Module 13

I have become very appreciative to the many different interpretations of the various views of our economic global society by intellectuals.  Although, I might not always agree with Mr. Thomas Friedman I still though, value his hard work and dedication of explaining our world transformation into the different phrases of globalization though I believe that “The World is Flat” has some anachronisms.

Nevertheless, Mr. Friedman has nicely categorized the stresses of technological forces in the last century within his book.  I believe I can take much of what I’ve learned from this class into my business going forward and understanding the eb and flow of technology.  There are technological forces that can only be seen if one understands what one is looking for.  There are thousands of market data points daily that are thrown at us to interpret of what they mean to us personally of course in business as well.  However, it’s extremely difficult to decipher if you don’t know what you’re looking for that affects you and your family. I suppose in today’s world it’s the easy way to understand and we have been accustom to is waiting for the local news tell us in a few seconds of what it all means which I feel it very unfortunate. This class has given me an understanding from a macro perspective to see the relationship between the market data points which within itself is exciting for me to see on a micro level. The challenges for me now are how to keep up with this new globalization that has an enormous appetite for growth.  I was around for the last few economic bubble’s that blew up and for the most part I also fell victim to it on a personal level.  The most unfortunate was last financial bust in 2008. I was well aware of it in late 2006 - far in advance but the problem was that how I should react to it and how I should position my business against this horrible event.  Nevertheless, the wave engulfed me and my business which was extremely devastating. This time around I feel that there is another new wave emerging bubble’s that are currently forming in the near future again.

It’s often very difficult to get to know other class mates in an online class and I only wish that there were a better way of getting more dialogue with other students in an online class.  I thoroughly enjoyed the class and I look forward to utilizing my new skills of foresight as I prepare for the next phases of the globalization. 

Module 12

Bill Joy describes of 21st century technologies—genetic engineering, nanotechnology and robotics, (GNR)—will extinguish human beings as we now know it, Mr. Joy found this notion extremely disturbing. These technologies have untold promises of making our world a better place to live, however, the technology maybe also be an uncontrolled element that has already been introduced to us. In other words the genie in the bottle has already been set free.

Mr. Joy says “robotics, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology - pose a different threat than the technologies that have come before. Specifically, robots, engineered organisms, and nanobots share a dangerous amplifying factor: They can self-replicate. A bomb is blown up only once - but one bot can become many, and quickly get out of control.” 

I personally believe that we humans have a more complex form of consciousness and as a result we have evolved into what we are today.  Nevertheless, I suppose the fears of Mr. Joy are somewhat justified but I really don’t buy in the doom and gloom theory.  I understand that in some respects technology has and is the dominant force in our daily lives – I’m still confident that we as humans are still in control…a least for now. 

We have marveled at our technological advances for the last century and wondered of the future possibilities to human kind.  In our continued search of new technology there are definitely dangers unseen and mistakes will happen.  Regardless, technology will continue at exponential rate that we have ever seen in our history of the world. Yes, we need have learned much from our past successes and failures, but its lessons are not necessarily the ones Mr. Joy suggests.  Insomuch, I’ve become to believe that if are winning more than losing – we are on the right track of technological progression. 

Module 11

It’s been many moons ago since I’ve had a chance to watch Wargames.  I suppose that now that the movie is nothing in comparison with the modern day CGI shows and enhanced 3D effects.  Nevertheless, the concept of accessing military computers via a phone connection was just science fiction to mainstream Americans in 1983.  Most Americans back then did not have personal home computers that we have today, so I suppose the show to the general movie-goers in the 80's was just pure entertainment. 

The movie Wargames begins with the problem of humans not launching missiles but not just any human rather professional soldiers trained to follow orders to launch Intercontinental ballistic missile, (ICBM) that would start World War III.  As a result the military implements the difficult decision to launch ICBM process to a single computer that will not hesitate to launch against any perceived enemy.  In the movie David (Matthew Broderick) is a teenager who has a personal computer that hacks into his high school computer to change his grades. Well David also decides to hack into a toy company, seeking to access new games, however, he eventually figures out the password to another computer instead of the toy company, he connects to the War Operation Plan Response (WOPR) system that is located at the North American Aerospace (NORAD) in Colorado.  Unknowingly, he now has access to the military network that controls all of the worldwide military weapons operation.  David wants to play a game but not any game - he wants to play Thermo War game between USA and the Soviet Union.  David soon discovers that the computer is playing for real and the United States of America is changing its military safe guard condition to DEFCON 1 that means that nuclear war is imminent and this is the highest condition of readiness against any threat toward the United States. 

