Laura, Your points about economic growth and the different perspectives of the Old Guard and New Guard are important.
Japan too is a very slow growing economy, which might not be all that bad. Children, starting at a very young age, are taught the three "R's" (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). "Reduce" basically means if you don't need it, don't buy it (or even receive it). The need must be strong. This is the least expensive on the environment "Reuse" basically means when you're finished with something, find another purpose for it or give it way to someone who can use it. Reuse the second most expensive on the environment. "Recycle" of course means it should be reprocessed into a new product. Recycle the most expensive of the three. After that, wastefully throwing something away is the most costly on the environment. This all leads to lower consumption, but not necessarily a lower standard of live or happiness, as you mentioned. Regarding The Old Guard-New Guard perspectives, it reminds me very much of the problems all start-ups have when they start to become successful. The organization starts to change, but both of those perspectives should be respected. Here is that word RESPECT coming out again. I sometimes think that companies should never grow big. They should only evolve into a wide range of small Old Guard groups that handle different issues. Then, they can scale as well as being speedy. Thanks for your thoughts. Ron On Sat, Mar 25, 2017 at 2:40 AM, Brook Manville <[email protected]> wrote: > Bryan, thanks--some thought provoking comments! Maybe it's time to take > another run at defining "open"--updating the concept in light of some of > these conversations, and your several points? Do all our Ambassadors hold > today to a common definition? (Could be buried in some other thoughtful > email string that I missed--if so, mea culpa). > > Regards > > On Fri, Mar 24, 2017 at 12:17 PM, Bryan Behrenshausen <[email protected] > > wrote: > >> Very engaging discussion, and thanks to Brook for kicking it off with an >> example of "open" in the vernacular. These are the best places for us to >> "go to work" and assess what's happening around "openness." I've enjoyed >> reading everyone's responses. Just a few thoughts here. >> >> >From the article: >> >> > The flip side of cohesion is exclusion. The consequence of exclusion >> is decline. >> >> Pithy statements like these are always appealing and fun to read (let >> alone write!), but I doubt issues of identity and difference (to which I >> think cultural "cohesion" is indebted) are so easily reducible to bytes >> like that. >> >> For example, I think one could just as easily make the argument that >> cultures of openness require "exclusionary" practices to _remain_ open >> (might we say the GPL is exclusionary to the extent that it disallows >> certain practices—namely, practices that involve _not_ giving back?). In >> this case (and likely others), one could just as easily argue that the >> consequence of exclusion is not "decline" (if the goal is the >> propagation of, say, freely-licensed code), but a certain type of >> flourishing. It cuts both ways. >> >> Some theories of identity expressly contend that identity is _nothing_ >> but the series of exclusionary differences one is able to make ("I know >> who/what I am because I am _not_ this, _not_ that, _not_ this other >> thing, etc.), and so exclusion is part and parcel of _any_ type of >> identity formation—including the identity of a thing we call "openness." >> Therefore (echoing Huiren here), to say that "openness" is simply >> analogous to "without borders" is incorrect, because the very identity >> of openness itself is predicated on exclusionary practices (all those >> things people juxtapose with openness to give it meaning—like "closed," >> "proprietary," "authoritarian"—pick your favorite). >> >> "Organizational cultures" are no different. I just read a call to drop >> the term entirely [1], but I don't know as I'd go that far (I do think >> it's necessary for naming the thing that we produce through these >> boundary-drawing practices). At any rate, I get the sense that the "old >> guard/new guard" (thanks, Laura and Sam!) dynamic owes something to the >> way people tend to parse "culture" and "behavior." The former is broader >> than the latter, but the latter is what perpetuates the former. >> Nevertheless, because the latter is observable (while the former is much >> more abstract), people tend to use it as a barometer of "the cultural >> situation" in an organization—they see people doing things that "aren't >> like we do them here," and assume some difference in "cultural values." >> But values find expression in multiple, nuanced, and ever-changing ways. >> So the complexity