The Future of Australia's Dairy Industry
Wednesday 10 March 2010
Following on from the highly rated 'Skimming the Cream' forum in Brisbane on the 9th of February, members of the Young Dairy Network and SubTropical Dairy groups reconvened to consider the impacts of Climate Change on the dairy sector in Australia using the high-impact 'Accelerated Scenarios process'. The '2030 Dairy Scenarios' brought together the members of the YDN and SubTropical groups using the core issues raised by the almost 100 farmers and industry representatives at the Skimming the Cream forum to consider what changes might emerge in the sector in coming years.
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Thinking outside the cloud - a new tourism angle for Queensland
Thursday 18 February 2010
Queensland is one state that leverages its weather to the hilt - and the fact is the 'Sunshine State' earns its reputation. The odd thing is that in the past week I've spent in the Gold Coast experiencing the warm, humid and often wet weather it has occured to me that Queensland might be missing a massive tourism angle.
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Terrorism the Games wild card
Monday 1 February 2010
In a recent article in The Age, Clive Williams of Macquarie University's Centre for Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism suggested that athletes booked in to attend the Commonwealth games in India need to consider a terrorist attack as a potential wildcard. Whilst an interesting perspective, I'd like to suggest that a potential terrorist attack at the Commonwealth Games does not fit the true criteria of a 'Wildcard' event. In the true sense of Wildcard events, a terrorist attack on the games seems far more likely than not likely.
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For Valentines Day, its Tigers all 'round
Monday 11 January 2010
If my information is correct, the 14th of February is the start of the New Year and instead of the usual flowers and chocolates, you might be wise to invest in another gift for your heart's desire
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What can we expect in the next decade?
Tuesday 29 December 2009
Had any thoughts yet? I have - plenty and judging from the number of media inquiries it appears lots of other people are also curious to know what might lie ahead in the next year or next decade. I'm putting my thinking hat on so that we can consider what 2010-2019 might hold, the second decade of this century, as well as some ideas for the short term futures for 2010. And what are your thoughts - by all means let me know
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Copenhagen Consensus is likely - just not the type we want.
Tuesday 8 December 2009
I'm tipping that Consensus will be reached at Copenhagen this week. Alas it will be a consensus for more talking, thinking and commitments to agree to a proposal to set a time for a discussion around more concrete targets. In otherwords, a commitment to not commit. The politicians waver whilst our planet is being poisoned. Copenhagen will stall because the framing of the issues does not allow success to be created. What is missing are a couple of ideas to balance the ledger and here's what they are:
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Counter Mantra to Christmas Credit
Tuesday 1 December 2009
The cycle of consumption rears its head as it has done for quite some time. Consumption is neither good, nor bad, it 'just is' and right now the majority of media exposed potential consumers are being lured, enticed and occasionally conned into parting with their hard earned money to satisfy needs and whims. Some consumers are smarter than others given what we see with disciplined approaches to spending money many of us don't have. And in the background of this activity play the jingles of 'jingles' - the Christmas Carol. So for some counter balance I offer a reworked version of a classic carol...
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What kids can teach us about Goal Directed futures
Tuesday 17 November 2009
Our son has just celebrated his fifth birthday and although we don't make a huge fuss about milestones (the kids get a party every second year), there's no doubt that he is learning about desired future outcomes and goals. I doubt he is different from most kids in his ability to spot something and declare with wholesome intensity 'Ohhh - I'm so gonna get that...'. What I enjoy is his reaction when he doesn't in fact 'get that'.
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How Will You Prove You Are Who You Say You Are?
Thursday 22 October 2009
Here's a little something I'd like you to think about. Are you really who you say you are? And, how do I know that I can trust you? Identity Theft is one of the most debilitating crimes a person can suffer for it strips away the very core of your own belief system and that of society's belief in you as a 'real' person. Many don't recover from the impact for years and yet we are very slack when it comes to protecting our identities and some businesses are doing very little to help us.
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Curing Brain Cancers - Blackwood 8 fundraiser on the 23rd of October
Friday 16 October 2009
The Blackwood 8 fundraising event is coming up in a week and will be held at the Croydon Golf Club. In just two years and with a small handful of volunteers, the Blackwood 8 group has raised over $80,000 which has been donated to organisations looking to treat cancer. This year, the focus in on Brain Cancer's and world reknowned neurosurgeon, Dr Charlie Teo is a guest speaker. Tickets for the event can be obtained by accessing the Blackwood 8 website
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Can GM food rescue the planet's appetite for Food?
Friday 16 October 2009
'World - we have a problem' (apologies to astronaut James Lovell). We are killing ourselves with food and it's happening at both ends of the continuum - millions starve each day whilst a gluttony caused obesity epidemic is killing others off in different ways. We have a growing global population requiring sustenance, whilst Climate Change is making it harder to supply that food. We have farmers and consumers wanting to go back to bio-organic farming whilst multinationals offer a GM silver bullet. In many nations we throw out tons of perfectly good food every day. And we don't seem to be able to solve the problem, till now
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2009 September rainfall - still 'above average'?
