We need to know more about GM food
One salient point which was repeated in both reading 1 and 4 was that there is inadequate information on the GM food produced. Both writers propose that we should be educated from young on the process of bioengineering simply because that is probably what we are filling our stomachs with in the conceivable future. A simple question posted in class ' Do you know whether you are eating GM food?' has already dumbfounded us as the fact is we consumers just settle for cheap tasty food. However, in US, large GM companies such as Monsanto aren't doing their part in the form of not labeling their food. This has caused an uproar among Americans because this practice is actually a regulation in Europe and yet the American government is doing nothing about it thanks to some lobbying. I am personally guilty of being ignorant of GM food but this class has given me a bit of perspective into it.
We consumers are as guilty as the producers
Another talking point of the class was the presentation by Jesse on factory farming and the cruelties used to get 'results'. We've seen videos of force-feeding of geese, pigs living in a constrained space and 'super cows', they are disturbing indeed but are we prepared to give up our poultry or 'foie gras' to stop these cruelty? In the video we previously watch 'How stuff work', the presenter emphasized that the golden process is actually the consumption. Without the increasing demand, producers do not have to constantly 'innovate' ideas to increase their output to meet the demand. Simply put, what if we demand a little less everyday? Will that trigger a little less cruelty or unethical behaviour everyday too?
The possibilities are infinite for GM crop
Unlike other aspects of technology we have discussed in the previous weeks so far, bioengineering and biotechnology are the ones i personally feel have a feasible future. They has made feeding the masses a reality even with limited arable land. Not only that, scientists are also exploring the possibilities with GM crop such as using it for biofuel, bio-plastics and so on. As what Norman Borlaug mentioned in his article,
food insecurity can only be countered by bioengineering. My personal imagination is that we can actually select the nutrients such as vitamins,proteins our body are lacking and put in our food like how we order a Subway sandwich, I guess in that way we are able to live longer and healthier.
Are we the parasites?
Prof posted a video, which i find it highly interesting, which was humans being depicted as parasites. We often see science fiction movies about aliens hiding among us and how they plan to destroy our planet. This video does the exact opposite and instead we are these aliens and once we are done with Earth, we will eventually move on to another planet and use up their resources too. Just a food for thought i guess..
Tuesday 27 September 2011
Wednesday 21 September 2011
BIOBUSINESS
1. For starters, the discussion question that Yukai posted after his presentation was whether we as users will consume healthcare products that have not gone through any sort of human/animal testing. Indeed no one in class could give a definite answer because we have been living so comfortably with the ignorance of this ethical issue. The society has been persistently discussing this topic of testing products on living subjects but are we prepared to forego this testing? Are scientific reports enough for our consideration?
I am guilty myself and i hope there comes a day when live subjects testing won't be necessary.
2. Reading 4 was particularly an eye-opener in terms of the 'disruptive innovation' and how it impacts healthcare. It exposed the current stagnant state of healthcare systems, where the dominant players are controlling all the operations. I agree with the writer on the point that disruptive innovations are what engineer progress but the dominant players are just contented with sustaining their current innovations. On top of that, they have conspired with other huge players such as hospitals, doctors to set up barriers to entry for these 'disruptive innovations'. This shouldn't be the case, isn't healthcare a product for the greater good and all actions should be leading to it? One good example is US where healthcare are only provided to those who have insurance, those who do not can only wait till their health deteriorate drastically. In order to fulfill MDGs as mentioned in reading 1, we need these 'disruptive innovations' now. They are cheaper, more convenient and cater to the larger masses. Dominant players should start caring less about their pockets and think about the greater good like they should.
3. In relation to my previous point, we have to care for the excluded populations of the world. In reading 1, it was mentioned that 1 in 10 babies do not survive in developing countries such as Pakistan and Cambodia as compared to 1 in 250 in Singapore. This is a especially disturbing statistic as we can see the disparity in healthcare. In Singapore, we have the 'disease of excess' where we have too many choices available to us and as a result consume much more where it is the 'disease of deprivation' elsewhere. We can only hope that in the coming future, healthcare trends can include these less fortunate countries because they also deserve the same healthcare we enjoy.
