{"id":24284,"date":"2011-02-28T00:31:31","date_gmt":"2011-02-28T00:31:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=24284"},"modified":"2011-02-28T00:35:08","modified_gmt":"2011-02-28T00:35:08","slug":"focus-on-tomorrow-education-infrastructure-innovation-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/focus-on-tomorrow-education-infrastructure-innovation-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Focus on Tomorrow  &#8211;\t Education + Infrastructure + Innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\/\/ <![CDATA[\n                              google_ad_client = \"pub-7021221536180758\"; \/* 468x60, created 11\/11\/09 *\/ google_ad_slot = \"1949837292\"; google_ad_width = 468; google_ad_height = 60;\n\/\/ ]]><\/script><\/p>\n<p><script src=\"http:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h6><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">The following is by G. A . &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken, President of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.markencom.com\/index.htm\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.markencom.com\/index.htm', 'Marken Communications']);\" ><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">Marken Communications<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"> Inc. He has kindly given us permission to republish his thought-provoking article. As with everything that we publish at AlienBabelTech, the opinions expressed are solely those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and the <strong>opinions of the rest of the ABT staff.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"> \u2013Mark Poppin,<\/span> <span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">ABT Senior Editor<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-15.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24285\" title=\"Untitled-1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-15.jpg?resize=309%2C272\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-15.jpg 309w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-15-300x264.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 309px) 100vw, 309px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Today, the competition is keener; the challenge is tougher; and that is why innovation is more important than ever. It is the key to good, new jobs for the 21st century.\u00a0 That\u2019s how we will ensure a high quality of life for this generation and future generations. <\/em><em><strong>&#8212; President Barack Obama, Aug 5, 2009<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> <\/em><\/p>\n<p>Back in 2000, Alan Greenspan, former Fed Chairman, observed that the U.S. was in the midst of a period of rapid innovation that would produce \u201csubstantial and lasting benefits to our economy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The technologies and innovations allowed Wall Street to leverage high-performance computers and make trades faster than the blink of an eye producing fantastic salaries\/bonuses for them!<\/p>\n<p>Okay, not a good example.\u00a0 But it proves that innovations are only as good as the hands\/minds that develop, manage, use them.<\/p>\n<p>Today, the hue and cry is that even though we live in a period of rapid innovation, the U.S. has lost its edge and prospects for tomorrow are grim.<\/p>\n<p>But global leadership isn\u2019t the sole property of Americans.\u00a0 It is won by each generation. So it would appear we\u2019ve done a lousy job of preparing the next generation of innovators.<\/p>\n<p>New Plan<\/p>\n<p>President Obama outlined a plan a while ago that few disagree with.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211; Improve a stagnant education system with stronger emphasis on engineering, science<br \/>\n&#8211; Improve the country\u2019s infrastructure<br \/>\n&#8211; Foster innovation<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s not a lot new in the goals but as Thomas Edison, arguably one of the more prolific inventors, observed, \u201cRestlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The challenge is that the U.S. has been drawing dividends from the investments of the last 25-plus years.<\/p>\n<p>Even with a sour global economy, other countries have been investing in projects\/programs that will enable them to adapt to change:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> Despite Ireland\u2019s economic condition, they are funding basic research.<\/li>\n<li> Russia is building an \u201cinnovation city.\u201d<\/li>\n<li> Saudi Arabia has a university of science and engineering with a $10B endowment.<\/li>\n<li> China will soon open their high-speed train system which will connect major business\/manufacturing centers.<\/li>\n<li> China is creating dozens of new technology universities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To compete tomorrow, they are educating their youth and giving people the tools to innovate.<\/p>\n<p>Some will say they gained by being the manufacturers\/copiers of the U.S. technology.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Quality Management<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Peter Drucker, management and quality guru, spent his career spelling out the need for clear, concise management direction, quality manufacturing and listening to what wasn\u2019t being said.<\/p>\n<p>The \u201clow-cost\u201d countries listened.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. has been living off the fruits of the past:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> Consumers spend more on potato chips than the government invests on energy R&amp;D.