This book states that knowledge no longer holds much value, as anyone with a cellphone, or a computer with access to the internet can access that information, at any time, within a knowledgeable society.  So what is important is not knowledge, but wisdom, which cannot be described in text.

Dr. Tasaka states that collective intelligence will take on a more eminent role in knowledge society, as the collective intelligence of three normal people can equal a genius.  He further states that innovation today comes when people from different fields and industries meet and their ideas combine to create the NEXT big thing.  We need to encourage people to develop wisdom and collective intelligence, internet helps provides the platform for that to happen.

Management is an issue between the generations as Dr. Tasaka states that elders tend to want the rein in management due to their experience and maturity. However that could also be attributed to their ego. Managing ego is very difficult, so the solution is to create a business ecosystem like what they have at Silicon Valley.  Here people form a community; where new companies form, and employees can jump from one company to the other. Their ideas can form within the community and be supported by the resources and talent of the community to become a reality. Entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and technologists freely form the dynamics of Silicon Valley.

Companies should introduce a company ecosystem where it’s flat and an open organization instead of a hierarchical organizational structure.  To help create this flat open company culture, try incorporating SNS tools like wiki and blog.
 
Dr. Tasaka predicts that capitalism will turn into knowledge capitalism.  Normal capitalism is a system of managing money,  but knowledge is a unique type of capital that is ever growing.  Money is a zero sum gain, whereas knowledge is a plus sum gain.  If I share with you, you have knowledge and wisdom just as I have.  Normal capitalism only cares about the bottom line and visible assets, but knowledge capitalism cares about the invisible assets like knowledge, wisdom and the collective intelligence of a community. You need to have wisdom to see the invisible in the knowledge capitalism.  Capitalism will change drastically through the internet revolution and web 2.0, so it is a very good tool to manage knowledge capital.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TgXaaHPhAs&feature=fvwrel

I first read Naomi Klein back in University, her best selling book “No Logo” was our text book in a communications course.  It blew the issues wide open on we’re seeing on TV about controversies  regarding world trade, the G8 summit protests in Seattle, child labor and unfair labor practices in developing worlds.

It left a vivid impression on my young mind, so much so it got me out to a real protest downtown when Jean Chretien was in town.  It felt more like a party with the giant paper mache puppets of Campbell’s soup, Jean Chretien, and the drumming with the crowd screaming slogans.  It ended rather abruptly when it started to rain, and the police started to bash people’s heads with their sticks.  I got out of there as my belief in the evils of global capitalism wasn’t enough for me to get wet or bloody over.

I was reminded about her when I was reading John Crusack’s reading list in “O” magazine. He recommended this book and I was again intrigued. Through Naomi’s brilliant story telling and investigative journalism she made note of a person named Milton Friedman.

Milton Friedman is considered the granddaddy of the “Chicago School” of policy, and the University of Chicago professor saw sweeping changes of policy and sometimes government right after a natural or man made disaster. These sweeping changes include the privatization of the New Orleans public school system from 123 schools to 4 in the most recent times.  Friedman first gained success using disaster capitalism in the 70’s as an adviser to Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet.  The same strategy is used over and over: waiting for a major crisis, then sell off pieces of the state to private players while citizens were still reeling from the shock, then quickly making the “reforms” permanent.  “Shock Therapy” has been employed as a method to execute these strategies on the masses.

Some of the disciples of the Chicago school supported the junta’s disappearance of 30,0000 people in Argentina in the 70’s  , Tianmen Square Massacre in 1989 in China,  Russian oligarchs’ aggressive take over in 1993 with tanks, and the Falklands War in 1982 for Margaret Thatcher in the UK. The NATO attack on Belgrade in 1999 also created these conditions for the rapid privatization of the former Yugoslavia.

Most recently 9/11 and the “War on Terror” was a homecoming for the “Chicago School”, which is now a $200 billion sector.  The privatization of Iraq’s rebuilding process is being given to North American private companies like Bachtel and Blackwater without so much as a RFP process.  Halliburton, which George W. Bush Jr is very closely connected with, gained $20 billion in revenues from war with Iraq alone.

Of course these massive changes had its obstacles, and torture had been a silent partner in the global free-market crusade.

This is just a glimpse of the exciting dirt that Naomi digs up in her globe trotting investigation.  I am still on the first chapter and already, I’m hooked.  It is scary to think what will happen to Japan after the recent earthquake and Tsunami.

I recently taken on a long term friend as a client to help him with some marketing and business development.  We have put together an one hour complimentary to approach various organizations as a way to educate people about the methods of reducing debt, wealth building as well as retirement planning.
Carl Brodie, my client will come speak, and bring the lunch for you and your staff.  All you need to provide is the space and get at least 10 people together.  It doesn’t have to be lunch time, as each industry is different.
 
If you’d like to check him out, his contact info is below.
 
Carl Brodie
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER
604-687-7773     Office
604-885-7660     Roberts Creek
604-727-7427     Cell
604-687-7763     Fax
info@carlbrodie.com
www.carlbrodie.com
1900- 1500 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC, V6G 2Z6
You can see his March newsletter at  http://eepurl.com/dafyI
 
We will be putting on a series of complimentary educational seminars so keep your eyes peeled in the weeks ahead!