Critical analysis “Abundance: The Future is better than you think” for use as MOT text book
Corey Cooper, Alexander Greenberg, Steven T. Walsh · Technological Forecasting and Social Change · 2015
Abundance: The future is better than you think (Abundance) is a book for the reflective practitioner or someone seeking to become a reflective practitioner.It engages you and was used for both executive and traditional MBA introduction courses to technology innovation at UNM's Anderson School of Management.The writers of this critique are: Alexander, current graduate student at Anderson School; Corey, a graduating MBA student from Anderson school; and Steve, a student for life otherwise known as a professor.We have found that educating today's graduate students require not just education, not just edutainment but instilling in these nascent professionals and executives an addiction to education.This book played a pivotal role in our clinical approach to introducing students to innovation, technology entrepreneurship and technology management.This book along with an innovation simulations, case studies and real world "hands on engagements" helps to "Hook" our students.The authors of Abundance had a simple premise.They outlined the major problems or challenges facing the 21st century world (Tierney et al., 2013) (van Vuuren et. al., 2015).They then provide technology foresight, innovators and societal movements that provide potential solutions to these challenges.As the 21st century world challenges are met the authors suggest that the world will move from a paradigm of economic "Scarcity" toward an "Abundance" economic view.The authors do this on a backdrop of cognitive optimism and they thereby energize students and practitioners who have often been led to believe that they live in a much "tougher times" than those of their parents and grandparents.Its upbeat nature is engaging.This is perhaps the work's true value and why it is a best selling book.It is a visionary book that considers how 20th century generated problems are being visited on our 21st century world.The authors provide us with hope that these problems can and will be solved by 21st century technical solutions and innovators (Kirchhoff et al., 2013).The authors provide their ideas in 19 chapters divided into 6 sections.The six sections are: