The classic educational model, one that is based on scarcity of teaching talent, and hence leads to massive diversity in the quality of education worldwide, is under pressure.   This is good news, for learners and for entrepreneurs.  There are hundreds of entrepreneurs out there who are deploying interactive educational tools, multimedia, communication technology and social networks to improve the quality and accessibility of education.  The impact of this disruption is being felt in the area of independent or lifelong learning.  If you’re motivated and have an internet connection then you’ll find an educational treasure trove out there.   The key question is how formal education—school, college and university, and on-the-job learning—will evolve.

 

In parallel, the classic organizational models—the way we organize ourselves for work—are under pressure.  Again, this is probably good news for the world and certainly good news for entrepreneurs.  It has never before been easier to pursue personal ‘empowerment’ via various forms of entrepreneurship, as a freelancer, by starting your own business, or a as a participant in various types of collaborative projects.  The large corporate enterprise is not about to disappear, however.  In some industries scale and rigour make a lot of sense.  But they will need to adapt.  Here we explore how.

 

All the articles in this edition are available online here and in print in our latest edition of the journal.  And in February we will host a panel debate in Leuven, Belgium that is inspired by this PEOPLE edition.  Expect the same formula as our previous panel debates: short provocative presentations followed by good debate and conversation.  Send me a mail if you’d like to attend.