This document summarizes a session on reimagining and reorganizing economic action for degrowth. It begins with an introduction and list of presenters. It then covers several topics related to degrowth, including: the limits to growth; the social impacts of the current economic system such as increased anxiety; the need to redefine work, well-being and prosperity; and the concept of degrowth including reducing production and consumption within ecological limits. It also discusses the need for democratic socialist planning to adequately address issues like climate change, and provides some initial ideas about what such a system may involve, while acknowledging there is still much to develop. Throughout it emphasizes the importance of reorienting economic activity and values towards well-being,
Kansallisen ennakointiverkoston kutsuvierasseminaari julkisen sektorin tulevaisuuden haasteista.
Videomateriaali tilaisuudesta: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O68vF-a2u8
Kansallisen ennakointiverkoston kutsuvierasseminaari julkisen sektorin tulevaisuuden haasteista.
Videomateriaali tilaisuudesta: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O68vF-a2u8
Future of high impact philanthropy - Initial perspectiveFuture Agenda
We are very pleased to announce a new topic focus for some events and wider discussions during the first half of 2017. Building on to some of the insights gained from previous events, including on the future of wealth and the future of doing good, This new initial perspective explores potential future shifts in the field of High Impact Philanthropy. It is authored by Prof. Cathy Pharoah of Cass Business School London. It highlights some of the issues being raised as the worlds of impact investing and philanthropy increasingly overlap as more organisations and investors seek to help create lasting change. Many are now asking about how donor expectations will evolve, how giving will scale, how best to create and measure impact and where new models within philanthropy will emerge.
To address these and other questions, we are running a series of events over the next few months in London, Mumbai, Singapore, New York and Dubai that will explore the emerging shifts, understand new global and regional priorities and highlight what leaders in the fields of philanthropy and impact investing feel will define success. As with all Future Agenda projects, we will build on THIS initial perspective by bringing together a rich mix of expertise to challenge assumptions, share insights and co-create an enriched, informed future view for all.
If you would like to get involved as participants or hosts, do let us know and we can share more details. Equally if you have any feedback on the initial perspective or other comments do let us know by email, twitter or linked-in and we will make sure these are shared and included in to the mix.
At a time where much is being asked of philanthropy and its ability to successfully direct much-needed investment into key areas of challenge and opportunity, we very much look forward to hosting this important debate and sharing insights.
Dear Friends, dear Partners,
On behalf of the Board, I am proud to present this Summary of the 4th edition of the Zermatt Summit.This year the Zermatt Summit paved concrete paths towards “Changing Hearts and Minds” with its high quality speakers and rich content, reaffirming that not only new leadership is possible but that dialogue is possible between civil society and business fulfilling the aims of Zermatt Summit Declaration and Manifesto.
In the recent years, we have all experienced the drastic change created by globalization in the economic, social and political fabrics of societies.
A widening wealth distribution gap, a lack of long-term employability, climate change, increasing volatility in the global economy, growing skepticism and even suspicion towards existing institutions… These are just a few examples of the challenges we are facing. The responses so far have been less than adequate. It is now time to act; time for a more comprehensive – holistic – approach integrating the contribution that all key players – government, business, civil society - need to bring to the table.
Compartmentalizing problems used to be a successful approach in many cases. However, some of the issues we are facing today are so complex that it is impossible to address them successfully without taking into account the whole picture; without looking at the ways issues impact one another.
A key illustration of this new paradigm is that it is now nearly impossible to look at economic activity, to make economic or corporate policy decisions, without consideration for the social, human, environmental impact of such decisions.
In the same way, while fully recognizing the logic and objectives of business, we increasingly realize that there is more than “just” a business dimension to the activities of Multinational corporations.
Put it simply: governments, corporations, individuals need to embrace new perspectives, new ways of approaching issues, new operating processes. Up to the last part of the 20th century, government and business – the state and the private sector – were mostly the two key actors, the movers and the shakers. The emergence of civil society as a very potent and increasingly assertive force has been a major new development brought by globalization.
In the same way – also as a result of globalization – the Western world absolute prominence on the global scene is now being replaced by a new power architecture in which emerging market countries are more and more asserting their voices, their priorities and their expectations.
More than ever, we need to put the human being back at the very center of economic activity. We have to integrate the concepts of finance serving the economy, economy serving the common good and the common good serving the human being.
We also have to recognize that business and civil society cannot exist and operate at best in a silo mode, at worst in confrontation...read on...
Session I - Framing the Conversation on Inequality and Development Choices by...KhazanahResearchInstitute
Malaysian Income Distribution in a Global Context
A Khazanah Nasional Berhad and Khazanah Research Institute Seminar
Session I - Global Poverty and Inequality: A View from the Global Consumption and Income Project
18 January 2018
COMMERCIAL BANK OF ETHIOPIA
Wholesale Banking Division
Micro Business Banking Department
Proposal on empowering young entrepreneurs
under “KENA” program along with UNCDF
July, 2023
Introduction
The youth employment crisis is a global development priority. Over 10 million youth enter Africa’s labour market each year, yet only 3 Million formal jobs are available, making it an uphill battle for most youth to secure decent employment. According to GSMA 2020, there are about 1 billion people between 15 and 24 years of age in the world’s less developed regions. As they grow into adulthood, they will need support from many sources – including parents, trusted mentors, and social networks and a variety of financial and non-financial services.
Kena is a program designed by EYEA to understand, support and empower young entrepreneurs in their entrepreneurship journey. Kena aspires to capacitate young entrepreneurs on the required skills and make their business ideas/products ready for financing. Kena will address the existing entrepreneurship challenges in the academic context which has little to no contribution in preparing the young entrepreneurs to prepare the youth and realize their vision. To achieve this there is a need to prepare
contextualized training, coaching and mentoring programs. The program objective is to provide service packages that enhance trusts between entrepreneurs and financial institutions. Target groups of kena are young entrepreneurs from different areas like university students and others aged 18 to35. The priority sectors are Agriculture, Health, Tourism, Manufacturing, Education and ICT. The overall aim of Kena is prepare potential entrepreneurs’ business ideas investment ready and provide networking opportunities for accessing finance and related exposure at Zelela monthly policy advocacy and networking platform. Thus, this proposal aimed to arrange and work on the area of activities on young entrepreneurs of the association, based on shared objective CBE and UNCDF.
Company profile
Commercial Bank of Ethiopia is one of the oldest, the giant and the leading African commercial banks with an asset of more than 1.24 trillion Birr (as of December 31, 2022) which is 58% of the industry share, wide capital base and huge lending capacity. Furthermore, CBE combines a wide customer base with more than 38.1 million account holders, more than 8.8 million card holders, more than 7.7 million Mobile banking users, has deployed more than 3,120 ATM Machines, have more than 9,340 Point of sale terminals, more than 7.4 million CBE birr users, more than 36,507 agents, more than 1,879 branches networks, and more than 69,594 talented and committed employees clerical and non-clerical employees.
CBE is well known in playing a huge and catalytic role in in the country’s economic development and society’s wellbeing (prosperity). The bank has also played a great role in creating better environment for th
Future of high impact philanthropy - Initial perspectiveFuture Agenda
We are very pleased to announce a new topic focus for some events and wider discussions during the first half of 2017. Building on to some of the insights gained from previous events, including on the future of wealth and the future of doing good, This new initial perspective explores potential future shifts in the field of High Impact Philanthropy. It is authored by Prof. Cathy Pharoah of Cass Business School London. It highlights some of the issues being raised as the worlds of impact investing and philanthropy increasingly overlap as more organisations and investors seek to help create lasting change. Many are now asking about how donor expectations will evolve, how giving will scale, how best to create and measure impact and where new models within philanthropy will emerge.
To address these and other questions, we are running a series of events over the next few months in London, Mumbai, Singapore, New York and Dubai that will explore the emerging shifts, understand new global and regional priorities and highlight what leaders in the fields of philanthropy and impact investing feel will define success. As with all Future Agenda projects, we will build on THIS initial perspective by bringing together a rich mix of expertise to challenge assumptions, share insights and co-create an enriched, informed future view for all.
If you would like to get involved as participants or hosts, do let us know and we can share more details. Equally if you have any feedback on the initial perspective or other comments do let us know by email, twitter or linked-in and we will make sure these are shared and included in to the mix.
At a time where much is being asked of philanthropy and its ability to successfully direct much-needed investment into key areas of challenge and opportunity, we very much look forward to hosting this important debate and sharing insights.
Dear Friends, dear Partners,
On behalf of the Board, I am proud to present this Summary of the 4th edition of the Zermatt Summit.This year the Zermatt Summit paved concrete paths towards “Changing Hearts and Minds” with its high quality speakers and rich content, reaffirming that not only new leadership is possible but that dialogue is possible between civil society and business fulfilling the aims of Zermatt Summit Declaration and Manifesto.
In the recent years, we have all experienced the drastic change created by globalization in the economic, social and political fabrics of societies.
A widening wealth distribution gap, a lack of long-term employability, climate change, increasing volatility in the global economy, growing skepticism and even suspicion towards existing institutions… These are just a few examples of the challenges we are facing. The responses so far have been less than adequate. It is now time to act; time for a more comprehensive – holistic – approach integrating the contribution that all key players – government, business, civil society - need to bring to the table.
Compartmentalizing problems used to be a successful approach in many cases. However, some of the issues we are facing today are so complex that it is impossible to address them successfully without taking into account the whole picture; without looking at the ways issues impact one another.
A key illustration of this new paradigm is that it is now nearly impossible to look at economic activity, to make economic or corporate policy decisions, without consideration for the social, human, environmental impact of such decisions.
In the same way, while fully recognizing the logic and objectives of business, we increasingly realize that there is more than “just” a business dimension to the activities of Multinational corporations.
Put it simply: governments, corporations, individuals need to embrace new perspectives, new ways of approaching issues, new operating processes. Up to the last part of the 20th century, government and business – the state and the private sector – were mostly the two key actors, the movers and the shakers. The emergence of civil society as a very potent and increasingly assertive force has been a major new development brought by globalization.
In the same way – also as a result of globalization – the Western world absolute prominence on the global scene is now being replaced by a new power architecture in which emerging market countries are more and more asserting their voices, their priorities and their expectations.
More than ever, we need to put the human being back at the very center of economic activity. We have to integrate the concepts of finance serving the economy, economy serving the common good and the common good serving the human being.
We also have to recognize that business and civil society cannot exist and operate at best in a silo mode, at worst in confrontation...read on...
Session I - Framing the Conversation on Inequality and Development Choices by...KhazanahResearchInstitute
Malaysian Income Distribution in a Global Context
A Khazanah Nasional Berhad and Khazanah Research Institute Seminar
Session I - Global Poverty and Inequality: A View from the Global Consumption and Income Project
18 January 2018
COMMERCIAL BANK OF ETHIOPIA
Wholesale Banking Division
Micro Business Banking Department
Proposal on empowering young entrepreneurs
under “KENA” program along with UNCDF
July, 2023
Introduction
The youth employment crisis is a global development priority. Over 10 million youth enter Africa’s labour market each year, yet only 3 Million formal jobs are available, making it an uphill battle for most youth to secure decent employment. According to GSMA 2020, there are about 1 billion people between 15 and 24 years of age in the world’s less developed regions. As they grow into adulthood, they will need support from many sources – including parents, trusted mentors, and social networks and a variety of financial and non-financial services.
Kena is a program designed by EYEA to understand, support and empower young entrepreneurs in their entrepreneurship journey. Kena aspires to capacitate young entrepreneurs on the required skills and make their business ideas/products ready for financing. Kena will address the existing entrepreneurship challenges in the academic context which has little to no contribution in preparing the young entrepreneurs to prepare the youth and realize their vision. To achieve this there is a need to prepare
contextualized training, coaching and mentoring programs. The program objective is to provide service packages that enhance trusts between entrepreneurs and financial institutions. Target groups of kena are young entrepreneurs from different areas like university students and others aged 18 to35. The priority sectors are Agriculture, Health, Tourism, Manufacturing, Education and ICT. The overall aim of Kena is prepare potential entrepreneurs’ business ideas investment ready and provide networking opportunities for accessing finance and related exposure at Zelela monthly policy advocacy and networking platform. Thus, this proposal aimed to arrange and work on the area of activities on young entrepreneurs of the association, based on shared objective CBE and UNCDF.
