TRENDS, NETWORKS AND CRITICAL THINKING IN THE 21st Century

Chapter I - Trends

i. Trends and Fads

ii. Difference of Fad and a trend
iii. Parts and Whole

To achieve meaningful experiences, people use perception which is a process that involves
interpretation, the use of knowledge and understanding.

Mereology – the study of the wholes they form from its parts. It is grounded on the set and its
elements or it is the partitioning of relationship between the parts and that of the entire systems.

It is very important to recognize some of Gestalt Principles about shape and forms. According to
him, the world is a functional logical whole, the events and the experiences in real life are
arranged into significant components and the natural elements have their individual structure.
We cannot grasp the whole and remain mysterious as it were.

Gestalt’s Principles
Through perception, the brain enhances whole forms pertinent to visual recognition from local to
international figures such as scrutinizing the curves, points and many other shapes.

1. Proximity
a. “Objects are closer together are perceived as more related than objects that are
farther apart.”(Bradley, 2014)
2. Similarity
a. “Elements that share similar characteristics are perceived as more relate than
elements that don’t share those characteristics.” (Bradley, 2014)
3. Common Regions
a. “Elements are perceived as part of a group if they are located within the same
closed region.” (Bradley, 2014)
4. Focal Points
a. “Elements with a point of interest, emphasis or difference will capture and hold
the viewers attention.” (Bradley, 2014)
5. Uniform Connectedness
a. “Element that are visually connected are perceived as more related than elements
with no connection.” (Bradley, 2014)
6. Closure
a. When seeing a complex arrangement of elements, we tend to look for single
recognizable pattern.” (Bradley, 2014)
7. Symmetry and Order
a. “People tend to perceive objects as symmetrical shapes that form around their
center.” (Bradley, 2014)
8. Continuation
a. Elements arranged on a line or curve are perceived as more related that elements
on the line or curve.” (Bradley, 2014)
9. Figure or Ground
 a. “Elements are perceived as either figure (the element in focus) or ground (the
background on which the figure rests.” (Bradley, 2014)
10. Common Fate (Synchrony)
a. “Elements that move in the same direction are perceived as more related that
elements that are stationary or that move in different direction.” (Bradley, 2014)
11. Parallelism
a. “Elements that are parallel to each other are seen as more related than element not
parallel to each other.” (Bradley, 2014)
12. Law of Prägnanz (Good Figure or Law of Simplicity)
b. People will perceive and interpret ambiguous or complex images as the simples
forms possible.” (Bradley, 2014)
13. Past Experience
a. Elements tend to be perceived according to observers past experiences.” (Bradley,
2014)

iv. The Importance of the Gestalt Principles

a. To create an organized whole
b. To create a fad in a market and when the product reaches the maturity, creators
even innovate and improve the item or service to give consumers lifetime buy.
c. To help making the product the best as they can be.
d. Regulates optical illusions to create powerful products and designed by the
creator or the producer, giving birth to creativity and industry.
e. To brings transformation level for the products that require innovation and
rethinking.

Activity 1.1 – Picture Analysis

Activity 1.2 - Picture Analysis Essay

Chapter II – Structure Analysis and Intuitive Thinking

Think of a Word that would describe the title:

 Strategy
 Forecasting
 Foreseeing
 Avoiding mistakes from the past
 Learned
 Analysis
 Study
 Solution to the problem arose
 Understanding the environment
 Possibility
 Potential
 Threat

Purpose of Strategic Analysis

1. Identify and evaluate the records significant to formulate strategy
2. Define the internal and external environment for analysis
3. Employ a list of methods subject for analysis
4. Understand the phasing of each situation when the time comes again.

A. Seven Analytic Methods

SWOT, PEST, Porter’s five forces, four corners, value chain, early warning scans and
war gaming.

1. SWOT
It determines four areas surrounding the business activity or business. It begins in
identifying or defining the objective of the business or project and distinguishing
the internal and external components.

a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. Opportunities
d. Threats

2. PEST
an image of external macro-situation in the market for an organization or business
to operate. It calculates the growth and downfall of the market position as well as
the probable direction of the organization or business.

Four factors that gauge the stability of the institution being studied:

a. Political Factors – covers the regulations imposed by the government

employment of laws, regulation in the environment, tax program, restriction in
trading and the political constancy.
b. Economic Factors – influence the capital and buying power of an organization or
business. It also monitors economic growth, inflation, rates and interests as well
the currency exchange rates.
c. Social Factors – shape the needs of the growing market and the size of the
possible market int heir reception to their goods and services given by the
organization or business. This area focuses on the growth of the population, age
distribution including the population’s attitude towards health issues.
d. Technological Factors – affect the buying power of the market due to the
presence of incentives from investments and the revolutionary ideas of social
media.

3. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis

Evaluate the business power, strengthen the competitive stance and flow of how
the business will head.

a. Competition in the Industry

The first of the five forces refers to the number of competitors and their ability to
undercut a company. The larger the number of competitors, along with the
number of equivalent products and services they offer, the lesser the power of a
company. Suppliers and buyers seek out a company's competition if they are able
to offer a better deal or lower prices. Conversely, when competitive rivalry is low,
a company has greater power to charge higher prices and set the terms of deals to
achieve higher sales and profits.
 b. Potential of New Entrants Into an Industry
A company's power is also affected by the force of new entrants into its market.
The less time and money it costs for a competitor to enter a company's market and
be an effective competitor, the more an established company's position could be
significantly weakened. An industry with strong barriers to entry is ideal for
existing companies within that industry since the company would be able to
charge higher prices and negotiate better terms.

c. Power of Suppliers
The next factor in the five forces model addresses how easily suppliers can drive
up the cost of inputs. It is affected by the number of suppliers of key inputs of a
good or service, how unique these inputs are, and how much it would cost a
company to switch to another supplier. The fewer suppliers to an industry, the
more a company would depend on a supplier. As a result, the supplier has more
power and can drive up input costs and push for other advantages in trade. On the
other hand, when there are many suppliers or low switching costs between rival
suppliers, a company can keep its input costs lower and enhance its profits.

d. Power of Customers
The ability that customers have to drive prices lower or their level of power is one
of the five forces. It is affected by how many buyers or customers a company has,
how significant each customer is, and how much it would cost a company to find
new customers or markets for its output. A smaller and more powerful client
based means that each customer has more power to negotiate for lower prices and
better deals. A company that has many, smaller, independent customers will have
an easier time charging higher prices to increase profitability.
 
e. Threat of Substitutes
The last of the five forces focuses on substitutes. Substitute goods or services that
can be used in place of a company's products or services pose a threat. Companies
that produce goods or services for which there are no close substitutes will have
more power to increase prices and lock in favorable terms. When close substitutes
are available, customers will have the option to forgo buying a company's
product, and a company's power can be weakened.

Understanding Porter's Five Forces and how they apply to an industry, can enable
a company to adjust its business strategy to better use its resources to generate
higher earnings for its investors.

4. Four Corner Analysis

 Motivation - What drives the competitor? Look for drivers at various levels and
dimensions so you can gain insights into future goals.
 Current Strategy - What is the competitor doing and what is the competitor capable of
doing?
 Capabilities - What are the strengths and weaknesses of the competitor?
 Management Assumptions - What assumptions are made by the competitor's
management team?
5. Value chain analysis (VCA)
 
It is a process where a firm identifies its primary and support activities that add value to its final
product and then analyze these activities to reduce costs or increase differentiation.
Value chain represents the internal activities a firm engages in when transforming inputs into
outputs.

Value chain analysis is a strategy tool used to analyze internal firm activities. Its goal is
to recognize, which activities are the most valuable (i.e. are the source of cost or differentiation
advantage) to the firm and which ones could be improved to provide competitive advantage. In
other words, by looking into internal activities, the analysis reveals where a firm’s competitive
advantages or disadvantages are. The firm that competes through differentiation advantage will
try to perform its activities better than competitors would do. If it competes through cost
advantage, it will try to perform internal activities at lower costs than competitors would do.
When a company is capable of producing goods at lower costs than the market price or to
provide superior products, it earns profits.
M. Porter introduced the generic value chain model in 1985. Value chain represents all
the internal activities a firm engages in to produce goods and services. VC is formed of primary
activities that add value to the final product directly and support activities that add value
indirectly.

B. Intuitive and Non-Intuitive thinking

Without any facts and data, everybody can use intuitive thinking in decision
making. And because of the experiences with pattern and study we can predict what will
happen next but it is not guaranteed that it can be actualize into 100 percent. Non-
intuitive stems from reading books and knowledge derived from schools because of the
skills, experiences, non-intuitive thinking will transform into an intuitive process.

C. Three Ways of Discovering Non-Intuitive Things

1. Gaining more experiences

2. Doing researches and studies
3. Learning by reading, studying and seeking advice from mentors or authorities

D. Map of Social Networks Using Intuitive Thinking for E-Commerce and

Marketing Tools
1. Facebook 11. Twitter 21. Telegram
2. QQ 12. Viber 22. Tagged
3. Whatsapp 13. Tumblr 23. Myspace
4. Qzone 14. Snapchat 24. Badoo
5. Wechat 15. Line 25. StumbleUpon
6. LinkedIn 16. Sina Weibo 26. Foursquare
7. Skype 17. VK(VKnotakte) 27. MeetMe
8. Google+ 18. Reddit 28. Meetup
9. Instagram 19. YY 29. Skyrock
10. Baidu 20. Taringa! 30. Delicious
 31. Kiwibox 43. Cross.Tv 55. CouchingSurfin
32. Snapfish 44. Flixster g
33. Flickr 45. Gaia Online 56. TravBuddy
34. Photobucket 46. BlackPlanet 57. Cellufun
35. Deviant Art 47. Care2 58. Mocospace
36. Fotolog 48. Caring Bridge 59. Itsmy
37. Pinterest 49. VampireFreaks 60. Youtube
38. Buzznet 50. CafeMom 61. Youku
39. We Heart it 51. Ravelry 62. FunnyDie
40. Path 52. ASmallWorld 63. Tout
41. Last FM 53. NextDoor
42. Reverb Nation 54. Wayn

