Stéphane Bancel: “Most people think about the future of business from the present onward. As humans we have a natural inclination to think linearly. However, this approach limits our creativity and inhibits our ability to achieve what was previously unimaginable. Consider a better alternative. By thinking five to 10 years out and then “playing the movie backward,” you free yourself from the constraints of what is possible now. You can envision year 10 and then figure out what has to happen in year nine, year eight, and so on for the vision to become reality.”
WSJ: “There’s a stark irony in Mr. Xi’s intensifying shift away from markets, for markets are what made China the economic powerhouse it is today. The robust growth that lifted China from poverty was driven by a hybrid model: a form of state capitalism in which Beijing allowed private ownership and U.S.-style free enterprise to flourish alongside large, low-productivity state-owned enterprises. China’s booming export-related manufacturing was driven by low-cost labor, government investment and highly efficient acquisition of foreign technology and know-how. With free enterprise, human capital flowed into China and drove innovation and productivity. China’s share of global exports rose from 4% in 2000 to 14% in 2015, creating well-paying jobs and domestic prosperity that financed modern urban infrastructure. China accounted for 30% of global growth in this period…By turning away from free enterprise, Xi Jinping ensures that the country’s economy will stop growing.”
McKinsey: Brooke Weddle: “Social capital, simply defined, is the presence of networks, relationships, and connections within any organization or, more broadly, community or culture. It’s been studied for decades, and some of the more recent work by Robert Putnam has emphasized the impact of social capital as it relates to ties in a community.” John Parsons: “With regard to individuals, it’s important to have connections to facilitate greater creativity and greater learning. There’s a lot of research that shows if you are more engaged, you’re more likely to stay. Connectivity can also help with career mobility. If you’re leading teams or you’re a part of a team, social capital is a building block that ultimately leads to that connection, that innovation, and that sharing of ideas.”