Company profile
Commercial Bank of Ethiopia is one of the oldest, the giant and the leading African commercial banks with an asset of more than 1.24 trillion Birr (as of December 31, 2022) which is 58% of the industry share, wide capital base and huge lending capacity. Furthermore, CBE combines a wide customer base with more than 38.1 million account holders, more than 8.8 million card holders, more than 7.7 million Mobile banking users, has deployed more than 3,120 ATM Machines, have more than 9,340 Point of sale terminals, more than 7.4 million CBE birr users, more than 36,507 agents, more than 1,879 branches networks, and more than 69,594 talented and committed employees clerical and non-clerical employees.
CBE is well known in playing a huge and catalytic role in in the country’s economic development and society’s wellbeing (prosperity). The bank has also played a great role in creating better environment for th
Community development - a different way to think about local economiesJulian Dobson
This is a presentation given to the Local Government Information Unit's economic development learning network in London on 26 January 2010. I was asked to explore how community development and economic development are linked and the implications for economic development practitioners of a community development approach.
the presentation focuses on the concept of development.How different scholars have defined development,the models and theories under itjklasdasldkasdasfasfa afafafaasf afafaFAF FAFAFAF FASFASFAFSGE QWAFAF FQQFQFAF FQWFQFAF FQQWASFA AFQWRQFAS Q.FASFFFQWF QFAFQWRFA FQWFAF WFFQrqhkabal afjhbqwui hkfqwkhfoqh fiqofhlqnl afnalfnqlwiknfjasfo nfasnflanfiqnlfqiwfqlflS FHQIOH.
Similar to Re-imagining and Re-organizing Economic Action for Degrowth (20)
Richard's entangled aventures in wonderlandRichard Gill
Since the loophole-free Bell experiments of 2020 and the Nobel prizes in physics of 2022, critics of Bell's work have retreated to the fortress of super-determinism. Now, super-determinism is a derogatory word - it just means "determinism". Palmer, Hance and Hossenfelder argue that quantum mechanics and determinism are not incompatible, using a sophisticated mathematical construction based on a subtle thinning of allowed states and measurements in quantum mechanics, such that what is left appears to make Bell's argument fail, without altering the empirical predictions of quantum mechanics. I think however that it is a smoke screen, and the slogan "lost in math" comes to my mind. I will discuss some other recent disproofs of Bell's theorem using the language of causality based on causal graphs. Causal thinking is also central to law and justice. I will mention surprising connections to my work on serial killer nurse cases, in particular the Dutch case of Lucia de Berk and the current UK case of Lucy Letby.
Richard's aventures in two entangled wonderlandsRichard Gill
Since the loophole-free Bell experiments of 2020 and the Nobel prizes in physics of 2022, critics of Bell's work have retreated to the fortress of super-determinism. Now, super-determinism is a derogatory word - it just means "determinism". Palmer, Hance and Hossenfelder argue that quantum mechanics and determinism are not incompatible, using a sophisticated mathematical construction based on a subtle thinning of allowed states and measurements in quantum mechanics, such that what is left appears to make Bell's argument fail, without altering the empirical predictions of quantum mechanics. I think however that it is a smoke screen, and the slogan "lost in math" comes to my mind. I will discuss some other recent disproofs of Bell's theorem using the language of causality based on causal graphs. Causal thinking is also central to law and justice. I will mention surprising connections to my work on serial killer nurse cases, in particular the Dutch case of Lucia de Berk and the current UK case of Lucy Letby.
Nutraceutical market, scope and growth: Herbal drug technologyLokesh Patil
As consumer awareness of health and wellness rises, the nutraceutical market—which includes goods like functional meals, drinks, and dietary supplements that provide health advantages beyond basic nutrition—is growing significantly. As healthcare expenses rise, the population ages, and people want natural and preventative health solutions more and more, this industry is increasing quickly. Further driving market expansion are product formulation innovations and the use of cutting-edge technology for customized nutrition. With its worldwide reach, the nutraceutical industry is expected to keep growing and provide significant chances for research and investment in a number of categories, including vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and herbal supplements.
(May 29th, 2024) Advancements in Intravital Microscopy- Insights for Preclini...Scintica Instrumentation
Intravital microscopy (IVM) is a powerful tool utilized to study cellular behavior over time and space in vivo. Much of our understanding of cell biology has been accomplished using various in vitro and ex vivo methods; however, these studies do not necessarily reflect the natural dynamics of biological processes. Unlike traditional cell culture or fixed tissue imaging, IVM allows for the ultra-fast high-resolution imaging of cellular processes over time and space and were studied in its natural environment. Real-time visualization of biological processes in the context of an intact organism helps maintain physiological relevance and provide insights into the progression of disease, response to treatments or developmental processes.
In this webinar we give an overview of advanced applications of the IVM system in preclinical research. IVIM technology is a provider of all-in-one intravital microscopy systems and solutions optimized for in vivo imaging of live animal models at sub-micron resolution. The system’s unique features and user-friendly software enables researchers to probe fast dynamic biological processes such as immune cell tracking, cell-cell interaction as well as vascularization and tumor metastasis with exceptional detail. This webinar will also give an overview of IVM being utilized in drug development, offering a view into the intricate interaction between drugs/nanoparticles and tissues in vivo and allows for the evaluation of therapeutic intervention in a variety of tissues and organs. This interdisciplinary collaboration continues to drive the advancements of novel therapeutic strategies.
What is greenhouse gasses and how many gasses are there to affect the Earth.moosaasad1975
What are greenhouse gasses how they affect the earth and its environment what is the future of the environment and earth how the weather and the climate effects.
This presentation explores a brief idea about the structural and functional attributes of nucleotides, the structure and function of genetic materials along with the impact of UV rays and pH upon them.
