Comments on: The world is spiky http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html Technology, leadership, and the future of schools Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:00:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: James Folkestad http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html/comment-page-1#comment-13201 James Folkestad Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html#comment-13201 Scott, Yes, reading Florida's report on spikyness makes me wonder and ponder a number of similar questions. I think that Friedman is countering this argument - giving case examples of how individuals are competing in rural areas on a global level. As he puts it people come up to him all the time and say, let me show you what I am doing. I don't know for certain, but I think he would argue that these type of individual innovations are not showing up in the traditional statistics - what are your thoughts on this? Scott,

Yes, reading Florida’s report on spikyness makes me wonder and ponder a number of similar questions. I think that Friedman is countering this argument – giving case examples of how individuals are competing in rural areas on a global level. As he puts it people come up to him all the time and say, let me show you what I am doing. I don’t know for certain, but I think he would argue that these type of individual innovations are not showing up in the traditional statistics – what are your thoughts on this?

]]> By: Scott McLeod http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html/comment-page-1#comment-13202 Scott McLeod Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html#comment-13202 Sure, there are individual success stories. But how do you save these small COMMUNITIES? Sure, there are individual success stories. But how do you save these small COMMUNITIES?

]]> By: James Folkestad http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html/comment-page-1#comment-13203 James Folkestad Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html#comment-13203 Yes, the examples are very unsustainable at the individual or community level. Many of the examples are a "one egg in one basket" type of innovations. If that innovation is taken away by another, end of game. Yes, the examples are very unsustainable at the individual or community level. Many of the examples are a “one egg in one basket” type of innovations. If that innovation is taken away by another, end of game.

]]> By: Erik Hanson http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html/comment-page-1#comment-13204 Erik Hanson Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html#comment-13204 Scott, This is very interesting. Freidman's book, "The world is flat" really moved me when I read it and Florida's books are good as well. The "spiky" phenomenon you site is very interesting indeed. Your example of Des Moines, IA as a #1 small city and the rural delema. Speaking from personal experience, I grew up in a smaller market (Madison, WI area) and currently live in the Twin Cities, MN. I have found myself craving to move to a smaller city/community, but I am constantly fighting the ecomonics and draw of a larger city: Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Am I experiencing the "draw" or "pull" to creative centers? Or do I realize that I cannot "afford" to relocate? Plus, on that note, this seems very similar to what has been experienced for generations, not a new phenomenon...people are always drawn to the city. Now there are more people and more are educated? BTW: The farmers in rural Iowa should be in pretty good shape with $5/bushel corn and soybeans at all time highs...maybe farming should be making a comeback. :-) Thanks for the great post. Scott,

This is very interesting. Freidman’s book, “The world is flat” really moved me when I read it and Florida’s books are good as well. The “spiky” phenomenon you site is very interesting indeed. Your example of Des Moines, IA as a #1 small city and the rural delema. Speaking from personal experience, I grew up in a smaller market (Madison, WI area) and currently live in the Twin Cities, MN. I have found myself craving to move to a smaller city/community, but I am constantly fighting the ecomonics and draw of a larger city: Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

Am I experiencing the “draw” or “pull” to creative centers? Or do I realize that I cannot “afford” to relocate?

Plus, on that note, this seems very similar to what has been experienced for generations, not a new phenomenon…people are always drawn to the city. Now there are more people and more are educated?

BTW: The farmers in rural Iowa should be in pretty good shape with $5/bushel corn and soybeans at all time highs…maybe farming should be making a comeback. :-)

Thanks for the great post.

]]> By: Joel http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html/comment-page-1#comment-13205 Joel Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html#comment-13205 Scott, I can see where you might have some angst over what to tell leaders in small communities. I live in a state that looks a lot like Iowa with many small rural towns, and a few larger metropolitan areas. The question comes down to why schools exist in the small rural commmunities. If the answer is to help save the local economy, then doom might imminent. Aging populations, loss of manufacturing jobs (usually the staple of business in small towns) are all going to continue to decline - no matter how great the school system is. If the answer is that the schools exist, in part, to provide hope that its graduates will be well-versed in the skills necessary to select a career path which could lead them to do what they want to do and wherever they choose do do it; I think there is still a great need for that school system. When all else around us seems bleak, and it can in the small rural communities, is there no greater feeling than hope? Scott, I can see where you might have some angst over what to tell leaders in small communities.

I live in a state that looks a lot like Iowa with many small rural towns, and a few larger metropolitan areas.

The question comes down to why schools exist in the small rural commmunities. If the answer is to help save the local economy, then doom might imminent. Aging populations, loss of manufacturing jobs (usually the staple of business in small towns) are all going to continue to decline – no matter how great the school system is.

