Session 12 (8/11) Reflections

Brief overview

There were five presentations this week. Group 1 looked at eBooks, some of the benefits and disadvantages as well as possible future applications. Group 5 considered how nuclear power could be used to drive the green regime. Group 6 explored techniques of weather control and their implications. Group 7 looked at 3D technology in the film industry. And lastly, group 8 examined genetic engineering and its associated problems.

Group presentations

Group 1’s video interview of SMU students regarding the use of eBooks for education was interesting. Some advantages and disadvantages mentioned include pricing of books, convenience of carrying an eBook reader with multiple textbooks stored inside rather than physical copies and saving the environment. In my opinion, the recent popularity of tablet devices such as the iPad as well as continually improving technologies such as the Kindle’s E Ink, will encourage the use of eBooks in the future. However, as the group rightly notes, the issue of protection of copyright and piracy has to be addressed in order for the publishing community to embrace eBooks to a greater extent. This needs to be overcome so that more titles are available before people would adopt eBooks. Pricing is also a very important consideration for the widespread adoption of technology, for example, Amazon currently subsidizes its eBooks in order to encourage more people to adopt its Kindle reader. Most e-readers cost hundreds of dollars and it is up to technology developments in order to reduce the cost of the e-readers.

Group 5 presented a very comprehensive argument for the adoption of nuclear energy as well as the potential challenges facing such adoption. I felt that their presentation was very relevant to the future of energy supply in Singapore, since the Prime Minister has said recently that nuclear energy was a possibility in the near future. An interesting point raised during the Q&A was that given the small size of Singapore, it would be hard to prevent widespread damage to lives and infrastructure should an accident occur. Also, although the waste generated from nuclear energy for the lifetime of family of four is only the size of a golf ball, when multiplied by a large population, this would still amount to a sizeable volume of waste which needs to be very carefully disposed of. It is important to note that adopting nuclear energy would not mean that Singapore is energy secure, since uranium would still have to be imported from overseas.  

Group 6 presented on weather control and introduced techniques such as cloud seeding and hurricane control. I found the part on various countries’ legislation as well as international agreements on the weather control interesting. As the group mentioned, it is important for researchers and governments to use these weather control techniques responsibly as they risk upsetting the natural weather patterns or diverting destructive hurricanes to neighbouring inhabited areas.

Group 7’s presentation looked at 3D technology. The section on the future development of 3D technology was interesting, the use of 3D in dentistry, augmented reality as well as 3D virtual learning environments were suggested. The group’s topic however does not seem to have much scope for discussion of economic or social impacts and appears to be largely technology-centric and descriptive.

Group 8’s presentation on genetic engineering and its associated problems was largely similar to the discussion in session 6 and 7 and raises the same issues, although the group did take the analysis to a greater depth by looking at certain case studies.

Rating

7/10

Session 11 (1/11) Reflections

Brief Overview

This week we had three group project presentations. Group 2 presented on technology and beauty focusing largely on the evolution of plastic and cosmetic surgery (www.wix.com/techwcg8/twc-cosmeticsurgery).  The next group covered the development of technology and crime (http://www.wix.com/twcsmu2010/cyberfelony). And my group looked at the challenges facing water management, water technologies as well as proposed some solutions (http://www.wix.com/twcwater/home).

Interesting ideas/observations

Technology & Beauty

The group looked at the personal, social and economic aspects of cosmetic surgery. It is clear that cosmetic surgery has a very close connection with personal aspects such as self-esteem and mental health. Advances in surgery procedures due to improvements in method and technologies have contributed to its increased popularity as patients are able to recover faster and procedures are safer. The group also considered the social pressures which result in individuals resorting to cosmetic surgery, for example, discrimination at work.

I felt that the economic aspect of plastic surgery was particularly interesting. The group mentioned that cosmetic surgery provided a boost in revenue for the medical industry including, more specifically, the medical tourism sector. The black market for cosmetic surgery and the risks of such procedures was briefly covered. Interestingly, the group considered that plastic surgery might have an indirect positive impact on the entertainment industry as well.

In general, the group’s topic is potentially very interesting, however, they could improve on the presentation of their website as several aspects of it such as the pictures and animation tend to distract from the delivery of the content. The use of appropriate media is important in presenting information clearly and the group’s website did not capitalize well on the medium used.

Cybercrime and Technology

From the group’s presentation, we see that the increasing reliance on computer systems and the Internet in our daily lives (e.g. online shopping, operation of energy and water services etc) has actually created a large incentive for criminals to exploit security loopholes in order to reap monetary benefit or create chaos. The sections on counter and future measures  and the group’s recommendations were very well thought out covering both technological options as well as legislative, governmental and international solutions to combat cybercrime. It is clear that a holistic approach is necessary to reduce cybercrime now and in the future.