Thursday 1 October 2009
Anyone looking at the final rainfall figures for Melbourne's rainfall might be heartened by the news that the final result was about 10mm above the September average. Compared to last year's disastrous result where we had about 12mm, it was over 50mm better. But I wonder if the final result, and the current 'average' isn't still a little too high
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Relieving Stress, Chinese-Style
Monday 7 September 2009
Grace Ng, the China Correspondent for The Straits Times has an interesting article in todays edition of the paper. In it she discusses some ways in which '...nie nie zhu or 'pinch brigades' have spread like wildfire' and are attempting to relieve the stress of working long hours or no hours because they are unemployed. Said to be aged in their twenties and thirties, some of their actions include massing inside supermarkets to crush packets of noodles, and street based large scale pillow fights.
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Singapore - The Hub of Great Futures Work
Friday 4 September 2009
I'm heading to Singapore for a few days to facilitate a scenario planning workshop on behalf of the Asia Business Forum. There is something intimately exciting for a futurist to be going to arguably the most future focused of all countries and to spend just a brief time immersed there.
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The risks of 'greenwashing' in a recession
Saturday 15 August 2009
Greenwashing is a term used to define marketing actions by organisations, claiming to take an environmental approach to their products or services, when in fact, they are doing nothing or very little. Greenwashing is a form of marketing hype, and in turbulent times, many companies may be contemplating 'sexing up' their image by tapping into the positive consumer sentiment of a environmentally friendly approach. But being caught 'greenwashing' is a huge reputational risk.
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Marcus Barber to Keynote at Australian Computer Society Conference
Thursday 16 July 2009
Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber will be the key note speaker at the Australian Computer Society's annual conference to be held in Adelaide on July 30 at the Adelaide Convention Centre
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Scenario Planning & Option Analysis - Intensive workshops in Singapore and Malaysia
Thursday 16 July 2009
The Asia Business Forum has engaged Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber to conduct two Scenario Planning & Option Analysis workshops in September in Malaysia and Singapore
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Adelaide Advanced Strategic Planning One Day Workshop
Monday 6 July 2009
The one-day Advanced Strategic Planning workshop to be conducted by The Australian Strategic Planning Institute in Adelaide is fully booked
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Adelaide Advanced Strategic Planning One Day Workshop
Thursday 11 June 2009
The next Advanced Strategic Planning one-day workshop being run by The Australian Strategic Planning Institute will take place at Rydges in Adelaide on the 13th of July and bookings are now open
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The Bubble to end all Bubbles?
Tuesday 2 June 2009
Hands up if you remember the dot com bubble? Or how about the Y2K bubble? Housing bubble? 'Bubbles' as they apply to all things economic are little more than an oversupply of positive confidence in a particular area of economic concern. In fact 'Bubbles' are caused by the SAME things as 'Recessions' just at opposite ends of the spectrum. Where booms and bubbles need an oversupply of (positive) confidence, Recessions (and depressions) also rely on an oversupply of (negative) confidence. And right now we could well be on the verge of the greatest 'bubble' we've manufactured:
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Advanced Strategic Planning Workshop in Melbourne
Tuesday 19 May 2009
Just a handful of places are left for The Australian Strategic Planning Institute's one day Advanced Strategic Planning workshop at Karsten's in Melbourne on the 26th of May. Please note that there are no places available for the June workshops in both Brisbane or Sydney, and the Adelaide workshop in July is half filled though yet to be promoted! We hope to run another date later in the year for both Brisbane and Sydney if both Steven Bowman and Marcus Barber are in the country at the same time
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Vale Richard Pratt
Wednesday 29 April 2009
Richard Pratt has succumbed to a battle with prostate cancer and there's no doubt that many words will be written on paper destined to end up as recycle materials at his VISY Industries plants. There's a harmony in that thought - all those words of type and paper discussing Richard Pratt will be recycling through the world, 'living on' as it were in perpetuity due to Pratt's recycling empire. Much of the type will discuss his business empire, his foibles and interests, his wonderful family and his philanthropy - perhaps as the most well known benefactor (if not the largest) of a whole range of issues throughout Australia. What will be less known and what I recognise implicitly, is that I owe my career in no small part due to Richard Pratt
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How to Spend your $900 - think about your future needs first
Monday 20 April 2009
Thousands of Australians are just receiving or are about to receive a pretty handsome cheque from the Federal Government as part of the economic stimulous package. The question then is 'what do I spend this on?' Below I offer a futurist's view on where certain generational types might consider spending the bonus.
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Futures Jobs starting to emerge
Monday 6 April 2009
If there's one thing that a sense of panic and crisis causes it is 'focus'. Typically that focus will be geared around identifying the critical elements required for a certain level of performance to be achieved. Often that will also lead to an assessment of 'capability' matching - seeking to ensure that the required capabilities are matched to the intended future outcome for an organisation. So it is no surprise that over the past couple of years we've been seeing more organisations seeking staff with 'futures' skills. The two below are no different and if you're in the future fields or looking to enter it, they might appeal greatly
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Australia 2020 - one year on, now what?
