[Ailist] Devaluing by valuing Re: What is the Life Force (Vital energy/Prana) ofBusiness?

[Cheri Torres]

David,

Thank you for your post.  Well said.  Thank goodness for differences  
in opinion--as they push us to new ground--and how good to be reminded  
that we don't need to through out the past in order to redesign the  
future.  As you suggest, the heart of AI is to discover the wealth (in  
all it's forms) in what is and bring it forward to support our visions  
and dreams.

Cheri

Cheri B. Torres, Ph.D.

Collaborative by Design
135 Westwood Place
Asheville, NC 28806
828-225-5088




On Nov 12, 2009, at 7:52 AM, info at almond-insight.com wrote:

> I am sending a copy of a message I sent 2 days ago which wasn't  
> posted to
> the list...
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> Thank you all for this fascinating discussion.  I learned a lot from  
> it.
>
> I must say that I am not comfortable with some of the cynicism voiced
> about the current economic systems,profit, trading, share-ownership,  
> money
> and measurements.  Sure, not all of these systems work well and  
> certainly
> there is space for improvement, but to say that they are all wrong  
> is a
> bit too much.  What I wish is for all of us to practice what we're
> preaching and focus on the parts of the current for-profit landscape  
> that
> are good; on times these systems have worked very well, made a  
> positive
> contribution to the world and the things we wish to see more of. I  
> believe
> the world would have been a lot worse if we didn't have for-profit
> companies developing more efficient ways to produce food, develop  
> drugs,
> and bring about technological innovation.
>
> Measurements can and should be improved.  We should not dismiss  
> them.  We
> need to recognize that measurements lead people to focus energy in a
> desired direction therefore if we want to encourage certain  
> behavior, lets
> measure it.  The trick is to come up with measurements that are life
> giving rather than life-destroying.  Our measurements can be aligned  
> with
> what we want to see MORE OF rather than with what we want to see  
> LESS OF.
>
> Profit does drive behavior, always have and always will have -  
> whether you
> measure it in Dollars, pounds, yens, land, sea shells or even slaves.
> Wealth, regardless of measurement is always sought by humans as it  
> is a
> translation of power and for some, self worth.  The question is how  
> do we
> direct people's desire for wealth to be aligned with goals that are  
> adding
> hope, happiness, comfort, sustainability and fulfillment to others.   
> The
> system of carbon trading is very good in my view because it brings  
> us one
> step closer to a less polluted world. Can there be a better system?
> probably! does it mean we shouldn't start with a carbon trading  
> system and
> seek better ways afterwards, no!  Also, carbon trading in Europe is
> attached to an overall reduction of CO2 emissions.  In other words,  
> each
> organization has to reduce their emissions year-on-year in order to be
> able to trade and make money out of the scheme. the overall  
> allowance of
> all participants is declining over time so that ensures movement  
> towards a
> less polluted world.
>
> Finally, six sigma, lean thinking, balanced scorecards and other  
> business
> tools aren't fads or bad for organizations.  All have their positive
> purpose and value. None of them is a panacea.  I see my role as  
> someone
> who has worked in this area to bring the old deficit-focused tools  
> to have
> a more strength-based focus.  You can still use lean tools if you  
> look for
> where value is created (rather than where it is wasted) and six sigma
> tools to analyze root causes of quality and perfect outcomes  
> (instead of
> defects).  We should also encourage business schools to teach AI IN
> ADDITION to the current curriculum which is focused on profit and cash
> flow. Then we can actually start the change we want to see.
>
> David Shaked.
>
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