Monthly Archives: February 2023

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Blockchain Enabled Decentralized Network Management in 6G

The Internet has evolved from a fault-tolerant infrastructure to support both social networking and a semantic web for machine users. Trust in the data, and the infrastructure, has become increasingly important as cyber threats and privacy concerns rise. Communication services become increasingly delivered through virtualized, software-defined infrastructures, like overlays across multiple infrastructure providers. Increasing recognition of the need for services to be not only fault-tolerant but also censorship-resistant while delivering an increasing variety of services through a complex ecosystem of service providers drives the need for decentralized solutions like blockchains. Service providers have traditionally relied on contractual arrangements to deliver end-to-end services globally. Some of the contract terms can now be automated through smart contracts using blockchain technology.

image credit: adobe stock Blockchain

Blockchain network management

This is a complex distributed environment with multiple actors and resources. The trend from universal service to service fragmentation, already visible in the increasing IoT deployments using blockchains, is expected to continue in 6G. Virtualization of the infrastructure with NFV-SDN make prevalent the concepts of network overlays, network underlays, network slices. In the 6G era, it seems that service providers will need to provide network management service assurance beyond availability including aspects such as identities, trustworthiness, and censorship resistance.

Blockchains are not only proposed for use at a business services level but also in the operation of the network infrastructure including dynamic spectrum management, SDN and resource management, metering and IoT services. Traditional approaches to network management have relied on client–server protocols and centralized architectures. The range of services offered over 6G wireless that need to be managed is expected to be larger than the variety of services over existing networks. Scaling delivery may also require additional partners to provide the appropriate market coverage. Management of 6G services needs to support more complex services in a more complex commercial environment, and yet perform effectively as the services and infrastructure scale.

Digital transformation at both network operators and many of their customers has led to a software-defined infrastructure for communication services, based on virtualized network functions. Decentralized approaches for network management have gained increasing attention from researchers. The operators increased need for mechanisms to assure trust in data, operations and commercial transactions while maintaining business continuity through software and equipment failures, and cyberattacks provide further motivations for blockchain-based approaches. These architectural trends towards autonomy, zero touch and zero trust are expected to continue as a response to networking requirements. Blockchain infrastructures seem to provide an approach address some of these requirements.

Blockchain-enabled decentralized network management is disruptive change to existing network management processes. The scope and scale of the 6G network management challenge supports the need for these types of network management architectures. Both technical and commercial or organization challenges remain before the wider adoption of these technologies. Blockchain-enabled decentralized network management provides a promising framework for considering the operational and administrative challenges expected in 6G communications infrastructure.

For further details refer to Wright, S.A. (2022). Blockchain-Enabled Decentralized Network Management in 6G. In: Dutta Borah, M., Singh, P., Deka, G.C. (eds) AI and Blockchain Technology in 6G Wireless Network. Blockchain Technologies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-2868-0_3

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Ethics and the Law

Ethics in jurisprudence vs lawyering

Ethics is the science of a standard human conduct that informs people about how to live or how to behave in a particular situation. The law is a system of rules and regulations that regulate the conduct and relations of individuals and groups in society⁵. The relationship between ethics and the law is that they both aim to **guide human actions** and **promote social order**², but they differ in their sources, scopes, and sanctions. Ethics and the law are related because they both reflect the values and norms of a society or a community. Ethics is derived from the Greek word ethos (character), and from the Latin word mores (customs). The law is created by the government, which may be local, regional, national or international¹. Ethics and the law both seek to protect the rights and interests of individuals and groups, such as by requiring informed consent, respecting privacy, or ensuring fairness³.

Image Credit: Adobe StockEthics and the Law

Ethics and the Law

Ethics and the law differ because ethics is more general and abstract, while law is more specific and concrete. Ethics provides guidelines and principles that inform people about what is the right thing to do in all aspects of life, while the law provides rules and regulations that prescribe what people must or must not do in certain situations. Ethics is more flexible and adaptable, while law is more rigid and formal. Ethics has no legal binding or enforcement, while law creates a legal binding and may impose sanctions or penalties for violations. In summary, ethics and the law are related because they both aim to guide human actions and promote social order based on the values and norms of a society or a community. They differ in their sources, scopes, and sanctions, as ethics is more general, abstract, flexible, and non-binding, while law is more specific, concrete, rigid, and enforceable.

