LDA lectures: Business vs Nature
22 september 2015
Inhoud van de lezingen
The Economics of Nature - Prof. T. Kiers
Nature has a deceptive side. For all the hardworking bees that pollinate flowers and the
microbes that dutifully digest our food without making us sick, there are those individuals that
cheat their partners. Who are these cheaters in nature and why don't more organisms evolve
strategies to exploit natural systems?
In a talk entitled “The Economics of Nature”, Toby Kiers, University Research Chair and
Professor of Mutualistic Interactions at the VU Amsterdam will explore the dark side of
nature. Professor Kiers studies the evolution of cheating in nature, asking how seemingly
beneficial and cooperative relationships turn sour. She will traverse natureʼs wars, illustrating
how organisms have evolved diverse and clever strategies to punish exploitative partners.
Drawing analogies with the human experience, Kiers will explore microbes as social
creatures, asking what we as humans can learn about cooperation, economics and
punishment from bacteria and fungi. The complex social world of microbes will be revealed in
a multi-media presentation, including the launch of a new video game developed by the Kiers
lab in which the player must generate a negotiation strategy with a microbial partner, while
navigating a constantly changing environment.
Professor Kiers (born New York, NY)completed her PhD in 2005 at the University of California, Davis. She was
appointed University Research Chair at the VU Amsterdam in January of 2014. She is a Senior Research
Associate at the University of Oxford and on the Scientific Advisory Board of Mediamatic, a foundation that
explores the possibilities and challenges that new technology offers art, design and society. Her research on
cooperation and cheating in nature has lead her to work all over the world, including Japan, Kenya and
Panama. She now lives in Amsterdam.
The Naturalism of Economy - Dr. P. Brandts
Also economy has a deceptive side. Stimulated, unguided growth of production, trade and
consumption of goods and services in our global ʻhousehold managementʼ of billions of
people is turning against well-being. There are companies who partner to turn the tide. Who
are these frontrunners in economy and why donʼt more companies evolve strategies to
exploit natural systems sustainably?
In a talk entitled “The Naturalism of Economy”, Paul Brandts, DSM, will explore a brighter
side of economy: its potential to adapt. Asking why, where and how apparently self-
sustaining, non-cooperative entities develop collaboration, he will traverse economyʼs wars,
illustrating how leading organizations are evolving diverse and clever strategies to get
rewarding sustainable partnerships in industry.
Paul will explore economic entities as social creatures, asking what we as humans must
learn about navigating these creatures in a constantly changing, increasingly restrictive
environment. The complex social world of economic entities is already constantly revealing
itself to everybody through daily multimediaʼs messaging.
Paul Brandts completed his PhD in Chemistry at Utrecht University and joined DSM, a global science-based
company active in health, nutrition and materials in 1986. His DSM career led him from R&D-, competence-
and resource management positions in analytics, polymer materials, and industrial chemicals to a business
program director Sustainable Development. Large volume industrial activities of DSM in Europe, China, and
America enabled him to pioneer and apply concepts for sustainable development
LDA
lectures
Prof. Toby Kiers
VU Amsterdam
Dr. Paul Brandts
DSM Geleen.
Naschrift:
Lezing Toby Kiers VU Adam en Paul Brands DSM.
Op 22 september konden de LDA leden genieten van twee lezingen met als thema Business versus Nature .
De natuur is niet alleen maar een systeem van "mutual beneficial". Er wordt heel wat vals gespeeld!
Wie zijn die vals spelers in de natuur en waarom worden er niet meer strategieën ontwikkeld om natuurlijke systemen te exploiteren?
In haar presentatie laat ze o.a. kenmerken zien van hoe onze eigen samenleving vergelijkbaar is met natuurlijke systemen.
Geheel in lijn met de presentatie van Toby Kiers hield Paul Brands van DSM een inspirerend betoog hoe entiteiten van bedrijven als "creatures" zich gedragen in een alsmaar competitieve wereld. Samenwerking als strategie om te overleven, zonder vals spel, is een voorwaarde om naar een meer duurzame bedrijfsvoering te komen.
In een wereld die steeds meer beperkingen en voorwaarden koppelt aan producenten richting overheid en consumenten is "cheaten" uit den boze!
(toevallig kwam in die week VW cheats in de media!)
Download hier de presentatie van Prof. Kiers
Verder hierbij enkele foto's: