Beyond Creativity

Mass-Customization MCPC2009 + EMF & Health Business in Drucker framework

The 5th World Conference on Mass Customization & Personalization (MCPC2009) will be arranged between 4th-8th October 2009 in Helsinki, Finland. This conference gathers together a nice mixture of people (architects, business executives, designers, artists, researchers, etc). What I like in this year's MCPC, is the ability to co-create and customise the actual conference with a toolkit! During the years, I have tried to stay tuned what is happening in this fascinating mass-customization scene [1].

If you are curious about this mass-customisation and personalisation area, I recommend the blog of professor Frank Piller. Frank always has interesting things going on and he is good in telling business stories :-)

My presentation and paper in this year's MCPC2009 Conference is called:

"Sources of Innovative Opportunity and Mass-Customization
 – An Analysis of EMF & Health Business Area"

Abstract (updated): "Systematic innovation means monitoring changes in existing business structures and early entrepreneurs often take risks in entering a new business area. Therefore, the Seven Sources of Innovative Opportunity, an innovation monitoring framework from Peter Drucker is presented. Within this paper we investigate how this framework is related to mass-customization and personalization. First we test this framework in real context by evaluating three health product companies and their innovation activities. These companies operate in a new business area called the EMF (Electro-Magnetic Fields) and Health. Recently, several scientists, governments and the European Parliament have emphasized precautionary principle and indicated health risks in mobile phones, base stations and other technologies. At the same time authorities and standard setting bodies (like ICNIRP, IEEE and WHO) have not officially recognized such risks. This tension provides a starting point for the evaluation. At the end of this paper we discuss how crowdsourcing and mass-customization toolkits could be utilized more effectively by entrepreneurs. Open innovation paradigm and the challenges in knowledge brokering in R&D are also introduced."

Update 4th October  2009: A draft of my paper in PDF format can be found here. The presentation in the MCPC2009 will take place on Tuesday, 6th of October 2009, starting at 13:45.

Update 19th October 2009: An interesting concept was mentioned in the MCPC2009: Continuous Innovation. This happened in Joseph Pine 's presentation:"Future of mass customization". I need to focus on this in the future.

Comments about the paper or about the conference are welcome!

ITK 2009 Hämeenlinna and Environmental BioIndicators Moscow -conferences

In 2 conferences I will talk about healthier, more sustainable practices in using educational technologies:

1. Mobiilioppiminen – miten mahdolliset terveysriskit vaikuttavat
opetuksen käytäntöihin

[Mobile learning - What kind of impact do health risks have on educational practices]

 

Together with professor in physiology, Osmo Hänninen and with researcher Antti Syvänen.

On Thursday, 23th April 2009 at the ITK-Conference, Interaktiivinen Tekniikka Koulutuksessa, Hämeenlinna, Aulanko, Finland.

Esitysrunko + Lataa koko ITK-esitys, päivitetty versio 17.5.2009 klo 8:45.

2.  Schools, Wireless Technologies and Health Risks - How to Minimise Radiation Exposure

In the 17th International Conference on Environmental BioIndicators

 

On 17th-22nd May 2009 in Moscow, Russia

Abstract (draft)

In this presentation I will also discuss about mobile phone base stations and their proper siting.

It will be great to meet (again) professors Oleg and Yuri Grigoriev in Moscow from the RNCNIRP (Russian National Committee on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection) :-)  Please, check the latest recommendations of RNCNIRP in English: [1],[2].

What is your opinion: Are health risks of children properly addressed in today's schools? Do you happen to know good educational practices to reduce microwave exposure?

Deezer - Social Media Service for Music

Quite often I have talks and presentations about Open Innovation and Crowdsourcing. The Deezer service is a good example of users recommending content and remixing content. In that sense Deezer is a basic example of Social Media as well. Try it:

My earlier favourite: Musicovery. Waiting for an invitation to Spotify ;-)

With Deezer I will be curious to:

A) add my own music to service (as MP3s)
 
B) add friends to my profile and see how the recommendation part works.

C) sing karaoke through it (just kidding/dreaming :)

Wikis & 3D-Worlds - Better eLearning and Collaboration tools?

What does telepresence mean in wikis? Or should wikis just remain asyncronous, text-based, tabula rasa -type of collaboration platforms?

Ever since we had this Virtual Reality seminar in Galway, I have been wondering how to create meaningful collaboration within Second Life. Those SL-tools seem to be superficial for that.

An integrated wiki approach might  be more interesting, especially for large-scale planning projects. A promising start - Wikitecture:

"Having conducted a number of experiments over the last year into the feasibility of applying an open-source paradigm to the practice of architecture, the Studio Wikitecture group developed a 3D-Wiki plug-in on the virtual reality platform, Second Life, that they used to help build consensus among the numerous contributors in this open-source project. 

The ‘Wiki-Tree’ as it was called, acted as a version tracking system that worked very much like a conventional Wiki, but instead of tracking text documents in a linear history as you see in Wikipedia, the ‘Wiki-Tree’ tracked versions of 3-dimensional models and saved them within a continually evolving 3-dimensional digital tree ‘canopy’.  Similar to Wikipedia, this 3D-Wiki allowed this loose, self-organized group of contributors to share ideas, edit the contributions of others, and vote on which design iterations should be considered for further refinement."

This is one area I am curious to check in the Online Educa Berlin -conference in December 2008 ;-)

In Online Educa, Berlin - Healthier Wireless Practices in Schools

(Please, click the programme to enlarge it)

Update: The slide set is now available through SlideShare:

Wireless Systems and Health Risks - Implications for Pedagogical and Educational Practices

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: health risk)

Update 16th December 2008: My session will be was in Berlin on Friday 5th December 2008 between 4:30-6:00 p.m. Not the best time slot, but I could live with it. Especially the teachers and headmasters in the audience were asking about safer ways to implement wireless technologies in schools. The problem seems to be that wireless technologies are installed in schools (almost automatically) in many countries and only afterwards the discussion about health risks takes place. Maybe this discussion should take place beforehand?!?

The original introduction paper: Download ahonen_abstract_online_educa_berlin.pdf

Glad to talk about the topic  .... before, during or after the conference!

Depression and violence - What role does EMF play?

The tragedy in Jokela and Kauhajoki has made many people ask: What's wrong with Finland?

As a Finn, I can not totally ignore these terrible incidents :-(

So, where do increased depression, sleep problems and violence come from?

With Ed (Edward) Dutton I have had good thought exchange about the origins of  Finnish violence. We both agreed that there are some "in-born" factors in every society.

BUT, I don't believe that "Bad Genes", "High expectations", "Computer games" or "Historically Depressed Finns" are sufficient explanations.

Please, let me provide you an Alternative Explanation related to EMF (Electromagnetic Fields):

1. Mobile Phone aka Cell phone :

- The use of mobile phones may have an effect on dopamine-opiate system of the brain.

- Exposure to pulse-modulated radio frequency electromagnetic fields most likely affects regional cerebral blood flow

- Especially the pulse-modulated radiation has an effect on concentration, cognition and memory.

Point: Mobile phones should not be pressed against head or body. And most of the time the mobile phone aka 'The Gradual Depressor' should be switched off. Children are in particular risk.

2. Base stations aka Cell towers:

- The 'Microwave syndrome' may explain also depression close to base stations.

- The pulsed and UMTS-modulated radiation may affect melatonin production and immunity system.

- A possible effect on youngsters' suicidal behaviour in a certain area was discussed in the UK.

- In nature heavy exposure to EMF creates aggressive and suicidal behaviour in animals and insects.

- To my understanding, the publications about EMF, basestations and health can not be neglected by decision makers.

Point: The output power is too strong in base stations. The mobile phone needs less than 1 uW/m2 to operate fully. Currently in many European households the radiation power density levels originating from base stations are in hundreds or thousands of uW/m2.

3. Power lines and electrical wiring:

- What has been shown in earlier research, heavy exposure to low-level EMF may cause depression.

- Especially melatonin production is in risk.

- Living too close to a power-line may cause adverse health effects

- Dirty electricity with transients causes unexpected consequences in homes and workplaces

- Update 4th October: Chargers, transformers and other electrical appliances in bedroom may heavily affect sleep and well-being.

- Typical households have many 'spots' that could be improved with simple changes (see the pictures in the Austrian document).

Point: Houses should not be too close to powerlines. Additionally, the electrical wiring and grounding should be installed better in homes and offices.

What I am saying: Exposure to EMF does not fully explain violent behaviour or depression. But, it may play a surprising role in the incidents.

