15th November: Evaluation of TWC

Hello!

How did 13 weeks just passed by ?!?! I still remember our first lesson clearly, how Prof asked us what we thought technology was. After clearing up some fundamental terms, Prof went to show us a video regarding Guns, Germ & Steel by Jared Diamond. From the video, we were introduced to this man called Yali, and his famous question: "Why is that you white people developed much cargo and brought it to New Guinea, but
we black people had little cargo of our own?" This question governed most of our discussions during class and we seek to discover how we can use technology to help developing countries.

During 13 weeks of TWC, we covered these topics:

1. Technology and the Rise of Civilisation: Historical Timeline and Technology "Revolutions"
   
   Defined some terms such as technology: The applications of the know-hows to solve a problem. Innovation: The translation of and idea or invention into a good or service that creates value for which the customers will pay.
   
   How technologies you own today could be obsolete tomorrow. For instance, will music players still be relevant 5 years from now or will it be overtaken by Google Glass?
2. Technology and Global Dominance and Human Development:
   
   Mainly discussed about the mentality of a Rising & Falling Star
   
   How America has culture dominance now which brings culture erosion and lost of certain distinct social cultures.
   
   Gross National Happiness Index: How Bhutan uses this index instead of GDP and is experiencing success with it.
   
   How a society has to balance all culture-social-political-economic as it advances.
3. Technology and Industrial Development: Toward Sustainability , Technology and Innovation Managements
   
   Discussed about the Earth's homeostasis mechanism.
   
   How 90% of great ideas never gets implemented because it requires the 4 SMART: IDEA, MONEY, INVESTORS, & PARTNERSHIP
   
4. Drivers of World Change and Change Management and Change Leadership:
   
   It either takes a SMART or CRAZYNUT to become the 1st follower of a leader. It take guts to follow someone.
   
   If everyone consumed as much energy as the average Singaporean and the U.S resident,the world's oil reserve will be depleted in 9 years !!
   
   Manager is one that works well within a paradigm, someone who operates within conditions, while a leader creates the paradigm, he creates the vision and provide the direction for everyone. To my understanding, manager is more mid-management style while leaders are normally CEOs who decide the direction for the company.
   
5. Information, Communication, & Technology:
   
   Internet 3.0. The internet of things and services. Where devices interact with each other to provide the most optimum service catered to an individual.
   
   Crowd sourcing is the process of obtaining needed services,ideas or content by soliciting contributions from a large group of people, and especially the online community, rather than from traditional employees or suppliers. Basically, "wisdom of the crowd".
   
6. BioBusiness Revolution:Healthcare and Biomedical Sciences(Past,Present,Future):
   
   BioBusiness currently constitutes up to 25% of the global GDP and employs around 40% of the world's labor force.
   
   Global leading causes of death and disability is changing across time periods. Back in 1990, top cause would be lower respiratory infections and subsequently, diarrhea diseases. Fast forward into the future 2020, top cause would be Ischaemic heart disease [ reduced blood supply to the heart ] and subsequently Major depressions
   
   Nowadays, we have to create specific drugs to treat illnesses. Viruses are constantly evolving and we have to keep up with it.
   
   Back in 2001, United States being only 5% of global population used over 52% of healthcare resources in the world.
   
7. The BioBusiness Revolution 2: Agriculture and the Environment: Past, Present, Future
   
   Currently, we are using non-renewables to create products. However, once we are able to create bio-plastics, harness the sun's energy efficiently, and grow the things that we need, then we are on the way to true sustainability.
   
   Different colours of Biotechnology:
   Red: Applied to medicine
   White: Applied to industrial processes
   Grey: Applied to environment
   Green: Applied to agriculture
   Blue: Applied to sea recourses
   
   With the crossover from rural to urban living, there is a host of problems such as higher fatality of an epidemic outbreak.
   
   Epidemic: Local outbreak
   Pandemic: Global outbreak
   
8. Energy: Past, Present, Future:
   
   Whoever holds the key to sustainable energy will become the global leader of our world
   
   Solar Energy is the way to go- 1 hour of sun's energy = 1 whole earth of supply for Earth
   
   Some Major Drivers of World Change:
   Rising energy consumption and need for economic development
   The need for sustainable energy
   Energy conservation technologies
   Pollution prevent/ reduction technologies
   Cost
   
9. Emerging and Future Technologies:
   
   
   Some drivers for the development of emerging and future technologies:
   1. Unmet market opportunities
   2. Growing body of scientific and technological know-how.
   3. Supply can create demand or vice versa
   4. Mass media and advertising
   5. Confluence of the 4 "smarts"

   
   Why versus Why NOT mentality
   
   
10. Technology Assessment and Forecasting:
    
    Preparing for the future is akin to preparing for winter, it is inevitable, and the more aware we are, the more prepared we will be.
    
    Technology forecasting: Looking at a variety of different technology and decide where they will eventually lead to.
    Technology foresight: Looking at one specific technology and look at its impact and implications.
    
    Not all technologies are worth investing into. Developing and developed countries have different agendas and they have to assess each technology in terms of short run and long run benefits.
    
    What are some of the mega trends explored in our class today?
    1. Managing volatility and dislocation: Job/skills insecurities.
    2. Rise of the East: As seen in the recent GE20 summit
    3. Ethics in business
    4. Pressure on mother Earth
    5. Issue of connectivity of technology: online culture

These are some areas which TWC managed to cover, wish we had more time to develop greater in-depth studies into each area. However, this course was definitely mind&eye-opening

I've enjoyed this module thoroughly and one biggest takeaway would be the adoption of WHY NOT mentality!

Thanks everyone! For this wonderful journey together!

Link back to the masterblog: http://twcshahi13.blogspot.sg/

My favourite TWC blog to read and check if i've missed out anything would be Sylvestor's blog: http://twcsylvesteryeo2013.blogspot.sg/

CHEERS!