Globalization - The World in a Flux -2011 will it be the defining year of the decade?

The World in a Flux - Globalization

It is remarkable that two important violent events separated by the decade that ushered us to the new millennium have been the catalysts in defining and shaping the world that we have been calling globalization. When Iraq annexed Kuwait in August 1990, it was considered a defining moment of shift from cold war of bipolar era. January 1991 Gulf War – operation desert storm and unique ways in which it was conducted by the United States resulted in multiple experts proclaiming the start and application of a Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA). The unprecedented interplay and cohesion obtained by integration of precision technologies, networks, and information technologies was a remarkable demonstration of extent to which new military operations will depend upon knowledge and networking. This was a shocking surprise to military commanders who were still indoctrinated in the old ways of mass destruction and mass combat power to defeat massed armies.

Ten years later it was the turn of the have-nots to attack the very seat of economic power represented in the twin-towers of the world trade center thereby reducing it to rubble. The permanent etching that Osama Bin Laden has left in the world’s especially US psyche despite the powerful US defense forces perfecting the RMA’s that they created, has once again reiterated the power of knowledge and networks. The way September 11, 2001, was executed against the most powerful nation of the world, speaks of three main capabilities – Globalization, Complexity and Innovation.

These two violent events are just a sample, albeit with very violent results, of the interplay of the three capabilities of the new world. This world is based on the ability of each one of us to leverage and exploit knowledge and connectivity. Success in this new world requires ability to search for knowledge, create new knowledge, identify the knowledge pieces, convert these pieces into creating new value in terms of solutions, and flow it through the networks of globalizing world in an efficient manner, so that it reaches the site of the problem in space and time in a least wasteful manner.

1991 we had the Gulf-War.

2001 we had the 9/11.

2011 - we will have what - A world war - North-South Korean war - I hope not!

Three Quotes from US Army Magazine Parameters in 2002

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[Ref] Adams T.K. (2001), Future Warfare and the Decline of Human Decision Making, Parameters, US Army War College Quarterly, Winter 2001-02, 57-71.

In future, tactical warfare will be given completely to automated systems. Human beings will just retain control at the highest level, making strategic decisions about where and when to strike and/or overall objective of the conflict.

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[Ref] Nygren K.P., Emerging Technologies and Exponential Change: Implications for Army Transformation, Parameters, US Army War College Quarterly, Summer 2002, 86-99.

Despite the fact that out technologies, economy and society have become extremely complex to be comprehensible by an individual, the leaders of the military, government and business can still effectively function, compete and improve their abilities to achieve objectives. This is possible due to organizational networks that can blend the distinct knowledge of their individual members into solutions and continuously adapt to changing knowledge requirements. This results in self-organizing systems that both defy centralized management and have changed the meaning of individual accountability.

“Delivering synergism” is the new mantra of the modern innovative enterprises. Only networks can provide this ability, rigid hierarchies are replacing.

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[Ref] Liotta P.H., Chaos as Strategy, Parameters, US Army War College Quarterly – Summer 2002, 47-56.

Attacking dominant players with rational decision making processes – balancing resources and constraints, means and ends, chaos strategist will induce decision paralysis.

What All Adds Value in a Network?

Network Value

• Size of the network definitely (number of nodes)
• The Structure of the Network
• Each Tie between nodes
• Every activation of the tie (activation means whenever something actually travels on the links between nodes)
• Value also is added by nodes joining a network and bringing more nodes
• Value may be destroyed by various interactions as well
• Value addition and its vibrations need to stay long

• What is Value Vibration in a network?
  

Open Innovation Next - The way Networks will evolve!

•The Open Innovation Next – depends heavily on how our understanding of Networks evolve

•CRAFITTI Consulting (http://www.crafitti.com) has embarked on a project to study Networks and craft Open Innovation structures, principles and way to generate Value and Wealth in network centric world

We look forward to open discussion on Open Innovation Next!

Spying 2.0 - Intellipedia

Top Secret: CIA explains its Wikipedia-like national security project

Intellipedia lets spies post and edit content wiki-style, and includes YouTube and Flickr versions

The above news item is a clear indicator of things to come. The Two Dot Oh (2.0) revolution is ON - very much ON!

Accelerating the Death of Hierarchies -

I am my Network!

is the new mantra of Attention Economy!

Weakening of Hierarchies

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A Weakening of Hierarchies
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Information abundance permits INDIVIDUALS to by-pass hierarchies that have – deliberately or inadvertently – controlled or limited information

Alternative human organization forms – based mainly on the Network have proved more effective and efficient for transacting information than hierarchies. In Information intensive enterprises, hierarchical organizations may not be competitive with networks.


Source: IN ATHENA’s CAMP – Preparing for conflict in the Information Age, (Ed) Arquilla J. and Ronfeldt D, RAND, 1997