Wednesday 1 April 2009
It is almost a year since the Australia 2020 Summit was held in Canberra and it is expected that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will provide feedback on the summit, the ideas it generated as well as the ideas of those not at the summit who provided input and thinking. Of course a lot has changed in the world since then
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Wearable Technologies coming to some clothing near you
Tuesday 17 March 2009
A few years ago whilst researching and generating ideas for the National Geographic Channel's futures based TV shows 'Future Matters' I discussed the idea of what I then called 'WEs' or Wearable Electronics. I mentioned that this was a substantially different approach than portable electronics, which is what most mobile phones and laptop computers were at that stage - useful electronic devices that you could carry around with you to perform a series of functions. WEs were embedded into your clothing, they quite literally became a part of what you were. And now it seems that MIT have taken a giant step towards creating the world's first truly embedded wearable technology as showcased at TED recently
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When a Car Insurance company leaves a bad taste in your mouth
Tuesday 3 March 2009
It is a tad unfortunate that in the past couple of weeks I've had to experience the way in which one of the players in the car insurance industry treats its customers. I haven't lost a single demerit point since well into last century and consider myself a pretty safe driver. So a couple of weeks ago I was stationary behind a car at a pedestrian crossing when a car hit me from behind and forced me into the car in front. It's just a car and no one was hurt (just a tad shaken) so that's the main thing. All drivers calmly exchanged details, there was no shouting or yelling, all very civil really. It's just a pity that the insurance companies haven't treated their customers with the same level of respect...
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Recession Proof Marketing - how to survive and thrive in a recession
Monday 2 March 2009
Marcus Barber has teamed up with Marketing expert Tod O'Reilly to write 'Recession Proof Marketing - how to survive and thrive in a recession'. The book is due for completion by the end of March, 2009 and pre orders are now being taken for advance copies Tod was the account manager for both the David Jones and Myer campaigns that put Jennifer Hawkins and Megan Gale into the hearts and minds of almost every Australian household, and is arguably one of Australia's sharpest minds in the area of retail marketing.
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2009 - Living with an economic downturn - a view from Russia
Monday 16 February 2009
At the Long Now group run by Stewart Brand, they have regular guest speakers on a whole range of topics. Recently they had Russian Dmitry Orlov who discussed what happened in Russia during the economic crisis in the early 1990's and what people around the world might need to do to prepare for the current one. I have posted Stewart Brand's posting in its entirety below. Two salient points from the posting: '...Orlov noted that women in Russia handled collapse pragmatically, putting on their garden gloves, whereas middle-aged men dissolved into lonely drunks...' There's much to consider in the posting though I don't hold as dark a view for Australia as Dmitry poses for the US
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2009 on ABC's Conversation Hour
Friday 6 February 2009
The future of 2009 was discussed on ABC 774's conversation hour, hosted by Raphael Epstein and Denise Scott - the full program is now available online at the link below
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2009 - a year for Playing 'Catch-Up' (Part 1)
Monday 19 January 2009
This is Part one with Part two (looking at who will probably better off at this time next year) to come shortly. If you are in a position to sharpen your thinking, catch a breath or use some time to improve your understanding of the ways in which we create our societies, then I have a three items to recommend to you for this year - two books and one search engine option. The books offer additional ways to the consider some of the scientific research we hear about (without being too 'jargon' laden) and the search engine is arguably one of the best pieces of technology I've seen for quite some time.
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Ahead for 2009 on 774 ABC's conversation hour
Tuesday 13 January 2009
What's emerging for 2009? What might shape the near term future, what can we do about it and what are some of the indicators suggesting change or otherwise? Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber joined Raphael Epstein and co-host Denise Scott, as part of the panel to answer the questions on the 774 ABC's conversation hour today...
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2009 a cause for ‘change’ not ‘concern’ in Tourism Industry
Tuesday 6 January 2009
Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber discusses the potential 2009 outlook for the Tourism Industry in Australia: One of the great things about sudden disruptions to our entrenched models of behaviour is the opportunity they provide to assess what it is we have been doing, and whether the things we have been doing have been blinding us to better opportunities. Although the popular thinking is that businesses try to run at maximum effectiveness, the reality is far less comforting. Instead, at best most businesses aim for maximum efficiency and efficiency is about entrenching repetition of behaviours because repeating the same things over and over again should, the thinking seems to go, get cheaper over time. And by and large I suspect that such a model holds true. For a while...
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Australian Strategic Planning Institute work shop in Sydney fully booked
Monday 8 December 2008
The Advanced one day Strategic Planning Workshop in Sydney on the 11th of December at Rydges World Square is now fully booked
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The Australian Strategic Planning Institute Sydney workshop - just four places left
Monday 1 December 2008
The one day Advanced Strategic Planning Workshop co facilitated by Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber has just four places left
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Financial Crisis 101 - a smart diagram that explains (mostly) it all
Friday 21 November 2008
The link below will take you to a great little diagram that explains the unfolding of the Financial Crisis as most people know of it. As Marcus Barber explains, it doesn't delve too deep into the structural design of the financial system, or start at the 'true beginning' of the problem and it does explain in a very easy to follow way, how certain events occurred and what the results of those events were.
