This Week's Herman Trend Alert The Consequences of Virtual Meetings

The Herman Trend Alert October 22, 2008 Opportunities in Oceans Special thanks to Dr. John Palmisano, a marine biologist and frequent lecturer on the cruise ships of Holland America for the material in this Herman Trend Alert. This alert reflects Palmisano's beliefs and opinions. (The forecasts are ours.) For more information, contact him at johnjpbc@aol.com. Oceans cover over 70 percent of the surface of planet earth. Minerals and other natural resources abound there. Every element is water soluble, so the oceans have literally tons of minerals. However, so far, it's dangerous and economically not feasible to mine the oceans. One exception is krill and the product Neptune Krill Oil, proven to reduce cholesterol: www.hermangroup.com/alert/archive_2-28-2007.html. Moreover, there are remarkable opportunities for energy generation. We have just begun to harness the power of the ocean winds with giant off-shore turbines; we have yet to begin capturing the tremendous energy of the tides. One of the problems is that most of the major countries of the world can not afford to mine the oceans. "Oceans are almost as bad as space, when it come to the expense of working there", said Palmisano. In fact, the Russians have converted Antarctic research vessels into cruise ships, because there is much more money in tourism than research. Oceanographic research is expensive; governments would rather spend the money on other things. There are substantial career opportunities in the field of Ocean Engineering. Not only do we need people who can help us mine ocean minerals, but we also need extra help to build in oceans, because salt water is so corrosive. Part of the challenge is that many students are not choosing the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects. Thus, not only do they not have the background to study engineering, but they do not even understand the value of making these investments. Another related field that will grow in importance is desalination, extracting drinkable water from salt water. This process is very expensive. Generally, water is more reasonable to buy than to separate, but in some places in the world, like Israel, there is no choice. Our forecast is that with droughts due to dry weather and water tables dropping due to population shifts, desalination will become increasingly cost effective. This shift will create a variety of jobs. We also believe that advances in technology, coupled with the need for alternative energy will soon make mining oceans for minerals and energy more feasible. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: RETENTION SPECIALIST PROGRAM A growing number of people have expressed an interest in attending our Employee Retention Specialist Certificate Program. We'd like to schedule on that's convenient for those who want to attend, but need your feedback to do so. Please place RETENTION SPECIALIST in the subject line and Joyce will personally call you back to schedule the workshop. Or you can call Joyce directly at 336-210-3548 (PDT this and next week). BUSINESS IS PICKING UP Most employers are unprepared. The recovery will bring a new set of challenges for employers that have been in prolonged contracted mode. They will need more skilled workers or will need now to begin to upskill their current staffs. But organizations can not engage in Strategic Workforce Planning, when they don't know how. That's where The Herman Group can help. We can help you with your "People Review"----large or small---so that you will know who you will need and when you will need them. . . and we can also guide you to the best sources for the people you will need. For more information, call Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail joyce@hermangroup.com. FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY THINK AND FEEL Discover what’s really going on in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066, or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. 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