3 megatrends: Demographic changes, urbanization, and climate change

At a very interesting presentation today by Mr. Siegfried Gerlach of Siemens Schweiz at the Kalaidos Business Forum, held at Hotel Novotel Zurich City-West, I learned, for example, about the following 3 megatrends: Demographic changes, urbanization, and climate change.

Regarding demographic changes, I came across - on the website of Siemens Schweiz - this image showing that the population of Switzerland, women as well as men, is getting older. We live longer. 

I was somewhat surprised to also learn that, globally, buildings are responsible for 40% of energy consumption. See photo below. In this regard, I learned that there’s a large need to invest in energy efficient housing / buildings – thereby creating win-win-win solutions. The population / businesses win by being able to reduce energy costs for, for example, housing and by being able to produce energy. Businesses win. And the environment wins as well.

At the Q&A session, I asked to what extent people working for Siemens Schweiz use / will use, for example, social media, crowdsourcing, and open innovation technologies to involve external people / the population in, for example, city development. Listening to what Mr. Gerlach said, I got the impression that it has high priority. For more information about the shift happening at Siemens towards Open Innovation, have a look at this posting.

What I also found excellent about the presentation by Siegfried Gerlach was the design of the slides he used. Great photos from many parts of the world combined with little text on each slide have the effect, that listeners focus their attention on the presenter.

A question to you, dear reader: What effect do the 3 megatrends mentioned above, i.e. demographic changes, urbanization, and climate change have on your life?

Reimagine the restaurant experience

Reimagine the restaurant experience

104 years of separated bicycle infrastructure

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People like a deal

Listening to the interesting conversation embedded below with Mr. Eric Schmidt, I learned, for example, this:

Minute 6

Imagine walking down the street, and instead of typing a search, your phone is giving you information all the time.

Minute 7

People like a deal.

Minute 9

Instead of focusing on competitive landscape, people should be focusing on how much bigger the market is getting.

Minute 15

Any company of scale is subject to the following narrative: Big, fat, dump, and happy.

Minute 21

When you walk down the streets of London, you’re likely to be on a camera. It is widely accepted there. In the USA, it would be completely unacceptable.

Minute 26

One of the fundamental principles of the Internet is that this kind of information is generally open.

Say ”Yes” to innovation

Redefining the rules in healthcare

Redefining the Rules in Healthcare         

A soccer ball that captures energy with every kick

Watching the 2 minute video embedded below, which I came across though this blog posting, I learned that 15 minutes of play with the soccer ball powers a light for up to 3 hours. For more information about this fine innovation, have a look at sOccket.

When followers are proactive, introverts are the better leaders

Listening to this conversation between Ms. Sarah Green and Ms. Francesca Gino, I learned this:

- When followers are proactive, introverts are the better leaders.

- In Western culture, being an extrovert seems more valuable than being an introvert.

- Being authentic can produce better outcomes.

How well do you know who you are? 

Shift happening at Siemens towards Open Innovation

Listening to the interview - embedded below - with Mr. Peter Löscher of Siemens, I learned, for example, this:

Minute 8

There is nothing more important than the personal and direct dialogue.

Minute 10

With people coming from Spain, you have to allow more time for communication.

Minute 29

For any company, 90% of innovation is happening outside the walls of the company. Historically, researchers and developers at Siemens have been focusing on what is happening in their own labs. Now, the focus is shifting to Open Innovation. There is a big push driving innovation outside the boundaries of the company.

Minute 33

Peter Löscher pushes for diversity at Siemens. For example, Mr. Löscher expressed, as he joined the company, that the management is "too white, too male, and too German".

Minute 44

Peter Löscher encouraged the participants, who were listening, to find out who the role models of the companies, they work for, are, and how these people live the values of the company. Mr. Löscher also encouraged the participants to reflect on whether they can relate to these role models in the way they work / live. Peter Löscher encouraged the participants to say “no” to do something - even if everybody else does it - if the particular activity does not align with their personal values.

Uncertainty avoidance

Uncertainty avoidance

What is more important to you: Love or power?

Watching this 2½ minute video featuring the love between a lion and 2 human beings, I came to think about the following question:

What is more important to you: Love or power? 

Bridge transformed into vertical garden

Via this posting, I came across the photo below of a bridge in Southern France that has been transformed into a vertical garden. Iinteresting innovation. It’s certainly more beautiful to look at – compared with grey concrete. When is the city / state / region, you live in, planning to do something similar?

Inspiration from the classroom

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