Posted by Elena del Valle on January 24, 2011
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Photos: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Peter Sommer, Ph.D.
How fragile are our cyber systems? How much effort and sophisticated technology would it take to bring a company or a government office down with a cyber attack? What about a global disruption? Although the technology is constantly changing and no one seems to know the answers for sure there is concern and much speculation on the topic.
A reassuring report released last week indicates it would be difficult to cause serious problems on a world wide scale although it cautions that “Governments nevertheless need to make detailed preparations to withstand and recover from a wide range of unwanted cyber events, both accidental and deliberate. There are significant and growing risks of localised misery and loss as a result of compromise of computer and telecommunications services.”
Examples of single cyber-related events with vast capacity for damage could include an attack on one of the technical protocols the Internet depends on like the Border Gateway Protocol which determines routing between Internet Service Providers; and a very large-scale solar flare if it physically destroys key communications components like satellites, cellular base stations and switches.
What about malicious attacks designed for espionage, to affect distributed denial of service, and the acts of criminals, recreational hackers and hacktivists? According to the two researchers who authored the report such attacks would have a local impact and a brief duration.
They believe cyber warfare is the source of myths mostly. The reason they believe such a situation would be unlikely is because essential computer systems are designed to resist such attacks and malware. Because identifying the actual attackers in cyber attacks is very difficult they suggest defense against cyberweapons should focus on resilience, a combination of preventative measures and alternative plans to allow rapid recovery in case of a successful attack.
They also point out that a significant portion of the infrastructure is most of the countries they studied (OECD countries) are privately owned and not government controlled.
Peter Sommer, Ph.D., coauthor, Reducing Systemic Cybersecurity Risk
“The specific challenges faced by the US, apart from the range of entities that regard it as a target, are the number of powerful Departments (and their supporters in the Senate, the Congress and the arms industry lobbyists) all claiming that they should lead,” said Peter Sommer, Ph.D., coauthor of the report, by email in response to a question about the cyber risk issues as they relate to the United States. “The main players are: the Pentagon (and indeed individual armed services), Department of Homeland Security, Department of Commerce, NSA and FBI. So far President Obama and his cybersecurity advisor Howard Schmidt do not appear to have been able to knock heads together.”
Sommer, visiting professor in the Information Systems and Innovation Group in the Department of Management at the London School of Economics, and Ian Brown, Ph.D., research fellow, Oxford Internet Institute, Oxford University are the coauthors of Reducing Systemic Cybersecurity Risk, a 121-page report published by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), part of the OECD/International Futures Programme Project on Future Global Shocks.
Brown’s research is focused on public policy issues around information and the Internet, particularly privacy and copyright. He also works in the more technical fields of communications security and healthcare informatics. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development provides a forum for member governments to compare policy experiences, “seek answers to common problems, identify good practice and coordinate domestic and international policies.”
Posted by Elena del Valle on January 21, 2011
Surrounded by Geniuses book cover
Photo: Sourcebooks, Inc.
In this down economy many people are earning less than they used to and struggling to keep their jobs with employers who take their employees for granted. Smart businesses, some believe, nurture their employees and their abilities. One business consultant believes it is possible and worthwhile to improve business performance, solve problems, and develop the types of new opportunities that provide a company the extra entrepreneurial edge to carry it through in the long term. In his book Surrounded by Geniuses: Unlocking the Brilliance in Yourself, Your Colleagues and Your Organization (Sourcebooks, Inc., $15.99) first published in 2007 Alan Gregerman, Ph.D., a Maryland consultant, shares his ideas on the subject. Last year a softcover edition of the book was published.
The author believes there is genius “hidden within all of us.” Furthermore he is convinced that the genius can be leveraged to “transform any company or organization in order to deliver compelling customer value.” The idea is that people around us are capable of contributing fresh ideas and perspectives that benefit the way we do things. The secret is to look at the ourselves and others in a different way from what we are used to; and to discover genius all we need is the “right insight and the right circumstances,” according to the author.
In the chapter on finding brilliance within ourselves he starts out by recommending that readers figure out what they are passionate about. He uses singing as a way to illustrate his point because singing fascinates him; his suggestion is for readers to “Find the Song in You.” The essence of his recommendation is to identify the concept that inspires you to make a difference and believe that you can make a compelling difference. The road to making a difference, according to Gregerman, is paved with curiosity. He suggests asking questions, finding new ideas, talking to strangers whose ideas appeal to you, getting involved in organizations that are making a difference in your community, developing relationships with new people, and mentoring others.
The 250-page book is divided into three parts, The Context, Ten Journeys and Building a New Model of Success, and 17 chapters. Gregerman is the founder, president and chief innovation officer of Venture Works Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm that seeks to help leading companies unlock compelling value for the customers they serve. According to his bio, his clients include Marriott, Lockheed Martin, Discovery Communications and Verizon. A geographer by training, he is also the author of Lessons from the Sandbox.
Click to buy Surrounded by Geniuses
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Filed Under: Books
Posted by Elena del Valle on January 19, 2011
Photos: Tiffany and Company, Nordstrom
Judging by the end of year sales and revenue reports, it looks like a lot of wealthy shoppers indulged this holiday season. Tiffany & Co. must have a reduction in stock of its famous gift box. While shopping in general during this holiday season rose only 18 percent, purchases by well to do shoppers increased 45 percent, according to a Gallup poll. High-end stores like Neiman Marcus and Tiffany & Co. had strong sales, significantly higher than a year ago.
Neiman Marcus Inc. had a 4.9 percent increase in revenue compared to the same time last year, $583 million compared to $556 million. Revenue for the well known jewelry company increased 7 percent in the United States (in Asia sales were up 15 percent).
Although the holiday season sales in 2009 and 2010 were lower than during pre economic downturn years, luxury spending between November 28, 2010 and January 1, 2011 increased 8.5 percent while the previous year it only increased 5.5 percent; jewelry sales for the same period increased 10.4 percent. Luxury sales are 6.9 percent lower and jewelry sales are 8.9 lower than before the recession, according to a recent The Associated Press article (Holidays were extra bright for high-status stores).
Luxury spending, especially on automobiles, services, travel and children’s clothing, may rebound for the first time in three years, according to the Survey of Affluence and Wealth in America.
The online poll of 1,900 households with an average annual income in excess of $235,000 by American Express Publishing and Harrison Group indicated that 94 percent of respondents still believed when they answered the questions that the United States is in a recession. The households surveyed between January 2010 and April 2010 represent 10 percent of Americans and 50 percent of all retail sales.
These numbers confirm the similar conclusions based on other indicators that high net worth individuals are recovering confidence and upping their spending (see Income growth slowing, economic divide widening). If luxury spending is increasing at a higher rate than general spending perhaps that is where new products and services will be developed and promoted by forward thinking businesses at least until the rest of the market catches up.
Posted by Elena del Valle on January 18, 2011
Information provided by our Event Partner
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Posted by Elena del Valle on January 17, 2011
Mariela Encarnación, cohost, Showbiz
Photos: CNN en Español, Rolando de la Fuente (for photo of Eduardo Suarez)
Two hosts on opposite coasts will lead Showbiz, a newly launched hour long celebrity entertainment program in Spanish on CNN en Español targeting Spanish dominant and Spanish preferred Latinas. The show, modeled after Showbiz Tonight on CNN, was scheduled to premiere Monday, January 10, 2011 at 3 p.m. ET. Juan Carlos Arciniegas from Hollywood and Mariela Encarnación from Miami are the two talent tapped to lead a discussion on “the most talked about and most controversial celebrity entertainment news stories breaking every day.”
Eduardo Suarez, vice president, Programming, CNN en Espanol
Showbiz “targets a broad bilingual audience, from pop culture mavens to viewers casually interested in the showbiz culture, news and stars. That what sets this show apart is perspective – the access and inside info that only we can deliver. It’s a fun yet factual take on a topic that genuinely interests almost everyone,” said Eduardo Suarez, vice president, Programming, CNN en Espanol. “This is the first time our audience will see a show with this type of production value in entertainment.”