Activity 2.1 - Case Analysis

Company X is one of the pioneer mobile stores. The company sells mobile phones accessories, phone cards
and does cellular repairs. Company X also maintains good customer relationship to its buyers. However,
during its 9th year, four other retail cellular players come in. All the goods are bought in Manila and outside the
country through order delivery.
Except for the three others, Company Y sells fake goods at a lower price. Despite the good services,
this selling of cheap fake phones affects Company X and the other competitors. The new costumers do not
understand the difference between the original and fake commodities. This prompts Company X to close down
since the business can no longer afford its rent and overhead.
Now each group will be assigned to one of the seven strategic analyses (SWOT, PEST, Porters Five
forces, four corners, value chain, early warning scans, and war gaming). Provide hypothetical information
(invented timelines and history) for Company X and Company Y together with other companies so that
Company x will not close down or if it does, state reliable reasons of its possible threats.

This will be done through group work paper with the following outline and the methods employed in any of
the strategic analysis:

Company Profile
Competitors Profile
Using a strategic Analysis
Using Social Networks
Conclusion
Recommendations.

Activity 2.2. – Knowing the Seven Strategic Analyses

Chapter III – Globalization

i. Five Globalization Theories

 1. Internalization
2. Liberalization
3. Universalization
4. Westernization or modernization
5. Deterritorialization
ii. Interconnectedness of People and Nation
iii. Five Components of Global Interconnectedness
Global Interconnectedness refers to the ability to understand and function in an increasingly
multicultural, international, yet interconnected environment. It fosters the development of
individuals to become successful professionals, civic leaders, and informed citizens in a
diverse national and global society. Individuals with these competencies would: demonstrate
an understanding of the relationships between diverse populations and social, economic, and
political power both in the United States and globally; demonstrate knowledge of
contributions made by members of diverse and/or underrepresented groups to our various
communities; consider perspectives of diverse groups when making decisions; and function
as members of society and as professionals with people who have ideas, beliefs, attitudes,
and behaviors that are different from their own.

1. Economy
2. Politics
3. Migration (People and Culture)
4. Ideas
5. Environment
iv. Benefits of Collaboration and Cooperation in Globalization
1. It creates a global village through an exchange of ideas and
information through social network and the wireless web
2. It fosters local, reginal and national growth in the economy by
being able to access low cost goods from the other countries,
provide employment, and international collaboration of scientific
and technology development
3. It allows people to understand and adapt cultures, values and belief
of different countries.
4. It motivates world leaders to create policies to protect the welfare
of the people, the community, as well as the environment.
5. It speaks of modernity and all traditional methods of transactions
are considered obsolete.

v. Negative Impacts of Integration

1. Social Interaction
2. Losing of culture
3. Skills- focus in employment
vi. Parts and Wholes in Creative Imagination

Activity 3.1 Advantages and Disadvantages of Globalization

Origins of the Different Components

Activity 3.2 Concept of Map of the Origins of Different Components

Chapter IV – Climate Change

 i. Activities Showcasing Care for the Environment
ii. Effects of Consumption and Production Patterns that Contribute to the problem of
Climate change
iii. Personal Contributions in Solving the Problems of Climate Changes
Activity 4.1 How One’s actions affect others and the Environment
Activity 4.2 Haiyan Documentary

Chapter V – Democracy

i. Four Philosophies of the Historical Models of Democracy

ii. Four Elements in Democracy
iii. Types of Democracy
iv. Other Types of Democracy
v. Importance of Participation in Democracy
vi. Disadvantage of Democracy
vii. Participatory Democracy Compared to Representative Democracy
viii. Prevailing Political and Social Institutions

Activity 5.1 Correcting Undemocratic Practices

Activity 5.2 Identifying Democracy

Chapter VI – Technology

Dimensions of Technology that are enabling and not inhibiting:

A. Traditional and Contemporary Technologies

Benefit of Traditional and Contemporary Technologies
Utilization of Technology

B. Emerging Technologies
Fields in Emerging Technologies
Top 10 Emerging Technologies
Emerging Ethical Dilemmas in Science and Technology
Impact on Emerging Technologies in Society

Conclusion

Activity 6.1 Identifying Ethical Issues in Technology Using Strategic and Intuitive Thinking
Activity 6.2 Information Technology in Social Relationships and Political Movements.

Chapter VII – Establishing Connections, relationships and Networks

i. Brain or Nueral Network

ii. Neural Networks with Social Network
iii. Establishing Linkages between Self and Social Network
iv. Thinking Process Shaped by Social Relationship

Activity 7.1. Role in the Community and Social Map of Relationships Though Blogging.