The group’s presentation as well as the website was very in-depth but bordered on being a little too technical, which is a problem that arises when tackling a topic that involves technical jargon and the technology involved is complex. Also, their website background is rather distracting and makes it hard to read the content.

Key Takeaway Points

• Cosmetic surgery methods are rapidly improving as consumers drive demand, however it is necessary to consider the personal as well as societal implications of the use of such technologies.
• As we increasingly rely on computer systems and the Internet for our daily activities, criminals will be likely to continue to try and exploit loopholes to gain monetary benefits or disrupt services.
• A holistic approach including improving cybersecurity through technology and software advances, education, legislation and international cooperation is necessary to fight cybercrime.

Issues for Further Discussion

The group which discussed technology and beauty mentioned in the section on the future the possibility that societal perceptions of beauty will change as cosmetic surgery gains popularity and widespread acceptance, leading to possible problems such as increased discrimination based on appearance as well as more widespread mental and emotional disorders in society. The group mentioned that cosmetic surgery may one day be considered a necessity rather than an option. In my opinion, the group could have expanded on this point and consider the impact on the less well off members of society compared to the rich. It is possible that the poor-rich divide may manifest itself as an ugly-pretty divide, as the rich are able to afford the surgeries while the poor may not. Also, if there is an increasing obsession with beauty in society, would it stop at just changing one’s appearance after birth through surgery, or would it spill over to encourage a eugenics movement? 

For the topic of cybercrime, more could be discussed on the concept of cyberwarfare between nations and the need to train a team of experts (cyber army) to deal with attacks in the future.  

Rating

7/10

Session 10 (25/10) Reflections

Brief overview

This session considers two areas, technology assessment and forecasting. The former is necessary so that the societal implications of new forms of technology are considered optimizing the development of emerging technologies. The latter area is important as it helps businesses, governments and individuals to anticipate and prepare for the future.

Interesting ideas/observations

The first reading is an excellent introduction to the diverse techniques that are employed in technology assessment and forecasting. Some techniques are more suitable than others depending on the technology being assessed. However, a combination of techniques are usually used when assessing a particular technology as each method has its weakness and strengths.   

Reading 2 introduced the area of futurology, which is the scientific method of predicting the future. Although it is described as a scientific method, the author points out that futurology is not an exact science. The high degree of uncertainty and large number of variables means that futurology can at best only offer a direction of things to happen.

In Reinventing Technology Assessment (Reading 4), we are introduced to two concepts—Parliamentary Technology Assessment (PTA) and Participatory Technology Assessment (pTA). Parliamentary Technology Assessment refers to any technology assessment which is conducted on behalf of a national legislative body and is best exemplified by the former US Office of Technology Assessment and the European TA agencies. These agencies produce reports that enable parliamentarians to make a more informed decision when deciding on science and technology issues, since most of them do not have scientific backgrounds. Participatory Technology Assessment on the other hand is a method of TA involving participation of laypersons as opposed to experts.

The article considers how technology assessment by laypersons can help contribute to reports that are prepared for parliamentarians. The author’s main argument is that pTA offers valuable insights and complements expert technology assessment so that more holistic reports are created. Also, pTA can raise awareness and create a more informed society that is open to adopting the new technologies in question.

Reading 7 is a review of the book, Competing for the Future. It gives a brief overview of the different chapters and the main arguments put forth. This reading brings an interesting, business perspective to the need for forecasting. Companies that adopt forward-thinking strategies where attempts are made to “seize the future” would not be outpaced by their global competitors.

Key takeaway points

• Technology assessment is essential to help understand the broader societal and ethical implications of new and emerging technologies. A broad variety of techniques have been developed which have different strengths and weaknesses, hence a combination should be used to complement each one.
• Forecasting is important for businesses, governments and individuals as it prepares them for the future. Businesses which do not adopt forward-thinking strategies will merely be keeping pace with current situations and will be outpaced by their competitors.

Issues for further discussion

An interesting comparison was made between futurology and science fiction in Reading 2 and one of the individual presenters also touched on science fiction and forecasting. In my opinion, science fiction, in the form of books or movies, plays a role in shaping society’s views of the possibilities that may occur in the future. For example, George Orwell’s 1984 has definitely impacted upon society’s views of surveillance technologies and privacy. While other movies such as Day After Tomorrow, prompt one to consider the possible future effect of global warming on our lives. It would be interesting to see whether members of the class think that particular science fiction titles have changed their perspectives on the future.