here is key for understanding what people tend to be >> worried about when they start wringing their hands over a supposed "loss >> of culture." >> >> Thanks for good reading and discussion on a bleak and overcast Friday >> here in Raleigh. >> >> Bryan >> >> [1] https://hbr.org/2015/04/why-company-culture-is-a-misleading-term >> >> >> >> On 03/24/2017 10:49 AM, Sam Knuth wrote: >> > Thanks Laura - on the grow vs. shrink and die piece, I don't disagree >> > with you at all. What I mean is that within the system we have of >> > publicly traded companies (speaking of our organization specifically), >> > that's the paradigm that is established. I think we could have a very >> > interesting (and long!) discussion on this topic >> > >> > -Sam >> > >> > On Fri, Mar 24, 2017 at 9:40 AM, Laura Hilliger <[email protected] >> > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >> > >> > Interesting discussion. I think this: >> > >> > "The driving truth is that if we don't grow, we will shrink and >> die.” >> > >> > and this >> > >> > "The average rate of GDP growth in countries with shrinking >> > working-age populations is */only/* 1.5%.” (Emphasis mine) >> > >> > are misnomers. This idea “growth is good" is aggressively promoted >> > because the economic systems that support it (e.g. systems based on >> > consumerism), depend on growth as a metric for success. What it >> > doesn’t take into account is the happiness and well-being of the >> > people inside the system. It’s been generally established that >> > countries with lower GDP have equal or higher levels of happiness >> > compared with countries with high GDP. If we had data(!) we could >> > start looking at this at an organizational level. >> > >> > Greenpeace is doing a research and strategy around mindsets that are >> > prevalent in our society. The “infinite growth is possible and good” >> > mind set is one that the ecological movement is desperately trying >> > to change as the growth-driven consumerism is the root cause of >> > almost all environmental issues. Maybe it’s better to say “If we >> > don’t change, we will shrink and die.” Even that might depend – if >> > you think about tribal cultures that stayed the same way for >> > hundreds and hundreds of years, only to die out when change was >> > introduced. >> > >> > None of this is a dichotomy, of course. We’re a group of people who >> > are hyper aware of the nuance (this pleases me :) >> > >> > Rands wrote an article in 2014 that I’ve shared a thousand times. >> > It’s specifically about cultural identity, the shifting of culture >> > when new people are introduced, and the fear that can elicit – He >> > called it “Old Guard, New Guard”. >> > >> > http://randsinrepose.com/archives/the-old-guard/ >> > <http://randsinrepose.com/archives/the-old-guard/> >> > >> > —laura >> > >> > Laura Hilliger >> > Zythepsary (part of the We Are Open Co-op <http://weareopen.coop>) >> > @epilepticrabbit <http://twitter.com/epilepticrabbit> >> > >> > >> > >> >> On Mar 24, 2017, at 12:44 PM, Sam Knuth <[email protected] >> >> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >> >> >> >> Thank you, Brook for keeping us engaged with deep topics! >> >> >> >> I like the comparison/contrast of our work on "open" culture with >> >> what's happening in the global political climate right now. I'm >> >> surprised I hadn't made this connection myself now that I think >> >> about it. I see a lot of parallels. Working in an organization >> >> that has been "open" since its founding, it does become part of >> >> the identity of the people working in the organization. But, as >> >> the organization grows, and welcomes more and more new people >> >> ("immigrants" - never made that analogy before), we see a lot of >> >> fears among some that our culture will change or will become "like >> >> them" instead of "them" becoming "like us". Other people welcome >> >> the newcomers and embrace what we can learn from them, accepting >> >> that how we've always done things might not be the best way. The >> >> driving truth is that if we don't grow, we will shrink and die. In >> >> a company, it's easier to convince people of this truth, and >> >> people can more easily leave if they really don't like the >> >> direction we're heading (whereas as much as liberal American's >> >> joke about moving to Canada, doing so is actually quite difficult). >> >> >> >> As I'm writing this and thinking about the comparison, I'm seeing >> >> a lot of similar challenges but not easy answers or ways to apply >> >> our learnings to broader society or public policy at a national >> >> level. My personal feeling here is that looking at this kind of >> >> data doesn't sway people. Companies, I think, are much more >> >> receptive to convincing data than citizens. It's