JCJ, RE: Within the next month or two, I'll go into some depth here as to what I'm doing (multiple projects) and the types of things that others are doing on the local, national and virtual levels. Maybe we can start a SUNW threadie sub thread on this in the near future.
I'm interested. An article posted on the INTC thread had a quote that had me thinking along the same lines earlier this morning:
One of the issues Intel Israel had
to face on the way was the "gap"
between Israeli and American
business methods. "There is a
huge difference in culture," says
Eden, who runs cross-cultural
workshops for company
employees. "In Hebrew you can
say 'You are wrong.' You can't
say that in American."
Ironing out the differences has
reduced friction, he believes.
However, Intel's Israeli
employees have by no means
entirely cast off their
"Israeliness," and this is part of
Intel Israel's success, says Eden.
"What characterizes us, the way
we are brought up and educated
and the army, etc., makes people
very, very innovative. People
challenge everything, even the
obvious. We don't have a concept
that is part of American culture:
Following the rules. If you say to
an Israeli, 'Do this,' he will say,
'Why?'"
This is not just a difference in business culture. Our schools need to encourage our students to question and speak directly, rather than rewarding those who accept the path of least resistance.
Parents are as guilty as the educational system. It is so much easier to stifle questions when we are tired than to encourage MORE questions, more curiosity, more willingness to go out on the edge rather than stay on the sidelines safe and unchallenged.
I'd love to learn more about efforts to get tech types together with schools and young people. When I was in California for a summer, I heard of many programs. I just moved to Atlanta and have the luxury of deciding if I want to take a regular job or volunteer. Either way, I hope to get connected with educational programs in some way.
Just my two cents. Would love to hear from others. dmf |
