A new world order

I feel like I have been a hermit in SAP Nation for the last couple of years. Not exactly, have plenty of travel expenses which prove otherwise, but in the last month, I have become aware of massive global changes in the last few years that are about to accelerate.

There is the recent sight of the Indian and the Chinese premiers visiting Silicon Valley and Redmond respectively. Their priorities have changed – no longer just wooing offshored commodity IT and manufacturing, but with far more ambitious technology visions. There’s the CEO of Daimler Dieter Zetsche who recently said “We do not plan to become the Foxconn of Apple.” Too late as Foxconn has already becoming a major supplier to the Chinese electric car economy. There’s BusinessWeek talking about how the legendary German Mittelstand ‘s big threat may come from Silicon Valley, not just Chinese or other low cost manufacturing.

My trip to Singapore and an upcoming one to Dubai – each after two decades. Each shows the stunning reality of well-run urban settings. I flew into NYC JFK this week. It has been my gateway for most of my trips to over 50 countries. But this time I got to explore the Delta, Jetblue and train infrastructure there. Remarkable the evolution, and still not as dramatic as those I saw at Changi in Singapore. I got to walk across Times Square and midtown Manhattan as the city awaited the arrival of the Pope. The accents and the ethnic shops seemed way more varied than usual.

Wired magazine takes the promise of better urban settings a step further in its latest issue  

High tech materials, sensor networks, new science, and better data are all letting architects, designers, and planners work smarter and more precisely. Cities are getting more environmentally sound, more fun, and more beautiful. And just in time, because today more human beings live in cities than not.

I reconnected with a cousin who makes me look like an amateur traveler – he has been to over hundred countries. Every time I see him, I am reminded how small the world has become. 

The week, I will be at GE’s Mind+Machines event. Last year I got  to have lunch with a Chief Pilot of AirAsia. Sure this time there will other people/places on display which showcase its wind turbines, aircraft engines, locomotives and other industrial equipment which are helping different parts of the world run better.

If you don’t like change and listen to our politicians talk about Syria and Iran and you can easily feel gloomy about the world.

This blog thrives on technology enabled disruption. To me, the world feels inviting again.