Promoters promise contributions from New York and Latin America as well as regular segments produced in the United States: Alfombra Roja (Mondays) set to showcase dresses and personalities at premiers; La Lista (Tuesdays), a weekly top five list; Al Desnudo (Wednesdays) featuring what stars like and wear; Flash (Thursdays) about the celebrity of the moment; and Ticker (daily) expected to showcase breaking celebrity news stories.
Mariela Encarnación and Juan Carlos Arciniegas, hosts, Showbiz
Arciniegas, a native of Bogota, Colombia, is the anchor and correspondent of entertainment for CNN en Español. He anchors Ojo Crítico, a weekly half-hour program that reviews the latest movie hits and box office bombs, and is a correspondent for Escenario, a 30 minutes entertainment news program on the network.
Arciniegas specializes in movies. Before joining CNN en Español in 1997, he worked as an assistant editor for Reuters America, Inc., in Miami, Florida. He also worked as a television reporter and international editor for Q.A.P. Noticias in Bogotá, Colombia, covering assignments in the United States and Latin America.
Encarnación, a native of the Dominican Republic and a resident of Mexico, worked as a correspondent on Levántate, a morning show on Telemundo, prior to joining CNN en Español. She also worked on Ritmo y Sabor, a weekly program on the same Spanish language network. On Mega TV she hosted Lamusica.com. She made her debut in the entertainment business on Sábado Gigante where she was a model for two years.
CNN en Español, CNN’s independently produced 24-hour network in Spanish, provides continuous news coverage of major world events, live breaking coverage, worldwide business and financial news, weather updates, sports and programming on health, technology and entertainment. It is currently available in 25 million cable and DTH households throughout Latin America, and five million households in the United States.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on January 14, 2011
Terms of Engagement book cover
Photos: PeopleSpeak
Richard Axelrod believes corporate change occurs when employees become engaged. He is convinced that common old style top down methods that force employees to participate in change programs have the opposite effect of that desired. Instead of encouraging employees to become engaged in new policies the forced adoption discourages engagement.
In 2000 he shared his ideas in a book, Terms of Engagement. After recovering from emergency triple by-pass surgery and changing his personal lifestyle habits he discovered American Airlines had relied on his principles to save $1.8 billion and turn the company around.
In the second edition of Terms of Engagement New Ways of Leading and Changing Organizations (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., $29.95), a revised and expanded softcover edition, he dedicates 229 pages to the topic. The new edition includes Questions for Reflection at the end of each chapter to assist readers’ learning. Axelrod also included insights and stories of engagement he gained and summarized from 400 pages of transcript developed after communicating with dozens of people in the process of updating the book.
The book, published in 2010, features a foreword, an introduction and twelve chapters: Why Change Management Needs Changing, Engagement Is the New Change Management, Six Change Management Myths, Lead with an Engagement Edge, Leadership Conversations that Foster Engagement, Widen the Circle of Involvement, Connect People to Each Other, Create Communities for Action, Promote Fairness, When Engagement Disengages: Some Words of Caution Before You Begin, Design Work with Engagement Built In, and How to Start Where You Are.
Richard Axelrod, author, Terms of Engagement
Axelrod, founder of the Axelrod Group, Inc., lists Boeing, British Airways, Corning, Ford, Harley-Davidson, Hewlett-Packard and Kaiser Permanente among his clients. He is the coauthor of You Don’t Have to Do It Alone. He and his wife of 40 years reside in Wilmette, Illinois.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on January 13, 2011
Blogged.com, a Southern California site striving to promote social discussions about news from various media sources, rated HispanicMPR.com Excellent with a score of 9.2 out of 10. According to Blogged, Editor Reviews, that site’s unbiased critique by editors of English language sites, are based on frequency of updates, relevance of content, site design, and writing style and compared to other blogs within the same category.