Rating

7/10

Session 9 (18/10) Reflections

Brief Overview

This week’s focus was on emerging and future technologies. Some interesting technologies that were mentioned include claytronics, plastic electronics, augmented reality, robotics and wireless transmission of electricity. These various technologies can change our world in many ways and their development and adoption will lead to debates on their social, ethical, economic, and political implications.

Interesting Ideas/Observations

The assigned readings were very useful in broadening my knowledge and keeping me abreast of up-and-coming technologies. It is interesting to note that certain technologies such as nanotechnology and robotics tend to appear across all the readings, signifying a possible consensus on what would be the more revolutionary and perhaps controversial technologies of tomorrow.

As noted in Reading 4, these technologies all hold tremendous promise in improving our quality of life although the rate of development from one technology to another will vastly differ. Some technological developments may be stalled due to political reasons or because they threaten to undermine the profits of influential institutions and industries. Debates on the social, economic and political implications of these new technologies have already arisen and will continue to be raised (e.g. the debate on use of nuclear energy).

In particular, ethical debates are bound to occur in areas such as robotics and artificial intelligence (AI). Reading 2 provides an account of the potential environmental and social risks of robotics and AI. As the class discussion on Qing Yun’s presentation on falling in love with virtual people demonstrates, there are already many divergent views on the possible implications of such technologies (e.g. what roles would robots have in society, whether robots and humans can get married). From the discussion, it is clear that the media’s role in terms of science fiction movies and books, can heavily influence thoughts about the future.

Two interesting points were raised in class. The first is that supply can sometimes create demand as exemplified by the iPhone. People may not know that they need these technologies until they experience it. Emerging technologies can therefore create new markets and industries which did not exist previously. The second point is that a confluence of 4 “Smarts”-smart people, smart ideas, smart money and smart alliances and partnerships- will lead to the growth and drive emerging technologies.

Key Takeaway Points

• Imagination plays a key role in the development of emerging technologies
• Debates on the social, ethical, economic and political implications of these new technologies have already arisen and will continue to be raised
• Some of these technologies have the potential to change how we view ourselves as human beings and the way society works (e.g. artificial intelligence)

Issues for Further Discussion

Having seen the advances in gaming technologies where whole new worlds are created with their own landscapes, economies and societies, augmented reality does not seem too far off in the future. The potential for people to become addicted to augmented reality and other possible abuses of such technology would be interesting to discuss.

Rating

7/10

Session 8 (11/10) Reflections

Brief Overview

Energy and world change was the focus of this session. Key concepts such as energy security and sustainability were introduced. The relationship between the world economy and energy consumption and prices was also noted. We discussed at length the rising importance of renewable energy in overcoming limited fossil fuels and combating climate change.

Interesting Ideas/Observations

BP’s yearly review of world energy resources (Reading 1) looked at oil, natural gas, nuclear energy and hydroelectricity in terms of consumption, prices, reserves and production etc. This issue reviewed the energy development in 2009 and showed the link between the world economy and energy consumption. Global economy was in recession and contracted leading to a fall in global energy consumption for the first time since 1982. Consumption of oil, natural gas and nuclear power declined, while coal consumption was essentially flat; only hydroelectric output and other renewable forms of energy increased in 2009. Although renewable forms of energy remain a small share of the global energy mix but they continue to grow rapidly as a result of government support.

Reading 2 looks at technologies and actions that could provide the foundation for a sustainable transport system in OECD countries in particular a system with low or near-zero emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. It notes that climate change is one of the major challenges of the 21^st century and there is a need to move towards a clean energy system based on new technologies. Many of the actions available now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions stemming from transport will also be important steps for a much longer transition to a low-emissions, affordable and secure transport system

The third reading is an assessment of energy policymaking across the globe. Through this report, the World Energy Council hopes to provide guidance on innovative and successful policies and consider how they might best be replicated elsewhere. The report identifies three dimensions to energy sustainability: (i) security of supply of energy, (ii) environmental protection and climate change, and (iii) energy goes hand in hand with development- question of inequalities within and across countries. It is necessary to find a sustainable path that reconciles economic growth, protection of the environment and greater energy equity among peoples. This is possible and technologies we need are at hand, however, the main issue is governance. There is a need effective rules and smart policy frameworks to update our energy policies and ensure that the right resources and technologies are available at the right place and the right time and at the right price.

Reading 4 ties in with our last session on biotechnology, as it considers energy supply based on biomass. The article states that bioenergy is an emerging technology and its development is considered to be a form of evolutionary technology. It notes that there are essentially two distinct areas where biotechnology can contribute: (a) the area of traditional biotechnology (white biotech)- technical use of fermentation processes or enzymes in downstream processes of biomass conversion and (b) green biotech- genetic engineering of plants in order to tailor biomass with respect to their efficiency as energy resource. The article also identifies different fields of research whose integration will help create sustainable biomass based energy technologies, namely, biomass resources, supply systems, end products and conversion.

