Honda Racing F1 goes green

Honda Racing F1 Team launches pioneering environmental concept

The Honda Racing F1 Team today announced a major new initiative for the 2007 Formula 1 season. To help raise awareness of the environmental issues facing the planet, the RA107 F1 car will simply feature a huge image of earth, in place of the advertising and sponsor logos which have featured and dominated all other F1 cars for decades.

The car’s new look is a powerful call to action for fans, sponsors, customers and members of the public to join Honda’s commitment to help address the environmental issues facing the world. Via the website www.myearthdream.com, anyone who wishes will have the opportunity to have their name on the car, make a pledge to make a lifestyle change to improve the environment and make a donation to an environmental charity. Under the concept of “our car is your car”, each name will form a tiny individual pixel which will help build the image of planet earth on the car. Each name will be visible on the website when you make the pledge or under a microscope on the car.

Universal Music, the largest music company in the world, and Gatorade are the first global brands to partner the team in this exciting new concept. Existing partners have enthusiastically embraced the idea and all remain involved with the team for the 07 season. In addition, the team is delighted to announce that Fila, IBM, Instron, Oliver Sweeney, Perkin Elmer, Showa Denko, TUV and GF Agie Charmilles have joined the roster of team partners and suppliers.

[Source: Honda Racing F1]

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Green Banking

ICICI Bank has started to become an internationally watched brand, since it was featured in “The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid” (a book by Prahald, available at Amazon.com or Kalahari.net). It is one of the largest banks in the world, by size of customer base and branches (nearly 90,000 of them!!).

Based in India, this bank has recently launched a “green” initiative, called GoGreen. If you sign up for email statements, they will plant a tree in lieu of the savings they make by not having to send you printed paper through the mail. This is a great example of a corporate using green issues to develop a competitive advantage. Its small, but it shows commitment to the planet, not just to shareholder wealth.

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Fast Company’s “Fast 50″ – 50 profit-driven solutions for fixing the planet

Every year, Fast Company releases a list of companies doing good things for the planet. This year, they extend the list to companies, organisations and individuals. The list is an interesting and uplifting one, in a sea of dark news on this issue. See the list here.

Eventually, someone was going to step up and actually start doing something about the state of the world. You might have thought it would be a president–a senator, maybe–who would stand, point out at the future, and raise the alarm. Instead, it is business, and more specifically a certain strain of imaginative, entrepreneurial business, that has found the upside in addressing global malfunction. Whether old-line, established companies or tiny startups, they’re tweaking old technologies and inventing startling new ones, tackling everything from pandemics to ancient scourges like hunger. Are they doing all this because they want to save the world, or because they can turn a profit? Yes. And not a moment too soon.

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How Rich Are You?

How rich are you? How do you stack up with the other 6 billion inhabitants of the planet?

Now, you can find out exactly, and you will be amazed. If you can read this blog entry, then you’re rich. Seriously, you are.

Check it out at: http://www.globalrichlist.com/

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Internet cricket just got better

I’ll admit it. I am a cynical, hard to please Generation Xer who is to tough to impress. In one of our presentations (Organising the Future), we compare my type of people to cats – impulsive, follow their own rules, uncontainable (verses older style employees, who are more like dogs – man’s best friend, reliable, dependable, easy to please). And when last did you see an impressed cat?

Well, today, I am impressed. Well, on verge of being impressed anyway. I don’t know how the guys at cricinfo.com get paid (advertising, I guess), but they deserve medals. Their text commentary is fantastic, and when TV decides not to show a game (be it international or a local first class game), then cricinfo becomes my saviour. New Zealand’s run chase (and clean sweep victory) today was great to “watch” online.

But, then, a little note was passed onto the screen to check out a new feature about to be launched: 3-d replays. Man alive, it looks great. Check it out here. The 3-d animation engine will pick up the full text commentary, and will re-enact the entire bowling and batting sequence in 3-d animation, with simulated camera angles. OK, so its not online TV yet – that will be coming soon, I presume. But its a great leap forward for the ancient game.  Today’s game was available here – not sure if it will be archived soon.
If only the administrators could get into the 21st century along with all the supporting technology. No wait, I’d settle for them making a step into the 20th century… that would still be an improvement.

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Cost cutting for competitiveness – really? What about executive pay!

In yesterday’s Star newspaper’s Business Report, there was an article on how Beacon, a sweet making division of Tiger Brands, had had to face up to stiff Brazilian competition. For example, by shaving just 1mm off each sweet’s wrapper, they had saved R 3 million in the last financial year. In addition to a continuous improvement programme, Beacon have been helped by increased import duties on their competitors.

This is a good news story for the South African manufacturer, but it got me thinking about what’s going on behind the scenes at companies that need to slash costs to be internationally competitive. So, I went digging. I am sure its not a conspiracy, but at Tiger’s annual results website, the link to their Executive remuneration summary is not working (its the only non functional link on the page). The only way to get at this info is to download the PDF of the entire financials, and wade through to page 73 to get a 6 page explanation of Executive pay principles, followed on page 79 by the chart of actual pay and bonuses. In line with strict accounting standards, share options are NOT accounted for or listed. You have to go elsewhere to get estimates of this information.

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The Tomato Man

I received this by e-mail the other day, and have no idea who the author of the story is. Thanks to Warren though for sending it to me.

“An unemployed man is desperate to support his family of a wife and three children. He applies for a janitor’s job at a large firm and easily passes an aptitude test. The human resources manager tells him, “You will be hired at minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Let me have your e-mail address so that we can get you in the loop. Our system will automatically e-mail you all the forms and advise you when to start and where to report on your first day.”

Taken back, the man protests that he is poor and has neither a computer nor an e-mail address. To this the manager replies, “You must understand that to a company like ours that means that you virtually do not exist. Without an e-mail address you can hardly expect to be employed by a high-tech firm. Good day.”

Stunned, the man leaves. Not knowing where to turn and having $10 in his wallet, he walks past a farmers’ market and sees a stand selling 25 lb. crates of beautiful red tomatoes. He buys a crate, carries it to a busy corner and displays the tomatoes. In less than 2 hours he sells all the tomatoes and makes 100% profit. Repeating the 100% profit several times more that day, he ends up with almost $100 and arrives home that night with several bags of groceries for his family.

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Airline Pilots retirement age increase

According to CBS News, and other sources, the FAA (US airline authority) is following the International Civil Aviation Organisation and raising the retirement age of pilots from 60 to 65 (as long as the co-pilot is younger than 60 years old).

The International body increased their age limit last year, and the FAA is set to follow suit this year.

Up to now, they have managed the Age 60 retirement by offering large retirement packages to their top pilots. This has worked well for the industry, since younger pilots were able to move up the ladder quickly into the empty slots.

But, like most industries, the Boomers have hit 60, and (1) don’t want to give up working, and (2) can’t afford to do so, and (3) find that there is not enough pension money going around, nor are the retirement packages as good as they used to be, and (4) they can’t leave because there are not enough qualified youngsters to take their place.

This is a problem across most industries, especially the professions. And, its only going to get worse in the years ahead.

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Joost – a new way to watch TV

First there was KaZaa, a revolutionary file sharing program. Then came Skype – the software that changed telecoms forever. Now, there’s Joost. These three things have one thing in common – they were conceived in the minds of two men: Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom.

They were spot on with KaZaa. They were mind blowing on the money with Skype.

So, there is no reason to doubt that they are about to revolutionise television. Joost promises to combine the traditional medium of broadcast television with the genius of Web 2.0 Internet-interactivity. You can sign up for beta testing at their website. Watch this space!

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One Billion new cars in the next ten years

Drive a car in any major city of the world, and you’ll be forgiven your evil thoughts. And you’ll wonder how it could be possible that the number of motor cars on the world’s roads could double in the next ten years. But that’s no stretch of the imagination. If you simply extrapolate current trends, that figure should not be too far away from reality.

In my home country, South Africa – a nation of about 20 million adults who are old enough (or young enough) to drive – there have been about 650,000 new car sales a year for the past few years. Half of those are in my home city, Johannesburg – or, to put it simply: a thousand new cars a day on Joburg’s streets, every day for the past 3 years! This demand for cars is a global trend. Yet, Ford managed to rack up the biggest corporate loss in history in the past few weeks.