Please, provide a comment to a Finn ;-)

Del.icio.us - Let's get networked

My favourite Internet service has a new skin and functionalities:

Please, send me your del.icio.us -page and I will link you to my network of friends.

Update 28th September 2008: You can follow my tagging in real time at:

http://delicious.com/IsoRee

I consider Del.icio.us as the Best Tacit Knowledge Management Service of Internet. This newest version has still some buttons-related bugs, but I still like it.

You are welcome to comment and dis/agree with me ;-)

   

Sustainable Wireless Information Systems

After working years at the carrier (teleoperator) and in various mobile platform R&D projects,   I started to see things differently.

The next paper is my first attempt to integrate my interest in EMF / health topics to my information systems research work.

This paper is called "Sustainable Wireless Computing - Designing Public Information Systems to Reduce Radiation Exposure ".

It will be presented and discussed at:

IRIS31 - The 31st Information Systems Research Seminar in Scandinavia in Åre, Sweden

Abstract:

"Wireless devices enable place independent communication and thus provide usability advantages. Often WiFi hot spots and mobile phone base stations are installed without proper discussion about health implications. Similarly, there is seldom discussion where it is allowed to use wireless devices.

The electromagnetic fields and microwaves related possible health risks are illustrated in this paper through research findings and radiation measurements.

The research question here is, how wireless information systems can be implemented risk-free in public organisations like schools and libraries.

The design research methodology is utilised and design rules are implied. In the conclusions chapter some practices to reduce radiation exposure are suggested."

PDF: Dowload the full paper.

Since my research is incomplete (at early stages), comments and improvement suggestions welcome :-)

Why ’Beyond Creativity’ ?

Some of my friends and my readers have been asking me:

Why is this blog called Beyond Creativity?

 

There are reasons:

• Integrating creativity and innovation. I still feel that people oriented creativity research is separate from processes oriented innovation research. These communities should discuss more with each other. I have tried to provide a forum for that.

• Responsibility. In April 2007 I was invited by Elizabeth Churchill to a breakfast in Berkeley, California. This breakfast was arranged by the Hillside Club. Karl Fogel and Jeff Ubois were there and they had a discussion topic of the day ”Is innovation really a positive thing?”. First I was amazed about this question. During the following months I started to see how irresponsible some organisations are in their innovation practices. For example, my EMF-thread describes how risky products are launched untested to customers and how  some firms are shifting their responsibility to crowds through open source and open innovation platforms.

• Critics to creativity buzz. I have always been a bit sceptical about these left-right brain creativity techniques. Therefore, I have tried to provide alternative discussion. Sometimes I even get tired both innovation and creativity ;-)   

• Spiritual dimension. As a long-time practitioner of meditation, I see that meditation is a creative-thinking skill (as mentioned by Amabile) and is similar to reflection in adult education research field. At the same time, I have been sceptical about the religious and mind-bending sects in this area. See also my Strategic Intuition book review.

You will determine how well the name of this blog describes its content.

Comments welcome.   

Gatekeepers in the Innovation Process

In ECIS Galway in June 2008 Eoin Whelan and I will have a following session:

"Knowledge Diffusion in R&D Groups: The Impact of Internet Technologies"

Abstract:

Knowledge flows are the lifeblood of any R&D organisation. These firms are increasingly
discovering that the knowledge they require is often located beyond their boundaries. In this paper, we investigate how R&D groups acquire and diffuse external knowledge and the role Internet technologies play in this process.

The focus of our study is on the technological gatekeeper. Previous studies have found that gatekeepers are key nodes in the innovation process. These sporadic individuals have the skills to identify useful knowledge outside the firm and disseminate this among their local colleagues.

However, much of the seminal gatekeeper research has been conducted over two decades ago. In the time since, there have been huge advances in ICT and especially Internet technologies. These technologies have dramatically altered how knowledge workers source and share their information. Our objective is to advance the gatekeeper theory into an era where the knowledge worker is saturated with information. Using case study methods, we examine knowledge flows in the R&D group of an Irish medical devices firm.

Our results indicate that due to advances in Internet technology, the traditional gatekeeper no longer exists to any great extent. Instead, the modern R&D lab acquires and diffuses external knowledge through a combination of a ‘web gatekeeper’ and a
‘knowledge transformer.’

You are welcome to participate the session or comment the topic beforehand !