The Renewables 2010 Report (Reading 5) looks at the status of renewable energy worldwide. According to the report, the world has tapped only a small amount of the vast supply of renewable energy resources, despite the continuing upward trend of renewable energy growth. However, many of the trends reflect the increasing significance of renewable energy relative to conventional energy sources. There has been more active policy development- more than 100 countries had enacted some type of policy target and/or promotion policy related to renewable energy. It also noted the increasing significance of developing countries in advancing renewable energy such as China and India. Interestingly, it mentions that one of the forces propelling renewable energy development is the potential to create new industries and generate new jobs. Another interesting point is rural renewable energy, for example, lighting and cooking from biogas made in household-scale digesters.

One of the Youtube videos shown explained how the switch from wood (renewable resource) to fossil fuels in the UK and US actually prevented the depletion of forests there. I found this historical perspective particularly interesting, since the current trend is to move towards renewable sources and cut our dependence on fossil fuels. Of course the renewable sources of energy, which we are relying on, have changed from wood to other forms, such as solar energy or geothermal energy.

I also felt that the video on Germany’s solar experiment was very enlightening. It served as a good example to illustrate how government energy policies can lead to acceptance and widespread use of renewable energy sources.

Key Takeaway Points

• Consumption of energy resources is linked to the world economy
• Government energy policies are important in ensuring energy security and sustainability
• Renewable energy sources will be increasing important as we try to combat climate change and reduce our dependence on limited fossil fuels

Issues for Further Discussion

Would be interesting to discuss about Singapore’s lack of energy security and what possible steps we can take to increase our use of renewable energy sources such as solar energy

Rating

7/10 

Technology & Privacy

Currently in the midst of writing my individual topical paper on technology and privacy when I came across this case on my twitter feed. It's truly a sad case of technology being abused to invade privacy which ended in the worse possible way. 

Session 7 (27/9) Reflections

Brief Overview

This week we return to the biobusiness revolution to look at the areas of agricultural, environmental and industrial biotechnology.  We saw how the Green Revolution help drastically increase food supply and how biotechnology will continue to help feed the world in the future. The potential of industrial and environmental biotechnology in changing industrial processes in developing countries was also examined. Three videos were shown in class, the first was on the benefits brought by agricultural biotechnology, the second was an interview with Normal Borlaug, the father of the Green Revolution and the last looked at industrial enzymes. The individual presentations in class covered very interesting topics such as Plumpy’Nut and in vitro cultured meat.

Interesting Ideas/Observations

The US has been a forerunner in the area of agricultural biotechnology and reading 3 looks at the opportunities and challenges in the decade ahead. Some issues which were raised include the greater push for labeling of genetically-modified (GM) food. The US does not require labeling to differentiate between GM and non-GM food, however many other countries now require mandatory labeling for food products derived from modern biotechnology while other food manufactures are sourcing for non-transgenic groups creating a segmentation in the marketplace. This would have a negative impact on the US farmers who grow transgenic groups.

Another interesting point which was brought up in the report was the prediction that some of the transgenic plant varieties intended for food use developed over the next few years will likely emerge from the developing world such as China and India. This could have a significant impact on the global genetic engineering debate because large populations of humans will be consuming a staple transgenic whole food. When this happens, it is likely that transgenic food crops would achieve greater acceptance worldwide.

Reading 4 and 7 covered the same topic, mainly how agricultural biotechnology in the form of transgenic plants could help meet our future needs for food. Both articles expressed confidence in the ability of current technologies to meet the current and long term demand for food worldwide. Reading 4 suggests that the one of the threats to reaping the benefits from biotechnology lies in the many well-financed anti-science groups. The author, Norman Borlaug, points out that affluent nations can afford to adopt elitist positions and pay more for food produced by so-called natural methods but the poor and hungry people of this world cannot, these new technology will be their salvation.

Reading 7, on the other hand, mentions the need to mobilize political will and build the necessary institutions in order to ensure that key decisions on investment and policies to eradicate hunger are taken and implemented effectively. Several other challenges against eradicating world hunger include climate change, biofuels (competition for land/resources between growing biofuel crops and food crops or food crops used for biofuels) and the lack of income and absence of effective social safety nets which may lead to a situation of hunger amidst adequate overall supplies.