Cambridge, Massachusetts based WebsiteGrader.com, owned by HubSpot, rated HispanicMPR.com 99 of 100. According to the WebsiteGrader website, “A website grade of 99/100 for hispanicmpr.com means that of the millions of websites that have previously been evaluated, our algorithm has calculated that this site scores higher than 99% of them in terms of its marketing effectiveness.” The site accomplishes the grading with its own blend of 50 variables, including search engine data, website structure, traffic, and site performance.
Posted by Elena del Valle on January 12, 2011
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While many consider 2010 an improvement over 2009 and some are optimistic about 2011 few can dispute the lingering effects of the recession on Americans. Although there are signs the economy is improving the number of unemployed nationally is alarming. And we are not alone. Beyond the United States the economic downturn has affected many countries which also exhibit sluggish growth and disappointing employment numbers, in many cases with far higher percentages than those in the United States.
According to a United Nations report (see Further sharp increases in global food prices ‘likely’, UN.org) the price of food is increasing around the globe. Recently an industry expert predicted that due to increasing demand and limited supply the price of gasoline may reach $5 per gallon as soon as 2012. Some point out that these are the normal ways in which artificially inflated economies right themselves, part of a normal cycle with highs and lows. In short, nothing to worry about in the long term.
Yet other data such as the increasingly alarming debt ratios of developed countries including the United States and many Western European countries (see Debt to growth ratios and their impact on business), and an abundance of developed countries with aging population demographics could signal that there is more to the situation that a cursory look might reveal.
If we step back and look at the changes over decades (see Income Inequality: Too Big to Ignore, The New York Times October 16, 2010) the picture that emerges is interesting. During the thirty years that followed World War II, the income of Americans grew 3 percent a year across income levels, fomenting a healthy middle class, well developed infrastructure and growing optimism.
In light of the recent economic downturn fewer voters are willing to support basic updates to infrastructure and public services leaving the country with troubled roads and bridges, a weak rail system, and poor safety standards such as cargo containers that enter our ports without scrutiny and dams in danger of collapsing.
During the past three decades economic growth has slowed, our infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and income growth is evident mostly among the highest percent of earners. For example, in 1976, the share of total income for the top 1 percent of earners was 8.9 percent; by 2007 it had reached 23.5 percent. During that same period the rest of the population’s average hourly wages, once adjusted for inflation, decreased by more than 7 percent. In summary, according to those statistics the ultra wealthy are becoming wealthier and everyone else is becoming less affluent.
Between 1983 and 2007 the most notable gains in wealth and income were among the most affluent 20 percent of the population, especially the top 1 percent, which received 35 percent of the total growth in net worth, 43 percent of the total growth in non home wealth and 44 percent of the total increase in income, according to Recent Trends in Household Wealth in the United States: Rising Debt and the Middle Class Squeeze – an Update to 2007 by Edward N. Wolff published by the Levy Institute of Bard College March 2010. According to the 58-page paper, in 2007, the top 1 percent of the population (those with net worth of $8.2 million or higher) in the country owned 49.3 percent of stocks and mutual funds, 60 percent of financial securities, and 62 percent of business equity. In contrast, the bottom 90 percent of the population owned 10.6 percent of the stocks and mutual funds, 1.5 percent of the financial securities, and 6.7 percent of the business equity.
An example of that are billionaires Warren Buffet and Bill Gates who have decided they are so exceedingly wealthy that they want to share their fortunes with humanity, making a commitment to distribute part of their wealth while they are alive. Recently they recruited other individuals to participate in the project, including Mark Zuckerberg the much talked founder of Facebook who although he is only 26 is wealthy enough to make the cut.
So what do these changes mean for businesses and business people? While only time will tell for sure in the short term it would appear that it is a good time to begin or continue marketing to the very wealthy; emphasizing products that represent good value for money to middle class and wealthy consumers and budget products to just about everyone except those at the very top of the income earners and asset holders.