<\/li>\n<li> Two years ago, half the U.S. patents were awarded to non-U.S. companies. (Figure 2)<\/li>\n<li> China has replaced the U.S. as the world\u2019s number one high-tech exporter.<\/li>\n<li> Between \u201996-99, 157 new drugs were approved in the U.S, 10 years later \u2013 74.<\/li>\n<li> The world economic Forum ranks the U.S. #48 in quality of math, science education.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>U.S. Patents vs. Foreign Patents<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> <\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-25.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24286\" title=\"Untitled-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-25.jpg?resize=450%2C262\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-25.jpg 450w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-25-300x174.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Idea Masters \u2013 <\/strong>The U.S. is no longer the sole source for technology innovations, patentable ideas.\u00a0\u00a0 While breakthroughs, advances can come from almost anyone today, U.S. firms still have a corner on the understanding, the expertise needed to monetize the patentable ideas.\u00a0 <strong>Source \u2013 U.S. Patent and Technology Office (USPTO)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em> <\/em><\/p>\n<p>Government officials love to blame companies for not investing in tomorrow\u2019s technologies, but that doesn\u2019t hold a lot of water.<\/p>\n<p><em> <\/em><\/p>\n<p>IBM invests $6B a year on R&amp;D.\u00a0 Their ROIC (return on invested capital) is 29 percent.<\/p>\n<p>They aren\u2019t alone:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> Microsoft produced 36% ROIC<\/li>\n<li> Intel produced 10% ROIC<\/li>\n<li> Average ROIC for most tech firms was 9.5%<\/li>\n<li> GE earned $11.3M per patent<\/li>\n<li> Cisco earned $6.6M per patent<\/li>\n<li> HP earned $6.3M per patent<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Patents Plus<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While foreign firms have excelled at getting U.S. patent awards, U.S. firms outperform foreign competitors on their ROIC for investors.<\/p>\n<p>Toshiba and Panasonic had negative returns while Canon, Samsung had modest returns.<\/p>\n<p>Individuals who have benefitted financially are investing in tomorrow.<\/p>\n<p>Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and 40 of America\u2019s billionaires who made their fortunes from technology have pledged huge portions of their wealth to education.<\/p>\n<p>Why?<\/p>\n<p>The companies and executives look at the numbers.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Asian Competitive Investment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-36.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24287\" title=\"Untitled-3\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-36.jpg?resize=401%2C260\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-36.jpg 401w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-36-300x194.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Investing in Tomorrow \u2013 <\/strong>While governmental and private investment in R&amp;D has remained flat as a percentage of gross domestic product in the U.S., Asian nations have been accelerating their investments to produce tomorrow\u2019s advances.\u00a0 <strong>Source &#8211; UNESCO<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>They can see that perhaps for the first time in U.S. history, we could leave our children, grandchildren with a lower standard of living than we\u2019ve enjoyed.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s a helluva\u2019 legacy!<\/p>\n<p>Even with high unemployment, there is a crying shortage \u2013 everywhere \u2013 for engineers and scientists.<\/p>\n<p>If you look at the population demographics in the U.S. \u2013 or any country, for that matter \u2013 there is a growing skills gap between today, tomorrow.<\/p>\n<p>The \u201creplacements\u201d simply aren\u2019t interested in science, technology, engineering, math educations.<\/p>\n<p>For some reason, it\u2019s been a tough sell.<\/p>\n<p>Gates and other technically-educated industry leaders devote a lot of time with educators and young people to add luster to technical careers.<\/p>\n<p>As Edison pointed out, \u201cthere must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em> <\/em><\/p>\n<p>Perhaps that\u2019s why China and India are producing more engineers than the U.S.<\/p>\n<p>Six years ago, an independent U.S. Competitiveness Commission issued their <strong><em>Rising Above the Storm<\/em><\/strong> report.<\/p>\n<p>Bureaucrats\/politicians agreed that the Commission\u2019s recommendations would prepare the next generation of innovators:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> Improve K-12 science and math education<\/li>\n<li> Invest in long-term basic research<\/li>\n<li> Attract and retain the best and brightest students, scientists and engineers in the U.S. and around the world<\/li>\n<li> Create and sustain incentives for innovation and research investment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Unfortunately, governments set rules\/guidelines work at their own pace.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Black Swans<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>But Black Swan advances \u2013 unexpected events with huge positive benefits \u2013 don\u2019t follow rules.<\/p>\n<p>Or, as Edison said<strong><em>, <\/em><\/strong><em>\u201cHell, there are no rules here &#8211; we&#8217;re trying to accomplish something.