Bangalore now and then (30 years ago)

The effects of global warming are real. In Bangalore the temperature increase is clearly felt year-on-year for the last 10 years. People who lived here for longer periods (more than 20 years), will vouch for what I am saying. This was not the climate in Bangalore. It was a cooler and comfortable place to live without the need for air-conditioners. We have acute shortage of water; people have gone in for borewell as they no more can depend on water supply board to supply water. It takes 1 hour 30 minutes to cover 25 kilometers in this so called advanced city (Time for me to commute to my office one way). Traffic jams leading to noise, pollutions, anger, frustrations, and health problems.
The local as well global don’t care attitude is still very prevalent. I would not like to say much on the global side of things as I have very little that I can contribute to improving the situation. However, I would like to come heavily upon the local situation. I would attribute the situation of climate and environment change to the careless and vision less thinking from people who run the city in the last 30 years. The local governance is pathetic. Bangalore is classic example of how we can mess up with nature.
Bangalore the garden city 20 years ago, has given way to the concrete jungles. The rapid growth of Information Technology (IT) industry in Bangalore in the last 10 years has contributed its share to the current plight. Not to mention the illegal and small scale industry producing greenhouse gas. Enforcement people where are you?
Given the choice I would have liked to have our garden city back (I have lived here now for over 40 years). Is there a possibility to transform Bangalore to garden+silicon city? Would we want a revolution or evolution approach? Thinkers, Innovators and Implementers please help.

Forward looking Government policies

These include the deregulation and market reforms that have accompanied processes of globalization and increased global competitiveness. India needs to do well to bring in market reforms as a stimulant to economic change, notably with reductions in raw material and subsidiary for manufacturing and agriculture products. Changing views among policymakers on support for research and innovation have contributed to pressures for increased external revenue and for increased commercial outcomes. Accompanying this have been worldwide moves to greater interactivity and external engagement by research organizations in the innovation process.

India’s science and innovation system

The social, economic, political, and technological environment has changed in the last decade. The nature of the science and innovation system has changed considerably in the past few decades; some of the changes are the result of policy decisions and some by virtue of the impeding situation the country had to undergo. Some are the direct result of policy changes in the science and technology area. For e.g.- the expansion of the private professional educational and research institutes.
The system requires a long term view of the place of science and innovation in the social and economic development of India.

Integrated cross-disciplinary organisation

Recognition of the need for interdisciplinary teams to address national problems like- sufficient food, clean drinking water, healthcare, shelter and education are top priorities for the country.
There is a need for large integrated cross-disciplinary organization operating across a range of research fields. The matrix-based organization in which multiple divisions contributed to sector-based research activities

What could enable lasting success for companies?

If we look to individuals, families, and companies, the commonly accepted measure to deem these units as successful is based on its financial status and the possession of material wealth. For E.g. Higher the revenues, profits and market capitalization, would mean the individuals, families, and companies are successful.

For a lasting success, we need to re-define the measure of success. The measure of success need to be the financial status plus higher value measures like- taking care of the environment, respect for living and non-living, gains not at the cost of loss for others, develop self and others, etc.

Having financial indicators plus the higher values measures would call for a different kind of ideation and idea selection process. For this, I propose the concept of Immersive Innovation Process. Immersive innovation is to come up with products and services by considering the higher values. To do this we need to operate from a plane which is higher than the materialistic plane. Leaders, Philosophers, Scientists, and others, identify this as managing business keeping in mind the spirituality. In companies leaders need to start practicing immersive innovation, if they want to make their company unique and have lasting success.

Economic uncertainty the best time for innovation

The economic uncertainty is making companies and people to hold on to what they have (sustain until the dark cloud pass) and think of growth when things improve. The first approach that individuals and companies take in such situations is to manage cost by doing cost-cutting. Cost-cutting in my opinion is ok if one clearly identifies that cutting-costs has minimum or no effect on the outputs and deliverables while maintaining quality and time commitment.
Cost-cutting helps in avoiding the issue for sometime, but not overcome the situation. In situation like these innovation is the need of the hour. Innovating at every steps and at all levels needs to be promoted. Innovation by nature would also mean one has to take certain amount of risks. Not taking risk would mean not moving forward and not moving forward would mean staying still, which leads to decay in time and eventual death for the company. Hence, individuals and corporates need to take the path of innovation by taking calculated risks to create opportunity for new business and growth.

Does social and cultural changes follow economic transition?

Advancement in technology has made it possible to get access to a whole lot of information. This has enabled better governance at various levels- individual, company, community and nation.

The way we work and think of work has changed considerably in the last 2 decades primarily because of access to information.

Availability of information has direct impact on economics. With the economic transition there is an influence on the attitude of people, the relations between people, the atitude towards work, business transaction, consumer behavior, life-styles, value-orientations, etc. In my opinion the economic transition has definately brought in social and cultural changes.