A great article in the Resilience Report of Booz Allen Hamilton (15 Feb 2007) highlights the three trends driving this car boom – trends that anyone in any emerging market country can see easily: (1) increasing numbers of middle class consumers; (2) an expanding lower end auto market – i.e. a demand for cheaper entry level cars; and (3) increasing pressures on the auto industry, to produce better, cheaper cars.

The report rightly identifies environmental concerns as a huge factor going forward. I’d like to suggest that they missed one further trend: the legacy staffing costs currently being carried by American car manufacturers. Its estimated that Ford and GM both have about $ 1,000 costs per car for pensions and legacy staff costs. They can “easily” shed these debts by declaring bankruptcy. This would be a tragedy for the pensioners, but possibly the only way out of the huge hole American car manufacturers find themselves. The US government has long subsidised and protected US car manufacturers – now the chickens are coming home to roost, and global competition is forcing them to deal with reality.

For the car industry, it truly is “the best of times, and the worst of times”.

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The changing of the guards

If you’ll excuse a parochial sporting entry, I have to ask what has happened to the gods of sport this weekend. Were they sleeping? New Zealand beat Australia at cricket – twice!! And one of those was by 10 wickets (OK, they have rested four top players ahead of the World Cup, and have had five retirements this past season – so its not the strongest Aussie side to ever leave their shores, but still… they lost, and did so badly). Then, in Super 14 Rugby Union, the Western Force beat the Bulls, and the Lions beat the 6-time champions, The Crusaders! What a mad weekend.

But, the real reason for this entry is that with Aussie’s cricket loss, South Africa are now the number 1 ranked One Day International team in the world – the first time any team except Australia has held the top spot since the rankings were launched in 2002.

The lessons available are ones I have spoken about before (check the archives for cricket entries). Simply put: Good is the enemy of great. Its tough to be number 1 forever, because when you are number 1 you become the target of every one else’s attentions. No-one is trying to work out England’s secrets and copy them right now, are they? (not in any sport!). So, the longer you stay at the top, the more likely it becomes that the field will soon catch you up. That should be impetus to take the next evolution (or revolution). I shudder to think what motivation this will give the Aussies. I suppose we’ll find out when SA plays Aus at the World Cup at the end of the Pool Phase!

The second lesson relates to teams of talent. You cannot expect to lose nearly half of your top team to retirement and maintain your status. Companies that bleed talent will suffer. That’s why creating a culture for retaining talent is critical to sustainable competitive advantage. Not much you can do, though, when your team retires. Or, is there?

Whatever… it makes for a great platform for an excellent Cricket World Cup next month!

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Links in a chain: How it all fits together

I was asked again the other day what the “theme” of this blog is. It can sometimes seem like a collection of rambling musings on the world. Well…

Besides being just that, it is really the place that the network at TomorrowToday.biz put all their musings on the world. This is part of what we do at TomorrowToday – we track societal trends, trying to spot patterns and identify futures and scenarios.

Every now and again, we get glimpses of how major forces combine to shape societies and destinies globally. One such thought hit me today, and it brings together things we say around retiring Boomers, globalisation, governments, investment opportunities, emerging markets, and much more. Its a simple, yet profound thought.
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Crime – Where Facts, Politics And Emotions Clash

South Africa, a young democracy, is experiencing what almost every young democracy has experienced: an increase in crime, and other issues that threaten hard won freedoms. It often takes a tipping point, and an escalation to almost unbearable limits, in these situations, until society is shaken from its sleepiness and starts to fight back. I sense that this is where South Africa now finds itself. There is a feeling that crime, especially violent robbery, has increased dramatically in just the past few months, and I sense a heaviness in people’s hearts. But, is this the reality?

One of my favourite political analysts, JP Landman, has written on the topic. He is retained by BOE, a really future thinking bank, as an analyst and commentator. His thoughts on crime are really worth reading – not just for South Africans, but for everyone. He has some interesting comments on generations, and how countries with lots of young men also have high crime rates… But let me not steal his thunder. Read on.
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What’s lacking in the care of our senior citizens?

