Being smart, working with the concept of strategic dialogue and technology in a global world can build a better structure of future organizations. The smart concept has changing through the past years, in which meaning was linking to the person could read correctly, write a computer program, and deal honestly with people. The last decade with the definition of the seven types of intelligence-linguistic, musical, logical-mathematic, spatial, bodily – kinesthetic, intrapersonal, and interpersonal-in which each person can be qualified for one or more of these combinations (Chawla & Renesch, 2006), the smart concept has changed, it is adapting to the environment , and it is rationalizing the information understanding. Further, intelligence concept can help to better understand smart people as Stenberg made the definition of intelligence in his 1998 book “purposeful adaptation to, selection to, and shaping of real-world environments relevant to one’s life and abilities” (Chawla & Renesch, 2006, p. 115) and he also considered intelligence three arenas: analytic, creative, and adaptive to label what he called academic, generative, and adaptive. Today the concept of smart, recognized by professionals, is highly technical with reward linguistic, analytical/mathematical, and visual spatial intelligences.
The concept of strategic dialogue also changed the development of the conversation, which is more collaborative, embrace the new perspective of sharing context, and create new opportunities. The exploration in service of the whole improves the dialogue. Listen other thoughts and meaning can also help to change the conclusion. The process of strategic dialogue is accomplished by the spirit of inquiry to better understand assumptions, organize images, and core beliefs, essential to strategic thinking (Chawla & Renesch, 2006). To improve the dialogue and the dynamic of thinking together, people need to connect ideas, bring new insights, share other questions and issues, and make assumptions. The practice of strategic dialogue is reinforced by the integration of visual and verbal thinking. The strategic dialogue helps to build new ideas, new opportunities, and resolve strategic dilemmas and conflicts in learning organizations. In addition, strategic dialogue also includes customers, unions, supplies, and stakeholders’ opinions to support conversations for strategic alliances and mergers in the future.
Globalization is transforming the world and sharing business, cultures, communication, and technology to better assist people in different aspects. Communication is being made around 150 countries by two billion people in a common and global language, English. Globalization has caused a convergence of economic and social forces, of values and tastes, of interests and commitments, of challenges and opportunities” (Marquardt, 2011, p.2). In a global world, people are breaking down barriers and increase cross-cultural understanding and promises to increase global trade, quality of life, and individual prosperity (Canton, 2007). U.S. organizations invested over $4 trillion abroad and open more than 20 million outsourcing jobs opportunities (Marquardt, 2011). At the same time, the investment of foreign corporations in U.S. is over $5 trillion. As an example, 10 per cent of U.S. manufacturing is from other country and employs four million Americans such as Toyota and Mitsubishi (Marquardt, 2011. Further, global organizations such as Nokia, Motorola, and Microsoft are also manufacturing and selling outside the country to operate in their marketplace.
Technology is also a strong force that challenges the organization transformation. Internet changed the way to communicate around the world. The emergent technology power requires that managers manage knowledge instead people. Examples such as iPad, iPhone, and iPod are changing people behavior and communication. Lately, cloud computing is a natural evolution of widespread adoption of virtualization, and support service-oriented architecture (Marquardt, 2006).
Naisbitt (2006) wrote ‘the advances of technology have always resulted in social change” (p. 101). They are also making a huge difference in health with nanotechnology and robotic surgery. In a virtual world, the quality of learning and technology are faster changing organizations with information and decision-making. Smart people using the advance technology and strategic dialogue are creating opportunities and making changes in a global world.
By Dr. Nilsa Fleury
Accreditation Liaison and Development Officer
The Continents University of Arts and Sciences
