Lesson 7 (27 Sep 2011)

Biobusiness Revolution: Agriculture and the environment

“When we are able to grow the resources we need, we will finally be on the road to sustainability” (Gurinder Singh)

Indeed, to be sustainable, we need to find means to be self-provident for our energy usage rather than be dependent on the limited pool of natural resources that are depleting at an alarming rate. The same could be said for the growth of agriculture.

Sustainability in the realm of agriculture involves maximising the growth of crops or the production of meat within a limited plot of land. This has perhaps led to the increasing movement of population from the rural to the urban areas. Since 2008, more than half of the world’s population have been residing in the urban areas. This shift is an attempt to alleviate the problem of rural overcrowding which limits the growth and development of new crops. With more land, one will have more capital and incentive to invest in new seeds which can improve agriculture. However, urbanisation does have its own set of problems. Being in closer proximity and having greater interaction with people, an epidemic breakout would result in faster spread of the disease.

Given the increasing world population, there is a need to invest in agribiology to increase the productivity of crops. A major innovation in the agribiology field is the concept of genetic modification which can be used to increase the resistance of crops to pests and extreme weather.

 Interestingly enough, meat production can also be enhanced in the lab. As what Sheryl had presented, scientists are currently exploring the idea of in-vitro meat, which is essentially growing of muscle cells into a large amount of meat. It was mentioned in Wikipedia that the nutritional value of the in-vitro meat could actually be increased by reducing its fat content and controlling the nutrients added. When first introduced to this idea, one may find it absolutely repulsive. But if we are willing to delve deeper into it, we will realise that it actually brings about much benefits. Only half the energy is required to produce it and the land required for this production is only 2% of the current land usage. Furthermore, a taste test conducted revealed that there is no distinct difference in the taste of the cultured meat and the natural meat. There is really no reason for us to reject this innovation in light of the imminent problem of food shortage, except for the fact that it could potentially redefine the meaning of being a vegetarian. I would definitely support this production as long as the cultured meat pose no health risks and are priced affordably. (If it is cheaper than natural meat, I would consume it without second thoughts.)

On a personal note, I would give this lesson a rating of 9/10 as it is enlightening and the presentations provides many interesting ideas on what have been done to ensure sustainable agriculture practice.

Lesson 6 (20 Sep 2011)

Biobusiness Revolution: Healthcare and biomedical science

There are only two ways to live your life. 

One is as though nothing is a miracle.

The other is as though everything is a miracle.

- Albert Einstein -

A great quote by Albert Einstein, shared by Prof! It basically summarises what drives changes-----our mindset. A curious mind encourages us to explore what is seemingly impossible, and this leads to innovation or invention.

An interesting article http://www.hhs.gov/asl/testify/t030709.html  (reading 5) to read. To summarise, it mentions how technology used in the area of healthcare has actually increased life expectancy but also caused the increase in healthcare costs due to the lengthy and expensive R&D process required. However, the rate at which drugs are being produced has not increased and thus, there is a need to improve the efficiency and value of medical technology. A proposed solution is to increase access to generic drugs. However, this solution is debatable because on one hand, it could discourage pharmaceutical firms to spend much effort on R&D knowing that the profit gained will be greatly reduced, but on the other hand, generic drugs which are cheaper but nearly always equally effective as the original can help alleviate many healthcare problems in the less developed countries which are typically faced with widespread disease outbreak.  A proposed win-win solution by prof is to provide the developing nations with license to produce the drugs. In other words, give them exemptions from the patent rights owned by the developer. This would definitely be a good solution, however, there may be a concern that the developing countries could export these drugs to other countries to gain profits if the licensing is not well monitored.

An interesting point brought up by prof was that many people spent more money nearing the end of their life just to buy themselves more time. In fact, the article “Cost of Dying” by CBS news found out that in 2009, the Americans spend $50 billion on doctors’ and hospital bills during the last 2 months of patient’s life. This amount is much higher than the amount spent on defence and education. (article adapted from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/19/60minutes/main5711689.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody ). Is this ethical? I think not. After all, it is a known fact that we will die one day. Why bother prolonging the inevitable when we know that our time is nearly up and illness is beyond cure? Money can be better spent on creating new drugs to cure other illnesses as opposed to trying to extend one’s life without him/her being able to enjoy a good quality of life anyway.

It is projected that chronic diseases will be the main cause of death in the future. Perhaps it would be more prudent to spend the money on building infrastructures or developing medicine that can help us deal with this problem in future.

