Why companies must make gender equality a central, guiding theme, not only in their diversity and inclusion efforts and hiring practices, but in their business strategy and leadership.



Businesses that want to grow sales and market share are looking for ways to increase their pool of customers. The good news is that there is a massive market segment and resource that remains under-utilized: women.



Consumer product companies and marketers have long understood that women are the key decision-makers when it comes to household purchases. While they may have invested in understanding the purchasing behavior driving sales in their markets, often, the data they rely on doesn’t adequately capture women’s experiences and needs. Moving into the future, the companies that compete successfully will be those that build women’s participation into every level of their workplace and decision-making processes, from leadership and strategy, through product design to customer-facing roles.



This need for diversity extends to the new frontier of artificial intelligence (AI). As companies are increasingly using data to drive decision-making, we have to confront the reality that women are often excluded from both the creation of AI and the data that is being collected.



There is already strong evidence that companies that have women on boards and in senior executive roles are out-performing their competitors. Studies show that businesses with diverse leadership enjoy 21% higher revenue than their peers and are 27% more likely to have long-term value creation. These numbers are more significant at a time when revenues are being challenged due to the Covid-19 pandemic.



Women’s increased participation in the workforce also holds the prospect of greater economic growth. Women’s unequal participation costs the economies of sub-Saharan Africa an estimated $95 billion (R1.7 trillion) every year. Women also invest more than 90% of their incomes back into their families and communities, further contributing to prosperity. If women participated equally in the global economy, they could add $28 trillion to global GDP by 2025, a number to consider as we look for a global recovery from the pandemic.



In a report from the UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO), almost two-thirds (65.3%) of enterprises in Africa reported that initiatives on gender diversity and equality helped enhance business outcomes, including profitability and productivity. Yet inequality, exclusion and inflexibility hold women back in many aspects of their everyday lives, including at work. The challenge: how do we design workplaces that enable women’s participation at every level?



First, are you dedicated to gender balance in the workplace?



Companies must make gender equality a central, guiding theme, not only in their diversity and inclusion efforts and hiring practices, but in their business strategy and leadership. We must be committed to reshaping the way our world is designed, coded and constructed by bringing different perspectives to the table. Decision-making marked by a diversity of perspectives and experiences is stronger and companies that create diverse teams will win.&nbsp;



This commitment must be explicit and measurable. At Mastercard, for example, we link our management goals and KPI’s to diversity and inclusivity, creating accountability. If you believe in it, make it real.



Second, do you have expertise you can develop into a learning opportunity for women?



Examine your core business and its intangible assets. Is there knowledge that you can transfer to women in your own workplace and beyond? The key is to identify pockets of expertise core to your company and place women in those areas. They will build their knowledge and, in turn, impart that knowledge as they move to increasingly senior roles. For example, we are a diversified payments technology company that operates a global network, which I characterize as the beating heart of the company. Immediately prior to joining our South African office, I worked for 18 months in our Operations and Technology Group. I believe that all of our employees should cycle through a technology role to gain knowledge of our core business. For my part, my understanding of our company is forever changed.



Beyond our company walls, we have committed to growing financial inclusion, with a goal of bringing one billion people into the global financial system by 2025. As part of these efforts, we do extensive training around digital financial literacy, 4IR technology fields and business mentorship. We have also created Girls4Tech, which is developing a strong pipeline of talent by encouraging girls to embrace STEM subjects that will prepare them for the workforce of the future.



Third, how can we re-wire the workplace to better function for women?



Having women in your workforce is one thing, but have you examined your workplace? The upheaval of lockdowns and social distancing in the last few months have made many of us rethink our idea of the ideal workplace. According to UN Global Compact, the Covid-19 pandemic has hit women disproportionately hard, as they are more likely to be in lower-paying, insecure and informal jobs. They are also more likely to be burdened with increased childcare responsibilities with schools and nurseries closed. In South Africa, two-thirds of those who lost their livelihoods are women.



