Important message from TED's Chris Anderson

Dear friends,

I have just received the following message from Chris Anderson and I am sharing it with you immediately. Please watch the video and read his message; this is really an inspiring new paradigm! Please share your thoughts or any ideas. The message follows now.

Fahri Karakas

Dear Friends of TED,

Now this is exciting. A powerful, 2-minute TED video has just been given star billing at YouTube and I need your help to get it to spread further…The video heralds the launch of Pangea Day, called for by 2006 TED prize winner, Jehane Noujaim. For the next 24 hours, it is being featured on YouTube’s global home-page as well as all nine of YouTube’s international home-pages.Maybe it's just me, but every time I see this trailer, it sets my spine a-tingling. I hope you’ll take a minute to view it, rate it, write a quick comment about it and then blog it, or pass the link along to friends. Each of these actions will have a multiplying effect and will help us reach out to thousands of film-makers around the world who we need to submit content for possible inclusion in Pangea DayThe project is taking off, and its ambition level is spectacular. On May 10, 2008 - Pangea Day - Jehane’s wish will come to fruition as sites in New York City, Rio, London, Dharamsala, Cairo, Jerusalem, and Kigali will be video-conferenced live to produce a 4-hour program of powerful films - supplemented by visionary speakers, and global musicians. The purpose: to use the power of film to promote better understanding of our common humanity. A global audience will watch through the Internet, television, digital cinemas, and mobile phones. A powerful advisory board has come together to support the project. It includes:
JJ Abrams
Lawrence Bender
Nancy Buirski
lan Cumming
Ami Dar
Cameron Diaz
Goldie Hawn
Vik Muniz
Clare Munn
Eboo Patel
Alexander Payne
Meg Ryan
Deborah Scranton
Jeff Skoll
Philippe Starck
Yossi Vardi
Kevin Wall
Will.i.am

If you’re interested learning more and/or helping out, please send an email to Pangea Day executive director Delia Cohen (delia@ted.com). More details are available at the project's beautiful website created for us by Avenue A/Razorfish: pangeaday.org. Now enjoy the film!Very best,
Chris AndersonTED Curator

Pangea Day Needs Your Videos!

Dear friends,
This is an inspring, great global project; and as a class I think we should take initiative this movement. Do you have any ideas on how??

Organizational Behavior Summer 2007 - Part IV

PART 4 of our lovely final celebration at Art and The Cafe! This has been an unforgettable experience and I really miss all of you!

Organizational Behavior Summer 2007- Part II

PART 3 of our lovely final celebration at Art and The Cafe! This has been an unforgettable experience and I really miss all of you!

Organizational Behavior Summer 2007 - Part III

PART 2 of our lovely final celebration at Art and The Cafe! This has been an unforgettable experience and I really miss all of you!

Organizational Behavior Summer 2007 - Part I

Our lovely final celebration at Art and The Cafe! This has been an unforgettable experience and I really miss all of you!

Videos From Our Last Class

They're finally uploaded, sorry it took so long. Here are the links to the videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx2NCPrr1w0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrcVBoWhYBY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlGFjfAdSaY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFqrBq6YrDs

What Will Be Your Legacy?

My dream is to have my own successful business one day so I can use my power to help the people who need help. Right now, there are many people living in rural areas of China are still extremely poor and have few access to enough food supply, clean water and medical care.

Since China is a communism country and has been operated under the same system for long time, it has a lot of disadvantages and weakness. To be specific, the political corruption is the biggest problem. Thus, I may need the help from local non-profit organization and the Chinese Red Cross Foundation (CRCF). They are the more effective and safe resources I can get help from.

Usually, the CRCF receives generous donation from the public and use them to improve the areas. Currently, there are many programs to help build village-based medical services in the remote western part of the country. Many health insurance companies fund them and the donation was used in philanthropic rural hospitals, doctor training, and assist serious illness relieving projects and research programs in poverty areas in West China.

In addition, there are many non-profit organizations help children who are not be able to attend school because of poverty. For instance, Overseas China Education Foundation (OCEF), which is a non- profit charity organization registered in Texas and granted by IRS as a 501 (c) (3), is dedicated to help less-privileged children in rural areas of China to finish their education up to 9th grade. Since the donation is sent to each supported school directly from OCEF and delivered to students at an open conference attended and monitored by OCEF's volunteering coordinators in China, so I can trust this reliable organization and donate money or just simply buy some studying tools for those children.

Since local government and parents are too poor to support school-age children receiving basic education, OCEF provides an opportunity for people who are willing to help them. There are about millions of such children waiting for our help. Through the program, children will learn basic reading and writing skills. They are the future of the country and only education can push them out of poverty and ignorance.

Moreover, I am planning to personally be responsible for children in these rural areas. I can directly help and finance them to receive not only basic education but also higher education like university. If my personally financial situation is allowable, I would adopt kids who are orphans and bring them to Canada and let they receive better education and more family care.

As we learned in our OB class, I realized that the whole world is connected together through various ways. When we are having plenty of food and access to good health care, many people are still struggling for their very basic needs. When the world is developed very unevenly, many conflicts will appear and will threaten the safety of all the people on this planet. Although my power alone might not be enough to assist all the children, I am willing to try my best in my study and career, not only for myself, but also for them.

What is your Legacy?

Too often these days, less fortunate people, like for instance people with disabilities are not treated equally to others without disabilities in our society. They can be looked down upon and shunned sometimes for no good reason. A good example of that would be that there are a lot of summer camps for children are only for people who are fully mobile or fully in a proper state of mental health and children with disabilities have to go to other special camps for people with special needs. Camp coordinators may have their own good reasons for making sure the kids are fully fit before accepting them into their camp, but I feel this separation isn’t very good for growing children whether they are in a wheel chair or not. As they are separated, children without disabilities do not learn how to deal and interact with those who are not, which I feel is an extremely important life skill to have.

I started sailing at the age of nine at a sailing camp in Burlington, Ontario. There I met a girl who was in the same camp as me. As years went by we always went at the same time and joined the racing program together, where we got very close. She would always tell me about her brother and how she wished he were able to sail, because he loved to watch the sailboats out on the water, but since he was paralyzed from the waist down he was not able to learn how to sail at a reasonable price and without special private lessons. She never thought it was fair that people with disabilities had to be split up from other people and that there should be a way that everybody could interact and go to the same camps whether they are in a wheelchair or can run ten miles.

As the years went by, she stopped racing and I kept on going and we eventually fell out of touch. Two years ago, I had the opportunity to catch up with her but she regretted to inform me that her brother had passed away. It was also mentioned that he was never able to learn how to sail, which I found very sad. Just because he wasn’t able to walk, why should he be subject to paying more for special lessons, apart from all others? We decided to create a business plan together in memory of her brother to start a summer sailing and other sports day camp in the Greater Toronto Area, which would be for everyone, those with disabilities and those without.

This girl has been a very good friend of mine, and I would support any of her ideas, even though if I thought they were out of this world, but I truly believe that the two of us together with the help of some foundations could create some place where all kids could go. With both of our creative but realistic ideas and our skills in the sport of sailing, together we could run and instruct children of all ages to learn how to sail. I have always felt a great need to give back to the new sailing community what my instructors had taught me when learning how to sail, but I feel it could be even better used and appreciated passing on this knowledge to underprivileged children who may not have gotten the chance to before.

Our mission is to provide a camp where any child or teen could go to learn how to sail at the same price that they would pay at any other sailing camp, with the same quality instruction, but it does not matter what physical shape the kids are in. Although sailing can be a very expensive sport, and it becomes even more expensive when having to purchase boats for the disabled, we feel that we have a great enough cause that many of the local and provincial foundation groups (like the Ontario Trillium Foundation) will look at us through a good light. These foundations are very willing to donate money to camps to help disabled or special needs children, so that they can participate in sports and activities too. Since our camp is trying to incorporate both the physically able and disabled so that they are all able to participate and interact together rather than in separate groups.

Similar camps have been created in the recent future, to allow children with disabilities to participate in more and more sports, but there has been no such camp as of yet to have physically fit and physically challenged children working together and playing sports together.

Management Education in the 21st century

The study of Management in post secondary education is a fantastic way for young men and women to get an idea of what to expect when they join the work force in the commerce sector. It gives them a head start of what to expect and how to go about daily business. I feel there are a few problems with the ways the university gears the programs towards. The first one is on is the aspect of money. Everything is geared towards maximizing their profits at whatever costs and, but as long as profits are maximized. Another problem may be that these courses are in constant need of improvement or updates since the commerce sector is constantly changing and improving. Yes, some principles stay the same, but for the rest, it is in constant motion changing.

