Episodes
Sunday Sep 12, 2021
#19 - Aviation 2030: ground handling beyond COVID-19
Sunday Sep 12, 2021
Sunday Sep 12, 2021
KPMG has produced several publications in a series on aviation and aerospace. Given the investment, R&D development and regulatory timelines in aviation are longer, strategic decisions about where to place bets or anticipate disruption for 5-10 years out starts now.
The first publication, launched just before the pandemic, looked at several topics like sustainability in propulsion technology and the return of supersonics. The second looked at the potential long-term legacy of COVID as well as topics like urban air mobility.
The most recent (3rd) focused on ground handling. The pandemic has proven seismic across aviation - but not terminal. In common with other segments, the ground handling industry will likely survive, but it cannot afford to return to pre-pandemic norms. Players should use the opportunity presented by today’s lower volumes to get ahead of the trends that can shape the coming decade.
I spoke with Chris Brown to learn more.
Chris is the national lead of KPMG’s Strategy practice in Ireland. Specialising in strategy and new service revenue streams for the past 15 years, Chris has led over 250 strategic reviews, portfolio strategies, growth strategies, market entries, commercial due diligences and similar projects. Besides working in the UK and Ireland, he has lived and worked in China, Hong Kong, Japan and mainland Europe, leading market entry strategies in over a dozen other markets.
Further reading:
Aviation 2030: issue 1 - Disruption and its implications for the aviation sector
Aviation 2030: issue 2 - Disruption beyond COVID-19
Aviation 2030: issue 3 - Ground handling beyond COVID-19
Tuesday Aug 10, 2021
#18 - Mobility to 2030
Tuesday Aug 10, 2021
Tuesday Aug 10, 2021
Emerging technologies, population growth, urbanisation and environmental concerns are driving the creation of a new generation of transport solutions, with the potential to transform how people and goods are moved.
KPMG Ireland’s recent publication, Mobility 2030, considers Ireland’s readiness to benefit from the opportunities presented by mobility disruptors such as Electric Vehicles (EVs), Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and Autonomous Vehicles (AVs). I spoke with Chris Brown to learn more.
Chris is the national lead of KPMG’s Strategy practice in Ireland. Specialising in strategy and new service revenue streams for the past 15 years, Chris has led over 250 strategic reviews, portfolio strategies, growth strategies, market entries, commercial due diligences and similar projects. Besides working in the UK and Ireland, he has lived and worked in China, Hong Kong, Japan and mainland Europe, leading market entry strategies in over a dozen other markets.
Further reading:
Monday Jun 28, 2021
Monday Jun 28, 2021
“Progress is the realisation of utopias” - Oscar Wilde
I had an engaging conversation with Doris Viljoen and Schalk Engelbrecht. We discussed the relevance of utopian thinking with perspectives from Philosophy and Futures Studies.
Doris is a senior futurist at Stellenbosch University’s Institute for Futures Research (IFR) where she endeavours to interpret global as well as local trends and assess their relevance for South Africa and Africa. She has specialised skills in environmental scanning, the application of foresight methodology, scenario planning as well as strategy development. Before joining the IFR, Doris did consulting work on feasibility and location assessment studies for large capital projects and received the top student award on the M.Phil Futures Studies programme. She has a wide range of research interests and is passionate about asking the right questions, searching for and finding relevant data as well as designing tools and techniques to facilitate thinking about plausible futures. She is well versed in multiple scenario planning techniques and has facilitated decision making teams through scenario exercises on topics ranging from infrastructure planning, higher education, and downstream metals beneficiation to the futures of work in South Africa.
Doris also lectures on the academic programmes in Futures Studies at the University of Stellenbosch Business School. Her particular areas of specialty are scenario planning, organisational foresight, futures studies frameworks, tools and techniques, and managing foresight projects. Her research towards a PhD in Futures Studies looks at the future of work, specifically focusing on non-conventional employment engagements.
Schalk is an ethicist, the Chief Ethics Officer at KPMG in South Africa, and a student of philosophy. He is responsible for KPMG’s internal ethics programme, and assists client companies to identify ethics risk, develop Codes of Ethics, design ethics management programmes and facilitate ethics training.
Schalk is also a research associate with the Centre for Applied Ethics at Stellenbosch University. In 2010 he completed his PhD in Philosophy with a thesis on the need to revive utopian thinking in an anti-utopian age. He has presented papers at national and international conferences on topics that include "radical business ethics", "the problem of the commons in organisations", and "ethics and utopian thinking". He is published in academic and popular journals and has been an invited speaker at conferences and provincial Anti-Corruption events.
Before joining KPMG Schalk lectured Philosophy and Ethics at the University of Stellenbosch and North-West University. He has lectured Business Ethics as part of the University of Stellenbosch Business School's MBA programme, and was the previous editor-in-chief of the African Journal of Business Ethics.
Resources:
Bellamy, E., & Beaumont, M. (2007). Looking backward, 2000-1887. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bregman, Rutger. (2017). Utopia for Realists. London, England: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.
Cooke, M. (2004). Redeeming Redemption: The Utopian Dimension of Critical Social Theory. Philosophy & Social Criticism, 30(4), 413–429. https://doi.org/10.1177/0191453704044026
Hines, A.(2020). Utopia is a moving target: https://www.andyhinesight.com/after-capitalism/utopia-is-a-moving-target/
Huxley, A. (2007). Brave new world. Toronto: Vintage Canada.
More, T., & Turner, P. (1965). Utopia. London: Penguin Books.
Skidelsky, R., & Skidelsky, E. (2012). How much is enough?: Money and the good life. New York: Other Press.
Tankersley, J. (2018). Reimagining Our Tomorrows: Making Sure Your Future Doesn't Suck. Unique Visions, Incorporated.
Thursday Oct 29, 2020
#16 - Organisational change: changing for the better
Thursday Oct 29, 2020
Thursday Oct 29, 2020
I spoke with Sarah Babb about organisational change. We covered the key types of change organisations face, success factors for change initiatives, change frameworks including Theory U and the Cynefin framework for managing complexity, linking strategy with change management and futures thinking and leadership development for effective change.
Sarah designs and leads innovative and impactful learning and change processes for leaders, teams, entrepreneurs, and organisations seeking to create the new world we all want to live in.
Sarah is passionate about enabling futures thinking capacities in executive programmes, coaching circles, and change processes. Over twenty years she has led many exciting programmes: from leading scenarios projects, to national skills programmes, to leading culture change, to leadership development. Trained with global experts in Theory U, Cynefin and Waysfinder, Transformative Scenarios amongst other techniques.
Sarah is a Professional Associate at GIBS and Part-time faculty at USB and USB Exec Ed. Her qualifications include: BA (Industrial Psychology & Industrial Sociology), PDM (HR), MBA (cum laude, GIBS), PhD (Leadership Identity Development, submit 2020). For more see Sarah’s website: www.laminar.co.za
Further reading:
- Berger, J. G. (2019). Unlocking leadership mindtraps: How to thrive in complexity.
- David, S. A. (2016). Emotional agility: Get unstuck, embrace change, and thrive in work and life.
- Heifetz, R. A., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009). The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business Press.
- Kegan, R., Lahey, L. L., Miller, M. L., Fleming, A., & Helsing, D. (2016). An everyone culture: Becoming a deliberately developmental organization.
- Uhl-Bien, M., Marion, R., & McKelvey, B. (2007). Complexity leadership theory: Shifting leadership from the industrial age to the knowledge era. The leadership quarterly, 18(4), 298-318.
Further resources:
- Theory U: https://www.presencing.org/aboutus/theory-u
- Cynefin framework: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_waoADNcaBU
Tuesday Oct 06, 2020
#15 Africa First - Turning potential into prosperity
Tuesday Oct 06, 2020
Tuesday Oct 06, 2020
I spoke with Jakkie Cilliers from the African Futures and Innovation (AFI) team at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in Pretoria. We discussed Jakkie’s new book, Africa First! Igniting a Growth Revolution.
The discussion covered the key developmental challenges facing Africa and the International Futures (IFs) forecasting platform that was used to model scenarios on how the continent can ignite a growth revolution. We also touched on Africa’s Current Path - the likely development trajectory assuming current policies continue going forward, the key scenario insights policy makers should adopt to shift to prosperity, the impact of COVID-19 and AFI’s ongoing research that builds on the work done for Africa First.
