Achieving sustainable economic growth is inextricably linked to investing in nature. Future business success tomorrow requires understanding why so many are quitting their jobs today. The tech community’s obsession today with creating an infinite number of tomorrows. In the last decade and half, technology has revolutionized the publishing industry and its not finished yet. Discover the potential ‘returns’ on effective altruism.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Simply put, healthy ecosystems are needed for healthy (economic) growth” André Hoffman, Vice-Chairman, Roche
ARTICLE OF THE WEEK
André Hoffman and Katell Le Goulven, Investing in nature gives industry and business a competitive advantage. Here’s why
(World Economic Forum, 7 September 2021)
The case as to why investing in nature is a sensible business proposition is made here. As more and more industry leaders understand that nature and economics are inextricably linked, the next business frontier lies at the intersection of climate change and biodiversity. It will entail: (1) Changing the measures of growth, (2) Incorporating the true value of nature into market pricing and (3) Ensuring that demands on nature do not exceed the ability to supply (free access – reads in 5-6 min).
Aaron de Smet, ‘Great Attrition’ or ‘Great Attraction’? The choice is yours
(McKinsey, 8 September 2021)
It’s worth going beyond the ‘consulting-speak’ style of this article that delves into the reasons why such a record number of employees are quitting their job or thinking about doing so. In the US alone (where the phenomenon seems to be the most acute), more than 15 million workers have quit their jobs since last April, this record level of resignations is disrupting businesses everywhere. The Great Attrition is happening, widespread and likely to persist (if not accelerate). Many companies have not yet taken the time to understand what’s really going on. Those that do so and then act thoughtfully in response will have an edge in attracting and retaining talent (free access – reads in about 10 min).
Click here to read the full article
Antonio Regalado, Meet Altos Labs, Silicon Valley’s latest wild bet on living forever
(MIT Technology Review, 4 September 2021)
The quest for eternal life is … eternal! Because “young people dream of being rich, and rich people dream of being young” (as this article states), billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Yuri Milner are funding rejuvenation start-ups that can harness biotechnology to make people younger. Their aim: to pursue biological reprogramming technology – a way to rejuvenate cells in the lab that some scientists think could be extended to revitalize entire animal bodies, ultimately prolonging human life. Not a done deal according to some scientists (free access – read in 8-9 min).
Click here to read the full article
Jennifer Howard, The Publishing Ecosystem in the Digital Era: On John B. Thompson’s “Book Wars”
(The Los Angeles Review of Books, 2 September 2021)
What happens when the oldest of our media industries collides with the great technological revolution of our time? As we know all too well at the Monthly Barometer, content creation and delivery suffuse the internet, blurring boundaries and roles. The use of words “revolution” and “disruption” is entirely justified. Two examples: (1) in 2008, ebook sales for US trade titles added up to $69 million; by 2012, they had ballooned to $1.5 billion – (a 22-fold increase in just four years. (2) Amazon now accounts for around 45% of all print book sales in the US and more than 75% of all ebook unit sales. The paradox of the digital revolution in publishing is this: “unprecedented new opportunities are opened up, both for individuals and for organizations, while beneath the surface the tectonic plates of the industry are shifting” (free access – reads in 12-15 min).
Click here to read the full article
Peter Singer, How to Give Away a Million Dollars
(Project Syndicate, 8 September 2021)
The famous bioethicist is one of the brains behind the idea of “effective altruism” and a consequentialist (actions should be judged by their consequences). He’s just won $1m (the Berggruen prize) which he’s going to give entirely away. He argues that donating to save lives, restore sight, or enable a family to escape extreme poverty does more good than donating to a museum or opera. In this article, he puts his argument to the test and explains how he’s going to distribute the 1 million (metered paywall – reads in 5-6 min).
Click here to read the full article