Earliest Galaxies in the JADES Origins Field: Luminosity Function and Cosmic ...Sérgio Sacani
We characterize the earliest galaxy population in the JADES Origins Field (JOF), the deepest
imaging field observed with JWST. We make use of the ancillary Hubble optical images (5 filters
spanning 0.4−0.9µm) and novel JWST images with 14 filters spanning 0.8−5µm, including 7 mediumband filters, and reaching total exposure times of up to 46 hours per filter. We combine all our data
at > 2.3µm to construct an ultradeep image, reaching as deep as ≈ 31.4 AB mag in the stack and
30.3-31.0 AB mag (5σ, r = 0.1” circular aperture) in individual filters. We measure photometric
redshifts and use robust selection criteria to identify a sample of eight galaxy candidates at redshifts
z = 11.5 − 15. These objects show compact half-light radii of R1/2 ∼ 50 − 200pc, stellar masses of
M⋆ ∼ 107−108M⊙, and star-formation rates of SFR ∼ 0.1−1 M⊙ yr−1
. Our search finds no candidates
at 15 < z < 20, placing upper limits at these redshifts. We develop a forward modeling approach to
infer the properties of the evolving luminosity function without binning in redshift or luminosity that
marginalizes over the photometric redshift uncertainty of our candidate galaxies and incorporates the
impact of non-detections. We find a z = 12 luminosity function in good agreement with prior results,
and that the luminosity function normalization and UV luminosity density decline by a factor of ∼ 2.5
from z = 12 to z = 14. We discuss the possible implications of our results in the context of theoretical
models for evolution of the dark matter halo mass function.
Cancer cell metabolism: special Reference to Lactate PathwayAADYARAJPANDEY1
Normal Cell Metabolism:
Cellular respiration describes the series of steps that cells use to break down sugar and other chemicals to get the energy we need to function.
Energy is stored in the bonds of glucose and when glucose is broken down, much of that energy is released.
Cell utilize energy in the form of ATP.
The first step of respiration is called glycolysis. In a series of steps, glycolysis breaks glucose into two smaller molecules - a chemical called pyruvate. A small amount of ATP is formed during this process.
Most healthy cells continue the breakdown in a second process, called the Kreb's cycle. The Kreb's cycle allows cells to “burn” the pyruvates made in glycolysis to get more ATP.
The last step in the breakdown of glucose is called oxidative phosphorylation (Ox-Phos).
It takes place in specialized cell structures called mitochondria. This process produces a large amount of ATP. Importantly, cells need oxygen to complete oxidative phosphorylation.
If a cell completes only glycolysis, only 2 molecules of ATP are made per glucose. However, if the cell completes the entire respiration process (glycolysis - Kreb's - oxidative phosphorylation), about 36 molecules of ATP are created, giving it much more energy to use.
IN CANCER CELL:
Unlike healthy cells that "burn" the entire molecule of sugar to capture a large amount of energy as ATP, cancer cells are wasteful.
Cancer cells only partially break down sugar molecules. They overuse the first step of respiration, glycolysis. They frequently do not complete the second step, oxidative phosphorylation.
This results in only 2 molecules of ATP per each glucose molecule instead of the 36 or so ATPs healthy cells gain. As a result, cancer cells need to use a lot more sugar molecules to get enough energy to survive.
Unlike healthy cells that "burn" the entire molecule of sugar to capture a large amount of energy as ATP, cancer cells are wasteful.
Cancer cells only partially break down sugar molecules. They overuse the first step of respiration, glycolysis. They frequently do not complete the second step, oxidative phosphorylation.
This results in only 2 molecules of ATP per each glucose molecule instead of the 36 or so ATPs healthy cells gain. As a result, cancer cells need to use a lot more sugar molecules to get enough energy to survive.
introduction to WARBERG PHENOMENA:
WARBURG EFFECT Usually, cancer cells are highly glycolytic (glucose addiction) and take up more glucose than do normal cells from outside.
Otto Heinrich Warburg (; 8 October 1883 – 1 August 1970) In 1931 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology for his "discovery of the nature and mode of action of the respiratory enzyme.
WARNBURG EFFECT : cancer cells under aerobic (well-oxygenated) conditions to metabolize glucose to lactate (aerobic glycolysis) is known as the Warburg effect. Warburg made the observation that tumor slices consume glucose and secrete lactate at a higher rate than normal tissues.
4. An Overview of Sugarcane White Leaf Disease in Vietnam.pdf
Re-imagining and Re-organizing Economic Action for Degrowth
1. Session # 1166 | Sponsors: CMS, ONE, SIM
Re-imagining and Re-organizing
Economic Action for Degrowth
Welcome to our 6th Annual Degrowth Session @ AOM
2. Re-imagining and Re-organizing
Economic Action for Degrowth
Welcome to our 6th Annual Degrowth Session @ AOM
Robert Perey
UTS Sydney
Paul Adler
USC Marshall
John Jermier
U South Florida
Hugh Willmott
City U London
André Reichel
Karlshochschule
Mark Starik
American U
8. Lethargy of Privilege
8
Story of Stuff – social pursuit of consumption
gives meaning to the economic system –
ecological interaction is externalised
Capitalism’s logic of surplus value is measured in
products and consumption – decoupling isn't
working
Culture of Narcissism is now widespread and this
feeds consumption and growth – crisis of identity
10. Social Impact
10
“Our brains and backs are tense and tired, our minds
shattered and nerves shot by increasing demands by
managers to do the impossible: increase our productivity,
when what is produced is less necessary and of worse
quality than before.”
(JD Taylor 2014. “Spent? Capitalism’s growing problem
with anxiety’. Roar Magazine)
In the DSM 5th ed we now have ”Generalised Anxiety
Disorder”
11. We’re here, because we’re here, because
we’re here, because we’re here…
11
• Growing unemployment and under employment.
• Ecological systems that have collapsed or are on the
verge of collapse.
• Socio-political systems that are incapable of responding
appropriately to these crises.
As in the trenches of Flanders there is wide-spread
recognition of being in the midst of crises and being
powerless to escape.
12. Seduction of Baubles
12
We have created a society that has improved the well-being of many and
is capable of extending this to all.
At the same time we have created a society that cannot support the well-
being of many let alone the well-being of all.