Dr Jakkie Cilliers is the Chairman of the ISS Board of Trustees and Head of the African Futures and Innovation team in Pretoria. Jakkie co-founded the ISS in 1990 and was the executive director until 2015. He is an Extraordinary Professor in the Centre of Human Rights and the Department of Political Sciences, Faculty Humanities at the University of Pretoria. His 2017 book on the future of South Africa Fate of the Nation – 3 scenarios for South Africa’s future was on the best seller list for several months. His most recent book (March 2020) is Africa First! Igniting a Growth Revolution. He has a DLitt et Phil from the University of South Africa.
Further reading:
Jakkie’s book: Africa First! - https://www.jakkiecilliers.org/africa-first?gclid=CjwKCAjwps75BRAcEiwAEiACMVTLhdzpwfeLSbgjBPDPuPQvgyLYiezW9_kRI2Tv0XDw32lzl_aGyBoCSeoQAvD_BwE
Pardee Center for International Futures - https://pardee.du.edu/
Tuesday Sep 01, 2020
#14 The Circular economy & circular fashion
Tuesday Sep 01, 2020
Tuesday Sep 01, 2020
I spoke with Laura Balmond about the circular economy and circular fashion. We covered the benefits of a circular economy transformation, the challenges, the “linear operation” of the textiles industry and opportunities to make fashion circular.
Laura joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in 2015 following two years as a Management consultant, and completing her Masters in Environmental Engineering. Laura’s first few years at the Foundation saw her work on a co-funded EU project, ResCoM (Resource Conservative Manufacturing) and research and co-author the reports ‘Circular Economy in India’ and ‘A New Textiles Economy - Redesigning Fashion’s Future’.
Now, as Programme Manager in the Make Fashion Circular team at the Foundation, Laura manages relationships with the Make Fashion Circular participants, key industry stakeholders and coordinates the Jeans Redesign - a project which sets minimum criteria for jeans to ensure they are made from safe materials, can be kept in use and turned into new jeans once they can no longer be worn.
Further reading:
A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning fashion’s Future
Circular Economy in India: Rethinking growth for long-term prosperity
The ResCoM (Resource Conservative Manufacturing) project
The Centre for Sustainable Design
Raworth, K. (2017). Doughnut economics: seven ways to think like a 21st-century economist. London: Random House.
Sunday Aug 23, 2020
#13 The ethics of human enhancement
Sunday Aug 23, 2020
Sunday Aug 23, 2020
I spoke with Susan Hall about the ethics of human enhancement. Activities such as physical fitness routines and taking music lessons do not seem to raise any philosophical problems. However, a current example that elicits debate is Elon Musk’s Neuralink, his neural technology company that is developing an implant designed to interface directly with the human brain. Our discussion covered the types of enhancements that are considered in the philosophical debates and the various arguments that arise.
Dr Susan Hall is a lecturer in the Philosophy Department and Centre for Applied Ethics at Stellenbosch University. She completed her PhD dissertation, “Harm and Enhancement: Philosophical and Ethical Perspectives” in 2012, and her research interests include Bioethics and the ethics of technology. She is currently working on the ethics of biotechnological human enhancement and bioethical issues related to the participation of intersex athletes in sporting competition.
Further reading:
- The Stanford Encyclopaedia entry on human enhancement provides a useful overview of the debate: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/enhancement/
- Buchanan, A. 2008. Enhancement and the Ethics of Development. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, 18 (1): 1-34. (Summarises some of the central arguments that appear in his book below.)
- Buchanan, A., 2011. Beyond Humanity?: The Ethics of Biomedical Enhancement, Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.
- Harris, J. 2007. Enhancing Evolution: The Ethical Case for Making Better People. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
- Kass, L. 1997. “The Wisdom of Repugnance”, New Republic, 216(22): 17–26.