How do we rebound from this? Too much of the world was not designed with women in mind, and more often than not, workplaces aren’t optimized in such a way where both men and women can be productive, contribute to success and reach their potential. Return to work programs and flexible family-friendly environments are key, as they promote and encourage women’s participation in the workforce.



The business case, economic case, and societal case for diversity in the workplace is clear. Now, we need to devise roadmaps and act to build the workplaces that meet the challenges of the future.



Because a world that works better for women creates limitless possibilities for us all. It’s a world that gives everyone the chance to unleash their potential, pursue their passions and make extraordinary things happen.



– By Suzanne Morel, Country Manager, Mastercard, South Africa

Suzanne Morel Country manager mastercard South Africa – Landscape

‘Meet The Needs Of Women In The Market By Having Women In The Workforce’

UJ, 4IR, and the CloudebateTM concept



UJ is the
University of Johannesburg. 4IR is the Fourth Industrial Revolution. CloudebateTM?
Well – it’s a place where really interesting questions are asked, such as: is
the academic thesis a thing of the past? Have books outlived their physical
form? Are we witnessing the demise of childhood? Will eye-tracking, sip and
puff, or exoskeletons lead to true equality of opportunity? Will society change
Africa? Will Africa help change society? Will education teach our children what
they really need to know? And if so, how?



As 4IR
sweeps the world, sending many preconceptions, predilections, and presuppositions
tumbling as it goes, UJ sees the asking of questions like these as a
fundamental response. And it’s responding because, since 2013, when it first embarked
on its strategy of global excellence and stature, the university saw a clear
need to take the lead in exploring the applications, implications and potential
of 4IR. What’s more, it saw a need to do this not just as part of its
positioning as a thought-leader on the continent, but as part of making a
proactive and positive contribution towards African society, education and
enablement.



A vision
of width, a platform of depth



It’s a
significant vision, and as part realising it, UJ has been investigating new and
challenging ways, not just of identifying the issues at stake, but of
presenting them in depth. It sought a way that would bring medium and content,
idea and action, debate and initiative, together on one unique platform.



And that
unique platform, one that UJ has not only created, but given a unique name to
as well, is the CloudebateTM.&nbsp;




The
CloudebateTM



The
CloudebateTM has essentially taken the traditional debate/panel
discussion and reimagined it, placing it firmly within the realm of its own 4IR
scope, and using the latest live-streaming technology. It is the place where 4IR
ideas that have been identified as relevant, meaningful, challenging and
thought-provoking are placed before an expert panel as well as an online
audience who are invited to participate in real time, online, in a very 4IR way,
in the discussion, analysis and dissection. &nbsp;



There have
been seven Cloudebates held so far, and their names provide an insight into
their capacity to provoke thought: The Way Tomorrow Works; Digitally Equal; Is
4IR the Demise of Childhood? Questioning the Answers; Obsolete or Absolute?
Should Books be Shelved? Adding Muscle to Open Doors. 



When
thought is action



It’s all
about the kind of world we are creating for our children to inhabit. What will
the elimination of jobs do to society? Are children growing directly into the immediacy
of adulthood? Are academic theses outdated? Are libraries passé? Can technology
enable opportunity equally for all? 



The digital
reach has been immense, not just in South Africa but globally, where it has
found a worldwide audience. Moreover, UJ’s CloudebateTM initiative
is set to continue into 2020 with further challenges to our received wisdom,
our perceived way of doing things. So, if you have any stimulating 4IR topics
that you would like to see discussed, send them to marketingbrand@uj.ac.za – UJ
would love to hear from you. And if you’d like to see the discussions that have
already taken place, then just go to uj.ac.za/4IR, where you can watch, and
take a view of your own.



Creating
tomorrow



With its innovative CloudebateTM concept, UJ’s pursuit of global excellence has been a most rewarding journey that will continue to develop and expand along with 4IR, and along with UJ’s ongoing commitment to creating tomorrow.



