The Interface

Abstract

Energy must now be repositioned in developing economies as a way forward in the Information Age, and to move endowed countries beyond the well advertised resource curse. Neo-colonial practices are at their core problematic and tend to marginalize, as opposed to empower local people. The Information Age has radically deconstructed old ways of doing business. Yet, systems do not and cannot change on their own. Change must be introduced from the outside. There are tangible facts such as climate change, IT, and state capitalism, and intangible issues such as carbon reliance, investing trends, social media, and that will impose this change on old ways of doing business. Globalization, amplified by the Information Age, is radically changing mindsets and old paradigms. Through it all, only one constant can affect change for the better: relevant educational initiatives. However, in order for this to happen, education must now sit as an equal at the table with both investment and energy policy initiatives. Only when HRD is institutionalized, can change for the better ensue and embrace the Information Age.