If the answer is that the schools exist, in part, to provide hope that its graduates will be well-versed in the skills necessary to select a career path which could lead them to do what they want to do and wherever they choose do do it; I think there is still a great need for that school system.

When all else around us seems bleak, and it can in the small rural communities, is there no greater feeling than hope?

]]> By: Candace Hackett Shively http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html/comment-page-1#comment-13206 Candace Hackett Shively Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html#comment-13206 Scott, What the spiky analogy leaves out is the virtual "reach" of all those spikes. Anyone, anywhere can be a "resident" of such a creative megalopolis, though making the initial contact may be the biggest challenge. If the rural schools can share the vision of an extended "reach" of these "centers," the local economy can still survive. For example, I live about two hours away from Washington D.C., in the land of cows, migrant workers, and Mennonite farmers. I can support the local produce stand and car repair shop while I work on international web projects and "report" to an office about two hours from here. Yes, I had to have the contact for them to know and hire me, but maybe that should be part of the coming-of-age process: go to the big city and form your network. Actually, I never did. I just taught in the local schools for over 20 years and made connections through "intellectual" means. Perhaps rural real estate can be a new form of "intellectual property" in the valleys, connected by networks to those spiky centers. The rural schools just need to "see" the possibilities. Community takes on a new meaning when it can be connected to the spikes without the geography. And bringing the income back into the valley is a healthy benefit. Scott,
What the spiky analogy leaves out is the virtual “reach” of all those spikes. Anyone, anywhere can be a “resident” of such a creative megalopolis, though making the initial contact may be the biggest challenge. If the rural schools can share the vision of an extended “reach” of these “centers,” the local economy can still survive. For example, I live about two hours away from Washington D.C., in the land of cows, migrant workers, and Mennonite farmers. I can support the local produce stand and car repair shop while I work on international web projects and “report” to an office about two hours from here. Yes, I had to have the contact for them to know and hire me, but maybe that should be part of the coming-of-age process: go to the big city and form your network. Actually, I never did. I just taught in the local schools for over 20 years and made connections through “intellectual” means. Perhaps rural real estate can be a new form of “intellectual property” in the valleys, connected by networks to those spiky centers. The rural schools just need to “see” the possibilities. Community takes on a new meaning when it can be connected to the spikes without the geography. And bringing the income back into the valley is a healthy benefit.

]]> By: Erik Hanson http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html/comment-page-1#comment-13207 Erik Hanson Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html#comment-13207 Wow, quite the different level of participation from the cell phone videos. Actually, I am a bit surprised. These ideas are quite interesting and lead to very powerful movements in our world. This concept lead me to a website my brother showed me regarding the "global" economy. I believe this website offers some insight into our modern "spikyness": http://www.storyofstuff.com/ It is about 20 minutes and definitely worth the watch. It would be excellent for most audiences. Wow, quite the different level of participation from the cell phone videos. Actually, I am a bit surprised. These ideas are quite interesting and lead to very powerful movements in our world.

This concept lead me to a website my brother showed me regarding the “global” economy.

I believe this website offers some insight into our modern “spikyness”:

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

It is about 20 minutes and definitely worth the watch. It would be excellent for most audiences.

