The Horizons Tracker

FEBRUARY 22, 2022

While the metaverse sprang to public attention with the renaming of Facebook earlier this year, the phrase was coined back in 1996 in Neal Stephenson’s book Snow Crash, in which the science fiction author described an immersive version of the internet that was accessed via virtual reality.

Stephenson 114

Stephenson Wireless Christensen Automotive 114

Harvard Business Review

MARCH 7, 2016

As AT&T CEO and Chair Randall Stephenson, recently told the New York Times, “There is a need to retool yourself, and you should not expect to stop… People who do not spend five to 10 hours a week in online learning will obsolete themselves with the technology.” Neither the company nor the employee can stand still.

Stephenson 8

Stephenson Company Agility Learning-by-Doing 8

Harvard Business Review

JULY 14, 2017

Neal Stephenson’s The Diamond Age inspired Jeff Bezos to create the Kindle ; Sergey Brin mines Stephenson’s even more famous Snow Crash for insights into virtual reality. The protagonists wrestle with the impacts of tech consolidation, data breaches, and the theory and practice of corporate social responsibility.

Stephenson 15

Stephenson White Paper Real Estate Hedge 15

Harvard Business Review

JULY 11, 2014

A partnership with Starbucks elevated the mobile payment company Square to a whole new level. Regardless of where they started their careers, most decision makers spend the majority of their days dealing with macro issues and are unlikely to have the expertise required to have a detailed understanding of your company or product.

Stephenson 8

Stephenson Due Diligence Finance Wireless 8

Harvard Business Review

JUNE 18, 2018

Randall Stephenson, then CEO of AT&T, famously said , “I told people you weren’t betting on a device. And for good reason — research has shown that when overconfidence permeates the upper levels of management, companies may fail to choose the best investment policies or engage in reckless and damaging acquisitions.

Stephenson 10

Stephenson Kahneman CEO Commitment 10

Harvard Business Review

JULY 10, 2017

Last month, in an unprecedented show of solidarity, 150 CEOs from the world’s leading companies banded together to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace and, through an online platform, shared best practices for doing so. That’s obviously good for business.

Ryan 8

Ryan Stephenson Groupthink Politics 8

Harvard Business Review

MAY 5, 2017

Companies may pay for training or reimburse educational courses, but the skill of gaining skills is rarely taught. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson says technology workers need to learn online for at least five hours per week to fend off obsolescence. . “I was focused on the bigger picture.”

Stephenson 14

Stephenson Learning-by-Doing Skills Letter 14