I believe that management courses should let every student express themselves and their individuality in every way possible since in the business world, except for few laws stopping it, people will work and try to express themselves in their own individual way. With letting them do this in school, it will let them become even more creative and express themselves in different ways. I also believe that the courses should be constantly changing, to need the new and changing ideas of the business world, because if everything was done to the T from a textbook, those ideas may be so out of date already. Another thing would be to work in teams and groups for projects and on ideas and cases. It broadens peoples perspectives and horizons with different ideas coming from different people with different cultures.

McGill Visionnary Blogspot at www.lygtech.com/mcgillcreativemindworks

Hi everyone,

I finally finished the application storing our blog posts. It is available at
www.lygtech.com/mcgillcreativemindworks

I will try to update it as soon as new material is posted. Other than that, if it is missing some of your work, email me at david.ly-gagnon@mail.mcgill.ca.

The site is best viewed with Internet Explorer, and might have a small glitch with firefox.

Have a nice end of summer everyone,

David

The Human of the 21st Century

Introduction

The world of today is like a spider web

The following chapters work from the small; the individual self, to the bigger picture of the universe humans live in. The human, followed by its social environment, the business environment, the greater world and the universe are all interrelating spheres and impact each other. The world of today is like a spider web that keeps enlarging and where various elements come in contact with it. Some elements might stick on it for ever, while other elements, such as old concepts, might be surpass by bigger, newer, stronger, ones. The spider in the middle, which stands for the individual, is at the center, the core of the web. It is the values and personality and motivation that lie in the middle of the big picture.

The following layer stands for the immediate environment of the spider, what is in close reach, such as family members and friends and the social institutions of the human. It encompasses the culture, language, education, religion and the political and economic environment of the individual. The third layer is for the greater environment such as the business environment. The work and efforts that are being performed here are the results of what comes out of the second layer and the core; the individual itself. Here we start to see an evolution in the work place in the 21st century, concepts of systems thinking, continuous learning, web 2.0, new careers, positive organisational scholarships, spirituality at work, sustainability and more emerge and start to grow. Everything comes from the individual first and then keeps growing and enlarges into the greater environment.

After the business environment there is the rest of the world and the opportunities and challenges attached to it. Words in this layer are global warming, war and peace, globalisation, global governance, borderless society, social capitalism, immigration, free trade agreements, poverty, business as an agent of world benefit and more. Here the spider makes it web grow larger and larger, it experiments, and tries to see what else could come in contact with its web: bigger and dangerous bugs than him or more and better nutrients that will help his survival process and development? The further out the spider goes, the bigger the web is the more complex and different is the elements that might come to the spider.

After the greater world there is the rest of space, the universe, the unknown, the future, the new paradigms that are in waiting to be understood and analysed by the individual. Quantum physics, the Da Vinci Principles, complexity theory and all of the new sciences. A spider may leave its web and experiment life in the soil, change its environment, adapt to new environment limitations. Some of these new paradigms might even have to become part of the core, the individual. Here, in the world, this refers to new paradigms, new theories, and new ways of thinking, of looking at the past, the present and the future. New paradoxes emerge. More chaos and complexity, bigger challenges and bigger opportunities are at work here. As the individual grows, and makes its way in his close social network, to the business environment, to the rest of the world and to the unknown, in the end, everything falls back down to the individual. The individual’s vision, mission, perception, openness and values are what will guide the individual in its web.

As Mahatma Ghandi once said: ‘You have to become the change that you want to see’. The future of the world lies in the hands of the individual. This handbook is a compilation of knowledge and information that interlinks all of these layers and tries to makes sense of the human in the universe in the 21st century. Enjoy.
Chapter One:
You and your Environment

Human beings are conscious creatures who possess the ability to think. This characteristic therefore makes individuals able to make mindful decision for themselves and for others. In the 21st century, this ability, this control over one’s action will play an important role. Each person is born with certain characteristics, genetics and a predominant personality. This, at the core, defines who and how each various individual is. Here we look at the zero centered model, the personal excellence plan, motivational theories and connections are made to other layers of the web.

Personal Excellence Plan
Discovering and understanding who you are, your individual talents and skills, and build a personal life plan based on these personal characteristics is vital. Knowing your strong points is important to know who you are, where you want to go and can give you a sense of direction. This learning process calls for a strong self-reflection. A tool that can be utilized to do so can be the personal excellence plan from the Personal Excellence magazine. A tool such as this one makes you reflect on what it is you really want for yourself and for the people and the world around you. It seeks to identify your deep values, your life vision and mission. It makes you look at the different areas that are all crucial in an individual’s life, namely the physical, the mental, the professional, the financial, the social-emotional and the service.

These principles are all at the core of who are and want to become. The goals you set for yourself in all these seven elements will influence the other layers of the web directly. Knowing what you want and what you think is best for yourself will help you make better choices and decision for yourself along your journey in life. Every action and word counts. Understanding the principle of the butterfly effect here, a derivative of chaos theory, is important. A simple decision can change the course of your life.

Zero-Centered Model
Furthermore, understanding your personality, through the zero-centered model, for example is important to acknowledge since it will affect your behaviours and your relations with yourself, your family and friends and your coworkers. Who you are can affect others and that is important to understand. This is powerful since it means that you can change the life of other people. This is what will help you unlock your full potential. Work towards enhancing your own talents and developing them. The time spent doing so is much better spent here then trying to only work on ameliorating your defaults. This leads to a new paradigm, mostly referred to in organization, named appreciative inquiry.

Too often in enterprises there is a focus on the problem and what is going wrong. Nowadays, the process of appreciative inquiry asks the complete opposite: what is it that the enterprise does best and how can we build on it. This completely shifts how organizations saw themselves can bring motivation to employees, knowing that their talents and capacities are rightfully employed and being utilized. This can also be applied directly at the individual level. This, however, does not mean ignoring your defaults and the ‘negative’ side of your personality but to acknowledge them and be conscious of them while you work on becoming the best individual that you can be.

Motivation
Also important at the individual level are motivation theories. Whether you look at the hierarchy of needs of Maslow or McLelland N-Ach, N-Pow and N-Aff theory among others, it is important to understand that each individual are motivated by different things. Here the spider web expands towards the social environment of the individual. How individuals are shaped and what motivates them is also largely influenced by the person’s surroundings, family, friends, education, technology, culture, society and environment. Here the aspect of language, religion, economics and politics are at play. Based on your background, age and experience, different might motivate you in life and also at work.

Quantum Skills and the Da Vinci’s Principles
The human of today also needs to elevate him/herself to the new required skills in today’s environment. You have to develop your quantum skills in parallel with the Leonardo Da Vinci’s seven principles. This has repercussion at the core, the individual level but in all of the other layers of the web presented here.

The quantum principles; quantum seeing, thinking, feeling, knowing, acting, trusting and being are the new skills needed for you as an individual, as a member of a greater community and world and as a leader in the work place. These are psychological and spiritual skills. These will be further explored in this handbook. For example, corporalità, a principle of Da Vinci, is the integration of the body and the mind and can be directly linked to the two elements of the personal excellence plan, that of physical and spiritual. There are part of the human body and necessary for it to function.

As for the other Da Vinci’s principles, they are namely curiosità, dimostrazione, sensazione, sfutamo, arte/scienza, and connessione. Both The Quantum skills and the seven Da Vinci principles can be linked to the personal excellence plan presented above and to the organization. These skills can be possessed by people, who make up the organization. Therefore, by working on using the right side of the brain (quantum thinking and artx/scienza) individuals can put images to words and create a better understanding of what’s in the mind. With trying to see intentionally (quantum seeing) and sensazione (refinement of the senses) we will build a better picture of our environment to make better decision, both at work and at the work place.

The ability to feel alive (quantum feeling) and Da Vinci’s principle of dimostrazione, looks at experiences and the positive aspects of these experience, this can also be bridged to appreciative inquiry and Positive Organizational Scholarship, both of which will be explored later in this handbook.

Next there is the ability to act intentionally (quantum acting) and is basically the ability to act with concern for the whole – the whole self, the whole organization, and the whole planet[1]. Quantum trusting, the ability to trust life in this chaotic times is also very important. These can be somewhat linked to the principle of sfutamo, where embracing the uncertainty is praised. The ability to act with concern for the whole is crucial in a world where complexity and chaos reign.

Quantum being, the ability to be in a relationship encompasses all the other skills, just as Da Vinci’s connessione principle where a systems thinking approach is praised. These last two principles bring all of the other ones in context and gives them a unified meaning. All of these skills will be referred to throughout this handbook as they are deeply connected to greater concepts.

Self-Discovery
In the end, the process of self-discovery can be done today and can also be redone every couple of years. Based on your life experiences and your evolving environment, such as a marriage, having a loved one die, an injury or having children, and the people you will encounter, your perspective on life and how you see it can change and so can you. You constantly have to reassess where you are in your life and what direction you which to take.

Chapter 2:
Your Business Environment

At your work place, things are changing too and you have to adapt. The impact of globalization, which is also part of the layer of the greater world and the individual, affects the workplace today more then ever before. Here we talk of borderless less society, immigration, transfer of skills, cross-cultural management, social capitalism and very importantly of continuous learning. This is done at the individual level and also at the organizational level.

At the individual level, people today have to constantly be able to adapt to new technologies, learn new skills and constantly re-invent themselves in order to stay ‘employable’. Organizations have to bridge their departments together to have each of their division work towards a common goal and vision. This leads to the concept of learning organizations. This idea represents the fact that today individuals along with organizations have to keep learning and evolve in the right direction.
Learning Organization
Learning organization is composed of systems thinking which tries to integrate the different part of the organization together, similar to the principle of quantum being and connessione, Da Vinci’s principle. Mental models are also needed to support learning organizations. Having mental models of how the organizations works is part of every business and individual. In order to bring together the mental models of everyone, putting them into images will help bring understanding at the work place. This will help utilize the right side of the brain, and will make workers think paradoxically, such as in quantum thinking. Putting images to words will also help individuals develop their thinking capacities and their organizational understanding.

As for the building of a shared vision and team learning, another supporting block of learning organization, well here, values have to come into account. This will be explored later, in association with spiral dynamics. The last supporting block of learning organization, personal mastery, refers to the continuous learning process of individuals and organizations that now have to learn from these themselves. The world keeps changing and so does the skills we need to possess at work and in our everyday life. This will in turn impact education.

Education
Education, which affects individuals and has repercussion on the job market, is also changing. Today, you have to ‘reinvent yourself[2]’ every couple of years and learn for yourself. You have to keep learning, not only to fine tune your organizational skills but also for your own pleasure. Gaining new knowledge in other fields than your work field can help develop your creative skills, your analytical skills and many other skills. In an interconnected world you have to be able to connect and draw parallels between various disciplines. You have to expand your creative skills, especially as a leader. You have to be creative, just like Leonardo Da Vinci, or at least try to be!

Positive Organizational Scholarship
This point here leads to Positive Organizational Scholarship. First Positive Organizational Scholarship is a ‘multidimensional and interdisciplinary movement in organizational studies that brings together organizational and social sciences. In a nutshell, it looks at how to bring out the best in employees and looks at the positive side of organisational performance’[3]. This theory can be compared to that of appreciative inquiry, where a look at the positive side of humans and what energizes them in a momentum. POS, looks at positive values and positive dynamics. Bringing the two concepts together can be very powerful. These two theories not only reach the business environment but is also a world movement, our next layer.

Spiral Dynamics
Moreover, the aspect of values, as just mentioned is important to consider in a business environment, as much as in the individual and social level. Values are deeply ingrained in people and when not understood properly by organizations, the focus, vision and strategy of the business might simply be words in the air with no meaning to the employees. The concept of spiral dynamics comes into play here. Humans, as we all know, have evolved over time, and so have their values. This psychology principle helps answer complex matters, in life and also at work, such as how people think about things, why people make decisions in different ways, why and how values arise and spread and the nature of change[4].

These are all important questions that individuals can try to answer for themselves, at their core, but so do organization. In an era where team work has become a necessity, understanding where the team members come from and their beliefs will help group cohesion and performance. In order for an organization to understand their employees and build a vision and strategy mission that everyone will adhere too, understanding each individual’s values in crucial and that should come into play in the recruitment process also. Business can no longer look at surface values but have to dig deeper in order to create an environment where their employees will feel at home and where their work means something to them.

Spirituality in the Work Place
Furthermore, the concept of meaning at work brings up another topic that of spirituality at work place. In a time where consumption is high, people may lose their meaning in life, not knowing where to ‘attach’ themselves. Many individuals are now looking for meaning in their life and at the work place. Spirituality at work is a new concept that also bridges to individual values. People want to have a purpose; they are not just machines who act unconsciously. They have a mind, they have feelings, and they can speak from the heart as much as from the head. Bringing meaning to their world bridges the all of that together.

Going back to the concept of the individual at the core from chapter one, we mentioned that on the aspect of the personal excellence plan is that of service leadership. Spirituality at work is directly linked to that dimension. Helping others and the notion making a positive difference in the world and in other people’s life has a tremendous benefit to the individual. It lift ups moral and augments motivation both at work and in life. Companies who understand this element will have a tremendous advantage in terms if attracting and retaining employees. Organization have to build efficient communication with their employees in order to see what are their core values and do they feel they can bring to their society. On the other hand, individuals have to build a dialogue with them too to be in contact with their values and pursue their life mission through their actions at work and in life.

Leadership
This will demand new skills qualities for leaders. Their purpose is no longer to simply guide a group of people towards a common goal but also understand all of the previous elements mentioned above and put them into work. Leaders of today can not only think about their own little unit and organization but also have to look at their community and the world around them. Today, leaders are needed to put their charisma and other characteristics to work to the building of a sustainable environment and economy. Great leaders have to know themselves at the core, encompassing everything that was mentioned in chapter one. They also need to understand and embrace the new paradigms in the work place and in the world. They need to welcome chaos and complexity and learn to work with the fast pace society and interconnected and multicultural world. They need to have a global vision and understand their impact on people and their work. Basically they need to possess the quantum skills and the Da Vinci’s principles.

Finally, bringing together the concepts of values, appreciative inquiry, leadership, spirituality at work, positive organizational scholarship, and the individual at the core, we move on the next layer of our web; the greater world.
Chapter 3:
The World around You
BAWB
All of the elements mentioned above call for a mobilization of individuals to help foster a better world and a better future for the citizens of the planet. Businesses have to acknowledge their place in the globalized world and the impact they can have. With the influence, the resources and the power that they possess, they have to capacity to change several aspects of the world. From that realization, BAWB, business as an agent of world benefit. Businesses have to positively cultivate their relationships with the world. When it is recognized that the world’s top 51 of the world’s top 100 economies are companies and not countries[5], organization have to take a stand and initiate the required change.

Global Issues
Corporations today have what it takes to help counter the major problems our era, such as poverty, the gap between the rich and the poor, war, aids, global warming and other environmental problems and more. These are problems that concern everyone, no matter who and where we are. The individual may be at the core of the model, but these great world wide challenges will have to be addressed with many individuals together, in association with communities, organizations and governments. These issues encompass and affect the previous layers of the business environment and the individual self.

Corporate Social Responsibility
Business therefore have to become socially responsible, hence the concept of corporate social responsibility. This is intrinsically linked to the concept of chapter two, that of spirituality at work. While employees look for meaning in their work, corporations have to become socially sensitive and responsible. These two ideas when combined can be very powerful and change the future of the world, organizations and people.

There are new paradigms that keep emerging and that will most likely always be the case. The world is an evolving organism and will always be. So are organizations and people. Today we have to find a balance between the three so that they can positively evolve together for the grater good. In this complex and chaotic world where a small element can make a major difference, anyone therefore has the ability to make a difference.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead

Conclusion

In the end, there is a lot more that has to be taken into account when discussing relationships between the individual, the organization and the world. There is still a lot to discover in each of these three areas. Something to remember however is that it is the individuals who make up the organizations and it is the same individuals and organisations that make up the world. The relationship between the three is therefore of great importance. Understanding that everything is connected and that a small change in a person or an organization can have a big impact in the rest of the world is important.

The human, leaders of today have to deeply understand this and take it into consideration in their every act and in their very own being. The documentary such as ‘The Corporation’ which paints a pessimistic view of corporations around the world has to act as a wake up call for the population and the organizations. The future is in our hands and we can help make this world a better world for everyone and for our environment. Individuals have to understand and believe that they cam make things happen and that they can make a difference. We are at the core of our world and so let’s use our talents and skills together to the best of their capacity.

‘Only who can see the invisible can do the impossible’
-Frank L. Gaines
[1] Shelton, C.D., Darling, J.R. (2003). From Theory to Practice: Using New Science Concepts to Create Learning Organizations. The Learning Organization. Vol 10(6). Pp. 3532-360.
[2] Peters T. (2004). The Brand You Survival Kit. Fast Company. Vol 83. June 2004. pp. 95-97
[3] Bernstein S. (2003). Positive Organizational Scholarship: Meet the Movement. An interview with Kim Cameron, Jane Dutton, and Robert Quinn. Journal of Management Inquiry. Vol 12(3). 266-271.
[4] Spiral Dynamics, handout
[5] The Call of our Time: Business as an Agent of World Benefit, Hand out.

Bibliography

Bernstein S. (2003). Positive Organizational Scholarship: Meet the Movement. An interview with Kim Cameron, Jane Dutton, and Robert Quinn. Journal of Management Inquiry. Vol 12(3). 266-271.

Peters T. (2004). The Brand You Survival Kit. Fast Company. Vol 83. June 2004. pp. 95-97

Shelton, C.D., Darling, J.R. (2003). From Theory to Practice: Using New Science Concepts to Create Learning Organizations. The Learning Organization. Vol 10(6). Pp. 3532-360.

Shelton, C.D., Darling, J.R. (2001). The Quantum Skills Model in Management: A New Paradigm to Enhance Effective Leadership. Leadership and Organization Development Journal. 22(6). pp. 264-273

Learning Organization, handout

Leonardo Principles in Leadership, handout

Spiral Dynamics, handout

The Call of our Time: Business as an Agent of World Benefit, handout.

Designing Your Company for the Environment

Designing for the Environment Quiz: How Conscious is your company?
New Concept Development
□ Our company tries to make products smaller and lighter
□ Our company tries to replace physical products (like paper mail) to non-physical products (like e-mail)
□ Our company tries to reduce use of material or infrastructure
□ Our company tries to share equipment within the work environment as much as possible (e.g. 1 photocopy machine per floor)
□ We try to use suppliers and pay for services as much as possible
□ Our company tries to provide as much services for our products as possible
Physical Optimization
□ Our company tries to integrate various functions in our products (e.g. printer/fax/scanner)
□ Our company tries to optimize our product functions
□ Our company tries to increase our products reliability and durability
□ Our company tries to make our products easy to maintain and repair
□ Our company tries to make our product simple to upgrade rather than requiring replacement
□ Our company tries to design our product so that the user does not have to replace the product (e.g. durable surface)
Optimize Material Use
□ Our company tries to use cleaner materials such as less hazardous chemicals/materials or biodegradable chemicals/materials
□ Our company tries to utilize renewable materials such as biodegradable plastics or alternative energy sources
□ Our company tries to utilize materials which lower energy requirements (e.g. using products which require less energy to manufacture)
□ Our company tries to recycle material and utilize as much recycled materials in our products
□ Our company tries to reduce the amount of materials used in our product as well as in distribution of our product
Optimize Production
□ Our company tries to find alternative production techniques which lower costs and are more environmentally friendly than older techniques
□ Our company tries to make our products in fewer steps therefore requiring less machines tools (our machines multi-task and do several different operations)
□ Our company tries to make our production line more energy efficient through more energy efficient machines, cleaner energy sources, and other systems
□ Our company tries to optimize production by producing less wastes
□ Our company tries to utilize less consumables (like solvents, water, tools, etc) or use cleaner alternatives to them
Optimize Distribution
□ Our company tries to reduce our product’s packaging or utilize cleaner or re-usable alternatives
□ Our company tries to optimize distribution by finding energy efficient methods to transport our products to our consumers
□ Our company tries to make transportation methods more energy efficient (e.g. regular maintenance, alternative fuels, etc)
Reduce Impact During Use
□ Our company tries to lower energy use (e.g. proper insulation, passive solar heating)
□ Our company tries to utilize cleaner energy sources (e.g. hydro, solar energy)
□ Our company tries to reduce consumables (e.g. water, oil, filters, paper)
Optimize End-of-Life Systems
□ Our company tries to implement or is implementing a system to re-use old products (take-back policy)
□ Our company designs our products so it may easily be disassembled facilitating maintenance, replacement, and recycling
□ Our company tries to remanufacture/refurbish/reuse some or all components from out products to make a new product
□ Our company tries to recycle materials
□ Our company tries to use safe incineration methods with possible energy recovery when there are no other alternatives

Scoring:
0 – 5: Your company has not put or has not found ways to successfully implement environmental strategies to your production line. More works needs to be done on where to implement such strategies.
6 – 11: Your company has started implementing some environmental strategies to your production line however can benefit from adding more. Focus should be on areas which there have been little effort or work done.
12 – 17: Your company has put some effort into implementing environmental strategies. Database which strategies have worked and why and try to mimic these successes in other areas with less work.
18 – 23: Your company has done a lot of effort into implementing environmentally conscious strategies to your business. Try to improve existing systems or focus on harder to solve areas.
23 + : Your company is a leader in implementing environmental strategies! Work can be done on finding more innovative ways to implement them in your business and leading the way into greater innovations!







3.0 New Concept Development
The first stage of the designing for the environment strategy wheel is new concept development. This is one of the most innovative sections of the strategy wheel which fosters creative ideas to expand regular usage of a product. Traditionally, the life-cycle of a product was: design, production, distribution, use, and end life. Once the product reaches end life the product is thrown away by the consumer. Ideally companies sought this strategy to encourage more purchases by the consumer. However, with environmental laws being more stringent and in some cases requiring companies to take in the used products, this option may become more expensive. Furthermore, some environmental concepts when applied to business can increase profits by having multi-revenue sections on the product’s life cycle. The three main concepts in this first stage therefore are:
1) Dematerialization
2) Increase Shared Use
3) Service Availability

3.1 Dematerialization
Dematerialization is a concept that can cover a wide range of techniques to reduce raw materials or make the product smaller. This can be either physically such as making a product smaller and lighter to more abstract concepts such as replacing a physical product with a non-physical product/service. For example, a company which relies heavily on paper materials for mailing or catalogues may offer an online catalogue.
The advantages of this concept can be very advantageous for companies. The most obvious impact is by reducing raw materials, energy, and labor we can increase revenue quite substantially. Furthermore, some changes may provide a more flexible, productive and multifunctional solution. For example, instead of costly traveling expenditures for more common business meetings a company may implement a far cheaper online/web conferencing program. In certain businesses allowing workers to work at home (through the use of online networks and other office programs) may reduce costs and in some cases even enhance employee satisfaction, something which has strongly been demonstrated to affect quality and service performance.
3.2 Increased Shared Use
This second concept may seem abstract but it is one of the most common environmental strategies being used by companies. In essence this concept applies joint ownership of a product without actually owning the product. A common example is a photocopier which everyone in a company utilizes. Another way of viewing this concept is through a suppliers’ perspective. In other words, a company supplies products or services in which a user pays per unit service of the product instead of actually owning the product.
The benefits for increasing shared are numerous. Like dematerialization, since fewer products are bought/used by the company materials, energy and transportation costs are reduced. Another aspect is that this may provide more efficient use of the product. For example, if a company utilizes a given service or product from a company instead of buying it, they may have a more specialized and efficient usage of the product. In the end, the lack of ownership of a given product may also be beneficial since a company won’t have to worry about recycling and disposal of a product. For example, if a company bought a photocopy machine and at some point in time the machine breaks down and is irreparable, the company will have to pay for disposal of the machine as well as purchasing a new one. However, if the company where to rent a photocopy machine and the same situation would occur, the disposal costs would fall upon the photocopy machine’s company.

3.3 Service Availability
This third concept is one of the newest ones currently being employed by companies world-wide. As the name states, a company provides a service to compliment their product and therefore increasing their profits (from the service provided) as well as adding value to the product. Services that can be offered are numerous such as maintenance, repairs, disposal, or more specialized services. In a traditional product life-cycle, revenue is earned only once which is after the distribution phase. By providing a service, revenues can be earned throughout the usage phase of the product.
The advantages by implementing this concept are quite obvious. By providing a service one can extend the life cycle of a product and at the same time generate additional revenue throughout the products life-cycle. Therefore instead of a static one time earning system a company can implement a multiple earnings system to their product, especially if one offers upgrades such as Norton’s Anti-virus yearly fee. There are other advantages as well such as increased interaction with one’s customer base. This can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. Furthermore, by interacting more with the customer one will be able to analyze information for what the user and market needs. This can therefore allow one to implement new services of products which will generate further revenue.

