“IS THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION GOING TO CHANGE ENTREPRENEURIAL DNA?"

This interview looks at two of Philip Kotler’s most recent books, “Social Media Marketing” and “Entrepreneurial Marketing” from a Darwinian perspective. Is the new generation of entrepreneurs going to modify its genetic code in order to adapt to a changing communicational environment?

 

Philip Kotler is the S.C. Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor of International Marketing at the Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Chicago. He is hailed by Management Centre Europe as "the world's foremost expert on the strategic practice of marketing." Kotler is known to many as the author of what is widely recognized as the most authoritative textbook on marketing: Marketing Management, now in its 13th edition. He has also authored or co-authored dozens of leading books on marketing. Among his latest books:

“NATURE: OUR BEST TEACHER, OUR BEST ALLY"

Nature. How do you see it? Is it something to dominate? Is it something to learn from? Is it something to respect? When I say Nature is God. It expresses the genius of the Universe. Janine is right: if we change perspective, our life will change. Let’s stop thinking of it as a warehouse of goods”. Let’s think of it as a “warehouse of ideas” instead.

 

Biomimicry is the science that studies and imitates biological processes, the way Nature works, to improve human technology and life. In Biomimicry Nature is our Model, our Measure (or benchmark), our Mentor. We should help it, not exploit it, we should learn from it, not teach it. What makes Nature so special? Can it definitely help us overcome our challenges?

 

Janine Benyus, “Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature” and Co-founder of the Biomimicry Institute, answered to these and other questions.

“THE HIDDEN INTELLIGENCES: HOW CAN THEY HELP HUMANS IN THE 21st CENTURY…"

May 2000. I went out for a pizza with my friends. Mike who had the highest IQ was not able to have a word with any girl in the group. Josh who had the worst IQ was a genius in relating with girls and the other friends of the group. Why that? Why the most intelligent person was defeated by Josh in relating with the girls and the group. The answer is simple: Josh has higher interpersonal intelligence!

 

Having a big IQ simply means that you have good Logical and Linguistic intelligences. But there are 6 other kinds of Intelligence the IQ does not take into account and that can be determinant in your success in life and can be determinant in solving some complex challenges like the ones humans are to face in the next decades. Howard Gardner (Hobbs Research Professor of Cognition and Education Harvard Graduate School of Education) developed the Multiple Intelligence (MI) theory in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with the publication of the book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. He says “Each person has a unique spectrum of intellectual strengths and weaknesses.” We all (parents, teachers, professors, politicians, head of companies etc…) should understand this principle. We should understand that it is a very, very big failure for the system if it is not able to get the best from each person and make him happy (by doing what he can do best).

 

So, what is Multiple Intelligence? How does it affect the educational approach? How can it help humankind face the current and future challenges? Can it help society develop Long Term Thinking? Should educators and parents understand the MI model before trying to educate a child? Howard Gardner answered to these and other questions.

“WHEN PLASTIC WASTE BECOME A BAG…"

Waste… What is it? When waste is little it does not create problems, but at a certain point it manifests its negativities. When Isatou Ceseey (better known as the Queen of Plastic Recycling in Gambia), walking around her neighborhood, found columns of plastic piling up behind the houses she thought it was important to solve this torture for the environment and human eyes by educating women to the importance of recycling waste. That brought to the creation of the Recycling Centre of N’Jau. Every week, members of Women Initiative The Gambia (WIG) now craft wallets, bags, and balls for children from the reclaimed plastic bags that they cut, knit and sew patiently. «But in the beginning, women wouldn’t believe we could turn plastic into revenues », remembers Isatou.

 

The project One Plastic One Bag goes far beyond reducing the impact of plastic on the environment. It is about educating communities in order to make them sustainable and resilient. It is a social development and ecologically sustainable project.

 

“SEEDS OF LIFE"

It’s 1 pm! It’s time to sit at the eating table and eat our preferred dish made of pasta, rice, vegetables or meat/diary-based products. Do we know what are we really eating? When Vandana Shiva told me: during the process of agriculture industrialisation our food base has passed from 10,000 to 10 species, I was literally shocked. Only three plant species - rice, maize and wheat - contribute nearly 60 percent of calories obtained by humans from plants. More and more studies (by United Nations and FAO) have underlined how big the loss of biodiversity is, that has happened during the last century. That’s a big problem! That’s a big problem for us, and especially for future generations: Nature is our first “provider of services,” and without it and its biodiversity humanity is bound to fail inexorably. Loss of Biodiversity is like a high-speed train difficult to stop, triggered especially by the greed for power and the ongoing “insectageddon” (that’s the way Vandana describes the massive deaths of pollinators due to the massive use of pesticides in agriculture). That’s why a cultural change is needed and that’s why Navdanya, the movement of farmers founded in India by Vandana Shiva started the Earth University. Its mission? Building a poison-free, fossil fuel-free food and farming by 2030 to avert species extinction and climate catastrophe. 

“Biodiversity is life. And all biodiversity begins as seed”

These are the words Vandana started her interview with us. We all know that seeds (in agriculture and in thinking) are the starting point. Without good seeds we cannot have good yields. Without flexible/diverse seeds we cannot have flexible/diverse yields necessary for facing Climate Change. Vandana and Navdanya team are doing a great job in awakening people and protecting the incredible heritage of Nature. What are the main causes of Biodiversity loss? What are the solutions? How does Navdanya movement work and how to join Earth University? How to achieve Zero Hunger (SDG goal 2), Good Health and wellbeing (SDG goal 3) at the same time? What about Navdanya’s project in Italy? Vandana Shiva, environmental activist, founder of Navdanya movement, answered to these and other questions.