The trinkets of well-being are measured by growth of consumption and
ignores the growth of waste – social and environmental.
A measure of this tension is the increase in anxiety in developed
economies.
Attempts to resolve this anxiety creates further anxiety – until we abandon
our baubles we will remain caught in this self reinforcing loop.
13. Meaningful contribution to society needs
to change
13
Work has and will always be important but this is changing
and the alternatives emerging: provision of services, are
not valued contributions in society.
The services nature provides to support our societies are
currently externalised – emotionally we are incapable of
valuing these contributions.
Acquisition of possessions reach a peak of diminishing
return.
Need to redefine prosperity in terms that do not rely on
assumptions about consumption growth
14. Degrowth…
14
Downscaling of production and consumption to operate within the
ecological limits of the Earth. Degrowth is a call for a radical break from
traditional growth-based models.
• Increases human well-being
• Enhances ecological conditions and equity
• Open, localised economies
• New forms of democratic institutions
Degrowth is not an attempt to stimulate negative growth or static growth
but a move to replace growth both conceptually and materially with
different language and assumptions about what constitutes a good life,
business practices and societal measures of well-being and success.
15. …Degrowth
15
- Quality of life measured in human relationships immersed in a culture of
conviviality not life measured in the quantity of consumer capital.
- Prioritising the local in everything. This includes decision-making, the
provision of energy, food and the disposal/reuse/recycling of waste. The
aim is a high level of community self-sufficiency.
- Reducing working hours and implementing a social wage to guarantee
income to everyone. Associated with a guaranteed income is an
expansion of community defined volunteer work.
- Allocating resources democratically within and across communities.
- Revitalising political life by extending the practices of direct democracy
at the community level and extending this into the organisation.
16. Socio-political imperative
16
The conclusion of many, including the advocates of de-growth
(for example Swift 2014), is that capitalism is broken and at best
in need of repair, but more than likely will need to be replaced.
“..three key macro-economic interventions needed to achieve
ecological and economic stability in the new economy are quite
specific:
• Structural transition to service based activities
• Investment in ecological assets
• Working time policy as a stabilising mechanism”
The new economy will be less capitalistic because of the greater
role of government – because of the need to revitalise the notion
of public goods
Tim Jackson (2015) Prosperity Beyond Growth
17. Flourishing and the Academy
17
Flourishing – what it means to prosper needs “… a range of bounded
capabilities to live well – within certain clearly defined limits.
What is our role in shaping public debate and policy creation in
these key areas?
• Establishing the limits
• Fixing the economic model
• Changing the social logic
18. Re-imagining and Re-organizing
Economic Action for Degrowth
Welcome to our 6th Annual Degrowth Session @ AOM
Paul Adler
USC Marshall
John Jermier
U South Florida
19. Degrowth means replacing markets with
democratic-socialist* planning
Paul S. Adler,
University of Southern California
&
John Jermier
University of South Florida
Contribution to AOM Symposium on “Re-Imagining and Re-
Organizing Economic Action for Degrowth”
* correcting a typo
19
20. Key points
• Degrowth is urgent as a response to the confluence of many crisis
tendencies
• Let’s focus on degrowth as a solution to the global climate change
(GCC) crisis: what would degrowth need to look like?
• GCC has gone far further than we’d like to think
– Environmentalists have been under-stating things to avoid creating
paralyzing anxiety
– But let’s not fool ourselves: let’s talk honestly about the tasks and
options ahead
• For GCC mitigation: Green capitalism is far too slow and
incremental.
• For GCC adaptation: Green capitalism will not be an option
• Conclusion: Democratic-socialist planning is the only viable model
for GCC mitigation or adaptation
• We have a few ideas about how that might work, but a lot will need
to be developed through experimentation.
20
21. To avoid the 2o Celsius limit, cuts to GHGs
emissions need to be far more drastic than
commonly stated
Source:
Kevin Anderson
22. In the rich countries, we should have
already reduced GHG emission to zero
Source:
Kevin Anderson
23. Two scenarios for GCC
• Either we can get ahead of climate change (aka
mitigation):
– It may already be too late
– But if it’s not too late, the target for rich countries
would need to be to reduce GHGs by 90% in 5 years
max
• Or we don’t manage to mitigate sufficiently, and
we have to deal with chaos (aka adaptation):
– Hundreds of millions fleeing coastal zones
– Epidemics
– Food failures, water shortages
23
24. Mitigation:
Three possible paths forward
• Ethical capitalism
– Can the conscience of consumers, investors, executives lead companies to
prioritize people and planet over profits?
– Sure, let’s encourage conscience
– But no, the market for virtue is far too weak and too slow (Vogel)
• Regulated capitalism
– Can we overcome the political weight of business to enact regulation that is
rigorous enough?
– Sure, we can do better than now
– But no, so long as the primary wealth-generating mechanism is capitalist,
government’s power is severely limited – esp in a globalized economic and
financial system (Polanyi)
– So progress via this path will be too limited and too slow
• Democratic socialist planning
– For rapid and dramatic transformation and degrowth in rich countries
– For rapid transition in developing countries
– For international trade to facilitate global transition
24
25. Adaptation:
Two paths backward, one path forward
• Devolution
– At best: dispersed solidaristic survivalist communities
– At worst: war-lordism
• Despotism
– War-capitalism, national-socialism
• Democratic-socialism
– With all its uncertainties
• Conclusion: We have little choice but to find a
way to make the democratic-socialist option work
25
26. Some basic parameters of democratic-
socialist planning – and some handholds
• Socialize ownership of (major) firms and banks
– investors compensated with government bonds
– Greatly facilitated by increasing concentration of industry structures
• Implement a democratic economic planning system
– Create democratic economic planning boards at enterprise, local, national,
and international levels
– Adapt planning techniques from firms like Walmart; scale up techniques like
city-level participatory budgeting
• Assure employees a majority on enterprise boards
– Other stakeholders (local community, etc.) hold board positions too
– Experience to leverage: Mondragon
• Socialize investment
– Don’t break up the too-big-to-fail banks—socialize them!