Case Study: Nortel
In 1996 Nortel decided to stop buying component-cleaning chemicals which they used in their manufacturing operations. Instead it hired a supplier which would clean their products directly in their facilities. They therefore bought a service instead of purchasing a specific product. Since the supplier they utilized were experts in the process as well as the chemicals they used, the supplier managed to use less chemicals for the overall process. This lead to a significant drop in costs for Nortel, improved health and safety in their manufacturing facility and reduced their hazardous waste disposal requirements as well as costs. To build a strong relationship between both companies, Nortel agreed to share some of their savings with the supplier. Therefore, the supplier makes more profit despite selling more chemicals to Nortel. Their interest in satisfying Nortel’s need motivated them to provide superior service and reduce chemical usage.

New Concept Development Strategy Thinking:
1) What new concept development strategies has your company employed?

2) Which new concept development concept has been most successful in your company? Why?



3) What services for your products are provided by your company?


4) Does your services department complying with the needs of the client? If not why?


5) Is your service department aware of the customers/market needs? If so what actions are taken to satisfy those needs? If not what steps can be taken to be aware of these needs and implement them?




6) Which new development concept has not been or is least used in your company? Why and what can be done to implement/enhance it?

Ideas Expressed Vectorially in Organizational Behavior

My creative synthesis is surprisingly art work even though the title sounds a bit scientific. I'm not going to say much because I feel it should be explored, just make sure to look at the words.

The tradition educational system tends to be more conservative and less liberality. The professor usually teaches the same material over years without updating. Also, the studying atmosphere is considered individualized instead of team working. Each student focuses more on their own ideas or goals. It is also because of the large numbers of students each class contains. Thus, the verbal skills and social skills are greatly ignored, so as their studying attitudes. We should try to improve student satisfaction and promoting positive attitudes by minimizes the class size and initiate personal attitude. The lecturer should care more about students needs in order to accomplish the study goal.
Furthermore, the real life case studies should be helpful when we are solving the actual problem. We can learn the knowledge faster when we experience the real situation. In addition, improving cross culture understanding is also very important issue, especially in Canada. It means that we can not just learn single scenario from one culture background. The global cultural diversity should be fully understood to prevent any misunderstanding.

Interactive game with course material ! :-)

Hi, I though of sharing this game which covers material from the class as well as from all our contributions to the blog including the 100 cencepts for the 21st century.

You can access the game through this link if you have Flash Player 9 installed:
http://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~gruiz1/mgcr222/triviagame.html

If it doesn't display properly, you can download it here:
http://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~gruiz1/mgcr222/triviagame.exe


It is my final project and it is good for reviewing the course content. Please let me know whether you find any errors or any other feedback.

Cheers,
Gonz

Jeff Han: Intuitive Touch-driven Screen

Jeff Han from NYU Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, demonstrates his intuitive, touch-driven computer screen, which can be manipulated intuitively with the fingertips, and responds to varying levels of pressure. Really marvellous; a joy to watch!

Education

The Spiral Dynamics concept is one which is used to show the different stages or tiers of human evolution. According to this model, we are now in the turquoise tier which is one based on inter-dependence, cross-culturalism and working towards a common good; “A sacrifice self-interest system which is still forming” . As a student and member of this world, the only inter-dependence I see is the need for the strong to keep the weak oppressed. This oppression can come in the forms of illiteracy, cheap labor, government oppression, etc. If we are to achieve the “goal” of our tier, we must take a new perspective on the world. In the past, there have been countless occasions where the weak have risen and over-thrown the monarchy; The Peasants Revolt of the 14th Century, the Slave Rebellion in the US, etc. We must not repeat history. People should no longer be given reasons to revolt but rather, be given reasons to work alongside one-another.
All problems, whether they be managerial, social, scientific or mathematic, do not just happen to occur. All problems are results of a miscalculation, an error in the line of production or a dysfunctional social system The social problems of the world are no exceptions. Wars do not happen because people feel like it, millions of orphaned children are not the result of a freak accident, hunger and famine are not a new and unexplainable phenomenon. These social crises are the result of actions, or more specifically lack of action of previous and the current generation. The time to act is now.
The most common social issues in Third World Nations are poverty, exploitation, illness and violence. The saddest thing about these issues is that they could easily have been avoided had they been acted upon earlier in history. All human beings come from the same place. We are all made the same. However, we have all been put on different places of the earth for a reason. During the Industrial Revolution, machinery and technology replaced man in the workforce. This resulted in the emergence of new methodologies, new human behavior and a new “calling” for mankind. This new behavior created large gaps in society and people were divided into intellects, artists and workers. Ever since this period in history, intelligence was deemed more important than creativity and hard labor.
The areas known today as Third World nations (Africa, the Middle East and Central America) are considered “lower” than the rest of the world for these exact reasons. The people of these areas do not have the knowledge that the rest of the world now has. They do not have the same advanced technologies, the same intellectual mind frame or the same standards of living. Does this mean that they deserve to be used by corporations for profit? That millions of children deserve to be orphaned by the age of four? Anyone who believes that this suffering is a result of their own ignorance is greatly mistaken. I believe that by turning a blind eye to these issues years ago, past generations are partially to blame for the devastation of today. It is therefore the obligation of today’s generation to go in and educate the people on how to ameliorate their situation and how to take control of their lives. The catch? We have to educate the people in a manner which is beneficial for their lifestyle and not for the lifestyle we believe they should have. “Economic assistance to developing countries must be in accord with the stages of development in the recipient countries” .
The idea that we need to educate people based on their culture is not one which is normally given much consideration. People tend to forget that we, as a civilization, did not end up where we are now overnight. It took hundreds of years for us to arrive where we are now. We cannot, therefore, realistically believe that by imposing our laws and knowledge on other cultures that they can achieve what we have in just a few short years. The type of education I speak of has many different levels and each level takes time. You cannot ask a child to write a book before it learns the alphabet. The same is applicable for society; you cannot ask a civilization to build a skyscraper before they can learn to be self-sufficient.
The strategy behind this concept is that by giving people the tools to ameliorate their current situation, they will eventually have the ability to create a more powerful society in the long run. All people will agree that the African culture and way of life is very different than our North American culture. Therefore, I do not see the sense in teaching the African people how to live a life similar to ours. It is a false belief that if we show Thurs World Nations our “industrialized” way of life, they will beg us to teach them the way. It is our duty to give these nations the tools to develop their own way in their own time. We wouldn’t let another culture impose their way of life onto us so why should we have the right to impose our way of life onto others?
I was recently having a conversation with a friend of mine who has just finished his five years of residency at a hospital. We were talking about our families, our education, our lives etc and then we came to the topic of childhood memories. He confessed he barely had any memories between the ages of 5 to 15. I, on the other hand, fondly remember all of my years at elementary. To this day, I still remember random facts my grade 3 teacher taught those many years ago. I remember being excited for school in the morning. I remember where I sat in class, whom I ate with in the cafeteria, and how much I adored my teachers. I strongly believe that I would not be where I am now had it not been for the education I received and the fondness I felt as a child for knowledge. I want this to be my legacy. Changing the life of a child, or of any person, is not something that can be given a value.
Creating long-term and positive changes in a society is a complex and difficult task, especially in places where the people have been oppressed for centuries. For many years, the “band aid” approach has been used in these types of areas. People are being given food but not taught how to properly grow crops and manage animals. They are being given medical supplies but not taught how to prevent illness. These actions are only beneficial in the short run. To fix an issue, one must go to the root of the problem. The root is a lack of education.
Educating women about safe-sex practices and giving them more options will decrease the amount of death caused by the HIV virus and diminish the amount of orphaned children. Educating the men will provide them with the knowledge they need to provide for their family and become self-sufficient. This simple knowledge can make a huge difference in the short and medium run. However, for long-term progress and development, we need to target the children. These children need to know that they have options and that there are people who are there for them and their families. They need to know that they are safe and that education will benefit them in the long-run.
Simple as it may seem, it is important to understand that attempts have been made in the past to give voice to the voiceless and empower the powerless. This type of empowerment will most likely not be accepted with open arms wherever offered. The manager of the exploited worker will most probably not be receptive to the idea that this worker is entitled to a proper pay and decent work hours. The regime oppressing its people will most likely not stand aside and watch while the people become knowledgeable, powerful and therefore dangerous to the government. Within the people themselves, there is always the issue of trust that must be delicately approached.
For long-run results, the process of education must be founded on trust and co-operation. The people of these nations must understand that those helping them are doing just that. They must see that they are not being exploited, used, pitied or manipulated. The only way for this to occur is by proving to the people that what you are teaching them, how to read and write, build houses and wells, manage a farm, etc, are for them and them alone. This knowledge will help them support and better care for their family.
I believe that the greatest respect must be shown towards the culture of the people you are working with. Due to globalization, many authentic cultures are being cast aside and forgotten. By doing so, we are limiting ourselves to a single and global mind frame. Diversity is what makes the world such an interesting place to see and experiencing. Many Third World Nations have such unique and rich cultures. Although we may not agree on certain beliefs, it is no ones’ place or right to eliminate such authenticity. We have very few things left in this world that we can call unique or authentic. Why destroy what is left of this authenticity for “the sake of progress”?
This vision is a very optimistic one. These are the things I would like to do and see done. However, I also know that you cannot save everyone and not everyone wants to be saved. There is an invisible line that creates a rather distorted type of balance in our world. I know that if every child born in every country was to live to the age of 80, our world would not be able to sustain us all. My goal is not to save every life on earth. My mission and my hope is to give people the opportunity to choose their destiny and take their lives in their own hands. All children need to know that there is someone out there who hopes them well and prays for their well-being; whether they know who they are or not.
People in today’s world are so preoccupied with their own lives that they do not stop to thank those who have shaped their lives. We only know what we are taught and what we see. Not many people realise that “Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day” . What about the fact that “Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.” . I strongly believe that this world, is not the world that our forefathers envisioned
I do not believe that the people of Africa or Central America wish to become to power house of the world. I truly believe that if we teach them what we consider to be rudimentary knowledge, they will eventually become self-sufficient and may become contributors to the economy. Isn’t that what we, business students, want? My goal is to simply let people live. Give them the tools they need, watch them struggle with their knowledge, help them when needed but let them live the life they deem to be suitable for them, their families, and their community. As of yet, I do not know exactly how I will go about to achieve my goals but I feel that like with many other things in my life, I will end up where I need to be at the end of the road. I do know, however, that in order to help others abroad, you need to locally educate people about global issues and what we face.
An article ran by BBC News focused on the terrible state of existing schools in Third World Nations: Robin Bevan from Essex said they [the educators] were often so shocked by what went on in classrooms here that they left, often mid-way through term, causing further disruption to pupils' education . The solution to education problems of these areas is not simply building a school and then packing up. This is another example of a “band-aid” solution: it may fix the problem for a short while but in the long run, it may cause more harm than good. Children need stability in their lives to succeed and educational stability is just as critical in their development.
UNICEF , the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , RTE and UNESCO all describe education as a basic human right. No person has the authority to take away the rights of a child, especially one which was born into nothing and is already expected to fail. “Everyone has the right to education... Education shall be directed to the full development of human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.” (art.26 - Universal Declaration of Human Rights).