There are many opportunities for biobusiness in the realm of healthcare. An opportunity that I find intriguing is that of herbal and traditional medicine. It seems ironic that we are so modern these days with all the high-tech devices, but when it comes to healthcare, many people still rely on herbal and traditional medicine. For instance, the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has gained much popularity in Singapore, and even around the world despite having a history of over 4000 years. Some have even suggested that the western medicine and TCM can complement each other. Going forward, it is good to see that the world has not disregarded traditional methods especially in the healthcare sector since its effectiveness is probably the reason for its long existence.

 On a whole, I would give this lesson a rating of 8/10.

Lesson 5 (13 Sep)

ICT and World Change

Information Communication Technology (ICT), as the term implies, refers to any technology that helps to disseminate or provide information. Call me bias, but I think that ICT is one of the greatest innovations of all time. It has brought us much convenience, introduced greater connectivity between countries and allows us to receive information at a faster rate. There are 2 types of ICT in particular that has caught my attention, namely the mass media and the internet as I have witnessed first-hand their development.

Mass media can be divided into two categories---traditional media (which consists of radio, newspaper, television etc) and new media (which includes blogs, social network etc). An issue that is commonly raised is this: Will traditional media become obsolete one day? My personal take is that it will not totally fade out of our lives, but dependency on traditional media will be reduced. New media is readily accessible especially with the increasing popularity of smartphones accompanied with wifi features. It provides us with ‘news on the go’, and with hectic lifestyles these days, such a concept will be well-received as opposed to traditional media. On top of that, news that new media provides are more updated and this is crucial especially for the finance sector. However, in terms of reliability, traditional media will still win hands down as the new media allows one to assume anonymity which emboldens them to post untruths.

 What I find fascinating about the internet is the progression from web 1.0 to web 3.0 with its increasing interactivity. It’s amazing how the website can actually identify our area of interest and provides us with more information accordingly (web 3.0). Technology has certainly gone ‘smarter’, and I truly look forward to seeing how else web 3.0 can be developed.

 As always, the positive is accompanied by the negative. ICT has sparked off concerns about the invasion of privacy, ‘mass mobilisation of hatred and prejudice’ (John Gage, Chap 1 Some Thoughts of How ICT could really change the World) and a widening of gap between countries as the powerful countries could use ICT to their benefit to extend and maintain their power while the poorer countries lack the means to exploit such technology. Such detrimental effects are inevitable and the best way to deal with it is to act in accordance to the “second law of technical change: Expect unexpected effects” (John Gage, Chap 1 Some Thoughts of How ICT could really change the World), that is to innovate further as we experience the unexpected effects. Also, ICT should be used responsibly as any mishandling will generate far-reaching implications due to the diverse cyberspace.

On a whole, I would give today’s lesson a rating of 8/10. Presentations by my course mates were rather interesting and refreshing.

Outline of individual review paper: Effect of Internet on religion

Specific innovation of interest

The internet has brought about many changes to religion. It has altered the way in which religion is practiced, as well as increased the spread of religion in the globalised world. However, being a revolutionary change, the internet faces it its fair share of concerns from various religious groups because of possible clashes with their beliefs, or because they view the internet as a threat to their traditional way worshipping.

How has the internet changed religion?

The internet, with the great convenience that it provides, has been integrated into the lives of many, and our reliance on the internet will only increase in the future. As such, many religious groups have turned towards the internet to remain relevant. Religious information that could only be found on books previously is now readily accessible on the internet, thus leading to a widespread of different ideologies across different countries. Similar religious groups from different countries can also practice their religion together through the use on internet.

Proposed approach to the development of paper

Introduction:

        I.            Characteristics of the internet

      II.            Characteristics of religion (i.e  the value of religion to one)

    III.            How the characteristics of both complement and/or clash with each other

Initial stage: When internet first became a tool for religious purposes

        I.            Skepticism that religious groups have on the internet initially.

Current situation: Evident implications that internet has on religion

        I.            Positive impact of the internet on religion (E.g  spreading of ideology, increased accessibility to religious information etc)

      II.            The negative impact of the Internet on religion( Disinformation , discrimination etc)

    III.            Religious groups today-Are the generally tolerating or embracing technology

Future considerations:

        I.            Will the freedom of speech that one has on the internet lead to religious strife?

      II.            What does the future holds for religion?

    III.            Should religion rely more on internet to attract youths?

Lesson 4 (6 September 2011)

Lesson 4 (6 September 2011)

Change is the only constant. But what drives changes?

There are many drivers of change such as technology, demographics etc. Changes can be classified into two types, namely evolutionary and revolutionary.

Evolutionary---Gradual development over  long period of time

Revolutionaly---Entirely new and different development

Changes can be for the better or for the worse. For instance, social media has definitely improved communication between people and allow us to be updated about the life of our friends and families. But on the other hand, it can cause addiction and harm relationships.

