Category: Public Policy
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Greenhushing By Private And Public Companies
It is easy to conclude that companies totally changed with the election of Donald Trump. I’m pleased to say that isn’t true though as Neil Hawkins and Kelly Cooper, writing last fall in the Harvard Business Review, showed late last year. Of course, some business leaders abandoned what were previously said to be deeply held…
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Value Others When You Are Powerful
Today’s blog looks back to a classic text in ancient history which is also used in international relations. The message often taken is a brutal one, that the powerless must submit. Another way of looking at is more positive; that you should value others when you are powerful. When Athens Was Powerful Thucydides was an…
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You Are What You Buy
A lot of people worry about increased polarization in society. The concern is that as we share fewer common experiences we are less likely to be empathetic to the needs of those who we share less common ground. This can be seen in politics but it echoes in business. Why would you want to buy…
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Run By Engineers Or Lawyers
Is it better to be run by engineers or lawyers? Dan Wang poses this question in his book Breakneck which tracks how China is confronting the future. The horrors of being run by engineers suggest that we really need lawyers, but is the US overdoing it? The Rise Of China One of the challenges with…
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Sustainability Must Be Socially Focused
Dan Wang’s Breakneck delves into the transformation of China in recent generations. He moved to Canada when he was young and had a very different life than he would have had if he stayed in China. In a personal assessment, he gives examples good and shocking of how China changed over time. In doing so…
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The Benefits And Limitations Of Business
I am positive about the impact that business can have on the world. Business already does some useful things and could do much more. That said, sometimes people think too much of the power of business, for good or ill. We should think through the benefits and limitations of business when it comes to sustainable…
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Understanding The World
Hans Rosling was truly admirable. He started as a doctor but moved to being a public figure who worked on driving greater understand of the world, especially related to health. His Gapminder Institute has some excellent resources for teaching. Indeed, they are useful for everyone whether you are in education or not. His aim was…
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Beware Binary Thinking About Politics
A group of scholars have tackled what is a significant problem in much of the research in the field of marketing. They note that the previously published research predominately sees political ideology in binary terms. There is a Conservative (or Republican) bucket and a Liberal (or Democratic) bucket. This causes problems. Their message is simple,…
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Information Is Key To Recognizing Progress
Hannah Ritchie’s Clearing The Air is a must read for anyone interested in the challenge of greenhouse gases. She answers fifty common questions about how the world can make progress addressing climate change. Almost everyone can learn something from the book. You may have been able to answer some of the questions, but few people…
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Hopeful News About People’s Perceptions
The news can be pretty awful between, wars, natural disasters, and government actions. At times like this it can be useful to take a step back and look at the big picture. There is hopefully news about people’s perceptions. This isn’t just a story of how much progress the world has made in the last…