Policy makers are reassessing the way our country looks after its aged. This article looks at some of the issues demanding their attention.
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Travel and Lifelong learning – an industry growth point in the next 20 years

I have come across a website that I believe understands the market and the thinking of boomers on the verge of a change of lifestyle. Just as the younger generation uses back packing hostels when traveling, this group has identified the need for a similar style for the older generation. The site is www.elderhostel.org.

The site focuses on adventure in lifelong learning. There are more than 8000 all inclusive learning adventures in more than 90 countries around the world. These adventures focus on history, culture, nature, music, outdoor activities, skills and crafts.

Here are a few current adventures to wet your appetite:

Food and Culture of Tuscany
The Ionia Odyssey: In the footsteps of Homer
Birding the hotspots of Costa Rica
A loaf of bread, a jug of wine: A taste of Provence
Opera in Italy: A feast for the senses.

 

This article is part of the February 2007 TomorrowWisdom.biz ezine. To automatically receive it each month, visit TomorrowWisdom.biz.

We are also building up profiles of people who are close to retyring and rewiring for a new season in life. Add your profile to the list!

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Downshifting – Changing the gears

Tired of the constant pressure of corporate life Bruce decided he no longer needed this kind of life. With no dependents he and his wife sold-up house and business and moved into a rustic coastal cottage they now call home. Turning to what they love, voluntarily dabbling in a variety of ventures of their choice and simplifying their lifestyle will be the new context in which they life and work.

In different shapes and forms, thousands are doing the same. And it is not only those with the financial muscle or those close to the end of their careers who are doing so!
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Baby boomers – are you leaving a legacy?

The front runners of the Baby Boomer generation are turning 60 and entering a whole new phase “life after 60�. But don’t expect them to maintain the status quo.
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Hokule’a sets sail

According to Wikipedia:

HÅ?kÅ«le’a is a full-scale replica of a wooden sailing vessel (Polynesian voyaging canoe) used in ancient Hawaii. Its name means “star of gladness” in Hawaiian, and the name refers to the star Arcturus, a guiding zenith star for Hawaiian navigators, which falls directly overhead at HawaiÊ»i’s latitude.

It was built in 1975 by the Polynesian Voyaging Society, and is best known for its 1976 voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti, performed without modern navigational instruments. Since then HÅ?kÅ«le’a has completed seven voyages to various destinations in Polynesia and the United States, all using ancient wayfinding techniques of celestial navigation.

Most surfers are aware of it because in it’s second voyage in 1978, Eddie Aikau was lost at sea. Our (TomorrowLeaders) interest is because of our link to the Asia Pacific Leadership Programme in Hawaii for the past 5 years. Nainoa Thompson, a Hawaiian Navigator who has led most of the voyages, is a guest lecturer in the APLP programme.

This year it sets sail once again to Micronesia and Japan and two of the students from the APLP will be on board for different parts of the voyage.

The Hokule’a is a great story to read up on. Below I’ve listed some links around the current voyage. From there the options are endless for your own voyage of discovery.

Nuf Sed

• The Honolulu Advertiser (stories around the current voyage)
• 2007 Voyages to Micronesia and Japan (a dedicated web site)
• Photo Gallery
• Latest position of the Hokule’a
• Polynesian Voyaging Society

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Cancelling an event

I’ve been promoting something to my friends which I’ve been looking forward to for some time now – Graeme’s “Mind the Gap” presentation on Feb 8th at Kyalami. I’ve seen the presentation (about how the different generations behave and think) a few times, but what I’m really looking forward to this time around is the live actors playing each generation. This has huge potential for laughs and insights – which is why I’ve asked my parents to come along too – and almost have enough people to book out a table.

But late this afternoon I received a frantic sms from Graeme – “urgent website change: see email” – and to my disappointment I see that the event has been postponed until “some time in the next few months.” I’ve posted the cancellation notice online and now will have to contact all of the people I convinced to come and say, “Sorry guys…” It’s a little embarrassing, not only for me but also for TomorrowToday.biz. I suppose not as embarrassing as trying to pull together something which is essentially “live theatre” and failing to do so in front of a crowd (I’ve heard the venue holds 500 people). I don’t know who made the decision to can it, but I’m sure it wasn’t easy. Here’s the announcement: … Continue Reading

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