Both readings 5 and 6 discussed environmental and industrial biotechnology in developing countries. Reading 5 suggests that industrial biotechnology is most likely to be adopted in intermediate developing countries as they would have the basic infrastructure and capabilities to adopt these cleaner production processes. This move would require foreign investment and/or partnerships to help further develop infrastructure and provide financial resources. The last part of the article also looks at some policy directions which can be adopted for biotechnology to be introduced into the industrial sectors of the developing world- international agencies can promote private sector involvement by helping mitigate risk through the establishment of mechanisms to identify promising technologies and provide parallel investments at the initial stage, strong local government involvement is needed, etc.

Similarly, reading 6 reviews the prospects and challenges associated with the introduction of industrial and environmental biotechnology into the global economy, in particular, the ability of developing countries to play a significant role in this emerging field. It suggests that sustaining a new bioeconomy requires the adoption of a global governance regime for biotechnology that helps to bring a large number of developing countries into the global trading system. Failure to do so will create a ‘genetic divide’ among countries and intensify public opposition to biotechnology. The article also stressed the importance of a more open market access system, flexible enforcement of intellectual property rights in industrialized countries and adherence to minimum protection standards in developing countries and wider technology partnerships through corporate alliances, to help develop a new bioeconomy.

Key Take Away Points

• The movement of people away from rural to urban areas has resulted in greater amalgamation of agricultural land allowing the mechanization of farms and greater yields
• The Green Revolution may have vastly increased our food production capabilities but many challenges still lie in the way of acceptance of GM food worldwide
• The use of transgenic crop may be the answer to ensure long term food security for all but political will must be mobilized and the necessary institutions need to be built
• Industrial biotechnology can lead the way to cleaner production processes through the use of biodegradable enzymes instead of polluting chemicals, however, greater investment in this area is required for there to be a shift

Issues for Further Discussion

Most of the discussion in class focused more on agricultural biotechnology, especially transgenic food, it would have been good if industrial and environmental biotechnology was discussed in greater depth.

Rating

9/10 because I felt that the individual class presentations this week were very well done. The topics covered were not only interesting and varied, the presenters also knew their material very well and this made the session informative and enjoyable. 

Session 6 (20/9) Reflections

Brief Overview

In this session we looked at the biobusiness revolution, in particular, the area of healthcare and biomedical sciences. We watched an introductory video, which gave us a glimpse into the future of healthcare, as well as a humorous video starring Bill Maher criticizing US health policies and pharmaceutical industry. We also looked at some statistics relating to biobusiness and discussed about the high levels of spending in US on healthcare. There were several interesting presentations focusing on subjects such clinical trials and growing organs.

Interesting Ideas/Observations

The relationship between intellectual property rights (IPRs), biotechnology and the third world is explored in reading 2. As a result of the developed countries’ system of commodization, profit and economic control through IPRs, negative impacts have been imposed onto third world local communities regarding genetic and biological diversity. This system works towards market dominance and maximizes profit but has nothing to do with invention and reward or sustainable economic development, inviting ecological and socio-economic disaster instead.  I was particularly intrigued by this article as IPRs are a product of our modern legal systems which are intangible and yet can have so much impact on our tangible surroundings.

Reading 4 examines whether disruptive innovations can solve problems in the US healthcare industry. The article suggests that healthcare may be the most change-averse industry and innovations that can make improvements are ready but cannot find backers. It examines factors that result in a resistance or inertia within the system to adopt new systems and technologies. An interesting point is how regulation is often used as a method of preserving the current system and how this needs to be overcome. The last part of the article highlights the need for leadership to embrace disruptive changes in the healthcare sector in order to build a higher quality, more convenient and lower cost healthcare system.

This article harks back to Session 4’s discussion on change leadership and management. I felt that the first presentation by Dave looking at the possible future adoption of electronic medical records tied up nicely with this reading as it covered the barriers to implementation of this new system and possible ways implementation could take place.

Reading 5, a testimony by the then Commissioner of Food and Drugs in US, raises several interesting points about economic contributions and costs of new medical technologies. Technological change in medicine brings about benefits in addition to direct economic gains which are usually not taken into account (e.g. less absent time from work). Also, direct economic and public health benefits of developing new medicines often take time to be realized due to clinical trials etc, compared to other forms of technologies. Innovations in medicine can reduce spending on medical care, but they can also increase spending as more people undertake certain medical procedures (e.g. cataracts surgery). Increased spending is therefore not a negative reflection on technological change.

Maximizing public health gains and economic gains from new medical technology requires encouraging high value innovations and realizing more value from products used. There is great uncertainty especially with regards to cost and time spent, in the development of new treatments and medicines. This long and difficult process of development requires the right mix of incentives and safeguards in order to maximize the benefit from safe and effective new medical technologies. 

