Pay it forward

This week I read the book “Pay it Forward”, written by Catherine Hyde whose film was entitled Pay it forward. I really liked the writing style, flashback, final surprise and the story itself. But what I most appreciated was the message given by Trevor McKinney’s teacher of social studies who proposed:”Think of an idea to change the world and put it into practice”. The eleven year old boy presented an original idea perhaps rather idealistic. He wanted to help anybody in need but this person didn´t have to pay it back but help three other people, this is to say, pay the favour to a third one. This chain would increase exponentially at a great scale. All these actions would contribute to help humanity.

The teaching is clear, with the simple wish to help somebody; no matter how small it may be, one can contribute to change the world. Is it only possible in Hollywood stories?

On the other hand, in the real world, there is a forum that deals with fulfilling a dream to a hundred people who are cheered to apply that knowledge on behalf society. It is worth to mention that nobody obliges people to take ideas into practice, but they are inspired. What is the forum´s mission? To generate a responsible behavior on the future leaders to achieve a sustainable development.

Would it be an utopia to think a little more on others than on oneself? That´s why it´s useless to hope great changes from others, the change begins from ourselves. Our words and our ideas can transform reality.

Published by Federico Gerstner

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Obsolete paradigms… ¿or paradigmatic obsolescence?

On the eve of the sixth edition of South American Business Forum, I propose you to exercise your memory, and remember part of what was brought up in the last edition.

A year ago, the main idea was “New Paradigms, New Challenges”. Among the debates that took place, the difference between old paradigms and the new ones was a fundamental concern. Are we really in front of “new paradigms”, or are we just simply readjusting the old ones to keep ourselves in the logic of the long ago ideologies?

In Argentina, it is politically incorrect to mention what it is actually an open secret: governmental institutions are based on the history before our still wet behind the ears democracy. The Machiavellian principle of “Divide and rule” has Latinamerican history as hostage.

Nonetheless, the ideological separation becomes blurrier and blurrier. For example, in Argentinean politics, it is getting harder and harder to differenciate between Peronism and Radicalism. Is it then that Peronism like institution is dead, because Radicalism is also dead? Is it that oppositions generated by differences in basic principles are at the end of their era? Which is their difference now? Objectives? Is there any sense in using ideological labels nowadays? If there is, which are the real paradigms of this new decade?

Published by Analía Gómez Vidal under Analía Gómez Vidal, paradigms

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Paradigm Shift: the “Trust Crisis”

The following text outlines Guido Weber’s point of view regarding the international context of nowadays. Guido is a Delegate for the sixth edition of the South American Business Forum and, as such, we thank him for his generous contribution to our blog. We invite the rest of the SABF community to enrich it with your opinions.

Today’s world seems to be whipped by one of the worst crisis in human history. Instead of facing a financial global problem we are stuck in a “Trust Crisis” – a definition from Cristóbal Montoro, Spanish politician responsible for the economic area of the Popular Parliamentary Group. This crisis transcended the financial, economic and political field and reaches every single human being on our planet. Nowadays, the idea of recovering lost money, increasing business volumes o saving some companies does not longer matter. The big issue is how to satisfy the basic needs of a worldwide population in growth with a planet that is producing beyond its capacities, in a recessive and trustless context of our actual model. No doubt this is an outlook without previous similar records and where exist few or none ideas related with “how to drive with your eyes closed in an unknown highway”.

Every single moment of crisis – like the one I am talking about – brings, as a consequence, the breaking of the present paradigm, making place to a new business worldview and a new role of the citizen, inhabitant, institution, company and government. Obviously, the financial problem is the inflection point that led to think over the way we live, we produce and the way business are done. We have in front of us uncertainty.  It is extremely needed the presence of new alternatives, concepts/ideas, new agents of change and leaders that broadcast the future rules of the game. All of this will allows us to see the reality in which we are all immersed.

Lately, issues related with environment, natural and energy resources and the health of our unique planet had started to increasingly occupy a space in countries, companies, organizations and institutions agendas. This is a dazzling time to wake up our leaders and agents of change present on these spaces to lead us in a new path, not only in business, but to enjoy life in general terms.

The mentioned “Trust Crisis” lets the consumers be more rational and to question themselves more deeply which are the actual leaders, how are they performing their leadership, how do they employ Earth’s resources and especially: Is this a sustainable model?

Published by Daniel Lobo

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