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Heading down the drain with the ‘4 Minute Shower’
Monday 17 November 2008
Every now and again what sounds like a really good idea turns out to be less beneficial than what was hoped for. There's lots of talk right now about technology solutions and ways in which societies can change the way they use water - there's conferences and 'talkfests' a plenty featuring many of the industry players and lots of smart cookies. When it comes to good intentions that miss the mark, Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber wonders whether or not the Victorian Government’s ‘4 Minute Shower’ idea is a current example?
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Blackwood 8 fundraiser assists the Ludwig Institute for Cancer research
Tuesday 4 November 2008
The second annual fund raiser was held in late October and attended by almost 300 people. Marcus Barber offers a brief update:
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Regional Produce Summit slides now available
Wednesday 22 October 2008
The slides used as part of Marcus Barber's key note address to the Regional Produce Summit are now available via the link below
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Eco Industrial Parks & Community Development
Friday 3 October 2008
Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber will both key note and act as Master of Ceremonies at the Lockhart Industrial symposium on the 9th of October, in Lockhart NSW. Marcus will discuss the clear business advantages that Eco Industrial parks provide to businesses, the way that symbiotic supply chains work to improve business resilience and the way that local communities can take charge of the direction they want their community to head towards
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Victorian State Culinary Tourism Conference in Wangaratta
Friday 3 October 2008
Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber will be kicking off proceedings at the 2008 Regional Produce Summit in Wangaratta on the 20th of October where he'll detail some of the emerging issues likely to impact upon the tourism and food sector in the foreseeable future and suggest ways that businesses in the sector might be able to take advantage of some of the opportunities that are appearing on the horizon
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Pixar's Wall E gives us a glimpse - but is it too cute to hit the mark?
Monday 29 September 2008
I sat in the theatre with my two young children over the weekend watching Pixar's latest animation film 'Wall E'. Once again, (like all Pixar features) it is technically brilliant, and wearing my strategic futurist lenses, suggest that it is a story that is engaging and arguably informative. But I wondered if somewhere along the way the apparent message(s) behind the film misses the mark?
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Marcus Barber at ANTOR discusses the future of travel
Wednesday 24 September 2008
Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber discussed the future of travel at the ANTOR session at The American Club in Sydney, NSW on the 24th of September.
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Your Future Requires Planning - and so does ours!
Friday 5 September 2008
Members of the Futures Foundation and the AFFA will be congregating in Pearl Beach in the coming weeks to consider the state of play in the Australian Futures community. Given the emerging challenges in Australia and around the world, the futures community requires just as much serious contemplation and forethought as does any one
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Supply Chains; Recruitment; Strategic Planning - a Busy month for Futures work
Thursday 14 August 2008
In the past couple of weeks I've had to focus on great range of futures based topics either facilitating process or presenting my own ideas and observations, and it looks like its not over yet!
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Robots of the Future
Wednesday 23 July 2008
One of our many Nordic watchers, Are Thorsteinsson, has posted the Future Matters segment looking at the future of robotics, along with marking up full language captions in Danish. Although a couple of years old now, the early signs listed in this segment are only now coming into more mainstream focus
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Advanced Strategic Planning One Day workshop - August 7 in Melbourne
Tuesday 1 July 2008
The Australian Strategic Planning Institute will be running another of its fantastic one day workshops on the 7th of August, in Melbourne. The format continues in the similar style as the recent event in Brisbane, with three content experts looking at critical aspects of the Strategic Planning process, and then a two part panel discussion where participants can ask specific questions related to their organisation's Strategic Planning issues.
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Asking the unaskable question - Do we have a right not to die?
Wednesday 25 June 2008
Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber has contributed a chapter to Volume Five of the 'Death and Anti-Death' Anthology which has just been published by Ria University. With contributors including Aubrey de Grey and Kevin Kelly and edited by Dr. Charles Tandy, Volume Five in the series is dedicated to the memory of Loren Eiseley, the renowned Anthropologist, science writer and environmental advocate.
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Biofuels and Global Starvation
Friday 13 June 2008
One of the challenges for one aspect of the world is fuel and the price of fuel used for private transportation. I use the word 'aspect' quite deliberately because the 'aspect of the world' that seems to be making the most noise about rising fuel prices is by and large the 'westernised' world - that's the people like you and me who drive cars. And here is where things are fascinating - while many in the westernised world complain about the costs of filling their cars, others look for 'solutions' to the problem, and one proposed solution is 'biofuel'. What is fascinating is not so much that people are wanting to find solutions to their 'problem' of costs of private transportation but the fact that people who see biofuel as the answer to their problem seem to be ignoring the simple fact that the solution to their 'lifestyle' problem is causing a greater challenge in dealing with other people's 'life' problem. Put simply, one person's "right to drive" is being placed ahead of another person's "right to live". We are literally killing people because we think driving our cars is more important (a greater 'right') than feeding people.