Reading 6 looks at the global healthy strategy that the Gates foundation adopts. The goal of the program is to use advances in science and technology to address major causes of illness and death in developing countries. The foundation has chosen to invest in a specific set of diseases and health conditions which have been neglected, and they support the creation and delivery of vaccines, drugs and diagnostic through methods such as grantmaking. Advocacy is also used to encourage wise policies, strong political commitment and sustained contributions from other sources. I thought reading 6 was particularly enlightening as it introduced me to the significance and impact of private philanthropy as a way to fund and promote health in the developing world, an area often thought to be the purview of NGOs and governments.

Key Take Away Points

• Biobusiness- commercial activities based on an understanding of life sciences and processes
• Intellectual property rights play a big role in the future of biotechnology as well as biodiversity
• Like any other area, change management is required for the healthcare industry to continually improve and progress
• Medical technologies and innovations have positive impacts which cannot be measured through traditional economic methods
• The process of development requires the right mix of incentives and safeguards in order to maximize the benefit from safe and effective new medical technologies.
• Private philanthropy is a major source of funding for healthcare in developing countries

Issues for Further Discussion

In class, prof showed us the chart showing the high level of spending on healthcare by the US and also the Bill Maher video. I found the discussion on US healthcare rather interesting. I would have liked it if more discussion of this issue was covered.

Also, more emphasis on Reading 2 would have been interesting. A comparison/link between Reading 2 and Reading 6 could have been made, especially since expensive patented drugs is an issue which has been raised in relation to healthcare in the developing world.

Rating

8/10

Session 5 (13/9) Reflections

Brief Overview

In this session, we look at information and communication technologies (ICTs) and how they can continue to change our world. In particular, we discuss the role of ICTs in helping the less developed countries achieve the Millenium Development Goals and more developed countries like those in the European Union move towards a green, knowledge-based society. We watched a video on immersive technology developed by Microsoft for gaming but which has possible implications in other areas such as healthcare. Also, cloud computing was highlighted as one of the upcoming technologies which could change the way businesses run in the new future.

Interesting ideas/observations

Reading 2 raises some interesting points on how ICTs could improve the condition of each individual, by bonding people and thereby changing the relationship between each one of us. It is noted that the falling cost of devices and expanding access to networks will result a greater spread of ICTs. In particular, four technical advances, peer-to-peer networks, precise local and spatial data systems, sensor fusion and unique identity systems, promise to aid future development.

In a more networked world, the evolution of complex systems from simple components (individual devices) will occur . The linking of previously independent systems brings with it unanticipated uses and behaviour. I like the analogy the article makes between these systems such as the Internet and cities or biological systems as well as the point made that these systems need to be studied and focus cannot remain on just individual technologies but should include how they interact.

What stood out the most in this article was the part about how the networked world could change the way we see ourselves. It is suggested the ICTs would allow us to combine local reporting with global information, enabling us to understand in an immediate way what might be done to change another person's life. "Seeing what is shows us what to do", ICTs therefore may revolutionize the way charity and relief efforts are carried out in the future as well as encourage more persons to take part in such movements.

On a similar vein, reading 3 discusses how ICTs can be used to pursue the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). ICTs have the potential to help poor communities develop in the areas of poverty, health and education. If deployed correctly, they could benefit the poor and play a catalytic role in accelerating their economic and social development. The developing world could use the "digital divide" as opportunities to leapfrog to cutting-edge technolgies. The article proposes a framework for incorporating ICTs into development: strategy, regulatory framework, implementation, capacity development, partnerships and measurement. Some measures are proposed in the article which can be used to achieve the MDGs include providing e-learning as an alternative education channel and the introduction of telemedicine.

I felt that reading 2 and 3 served as good introductions to the potential uses of ICTs for developmental efforts around the world. Reading 4 shifts the focus to the European Union (EU), and shows how ICT is a key positive element in empowering the move towards a green, knowledge society with sustainable economic growth. The three policy themes which govern the EU's ICT policy are social impacts, the need for economic prosperity by transition into a knowledge based economy and addressing climate change.

It is interesting to note the areas in which ICTs are employed in more developed countries to improve and move their society forward. ICTs are seen as one of the major elements in enabling a move towards the knowledge based economy. Besides a knowledge economy, the EU aim to move towards a knowledge society by improving digital literacy and better support for older people. ICTs could also revolutionize the delivery of public services and increase the participation of the public. This is an area which the Singapore government has explored in recent years. Many services are now available online and feedback is routinely collected through the internet before decisions are made (e.g. feedback on the views of the public before the casinos bill was passed). The areas which the report covered are also relevant to Singapore.

Reading 4 states that using ICTs such as cloud computing could also provide better support for SMEs and drive the economy. This is further elaborated on in reading 5 as well as through the video shown in class and one of the presentations. Cloud computing appears to have a lot of potential to revoluntionize the way businesses work.

