THE PRESENT MILLENNIUM
Much has happened lately —CHANGE… CHALLENGES…. OBSOLESCENCE…. PARADIGM SHIFTS…. INNOVATION…. characterize the present millennium.
Change is inevitable as Peter Drucker had said. It is constant and the only permanent thing in life. There are many positive aspects of change which cannot be overlooked. It gives us new insights and widens our perspective in life. It keeps us attuned with time and acts as a catalyst for us to become more innovative and creative. It provides us an avenue for fusion and cross-pollination of ideas, a blending of old and tested notions with new radical views resulting to a hybrid of bright ideas. Change is a universal truth and those who refuse to welcome change and join the mainstream of human progress will be left behind.
We experienced paradigm shifts and challenges in the new global economy brought about by the IT revolution. Computing and the Internet rose to prominence as access to global information became readily available and interaction through social media emerged as a new phenomenon. IT development creates and obliterates jobs at unimaginable speed, and changes our novel ideas and perception of things. Advancements in telecommunications paved the way for a seamless world with real time connectivity and labor and capital were dragged along in the race against time. An adverse effect though is the rise in crimes facilitated by technology, like terrorism, rampant cyber bullying, bank heists, security breach, espionage, identity theft, etc.
The “Era of Human Capital” came into being with knowledge-based individuals recognized as the most important resource a company must have driving workers strive to upgrade their skills and core competencies. Leadership is redefined, giving emphasis to vision, values and the ability to set priorities based on the customers’ point of view. The so-called digital leaders are both great enablers and team leaders, building partnerships within the company. They form alliances and make decisions with a global perspective. Bill Gates coined the phrase “business at the speed of thought” as little time separates each new encounter with change, the decision to act on its implication, and the resulting execution. Conversely, thought must also move at the speed of business. Dynamism is not just aggressiveness and decisiveness, but is inclusive and aptly describe as ‘unleashing energy, freeing, growing, evolving’. Effectivity has outshadowed efficiency. Excellence equates to industry leadership, brand superiority, and the impact the product or service makes to the end-users.
