Bio-Business...

As the progress of bio-business has been steep over the past 3 decades, the future of healthcare seems even more promising. The video on Microsoft’s vision for the future healthcare was brilliant on how people will have the convenient and ‘remote’ healthcare consultation. Patients will be able consult their doctors without having to physically be there in the clinic or hospital. This topic has been discussed in class. Technology always has its setbacks, where with this particular one doctors could not provide accurate reviews of the patient’s medical condition or prescriptions. Moreover, the precise amount of consultation fee cannot be determined.

From slide 8, it can be seen that the US is seen to be spending a lot in the bio-business sector, however, there are many issues with specifically the US healthcare. This is another issue which has sparked my interest.

It is yet again ironic that despite the innovations and the exciting future that bio-business holds, in the global leading causes of death and disability is major depression ranked at number 2. People are still not happy! And ranked number 1 is heart disease which is not surprising as our emotions affect our heart, and people round the globe seem depressed!

We can see that there is upward inclination to the trends in bio-business looking at the life-science patent approvals. Increasing numbers of people have entered themselves in the innovation business over the past years. As stem-cell research becomes prominent and genetic modification crops up, there research in this field seems to know no bounds. From the graph of Global Burden of Disease, we can see how communicable and non-communicable diseases are spread over the globe. The innovations have to be effective in alleviating suffering in areas with these fatal diseases as for now this the pressing problem.

Coming to presentations, Future of Healthcare done by Yu Jun was brilliantly done and it also received much applaud from the class. The presentation style was very effective as it used very few words and the message came across through interesting usage of visuals. This is a learning experience for me as I came to know what the audience looks for in a presentation.

I would rate this session an 8/10 as it brings quite a few things into perspective especially about a vast sector such as bio-business.                                            

Topic Report Outline: Human Cloning

Specific Innovation of Interest:

Creation Theory, Creation Science, Theism Evolution and Naturalistic Evolution are all theories on the conception of first of homo-sapiens. Ample theories and believes stemming from different religions and various deity-led communities have cropped up.  Many scientists were on a rat race to accurately figure out how the most complex machine on the world, human body, was created. This is definitely not as straightforward, due to lack of evidence and gaping holes of clues. As many look back to uncover the birth of a human, technology, specifically bio-technology has blazed through the world with a new anticipation of this medical breakthrough. This negates the purpose and crux of the of what the aforementioned scientists having first embarked on finding. Why find out how the first cell multiplied when we can already use electric and magnetic fields to have  sperm fuse into an egg to create a new being?

Rationale for Selecting this Innovation:

There are two types of Human Cloning:

1.      Reproductive Cloning

2.      Therapeutic Cloning

 Cloning has changed the dynamics of the scope of future possibilities for the human kind. According to the Medical Dictionary, cloning is a procedure for producing multiple copies of genetically identical organisms or cells or of individual genes. Organisms may be cloned by transplanting blastocysts from one embryo into an empty zona pellucida, or nuclei from the cells of one individual into enucleated oocytes.

As technical and convoluted this may sound, the controversies of bioethics and identity crisis have been omnipresent. This is a revolution by itself, and with the success the Human Genome Project, it will have dire consequences.

This ‘advancement’ in bio-technology has shaken the world and the consequence intrinsically connect with every aspect of a human’s life. Thus, this topic can be explored to great depths.

Proposed Approach to Development of Paper:  

·         Executive Summary:

o   This report is a compilation of the current standing of human cloning, consequences of this technological leap. Along with that, a depiction into future possibilities of cloning.

·         Background/Introduction:

o   The context of which the first of cloning was initiated.

o   Needs of society and drive of researchers that brought this up

o   Examples of cloning experiments

·         Historical Perspective

o   Various methods used/ or lack thereof  for various diseases and grave illnesses before the medical ‘miracle’.

o   More on the theories of how humans came about

·         Current Situation

o   Idea of reproductive cloning

§  Has been highly controversial and research(trials) has been limited

o   Idea of the therapeutic cloning

§  Major breakthrough in medical field

o   More on research of integrating animal and human cells

o   Who decides?

o   Clout of researchers, governments, human rights organizations, societies on the topic

o   Stand/ laws on cloning in various countries.

·         Analysis of cloning/Future Considerations

o   Weighing the pros and cons from different angles

o   Link how our decisions now may affect the future of the medical field, keeping in mind the benefits and disadvantages

§  Creating exact copies of a certain person

·         ‘Demise’ of the unique identity of the original person

§  Harvesting better copies of a person for selfish purposes

§  ‘Manufacturing’ designer babies

§  Repudiate human rights of an unborn to be given birth to, for research and medical work

o   Bringing in perspectives from “My Sister’s Keeper” and other various examples

Conclusion

·         Evaluation on this latest, upcoming technology

·         Boon or bane?

·         Will we bring doom upon ourselves, with continuation of this technology?

References

·         http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Cloning

·         http://explore.library.smu.edu.sg:50080/plainsrcpq/docview/398885498/abstract?accountid=28662

·         http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/home.shtml

·         http://kaeleb.tripod.com/cloning_start.html

Exciting Possibilities!