Footnotes did not post .. but there were links :)

What will be your legacy?

The Spiral Dynamics concept is one which is used to show the different stages or tiers of human evolution. According to this model, we are now in the turquoise tier which is one based on inter-dependence, cross-culturalism and working towards a common good; “A sacrifice self-interest system which is still forming” . As a student and member of this world, the only inter-dependence I see is the need for the strong to keep the weak oppressed. This oppression can come in the forms of illiteracy, cheap labor, government oppression, etc. If we are to achieve the “goal” of our tier, we must take a new perspective on the world. In the past, there have been countless occasions where the weak have risen and over-thrown the monarchy; The Peasants Revolt of the 14th Century, the Slave Rebellion in the US, etc. We must not repeat history. People should no longer be given reasons to revolt but rather, be given reasons to work alongside one-another.
All problems, whether they be managerial, social, scientific or mathematic, do not just happen to occur. All problems are results of a miscalculation, an error in the line of production or a dysfunctional social system The social problems of the world are no exceptions. Wars do not happen because people feel like it, millions of orphaned children are not the result of a freak accident, hunger and famine are not a new and unexplainable phenomenon. These social crises are the result of actions, or more specifically lack of action of previous and the current generation. The time to act is now.
The most common social issues in Third World Nations are poverty, exploitation, illness and violence. The saddest thing about these issues is that they could easily have been avoided had they been acted upon earlier in history. All human beings come from the same place. We are all made the same. However, we have all been put on different places of the earth for a reason. During the Industrial Revolution, machinery and technology replaced man in the workforce. This resulted in the emergence of new methodologies, new human behavior and a new “calling” for mankind. This new behavior created large gaps in society and people were divided into intellects, artists and workers. Ever since this period in history, intelligence was deemed more important than creativity and hard labor.
The areas known today as Third World nations (Africa, the Middle East and Central America) are considered “lower” than the rest of the world for these exact reasons. The people of these areas do not have the knowledge that the rest of the world now has. They do not have the same advanced technologies, the same intellectual mind frame or the same standards of living. Does this mean that they deserve to be used by corporations for profit? That millions of children deserve to be orphaned by the age of four? Anyone who believes that this suffering is a result of their own ignorance is greatly mistaken. I believe that by turning a blind eye to these issues years ago, past generations are partially to blame for the devastation of today. It is therefore the obligation of today’s generation to go in and educate the people on how to ameliorate their situation and how to take control of their lives. The catch? We have to educate the people in a manner which is beneficial for their lifestyle and not for the lifestyle we believe they should have. “Economic assistance to developing countries must be in accord with the stages of development in the recipient countries” .
The idea that we need to educate people based on their culture is not one which is normally given much consideration. People tend to forget that we, as a civilization, did not end up where we are now overnight. It took hundreds of years for us to arrive where we are now. We cannot, therefore, realistically believe that by imposing our laws and knowledge on other cultures that they can achieve what we have in just a few short years. The type of education I speak of has many different levels and each level takes time. You cannot ask a child to write a book before it learns the alphabet. The same is applicable for society; you cannot ask a civilization to build a skyscraper before they can learn to be self-sufficient.
The strategy behind this concept is that by giving people the tools to ameliorate their current situation, they will eventually have the ability to create a more powerful society in the long run. All people will agree that the African culture and way of life is very different than our North American culture. Therefore, I do not see the sense in teaching the African people how to live a life similar to ours. It is a false belief that if we show Thurs World Nations our “industrialized” way of life, they will beg us to teach them the way. It is our duty to give these nations the tools to develop their own way in their own time. We wouldn’t let another culture impose their way of life onto us so why should we have the right to impose our way of life onto others?
I was recently having a conversation with a friend of mine who has just finished his five years of residency at a hospital. We were talking about our families, our education, our lives etc and then we came to the topic of childhood memories. He confessed he barely had any memories between the ages of 5 to 15. I, on the other hand, fondly remember all of my years at elementary. To this day, I still remember random facts my grade 3 teacher taught those many years ago. I remember being excited for school in the morning. I remember where I sat in class, whom I ate with in the cafeteria, and how much I adored my teachers. I strongly believe that I would not be where I am now had it not been for the education I received and the fondness I felt as a child for knowledge. I want this to be my legacy. Changing the life of a child, or of any person, is not something that can be given a value.
Creating long-term and positive changes in a society is a complex and difficult task, especially in places where the people have been oppressed for centuries. For many years, the “band aid” approach has been used in these types of areas. People are being given food but not taught how to properly grow crops and manage animals. They are being given medical supplies but not taught how to prevent illness. These actions are only beneficial in the short run. To fix an issue, one must go to the root of the problem. The root is a lack of education.
Educating women about safe-sex practices and giving them more options will decrease the amount of death caused by the HIV virus and diminish the amount of orphaned children. Educating the men will provide them with the knowledge they need to provide for their family and become self-sufficient. This simple knowledge can make a huge difference in the short and medium run. However, for long-term progress and development, we need to target the children. These children need to know that they have options and that there are people who are there for them and their families. They need to know that they are safe and that education will benefit them in the long-run.
Simple as it may seem, it is important to understand that attempts have been made in the past to give voice to the voiceless and empower the powerless. This type of empowerment will most likely not be accepted with open arms wherever offered. The manager of the exploited worker will most probably not be receptive to the idea that this worker is entitled to a proper pay and decent work hours. The regime oppressing its people will most likely not stand aside and watch while the people become knowledgeable, powerful and therefore dangerous to the government. Within the people themselves, there is always the issue of trust that must be delicately approached.
For long-run results, the process of education must be founded on trust and co-operation. The people of these nations must understand that those helping them are doing just that. They must see that they are not being exploited, used, pitied or manipulated. The only way for this to occur is by proving to the people that what you are teaching them, how to read and write, build houses and wells, manage a farm, etc, are for them and them alone. This knowledge will help them support and better care for their family.
I believe that the greatest respect must be shown towards the culture of the people you are working with. Due to globalization, many authentic cultures are being cast aside and forgotten. By doing so, we are limiting ourselves to a single and global mind frame. Diversity is what makes the world such an interesting place to see and experiencing. Many Third World Nations have such unique and rich cultures. Although we may not agree on certain beliefs, it is no ones’ place or right to eliminate such authenticity. We have very few things left in this world that we can call unique or authentic. Why destroy what is left of this authenticity for “the sake of progress”?
This vision is a very optimistic one. These are the things I would like to do and see done. However, I also know that you cannot save everyone and not everyone wants to be saved. There is an invisible line that creates a rather distorted type of balance in our world. I know that if every child born in every country was to live to the age of 80, our world would not be able to sustain us all. My goal is not to save every life on earth. My mission and my hope is to give people the opportunity to choose their destiny and take their lives in their own hands. All children need to know that there is someone out there who hopes them well and prays for their well-being; whether they know who they are or not.
People in today’s world are so preoccupied with their own lives that they do not stop to thank those who have shaped their lives. We only know what we are taught and what we see. Not many people realise that “Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day” . What about the fact that “Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.” . I strongly believe that this world, is not the world that our forefathers envisioned
I do not believe that the people of Africa or Central America wish to become to power house of the world. I truly believe that if we teach them what we consider to be rudimentary knowledge, they will eventually become self-sufficient and may become contributors to the economy. Isn’t that what we, business students, want? My goal is to simply let people live. Give them the tools they need, watch them struggle with their knowledge, help them when needed but let them live the life they deem to be suitable for them, their families, and their community. As of yet, I do not know exactly how I will go about to achieve my goals but I feel that like with many other things in my life, I will end up where I need to be at the end of the road. I do know, however, that in order to help others abroad, you need to locally educate people about global issues and what we face.
An article ran by BBC News focused on the terrible state of existing schools in Third World Nations: Robin Bevan from Essex said they [the educators] were often so shocked by what went on in classrooms here that they left, often mid-way through term, causing further disruption to pupils' education . The solution to education problems of these areas is not simply building a school and then packing up. This is another example of a “band-aid” solution: it may fix the problem for a short while but in the long run, it may cause more harm than good. Children need stability in their lives to succeed and educational stability is just as critical in their development.
UNICEF , the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , RTE and UNESCO all describe education as a basic human right. No person has the authority to take away the rights of a child, especially one which was born into nothing and is already expected to fail. “Everyone has the right to education... Education shall be directed to the full development of human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.” (art.26 - Universal Declaration of Human Rights).

