Personal Growth — April 5, 2011

Decision-Making Amid Digital Revolution

A new case study from Harvard Business School looks at how National Geographic dealt with the many challenges of changing its business model from paper to digital.

bigthinkeditor

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Decision-making in an era of blinding technological speed is one of the aspects of a new Harvard Business School case focusing on National Geographic and its own transition from a paper to digital business model. In the summer of 2009, National Geographic CEO John Fahey was heading an apparently steady but slow-motion revolution. The leisurely pace of change was deliberate, to allow creative people time to accept change. Even so, it hasn’t been easy, “People’s first loyalty is still to their silos,” the case observes.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Digital illustration of a DNA double helix in red and blue, set against a black background.

The Future

Can we automate science? Sam Rodriques is already doing it.

“We can build AI scientists that are better than we are… these systems can be superhuman,” says the FutureHouse co-founder.

A telescope beneath a colorful, abstract visualization of the universe, with a starry night sky in the background.

Hard Science

Einstein wins again: Exotic gravity theories take a blow from new observations

DESI has allowed astronomers to create an unprecedented 3D map of the Universe representing 20% of the entire sky.

Starts With A Bang

The Steady-State Universe: A viable alternative to the Big Bang?

For nearly 60 years, the hot Big Bang has been accepted as the best story of our cosmic origin. Could the Steady-State theory be possible?

Pixelated red human figure on a black grid background with blue symmetrical curves and white geometric shapes adjacent.

Hard Science

The Arecibo Message fifty years later

In November 1974, astronomers used the radio telescope at Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory to send a hello to the universe.

Bronze statue of a bearded man embodying stoicism, riding a horse with one arm extended forward, set against a black background.

Thinking

3 clues that Stoicism is a religion in disguise

All religions have three traits: metaphysical commitments, ethical guidance, and daily rituals or practices. So does Stoicism.

Up Next

Technology & Innovation

Security Risks in Clouds

Consumer-oriented cloud applications make it really easy for employees to share sensitive corporate documents, maybe too easy, warns Maria Korolov.