Information and communication technology was the crux of the class discussion. An array of different prospects in each sector, such as Mass Media, Gaming, Wireless Technologies, was shown and comprehensively explained to us. The future possibilities also seem enticing as a video on Project Natal was presented to us. It depicts a character in the computer who is able to communicate with a human being. We are so involved in the conversation, that it may seem real to us. This is where a topic of discussion came about the demarcation of what is real and what is not may become unclear to kids in the future who will have these technologies at their disposal. However, Prof Shahi mentioned that there’ll definitely be checks and balances in placed from the parents. Will this be enough? In light of opportunities to expose to kids, where can parents draw the line? This could be a very subjective topic.

We also came to realize the rising significance of a CKO (Chief Knowledge Officer) in companies. He captures insights, knowledge, data and mapping the movements within organisations. Many of us were oblivious to this new term and position in an organization. However, this may have more importance in a more ICT- centric age, which is in progression now.

ICT’s application in various fields was also discussed. I was particularly interested in the impact on global poverty. This is also directly related to the buzzword, “digital divide” that is present. Many technologies have been capable of alleviating poverty, such as the radio, television, telephones, and computers and internet and several more. It was also realized that communities acceptance and adaptability to such technologies may take longer than we expect and thus the variation in development in different poverty-stricken country.

The presentation by Mellisa on ‘Future of Television’ was insight on how television might become moot. Personally, I would not be excited about that idea,  as someone in class mentioned that the ‘randomness’ of the television is what keeps us attracted to television at the end of the day.

Another interesting presentation was by Shaak, who talked about an interesting topic of why things are free. He comprehensively explains the concept behind this and is interesting to note that big platform providers will lose out in the market if they were make people pay for the services!

For interesting ideas and in-depth concepts, I would rate this session 9/10!

An Unexpected Future?

All the possible occurrences and how our future might shape into, is summarized in the global drivers of change! Every aspect in our lives seems to be changing and surging to create something new for all species on earth to adapt.  The most intimidating of them all and the common concern in class is scarcity of resources. Unless we have something concrete in our hands to sustain the resources, we might just be on our way to our own demise. An interesting factor that I felt about the drivers is that there will be technological innovations and scientific discoveries that renders for the betterment of humans. However, due to the scarcity and limitations of sustenance of resources,  it creates a paradox of whether we’ll be to ensure our survival.

We had also looked deeper into revolutionary and evolutionary changes. This brings in another angle when I look at different applications of technologies. It is seen as a game-changer and making previous products(design, model, features) moot in the market, that is, revolutionary. Small modifications and changes to the products is seen as an incremental change to the previous products, that is, evolutionary. Evolutionary changes are constantly happening and is ubiquitous. Revolutionary changes brings something new to the market. I had not demarcated the line between these two terms, but it is much clearer now.

We also had an intense discussion on management and leadership and its difference. It showed how each influences the corporations and its innovations. As I see it, anyone can be a leader also shown by the video in class. A manager is someone who follows a structure. There seemed to more of inclination or preferences of leader in the business. Leaders have a focused vision and bring out the creativity and passion for what they truly believe in.

In one of the presentations, the CIO role, there was a question posed on whether a leadership or a management approach will be appropriate. Leadership approach is where we have more inflow of ideas and the management approach is more on the execution of the ideas. I feel that both are equally important as, we need to new ideas and also make these ideas a reality!

All in all, I rate this session a 8/10.

 

New Concepts to Ponder Upon...

“Advantages of backwardness” was a very interesting concept that we has gone through during the class. Asian countries had no financial grounds to embark on any innovation or research for their country. More often than not, technological innovations were adopted by from the Western powers. As much as the technologies were ground-breaking and recognition and status these western powers received, the Asian countries were having it easy. They were merely imitating, as Prof Shahi puts it and using the technologies that didn't require the initial capital. However, it is interesting to also learn that this is situation is evolving. Asian countries are also starting on the journey of innovation. There have been many speculations on the extent of success.

http://blogs.hbr.org/anthony/2010/09/the_asian_innovation_century.html

This articles entails the possibilities and changes Asia needs to see to, for future success in the path of innovation.

 There also has been a question posed if innovation should be technology and market-driven. Innovations are over-hyped, in the sense that, people think of and expect them to be something as out-of-the-world and utterly expensive. However, many around the globe have needs that need to be satisfies. As long as innovation is made possible to fulfill its needs and brings social welfare, innovation has done its job. Thus, many technology-driven innovations are not winners in the market, because they are unnecessary with over-the-top prices. It can be seen that market-driven technologies overcome the ‘Development’ stage in the RDA model as it is demanded and can be afforded by the society.

There were two presentations that caught my attention, one on Apple, done by Fiona and the other on aviation and its innovation on more green technologies, done by Keith.

The one on Apple, showed us the side of Apple, which does everything that’s different from other companies. It showed how the management of the company can change the dynamics of the business processes in the company. However, it was very Steve Jobs-centric. The article should have shown the side of the employees working in the company and how they are coping to produce the results.

Aviation is one major field that contributes to the air pollution. Thus, the topic on innovation on greener technologies is a of major hype. Yet, many innovations on technical of aspects of  innovations have been shot down, due to its unfeasibility. There’s a solution yet to be discovered that could solve the problem effectively.

For the new interesting concepts that I learnt from the lesson, I rate the class 9/10.