Seeing What’s Next – UNICC and UN Library Sponsor Howard Yu Talk

8 October, 2019

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Photo: UNICC/Leger
On October 8, UNICC (Learning Services) and the UN’s Knowledge & Learning Commons jointly organized a presentation entitled “Seeing What’s Next: How Seismic Shifts in the Commercial World impact International Organizations” at the UN Library in Geneva.

Professor Howard Yu, professor of management and innovation at IMD business school in Switzerland, delivered the keynote address. In attendance were many colleagues from UNICC, the UN Office in Geneva and other Partner Organizations.

Many participants attended remotely as well. In his presentation on Professor Yu, Sameer said that the ideas that would be discussed were sure to help UNICC with its own transitions.

The main points of Professor Yu’s keynote address were:

  • Upcoming changes in our lives from virtual reality to artificial intelligence
  • International organizations must lead differently across many areas (digital services, new operating models, new talent acquisition, new ways to innovate)
  • Bi-directional; thinking is needed – for now and for the future
  • Automatable knowledge (data, information) must be codified for AI, while emotional intelligence, creativity, and insight will continue to belong to humans.

Professor Yu also discussed the Three Waves of the Internet, the Network Effect and IT Company Platforms.

After the presentation and the Q&A session, Professor Yu gave everyone an autographed copy of his book (LEAP — How to Thrive in a World Where Everything Can Be Copied).