Content provided by the University of Johannesburg

Cloudebate image for Forbes 3 Feb 2020_1910x600px

Where The Medium’s The Topic And The Topic is Topical

A pick of some of the weirdest, coolest tech that could come hurtling our way this year. 



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li>A bot that delivers
toilet paper</li></ol>



Forgot to instal toilet paper in the loo? The Charmin RollBot is designed to carry a roll of toilet paper on two wheels. With the press of a button on your phone, the RollBot will help with your sanitary requirement.



Using Bluetooth, the bot will commence its mission; an infra-red sensor able to navigate its way to you. According to Business Insider, there&#8217;s no price or release date for RollBot, nor is it clear if it will ever be released as a consumer product. Charmin calls RollBot a &#8220;conceptual prototype”. The brand unveiled the bot last month at the CES 2020 expo in Las Vegas.



2. The Cyrcle phone



If for any reason you got bored of your rectangular handset, the circular phone is always an alternative offering a different view and take. According to the makers, the phone was designed with the Generation Z, female audience in mind. It’s round and features two headphone jacks. The device was designed by a US-based startup delivering a shape that it says is more “sensual”. The company reckons it will be ready to launch in a year’s time.



3. A smart bed



There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep. But it’s not always possible to have the best sleep every day. Or is it? There is a bed that’s guaranteed to give you your beauty sleep the way you want it.



Sleep Number Climate 360 has a mattress with features that warm your feet to help you sleep faster. It will also help you stay asleep by cooling your body, and balance your temperature with your natural wake and sleep cycles.



But what’s most intriguing is the fact that the bed also gives you a Sleep IQ score for personalized sleep insights. It measures your heart rate, breathing and movement, tracks your circadian rhythms and can show how your heart rate varies. The smart bed received the CES 2020 Best of Innovation award and is only expected to be available in 2021.



4. Self-changing trash can



For those who dread taking out the trash, this device is possible a no-brainer. Apart from its motion sensors to detect when you need to throw trash, when it’s full, it will automatically seal the trash bag and line the bin with a new one, all with a press of a button.



Even if the bin is overflowing, the top compartment will lift up so it can still seal the bag shut without any mess. The bin, called the Townew bin, was designed by a Canadian company, Knectek Labs.



5. Vertical TV



Just when we were getting used to wider TVs, it seems taller screens may soon be coming to your living room. Samsung’s Sero TV vertical-oriented will soon be hitting markets.



The TV can not only work in the traditional horizontal format, but is also able to turn on its side for playing vertical videos in portrait style.This might come in handy when watching videos from social media platforms such as TikTok or Instagram that deal primarily with vertical videos.



It sits on a stand that prevents it hitting the floor when turning, and can be paired with a phone so that it automatically orientates it correctly based on what’s beamed from the handset. According to TechRadar.com the pricing and availability are yet to be revealed, but the Sero will be leaving Korea and is headed to the US and “several global markets” later this year.

GettyImages-1198129444

The Top 5 Emerging Crazy Tech

The machines are coming for our jobs. This is a dystopian vision of the future of work popularized by the media and perpetuated in boardrooms across the globe.



South Africa is not immune from this misperception and here it has created a climate of fear and paralysis. &nbsp;Leaders, both civic and corporate, hesitate to encourage and incentivise the very digitalization needed to sustain and grow our economies out of a misguided fear of job losses and the ensuing civil backlash.



Ironically, the exact efforts to protect jobs from
technology may end up being the biggest cause of job losses in the future.
Because, without a shift to a Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) mindset,
businesses will progressively become less competitive against their global
peers, eroding their economic relevance and the jobs they sustain. 



Decision makers, therefore, need the courage to embrace
the paradox that while jobs might be subsumed by technology, only technology
will be able to create new ones.



Yes, automation and cognitive technologies will
eliminate jobs; mostly in search of improved efficiencies and productivity, and
to some extent to reduce reliance on expensive, rare and specialised skills. It
is futile and economically reckless to think otherwise.



