Topic: Business

Attempting to predict how technology will impact business in the future, is a daunting task. However, with the Internet, many consider the rate of change too rapid to even accept the challenge. Still, there are precedents to understand hyper-change and guide our expectations. Controversial analysts Nicholas Carr and Christopher Meyer offer their theories on the implications for business after everything is connected.

As we anticipate the possibility of a coming singularity, we ask "What shall our investments bet on and how will the financial climate differ?" Peter Thiel, investor and cofounder of PayPal, however, has a different view. He argues that singularity-like behavior is already here - as seen in the recent and seemingly accelerating cycles of boom and bust. In this talk from the 2007 Singularity Summit, Thiel discusses this and some unique strategies to manage risk.

The Connected Innovators program showcases emerging technologies and new business ideas likely to make an impact on the networked future. After a competitive application process, Supernova's Kevin Werbach and TechCrunch's Michael Arrington invite a dozen top company leaders on stage to present their best, quick pitch. Then, a panel of start-up experts analyzes the offerings, judging their potential in the marketplace, and their meaning for the tech industry.

As the Geospatial Web evolves from two dimensions to 3-D we are seeing a host of rich new applications and uses appear. Six leaders in the field talk about the Geospatial web and 3-D applications, and how their individual organizations fit into the 3-D puzzle. Ranging from Tele-Atlas' creation of mapping data for GPS units through Microsoft's Virtual Earth on to Second-Life-like applications, this panel reports on developments at companies harnessing the explosive growth in available 3-D information.

How does an organization not only promote green and sustainable products but also conduct business in a socially responsible way? As part of Stanford's Socially and Environmentally Responsible Supply Chains conference, leaders of three pioneering enterprises talk about how they integrate fair trade, sustainable design, green purchasing, and public/private partnerships into every aspect of their business. They offer advice for other organizations, and share how they are working to promote social responsibility in their respective industries.

The Gap monitors 2,000 garment factories in 50 countries, and conducts about 4,000 inspections annually to make sure its suppliers are operating according to ethical guidelines. In this talk, part of Stanford's Socially and Environmentally Responsible Supply Chains conference, the executive who oversees this inspection process, as well as the company's community investment and environmental affairs efforts, outlines the Gap's corporate responsibility programs--highlighting progress, challenges, and where the organization hopes to be in the future.

Not a week goes by without a product safety incident splashed across the headlines. As companies face increasing layers of suppliers, the task of monitoring the many links in the chain becomes a formidable challenge. The situation is particularly troubling for social entrepreneurs, who are especially vulnerable. In this panel, part of Stanford University's Socially and Environmentally Responsible Supply Chains conference, executives who have experienced product safety challenges share what they have done to address these challenges head on.

Companies can indeed make money while operating in socially responsible and environmentally friendly ways. It just takes what supply chain expert Hau Lee calls the Triple-A approach--having agility, adaptability, and alignment. As part of the Socially and Environmentally Responsible Supply Chains conference, Lee describes how small to mid-sized companies in China, India, and Israel boosted profits while shrinking waste and pollution and providing a fair workplace for employees.

With valuable advice for all types of entrepreneurs, this panel from the second annual Social Entrepreneurship Day at Stanford University offers a unique perspective for funding a social entrepreneur start-up. Kriss Deiglmeier, Executive Director of the Center for Social Innovation, leads an engaging discussion between funders and social entrepreneurs that provides actionable advice and insightful lessons.

While volunteering at a charter school, Rafael Alvarez was confronted with some shocking information--hardly any students in the senior class had plans to attend college. So, in true social entrepreneurial fashion, he decided to match up this under-served market with another under-served market, entry level IT. He explains to host Sheela Sethuraman how Genesys Works prepares students technically and professionally to enter a corporate environment and change their lives.