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Marcus Barber to Open Supply Chain and Logistics Conference
Thursday 15 May 2008
With the theme 'Moving Forward, Supply Chains of the Future', Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber will open the Australian Supply Chain and Logistics Conference in Brisbane in July on behalf of the Supply Chain and Logistics Association of Australia. Details for the conference can be found below.
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Not much to be Proud about - an Apology to the coming generation
Tuesday 29 April 2008
On the 22nd of April I did a quick presentation at the Water Technology Breakthrough Forum hosted by The Churchill Club and IXC at the Melbourne Town Hall. Over lunch during the day we were lucky enough to have a group of seven students from Melbourne Grammar and MacRoberstons Girls High School form part of a panel that was facilitated by Richard Hames. It was a rather enlightening group. well informed about water policy and issues of an environmental nature and there was a wide perspective of views including 'the social activist', 'the interested economist' and 'business leader' who fell naturally into the roles that seem to align with their thinking. And then Richard asked a question along the lines of 'What does or is likely to motivate you to change your behaviour?' The answer of one of
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Book Recommendation - Gang Leader for a Day
Monday 28 April 2008
When it comes to quality strategic futures work as part of making the pragmatic decisions that shifts beyond theoretical futures work, I encourage my clients to question the assumptions they make about the information they have available to them. Which is why I am recommending the book 'Gang Leader for a day - a rougue sociologist takes to the streets' by Sudhir Venkatesh. What Venkatesh highlights so succinctly is that making decisions when you are disconnected from reality will ultimately lead to outcomes you didn't expect.
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Marcus Barber on 774 ABC Melbourne Conversation Hour discussing Australia 2020 Futurists Summit
Wednesday 23 April 2008
Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber was well and truly forced to justify the existence of his profession when venturing along to Jon Faine's Conversation Hour last week. Co-hosted by Cath Pope the discussion looked at the role of Futurists, the Australia 2020 Futurists Summit and Jon's scepticism around the role of futurists..
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Australia's 2020 Future - the Futurist's report
Monday 21 April 2008
You'd think that given a focus on the future, you'd ask specialists in the future to have some input, and whilst that didn't occur for the PM's Summit in Canberra over the weekend, some of Australia's Futurists had already done the leg work to contribute their thoughts on the future of Australia. That report is now available and it would appear, given some of the initial media coverage suggesting that 'nothing new' emerged in Canberra, the Futurists have once again shown that their aproach to thinking can be a significant benefit
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Australia's 2020 Future - the Futurist's report goes 'live' tomorrow
Friday 18 April 2008
Some of Australia's leading futurists gathered in Melbourne in March to provide a specialist Futures approach to addressing the Australia 2020 Summit in Canberra. The outcome of that Summit and the development that subsequently followed has led to the creation of the report 'Australia 2020 Futurists Summit' that has worked through each of the ten themes highlighted by Prime Minister Rudd
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Marcus Barber to join Jon Faine for the Conversation Hour on ABC Melbourne
Tuesday 15 April 2008
Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber will meet with eminent ABC radio presenter Jon Faine on Wednesday the 16th of April to discuss the outcomes of the Australia 2020 Futurists Summit and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's Australia 2020 Summit in Canberra on the weekend
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Rethinking Remuneration at the RCSA Workforce Symposium
Tuesday 18 March 2008
Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber has presented 'The 8 Factors' model of remuneration at the Recruitment & Consulting Services Association 7th Workforce Symposium in Canberra in March. The model, previously appearing in Australia's leading Innovation magazine 'Fast Thinking' provides a means for businesses to think beyond 'cash' as the primary motivator or attractor and
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2020 Australia - Futurist's Report
Tuesday 4 March 2008
A group of leading Australian Futurists gathered over the weekend to consider the 10 core themes set to be tackled at Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's Australia 2020 Summit in Canberra in April. Convened by Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber, the 2020 Australia Futurists Summit utilised some of the advanced facilitation and strategy development techniques as a means for extracting additional perspectives of how Australia might begin to address the 10 Core themes, and encapsulated thinking and insight from Futurists around Australia.
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Australia's 2020 Future - the Futurist's report
Monday 25 February 2008
As preparations continue for the Prime Minister Rudd's '1000 heads' ideas summit in Canberra in April, a group of Australia's leading futurists are gathering in Melbourne this weekend for the 'Australia 2020 Futurists Summit'. The futurists attending the summit work across Australia, in corporate, not for profit and Government agencies in a variety of fields and will look at each of the key areas the Prime minister has flagged as critical themes for development.
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Are Interest Rate Rises Too Clumsy to Help a Teetering Economy?
Friday 22 February 2008
A few thoughts on what steps could be taken to overcome the 'treat everyone like a nail' approach that Interest Rate rises seems to do. Check out the idea under the 'Latest Focus' section
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How to Stop Japanese Whaling in its Tracks
Thursday 7 February 2008
Marcus Barber offers his thoughts on How to Stop Japanese Whaling in its Tracks and suggests that raiding boats won't do the job. Instead he suggests that the key to negotiating with the Japanese is to have the Japanese people do the work. And to encourage them to do so we must begin to talk about Scientifc Research and Japanese Honour because when it comes to whaling, the two are at opposite ends of the spectrum. You can find the full story via the 'Latest Focus' tab above.
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Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony Blanketed by Dust Storm
Thursday 17 January 2008
If an 'Inconvenient Truth' raised the profile of global warming to the general population, it appears that a willingness by political leaders to take appropriate action to mitigate the possible ramifications is still very much lacking. It is such a pity. No one who holds the Global Warming scenario close to heart wants to be proven 'right' - in fact no one I know who suggest that Global Warming is a serious issue even wants the chance to be proven right. Instead their desire is for action to be taken now so that the opportunity to be proven right evaporates. And still our leaders sit on their hands because the potential discomfort associated with making social changes through legislation and changing the energy and water use consumption of our nation is one they seem not prepared to face. 'Better to be
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2008 - what a year it was!
Friday 28 December 2007
Yes you read right - thinking ahead I'm anticipating an amazing 2008. Happy new year to all for when it happens (depending on the calendar you subscribe to) and I look forward to some fun, challenges, stresses and enjoyment for the year ahead. Marcus Barber :-)
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Marcus Barber discussing the Future on 774 ABC Melbourne
Thursday 20 December 2007
Marcus Barber joined host Tim Cox and co-host, author and writer Andrew Peglar on the Conversation hour to muse about the types of futures one might expect to see in coming years.
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Marcus Barber to be Interviewed on 774 ABC
Thursday 6 December 2007
Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber will join Tim Cox on 774 ABC as part of the conversation hour next week
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Australian Strategic Planning Institute Workshop Sold Out
Wednesday 5 December 2007
The Australian Strategic Planning Institute's one-day Strategic Planning workshop on the 12th of December 2007 has been fully booked.
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Strategic Planning Workshop in Australia
Wednesday 28 November 2007
The Australian Strategic Planning Institute is holding another one day Strategic Planning Workshop on the 12th of December. Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber will join Maree Conway and Steven Bowman in explaining the critical stages of the Strategic Planning process; highlight the traps that catch far too many organisations and detail the key processes used to develop effective and organisationally useful Strategic Plans. The workshop will also run a targeted Q&A session that will allow participants to have a specific question about their organisation's Strategic Planning process to be addressed. Details can be found
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Australian Election 2007 - 20/20 Hindsight
Monday 26 November 2007
"When you change a Government you Change a Country" the deposed Prime Minister John Howard said in the final days leading up to the election on Saturday and a theme his Foreign Minister Alexander Downer echoed. So given the 'economic boom' and years of strong growth and low unemployment, what exactly did Australia want to change? There will be many pundits in the media offering analysis of the reasons for Australia throwing out the Prime Minister and his Government. The common theme already emerging in many media circles is that Australians were itching for change. For me this is an all too simplistic and inaccurate representation of the reality. Australians are a surprisingly conservative lot and despite our innovative tendencies do not opt for change all that often. So why given the apparent good times and piles of cash did the vast majority of Australians seek an alternative? In brief - it was because at a very deep level, Australians felt that their identities were under attack and, like they have done on every other change of Government, were not prepared to stand by and let that happen.
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From Foresight Foreplay to Corporate Consummation
Wednesday 14 November 2007
At the AustForesight 2007 Conference, Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber and fellow Futurist Steve Tighe presented their take on what is required to enable futurists to be seen as more relevant to the Corporate world. Drawing on their shared experience as facilitator and client, they detailed the journey of foresight and futures across the past 50 years and posed the question 'where's Wally? - why is it that of the three children put up for adoption in the 1950's: 'Strategy'; 'Marketing'; and 'Foresight', foresight remains the 'ugly sibling'? Their presentation
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Melbourne Cup Predictions
Monday 5 November 2007
Futurists often get asked things like 'Okay then - who's going to win the 'flag' this year'. In Melbourne Cup time most of my friends ring me asking for a hot tip. Given my consistent poor form at selecting a winner, why they would ask me is anyone's guess (unless they are working out who NOT to back!) so this year I've put a little more futurist's thought into it and here's what I've come up with: The 'signals' (coincidences) I've been picking up tell me that The Fuzz, Blue Monday and Purple Moon would be a trifecta bet were I to have one. My 'lucky numbers' of 9 & 11 give me Zipping and Master O'Reilly and also based on the barrier draw Princess Coup. The Fuzz is included twice because it's out of barrier 11. Enjoy the day. If you do have a punt, keep it sensible and while you're there, say 'Hi' to Kenny for me :-)
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Exploring Matters of Life & Death
Friday 26 October 2007
Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber has been invited to contribute to Volume 5 of the book series 'Death & Anti-Death' edited by Charles Tandy PhD. the full title is 'Death & Anti-Death, Volume 5: 30 years after Loren Eiseley (1907-1977)' (ISBN 978-1-934297-02-5). This edition is dedicated to Eiseley, a reknowned ecologist and anthropologist whose focus on the ideas of Charles Darwin led to critical claim in the scientific community with his 1958 book 'Darwin's Century'. Barber's contribution
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Applying Strategic Foresight to Organisational Change
Thursday 18 October 2007
