...REGENT UNIVERSITY My Journey into the Future A Personal Essay Foresight 2005 Conference - September Dr. Todd M. Johnson Center for the Study of Global Christianity, Hamilton, MA From September 22-24, 2005, the School of Leadership Studies hosted Dr. Todd Johnson on campus at Regent University, for the third annual futures conference for Christian leaders. This essay by Johnson was circulated to participants beforehand. We encourage you to join us next year for our annual Foresight conference, as we hear from top futurists from the both the U.S. and around the world. Todd M. Johnson, Ph.D., is the director of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA. He is the co-author of World Christian Encyclopedia (WCE), Second Edition, released in 2001 by Oxford University Press. Since 1989, Dr. Johnson has been a full-time researcher on the empirical status of global Christianity, most recently as director of the World Evangelization Research Center (WERC) in Richmond, Virginia. He has also served with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) since 1978 and has performed various ministry tasks in over 30 countries, including relief work among Cambodian refugees in Thailand, inner city work in San Francisco, evangelism in villages in Guatemala and field-based research in Asia. He is co-founder of the Christian Futures Network, a professional member of the World Future Society and a member of the American Academy...
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...know, technology escalates every time we blink our eyes. It will always be growing and one day we all will have to adapt to it. From calculators to computers to tablets, and now even robots, life inside the classroom is revolutionizing. In today’s world we do not see it as much, but in the future we will know it all started with us. Children nowadays see technology as a new way of life. Everything seems to evolve around it. According to “Laptop Programs for Schools”, states that schools with laptop programs see an increased students’ engagement with academic work and school, improve technology skills, and have positive effects on students' writing. Many believe that leaning from technology can have many negative effects, but most surveys and experiments that people conduct can only see positive outcomes. The future of technology will definitely be a crucial part of the future of education. Many of the ideas and thoughts about future technology in the classroom are already being put to test and becoming true. Many big named corporations and leaders are contributing to the education of technology. Apple, Samsung, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates are among some contributing. Bill Gates is now discussing how to make a digital classroom work. Bill Gates argues that classrooms are too big and lessons are taught the same way to dozens or hundreds of students - - each of whom has different leaning styles. He believes that technology can, and should, change that. He...
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...Group Project On "Nature of work and organizing work in firms of the future” ‘Nature of work and organizing work in firms of the future’ Introduction Sweeping political, economic, social, and technological transformations are creating a fundamentally new era of business characterize by unprecedented complexity and rapid change. Large number of firms are struggling to stay afloat in this dynamic and intensely competitive environment, and the accepted ways of doing business are proving inadequate for doing business in future. At the same time, advances in information technology, coupled with emerging insights on organizations and the learning process, are greatly enhancing the ability of people to communicate and coordinate with one another both within and among organizations. These advances offer powerful new tools for dealing with the pressures of the business environment as well as promising a framework for creating entirely new opportunities for organizing and managing work in firm of future. Few people foresaw the vast changes that would be brought by the invention of the steam engine and the host of other mechanical devices that were the technological driving force behind the Industrial Revolution. Yet these advances completely transformed the nature of work as many of the old ways of organizing and managing business died away and new concepts emerged. The network of crafts and small cottage industries that had dominated the production of goods for centuries gave way...
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...The past and the future; two concepts of time forever intertwined, spiraling around the present. They influence its every decision, sometimes one more than the other. Throughout this braided mass of time, the human species secretly yearns for “Community, Identity, [and] Stability”(1). These basic principles are brought to mankind in Aldous Huxley’s groundbreaking novel, Brave New World. This novel raises the questions; how can people achieve these secret goals of society? And how will we ever get to the point of a worldwide community? A sense of identity? And a stable society? The answer is swirling around the world, every second of every day. Time. In order to achieve these ideals, people must learn from the past and prepare for the future, only when the two elements are combined will “Community, Identity, [and] Stability”(1) be prominent in today’s world. One major lesson adults try to implement into children from birth is that one must learn from prior mistakes. In the novel, the people of the World State prosper because they have learned from their past mistakes. War, famine, morals, and other concepts of the past are eliminated from society to insure stability. When the leaders had to make the choice between “World Control and destruction. Between stability and”(48) chaos. In the past chaos has been proven to live up to its definition. Due to their choice against disorder, the World State proves that people need the past to learn from their mistakes. One...