– Create national and state banks alongside democratically governed
cooperative credit unions, insurance cooperatives
– Direct credit to high-performing firms and priority projects defined by
planning boards and socialist triple-bottom-line
– Here too can adapt investment planning techniques of TBL companies
26
27. Democratic-socialist planning can be
more centralized or more decentralized
-- but can and must be democratic
David Laibman, “Multilevel Democratic Iterative Coordination”
Centralized
Decentralized
New Socialism –
Cockshott and
Contrell
Early Soviet
(pre 1968)
Political command
– Keeran and Kenny
Market socialism –
Schweickhart
MDIC – Laibman
and late Soviet
Negotiated
coordination –
Devine
Market socialism –
Roemer
Participatory
economy – Albert
and Hahnel
Anarchist
communes
Quantified Qualitative
27
29. Hasn’t this been tried before…with disastrous results?
Ulm 1592, B. Brecht
Said the Tailor to the Bishop:
Believe me, I can fly.
Watch me while I try.
And he stood with things
That looked like wings
On the great church roof
That is quite absurd
A wicked, foolish lie,
For man will never fly,
A man is not a bird,
Said the Bishop to the Tailor.
Said the People to the Bishop:
The Tailor is quite dead,
He was a stupid head.
His wings are rumpled
And he lies all crumpled
On the hard church square.
The bells ring out in praise
That man is not a bird
It was a wicked, foolish lie,
Mankind will never fly,
Said the Bishop to the People.
31. The ‘Spiritual’ Dimension of De-growth
Hugh Willmott
Cass Business School
and
Cardiff Business School
32. De-growth and Materialism
• Growth as a product of the practical
philosophy of materialism
– informed by the assumption that human
fulfillment, flourishing, etc. is realized by
generating and acquiring having more “stuff”
– capitalism is the exemplar of this materialism: the
systematic accumulation of personal wealth
• the device of the (limited liability) corporation as the
principle means of accelerating growth
33. Beyond Rational Calculation
• Mounting evidence of unsustainablility
– data on greenhouse gas emissions
– Anticipation of consequences – migration, food
failure, water shortage – global dislocation
• Nonetheless, despite the evidence, limited efforts
to reduce ‘growth’ as means of reducing
emissions and so ensuring sustainability
• What are the conditions of possibility of
increasing those efforts?
34. Anthropocentricism as Alienation
• Disconnectedness reflects anthropocentric
orientation
– manifest in anxiety and depression (meaninglessness;
deadness; narcissism); escape from ‘now’
• Conception of human beings as masters, rather than
stewards, of Nature. Exploiters, not guardians
• Shift to ecocentric orientation; radical relationality
– Pleasure / meaning from “simple” activities and carbon neutral
technologies
– Nature as co-enactor , not resource
– Logic of appreciation and conviviality rather than exploitation and
manipulation
35. Re-orientation of Economic Activity:
Refashioning Moral Order
• Promote a content and form of economic activity that
fosters appreciation and recognition
– facilitate increased participation / “industrial democracy”
• Requires development of (spiritual) capacities that make de-
growth relevant, appealing and practical; and impedes corruption
of collective ethos
• Invites different conception(s) of “the corporation” – reinvention
of cooperatives, development of social enterprises, etc. Collective
flourishing, not personal accumulation
– Increased spiritual maturity as a condition( and
consequence) of the practical realization of de-growth
• Re-orientation of business education towards ecocentrism
• Radical reformulation of the practice of “mindfulness”
– Meditation as praxis articulated as different “choices” – “right livelihood”
36. Conclusion :
The Nurturing of Quality not the Maxing-Out of Quantity
‘By choosing to do without the superfluous material wealth
we will be rewarded with more time, more freedom, more
community, more health, more connection with nature, more
meaning, and more justice.
In short, degrowth is predicated on a new form of flourishing,
where paradoxically we decrease our material standards of
living but actually increase our quality of life…We should
explore alternatives not because we are ecologically
compelled to live differently – although we are – but because
we are human and deserve the opportunity to flourish in
dignity, within sustainable bounds.’
Samuel Alexander (2015) ‘What is Degrowth? Envisioning a Prosperous
Descenthttp://www.resilience.org/stories/2015-11-02/what-is-degrowth-
envisioning-a-prosperous-decenst (emphasis added)
38. NEW MODELS OF
TRANSFORMATIVE
ACTION:THE CASE OF
THE ILFI
Mark Starik,American University,Washington, D.C.
Re-Imagining and Re-Organizing EconomicAction for
Degrowth
Academy of Management Symposium,August 8, 2016
39. What NeedsTo “DeGrow” or “Re-
Balance”? • Environmentally: Human consumption
impacts of energy, water, and eco-system
habitat appear to need to be slowed,
neutralized, and even reversed as soon as
possible (211,000 more of us every day to
nearly a 7.5 billion total today/10 billion
soon).
• Soci0-economically: Reductions in human
wealth and income inequality, debilitating
poverty and disease, and human conflict
appear to need to be matched by increases
in social justice, human satisfaction, and
psycho-emotional benefits (Only 1 in 3
Americans are “very happy”; 1 billion in
world live on less than $1/day, are
illiterate, and do not have access to clean
drinking water.)
40. Several InterestingApparentlyTransformative
Movements• Permaculture (28 “Diplomats” at the
Permaculture Inst.)
• TransitionTowns (At least 480 worldwide)
• CommunityTime Banks (At least 300 just in U.S.)
• Community Solar Gardens (8-12 U.S. States)
• The “Slow” Movement (83K members in 30
nations)
• Future Earth (5 Global Hubs, 5 Regional Centres)
• 350.org (At least 269 GroupsWorldwide)
• Gross National Happiness (At leat 5 GDP
Alternatives)
• U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (17 goals,
169 targets, and 304 Indicators)
• Treehugger.com (Tiny Houses/LOHAS 40 million)
• Circular Economy/Blue Economy/Waste Is Food
41. International Living Futures Institute
http://www.living-futures.org
• Standalone non-profit organization
based in Portland, OR, USA (with
offices in Seattle &Vancouver, BC)
• Several dozen staff members in a
handful of departments and programs
• Network of members and volunteers
• Mission: “Work toward a future that is
socially just, culturally rich, and
ecologically restorative.”