]]> By: concerned citizen http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html/comment-page-1#comment-13208 concerned citizen Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html#comment-13208 I too agree that it is an interesting argument. In India, 600 million people are still dependent on agriculture and living in rural towns and villages, not in cities and metros. And those are the people who have been left out of the fold of Globalization's "progress" and "development". And this in the country touted by Friedman as being a globalization success story. People are migrating to the cities all the time, all over the world, because the "development" doesnt happen in the small towns, it is absolutely skewed, to say the least. So, when these areas are neglected in terms of infrastructure, employment and funds to prop up the local economies, it is but natural for people to migrate in search of jobs for means of livlihood to urban centers. I would like you to go thro' Ted Koppel's interview of Friedman and Joseph Stiglitz, who ofcourse doesnt find a mention in Friedman's book. http://select.nytimes.com/2006/04/25/opinion/25friedman-transcript.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin Two books to read, which offer a counterperspective to Friedman's "The World is Flat." The Harvard Professor, Pankaj Ghemawat's latest book, "Redefining Global Strategy," is more academically inclined. I read an article of his published in the journal, "Foreign Policy", where he argues that the world is, at best, only semi-globalized. His argument being that Cultural, Administrative, Geographic and Economic aspects of a nation come in the way of total globalization from taking place and cites examples of the same. The other small, but interesting book, is by Aronica and Ramdoo, "The World is Flat? A Critical Analysis of Thomas Friedman's New York Times Bestseller." It is a small book compared to the 600 page tome by Friedman, and aimed at the common man and students alike. As popular as the book may be, some reviewers assert that by what it leaves out, Friedman's book is dangerous. The authors point to the fact that there isn't a single table or data footnote in Friedman's entire book. "Globalization is the greatest reorganization of the world since the Industrial Revolution," says Aronica. Aronica and Ramdoo conclude by listing over twenty action items that point the way forward, and they provide a comprehensive, yet concise, framework for understanding the critical issues of globalization. You may want to see www.mkpress.com/flat and watch www.mkpress.com/flatoverview.html for an interesting counterperspective on Friedman's "The World is Flat". Also a really interesting 6 min wake-up call: Shift Happens! www.mkpress.com/ShiftExtreme.html There is also a companion book listed: Extreme Competition: Innovation and the Great 21st Century Business Reformation www.mkpress.com/extreme http://www.mkpress.com/Extreme11minWMV.html I too agree that it is an interesting argument. In India, 600 million people are still dependent on agriculture and living in rural towns and villages, not in cities and metros. And those are the people who have been left out of the fold of Globalization’s “progress” and “development”. And this in the country touted by Friedman as being a globalization success story. People are migrating to the cities all the time, all over the world, because the “development” doesnt happen in the small towns, it is absolutely skewed, to say the least. So, when these areas are neglected in terms of infrastructure, employment and funds to prop up the local economies, it is but natural for people to migrate in search of jobs for means of livlihood to urban centers.

I would like you to go thro’ Ted Koppel’s interview of Friedman and Joseph Stiglitz, who ofcourse doesnt find a mention in Friedman’s book.
http://select.nytimes.com/2006/04/25/opinion/25friedman-transcript.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin

Two books to read, which offer a counterperspective to Friedman’s “The World is Flat.”

The Harvard Professor, Pankaj Ghemawat’s latest book, “Redefining Global Strategy,” is more academically inclined. I read an article of his published in the journal, “Foreign Policy”, where he argues that the world is, at best, only semi-globalized. His argument being that Cultural, Administrative, Geographic and Economic aspects of a nation come in the way of total globalization from taking place and cites examples of the same.

The other small, but interesting book, is by Aronica and Ramdoo, “The World is Flat? A Critical Analysis of Thomas Friedman’s New York Times Bestseller.” It is a small book compared to the 600 page tome by Friedman, and aimed at the common man and students alike. As popular as the book may be, some reviewers assert that by what it leaves out, Friedman’s book is dangerous. The authors point to the fact that there isn’t a single table or data footnote in Friedman’s entire book. “Globalization is the greatest reorganization of the world since the Industrial Revolution,” says Aronica. Aronica and Ramdoo conclude by listing over twenty action items that point the way forward, and they provide a comprehensive, yet concise, framework for understanding the critical issues of globalization.

You may want to see http://www.mkpress.com/flat
and watch http://www.mkpress.com/flatoverview.html
for an interesting counterperspective on Friedman’s
“The World is Flat”.

Also a really interesting 6 min wake-up call: Shift Happens! http://www.mkpress.com/ShiftExtreme.html

There is also a companion book listed: Extreme Competition: Innovation and the Great 21st Century Business Reformation
http://www.mkpress.com/extreme
http://www.mkpress.com/Extreme11minWMV.html

]]> By: Charlie A. Roy http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html/comment-page-1#comment-13209 Charlie A. Roy Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html#comment-13209 On farmers in rural areas: $5 corn and $12 beans may seem impressive but remember the following dollar and larger input costs eat up much of that spread. The two things the U.S. does better than everyone else is post secondary education and agriculture. Just the former CBOT pit trader in me bemoaning corn and bean prices. On farmers in rural areas: $5 corn and $12 beans may seem impressive but remember the following dollar and larger input costs eat up much of that spread. The two things the U.S. does better than everyone else is post secondary education and agriculture. Just the former CBOT pit trader in me bemoaning corn and bean prices.

]]> By: Ken http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html/comment-page-1#comment-13210 Ken Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/03/the-world-is-sp.html#comment-13210 The manufacturing guys over at Evolving Excellence have an interesting perspective on globalization and manufacturing, using an example of how it impacts small cottage industries in the hill towns of Tuscany, Italy. http://www.evolvingexcellence.com/blog/2008/03/globalization-a.html Ken The manufacturing guys over at Evolving Excellence have an interesting perspective on globalization and manufacturing, using an example of how it impacts small cottage industries in the hill towns of Tuscany, Italy.

http://www.evolvingexcellence.com/blog/2008/03/globalization-a.html

Ken

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