The good news is that these same technologies will create demand for new skills and new jobs. The World Economic Forum (WEF) conducted an extensive study, leveraging insights from business leaders cumulatively responsible for 15 million people across a variety of sectors, skills and seniority levels globally. The study concluded that for every job that is lost to 4IR popularized technologies, 1.7 jobs will be created.



The consequent economic knock-on effects of these new
jobs, although not quantified, would undoubtedly be significant and further
contribute to net employment.



Unfortunately, the net new jobs will mostly remain in
the domain of the educated and available to those with the means to access and
afford the cost of sourcing new 4IR-related skills.



Green shoots



There are, however, green shoots of positive developments,
led by a new breed of digitally literate entrepreneurs. They have not
“invented” the technology, but instead leverage technology platforms to create
self-employment and economic sustainability. These digitally literate
entrepreneurs, many of them running micro-businesses, are creating employment
and economic activity in lower income level segments in the following key
areas:



1. Distributed value chains



Distributed value chains involve a category of people
who are generally unemployed or under-employed and are able to fulfil a
last-mile service gap by trading in their skills or available time. These
platforms link people with capacity and/or skills constraints to people with
the time and skills needed. This is done in a way that is dignified, safe,
peer-reviewed for quality of service, and enables higher wages compared to
traditional constructs. These platforms have been effective at creating jobs in
developed, low-unemployment economies. Their contribution to employment is
proven, significant and immediately tangible.



2. Collaborative consumption



It is often impossible for small organisations or
individuals to justify the ownership of an asset because of affordability, or
the ability to use the full capacity of the asset. The converse applies in
which access to the asset through a sharing mechanism enables the same benefit
as asset ownership. For example, digital platforms, such as Nigerian start-up
Hello Tractor, that provide access to key equipment on a pay-per-use basis
allow companies and individuals to reap economic benefits from utilising
technology without the associated costs of owning the equipment.



This in turn enhances efficiencies and competitiveness
of small organizations and levels the playing field for them in relation to
large ones. Collaborative consumption has many forms and different levels of
sophistication. At the extremes of technology, companies like 3D Hubs enable
the collaborative consumption of 3D printers, allowing the 3D printer to become
a shareable asset within its community.



3. Digital economic catalysts



Digital platforms increase levels of transparency,
which combined with the network effect of connecting communities and
frictionless transaction flow, is reviving sectors that have lost their appeal
due to a lack of transparency, reduced levels of trust and relevance to
specific demographic groups, and tedious or complex manual processes. These
sectors are being revived by digital platforms that economically empower
micro-entrepreneurs – or allow them to further empower other
micro-entrepreneurs. StokFella and Livestock Invest are good examples of
platforms that have shaken up entrenched concepts.



Digital technologies present both risks and potential.
The way forward is not fixed nor will it be easy, but with the right leaders,
and a mindset of urgency, curiosity and a preparedness to challenge existing
paradigms, we have a good chance of achieving an abundant future.



We also need citizens and entrepreneurs that see opportunity in this new era open to doing things that have never been done before – in ways not previously considered, leveraging technology never before available.



&#8211; Valter Adão is the Chief Digital and Innovation Officer, Deloitte Africa

Valter adao pic

Leaders Need To Embrace, Not Fear, The Digitalized Future Of Work

With every day that passes by it becomes more apparent that the Earth is deteriorating and time is running out to save it. Scientists have estimated that we have less than a decade to save the planet before it is irreversibly damaged, mainly due to climate change. 



Businesses claim the largest percentage of global emissions (at approximately 70% since 1988, according to The Guardian) which is an alarming statistic, especially in a time when the planet’s well-being is being compromised. 



Many large business corporations are hastily coming on board with operating sustainably by transforming their practices and placing business ethics at the forefront of their priorities.



