Convergence of Technologies

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Convergence of Technologies:

To be aware of the Technological convergence, we have to think both about the hardware (what the machines are) and software (what it does- applicability). Today we are better connected globally with computers, mobile phones and internet. The decision making process is accelerating with big strides in "Artificial intelligence", machines. Companies are beginning to use "Artificial Intelligence" in their decision making processes. As it is computer has infiltrated in replacing skilled workforce in fields like medicine, production, law, aviation and host of other fields. It has completely transformed the old ways of working and still making profound changes in which we work and operate. The latest being the arrival of smart intelligent machines. With analytic and cloud computing as new tools, it is inevitable that these machine will take over some of the decision making process especially in hastening the speed of computing but still the input to these machines will have to be provided by the top decision makers in the government and corporate and social sectors. Companies are already outsourcing and now crowd sourcing this decision making processes via internet and social platforms and making organizations borderless.However the fact remains that the intelligent machines still have to work through the right kind of knowledge inputs from the decision makers and if the top decision makers are not aware of their responsibilities it would be garbage in and garbage out. It has become extremely important for the top decision makers to be totally aware of these new responsibilities to keep their organizations competitive. This will depend on framing right questions and inputs to the intelligent machines that can process the inputs at a lightning speed but if the inputs are inaccurate the results will be wrong and irrelevant and would do more harm than good.Decision makers will have to perceive ambiguity with more insights. The pattern recognition part can be better done by the machines, for example if you want to diagnose on eye problem the smart machines can provide you the entire mapping of vision parameters with precision and quickness. That makes diagnosis more accurate and focused. The point is that for mining the data, the questions and outcomes have to be clearly defined. The data processing needs insights to make it usable. Lot of these insights has to be picked up from the vast amount of un-mined data from external environment and social media. Higher the awareness of the decision maker better is the decision. Decision makers would need the abilities to find insights from the metadata to find the input to intelligent machines.To have insights the organizations new requirement would be to find data miners who can build on right questions to be fed to the smart machines. This is going to be a very important exercise in awareness. These data miners would allow the organization to pick up change signals at the seed level and take advantage by seeing it from a vintage point and would facilitate experimentation and planning process. Companies as a whole should be aware that in order to remain in power (command and control), the decision maker may slow down the spread of these machines since it may empower the people down the line. Such action has to be guarded against since the competitors can take advantage of this.Decision makers, like a medical doctor will have to learn to interpret the data for effectiveness. The melt down of the 2008 is a testimony to this, where most of the executives failed to understand the available data or choose not to do to save their skins. Honest and credible leaders have to fathom it out with integrity. Exceptions and the butterfly effects would be the key for better decisions making and taking appropriate speedy actions. The decisions will be more proactive rather than reactive with high level of confidence.Another area which will have to be tackled is that the algorithms and super computers can answer questions in parts, which have to be integrated as a whole to arrive at right decision and this will require human creativity and synthesis, senior executive will have to learn to thrive on ambiguity and this requires high level of both internal and external awareness.Human touch will be required to merge with the digital data as face to face human interaction produces emotional responses, which are much stronger than working online. That’s why even now; the online interaction at Skype or other interactive devices are not able to substitute fully the power of physical human interaction. Management by wandering would still be the norm and resonance with people would still give better results however the intelligence machines would be an important part of the leader’s toolkit.The key message is that all of us will have to become awareness workers and leaders.Convergence combines multiple and varied technologies into one. For example, new versions of mobile phones have cameras, video, storage, music, and GPS system and internet facilities.The role of internet has changed from exchange of information to the broadband concept of providing all kind of services and products Television, radio and newspaper have all converged into the internet system.Technological progress acts as an accelerator of convergence including mobility, analytics and cloud, digital and social network. It is making change disruptive and is a threat to the unprepared i.e. the people who lack awareness of this disruptive change process but at the same time it facilitates tremendous growth opportunities to people who can innovate in the market place.With convergence, market place is blurred as companies diversify and create new markets outside their close knitting’s. For example: mobile service provider selling music, video and books. Host of new combinations are happening every day.There are mergers within different business; retailers are linked to financial services. There are Cosmetic companies now acting as pharmaceutical companies. Mobile phones usages now cover banking, operating an intelligent home and watching videos etc.Convergence has not only empowered the consumer but has also made them more engaged by way of social media like face book, twitter and Google+ etc. It has aligned consumers’ service providers and product manufacturers under one umbrella. It creates new experience for the consumers both in the virtual and real world.

Excerpts from Alchemy of  I , you ,we and us – Leadership awareness series books :  1. Alchemy of I, you ,we and us 2. Life changing stories and poems for you 3. The power of attitudes and beliefs.                  Available at Kindle – Amazon.com, Amazon.in