more about how >> >> people feel in relation to deeply ingrained cultural identity. >> >> Those feelings are so strong that they result in the election of >> >> leaders who take an extreme stance on one end of the spectrum or >> >> the other. >> >> >> >> Great food for thought! >> >> >> >> Sam >> >> >> >> On Thu, Mar 23, 2017 at 10:01 AM, Brook Manville >> >> <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> >> wrote: >> >> >> >> Dear Open enthusiasts....recent opinion piece in WSJ by >> >> columnist Bret Stephens caught my eye (below)--talking about >> >> immigration, open borders, greater diversity and innovation; >> >> and imply such things should be more part of today's policy >> >> debates (but aren't). There are some "meta" themes about >> >> "open" at the national level that might deserve more attention >> >> among us. At a minimum, it makes for some interesting compare >> >> and contrast discussion, e.g. how much of the culture-building >> >> implied by best open organizations should be/could be applied >> >> to a nation's public policy? What is the data about innovation >> >> and other measures of "good" between companies that are more >> >> open versus those that are less? etc...Regards >> >> >> >> >> >> Other People’s Babies’ >> >> >> >> >> >> If the U.S. slipped into demographic decline like Japan, >> >> it would tear itself apart. >> >> >> >> Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with President Trump in >> >> West Palm Beach, Fla., Feb. 10. >> >> Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with President Trump in >> >> West Palm Beach, Fla., Feb. 10. PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS >> >> <https://www.wsj.com/articles/other-peoples-babies-1490050955> >> >> By >> >> BRET STEPHENS >> >> March 20, 2017 7:02 p.m. ET >> >> 786 COMMENTS >> >> <https://www.wsj.com/articles/other-peoples-babies- >> 1490050955#livefyre-toggle-SB10780801779306074119304583034393448048174> >> >> >> >> /Tokyo/ >> >> >> >> Japan is an excellent place to test the proposition that >> >> countries do better with low levels of immigration. In a land >> >> of 127 million people, there are just over two million foreign >> >> residents, and only a third of them are here for the long >> >> term. The number of illegal immigrants, which peaked at a >> >> modest 300,000 in the early 1990s, is down by 80%. >> >> >> >> As for refugees, in 2016, Tokyo entertained 10,000 requests >> >> <http://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20170211/p2g/00m/0dm/0 >> 08000c> for >> >> asylum. It accepted a grand total of 28. Steve Bannon would >> smile. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> The result, say immigration restrictionists, is plain to see. >> >> Japan’s crime and drug-use rates are famously low. Life >> >> expectancy is famously high. Japanese students put their >> >> American peers to shame on international tests. The >> >> unemployment rate clocks in at 3.1%. All this is supposed to >> >> be a function of a homogenous society with a high degree of >> >> cultural cohesion—the antithesis of cacophonous, multiethnic >> >> America. >> >> >> >> Just one problem: The Japanese have lost their appetite for >> >> reproduction. To steal a line from Steve King, the GOP >> >> congressman from Iowa, the only way they can save their >> >> civilization is with “somebody else’s babies.” >> >> >> >> Japan’s population shrank by nearly a million between 2010 and >> >> 2015, the first absolute decline since census-taking began in >> >> the 1920s. On current trend >> >> <http://www.ipss.go.jp/site-ad/index_english/esuikei/gh2401 >> e.asp> the >> >> population will fall to 97 million by the middle of the >> >> century. Barely 10% of Japanese will be children. The rest of >> >> the population will divide almost evenly between working-age >> >> adults and the elderly. >> >> >> >> Imagine yourself as a 35-year-old Japanese salary man. You can >> >> expect that an ever-larger share of your paycheck will go to >> >> the government to fund the pensions and health care of your >> >> parents—who, at 70, can reasonably expect to live another 10 >> >> or 15 years, and who aren’t likely to vote for politicians >> >> promising to strip their entitlements. >> >> >> >> Being Japanese, you were raised to make financial sacrifices >> >> for your elders, even if it means not having children of your >> >> own. Besides, it’s hard to want children with the economy in >> >> such bad shape. As Morgan Stanley >> >> <http://quotes.wsj.com/MS>’s Ruchir Sharma has noted >> >> <https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/world/2016-02-15/d >> emographics-stagnation>, >> >> lousy demographics mean a lousy economy: The average rate of >> >> GDP growth in countries with shrinking working-age