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Most Sustainable Companies In 2019 (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/technology/2019/01/23/the-most-sustainable-companies-in-2019/" target="_blank">The Most Sustainable Companies In 2019</a>



 Last week, a round table discussion was held at the Fairlawns Boutique Hotel, Sandton hosted by Environmental Resources Management (ERM) &#8211; the world’s largest sustainability consulting firm. Their aim was to discuss how imperative it is for African businesses to get on board with sustainability. 



“We have been talking about how to be
sustainable for a long time but now it is time for us to do sustainability,”
says Thapelo Letete, Technical Director of ERM. 



An engaging and thought-provoking panel
discussion ensued with representatives from ERM and mining companies, Anglo
American and Gold Fields. They emphasized the importance of sustainability
being recognized by investors, especially in mining and oil companies that rely
solely on Earth’s natural resources.



Civil society has a colossal role to play in ensuring the sustainability of businesses. Due to the law of supply and demand in production, consumers are being urged to be mindful of their buying habits and to make sustainable decisions. These are as simple as minimizing the utilization of plastic straws by replacing them with metal or paper straws and reusable shopping bags and by recycling selected items. 



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Challenging The Gender Divide (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/opinion/2019/09/04/challenging-the-gender-divide/" target="_blank">Challenging The Gender Divide</a>



“Research
suggests that socially and environmentally responsible practices have the
potential to garner more positive consumer perceptions of (businesses), as well
as increases in profitability,” according to an entry in Sage Journals published in May. 



The advancement of science, artificial intelligence and the rapid growth of the technological industry make it an undeniable fact that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is underway. Many businesses across the globe seem to be well prepared for this change. However, businesses in Africa seem to be vulnerable.&nbsp;



“It is difficult to say that all
businesses in Africa are prepared for it. It is not a country specific thing
but it does vary across corporations. There will be businesses that are well prepared
and businesses that are not so well prepared,” says Keryn James, CEO of ERM. 



A large part of
sustainability also relies on empowerment and equality. Sub-Saharan Africa has
the highest number of female-owned businesses who contribute a large amount of
money towards their respective countries’ GDPs. However, most of these
businesses struggle with the issue of scaling. 



“Women sometimes underestimate their ability and they don’t necessarily&nbsp; have the confidence that they should have about the value that their businesses present. Women often take less risks than men,” says James.



“The issue of scaling is one that we see globally. One of the issues are access to funding to support in the investment and growth of their businesses.”



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Mastercard: Diligent About Digital In Africa (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/cover-story/2019/09/02/mastercard-diligent-about-digital-in-africa/" target="_blank">Mastercard: Diligent About Digital In Africa</a>



Going forward, the availability of mentorship programmes and skills development opportunities for women, especially black women in business should be encouraged. 



According to a study done by the UN Women’s organization, an average of 3 out of 7 women score higher in performance when they are placed in senior managerial positions. Additionally, if more women work, the more countries can exponentially maximise their economic growth. 



Women will be empowered
when given the correct skills and opportunities to be able to run their own
businesses independently which would ultimately lead to the scaling of
female-owned businesses in Africa and sustainable development. 



The Nedbank Capital Sustainable Business Awards aim
to recognize the efforts of businesses that operate sustainably and to encourage
other corporations who intend to adopt more sustainable strategies into their
practices. Initiatives such as these prove that business value also depends on
how sustainable they are. 



It is clear that the prioritization of sustainability and accountability in businesses is the only way forward in the midst of this global crisis. With a combination of will and the rigorous work that African businesses have put into sustainability initiatives and strategies, it is easier to be optimistic about our planet’s wellbeing. 



-Buhle Ntusi

Keryn

Businesses At The Heart Of A Greener Future

South Africa has created the Presidential Commission on the
Fourth Industrial Revolution. The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa,
chairs this commission and I am the Deputy Chairman. The commission consists of
30 members. 



It is tasked with developing South Africa’s strategy around
the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). 



Why this commission and why is the 4IR so important? To answer
these questions, we ought to understand first what the 4IR is and what it
entails. 