I am guilty myself and i hope there comes a day when live subjects testing won't be necessary.
2. Reading 4 was particularly an eye-opener in terms of the 'disruptive innovation' and how it impacts healthcare. It exposed the current stagnant state of healthcare systems, where the dominant players are controlling all the operations. I agree with the writer on the point that disruptive innovations are what engineer progress but the dominant players are just contented with sustaining their current innovations. On top of that, they have conspired with other huge players such as hospitals, doctors to set up barriers to entry for these 'disruptive innovations'. This shouldn't be the case, isn't healthcare a product for the greater good and all actions should be leading to it? One good example is US where healthcare are only provided to those who have insurance, those who do not can only wait till their health deteriorate drastically. In order to fulfill MDGs as mentioned in reading 1, we need these 'disruptive innovations' now. They are cheaper, more convenient and cater to the larger masses. Dominant players should start caring less about their pockets and think about the greater good like they should.
3. In relation to my previous point, we have to care for the excluded populations of the world. In reading 1, it was mentioned that 1 in 10 babies do not survive in developing countries such as Pakistan and Cambodia as compared to 1 in 250 in Singapore. This is a especially disturbing statistic as we can see the disparity in healthcare. In Singapore, we have the 'disease of excess' where we have too many choices available to us and as a result consume much more where it is the 'disease of deprivation' elsewhere. We can only hope that in the coming future, healthcare trends can include these less fortunate countries because they also deserve the same healthcare we enjoy.
Wednesday 14 September 2011
ICTs and WORLD CHANGE
1. We often are ignorant of the integration of ICTs in our lives and the impact it has. In fact, we are actually using so often in our work and social activities that we might not even be comfortable without it. However this is the trend in our society, where we are shifting from an industrial age to a knowledge-driven economy. One of the main driver of this knowledge economy is ICTs itself. Reading 4 reports about how ICTs can empower economic sustainability and environmental consciousness at the same time.
The fact is that governments today are pressurized not only by financial crisis but the impending environmental concerns too. The writer in reading 4 proposes that ICTs is the way to go to achieve all of that. From previous readings, we can see that governments are placing more emphasis on the balance between the economy and the environment. Indeed we cannot ignore the environment any longer, countries have suffered from the preliminary effects of global warming such as disasters and unpredictable weather. On the other hand, the world economy is also failing thanks to the disastrous US economy and companies are finding it very hard to survive. ICTs seem like a new hope to the society, hopefully it can kill 2 birds with a stone before we run out of time.
2. I went to type 'immersive technology' at wikipedia and got this definition ' technology that blurs the line between the physical world and digital or simulated world, thereby creating a sense of immersion. '. Project Natal was the video shown in class where a subject was able to interact with a virtual being behind a screen, this virtual being could sense emotions and actions through a sensor, something like an upgraded Windows Kinect. But i wasn't very comfortable with the usage of blur line in the definition. It seems like when you are the user, you are not able to differentiate the difference between reality and the virtual world. Soon enough you will be interacting with 'Milo' ( the virtual being) instead of your friends and family. In recent times, it's bad enough that because of social networking sites, we are already spending less time with them as all we have to do is check updates on them and we are content with this kind of information. We aren't taking that step out to know our friends better anymore. With the introduction of this technology, that step may even cease to exist. There was a scenario mentioned in class where these virtual beings interact with you the way you want them to and satisfy you socially. This means that you may never experience anything else like quarrels, a difference of opinions and the joy of a conversation as you are in control of everything. It is remarkable that technology has advanced so far but do we really need this kind of technology? One of the main designers commented in the video that 'this is beyond science fiction', but what if there's a reason it is science fiction?
The fact is that governments today are pressurized not only by financial crisis but the impending environmental concerns too. The writer in reading 4 proposes that ICTs is the way to go to achieve all of that. From previous readings, we can see that governments are placing more emphasis on the balance between the economy and the environment. Indeed we cannot ignore the environment any longer, countries have suffered from the preliminary effects of global warming such as disasters and unpredictable weather. On the other hand, the world economy is also failing thanks to the disastrous US economy and companies are finding it very hard to survive. ICTs seem like a new hope to the society, hopefully it can kill 2 birds with a stone before we run out of time.