At the mainstream level, cloud computing has also made an impact on how individuals store and transfer information. For example, information gathered for our TWC group project is placed on Google Docs, which greatly improves the way we can access and edit them. Previously, editing documents required us to send numerous emails resulting in many editions of a single document. Another example is Dropbox. During the floorball league, video recordings were made of our matches so that we could watch them and review our tactics and performance after, however these video filed were too huge to send through email so Dropbox was used instead. From these personal experiences, I too believe that cloud computing is a form of technology with much potential to change the way we interact and do work.

Reading 6, the video cum blog entry by Prof, was a real eye opener. It was interesting how such immersive technology designed for computer games could have potential use in a myriad of areas other than gaming. As discussed, such technologies may also lead to ethical issues being raised as to their use. This video demonstrated not only the potential for immersive technology but the potential of technology in general in changing the way we perceived things, do things and live our lives.


Key take away points

• Small changes in ICTs may trigger unexpectedly explosive changes in use (e.g. the adoption of TCP/IP brought about the Internet)
• ICTs can be used to help poor and less developed countries develop in areas such as health and education
• ICTs also play an important roles in developed countries who utilized such technologies to drive their economy and improve their societies
• Cloud computing and immersive technologies are some of the upcoming technologies which would continue to revoluntionize the way we do things.

Issues for further discussion

Would have liked it if there was discussion regarding the role of ICTs in developed countries as much of the class discussion focused on whether ICTs should be introduced to less developed countries.

Rating
8/10

Session 4 (6/9) Reflections

Brief Overview

This week we look at the global drivers of change and how to effectively manage change.

Interesting Ideas/Observations

Drivers of Change

Reading 1 identifies global drivers of change to 2060 while reading 3 predicts what the global landscape would look like in 2025, splitting the scenarios between those which are relatively certain as well as key uncertainties and fleshes out what the implications are. Both readings mention the increase stress on limited resources, a shift in world economic power (rise of China and India) and climate change.

It was mentioned during the discussion that infectious diseases (one of the drivers mentioned in reading 1) were historically a driver of change (e.g. the black plague). I thought that was rather enlightening and recent experience from SARS, bird flu and H1N1 has definitely highlighted the continued impact infectious diseases have on the world.

It is interesting to note that technology is implicitly present in discussions of drivers of change or how the global landscape would be in the future. For example, the increase stress on scarce resources, whether energy, water or food, requires technological advancement to try and solve these problems. Another example is terrorism; it is noted in reading 2 that opportunities for mass-casualty attacks will increase as “technology diffuses”.

Reading 2 focuses on globalization, technology and competition as drivers of change. Although the reading appears to be slightly dated, the core ideas are still relevant. Some observations and ideas raised are particularly noteworthy:

• -        Technology is both driven by and is a driver of globalization
• -        Globalization manifests itself in intensified competition which is a positive-sum game for society
• -        Investing in new technology and enhancing entrepreneurial capabilites is necessary for firms to maintain or increase their competitive advantage

Of the three presentations for this segment, I found Aishwarya’s presentation, which looked at human ingenuity as the foremost driver of change, to be the most interesting. I liked the idea that technology need not be complex to change someone’s world. Simple, new technologies can be created using everyday objects in less developed areas as long as one is able to harness this ingenuity.

Change Management

Reading 2 suggests some differences between leaders and managers. From the discussion in class, which I agree with, leaders provide the vision and the direction while the management implements it. When coping with change, leaders will ‘make it happen’ while managers ‘respond when it happens’.

The main point this reading 1 emphasizes is that the human element is essential in change projects, since it is not organizations that adapt to change, but their people that do. It is observed that the traditional approach towards change management: unfreeze-change-refreeze, is now obsolete and continual change is necessary. Change projects have to be aligned with human nature, what motivates people varies from individual, a one-size-fits-all, top-down approach is bound to fail. Human behavior, however, can be modified using a combination of incentives and disincentives, if the desire for change is created in the individual.

Reading 3 sets out a systematic approach towards directing and managing change from a manager’s perspective, which if applied well, could help increase the will of employees to work. It proposes that in order to adapt to change, it is necessary to forecast the future and plan what needs to be done, policies need to be decided on then implemented through setting targets. Performance needs to be evaluated regularly in order to ascertain the effectiveness of these policies in adapting to change. This reading also echoes reading 1’s point that tasks or targets imposed from above are unlikely to be done willingly or well. Instead, the manager is encouraged to frequently engage in dialogue with his subordinates in every stage of change management.