\u201d<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>To fill the gap and leverage the most up-to-date business\/technology information available \u2013 anywhere, executives are using the Internet more and more to gather data, trends, developments.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Executive Business Research Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-44.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24288\" title=\"Untitled-4\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-44.jpg?resize=367%2C272\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-44.jpg 367w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-44-300x222.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 367px) 100vw, 367px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Information Resources \u2013 <\/strong>Senior executives have found their ability to tap into resources around the globe almost instantly is of tremendous assistance in keeping ahead of competition and the marketplace.\u00a0 Interestingly, they want to capture the information by themselves, rather than have it filtered by staff members.\u00a0 <strong>Source \u2013 Forbes Insights, Google<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The wired executives may not blog, Facebook or Tweet, but they are online looking for competitor analysis (53%), customer trends (41%), corporate developments (39%), technology trends (38%) and compliance\/legal issues (26%).<\/p>\n<p><em> <\/em><\/p>\n<p>While the problem \u2013 in the U.S. and every country \u2013 is obvious, the solution isn\u2019t as simple as stringing three words together \u2013 education, infrastructure, innovation.<\/p>\n<p>People need a single objective, a goal not unlike the one Kennedy gave is in the \u201860s.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-55.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24290\" title=\"Untitled-5\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-55.jpg?resize=389%2C295\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-55.jpg 389w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Untitled-55-300x227.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 389px) 100vw, 389px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cWe choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.\u201d<\/em> <strong>\u2013 President John F. Kennedy, Rice University, 1962<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One goal.<\/p>\n<p>One objective everyone &#8212; in a company or country \u2013 can get their heads around.<\/p>\n<p>Preparing the coming generations to be the inventors, innovators of tomorrow isn\u2019t as sexy as going to the moon, but it can produce the same results.<\/p>\n<p>The dynamic pace of change will not slow down.<\/p>\n<p>A new set of \u201cbreakthroughs,\u201d innovations to transform your life, shift an economy isn\u2019t an overnight process.<\/p>\n<p>Even Edison discovered 10,000 ways to do something wrong.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s time to start down that long, winding road.<\/p>\n<p># # #<\/p>\n<p><strong>by:   G.A. &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> President<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> Marken Communications Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> <a href=\"mailto:Andy@markencom.com\">Andy@markencom.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Please join us in our <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/abt\/index.php\" target=\"_blank\">Forums<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Become a Fan on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142', 'Facebook']);\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Follow us on <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech', 'Twitter']);\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n<p>For the latest updates from ABT, please <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?feed=rss2\" target=\"_blank\">join our RSS News Feed<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Join our Distributed Computing teams<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Folding@Home &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech &#8211; 164304<\/li>\n<li>SETI@Home &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech &#8211; 138705<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcommunitygrid.org\/reg\/viewRegister.do?teamID=3P39R3SRV1\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.worldcommunitygrid.org\/reg\/viewRegister.do?teamID=3P39R3SRV1', 'World Community Grid &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech']);\" target=\"_blank\">World Community Grid &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The following is by G. A . &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken, President of Marken Communications Inc. He has kindly given us permission to republish his thought-provoking article. As with everything that we publish at AlienBabelTech, the&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":396,"featured_media":24291,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2533,6],"tags":[4509,587,4510,4044,4508],"class_list":["post-24284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abt-news","category-news","tag-black-swans","tag-education","tag-infrastructure","tag-innovation","tag-investing-in-the-future"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/396"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24284"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24284\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}