TWC - Session 6

The topic for last class was Biobusiness Revolution. We discussed the various opportunity areas under Biobusiness Revolution and its importance in today’s day and age. Biobusiness is subdivided into categories- Biomedical, Environmental and Industrial, and Agri-Veterinary and Food. As a whole, Biobusiness constitutes more than 25% of the Global GDP.

Biobusiness not only enhances the financial health of an economy but also helps the society in many ways. One of the major problems in developing countries is the poor healthcare facilities. Healthcare and Biomedical Science revolution helps tremendously in not only providing cures to diseases that previously were incurable but also making these medical facilities affordable to the poor. Even developing countries like the US face healthcare problems due to obesity. Nearly 34 percent of adults are obese, more than double the percentage 30 years ago. The share of obese children tripled during that time, to 17 percent.  Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes, and hence is a serious problem which needs to be tackled. Healthcare revolution focuses on prevention rather than cure. It follows the preventive approach.  We also watched a video that focused on this topic.

Biobusiness is our best hope for achieving sustainable development. It has and will aid economic growth and development.

I would rate this session 8/10. 

TWC - Session 5

In this class we discussed about ICT and the impact it had on peoples lives. This class in particular was very interesting since I could directly relate to the kind of impact ICT has had people.  As prof rightly put it, ICT is the catalyst that facilitates the knowledge revolution. It not only exposes each individual to a wealth of knowledge but also makes it easier to share information/knowledge with the rest of the world. The internet is now a part and parcel of our lives, and imagining a life without it would be impossible.

The topics we discussed included the different types of ICT, the advantages of it, as well as the negative impact it had on people. After which we spoke about the application of it in healthcare, agriculture and providing for modern democracy. We also discussed how it played an important role in world change. ICT has helped in collapsing borders across the world.  It not only helps individuals communicate with one another on a day to day basis, but also helps firms/businesses increase their efficiency. 

What I particularly liked about this class is that we not only focused on the impact ICT has on middle class/high class individuals,living in developed nations, but also the people in underdeveloped places. I would rate this class a 9.

An interesting idea that came to mind was how Cloud Computing could enable social entrepreneurship. While reading about social entrepreneurship for a community service briefing, it struck me how difficult it is to start businesses which help social development and growth. Cloud Computing is an application which could actually aid the growth of these businesses. I would have liked to talk more about the link between ICT and social entrepreneurship , especially in the context of Cloud Computing. 

TWC - Session 3

In this class we spoke about Sustainable Industrial Development. Economies/Firms not only focused on Economic Development but also environmental well being. We discussed how gradually countries/ economies were moving from a ‘linear model’ to a more ‘circular model’, taking into consideration not only private costs/ benefits, but externalities too.

We learnt about the IPP toolbox which consisted of ways and means adopted to provide an incentive for firms/countries to take into consideration external costs/benefits too. We discovered that an average American citizen consumed 75 times the energy an average Indian/Chinese consumed! If this continued, we would end up exploiting all our non-renewable resources, having left none for the future generations. Developing economies like that of India/ China are taking into consideration the social costs/benefits, rather than just the Private Costs/ benefits.

The first presentation was about Green tech and Industrial development in India and China. It explored the measures India and China are taking to ensure sustainable development. The second presentation was about Sustainable Development, Indian perspective. A question that we were faced with was why developed countries should help developing countries with technical aid. Many of these countries give aid only because they get something in return, for example a release of barriers of protection. Usually, these aids are with strings attached. I wish we discussed this in detail during class. Most countries don’t help due to moral obligation, but due to self motive.

I’d rate this class 9 out of 10. The topics discussed were of present day concern. The presentations were all to the point and informative.