Top Management Story

Writen by Cameron Switzer

The book I am reading, "The World is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman, talks all about how technology since 1991 has dramatically and radically ripped asunder and irrevocably changed the face of the globe. It has opened everything up to new potential never-before imagined. Especially since about the year 2000, things have begun changing so fast that people and companies are now able to do things that they never could have dreamed of "just a few years ago". It is all happening so fast, in fact, that it is almost impossible to keep up with the changes. But, says Friedman, you must keep up otherwise you lose your advantage and the other three billion people out there who have just recently come online, will walk all over you until you cease to exist.

He is so right.

So much has changed so dramatically that the old way of doing business will likely lead to death of that business if I.T. is not embraced completely.

We as human beings no expect so much more for so much less. We want it faster, deeper and cheaper than ever before. In effect we want to eat the whole pie and have it to. This I.T. world has changed us to the point that our wants have become our needs and our expectations have skyrocketed.

BUT....

Today when I went to give my Year End Greetings to a company that I buy product from and respect greatly as a friend, the president came out to my car and said to me something that has always been in my heart, something that I have always believed regardless of this I.T. onslaught.

"Cam-san, everyone is talking about IT these days how it is changing the face of the earth. BUT, there is one thing that will NEVER change and that is the human heart. Our demands may increase due to I.T. but our hearts, minds and souls will forever be analog and that will never change."

He is so right.

No matter how deeply you go into I.T. now matter how much you exploit the Everest-like ascent of the I.T. mountain, the human condition will always be unchangingly analog. The true human needs, that is communication, trust, truth, honesty, a desire to help, will always need to be met through the heart, through the mind, and the soul. This will never change. I.T. may speed it all up and allow us to do things on a global scale that we could never have even imagined before, but in the end, like the rock used by the caveman to kill the deer for food, I.T. will never be more than JUST A SIMPLE TOOL.

When I returned home and checked my email today I received a message from Shivdeep Dhaliwal, a friend/associate in India who is doing exactly what Friedman talks about in his book: working on I.T. from India and receiving outsourcing work and more for the world with a European partner. How is that for a flattened world?

This is what he writes today:

"In my past 3 years of experiance in this field, I have realised that IT is basically a business driven completely on Communication and Understanding."

He is so right.

A computer can never "understand" a human's needs (unless you believe the S.F. movies) unless is becomes sentient. Who knows what the future holds on that wild wild frontier, but at this point in time, it is humans that communicate with humans. And it is humans that understand humans. A computer is just a tool to help get this ultimate goal accomplished more easily than ever before. But again, the I.T. and the world of computers will never be more than JUST A TOOL.

Communication, real communication is human to human and that will forever be analog.

And it will forever be necessary. If you remember that in all of your business dealings, from the front office to the back office "applications", you can't but succeed. Human interaction, heart-to-heart win-win communication is required to succeed in business.

- Cameron

Cameron has lived and worked in Japan for over 15 years. Originally a researcher and educator he has a penchant for details and a natural born flair for communication "soul to soul".

His extensive experience in the culture, coupled with language fluency and a deep understanding of Japanese ethics, morals and thought processes has allowed him to develop a special niche market in the business world.

While working to develop a global presence for a titanium raw material / parts & accessories distributor for the eyeglass manufacturing world for 5 years, Cameron saw the difficulties small/medium sized manufacturers were having themselves trying to expand their businesses outside of Japan. He decided to assist those kinds of businesses get started successfully.

Currently Cameron owns and operates a one-man (one dog) SOHO business designed to help Japanese and foreign companies come together in business in a very efficient, effective, and cost-effective successful manner.

Reach Cameron @: http://www.intrmarketsolutions.com

Visit his blog @: http://360.yahoo.com/intrmarket