Does your organisation suffer what Futurists call 'Operational Sleepwalking'? That most organisations (and people) willingly sleepwalk their way into their futures is not all that surprising. What is surprising about that however is that those people and those organisations are: * Surprised when something unexpected (and not to their liking) happens and, * Claim they had no alternative Tackling this all too pervasive mindset Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber will be presenting at the Centre for Organisational Development OD Professionals Network on the 24th of October, looking at how Organisational Development, HR and Learning & Teaching Managers can leverage Strategic Foresight to assist their organisations. The link to the evening can be found at the website where you can also register for the event - www.cfod.com.au. A summary of the evening follows here:
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Identifying & Overcoming Barriers to Innovation
Tuesday 16 October 2007
Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber will present ideas on how to identify and then overcome the Barriers to Innovation as part of the Monash University Berwick Business and Education Group (MUBBEG). Drawing from his articles in Fast Thinking Magazine and his soon to be completed book 'Killing Trends: The Graceful Art of Innovation', Marcus will challenge the notion that creativity is the same as Innovation, that you ought to rely on external experts to 'do your innovation' for you, and that everyone knows what you mean by Innovation
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The Australian Strategic Planning Institute Gets a Boost
Thursday 27 September 2007
Maree Conway, of 'University Futures' has joined the Australian Strategic Planning Institute as a lead facilitator for the Institute's programs. Maree's experience in policy development, planning and strategy initiatives provides additional weight to the sessions on offer. TASPI now have three key facilitators that cover critical steps in
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Private Water Theft and How to Combat it
Wednesday 26 September 2007
As water restrictions continue it is likely that we will see an increase in instances of water being stolen from private storage units (water tanks). A recent article in the Herald Sun reported on the theft of water from tanks belonging to Boorandara Council supplying water for parklands. Although in a public place, the water is effectively a private storage capacity on behalf of residents and this incident is unlikely to be the last one we hear of. I'm currently working with a specialist water tank company whose core advantage exists in the way their storage units make theft increasingly difficult and
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How to Catch a Stealth Bomber & Other iiBubbles
Friday 21 September 2007
The latest edition of Fast Thinking has hit the streets and includes another tool for those seeking to develop innovation and strategy. Marcus Barber explains how to use, what he calls an 'iiBubble', a process that helps capture an idea to see if it has innovation 'legs'. As one of the tools unique to Barber in his work as a Strategic Futurist, the process is simple enough for most organisations to be able to quickly employ in their creative teams and innovation programs. Some of the iiBubbles include turning Lake Eyre into an inland sea to help rainfall on the eastern seaboard as well as a means by which you might be able to spot and catch a Stealth Bomber
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Talented Futurist Celebrates a Birthday
Thursday 30 August 2007
Looking Up Feeling Good would like to wish the very talented and focused futurist, Sophie Barber a happy birthday today. Sophie's amazing talent at suggesting the possible future for a positive outcome is a true inspiration and we look forward to many more insights as the complexity of challenges continues to test our understanding, commitment and readiness for the emerging futures.
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Leading Sustainability through Corporate Real Estate Hypothetical
Wednesday 22 August 2007
The CoreNet Global Melbourne 2007 Summit incorporated a thought provoking Hypothetical panel discussion on the future of corporate real estate and the drivers for sustainability. With an economic futures framework provided by Melbourne University Professor of Economics Neville Norman who moderated the discussion, the panel included Aggie Aitken, Head of Workplace Development at ANZ; Strategic Futurist and Director of Looking Up Feeling Good, Marcus Barber; Yossi Ghinsberg, the Founder and Director of EthnoBios S.A ; and Michael Greene, Regional Director of Corporate Solutions at Jones Lang LaSalle
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Housing Crisis and A Difference to a Difference of Opinion
Friday 3 August 2007
Last night the ABC program 'A Difference of Opinion' looked at the issues of the housing affordability ciris. The panel provided some quality perspectives as to what was causing the challenge and what kind of actions might need to occur in order to address the issue with Ross Gittins' early observation that the debate completely ignored one of the most significant affected groups, 'the renters' as worth the admission price to the debate. And I was left wondering if the assorted suggestions were failing to address a more basic question - 'why exactly do Australian's believe that owning their own home is so important?' It is a question that Sohail Inayatullah's Causal Layererd Analaysis might provide insight to as the 'mythology of home ownership' is placed under the spotlight. A recent Hudson Institute report showed that over the past 30 years in Australia, the capital growth of the average home worth $100,000 in 1970 was about 6.5% per annum. Not much above bank interest on a $100k cash investment. The issue of housing afforability requires more assessment by the futures community. If not, the economists, social advocates and builders might end up debating the wrong issue
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Innovation in Employee Engagement
Wednesday 18 July 2007
Among other great articles, the winter 2007 edition of Fast Thinking magazine highlights the '8 Factor' model for effective employee engagement, created by strategic futurist Marcus Barber. Using the model he shows how organisations can develop greater flexibility when it comes to providing incentives as a means for improving productivity and ensuring longevity for staff. Check out www.FastThinking.com.au where you can download a copy of the article and then make sure you subscribe to this excellent Innovation magazine.