- Sandel, M. 2004. The Case Against Perfection: What’s Wrong with Designer Children, Bionic Athletes, and Genetic Engineering. The Atlantic Monthly, 293 (3): 51-62, available at: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/04/the-case-against-perfection/302927/, and his later book (2007), The Case Against Perfection. Cambridge & London: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
- Earp, B.D. & Savulescu, J. 2020. Love is the Drug: The Chemical Future of Our Relationships. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Thursday Aug 13, 2020
#12 The impact of COVID-19 in Africa - scenarios to 2030
Thursday Aug 13, 2020
Thursday Aug 13, 2020
I spoke with Jakkie Cilliers and Stellah Kwasi from the African Futures and Innovation (AFI) team at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in Pretoria. We discussed their recent report on the impact of COVID-19 in Africa.
Dr Jakkie Cilliers is the Chairman of the ISS Board of Trustees and Head of the African Futures and Innovation team in Pretoria. Jakkie co-founded the ISS in 1990 and was the executive director until 2015. He is an Extraordinary Professor in the Centre of Human Rights and the Department of Political Sciences, Faculty Humanities at the University of Pretoria. His 2017 book on the future of South Africa Fate of the Nation – 3 scenarios for South Africa’s future was on the best seller list for several months. His most recent book (March 2020) is Africa First! Igniting a Growth Revolution. He has a DLitt et Phil from the University of South Africa.
Stellah Kwasi joined ISS in April 2018 as a Researcher in the African Futures and Innovation programme in Pretoria. Before joining the ISS she was a research affiliate at the Fredrick S Pardee Center of International Futures at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, Colorado. At Pardee, Stellah worked on international non-government organisations' trends and sub-regional data analysis in conjunction with QED/USAID in Uganda. Before that she was an intern at the ISS. Stellah has a Master’s degree in international development from the University of Denver.
Further reading:
Impact of COVID-19 in Africa: a scenario analysis to 2030 - https://issafrica.org/research/africa-report/impact-of-covid-19-in-africa-a-scenario-analysis-to-2030
Watch the associated webinar here - https://issafrica.org/events/updated-forecasts-impact-of-covid-19-in-africa
Webinar presentation - https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/2020-07-23-covid-presentation-jakkie-1.pdf
Jakkie’s book: Africa First! - https://www.jakkiecilliers.org/africa-first?gclid=CjwKCAjwps75BRAcEiwAEiACMVTLhdzpwfeLSbgjBPDPuPQvgyLYiezW9_kRI2Tv0XDw32lzl_aGyBoCSeoQAvD_BwE
Pardee Center for International Futures - https://pardee.du.edu/
Sunday Aug 02, 2020
#11 Special episode - Karate as a martial art: Lessons for life & business
Sunday Aug 02, 2020
Sunday Aug 02, 2020
I spoke with Senseis Lars Niehaus and Stephan Steyn about karate as a martial art. The discussion covered the purpose and development of karate, the focus of traditional karate, the guiding principles of karate (dojo kun), advice for parents and adult beginners, what it takes to be a good karateka and much more!
Sensei Lars Bio: I started karate in or about September 1981 while studying at University in Pietermaritzburg. I joined the university karate club which was headed up by an instructor called Peter Schoerie who, in turn fell under Sensei Rob Ferriere. My introduction into the martial (and fighting) arts began at age 8 or 9 when my late father, a judoka, took me to boxing at the Hugenote Amateur Boxing Club under the tutelage of the late “Oom” Naas Botes. Oom Naas was a very strict and hard taskmaster but he loved his boys and taught us good values. The club was (and still is) situated at the Brixton Recreation Centre in south-western Johannesburg. I loved boxing.
It was during this time that I met Sensei Stan Schmidt at the home of some boyhood friends of mine. Their father was also a judoka. It was then that the seed was planted that I wanted to do karate and remain involved in the fighting arts scene for the rest of my life. I had no idea how I would get there or anything like that, but I just knew it would happen. Why I stopped boxing (something I was very upset about) is because I had to go to boarding school in Kwa-Zulu Natal at the age of 11. Fast forward to sometime during 1981 and the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal Pietermaritzburg Law Library – I was sitting next to another guy studying. During a short break, we introduced ourselves to one another and he turned out to be Peter Schoerie. For some reason, the conversation turned to fighting and karate. I told him that I wanted to start karate and had no idea where. He told me he was the one to talk to and that is where my karate career started.