Ethics in Jurisprudence

Ethics is the study of how people should act or what values they should follow. There are different schools of ethics that have different approaches to ethical reasoning and decision-making. Some of the major schools of ethics identifiable in US jurisprudence are:

– Virtue ethics: This school focuses on the character and virtues of the person who acts, rather than on the rules or consequences of the action². According to virtue ethics, a good person is someone who has cultivated moral habits and dispositions, such as courage, honesty, justice, and wisdom. Virtue ethics can be traced back to ancient Greek philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato.

– Consequentialist ethics: This school focuses on the outcomes or consequences of the action, rather than on the motives or intentions of the person who acts. According to consequentialist ethics, a good action is one that produces the best results for the most people, or maximizes happiness or utility. Consequentialist ethics can be divided into different subtypes, such as utilitarianism, which is based on the principle of the greatest happiness for the greatest number.

– Deontological ethics: This school focuses on the rules or duties that govern the action, rather than on the character or consequences of the person who acts². According to deontological ethics, a good action is one that follows a universal moral law or a categorical imperative, regardless of the situation or outcome. Deontological ethics can be traced back to rationalist philosophers such as Immanuel Kant and John Rawls.

These schools of ethics are not mutually exclusive, and some jurists may combine elements from different schools to form their own ethical views. However, they represent some of the main ways that ethics can be applied to law and justice.

Ethics in Lawyering

The relationship between ethics and the law is the study of how ethical principles and values influence or shape the creation and application of laws. Legal malpractice is the term for negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, or breach of contract by a lawyer during the provision of legal services that causes harm to a client. The main difference between these two topics is that the relationship between ethics and the law is a theoretical and philosophical inquiry, while legal malpractice is a practical and legal issue. The former deals with questions such as what is the source and purpose of law, what are the moral foundations of law, and how should law be interpreted and enforced in light of ethical considerations. Legal malpractice deals with questions such as what are the duties and obligations of lawyers to their clients, what are the standards of professional conduct and competence for lawyers, and how can clients seek redress or compensation for lawyer misconduct.

Another difference between these two topics is that the relationship between ethics and the law is relevant for all members of society, while legal malpractice is relevant mainly for lawyers and their clients. The former affects how laws are made and applied in various domains such as human rights, criminal justice, environmental protection, and business regulation. The latter affects how lawyers perform their roles and responsibilities in representing their clients in various legal matters such as litigation, transaction, mediation, or arbitration. In summary, the relationship between ethics and the law is a broad and abstract topic that explores the moral dimensions of lawmaking and law enforcement. Legal malpractice is a narrow and concrete topic that examines the legal consequences of lawyer negligence or wrongdoing. Both topics are important for understanding the role and function of law in society.

Are you a technical, business or legal professional who works with technology adoption? Do you want to learn how to apply ethical frameworks and principles to your technology work and decision-making, understand the legal implications and challenges of new technologies and old laws, and navigate the complex and dynamic environment of technology innovation and regulation? If so, you need to check out this new book: Ethics, Law and Technology: Navigating Technology Adoption Challenges. This book is a practical guide for professionals who want to learn from the experts and stay updated in this fast-changing and exciting field.

 

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The Power of Perspective for Coaches and Consultants

Perspectives are the lenses through which we see the world. They shape how we interpret information, solve problems, and make decisions. Perspectives can be distinguished by three factors: (i) the data they observe, (ii) the methods of processing that data, and (iii) the values attributed to the outcomes of that data processing. The Power of Perspective lies in taking diverse perspectives to expose assumptions and inconsistencies, enabling better problem-solving. This is especially important for coaches and consultants who help their clients achieve their goals, overcome challenges, and improve their performance. In this blog post, we will explore why and how coaches and consultants can leverage the Power of Perspective to enhance their effectiveness.