For the second part of presentations, I found Jiaming’s presentation which examined the human psychological side of change, was very much in line with both reading 1 and 3. His presentation outlined 4 basic conditions to successful change projects: (i) a compelling story, (ii) role modeling, (iii) reinforcing mechanisms and (iv) capacity building, all conditions were mentioned at some point in reading 1 or 3.

Key Take Away Points

• There are numerous drivers of change which could lead to both positive and negative changes, some of the current drivers of global change include climate change, shift in world economic power, new technologies, diseases and scarcity of resources.
• Technology is both driven by and is a driver of globalization
• The human element is important in change projects
• Managers should seek to let employees take ownership of the change project through engaging them in the entire process, this would increase the likelihood of success  

Issues for Further Discussion

• What are ways in which the chasm between early adopters of new technology and early pragmatists can be crossed? What implications does this 'chasm' have on inventions and their inventors?

Rating

7/10 

Session 3 (30/8) Reflections

Brief Overview

Session 3 is split into two parts, the first focuses on sustainable industrial development while the second looks at innovation management. As I was on MC and did not attend class, my reflections would focus only on the assigned readings which I found most interesting.

Interesting ideas/observations

Industrial Development

The EU environment fact sheet (Reading 1) on the initiatives employed to ensure sustainable industrial development, demonstrates the systematic and comprehensive approach the EU takes towards reducing the negative impacts of industrialization. The EU is known as a leader in international climate policy and has some of the most innovative, extensive and rigorous environmental regulations. However, for newly industrialized countries such as Vietnam or rapidly growing economies such as China, are such EU-style environmental laws feasible?

Regulations limiting the amount of carbon emissions may be simple to pass but in a huge country like China, enforcing the limits will pose a challenge considering their weak institutions where bribery and corruption is rampant. An EU-style emissions trading scheme would crumble if companies can simply circumvent the emission caps and not face repercussions. Also, the developing country’s government may not be interested in adopting such environmental policies as these regulations impose costs on both the government and the industries which may hamper economic growth.

Perhaps methods such as allowing European companies to invest in emission-saving projects elsewhere to meet their commitments at home is the best way to help developing countries achieve sustainable industrialization through technology transfer. EU’s complex environmental regulations however can serve as a guide to large, developed economies such as the US and Japan.

Reading 3 (Sustainability for Tomorrow’s Consumer) highlights the need for businesses to alter their business model and be open to new ideas and opportunities in order to meet consumer demands despite resource constraints. In particular, I was struck by the point raised in the paper about how the growth of the middle class worldwide would lead to a huge strain on commodities and resources based on historic consumption patterns.

Most discussions on sustainability focus on the point of view of businesses, ways they can change their processes to use resources more efficiently etc. The reading, for example, suggests that to be successful, the consumer industry will need to balance growing consumer demand for sustainable products with demands for convenience and price sensitivity. However, it seems to be taken for granted that it is fine for consumers to carry on with their current consumption habits (the thinking is perhaps along the lines of ‘if they can afford it, why stop them from consuming’).

A quick scan of my room, cluttered with shoes, bags, books, stationery etc, causes me to think that beyond the discussion of sustainable products, perhaps consumption habits in general need to be changed. Consumers in developed countries buy things that they ‘want’ and not necessarily things that they ‘need’. In my opinion, overconsumption is an unhealthy habit that society and its consumers need to kick, but till then perhaps sustainable products is the best way to reduce the impact of overconsumption. 

Technology and Innovation Management

Reading 1 focuses on role of the US government in encouraging and guiding innovation and technological advances. The key idea seems to be that innovation cannot be control or even anticipated but an environment that fosters and supports innovation is more likely to see results. Beyond the policies mentioned in the reading, I feel that a crucial aspect of creating this environment is a strong intellectual property regime. In Singapore, our copyright, patent and industrial design laws confer rights to innovators, which allow them to benefit financially from their innovations thus providing a strong incentive.

The map showing areas of leadership (current and potential) in technology innovation (Reading 2) piqued my interest since it is something new to me. Of the four dimensions of technological capacity used to create the Technological Achievement Index (TAI), the component which measured the diffusion of old innovations (telephones and electricity were used as indicators) came as a surprise. However the explanation that technological advance is a cumulative process and widespread diffusion of older innovations is necessary for adoption of later innovation makes a lot of sense.

Key Take Away Points

• Sustainable development is a real and pressing issue which involves companies, consumers and governments.
• The government plays a big role in both sustainable and innovation management. Its policies which restrict certain activities (e.g. pollution) or encourage others (e.g. monetary incentives for research) can have a big impact on the country’s future.  
• Education and human skills are an important aspect which helps to contribute towards innovation.
• Fragmentation is a challenge facing innovation management, cooperation is essential. (Reading 3) 

S