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.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
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.
• 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.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
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.
"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.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Technology and Global Dominance/Human Development
Summary:
-
This week, we were introduced to 2 news way of viewing technology. Firstly, we saw technology's impact on global dominance, and secondly, its impact on human development.
-
Starting with global dominace, we discussed about the different dimensions of global dominance such as social, cultural, economical, industrial, military, and what I find increasingly influential today, information or disinformation. We were also introduced to a simple principle which could describe and explain the rising and falling powers of today. A rising star is a firm or even an entire nation that has an open perspective and was always open to new ideas while the falling star was quite the opposite and was mainly arrogant. These different attitudes towards new technologies could explain the disparity of power and influence in today's society.
-
Regarding technology and human development, there are also multiple point of views that we can take to further break down this large concept. We examined the issue from social, economical, industrial, cultural and sustainability perspectives. Human development is generally seen a progress in a positive direction. However it might also bring about negative implications and hence, it is essential to do an economical/social impact assessment to determine if we should continue to use technology to undergo human development.
-
Interesting observations:
- To me, I feel that information will become one of the largest factors in global dominance. This is observed as information is increasingly becoming a "necessity" in the lives of many. I use the inverted commas as though it is not as essential as food and water, having sufficient knowledge is still a major factor for one's livelihood if one is to stay competitive in the global market. Further more, due to technological advances, these firms are not bounded by their country's territories but are able to broadcast their information globally. Major news agencies such as CNN and BBC are now global and many across the world turn to it for information. Web giants such as wikipedia and google are sources of information or search engines that provide the assessibility of information. These huge firms determine what information is presented to the public, and thus have a huge impact of the lives of people all over the world.
- My next observation is related to both global dominance and human development. History tells us of the countless times humans have used their superior technology in an attempt to exert their authority over others. From the European countries colonising the African or Asian communites, to World War 1 & 2, and the most recent invasion of Iraq, we have seen the destruction and devastation of communities. Many lifes have been lost. However, have we humans learnt from these lessons? Have we become better as humans in that we care more for one another now? Certainly technology allows us to have greater life expectancy and improves our standard of living, but it has not made us better humans. Of course this view is rather extreme considering the collective efforts of the UN in trying to eliminate poverty, and only the future will decide if we have really become better humans.
Key takeaways
- Firstly, like the video about the 8 Millenium Goals that we watched, I really believe that we could make the word a better place for all to live if we all worked together as a global community. That involves us putting aside our personal interests and putting the needs of others first. This is probably the biggest hurdle that we have to overcome before we can realise these 8 Millenium Goals.
- Secondly, I feel that the key principles that determine a rising star and falling player is very applicable to both firms and us individually. Just as a firm is able to gain power and influence in the market if it is open to new ideas and positive, we can also grow and learn much more if we follow these same attitudes. This will greatly increase our knowledge and widen our perspective of the current world.
Issues
Due to time constraints, we did not have a chance to really go in-depth into technology and human development. While we have talked much about improving the mechnical human (capabilities), we did not have much a chance to discuss about improving the software (thinking) of humans. Education certainly has a large hand to play in improving the software of humans and knowing both aspects would give us a better all-rounded view of human development.
Rating
I would rate the class as 8/10 as the lessons learnt during the class are very applicable to our daily lives. Furthermore, we have discussed issues such as global dominance more in-depthly whereas normally we would just view it as something that is part of the status quo.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Technology and change
In the first week of lessons for TWC, 2 main ideas brought up was first, about technology and change, and secondly, about the different rates of progress for different civilizations.
-
During lesson, it was highlighted that technology and the rate of its development & impacts are growly exponentially. The use of the word "development" stood out to me as I too, wrestled with the idea as to whether technology was more beneficial or harmful.
-
On the positive side, technology has enabled us to live much more comfortable with the invention of mobile vehicles and mass transport, and also enabled ideas to be exchaged easily through the internet and sophisticated communication devices.
-
On the flip side, technology has also led to the invention of weapons, ranging from ones with small impacts such as guns, to those which can totally devastate an entire nation such as nuclear bombs. It seems that the technology that could propel us into a future of limitless possibilities could also be the one to destroy it.
-
I believe, the key lies in how we decide to use technology and whether we can overcome our own selfish desires and work together towards a better future.
-
Then there was also the topic about the different rate of progress for different civilisations. Someone mentioned that geographical differences had a major hand in this and I totally agree with him. However, I feel that the presense of a capable leader or government to direct the community towards a common goal could also be a major factor. One example could be that the China was united under the Emperor Qin Shi Huang, and this could have led to its gain in political and military power.
-
I believe that understanding the cause for these differences could provide us the knowledge we need to further improve our current society based on the lessons of the past.
-
I wish that we could have debated more about the origins of the human civilization. This would offer a me a different point of view as opposed to my current stand on Creationism. The idea of evolution and the survival of the fittest are ideas that I have been less exposed to and would be essetial that I do not possess a lopsided view of the world.
-
I would rate the lesson at 7 as I feel that it has opened up my perspective to alot of issues around me. However, it would be great if we were to dwelt in deeper into these subjects.
-
Matthias
-
During lesson, it was highlighted that technology and the rate of its development & impacts are growly exponentially. The use of the word "development" stood out to me as I too, wrestled with the idea as to whether technology was more beneficial or harmful.
-
On the positive side, technology has enabled us to live much more comfortable with the invention of mobile vehicles and mass transport, and also enabled ideas to be exchaged easily through the internet and sophisticated communication devices.
-
On the flip side, technology has also led to the invention of weapons, ranging from ones with small impacts such as guns, to those which can totally devastate an entire nation such as nuclear bombs. It seems that the technology that could propel us into a future of limitless possibilities could also be the one to destroy it.
-
I believe, the key lies in how we decide to use technology and whether we can overcome our own selfish desires and work together towards a better future.
-
Then there was also the topic about the different rate of progress for different civilisations. Someone mentioned that geographical differences had a major hand in this and I totally agree with him. However, I feel that the presense of a capable leader or government to direct the community towards a common goal could also be a major factor. One example could be that the China was united under the Emperor Qin Shi Huang, and this could have led to its gain in political and military power.
-
I believe that understanding the cause for these differences could provide us the knowledge we need to further improve our current society based on the lessons of the past.
-
I wish that we could have debated more about the origins of the human civilization. This would offer a me a different point of view as opposed to my current stand on Creationism. The idea of evolution and the survival of the fittest are ideas that I have been less exposed to and would be essetial that I do not possess a lopsided view of the world.
-
I would rate the lesson at 7 as I feel that it has opened up my perspective to alot of issues around me. However, it would be great if we were to dwelt in deeper into these subjects.
-
Matthias
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)