populations >> >> is only 1.5%. In 2016, Japan’s growth rate was 1%—and that was >> >> a relatively good year by recent standards. >> >> >> >> What if the government paid you to have babies? Alas, along >> >> with millions of your countrymen, you suffer from what the >> >> Japanese call >> >> <https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/20/young-people >> -japan-stopped-having-sex> “celibacy >> >> syndrome” and aren’t interested in sex, never mind >> >> procreation. You’re also unhappy: In 2016, Japan ranked 53rd >> >> on the U.N.’s World Happiness Report, a notch above Kazakhstan >> >> but below El Salvador and Uzbekistan. >> >> >> >> So Japan is in trouble, and the government knows it. Prime >> >> Minister Shinzo Abe has tinkered with formulas to bring in >> >> lower-skilled temporary workers for housecleaning and farm >> >> jobs, and he has promoted various tax breaks and subsidies to >> >> ease the burden of raising children and caring for aging >> parents. >> >> >> >> But whatever their other benefits, “pro-family” policies won’t >> >> reverse the demographic trend. Only large-scale immigration >> >> can do that, and the Japanese won’t countenance it. The flip >> >> side of cohesion is exclusion. The consequence of exclusion is >> >> decline. >> >> >> >> Which brings us back to Mr. King and the U.S. immigration >> >> debates. A decade ago, America’s fertility rate, at 2.12 >> >> children for every woman, was just above the replacement rate. >> >> That meant there could be modest population growth without >> >> immigration. But the fertility rate has since fallen: It’s now >> >> below replacement and at an all-time low >> >> <http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2016/06/07/behind-the- >> ongoing-u-s-baby-bust-in-5-charts/>. >> >> >> >> Without immigration, our demographic destiny would become >> >> Japanese. But our culture wouldn’t, leaving us with the worst >> >> of both worlds: economic stagnation without social stability. >> >> Multiethnic America would tear itself to pieces fighting over >> >> redistribution rights to the shrinking national pie. >> >> >> >> This doesn’t have to be our fate. Though it may be news to Mr. >> >> King, immigrants aren’t a threat to American civilization. >> >> They are our civilization—bearers of a forward-looking notion >> >> of identity based on what people wish to become, not who they >> >> once were. Among those immigrants are 30% of all American >> >> Nobel Prize winners and the founders of 90 of our Fortune 500 >> >> companies—a figure that more than doubles when you include >> >> companies founded by the children of immigrants. If >> >> immigration means change, it forces dynamism. America is >> >> literally unimaginable without it. >> >> >> >> Every virtue has its defect and vice versa. The Japanese are >> >> in the process of discovering that the social values that once >> >> helped launch their development—loyalty, self-sacrifice, >> >> harmony—now inhibit it. Americans may need reminding that the >> >> culture of openness about which conservatives so often >> >> complain is our abiding strength. Openness to different ideas, >> >> foreign goods and new people. And their babies—who, whatever >> >> else Mr. King might think, are also made in God’s image. >> >> >> >> /Write [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>./ >> >> >> >> >> >> On Thu, Mar 23, 2017 at 8:10 AM, Bryan Behrenshausen >> >> <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >> >> >> >> ### Editor's Note ### >> >> >> >> Hi, friends! It's been another exciting, whirlwind week >> >> here in OpenOrg >> >> Land. Yesterday, we announced the next book in the Open >> >> Organization >> >> book series—this one devoted to open principles in the IT >> >> organization. >> >> We're building it the open source way, and (if you missed >> the >> >> announcement) you can see the links below for more details >> >> about getting >> >> involved. >> >> >> >> Today we're publishing the second half of Ajinkya Pawar's >> >> two-part >> >> series on open agencies. In this article, Ajinkya lays out >> >> a concrete >> >> and specific plan for creating the agency of the future. >> >> >> >> –B >> >> >> >> ### New Today ### >> >> >> >> Ajinkya Pawar: What does an ad agency's source code look >> like? >> >> >> >> https://opensource.com/open-o >> rganization/17/3/how-build-open-ad-agency >> >> <https://opensource.com/open- >> organization/17/3/how-build-open-ad-agency> >> >> >> >> red.ht/2o855Xy <http://red.ht/2o855Xy> >> >> >> >> Sample social media: >> >> >> >> If an ad agency is to go open source, then what's its >> >> source code? >> >> @thejinxedone red.ht/2o855Xy <http://red.ht/2o855Xy> >> >> #TheOpenOrg >> >> >> >> .