I was terrible at the beginning. In fact, when it came time to attempt my grade for 8th kyu (yellow belt) a few months later, Sensei Rob Ferriere – who scared the hell out of me with his Mexican Zapata-style moustache and French-Mauritian accent – I failed. Sensei Rob’s comment “not ready yet…”. I did soldier on and, subsequent to moving to Johannesburg and being told by the late Sensei Derrick Geyer to report to the morning class (Sensei Stan Schmidt’s Early Birds class) while I was still a purple belt in 1986, I attained the rank of shodan (first dan) in March 1987. I have continued training over the years and currently hold the rank of Godan (fifth dan) and run my own dojo (school) in Rivonia, northern Johannesburg.
Sensei Stephan Bio: Stephan is a Japanese registered 4th Dan (Yondan) instructor in the World Shotokan Karate-do Federation with both national and international competition experience. His karate career spans over 26 years of training with top class senior Shotokan instructors. Highlights of the almost three decades include Shodan grading at the age of 16 (Malcolm Dorfman Sensei), representing South Africa at the KWF World Championships in Norway (2009), being part of the Student National WKF team competing at the student World championships in Slovakia (2012) and receiving Yondan from Hitoshi Kasuya Sensei in 2016. Stephan teaches at their Potchefstroom dojo with his wife, also a Yondan instructor. They believe in not only teaching the physical aspects of karate but also the use of karate principles to improve each student's abilities and the application of these principles in all areas of life.
The dojo kun (training hall rules) - Guiding Principles of Karate:
1) Character
Hitotsu, jinkaku kansei ni tsutomeru koto
Strive for the perfection of character
2) Sincerity
Hitotsu, makoto no michi wo mamoru koto
Protect the way of the truth
3) Effort
Hitotsu, doryoku no seishin wo yashinau koto
Foster the effort of spirit
4) Etiquette
Hitotsu, reigi wo omonzuru koto
Respect the principles of etiquette
5) Self control
Hitotsu, kekki no yū wo imashimuru koto
Guard against impetuous courage
“Karate is in your head”- Sensei Rob Ferriere: Some reading on psychology and getting into the “zone”:
Karageorghis, C. I., & Terry, P. C. (2011). Inside sport psychology. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Evans, C. (2019). Perform Under Pressure. HarperCollins.
YouTube resource:
Jesse Enkamp: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRIeMHsEdzA9RroG19kXdYg
Friday Jul 17, 2020
#10 Antibiotic resistance: crisis or opportunity?
Friday Jul 17, 2020
Friday Jul 17, 2020
I spoke with Stephan Steyn about antibiotic resistance.
Stephan is a qualified pharmacist with a PhD in pharmacological neuroscience. Stephan is a senior lecturer in Pharmacology at North-West University, Potchefstroom. His research interests include the lasting effects of early-life, central-acting treatment strategies and the role that mitochondrial function plays in these effects. Being a karateka for more than two decades, Stephan has incorporated the discipline of karate into his professional life, making him critical of his own performance, always willing to learn from others, broaden his knowledge and improve his skillset.
Context for this episode:
Antibiotics are a core tool of modern medicine. However, the emergence of antibiotic resistance is a growing concern. According to the World Health Organisation, antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development. A growing number of infections are becoming harder to treat as the antibiotics used in treatments become less effective. This resistance leads to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs and increased mortality.
Further background:
Ted Talk: Maryn McKenna: What do we do when antibiotics don’t work anymore? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3oDpCb7VqI&feature=youtu.be
Trafton, A., (2020). Artificial intelligence yields new antibiotic - A deep-learning model identifies a powerful new drug that can kill many species of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. MIT News Office: http://news.mit.edu/2020/artificial-intelligence-identifies-new-antibiotic-0220
Yeh, Y. C., Huang, T. H., Yang, S. C., Chen, C. C., & Fang, J. Y. (2020). Nano-Based Drug Delivery or Targeting to Eradicate Bacteria for Infection Mitigation: A Review of Recent Advances. Frontiers in Chemistry, 8, 286. https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2020.00286
The South African Antibiotic Stewardship Programme: https://www.fidssa.co.za/SAASP
Disclaimer: Please note that this discussion is for information purposes only and it does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your doctor for any medical advice you may need.