My personal memory of the 80’s is slowly diminishing but I still do have some memories bouncing around in my brain that are alive and well.  I do recall several headline news stories of teenagers hacking into high school networks or banks and some trying to access military networks back then.   I’m sure the same thing goes on even today.  I’m sure the movies like Tron, Short Circuit, 2010, and Terminator inspired wanna be hackers or even real hackers. During this science fiction genre it has become apparent that a good handful of the technology back then has become more or less a reality today.   The technology of computers has definitely evolved and changed to enhance our lives to be more efficient and more productive in how we function in our daily activities.  Perhaps, letting our computers make difficult decisions for us has made our lives a little easier? For example the simple tasks of finding addresses or phone numbers, I use to hate to do but now I can find those tasks by simply asking “Siri” via my I-phone or devices that have those same functions.  However, on the flip side I suppose it also brought on elements of fear of how much technology will/has control of our daily lives in other words maybe this is the first step of losing our own humanity?

Module 10

A 1946 comic science-fiction story, A Logic Named Joe, by Murray Leinster- I believe his story was the template for future science-fiction movies that I loved.  One of the first thought I had when reading this story was 2001 Space Odyssey a 1968 science fiction film about an American spaceship Discovery One that was bound for Jupiter.  On board were astronauts that were wakened from a cryogenic hibernation. The main computer that operates the ship is named "Hal" the ship's HAL 9000 computer.  Very much like Joe the computer goes a little crazy. 

I suppose that the story is very much prophetic and perhaps a lot more forthcoming than the story was intended to be for the typical science fiction reader in the 1940’s as a “just another science-fiction story.”  My first initial thought about the story was when it mentioned punching in keys into the logic to be hooked to the tank reminded me of today’s search engines e.g., Google, Yahoo, and Aol.  Perhaps the most prophetic within the story was the query process of crafting new ideas via the tank.  It is very interesting that the author spent a lot time intergrading human behavior based on greed and murder.  Searching out how to counterfeit money, murdering someone or even make millions of dollars via the tank is concept that is still alive in today’s world - unfortunately.  Nevertheless, I’m sure to the reader back then this was purely science-fiction and just another good story. In my opinion it is a sad irony today that this type of searching is done daily but unlike the story no one person cannot simply put the computer into the basement and forget about it.

I find myself in the same position of frustration of my logic at times and want to take an axe to it when it doesn’t function the way I want it.  However, most of the time I simply just turn it off and step away but I know that civilization will continue with or without me and technology stops for no one.

The story has many of its strengths from its details of the operation of the Logic in the story.  Within this science fiction story it is interesting how society and how the civilization becomes more dependent on the Logic’s ability to perform its function.   It is also interesting to find that once the tank becomes too big to handle and there is a belief to shut it down but then realizing it’s too late that the tank is already involved in every aspect of the human daily life.  Perhaps, this process hasn’t happened yet and maybe in some distance future we will have to consider this option?

Perhaps the most intriguing part of the whole Dell’s computer manufacturing process is the end users the “consumer.”   We simply visit Dell.com to initiate our computer desire via their website – which usually takes only a few minutes to hours or maybe days.  No matter, just the fact we had made a final decision on the bells and whistles that we might never use in the computer that we had just built.  I know this process because I have done this same process several times over the years.  Nevertheless, I didn’t have a clue on the process after my final decision was made.  This is the where the real wonder begins with a least a hundred thousand plus other daily emails of purchase orders.  Dell has six global factories from Ireland, China, Brazil, Tennessee, Texas, and Malaysia.  The Malaysia notebook factory receives a purchase order email to begin the building process of laptops.  The parts are then requested from the Penang factory which is Dell’s supplier logistics centers (SLCs) they are global staging areas for the company.  The process operates 24 hours 7 days a week’s 365 days a year.

In any complex organization the operation processes are essential to having the organization flow seamlessly, therefore, it takes a great deal of logistics that needs to be in place for the organization to operate effectively.  For years Al-Qaeda’s operation has had a somewhat of success in its supply chain organization.  Early on in Al-Qaeda’s history they have had unfortunately successes as a result of its supply chain operation.  Within their supply chain operation there are a large number of different variables from the planning of an operation to the execution of their terrorist’s activities.   Overcoming issues of communication and suppliers there needs to be a formal supply chain management to be successful, therefore, the answer to the questions of if Al-Qaeda has a supply chain?  The answer is yes.

The curse of oil is mostly an issue of balance of power or the lack thereof.  As a result of our addiction to oil this has played right into the part of the curse that has plagued citizens that are ruled by dictators and monarchs.  Countries have used their own oil revenues to adversely influence all the levels of their state, including the police, the army and their own government infrastructure.

As a result of their activities they do not need to be transparent for the mere fact that they don’t tax their people, and when they don’t tax their people, they don’t need to be accountable on how they allocate their funds from oil.

