Drivers of World Change
The world is changing rapidly, possibly faster than it ever has at any point in history. It's an exciting period in which to live, but also the most unsettling. With change comes opportunities, but also a whole slew of problems to deal with.
'Global Drivers of Change to 2060' was a very insightful study, and got me thinking about the future of our world. Some drivers of change suggest a bleak future, but others hold great promise and captivate the imagination. Climate change is a rather fearsome thing, as it will change the way we live and is very difficult to control. Food security is also a major problem, in light of the projected exponential increase in world population, and how technology seems to be nearing its limits. There's only so much food we can squeeze out of one acre of land. The increasing consumption of meat in developing countries is a related concern, given how much more resource intensive producing 1 kg of meat is, compared to 1 kg of grain. Infectious diseases also threaten.
The other drivers of change are more within human control, but as always, international cooperation is terribly difficult. There is also a tendency to focus on short-term problems, rather than seeking to tackle the long-term challenges that lie ahead.
Change Management / Change Leadership
In light of how change has accelerated, change management has become an increasingly important skill. The 2 change management models discussed in class, traditional (freeze-unfreeze-freeze) and modern (continuous monitoring and renewal), should be seen as representing opposite ends of a continuum rather than two distinct approaches.
While it is necessary to respond to changes that directly affect a company, it is neither efficient nor practicable to keep changing the way certain things are done. Nevertheless, it is important to every now and then evaluate whether a certain approach is working, and consider what improvements can be made.