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Sustainability as a Source of Competitive Advantage
Friday 22 June 2007
Dan Atkins, former manager of Environmental policy at Toyota and now Director of Sustainable Business Practises and Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber will speak at the South East Networks / VicUrban Business Breakfast at the Sandown Racecourse on Wednesday the 27th of June. Both Dan (who'll discuss how Toyota applies its Environmental Policy in order to reduce costs and increase profits) and Marcus (who'll look at some of the emerging points of pain likely to impact on business operations in the future) will look at sustainable business practises and how to leverage an advanced sustainable framework as a point of ongoing competitive advantage. Dan's impressive record in the Sustainability field will be complemented by Marcus' ability to identify both the emerging issues in business and then to design operational strategies that enable your business to make more effective choices given the potential changes Tickets available at the door (7.15 am kick off) or via South East Networks on 613 9238 1576
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Future Alerts Subscription Service now Monthly
Friday 25 May 2007
Looking Up Feeling Good's advanced signals reporting service 'Future Alerts' is now available as a monthly subscription offering. Designed to provide your organisation with signals indicating potential change, each report comes with analysis of the signals and how they might impact your business. Applying some advanced Environmental Scanning process, including the 'VSTEEP' model, you can have the report customised to specific areas of interest a long with analysis that ensures the report is as immediately releveant as you desire.
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Marcus Barber invited to attend World Water Week in Stockholm 2007
Friday 11 May 2007
Futurist Marcus Barber has been invited to present at the Stockholm International Water Institute's prestigious World Water Week conference to be held in Stockholm later this year. His abstract submission 'Life versus Lifestyle: the emerging clash between consumer demands and water availability' forms part of the key workshop item of 'Managing Future Consumer Demands' which will attempt to consider the multitude of approaches and factors that will influence fresh water availability around the globe. The full abstract is availble below. To request a copy of the full paper, please contact us
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May Brainnovation Session now open
Friday 27 April 2007
The May Brainnovation session is open for bookings. If you'd like to be invited to attend this highly focused, creative and thought provoking session please contact us. We'll send you an invite and as these sessions are strictly limited to no more than 15 people, it's 'first in - best dressed' for acceptances! You'll be guided by Marcus Barber, arguably one of Australia's most innovative futurists. The next session is open for Thursday the 24th of May - book now
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Authenticity & the Craft of Brewing Beer
Thursday 29 March 2007
Every now and again you discover something well ahead of the general public that is worthy of further investigation. That is the key advantage of being a futurist - you get to spend a lot of your time just looking for signals of change. In this case it is the soon to be opened Barleycorn Brewers in Huntingdale, Victoria. A professional brewery for the public, Barleycorn Brewers provide the budding Brew-Master, home brewer and anyone else interested with the chance to create, can or bottle, and then drink their very own beer. The significance of this concept is the way it ties in with the emerging shifts in consumer sentiment that is seeing the rejection of 'Brands' and an increasing search for 'authenticity' which will require a major shift in the way products and services are pushed to the marketplace. It is something I have been suggesting to organisations for quite a while now
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Strategy and Game Shows
Wednesday 28 February 2007
Marcus Barber joined Brigette Duclos on the Channel 10 program '9am with David & Kim' to discuss strategy and the game show 'Con-Test'
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The Emergence of 'Enoughness'
Wednesday 14 February 2007
I mentioned this concept a couple of years ago and now I am beginning to see a major shift in customer sentiment. This is, I believe, the start of a significantly different time for businesses in dealing with their customers as a result of a whole series of smaller issues coming together. Enoughness appears to be emerging as a result of what I refer to as a 'Cascading Discontinuity Set' - the small and seemingly unconnected elements merging into a major shift in customer behaviour. Enoughness will fundamentally change the consumption driven business models now in play and there will be winners and losers on all sides and this isn't just a theoretical futuristic assessment - it is a very real phenomena
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Advanced Organisational Strategy (AOS) Events
Thursday 25 January 2007
Your Advanced Organisational Strategy events coincide with a specific need for your business and lead to excellent outcomes. These events are customed tailored to help you solve an organisational challenge or to answer a key exploratory question for you. The AOS focuses on two main objectives - to create a specific 'How to' for solving an existing problem; and to create a series of 'what ifs' in an assessment of the future. You'll work with Marcus Barber, arguably one of Australia's most innovative futurists in a program that will nudge, guide, cajole and push your thinking to greatly enhanced levels
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Innovation & Counter Intuitiveness
Wednesday 24 January 2007
The idea behind Innovation is to create something new, that has yet to be conceived. A lot of the times that requires Counterintuitive thinking and that can be a very difficult challenge because it needs to break the habits in our thinking styles. For me the essence of being a futurist is the essence of innovation, two concepts which cannot be separated.
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