Footnotes did not post .. but there were links :)

21st Century Education

Management education has gone through an evolutionary process throughout the course of its history as illustrated in the course handout “A Brief History of Management”. Management education seeks to provide students with the knowledge, expertise and tools to succeed in the worldwide industry of business commerce. I believe that one of the problems historically and still today is that institutions and professors alike place too much emphasis on the theoretical aspect of learning instead of putting focus on practice and innovation. After my 1^st year of education at McGill, Organizational Behavior is one of the very few classes that promote creativity and vision. I believe the success of this course can be explained by the enthusiasm and passion our professor exhibits for this topic and the manner in which he teaches it.

The role of the 21^st Century leader is to be a social artist, spiritual visionary and cultural innovator. I believe this statement to be true, but the path on which the educational system is taking us may not exactly shape us to be aspiring future leaders we should be. Creativity should be acknowledged as an essential tool in management education because most manuals present outdated information by the time it reaches students and in a fast-paced and continuously changing global environment, we as leaders need to be a step ahead and not one behind.

Eating Disorders in the Workplace - A Guide for HR Professionals

Goals

The HR professional should be aware of eating disorders and should know how to detect and treat them. This brochure, targeted at HR professionals, has as goals:

· To create awareness about eating disorders in the workplace
· To create better detection and treatment for eating disorders in the workplace by educating professionals about common their symptoms and significance.
· To provide tips on the best ways to approach employees who potentially suffer from eating disorders and help them seek treatment
· To encourage visiting NEDA’s website to obtain additional information on eating disorders and treatments available

Problem

Contrary to what people might believe, eating disorders have no age or maturity constraints. It is extremely ordinary to hear about adolescents suffering from eating disorders, the most common being anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder (BED). However, it is unusual to hear about these disorders in the workplace, even though they exist and persist in many companies. In fact, approximately 60% of the anorexic population is 20 years or older.
It has been reported that more and more women in their 20s, 30s, 40s and even 50s are seeking treatment for anorexia and bulimia. This fact suggests that many professional women suffer from such diseases, perhaps affecting their work, social abilities and quality of life. Anorexia and bulimia both have appalling features, and people who suffer from these disorders undergo negative psychological, emotional, social, behavioural and especially physical characteristics, which will most likely affect their performance at work.
The problem essentially resides in the fact that there are many professional women with eating disorders, and the companies for which they work do not treat or perhaps even notice them. What these companies may not realize is that eating disorders have monetary, social and health repercussions not only for the victims (including ultimate early death), but also for the employer itself. In numbers, eating disorders cost U.S. businesses $3.8 billion in annual mental and health costs, in addition to $2.5 billion annually in lost productivity, lost work, restricted and bed days. In words, employees lose motivation, skip work frequently and become more antisocial.
Ideally, businesses should care for their employees’ wellness. For this reason, HR departments should be aware of the intensity of eating disorders in the workplace. Information about eating disorders targeted at businesses is scarce. Hence, this brochure is designed to inform HR professionals about the problem and potential solutions.

Common Eating Disorders

The most important thing for the HR professional is to perceive whether one of his or her employees suffers from an eating disorder, which is why this brochure focuses on the symptoms. Viewing the pamphlets prepared by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), available on the website (www.nationaleatingdisorders.org), is strongly recommended.

Anorexia nervosa is “is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.” Its four primary symptoms are:
1. Resistance to maintaining body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height
2. Intense fear of weight gain or being “fat” even though underweight.
3. Disturbance in the experience of body weight or shape, undue influence of weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of low body weight.
4. Loss of menstrual periods in girls and women post-puberty.

Bulimia nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a cycle of bingeing and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating. Its three primary signs are:
1. Regular intake of large amounts of food accompanied by a sense of loss of control over eating behavior.
2. Regular use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, laxative or diuretic abuse, fasting, and/or obsessive or compulsive exercise.
3. Extreme concern with body weight and shape.

Binge Eating Disorder is a type of eating disorder not otherwise specified and is characterized by recurrent binge eating without the regular use of compensatory measures to counter the binge eating. Its four primary characteristics are:
1. Frequent episodes of eating large quantities of food in short periods of time.
2. Feeling out of control over eating behavior.
3. Feeling ashamed or disgusted by the behavior.
4. There are also several behavioral indicators of BED including eating when not hungry and eating in secret.

Treatments Available

As is the case with any other avertable disease, the best cure is to avoid it. For this reason, the company should have a dietician available, or at least cover nutrition in its insurance package. The first step in treating an eating disorder is always diagnosis, which should be done as soon as possible. It is essential that the HR professional encourages, but does not force, a diagnosed anorexic or bulimic employee to seek treatment, and even help them look for an appropriate program.
There are many victims of eating disorders and thus many treatment programs available. The best treatment depends on the victim’s needs, lifestyle and location. However, special eating disorder treatment centers and hospital programs are available in virtually every city. NEDA provides a toll-free referral line, as well as a list of treatment centers and support groups organized by state, which is all listed on its website. Moreover, most hospitals count with a unit specializing in eating disorders treatment, or are at list able to give referrals.
In addition, the HR professional might need to be the link between the employee, the company and the insurance company. Therefore, he or she should be ready and willing to help the employee all the way, be in talks with the legal department to deal with the insurance company, and be able to negotiate terms with the employee’s department. Even though the reader of this brochure probably already knows this, it is essential to mention that companies cannot dismiss employees for mental or physical health issues.