As a point of departure, we ought to understand the first, second and third industrial revolutions. The British scientific revolution that gave us Isaac Newton’s laws of motion, gravitation and the study of heat, catalysed the first industrial revolution. 



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="South Africa’s Informal Sector: Why People Get Stuck In Precarious Jobs (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/economy/2019/04/08/south-africas-informal-sector-why-people-get-stuck-in-precarious-jobs/" target="_blank">South Africa’s Informal Sector: Why People Get Stuck In Precarious Jobs</a>



The first industrial revolution gave us coal-powered steam
engines that drove trains and ushered the era of using machines to produce
goods and services. The luddites, who were a group of activists hell-bent on
stopping the first industrial revolution, disappeared into the ash heap of
history and the technological revolution marched on.



The scientific revolution that facilitated us to leverage
magnetic and electrical forces called electromagnetism ushered the second
industrial revolution. Electromagnetism gave us electricity and an electric
motor, and these, in turn, spurred the development of the assembly line, which
vastly improved production and introduced mass production in factories. 



The discovery of semiconductors and the invention of a
transistor in the United States (US) ushered the electronic age, which gave us
computers, mobile phones, and ultimately led to the invention of the internet. 



Seventy years after the discovery of a transistor, there is no significant semiconductor company on the African continent. To solve this serious gap in the political economy of the African continent, industries, society and universities on the continent must come together to develop a strategy and the plan of action on how the continent should enter the primary economy of the third industrial revolution. 



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Robots Are Coming: How To Stay Relevant And Re-Skill Yourself (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/technology/2019/03/26/the-robots-are-coming-how-to-stay-relevant-and-re-skill-yourself/" target="_blank">The Robots Are Coming: How To Stay Relevant And Re-Skill Yourself</a>



The 4IR is a confluence of digital technologies of the third
industrial revolution, developments in biotechnology through innovations such
as molecular motors, as well as the developments in the physical space through
breakthroughs in new materials and robotics technologies. 



One of the technologies driving the 4IR is artificial
intelligence (AI). Because of AI, machines are gaining intelligence and thus
planes are intelligently flying with minimal interference by pilots, the
factory floor is increasingly automating, and self-driving cars are reaching
maturity. AI is revolutionizing the medical field and making careers such as radiology
redundant.



The implications of the 4IR will be extensive. It will
reduce the world of work and usher a post-work era, where factories will employ
fewer people than ever before. The presidential commission should study this
post-work era and the impact thereof on the labor market, equality and tax
collection.



This commission will explore the viability of strategies
such as the introduction of universal basic income, virtual economic zones and
imposing tax on robots in order to prevent the escalation of poverty and
inequality.



In the 4IR era, some jobs will disappear, some will change
and new types of jobs will be created. It is important that the presidential
commission study these changes and design a strategy on how we should move
forward. This should include the identification of the required set of skills
in order to thrive in the 4IR, and the mechanisms in which the education sector
should plan for the development of such skills.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="ducated, Re-engineer and Lead Through Uncertainty (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/focus/2019/05/01/educated-re-engineer-and-lead-through-uncertainty/" target="_blank">Educated, Re-engineer and Lead Through Uncertainty</a>



Kai-Fu Lee, the Chairman of the World Economic Forum Council
on Artificial Intelligence, wrote in his influential book, AI Superpowers, that
in the 4IR, data is becoming the new oil. Countries and companies, such as the
US, China, Google, Facebook, and Alibaba, which collect more data will become
so powerful that they will influence all aspects of our lives. 



The company Cambridge Analytica allegedly influenced the US
election through data analytics. 



This commission should study and recommend how South Africa
should position itself with respect to defence, peace, security, industry,
trade, society and politics in the light of the 4IR. Failure to capture this
4IR moment will relegate us to the dustbin of history. 



– Tshilidzi Marwala is a professor and Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg in South Africa.

