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Corporate robotic responsibilty...
posted by fireofenergy on 6/18/2010 - Be the first to recommend this
Eventually, fossil fuels will become too expensive, whether from depletion or climate change laws (cap and trade is the Worst way to address it). The little questioneer (ad) brought me here... But I already know that humanity grows exponentially `~' The Only way to address this seemingly insurmountable challenge is to use the corporation as a tool to create . . . (drum roll please...) Competing robotic solar PV and LiFePO4 factories. Computerized slave machines crank out the PV, creating an ever increasing jobs market for desert installations. If with, say, a 33% growth rate, not much will happen during the first 10 years (hopefully, NG will replace coal to offset CO2 and "enviro" emissions). An interim generation of more NG and less coal will see further and further solar growth. Within 40 years at a continuous 33% yearly growth,(when FF's are depleted past common price availability, anyways), solar electricity alone will have exponentiated to the point of covering vast percentages of the deserts and capable to power much MORE of the planet than fosil fuels do today! I hope that the oil companies don't just "go down with the old ship" because they have the resources to actually build robotic solar PV factories `~'
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Just me again
posted by fireofenergy on 6/19/2010 - Be the first to recommend this
About solar, I understand that it is not wise to go "full bore" at less than 20% efficiency. Sure, the mirrors (for concentrated solar thermal) can achieve up to 30%, perhaps more from a power tower design that uses a gas (for heat tranfer) in a Brayton cycle. However, PV has no moving parts, only experiences at most, a 60 degree temp change, not the 600 or so with CSP when clouds mingle. (This, I would imagine, is a difficult long term design issue). The parabolic trough is time proven yet less efficient and would create "too much of an enviro issue" since thousands of sq mi would have to be paved over for the very long reflectors. PV, it seems, would also be the easiest to fabricate via robotics. We do, however, want to minimize "dark space" (negative albedo in a warming world). Thus, engineers need to redesign PV to be as "light" as possible, last a long time, still be more efficient and obviously, be much cheaper. Nano breakthroughs may be worth the wait, especially, since the very nature of such may need to be understood (to robotically manufacture) renewable energy's counterpart, the LiFePO4 battery (or better?). Molten salt for CSP heat storage is still much cheaper (by about 5 to ten times), yet the exciting possibilities of a totally solid state and green grid with no moving parts (and less oil spills) should be the ultimate objective `~' P.S. We need to thank FF companies for delivering power needed by all of us. Fossil fueled tradegies are part of our own fossil fueled lifes, since that is what our society is based on. The only "blame" I can find is this "Why can't everyone try to figure out the best energy plan" after they come home from work, or from an oil spill. Instead, it seems, this populace is all about "laying blame"! Therefore, how can power companies be "all perfect and responsible" when the customers are so frivolous, being, not caring to know about the very energy that is converted into their actual human lives, and then so vicious when something goes arie `~'
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Social responsibility of business
posted by suresh10in on 6/9/2010 - This comment was recommended 1 time
The notion as CSR or corporate social responsibility is ingrained in many businesses though it needs to expand to incorporate sustainability concerns too ,not just as part of the climate change mitigation agenda.The role of business in improving community life in terms of quality of environment and cultural life is well accepted.The social agenda of industry need to incorporate sustainability agenda too -not only as part of the climate change and energy efficiency or renewable energy agenda ,but also as a social agenda.The social contract should now embrace the sustainability agenda too.It is also a good idea for business to earmark part of their CSR budget for research on sustainability concerns so that futuristic considerations outweigh the bottom line or profit concerns.Strategic alliances with public funded research institutions and involving NGOs and governmental agencies or departments would be a good idea given the stakeholder enhancement and funding support for larger socioecological issues
The Role of Business in the 21st Century
posted by kemibenedict on 6/1/2010 - This comment was recommended 3 times
The world in which all organizations operate is growing more complex and diverse. Many seem to subscribe to the notion that the organizations of modern society are changing radically, however few believe, that these changes within organizations are a reflection of existing empirical realities but rather the simple machinations of a what they call a storytelling organization. That is one that operates a "collective storytelling system in which the performance of stories is a key part of members' sense-making and a means to allow them to supplement individual memories with institutional memory" Storytelling organizations exist to tell their collective stories, to live out their collective stories, to be in constant struggle over getting the stories of insiders and outsiders. At one extreme, the storytelling organization can oppress by subordinating everyone and collapsing everything to one "grand narrative" or "grand story." So what is the role of business in the 21st century - simply put, how well you can tell a good story. The Power of the Public Relations Machinery!!!!! But who really can blame organisations now - people expect too much from businesses who really try to be as good of a corporate citizen that they can. Because of the over dependence and over expectation from government, communities and various stakeholders, businesses are often times forced to over inflate their contributions to the society. But who really is a good corporate citizen and what defines a good business - a business with a yearly turn over of huge profits for its shareholders, a business that cares and invests in its people or a business that is socially responsible in the areas where it does business????. I am of the position that buisnesses cannot be all these things and more. Rather concentrating on the power of partnership, building long lasting relationships with key stakeholders, empowering and building/ sustaining local capacity developement is the way forward. Its a 'DO YOUR BEST AND LEAVE THE REST TO GOVERNMENT' way of thinking.
Business in the 21st Century
posted by StephenH on 4/13/2010 - This comment was recommended 2 times
I think business has to change and downscale. I am convinced with the amount of resource depletion society is facing that we will need to rethink "corporate profits at all costs", globalization, and mass scale marketing altogether. Instead, I think we need to relocalize, consume less, assemble goods locally as opposed to shipping them from third world countries. I am not for selling out government and education to business either. Lastly, no company should be "too big to fail", either. I think part of the reason for the peak oil crisis is that these corporations were allowed to "take over the world". We should also rethink the motion that every adult needs a car and will commute to a 9-5 job too. Instead, we should allow flexing the work hours and days worked. This would eliminate long distance commuting to work altogether, where 50% of the oil is consumed in the states. I beleive that the industries best likely to survive the 21st century are: * Organic Agriculture of small farms * Renewable Power * Education * Small scale retail * New Urbanism Villages * Health Care * Local Repair shops of existing items * Visual and Performing Arts (on a local level) * Railroads and Mass Transit * Shipping via boats * National Defense What I predict will fail eventually: * Large Scale Marketing and Manfacturing * Commercial Food production that is petroleum based * Oil and Gas * Tourism * Information Technology (probably in 20-50 years) * Automobiles (may exist in some form but not on the same scale) * Aviation (may exist in some form but not on the same scale) I predict that we will need to make the following happen that are not in investors interests if we wish to avoid social unrest and famine: * Relocalize * Grow food locally again * Reverse the conversion of farms to suburbia * Repeal or downscale the debt collection laws if permanent decline in economic growth is immenient * Think humanity over corporate profits in making design decisions. * Live in harmony with nature.
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Business in the 21st century
posted by bill f. on 4/17/2010 - Be the first to recommend this
I received an email the other day and it showed an airplane that lost one of it's wings in flight. One can only immagine that the pilot's life flashed before his eyes. However he landed safely and even saved his airplane. When an economy loses one of it's wings and plunges into a tail spin; we all face the same problem and have the same options. We all need the benefit of a savy and gutsy pilot to keep from loosing it all. You can't save the wing that is gone but you don't have to give up either. Our hero simply applied full power, hoped the other nwing did not break off and came in on one wing, a tail wheel and the wheel on the good wing. We still have enough viable industry and able hands to power up our economy and bring this ship in with enough left to build back our economy. SINK OR SWIM! iT IS NUTS TO THINK WE CAN REBUILD FROM THE BOTTOM UP! TEXAS bill f, still subcontracting and masking ends meet.
StephenH has it right!
posted by TommyTox on 4/23/2010 - Be the first to recommend this
I second most of what this posting has to say!! We are in deep fecal matter as a culture. We are grossly unsustainable in even the short haul. Peak oil, global climate change, over population, resource depletion, mass extinctions, depletion of the oceans, and so on are not some vague concepts out there somewhere in the future. They are upon us now! Capitalism has failed in many ways. Actually, in my opinion, it's the invention of corporations that was the beginning of the end. Going back into the 1800's, certainly in the 1900's and with the latest economic crisis, it's corporations that are the cause of a lot of badness for the average human being. It benefits a small number of people in a large way, but most don't get the trickle down, they get urinated on. And the US govt' is often complicit by thinking that free markets can somehow self-regulate. They can't. We are headed for some VERY bad times unless we start down this road StephenH is advocating. Buy locally. Grow locally. Sell your cars and perhaps own only 1 at most. Live in a smaller house, or close off the un-used parts. Super-insulate the home. Prepare back-up sources for heat, water, and food, just in case (hopefully, it won't come to this). Downscale. We are part of nature, act like it.
Role of Business
posted by MarkLeavenworth on 3/29/2010 - This comment was recommended 1 time
I know people like to feel important, and business culture prides itself in learning and practicing efficiency. But the truth is, there is a danger to business culture. Look at those children in the photo. You think they are so bad off because they don't live in the suburbs? Or maybe because they have strange clothes or dark skin? Think again. There is a lot of prejudice when it comes to the quest for 'design' and 'efficiency'. There are also a lot of cultural inefficiencies with large corporate culture. Production is and will be more efficient in the future if decentralized; even to the point of individual production. That to me is the greatest role of business currently...to efficiently innovate efficient means, tools, and techniques for individual production. It is not 'giving away' if ownership generates more good than financed borrowing under pressure. It should be recognized across business culture, that the next best investment is by no reason the best investment, for a little time after the resource is deployed and thought or reflection could well have generated a better use. I find this kind of discovery to be the better part of human nature and the reason for preserving the fair chance for individual equity. Finally, there is no replacement for a child spending plenty of loving time at home with Mom and Dad. The excessive need for control derives from lack of the same.
BUSINESS
posted by Acushla on 4/6/2010 - Be the first to recommend this
It depends what Business you are talking about. When you look at Banks and Supermarkets like Woolworths, They have the GREED IS GOOD Mentality. It was the Banks in USA in Sub Prime Property who caused the Recession. When Banks raise interest rates it is the children who suffer most when their parents lose their homes. So they worship the god of money profits. The Business of Carbon Currency is now big business which has become a religion with Al Gore a its high priest. Sustainability is the Cry with Governments looking to tax anything to do with emissions, not caring it is the children who will suffer most. The Environamentalists and Greens want to exercise population control using the China one child a family policy. They have their own agenda. It is small business which provides the majority of jobs and when they suffer in finance everyone suffers together.
role of business
posted by majortoko on 3/28/2010 - Be the first to recommend this
The role of business in any century is to make a profit, grow the business, employ people and pay taxes. Governments do not create wealth. Unemployed people do not create wealth. Only business's, unencumbered by excessive government regulation and restrictions, can create wealth. It is the responsibility of government to re-distribute the wealth for the social good.
Role of business
posted by meadow on 3/28/2010 - Be the first to recommend this
The most basic principle of business in the 21st century must be responsibility; we, as free people, have the responsibility as individuals, as well as corporate entities, to demonstrate the knowledge of purpose as prescribed in the preamble of the US Constitution, i.e. to establish justice by having business policies agree with nature in order to ensure tranquillity domestically; domestic tranquillity is derived from the the peace of nature's tranquil moments. Business must develop heart so as to provide for the common defence and create material equality so as to promote the general welfare; and then communicate this intentional rule of law so young people can secure these blessings of liberty to themselves. Profit and paper work before people must give way to fair marketeering; because free marketeering undermines responsibility with the false hope of unconstrained individual liberty, which inevitably becomes a form of tyranny over others. In short, tranquillity, heart, and equality must define the business paradigm for the 21st century. Government foreign and domestic policies must reflect the responsibilities of Congress as prescribed in Article One Section Eight of the US Constitution: to regulate commerce with foreign nations, among the states, and with Indigenous tribes in agreement with the purpose of the Constitution as prescribed in its preamble. The social sector must include all aspects of community because the purpose of the republic for which the US flag stands is culture-dependent. American culture is the sum total of human behaviour and thought. It must include government, business, and the endless social spiral of society. Instead of striving for economic domination, we, as free people, must allow others to be free in order to secure liberty's most essential blessings of tranquillity, heart, and equality to ourselves and future generations.
doing business in the 21st Century
posted by northstar726 on 3/26/2010 - Be the first to recommend this
might as well ask " how to live in the 21st Century", maybe big corporation should review their mission and vision, while govt's should open on the idea of partnership as "gov't & bisnis corp/inc ltd".while profit is the priority in doing business, and govt is of the protection of its citizens, natural resources and boundaries, why not business put their Corporate Social Responsibility to the Extreme and likewise the Govt's on anything possible assistance to business to make it possible. of course those are easier said than done, bcuz from north to south, east to west of the globe we have corrupt govts and greedy business people. maybe business should put on manual labor in some of their business processes, like in aqua/agricultrure,construction etc. make information in real time, so that govt, businesses and people are one in synchronise in their level of what business they are in at the moment so that conflict will be minimized, etc...
Inventions
posted by mioffe_2000 on 3/26/2010 - Be the first to recommend this
In globalization economy big companies have advantages of resources and directions to grow, even if we will forget about corruption and crooks. They could promote their ideas with help of government of any state and sometimes against some states. Role of Government in this situation could be in improving social environment to grow economy in country along and despite globalization. It means that government must support any globalization efforts, which help create new businesses and reduce price for consumer product. At the same time government must support inventions, which could provide new businesses instead of jobs, which are going overseas. To invent new products, to build companies for these products in general we must have huge resources, which are not so easy and mostly impossible to found for Inventors. Government could create and help companies to promote invention activities in state, which not only patent new ideas, but also build companies to produce new products. These companies must work with help of government only on beginning and during some time must be completely independent and profitable. They could sell new product companies as franchise to entrepreneurs. Role of government to create 100% of employment and these directions could help all countries in the world.
inventions
posted by papermaker on 3/26/2010 - Be the first to recommend this
No Government or Big Company should be a perminate soluation for any society. Indivudal responsibility and standing up for what is right is the answer. Government and Big Companies shoold lend a helping hand and make their exit at the right moment handing things back over to the citizens of the local community.
Revolution
posted by MarkLeavenworth on 3/26/2010 - Be the first to recommend this
There is no reason that a state cannot fall off the edge of a cliff, rather than turn like an ocean liner, especially when the captains are the minions of enervating Euro-socialists that have been only passengers on the same ship for generations.