2. I went to type 'immersive technology' at wikipedia and got this definition ' technology that blurs the line between the physical world and digital or simulated world, thereby creating a sense of immersion. '. Project Natal was the video shown in class where a subject was able to interact with a virtual being behind a screen, this virtual being could sense emotions and actions through a sensor, something like an upgraded Windows Kinect. But i wasn't very comfortable with the usage of blur line in the definition. It seems like when you are the user, you are not able to differentiate the difference between reality and the virtual world. Soon enough you will be interacting with 'Milo' ( the virtual being) instead of your friends and family. In recent times, it's bad enough that because of social networking sites, we are already spending less time with them as all we have to do is check updates on them and we are content with this kind of information. We aren't taking that step out to know our friends better anymore. With the introduction of this technology, that step may even cease to exist. There was a scenario mentioned in class where these virtual beings interact with you the way you want them to and satisfy you socially. This means that you may never experience anything else like quarrels, a difference of opinions and the joy of a conversation as you are in control of everything. It is remarkable that technology has advanced so far but do we really need this kind of technology? One of the main designers commented in the video that 'this is beyond science fiction', but what if there's a reason it is science fiction?
Sunday 11 September 2011
TOPICAL REVIEW PAPER OUTLINE
TOPICAL REVIEW PAPER OUTLINE- CLOUD COMPUTING
a. SPECIFIC INNOVATION OF INTEREST
· The possibility of using cloud computing in corporations to enhance efficiency.
b. RATIONALE FOR CHOOSING THIS INNOVATION
· Cloud computing has eliminated the traditional model of business and has modified it into a highly efficient and simplistic method.
· Innovations are infinite in the realm of cloud computing, it is not only relevant to companies but to our social needs.
c. PROPOSED APPROACH TO PAPER
I. Executive Summary
· The scope of the paper will cover the business operations for corporations before cloud computing was implemented and the potential developments to include all departments of operations.
II. Background/ Innovation
· How cloud computing works
· How cloud computing is incorporated into our society
III. Historical Perspective
· Corporations have to rely on their limited IT resources and outdated software for their operations.
· Smaller companies do not have the means to cope with the constant deficiencies in their systems.
IV. Current Situation
· How costs have been reduced by using the multiple applications in the cloud computing
· Companies now need to pay a monthly subscription for cloud computing instead of the IT resources deployed .
V. Future Considerations
· How companies can integrate cloud computing into different processes such as sales and manufacturing.
· How everyone would be working through the ‘cloud’ (e.g our mobile phones, tablet pc)
VI. Conclusion
· Cloud computing has eliminated the need for huge IT sources such as servers and constant updating of softwares.
· Smaller companies do not worry have about the costs of IT maintenance and are able to compete with larger companies in that companies.
· Companies can be complacent and contend with the convenience of all the applications at their fingertips and lose interest in innovation.
VII. References
Thursday 8 September 2011
WEEK 4
SUMMARY
1. The first part of the lesson was 'drivers of change', which mainly touched on the factors which can change/disrupt the progress of societies. Such an example is demographics, the current trend is more and more people are shifting from rural to urban areas, putting more pressure on resources.
2. The second part of lesson was 'change management and change leadership'. This was more about the attitude and actions taken towards initiating change in any corporations, which was quite aptly described by the pessimism-time curve.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
I got a chance to read through the natural england commission report where they listed out the possible and realistic drivers of change. In these 'drivers of change', they further categorised the impacts, trends and one particularly interesting point called 'WILDCARDS'. The 'wildcard' was about events that may defy the trend and cause a total different chain of events. Most 'wildcards' in the report was about technology advancing so steadily that different economical or natural problems are solved. Like in the case of environmental pollution, the 'wildcard' was that new greener technology is invented to reduce emissions of greenhouses gases. However, shouldn't the wildcard be a reality instead of a possibility? This shows the pessimism shown by natural england that these wildcards may not even take place, to quote their usage of 'low probability events' . I was particularly disturbed by this phrase, it shows how far behind we really are in achieving a true green industrial environment. This further proves my point when president Obama announced that he is considering making changes to the environmental policies so as to encourage development in the economy. Once again, the dilemma between saving environmental or our livelihood appears and i wonder what would we choose.
