In Chapter 3 of the OBASHI Methodology, we describe how understanding various flows has been critical throughout economic history:1770s - mechanisation, factories, and canals – water 1830s - steam engines, coal, and iron railways – steam 1870s - steel and heavy engineering, telegraphy, refrigeration – electricity 1910s - oil, mass production, and the automobile – oil; components; petrolToday,…See More

Last week, in “Systems Thinking, Safety and Risk Management”, IBM Fellow Irving Wladawsky-Berger discussed a round table breakfast about, ‘Protecting Financial Markets in the Age of the Cloud’“...Several participants cited the sharp rise in volume and speed of high-frequency trading over the past decade as an example of a current practice that is potentially increasing…See More

Strike!...Everybody Out! It’s hard to imagine a group of people less likely to go on strike than the floor traders at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.  But, a few weeks ago, brokers in the Eurodollar options pit did just that. They were protesting because they were unable to participate in the pricing of ‘block trades’ in Eurodollar futures, believing the system is ‘…See More