
• In the past, the radio was more of a necessity rather than a want
o Important information about the progress of war, for example, were broadcasted over radio to civilians (though the accuracy of the information is questionable)

Current

• With the invention of the TV, the value of entertainment definitely improved drastically

o Incorporated moving images with audio
o Could be positive as well as negative. If the increased emphasis on visual effects comprises the content, it could be seen as a negative implication

• Television still used for political reasons

o Rally speeches in Singapore broadcasted over the television
o Terrorists have also used the TV and video to communicate their intentions
o Depending on what political ideas are put across, it can be either positive/negative

• Social impacts of television

o Broadcast of programs such as Crime Watch raises people’s awareness about crimes and changes the social dynamics of people. (Positive)
o Change’s people’s habits into becoming couch potatoes (Negative)

• TV has also changed as an economical agent as many firms are advertising on it

o A change from newspapers to the TV
o TV taking over as the dominant source of information and entertainment
 Radios in cars are gradually being changed to mini televisions
• TV is seen more as a want, rather than a need

Future

• With the invention of the internet, the TV is possibly facing becoming obsolete
• There is a need for more innovative purposes of the TV to be invented

o Ie. 4D TV where human sensation/interaction is also incorporated
o Virtual Reality (which is already in the process of being invented)

• However, TV is an important instrument to Government as they can exercise more control over it as compared to the internet
o Thus in the future, will still be seen as the main tool to achieve political and social objectives

Conclusion

• The TV has had major impacts on the human race ever since its invention during to its hand in political, social and economic aspects. However, it is facing being obsolete with the invention of the internet.
• Like the use of many other technologies, whether or not it positively affects our lives depends on both how the users use it and how the owners govern it.

Week 3

Summary:


"It is not possible to have a linear process of manufacturing in a world finite in resources indefinitely." What this means is that if we do not consider how to preserve our current resources and continue to use up these resources indiscriminately, we will eventually run out of them. This is as the earth's natural resources disappear once used and cannot be replenished.


Secondly, we also learnt about the innovation process in innovation management where we see that an good and creative idea is still not yet an innovation, and still has to go through the process of research, development as well as application before it is considered an innovation. Research happens when there are new insights and understanding of the matter or product involved after observation. Development would be the translation process where the product or idea is materialised. Application would be the business side of the model where the product or idea is engaged in commercial, clinical or social use and is open in the market to the public after the firm evaluates the product's potential in the market.


Intersting ideas:


I think that a concept that is generally accepted to be inseparable from innovation is the idea of capitalism. An idea, no matter how creative or good, is not considered an innovation unless it is able to reap some sort of financial benefits. This step is also seen as the business-case validation where the firm will evaluate if the product is able to bring in economic benefits. To be practical, a firm will require income if it is to continue operating in the market and innovation is very much profit-driven. However, what if we change points of view and view this in the Government's perspective instead of the firm's? Does the link between innovation and capitalism still apply?


The Government can participate the innovation process of firms by giving grants or providing training, hence easing the development stage for firms. Does the government benefit from engaging in such activities? In my opinion, when the Government provides grants for research, it greatly increases the likelihood of firms to engage in more extensive research and development. When these firms become successful and expand their production, more jobs are created, thus reducing unemployment and improve the general standards of living for people in the country. Hence it can be seen that innovation could also help governments to achieve their economic objectives.


Key takeaways:


My main takeaway is that creativity does not equate to innovation, but instead is a part of the process of innovation. It is important to understand the various stages of the innovation process such as research, development and application for one to excel in this highly competitive market.


Another key takeaway I have is that we should not make decisions and actions now that would reduce options for future generations. Another way to explain this is that we should not make a mess out of this world, and expect our future generations to clean it up for us. Instead, we should aim at creating an environment which is increasingly comfortable for our future generations to live in.


Issues:


"Creating value" is a concept that could be discussed in greater detail. Though these 2 words seem to be easy to understand, the 2 words are hugely subjective and vary in meaning for many different people. By mentioning maximizing value creation, it would be good to discuss if there was an general standard in which people could use to measure the value of an idea or innovation.


I would give this lesson a 6 out of 10 as mainly due to time constraints, we were not able to get in-depth into many issues regarding sustainable development. However, the processes involved in innovation management were very clearly stated, and had benefitted me greatly from knowing and understanding the processes involved.