Approaching an Employee

Unless the HR professional holds a personal or intimate relationship with the diagnosed employee, it will be very difficult to approach an employee. How do you tell someone you work with that you think they might be sick? How do encourage someone who does not necessarily trust you to seek help for a problem they do not realize they have? And, even more complicated, how do you suggest that they have an eating disorder, especially when it is perceived to be an issue exclusively for teenagers?
NEDA prepared an excellent pamphlet, available on its website, called The Role of the Educator, in which they explain ten "don'ts" for educators and others concerned about a person with an eating disorder. It is strongly suggested that the HR manager reads and understands this resource.
In addition, it might be extremely intimidating for the diagnosed employee to discuss such personal matters with her co-workers, including HR. For this reason, the HR professional should first consult with her direct supervisor as well as a physician, psychiatrist and/or dietician. Then, make the intervention.

Remember, the earlier the HR professional helps the employee obtain treatment, the better the results will be and the faster she can go back to work as a healthy and productive professional woman.

For more information and resources:

National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA): http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC): http://www.nedic.ca/

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World Link: Educating Nigeria into Development

Today, governments are too distracted fighting wars, gaining power, and earning profit to invest sufficient time and energy towards improving today’s world problems; it is the responsibility of the people to see that changes are made. Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of deeply committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has”. The profit-driven agreement between multinational oil companies and the Nigerian government poses serious danger to the livelihood of the people of the Niger Delta and continues to threaten the stability of the region. However there is hope. With awareness beginning to spread to the international community, there is increasing pressure on multinational oil companies to adhere to environmental and social standards paralleling those of their mother countries. Individuals and small groups of citizens are sharing their innovative ideas and are working collectively for societal wellbeing. Some examples are starting non-profit organizations and developing action plans concentrating on little steps to eventually make it to the finish line.

The Niger Delta is one of the world’s largest wetlands. It is the site of most of Nigeria’s biodiversity, and is also the area where the main oil reserves are found. Since Nigeria’s independence in 1974, oil production for export has been the main economic activity, totaling 80 percent of the government’s budgetary revenue. However, the gross level of environmental degradation caused by oil production has been ignored for the past 30 years and has robbed Nigeria, one of the richest countries in terms of natural resources, of both life and livelihood. Oil companies claim that their operations adhere fully to the highest environmental and health standards, but evidence shows that oil production in the Niger Delta is a direct contributor to pipeline leaks, acid rain, and gas flaring. Polluted water has made farming and fishing impossible and has caused a scarcity of clean drinking water, making malnourishment and disease common among the local community. Respiratory problems, coughing up blood, skin rashes, tumors, gastrointestinal problems, and different forms of cancer, were commonly reported ailments in many communities.

Another problem that the Nigerian people face is the illicit use of land by the oil companies. The construction of oil facilities destroys natural habitats of species causing a drastic loss of biodiversity. Oil production has resulted in many hardships for the local community including the loss of property with the Land Use Act enabling he government to transfer the ownership of land for “public interest”, a high inflation, and an increase in prostitution leaving many children fatherless. Women can no longer survive economically by performing their traditional roles so they turn to prostitution, raising health problems and lowering education and power among women.

The oil industry has expanded in Nigeria at the expense of other previously important production sectors, such as agriculture and manufacturing. This has created regional imbalances and an increasingly unequal distribution of wealth between different sectors of society, deepening the potential for conflict in this complex multi-ethnic nation. Ethnic minorities are often excluded from political participation and feel hostile towards those reaping the benefits and robbing them of their culture, identity, and basic human rights. Organized protest and activism by affected communities regularly meet with military repression, sometimes ending in the loss of life. In some cases military forces have been summoned and assisted by oil companies.
The problems that exist in Nigeria fuel off of one another: the corrupt government strips the people of any economic opportunity, which causes ethnic and hierarchal tension, fueling the health and education problems because women are forced to leave school for a life of prostitution. This causes an unorganized and angry society, in turn feeding the ineffectiveness of the government. Although closed cycles are generally impossible to resolve because there is no clear point of departure, I will concentrate my development project on education and its critical role for successful development in Nigeria.
Obtaining sustainable and relevant education is arguably the most important issue that needs to be addressed in Nigeria. Education spans all areas of development, as well as increases minority representation because civil society is able to actively participate in politics and influence government policies. When education goes up, many other developmental impediments lower drastically.

Alongside Amnesty International, a presently active NGO in Nigeria, I would like to develop an organization using the 4-D cycle of discovery, cream, design, and destiny that will enable the people of Nigeria to interact more with the international community, in the hopes of developing a network of global collective intelligence. World Link connects people from Nigeria with individuals in the developed world through letters, e-mail, and Web 2.0 with an aim for personal exchanges to learn and teach each other about the world community. This exchange provides double benefit; not only do the people in Nigeria become more aware of life possibilities and the world dynamics that influence their own lives, the people in the developed world are able to better understand the lives of those living in the developing world and will be more willing to put in the effort and time to talk to the exploitative multinational oil companies to change their policies. World Link’s vision contains short, medium, and long term goals that will ultimately result in the emergence of Nigeria as an affluent African country, characterized by active citizenship, economic prosperity, and social acceptance. These goals include:

Short Term:
· To link Nigerians with individuals in developed countries through letters and email
· To provide a cross-cultural base where Nigerian people of different ethnic groups are able to come together in a peaceful environment
· To begin to educate Nigerians about the importance of active citizenship and public health (i.e. AIDS, prostitution, family size, nutrition)
· To raise awareness in the international community about the exploitative practices of multinational oil companies, and increasing public pressure for them to change their policies
· Press for legislation to require all oil companies to fully disclose their operations and intentions to all stakeholders, as well as to independent observers

Medium Term:
· Having civil society and minority groups in Nigeria represented in politics
· Stop the practices of AGOA (The Africa Growth and Opportunity Act) that directly exploits African countries, and increase support for the HOPE for Africa Act, which will require U.S.-based corporations to operate by U.S. standards, and contains enforcement mechanisms
· To enable Human rights monitors and agents of the press to be granted free passage throughout Nigeria, as well as access to those records needed to document reported killings and other human rights abuses.

Long Term:
· To see a transparent, democratic government containing representation from all ethnic groups
· Acceptance of cultural diversity by the Nigerian people
· To optimize human capital to be able to start their own businesses, create employment, and alleviate national debt and poverty.
· Create a strong network to the international community to begin working together to develop other countries in Africa.
· Expanding World Link to connect the developed world with other developing countries.

World Link approaches the project with an optimistic outlook; however there are a number of critical success factors that need to be addressed before any of our goals can be met. First, the Nigerian government must commit themselves to the integrity of the Niger Delta and a higher living standard for the Nigerian people. The Nigerian government should guarantee that oil operations in the Niger Delta are carried out in a way that does not threaten the lives of local residents, nor does it harm the rights of local communities. They must invest more in human capital in order for the people to develop the economy, create employment, and lower debt. In addition, multinational oil companies must operate with transparency and enable independent monitoring of their activities. The oil companies must open their records to their stakeholders, as well as to local, national and international NGOs, and independent monitors. Records that must be made available include those related to their investments in Nigeria, environmental performance, and agreements with local communities. Quantum acting and planetary citizenship is becoming increasingly important for corporate survival, so acting in a responsible way that will benefit society as a whole and increase the effectiveness of the company. Finally, civil conflict must be resolved in order for society to move forward at a peaceful and steady rate. Ethnic conflicts are likely to improve with a higher level of education and a better understanding of different cultures.

World Link is a project primarily focused on connecting the developed world with the developing world to allow for a better understanding of different cultures. With a partnership with Amnesty International, World Link wants to educate the international community to raise awareness about the problematic issues present in Nigeria today—providing a personal link to the lives of the Nigerian people. Human rights is a strong focus of World Link. Raising the level of education will enable civil society to participate in the political process, ensuring that the Nigerian government is fair, accountable and monitoring the rights of the people and communities. In the future, World Link hopes to spread its contribution throughout the developing world and uniting the global community into one network of collective intelligence.