The 4IR Strategy To  Move Forward

“Nothing can be said to be certain, except Death and Taxes” – Benjamin Franklin, 1789
As we head into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), there is the possibility that only one of those will remain a certainty.
While taxes may morph from employee-contribution-for-state-resources, to a nominal amount on the gains of technology, to a Universal Basic Income (UBI) – death may yet be conquered.
An increasing number of futurists believe that death is a disease; and like any disease it can be cured. Perhaps the most prominent of these is Ray Kurzweil, Google’s chief futurist, with a prediction accuracy rate of 86% (115 of 147 since the 1990s). Kurzweil believes by 2029, we will see signs of living forever when we reach ‘Longevity Escape Velocity’ – the point at which every year we live, we extend our lifespan by at least another year.
The oldest verified living person, Chiyo Miyako, died at 117 years old in July. However, the number of centenarians is up 44% from 2000 to 2014. Improvements in vaccines, antibiotics, hygiene and sanitation are all contributing factors to increasing survival to advanced ages.
<a href="http://www.forbesafrica.com/cover-story/2018/09/06/you-only-live-twice/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">READ MORE: You Only Live Twice</a>
Coupled with affordable healthcare, food abundance, and a decrease in non-natural death causes (war, measles, diabetes), global life expectancy increased from 65.3 years in 1990 to 71.5 years in 2013.
The cost of sequencing the genome has decreased exponentially from approximately $150 million (2013) to under $1,000 (2015), a reduction of 150,000x. Once quantum computers become mainstream, the cost to sequence an individual genome could be cheaper than flushing the toilet! This could lead to mass customized medicines, further decreasing human mortality rate.
Additionally, the introduction of CRISPr allows scientists to cut out and replace living DNA; effectively eradicating almost all diseases and rewriting the genetic code that governs life expectancy.
And we haven’t even included advancements in nano-tech, AI to determine genetic diffusions, R&amp;D into reversing aging, 3D printing organs, or human augmentation to the point of ‘the singularity’.
With life expectancy of, say 200, versus today’s 75, there are a number of considerations. Many challenge the conventional paradigms we currently deem normal. Questions of increased retirement, education systems, second, third or even fourth careers, children and life-savings, are obvious short-term issues to address.
At a micro level, which individual wouldn&#8217;t want to spend just another year with a sick loved one? However, at a macro level, this would be far from ideal. Arguably, the greatest issue we face is resource constraints caused – not by over-population per se (the United Nations projects a world population of 9.7 billion by 2050) – but by the number of consumers and the scale/nature of that consumption.
Across Africa, the median age is 19.4 years with a total population of approximately 1.3 billion, however, the average age of the continental leadership is 65 years old. Already Africa has a history of dictatorships, and with leaders living longer, will we have more authoritarian rule?
With an increasingly aging active workforce, what is the future of jobs? Especially coupled with the replacement of labor with 4IR technologies (robotics, AI, automated plants) and youth unemployment upwards of 50%. From a capitalist perspective, efficiency gains and profit maximization will drive business decisions. However, are we further creating a situation whereby the Gini gap increases while the rich, aging, experienced reap the benefits of longevity? Are we sitting atop a socio-economic time bomb with increasing inequality?
Advances in technology will definitely drive the upward age of longevity toward the 200 mark. However, there are a number of considerations – both moral and social – that we have not begun to think about, as a species. Ultimately, the question is no longer if death (like taxes) is inevitable, but rather: even if we can conquer death – should we?
– By Craig Wing, a partner at FutureWorld International, driving innovation and futures thinking across organizations globally. He is a thought-leader on 4IR, future of work and corporate culture.

Tag: Fourth Industrial Revolution

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

‘Meet The Needs Of Women In The Market By Having Women In The Workforce’

Where The Medium’s The Topic And The Topic is Topical

The Top 5 Emerging Crazy Tech

Leaders Need To Embrace, Not Fear, The Digitalized Future Of Work

Businesses At The Heart Of A Greener Future

The 4IR Strategy To Move Forward

Even If We Conquer Death – Should We?