Gordon Ross: More Business Issues; Trends and Opportunities; Recommended Resources; Free Commentary; Contact Information

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We began this blog series on September 15th, 2006. I continue my talk with Gordon Ross, Internet Filtering Pioneer, Biometrics / Security / Telecommunications / Ethics / Privacy Expert, Founder of Net Nanny; President of Virtual Perceptions Systems Inc.

Stephen: What are the five biggest issues facing organizations today and what are your recommendations for meeting these challenges?

Gordon:

Issue 1: The global expansion of business and the cost of entering this field.

Recommendation:  Make sure you have a WEB site. Get involved and look at the global opportunity of your business. There is a market for everything today.

Issue 2: Security and Privacy of Data.

Recommendation:  Make sure proper policies are established in your organization. More importantly make sure these are fully understood and enforced. Keep up on the various legislative issues in this area.

Issue 3: Rising costs of energy and travel.

Recommendation:  Conserve energy by implementing energy efficient programs within your organization. Use the Internet for Video Conference and communication versus traveling to various parts of the world. Technology is available today that allows us to sit in our offices or homes, and conduct face-to-face meetings over the internet around the world, at any time.

Issue 4: Keeping and maintaining your employees.

Recommendation:  Listen to your employees. Interview and evaluate the employees and ask why they are leaving your company. Many times it is not the money, but the opportunity to be appreciated. A poor working environment or poor manager can cost the organization. Sometimes very small changes within the managing and treatment of employees can drastically improve the productivity of the organization. Make sure background checks are done on all key employees and those who are in charge of security and your Intellectual Property.

Issue 5: Maintaining Shareholder value.

Recommendation: First and foremost be truthful in reporting. Make sure your organization’s Intellectual Property and data are as secure as it can be with the best and more importantly, cost effective solutions. Do not promise things that cannot or will not be delivered. Monitor expenses closely. Keep the shareholders and the investment community fully informed.

Stephen: Provide your predictions of future trends and their implications/opportunities?

Gordon:

Trend 1: Ongoing development of portable communication devices

Implication/opportunities: Devices are becoming smaller and more compact. These will ultimately replace home computers and notebooks as the storage capabilities increase and the processing power increases. We will ultimately have one device for all our communication and computing needs that will be smaller than all the peripherals that will be required to hook up to it.

Trend 2: Education

Implication/opportunities: More and more University degrees will be offered over the Internet. Students will be able to select the best professors from a global data base. Many of today’s brick and mortar institutions will become virtual and the student will no longer need to travel to the campus.

Trend 3: Automobile

Implication/opportunities: Today's automobiles will become more computerized. With the trials of the electric car in California during the last half of the 1990’s it was shown to be very acceptable to the consumer. Unfortunately they were pulled from the market. However they will be back. Pollution free (or near pollution free) vehicles will become the mainstay. With the global environment of the Internet, you will not be able to keep creativity down.

Trend 4: Telecommuting

Implication/opportunities: While many businesses may still perceive this to be an unviable answer, it will become the mainstay. More and more opportunities are arriving for this and the cost savings and productivity improvements are beginning to show up.

Trend 5: Digital Overload and Leisure Time

Implication/opportunities: With the advent of being wired, more and more leisure time is escaping us. We think we have more time, but actually face-to-face conversation is showing signs of disappearing. We are now using email and Instant Messaging between our wireless networks at work and in the home. Opportunities exist in the near future for non-geek resources to train the geek resources on how to relax and take time away from the digital world and communicate face to face.

Stephen:  Which are your top recommended resources?

Gordon:

  1. The Internet for news and research.
  2. People and telephone for communication.
  3. Books, trade magazines and trade shows
  4. Instant Messaging.
  5. Email for communication

Stephen: Provide commentary on three topics of your choosing.

Gordon:

Topic 1: Technology

Embrace technology. Don’t be afraid of it. Learn to control it; do not let it control you. It can truly improve your quality of life if you learn how to do this. If you let it control you, you will lose out on many things.

Topic 2: Education

Never stop learning. Obtain at a minimum what they used to call the 3 R’s. Reading,  Riting (Writing) and ‘Rithmatic (arithmetic – today’s Math). Don’t lose focus of your dream. Soak up all the education you can - if that means going to a College, University or Trade school - do it. Don’t stop dreaming and do not lose sight of your goals.

Topic 3: Vacation

Always take time to get away from your day-to-day environment. Take time to smell the roses. If you don’t, the only time you may be smelling them is from the wrong end. I didn’t take a vacation for eight years, but once I took one I discovered all the other great things I was missing. That one simple two week vacation opened up a world of opportunities that I had not seen before - so remember to take it.

Stephen: Gordon, how can we further connect with you and your ideas?

Gordon:  I may be contacted at ‘gordonrossA@yahoo.com’ or via telephone (604) 728-5012. I am available for conversation, speeches, presentations, and consulting. Conversation and some presentations are free.

Stephen, Closing Comment:  Gordon, we thank you for sharing your time, wisdom, and accumulated deep insights with us.

Gordon:  I thank you for your time Stephen and hopefully I have provided a little food for thought. Remember, what happened yesterday is gone, learn from it. Today is now, take time and enjoy it. Tomorrow is another day in this exciting trip. Plan for it.

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I encourage you to share your thoughts here on these interviews or send me an e-mail at sibaraki@cips.ca.
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Thank you,
Stephen Ibaraki, FCIPS, I.S.P.