@thejinxedone explains exactly how to build an open ad >> >> agency. What are >> >> you waiting for? red.ht/2o855Xy <http://red.ht/2o855Xy> >> >> #TheOpenOrg >> >> >> >> .@thejinxedone with five benefits to turning your ad >> >> agency into >> >> #TheOpenOrg: red.ht/2o855Xy <http://red.ht/2o855Xy> >> >> >> >> >> >> ### Previously Published ### >> >> >> >> Bryan Behrenshausen: "Help us write the next IT culture >> book" >> >> >> >> https://opensource.com/open-o >> rganization/17/3/announcing-it-culture-book >> >> <https://opensource.com/open- >> organization/17/3/announcing-it-culture-book> >> >> >> >> red.ht/2nmnfYB <http://red.ht/2nmnfYB> >> >> >> >> First day page views: 157 >> >> >> >> Sample social media: >> >> >> >> Help us write the next great book on IT culture—in the >> open: >> >> red.ht/2nmnfYB <http://red.ht/2nmnfYB> #TheOpenOrg >> >> >> >> We're writing a book at the intersection of #TheOpenOrg >> >> and #IT culture. >> >> You can help: red.ht/2nmnfYB <http://red.ht/2nmnfYB> >> >> >> >> The next book in #TheOpenOrg book series is under active >> >> development. >> >> Pull requests welcome: red.ht/2nmnfYB < >> http://red.ht/2nmnfYB> >> >> >> >> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= >> >> >> >> Simon Phipps: "7 ways to discuss legal matters with an >> >> open community" >> >> >> >> https://opensource.com/open-o >> rganization/17/3/legal-matters-community >> >> <https://opensource.com/open- >> organization/17/3/legal-matters-community> >> >> >> >> First day page views: 131 >> >> >> >> ### Site Stats ### >> >> >> >> Page views yesterday: 753 >> >> Total page views for the month: 12,213 >> >> Page views from newsletter: 106 >> >> >> >> Leaders Manual downloads: 5 >> >> Leaders Manual downloads for the month: 71 >> >> >> >> Catalyst-In-Chief downloads: 4 >> >> Total Catalyst-In-Chief downloads for the month: 30 >> >> >> >> Field Guide downloads: 2 >> >> Total Field Guide downloads for the month: 37 >> >> >> >> ### Social Media Stats ### >> >> >> >> @TheOpenOrg Twitter followers: 3,918 (+1) >> >> @JWhitehurst Twitter followers: 15,204 (+2) >> >> Facebook likes: 526 (+0) >> >> >> >> ### Full Daily Stats ### >> >> >> >> https://docs.google.com/sprea >> dsheets/d/196RzNrhAiHRBcZHtrDYYKy0I9m8Bqa67K9OOPbDxuME/edit? >> pli=1#gid=46325027 >> >> <https://docs.google.com/spre >> adsheets/d/196RzNrhAiHRBcZHtrDYYKy0I9m8Bqa67K9OOPbDxuME/ >> edit?pli=1#gid=46325027> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Openorg-list mailing list >> >> [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >> >> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/openorg-list >> >> <https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/openorg-list> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> >> */Brook Manville/**/ >> >> Principal, Brook Manville LLC/* >> >> >> >> */http://www.brookmanville.com//* >> >> /Twitter/ <https://twitter.com/> /@brookmanville >> >> / >> >> /blogging at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/brookmanville/ >> >> <http://www.forbes.com/sites/brookmanville/>/ >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Openorg-list mailing list >> >> [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >> >> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/openorg-list >> >> <https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/openorg-list> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> >> Sam Knuth >> >> Director, Customer Content Services >> >> Red Hat, Inc >> >> Mobile: +1 612-840-1785 <tel:(612)%20840-1785> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Openorg-list mailing list >> >> [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >> >> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/openorg-list >> >> <https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/openorg-list> >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > -- >> > Sam Knuth >> > Director, Customer Content Services >> > Red Hat, Inc >> > Mobile: +1 612-840-1785 >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Openorg-list mailing list >> > [email protected] >> > https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/openorg-list >> > >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Openorg-list mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/openorg-list >> > > > > -- > *Brook Manville* > *Principal, Brook Manville LLC* > > *http://www.brookmanville.com/ <http://www.brookmanville.com/>* > *Twitter* <https://twitter.com/> > *@brookmanville* > *blogging at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/brookmanville/ > <http://www.forbes.com/sites/brookmanville/>* > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Openorg-list mailing list > [email protected] > https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/openorg-list > >
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