Module 8

I’m a little slow with new technology and wasn’t introduced to computers until I was a senior in high school in 1986.  One of my classes had a very cool Commodore 64 computer that had 64 kb RAM + 20 kb ROM plus a 8 inch floppy disk  - back then that was a big deal…”we had computers!”   I personally really didn’t do much with our high school computer and most our class mates really didn’t have an opportunity to learn the uses because the computers were new our school in 1986 but given the chance we would rather play Pong or Dungeons & Dragons.  I suppose that computers during those days were mostly just a wonder for the mere fact that we would only see one in schools or a business.  Gaming devices like Atari or Play Station dominated the teenage market.  Of course, I was mostly interested in playing games than using a regular computer during the 80’s.

My real application of computer usage for me and my education started to emerge in the early 90’s.  During this era the computer industry was beginning to find its own legs to market to mainstream Americans and to new global markets as well.  There was definitely a huge frenzy in 1992 with Microsoft’s release of Windows 3.1 or at least I remember it being a big deal back then.  Unfortunately, at the time my wife and I wanted to purchase a new computer but we had a new baby and house which made it hard for us to make that kind of investment even for school.  We had to make do with what we had which was my wife who had an old IBM from the 80’s that took most of the room in our new home.  Nevertheless, years later the price of computers really didn’t drop but the technology had jumped leaps and bounds from our last research.  I really needed to upgrade our old computer for school and now my job required that I purchase a computer/laptop too.  It was a very exciting time to shop for new technology and all of the different type of computers that were now on the market during the mid - 90’s. Of course, I wanted to have the greatest and latest technology for school and for my business.  We finally purchased a Compaq that had Windows 95, 8 mb of memory, 1 gigabyte hard drive with 33 MHz processor plus a 28.8 internal modem.  We were both very excited of our new acquisition but probably just me.  We filled half of my truck bed up with our new computer stuff.  I was going to be the best college student ever – I thought as I signed my life away with a hefty bill of just shy of three thousand bucks.  I didn’t finished school but did start a new business during this time.

I returned back to school after a fifteen year hiatus and discovered that there is no way to function in school without access to internet with a computer.  A lot has changed since my last experience in college and now computers dominates the whole college experience.  My son who currently attends Arizona State University seems to believe that he needs to purchase new computers every year that he is in school.  Of course dad needs to pony up and buy because he claims that his classes require that he have certain software and hardware for him to stay up to date with his classes.  I found out the main reason why he needs a new computers is the gaming programs that he “needs to have access to.”  Perhaps I have to realize that this is my new reality as I return back to school.  I definitely understand now that the atmosphere here at Weber has changed.   Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to the new challenges that lie ahead as I continue to finish my education. 

Module 7

I suppose that we all have certain skills that we have acquired over the years by either trial and error or you might just have a gift.  So the argument is in what environment do these skills flourish?  Let’s take the question to the next level - in what country do these entrepreneurial opportunities grow that can create innovation freely.  There are nation states that encourage innovation and I believe one might say that maybe it’s their culture to be that way. 

However, the reality is that there are countries that produce certain products or even specialize in textiles.  If the country has a comparative advantage in textiles, it could specialize in textile production.  For example China can produce certain items at a lower cost than most countries and still make a profit for everyone from the production to the sale to the end users.  Nevertheless, having a comparative advantage does not necessarily mean that you have quality products but simply a product that was produced a lower cost and/or cheaper cost than other countries.

If there is an enough time research via the internet I would consider myself a self-directed consumer.  Sometimes, I believe that there is overabundance information that is thrown at us as the consumer concerning products and/or services to purchase.  The problem that I find now is having the time to decipher which is reliable and true for me to make the right decision.  But my reality is in most cases I’m pressed for time and I primarily look for conveniences in my buying process.  Therefore, I wish I was a more a self-directed consumer but unfortunately I’m a non-self-directed consumer…shame on me.

I believe that most of the world thinks that today’s globalization mean Americanization depending on who you are speaking with around the world.  I travel quite a bit for my business and meet folks around the world.  I was really excited from my last trade conference that I attended a week ago.  During the conference I had a several opportunity to meet with potential clients from Australia, Germany, England, China, India and Singapore.  One particular encounter I had was with a reporter from the Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), I wanted to share my new knowledge from this class concerning Thomas Friedman flat world theory.  We had a pleasant discussion on globalization according to Mr. Friedman’s point of view of our flat world.  She didn’t agree with Friedman’s point of view or maybe it was my delivery of the concept – probably a combination of both.  However, I was very interested in listening to her perspective of America influences in her part of the world.  Much to my dismay I was unsuccessful to articulate Mr. Friedman theories after a lengthy conversation Ms. Ming from (SPH) was still convinced that globalization means Americanization.  I discovered that I should probably keep my mouth shut when it comes to globalization debate until I finish this class.