• Reducing (negative) footprints and
increasing (positive) handprints in
both environmental and socio-
economic sustainability
42. First (ofThree) Major Advocacy and
Certification Programs of the ILFI – the
Living Building Challenge
• Founded in 2006 and now on version 3.1 with
dozens of “Ambassadors” and more than 100
registered projects.
• Certification program for builders, architects,
and other professionals and building and
property owners
• Interested in the best, most resource-efficient
approach to residential, commercial,
institutional and industrial buildings to attain
“net positive” levels of energy/water
• Rigorous building performance standard
including Place, Water, Energy, Health &
Happiness, Materials, Equity, and Beauty
• Must meet all performance standards after 12
months of operation to advance goals of
resilience, equity, community, and a “living
future”.
43. Second Major Advocacy and Certification
Programs of the ILFI – the Living
Community Challenge
• Launched in 2014 to bring LBC to the community
scale to promote net positive energy/water,
biophilia, and community health values.
• Same 7 major areas as the LBC above, but with an
orientation to transition suburban areas to new
urban areas with greater density or to be
dismantled and repurposed as new rural zones for
food production, habitat, and ecosystem
services.
• Generating their own energy, processing their
own waste, operating on a human/local scale
• Currently, 3 Registered Communities (including
Normal, IL, shown on this slide), plus 6
additional Pilot Projects
44. Third Major Advocacy and Certification
Program of ILFI – the Living Product
Challenge 1.0 (2015)
• Living Products are informed by biomimicry and
biophilia; manufactured by processes powered only
by renewable energy and within the water balance
of the places they are made.
• Living Products improve our quality of life and
bring joy through their beauty and functionality.
Imagine a Living Product whose very existence
builds soil; creates habitat; nourishes the human
spirit; and provides inspiration for personal,
political and economic change
• Pending example: Sirewall, which is a rammed-
earth building construction process using sandstone
to maximize the super-insulation of building walls
for many types of buildings/climates
45. “DeGrowth”/Rebalance Lessons
of the ILFI• Society, businesses, communities, and individuals
can realize a wide range of vital, human values and
goals both irrespective of and as multi-level
antidotes to traditional economic growth with
efforts such as those of the ILFI (and others)
• Cognizance of both human and environmental
requirements (and their interaction), developing
strategies, implementing action plans, and
certifying progress toward meeting those
requirements flow throughout these and other ILFI
programs
• Such programs need more academic and
practitioner attention, and, where warranted,
support in the form of funding, marketing,
research, and voluntary action by as many of us as
possible as soon as possible
48. CONVIVIALITY
…autonomous and creative intercourse
among persons,
and the intercourse of persons with their environment;
and this in contrast with the conditioned response of persons to
the demands made upon them by others, and by a man-made
environment.
I consider conviviality to be individual freedom realized in
personal interdependence and, as such, an intrinsic ethical value.
(Tools for Conviviality, p. 11)
49. CONVIVIALITY
The criterion for the stopping point in the accumulation of relationships—and
this is what will prevent the advent of a new, relational form of “capitalism”—
will be similar to the one which, in the logic of Gandhi, puts a halt to the
accumulation of goods and services:
When the extension of relationships becomes a factor of heteronomy in a
person’s life, i.e., when he or she starts to become an instrument “in the
service” of his or her relationships or that others become a substitute for his or
her own inner strength, then abundance mutates into scarcity for that
person—a scarcity of “self,” a scarcity of vital space, a scarcity of AUTONOMY.
https://www.academia.edu/2283900/The_economics_of_counterproductivity_and_the_anthropology_of_conviviality_Ivan_Illich_a
nd_our_current_sustainability_crisis p. 6-7
51. CONVIVIALITY
... and the purpose of economic activity and business
| providing tools, products and services for convival living
| tools for self-production & self-empowerment including the ability to
repair and re-use products (and/or create them in the first place)
| design products so that they can be used self-reliantly and without
over-dependence on large-scale infrastructures
| critical question: does this product increase interdependent
autonomy with others and the natural environment?
52. CONVIVIALITY
... and leadership in organizations
| maximize autonomy of organizational members in mutual
interdependence
| open up decision processes to value creators (including active
prosumers)
| empower all value creators to actually take decisions that pay
attention to all of our interdependencies
| critical question: is our organization increasing interdependent
autonomy with others and the natural environment?
53. CONVIVIALITY
... and CONVIVIAL MODERNITY
| convivial modes of production: convivial capitalism?
| convivial modes of decision making: convivial democracy?
| convivial modes of living: convivial humanity?
54. Session # 1166 | Sponsors: CMS, ONE, SIM
Re-imagining and Re-organizing
Economic Action for Degrowth
Welcome to our 6th Annual Degrowth Session @ AOM
Editor's Notes
We realize that many astute critics are concerned that the confluence of ecological, social and economic crises in modern capitalism is threatening human civilization. Climate change is emblematic of these broader trends and is one of the most pressing crisis points facing humanity. For this reason, we focus our analysis in this presentation on developing systemic responses to climate change but see the need to address a broader array of interrelated problems through radical restructuring of culture (the ideology of growth) and relations of power embedded in the institutional framework of the market economy.
Annex 1:
Australia; Austria; Belarus a/; Belgium; Bulgaria a/; Canada; Croatia*; Czech Republic a/ *; Denmark; European Union; Estonia a/; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary a/; Iceland; Ireland; Italy; Japan; Latvia a/; Liechtenstein*; Lithuania a/; Luxembourg; Monaco*; Netherlands; New Zealand; Norway; Poland a/; Portugal; Romania a/; Russian Federation a/; Slovakia a/*; Slovenia a/*; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; Ukraine a/; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; United States of America;
If there is still time to take seriously approaches to mitigation, how far can we go with capitalism? Some scholars and activists think ethical capitalism holds promise… Others contend that regulated capitalism provides avenues for serious mitigation using tools such as rigorous regulation, substantial carbon taxes, stringent cap and trade policies, etc.