This phrase 'It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.' was probably my key takeaway from the second part of the lesson. Survival is by choice, it is not a must, no one will stop you from throwing in the towel. If you are not willing to change for your own sake, then no one can help you. This was exemplified by the case of Kodak that prof posted on the Facebook page. Kodak was the pioneer in instant cameras, giving them a very strong foothold in the market. However, due to the emergence of other companies such as Fujitsu and Sony, they slowly lost their market share. It was reported that Kodak are currently facing annual losses and what does the CEO decide to do? He has decided to remain using printers and ink cartridges as his main source of revenue, but that has not really worked for him as Kodak is placed fifth. Instead of investing in marketing and 'a brand halo' as mentioned, Kodak has decided to rely on his past glory to attract customers. Kodak must change before it faces a shut down sooner or later.
The point about Gen Y-ers being able to work with senior/elderly staff was a particularly relevant point. As retirement age is pushed back, we will inevitably see more and more seniors staff in offices. I feel that there has to be a balance between respect and sharing in our interactions with them. We have to respect their contributions because they have been through a lot more and that experience is not something that we can read from our books. But we also have to show our respect in our sharing with them, we have to use a non-
condescending tone and patience too. This was what i have learnt in my 6 mths of working in OCBC bank. The senior staff will make mistakes but the main thing is not to reprimand them but instead enlighten them.
1. The first part of the lesson was 'drivers of change', which mainly touched on the factors which can change/disrupt the progress of societies. Such an example is demographics, the current trend is more and more people are shifting from rural to urban areas, putting more pressure on resources.
2. The second part of lesson was 'change management and change leadership'. This was more about the attitude and actions taken towards initiating change in any corporations, which was quite aptly described by the pessimism-time curve.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
I got a chance to read through the natural england commission report where they listed out the possible and realistic drivers of change. In these 'drivers of change', they further categorised the impacts, trends and one particularly interesting point called 'WILDCARDS'. The 'wildcard' was about events that may defy the trend and cause a total different chain of events. Most 'wildcards' in the report was about technology advancing so steadily that different economical or natural problems are solved. Like in the case of environmental pollution, the 'wildcard' was that new greener technology is invented to reduce emissions of greenhouses gases. However, shouldn't the wildcard be a reality instead of a possibility? This shows the pessimism shown by natural england that these wildcards may not even take place, to quote their usage of 'low probability events' . I was particularly disturbed by this phrase, it shows how far behind we really are in achieving a true green industrial environment. This further proves my point when president Obama announced that he is considering making changes to the environmental policies so as to encourage development in the economy. Once again, the dilemma between saving environmental or our livelihood appears and i wonder what would we choose.
This phrase 'It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.' was probably my key takeaway from the second part of the lesson. Survival is by choice, it is not a must, no one will stop you from throwing in the towel. If you are not willing to change for your own sake, then no one can help you. This was exemplified by the case of Kodak that prof posted on the Facebook page. Kodak was the pioneer in instant cameras, giving them a very strong foothold in the market. However, due to the emergence of other companies such as Fujitsu and Sony, they slowly lost their market share. It was reported that Kodak are currently facing annual losses and what does the CEO decide to do? He has decided to remain using printers and ink cartridges as his main source of revenue, but that has not really worked for him as Kodak is placed fifth. Instead of investing in marketing and 'a brand halo' as mentioned, Kodak has decided to rely on his past glory to attract customers. Kodak must change before it faces a shut down sooner or later.
