IBM is raising the IQ of school buildings. Schools across the US are discovering that bringing greater intelligence and connectedness into a building’s operations can go a long way toward creating more efficient, sustainable, and profitable campuses.
In this issue:
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Looking Backwards – World’s First Smartphone, Music from Mainframes
Our December theme for The Greater IBM Connection is ‘corporate history’, and Paul Lasewicz, IBM Corporate Archivist, has shared with us some very interesting highlights from IBM’s history such as the fact that IBM invented the world’s first smartphone. It was also fascinating to learn of the musical compositions done from mainframes, perhaps the forerunner of the digital music trend of today. Here are the some of the highlights from looking backwards:
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Looking Forwards – IBM 5 in 5, The Era of Cognitive Computing
Each December, IBM unveils the 5 in 5 — five predictions about technology innovations that will change the way we work, live and play within the next five years. The ideas come from the thousands of biologists, engineers, mathematicians and medical physicians in our Research labs around the world — IBM has the world’s largest industrial research organization.
In the next five years, computers will begin to mimic and augment the senses, helping us become more aware and more productive. Today, we see the beginnings of sensing machines in things like self-parking cars–and the future is wide open. From the company that built Watson, the Jeopardy!-winning computer, here are five upcoming technology advances that will change your world:
Touch: You will be able to touch through your phone
Sight: A pixel will be worth a thousands words
Hearing: Computers will hear what matters
Taste: Digital taste buds will help you to eat smarter
Smell: Computers will have a sense of smell
Read more about it here: http://wp.me/p2kcos-Bp
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Looking Forwards – IBM’s Green Initiatives
Building a Smarter Planet is a fundamental part of who IBM is as a company, and green initiatives are a key part of the focus for the present and future. Here are a few highlights from the past week:
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Stay Connected with The Greater IBM Connection by:
–Posted by Julie Yamamoto, Program Manager, The Greater IBM Connection
IBM (NYSE:IBM) today announced a project that will simplify electric vehicle (EV) charging and payment for consumers, regardless of their location. The operational demonstration, called the B2B Marketplace will allow energy providers, car manufacturers, and charging point owners to share and integrate services on one common IT platform. This will create a network of EV charging services that are compatible regionally in Europe with the aim of increasing electric vehicle adoption.
IBM is one of 43 partners in Europe involved in the Green eMotion project, including energy providers, electric car manufacturers, as well as cities and research institutions, working to enable electromobility across Europe. Similar to the recently announced project with ESB Networks IBM is helping to improve power grid reliability, encourage EV adoption amongst consumers, and address the challenges of financial and billing settlement – by combining cloud and analytic capabilities.
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For More Information:
–Posted by Julie Yamamoto, Program Manager, The Greater IBM Connection
Technology giant IBM has been recognized for the second year in a row as the greenest company in the US in the Newsweek 2012 Green Rankings survey.
Big Blue is the greenest.
A panel of independent judges ranked major companies based on several criteria, including their environmental impact, environmental management and sustainability disclosure.
“IBM’s Smarter Planet products help clients measure and reduce their resource consumption – and save money. At its Zurich lab, water that cools a supercomputer is used to warm nearby buildings,” the survey said.
Wayne Balta, IBM’s vice-president of Corporate Environmental Affairs and Product Safety, said environmental sustainability benefits IBM’s clients, the company itself and the planet, and IBM is constantly striving for continual improvement.
“We are grateful for this recognition as it reflects the long-term commitment of IBM and its people to environmental leadership throughout the company’s global business operations,” said Balta.
After IBM, the greenest companies in the US are mostly technology companies, according to the survey. In order, the companies are: Hewlett-Packard, Sprint Nextel, Dell, CA Technologies, NVIDIA, Intel, Accenture, Office Depot, Staples, EMC, Microsoft, Cognizant, Hartford Financial Services Group, and McGraw-Hill.
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Congratulations to IBM on this 2nd consecutive honor. Leave your comments below!
Inspired by the possibilities Sam Palmisano introduced to the world in his speech, SMARTER PLANET: The Next Leadership Agenda, Greater IBMers across the world have been meeting up ONLINE to learn, exchange ideas, and discover how we can get involved. We’ve learned we share a keen interest in becoming one of those leaders and innovators that Sam Palmisano described as those that will “change the game” in creating a more sustainable planet on many fronts. Most recently, we’ve delved into leadership and diversity in our changing economy, the crisis of health care, and on August 5, we’ll be exploring new intiatives related to WATER, the lifeblood of our planet.
HAVE YOU REGISTERED TO ATTEND ?
The Business of WATER
A Thirst for Smarter Management
Conversation with executive guest…
Sharon Nunes, IBM Vice President, Big Green Innovations
ONLINE EVENT | WEDNESDAY, August 5, 2009
1 PM – 2 PM US Eastern Daylight Time
REGISTER HERE: www.greateribm.com
Login/phone details to attend are included.
WHAT DO WE HAVE TO OFFER THE WORLD?
What new skills do we need to be the game changers?
The graphic at the top of this post includes an amazing list of leadership qualities. These were collected from the over 490 Greater IBMers that registered for our event, LEADERSHIP and DIVERSITY in a CHANGING ECONOMY in June 2009. THE QUESTION: We asked each person to name one quality that distinguished them as a leader and innovator. When you look at the entire list of distinguishing qualities, you realize that GREATER IBMERS are a powerful resource prepared to change the world. As you read through the list, I’m certain you will also see yourself in those qualities.
So, who are these game changers?
How can YOU be among them?
What role does CURIOSITY play?
I keep learning through my work with people all over the world that it is essential for leaders and innovators to develop a much keener interest in people than we are used to having even at IBM — particularly in people that are different that we are. You’ve got to learn to look beyond the words on a resume, the preconceived limitations we see in others, how someone looks, and seek to discover the full array of DIFFERENCES, knowledge, know-how, values, and unique talents that others possess. This means questioning our habits and learning to SEE DIFFERENCES DIFFERENTLY. Related blog post you might enjoy: CURIOSITY: The 21st Century Differentiator
Hope you’ll join us! Learn more. Share your voice. Get inolved! Together, we can change the world in ways we can’t imagine.
“…I believe we will see new leaders emerge who win not by surviving the storm, but by changing the game.”
— Sam Palmisano, IBM Chairman and CEO
Best…
Debbe
Debbe Kennedy
Contributing Author
Greater IBM Connection Blog
Co-Founder, GIBM Women’s
International Network for
Leadership(GIBM WIN-L)
Founder, President & CEO
Global Dialogue Center and
Leadership Solutions Companies
author, Putting Our Differences to Work
Video Book Review by futurist Joel A. Barker
IBMer 1970 – 1991 L.A.; Anchorage; Seattle; San Francisco
Twitter: @debbekennedy @onlinedialogues