BUT, could a rigorously regulated capitalism—a renewed social-democracy—counterbalance the dynamism of the market with social and environmental priorities? Clearly, if we could enact strong enough regulations, we could dramatically mitigate our environmental crisis as well as the various social crises we face. And I see efforts in that direction as very worthwhile. But we should be honest with ourselves about the limits of such a model. This option presupposes that even in a society whose economy is driven by competition between large, capitalist firms, democracy can prevail over the economic interests of these firms, and legislators can enact and enforce new regulations that are far, far more rigorous than we currently see. While on many issues we might expect to find some firms eager for stronger regulation (for example: solar companies are eager to see CO2 emissions taxed heavily), on most of the critical issues that we face today the vast majority of firms and industries will be strongly opposed (for example: raising taxes on CO2 emissions, on inherited wealth, on corporate profits, or raising the minimum wage). In a capitalist society, one where society’s wealth is generated by a capitalist business sector, it is very hard to see how any government can overrule successfully the combined interests of business. Where, as in the Nordic countries, unusual historical circumstances enabled the creation of strongly regulated social-democracies, these countries have been forced to weaken their regulatory regimes as their economies were progressively integrated into a world economy dominated by globalized capitalist financial markets (Huber & Stephens, 1998). So the regulated-capitalism model, too, appears to rest on wishful thinking.
Ivan Illich (/ɪˈvɑːn ˈɪlɪtʃ/;[1] 4 September 1926 – 2 December 2002) was an Austrian philosopher, Roman Catholic priest, and "maverick social critic"[2] of the institutions of contemporary Western culture and their effects on the provenance and practice of education, medicine, work, energy use, transportation, and economic development.
The book that brought Ivan Illich to public attention was Deschooling Society (1971), a radical critical discourse on education as practised in "modern" economies. Giving examples of what he regards as the ineffectual nature of institutionalized education, Illich posited self-directed education, supported by intentional social relations, in fluid informal arrangements:
»Universal education through schooling is not feasible. It would be no more feasible if it were attempted by means of alternative institutions built on the style of present schools.
The current search for new educational funnels must be reversed into the search for their institutional inverse: educational webs which heighten the opportunity for each one to transform each moment of his living into one of learning, sharing, and caring.«
Tools for Conviviality (1973) was published only two years after Deschooling Society. In this new work Illich generalized the themes that he had previously applied to the field of education: the institutionalization of specialized knowledge, the dominant role of technocratic elites in industrial society, and the need to develop new instruments for the reconquest of practical knowledge by the average citizen. He wrote that "[e]lite professional groups . . . have come to exert a 'radical monopoly' on such basic human activities as health, agriculture, home-building, and learning, leading to a 'war on subsistence' that robs peasant societies of their vital skills and know-how. The result of much economic development is very often not human flourishing but 'modernized poverty,' dependency, and an out-of-control system in which the humans become worn-down mechanical parts."[2] Illich proposed that we should "invert the present deep structure of tools" in order to "give people tools that guarantee their right to work with independent efficiency."[13]
Illich proposed conviviality as opposed to industrial productivity and the relentless drive to economic growth. For Illich there is a threshold of productivity in a society beyond which counterproductivity sets in and destroys all productivity gains. This notion is similar to that of »uneconomic growth« by Herman Daly. Counterproductivity can be seen e.g. by the decline of travel speed of cars within cities in the last 40 years due to the clogging of our streets with an overproduction of cars. It can be argued that uneconomic growth and counterproductivity have similar origins.
However, Illich’s concept is bigger than economics. For him the threshold beyond a convivial society is reached when the autonomy of the productive individual is overtaken by the heteronomy of productivism. Being deprived of one’s own productivity by large-scale systems of productivism, individual autonomy and freedom is destroyed – and your personal humanity along with that:
»People need not only to obtain things, they need above all the freedom to make things among which they can live, to give shape to them according to their own tastes, and to put them to use in caring for and about others. (ibid.)«
Christian Arnsperger developed a wonderful paper on the anthropology of conviviality in which he connected the concept to sustainability. Sustainability, Arnsperger argues, is connected to production remaining non-productivist such that the threshold beyond which conviviality is destroyed is not reached. A sustainable society is a convival society. What I learned from this paper is a bit more complex, though.
Within the degrowth and décroissance movement, Illich is an important source for inspiration. Conviviality has especially significance to the discussion on the role of technology in a society beyond growth. The reception of Illich within degrowth often falls in line with a rejection of globalized capitalism, globalized chains of production and global business – the signifiers of productivism, counterproductivity and the heteronomic order of economic growth fetishism. Conviviality, especially convivial technology, is then seen as something more small-scale, local, and centered on human individuals in interaction with each other. This image of such a degrowth society is appealing to some, appalling to others. Illich himself however noted that small is not always beautiful. Moreover, heteronomic order not only lies at the market/capitalist end of conviviality but also on its social relationship side. Autonomy can also be in danger when one is too strongly entangled, relying on and exploiting social relations:
Just as there is counterproductivity and productivism, there is »counterconformity« and »relationalism«. Beyond such a »connectionist travesty« as Arnsperger calls it, lies the true spirit of Ivan Illich and his thinking: the self-determined autonomy of the human individual. Not an autonomy beyond social relations, quite far from it. But an autonomy that is based on one’s inner strength stemming from being self-productive without over-reliance on either markets nor social relations – and therefore able to fully participate in society and social as well as economic exchange with others. At the heart of conviviality lies a very modern expression: individual freedom.
Beyond fear and paranoia, growth and exploitation, retreat and conformity – there might be a convivial modernity as a new narrative for the postgrowth society.
Just as there is counterproductivity and productivism, there is »counterconformity« and »relationalism«.
Beyond such a »connectionist travesty« as Arnsperger calls it, lies the true spirit of Ivan Illich and his thinking: the self-determined autonomy of the human individual. Not an autonomy beyond social relations, quite far from it. But an autonomy that is based on one’s inner strength stemming from being self-productive without over-reliance on either markets nor social relations – and therefore able to fully participate in society and social as well as economic exchange with others. At the heart of conviviality lies a very modern expression: individual freedom.
Beyond fear and paranoia, growth and exploitation, retreat and conformity – there might be a convivial modernity as a new narrative for the postgrowth society.