The point about Gen Y-ers being able to work with senior/elderly staff was a particularly relevant point. As retirement age is pushed back, we will inevitably see more and more seniors staff in offices. I feel that there has to be a balance between respect and sharing in our interactions with them. We have to respect their contributions because they have been through a lot more and that experience is not something that we can read from our books. But we also have to show our respect in our sharing with them, we have to use a non-
condescending tone and patience too. This was what i have learnt in my 6 mths of working in OCBC bank. The senior staff will make mistakes but the main thing is not to reprimand them but instead enlighten them.
Friday 2 September 2011
WEEK 3
BRIEF OVERVIEW
1) The first half of the lesson was the discussion on how the technological and industrial advances should lead towards the common goal of sustainability.
2) The second half of the lesson was how to encourage and fully utilize innovation in today's industries and societies.
INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS
1)It was the concept of 'failing early,failing cheap and failing fast' which was covered by one of the presenters. This was a concept that was fresh and new to me because you will come across companies advocating it. It's only from your experiments that you can learn and improve upon your concepts/ideas.
2) ' How stuff works' was really one of my personal favourite material for this class so far. The presenter was quirky and didn't mince her words in sharing the ugly truth about the whole process in global destruction. From the huge companies and governments at the top to the consumers (which is the rest if us), we all lent a hand in polluting our world. In a short 20 mins presentation, she name everything that was unethical, selfish and greedy about our current system. No matter how much we can talk about the inefficiency,incompetence or selfishness of our governments and companies, we as consumers are also not entirely absolved of the blame.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
1) Companies have to strike a balance between innovation and marketing. If both are satisfied, then can the company enjoy greater profits. Apple was a good example mentioned. Indeed one good point was brought up in class that the specifications of any Apple product is comparable to a few products in the market and intensive marketing was what made the difference. Having said that, isn't that the case for all other products? Isn't a celebrity using a certain brand of facial foam entice you to use it too? I feel that it's not just having a good product at hand but also an equally good advertising campaign to back it to double the results.
ISSUE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION
I was quite intrigued by the 'cloud opportunities' that prof has come out with. How do we differentiate those who has good ideas from those who do not? The industry or market is ever-changing, today's 'what's in' could be tomorrow's 'what's out'. I'm interested in knowing how does such an company climb to the top with having less than their competitors. Overall the lesson was an enjoyable one, we had many discussions due to the fact that it was more current and relevant to our current times. We could name/ list many examples to fit in the concepts we learnt.
1) The first half of the lesson was the discussion on how the technological and industrial advances should lead towards the common goal of sustainability.
2) The second half of the lesson was how to encourage and fully utilize innovation in today's industries and societies.
INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS
1)It was the concept of 'failing early,failing cheap and failing fast' which was covered by one of the presenters. This was a concept that was fresh and new to me because you will come across companies advocating it. It's only from your experiments that you can learn and improve upon your concepts/ideas.
2) ' How stuff works' was really one of my personal favourite material for this class so far. The presenter was quirky and didn't mince her words in sharing the ugly truth about the whole process in global destruction. From the huge companies and governments at the top to the consumers (which is the rest if us), we all lent a hand in polluting our world. In a short 20 mins presentation, she name everything that was unethical, selfish and greedy about our current system. No matter how much we can talk about the inefficiency,incompetence or selfishness of our governments and companies, we as consumers are also not entirely absolved of the blame.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
1) Companies have to strike a balance between innovation and marketing. If both are satisfied, then can the company enjoy greater profits. Apple was a good example mentioned. Indeed one good point was brought up in class that the specifications of any Apple product is comparable to a few products in the market and intensive marketing was what made the difference. Having said that, isn't that the case for all other products? Isn't a celebrity using a certain brand of facial foam entice you to use it too? I feel that it's not just having a good product at hand but also an equally good advertising campaign to back it to double the results.
ISSUE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION
I was quite intrigued by the 'cloud opportunities' that prof has come out with. How do we differentiate those who has good ideas from those who do not? The industry or market is ever-changing, today's 'what's in' could be tomorrow's 'what's out'. I'm interested in knowing how does such an company climb to the top with having less than their competitors. Overall the lesson was an enjoyable one, we had many discussions due to the fact that it was more current and relevant to our current times. We could name/ list many examples to fit in the concepts we learnt.
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