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...incentives, evaluating performance, resolving disputes, and communicating with all employees at all levels. The world is moving very fast these days with technology and disruptions in geopolitical movements. The globalization of the world economy will be more insensitive and will affect the organizations, no mater how large or small, in both positive and negative ways. Competitive threats and, in particular, opportunities are more and more severe and global. The expanding scope of global competition is forcing a continuous re-examination of how Human Resources can best support the rapid pace of business globalization. In order to catch up with the changes of the world in the future, it is necessary to predict and evaluate the profession of future Human Resource, the possible changes in future Human Resource management in order to make sure that future Human Resource Management will satisfy the demanding requirements of the organizations in the new situations and keep the organizations survived and sustainably developed. Future Human Resource In the world today and in the future, there will be much pressure on the organizations. Such environmental pressures can be seen as increasing globalization, rapid technological change, and tougher competition; organizational changes such as new organizational alliances, new structures and hierarchies, new ways of assigning work, and a very high rate of change; changes in the workforce, including employees' priorities, capabilities, and...
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...Some would argue that the education system mainly exists to select and prepare students for their future work roles and careers. Marxists believe that the education system’s role is the ideological apparatus of the state; it spreads ruling-class ideology and favours the middle class. Marxists such as Althusser, Bowels & Gintus and Bourdieu disagree with this statement as they argue working class children get a second class education compared to middle class and are given an unrealistic expectation for the future. This is further highlighted by Althusser (1971) who believed that educations main function is to reproduce an efficient and obedient workforce, Althusser believes that the education system has taken over from the Church as the main agent of ideological transition. For example, in the past most people accepted their positions in life, no matter how unbearable, because they believed it was Gods will. They were poor because God wished it so, they were hungry because God wished it so, and they were powerless because God wished it so. Such beliefs are now in decline, although many still hold them, much more common is the belief that everything boils down to the God of education. Those who are smart and hardworking do well in education and gain educational qualifications and in turn do well in the world of work. Those who are unemployed and working in low paid jobs did not gain educational qualifications and were probably not academically gifted. This is, however, an ideological...
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...area of business it affects * What changes the system brought to the business world * What business processes changed because of the system * The system's likely future effect 1. The system's name: Social Media, i.e., Facebook, Twitter, etc. The area of business it affects: From banking to advertising, it affects all areas of business What changes the system brought to the business world: Helping them reach larger audiences; giving more choices to consumers, and made business more competitive overall. What business processes changed because of the system: Marketing, business conduct, security, etc. The system's likely future effect: More use of social media in every aspect of life. 2. The system's name: Cloud Computing The area of business it affects: From banking to advertising, it affects all areas of business What changes the system brought to the business world: Helping them reach larger audiences; giving more choices to consumers, and made business more competitive overall. What business processes changed because of the system: The way business's store and process data. The system's likely future effect: Continues use of "server" farms to store and process data. 3. The system's name: Mobile Systems The area of business it affects: From banking to advertising, it affects all areas of business What changes the system brought to the business world: Helping them reach larger audiences; giving more choices to consumers, and made business...
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...today’s technology role? How does uncertainty impact your ability to plan for the future work? Predicting the future, or in this case the future of work, has and always will be one of those uncertain tasks that all individuals, managers, entrepreneurs, etc. question and try to determine. Although predicting the future of work is impossible, it doesn’t mean that one can’t reasonably assume what lies ahead. As the videos allude to, research, analyze and be certain in your direction! The technology has morphed throughout history, from ancient civilization techniques to modern computer devices, and one to believe that technology can’t and won’t change in the future will be left behind. Technology will always drive the workplace, regardless of the industry. Without technology, it will be very difficult to nearly impossible to be transparent, flat, competitive, and on demand. Today’s world of technology is a phenomenon in which people can interact, communicate, plan, organize, and manage work from across the globe in mere seconds and at little to no cost. Technology as we know it today may be much different in 2, 5, 10, and even 20 years from now. Innovation drives technology. Today’s role of technology isn’t much different than my view of its role. As a public employee, it has been difficult at times to “keep up” with the latest and greatest technological enhancements available due to budget and work constraints. However, this doesn’t prohibit me from experimenting with technology...
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...Freudian theories on Western Societies The twentieth century was a huge turning point for the entire world. Europeans were experiencing something that had never happened in their lifetimes before. Early in the twentieth century WW1 breaks out in Europe and a new way of looking at the human mind emerges. These events and people would really change cultures around the world. Beliefs in the Enlightenment would never be the same and modern day societies are still influenced at what was achieved and destroyed during this time. I am going to highlight the life of Sigmund Freud’s and how his theories impacted how we look at the human mind today. Then I will go over World War 1 and how it completely changed cultures of the west. Finally I will explain how WW1 and Sigmund Freud connected and changed western societies forever. Sigmund Freud was born in Freiberg, Moravia in 1856. There is not a lot of information on Sigmund Freud’s early life because he chose to keep it out of the public’s eye. “Little is known of Freud’s early life as he twice destroyed his personal paper, once in 1885 and again in 1907” (Psychologist, World). His personal papers were closely guarded in Sigmund Freud’s archives and only available to Ernest Jones his official biographer. Freud published countless theories that created a lot of controversy in his time and still in our modern world today. Sigmund published many works but most of them if not all of them go back to his theory on psychoanalysis, a term he first used...
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...The Empowerment of the Future of Women “Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult”, Charlotte Whitton (The Soul Sisters). Hilary Clinton, Sarah Palin, and Oprah Winfrey are just a few names who have taken women leadership to the next level. But why does progress still seem to be a struggle for other women? Men seem to be dominating the political world in the U.S., and females seem to be striving to be the next powerhouses, but their professional image seems to be standing in the way of their future. Although women have made significant progress in obtaining low level leadership positions, their professional image continues to prevent them from receiving these same positions in higher forms. Political standards for future female candidates have become increasingly difficult to fulfill. The claim made for women not obtaining these higher level positions is simply because women are “less hierarchical, more cooperative and collaborative, and more oriented increasing other’s self-worth” (Eagly, pg. 2). Candidates for the job must be “likeable and tough” (Braude), which is seemingly become more and more difficult for female leaders these days when men are strong participants with these characteristics. When one wants to put a female and a male in a rink together, who would come out on top? The obvious choice would be the male, but it is not time to give a female the chance? The opportunity for women leaders...
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...visions of the future “Dystopian literature has been characterized as fiction that presents a negative view of the future of society and humankind”(Janet Witalec). Karen foreseen that she would fall into a coma, she gave her child father a letter outlying her dystopian version of her dreams. Karen wanted to prevent this nightmare from occurring. She told her boyfriend that she wants to sleep for twenty years to avoid this dystopian dream. Karen ends up falling into a coma a short while after as she had predicted. Karen was comatose for seventeen years and during that seventeen years Richard who is left to raise the couples child on his own, while Karen is in coma. Richard’s emotional state starts to take a toll on him; during this time Richard is struggling with an addiction while waiting for Karen to wake up out of her coma. Karen whom awakes seventeen years later from her coma, she had the mind state of her teenage years. Karen finds difficulty in accepting and adapting to her current society. Karen finds it hard to adapt to things because she is focused on a utopian version of what she expects the world to be. Karen goes on to speak about everyone in society wanting to work and not enjoy the simple things in life “Nobody seems to be able to endure simply being themselves, either- but at the same time they’re isolated. People work much more, only to go home and surf the Internet and send e-mail rather than calling or writing a note or visiting each other. They work, watch TV...
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...Changes in Workforce Demographics and the Future of Work and Retirement Dr. Jost Lottes Institute on Aging Portland State University No single trend will play a larger role in shaping the social, economic, and geopolitical order throughout the developed and developing world than global aging A historic transformation approaches— the “inversion” of the age pyramid. •!Populations throughout history have all shown a steep pyramid-shaped age distribution—with more young than old people. •!In the near future, starting with developed countries, the distribution will transform into an inverted pyramid— with more old than young people. Pyramid inversion in the developed world—1950 to 2050. year 1950 median age 28.6 Pyramid inversion in the developed world—1950 to 2050. year 1960 median age 29.6 Pyramid inversion in the developed world—1950 to 2050. year 1970 median age 30.6 Pyramid inversion in the developed world—1950 to 2050. year 1980 median age 31.9 Pyramid inversion in the developed world—1950 to 2050. year 1990 median age 34.4 Pyramid inversion in the developed world—1950 to 2050. year 2000 median age 37.6 Pyramid inversion in the developed world—1950 to 2050. year 2005 median age 39.3 WHERE WE ARE TODAY Pyramid inversion in the developed world—1950 to 2050. year 2010 median age 40.8 Pyramid inversion in the developed world—1950 to 2050. year 2020 median...
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...to Avoid... “You commit plagiarism in written work when you use another person’s words, ideas or opinions without acknowledging them as being from that other person” (University of Cape Town, 2005: 1). While plagiarism is a serious offense, and can often result in academic probation or even expulsion from university, it is not always an intentional error. This handout highlights some of the common plagiarism infractions so that you can be sure to avoid them in your work. Excerpt from Global Trade: Past Mistakes, Future Choices by Greg Buckman: Britain lost much of its share of manufactured goods trade before the First World War; after the war the rest of Europe also lost out to other producers around the world. The United States emerged from the First World War as a major new player in the trade of manufactured goods, increasing its share of global manufactures trade from 13 per cent in 1913 to 20 per cent in 1937. (Buckman, 2005: 21) Using Exact Text from an Outside Source without Quoting or Referencing Plagiarised: The United States emerged from the First World War as a major new player in the trade of manufactured goods. Acceptable: Buckman (2005: 21) has said that “[t]he United States emerged from the First World War as a major new player in the trade of manufactured goods.” Using Exact Text from an Outside Source without Quoting Plagiarised: Buckman (2005: 21) has said that the United States emerged from the First World War as a major new player in the trade of manufactured...
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...Argument Essay: Neil Gaiman versus George Saunders What does our future need? In a speech given by famous American author George Saunders called “Advice To Graduates”, he basis the theme of the speech on kindness. That our future will be better if we find kindness now. Another speech given by famous British author Neil Gaiman called “Why our Future Depends On Libraries, Reading, and Daydreaming” makes it the older people of society obligation to guide the young and innocent for a better future. Both speeches wants to guild children to a better future and to make the world a better place, and with Saunders enthusiasm, comedy, and delivery his speech is better. Saunders opens his speech with humor to capture the youth’s attention. He starts with a story of his childhood, telling of no regrets but one failed act of kindness. “ Moments of another human being suffering”(2). Here, Saunders is helping us to understand a changing point in his life where he understood that something was wrong with the way people think. Therefore, using himself as the examples demonstrates that he has been there before. Places where he had failed to act kind. The basis of his Saunders speech is to get listeners to make “being kinder a goal”. I choice this speech because the delivery of the speech was simply put so that all people could understand and comprehend.”You could do worse than: try to be kinder”(2). In simple words this line reveals what the whole speech will be about. This has significance...
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...occurred in the United States in the last four decades. These changes have led to the development of education-for-work as a term that describes various efforts to enhance the capability of the workforce. Education-for-work encompasses all education, training, and development activities that (a) prepare people for work or assist them in current employment and (b) engage in the development and refinement of competencies, attitudes, and knowledge through formal and informal means (Nadler, 1985). Many approaches to education-for-work are based on models that were developed during the agrarian age and industrial revolution, and have been shaped by practice rather than philosophic principles. Education-for-work needs to adopt or develop well-defined philosophic principles that will guide, support, or create practice in changing workplaces. In order to meet the needs of the workplace of today and the future, education-for-work practitioners must be aware of the philosophies that promote both technical-vocational needs and personal development. Education-for-work practitioners must select and adapt appropriate philosophical views that will guide practice in terms of purpose; much like a master painter, who takes paint from a palette, mixes it appropriately, and applies the mixed paint to the canvas using experience and skill to complete the envisioned picture. Education-for-work practitioners must be more than transmitters of knowledge; they should be like master painters or craftpersons...
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