It is nearly impossible to predict what change comes next or the rate at which changes are occurring. Thus, it is important not to be complacent even though it seems as if we are at the top. This is highlighted in the article “Global Drivers Of Change: Their implications for the Zambian Construction Industry”. Changes in technology and market place have rendered the traditional methods used by the Zambian companies obsolete. This illustrates the need to monitor changes and innovate in response to changes.

Changes cannot be stopped and are often irreversible. Therefore, it is pertinent for us to manage changes well, which brings me to the next part- Change Management and Leadership.

As the world is generally moving towards a knowledge-based economy, education and life-long learning, coupled with intensive research and development should be heavily emphasised upon because these factors are crucial to managing future changes. Reason being that innovation is very much the only solution to coping with the changes, and therefore, there is much to know before we can innovate successfully.

Along with the changing structure of the economy is the changing structure in the workplace. A hierarchal structure that will work in the past will no longer be relevant in most workplaces. As people become more educated, people are looking towards career advancement and feeling valued by the company, while companies are constantly seeking measures to improve the company’s performance. These require motivation of the employees which can only be done at a personal level. A hierarchal structure in this case would only leave workers at the bottom of the pyramid feeling neglected and unvalued. Thus, leaders should have ‘change management’ skills to maintain the competitiveness of the company.

I would give today’s lesson a rating of 8/10 as it broaches on topics which I have never thought about before.

Lesson 3 (3 September 2011)

Moving Towards Sustainable Development?


Definition of sustainable (as shared by Prof): People today should be able to exercise their options without compromising the choices available to future generations.

We all know that resources are limited and plenty of which had already been depleted by resource-rich countries such as Belgium and Great Britain during industrialization in the earlier days. What is left is no longer sufficient to support our existing rate of living. In fact, it was pointed out in the first video that Prof had shared with us during lesson that we would need 3 to 5 planets if the world were to adopt the lifestyle of people living in the US. Sadly, we only have one planet Earth, and this clearly illustrates the crucial need to turn towards sustainable development.


Sustainable development could be done in many ways: increasing efficiency, using renewable sources of energy etc… the article ‘Sustainability for Tomorrow’s Consumer’ (reading 3) states that in times of a global downturn where businesses are not doing well, and resource prices plunge deep down, one may question the need to invest in increasing efficiency as it does not make economic sense. But think long-term! Recall the idea of the 3 boxes that we learn in lesson 2, more specifically, box 3, which is about “creating the future by embarking on future looking projects that will improve the bottom line a decade down the road” (Source: Innovation in the Reset World, Vijay Govindarajan). Taking advantage of the low prices in a global recession to improve efficiency is actually a smart move. It is cost saving and also harnesses the potential to reap great gains after the recession.
That said, technology that is developed can be quickly copied by someone else. As such, many will deem the R&D efforts put in towards technology for sustainable development a waste because the resources used could be saved if they were to tap on the R&D efforts of others, instead of spearheading it. Once again, the selfish nature of humans comes into play. So who is going to start the ball rolling and head into the direction of sustainable development? Are we all going to sit back and actively participate in the ‘finger-pointing’ of responsibilities, but ultimately achieving nothing? Point is any catastrophe that may result due to our ‘extravagant’ lifestyle is going to affect all of us, and so, everyone of us should be involved in sustainable development. Sustainable development should not even be an obligation on our part, but rather, an integration into our daily lives.

Technology and innovation management

The world is highly competitive, and how can we ensure that a great innovation does not lose its appeal? In the realm of technology, one can never afford to stop innovating and developing new products according to the changes in preference of the consumers. Back when America was the country that everyone looked up to, many other countries were known to be ‘Americanised’, that is being strongly influenced by the America culture. It is no longer true today where the Korean and Japanese culture is now on the rise. A shift in the dominating culture will naturally lead to a shift in preferences and innovations have to follow according to remain fresh and relevant.


On top of that, innovations are quickly adapted into products developed by rivals with the intention of stealing the market share. There is no way to put a stop to this, and the only solution is ironically, innovating further. But to do so successfully require a team of people with different niche areas because as what Prof mentioned, innovation is not a one stage process. In fact, it requires 3 stages as shared by Prof. There is the element of research, the development stage, and the final marketing effort to make an innovation known to the world. Clearly, a lot of effort is involved but sadly(for the innovators), there is practically no other innovation management except to continue innovating or to retire from the market.


I would give today’s lesson a rating of 8/10 as I find it rather insightful. The presentation I enjoyed most is the one on Masdar City, shared by Samantha. It is interesting though I don’t think that I will feel comfortable living in such a city as the life there is too restricted and controlled.