Image credit: Adobe Stock Power of Perspective

The power of perspective for coaches and consultants

Why Perspective Matters for Coaches and Consultants

Coaches and consultants are professionals who provide guidance, support, and expertise to their clients. They need to understand their clients’ needs, goals, challenges, and contexts. They also need to generate insights, recommendations, and solutions that are relevant, feasible, and impactful.

To do this effectively, they need adopt multiple perspectives that can help them:

  • Build rapport and trust with their clients by showing empathy, curiosity, and respect by understanding the client’s perspective.
  • Ask powerful questions that elicit deeper thinking, reflection, and learning from their clients by understanding the client’s perspective.
  • Provide constructive feedback that is specific, actionable, and supportive by understanding the client’s perspective.
  • Challenge assumptions and biases that may limit their clients’ potential or performance by understanding the client’s perspective.
  • Explore alternative options and scenarios that may expand their clients’ possibilities or opportunities by understanding the client’s perspective.
  • Facilitate change and transformation by helping their clients overcome resistance, embrace uncertainty, and take action by understanding the client’s perspective.

How to Cultivate the Power of Perspective for Coaches and Consultants

Coaches and consultants can take a course on the Power of Perspective  and cultivate perspective skills by developing key mindsets:

  • Leading with passion: Passion is the fuel that drives coaches and consultants to pursue their vision and mission. Passion also helps them connect with their clients’ emotions and motivations by understanding the client’s perspective.
  • Thinking globally: Global thinking is the ability to see beyond one’s own context and consider the broader implications and opportunities of one’s actions. Global thinking also helps coaches and consultants tap into diverse markets, cultures, trends, and resources by understanding geographic perspectives.
  • Embracing social responsibility: Social responsibility is the commitment to create positive social impact through one’s products, services, business models, or strategies. Social responsibility also helps coaches and consultants align their values with their clients’ values and build trust and loyalty by understanding diverse perspectives on trending social issues to create impact on problems that matter.
  • Banking on connectivity: Connectivity is the use of technology to access information, communicate ideas, collaborate with others, and scale impact. Connectivity also helps coaches and consultants leverage data-driven insights, feedback loops, network effects, and platforms. beyond reach, connectivity requires some understanding of the audience’s perspective for effictive communicatiuon.

Coaches and consultants  also utilize perspective skills when applying some practical tools and techniques:

  • Peer coaching: Peer coaching is a process of mutual learning and support among coaches and consultants who share similar goals and challenges. Peer coaching can help coaches and consultants enhance their skills and knowledge exchange feedback and best practices and expand their network and opportunities, but requires understanding a peer’s perspective for effective communication.
  • Pair working: Pair working is a process of collaborating and co-creating with another coach or consultant on a specific project or task. Pair working can help coaches and consultants benefit from more than one perspective – e.g. different coaching styles, wider knowledge and experience,  coaching collaboration & communication style.
  • Design thinking: Design thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that involves empathizing with users defining problems ideating solutions prototyping concepts and testing assumptions.
  • Divergent thinking: Divergent thinking is the ability to generate many different ideas or solutions for a given problem or challenge e.g. brainstorming.
  • Convergent thinking: Convergent thinking is the ability to evaluate and select the best idea or solution for a given problem or challenge. Convergent thinking can be facilitated by decision-making tools such as SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), PEST Analysis (Political, Economic, Social, Technological), or Cost-Benefit Analysis.
  • Perspective-taking: Perspective-taking is the ability to adopt another person’s point of view and understand their thoughts and feelings. Perspective-taking can utilize tools such as  empathy maps, role-playing, or storytelling .

Conclusion

Perspective is a powerful tool for coaches and consultants who want to help their clients achieve their goals overcome challenges and improve their performance. By taking diverse perspectives and exposing assumptions and inconsistencies they can enhance their effectiveness and generate more value for their clients. To cultivate perspective they need to develop four key mindsets: leading with passion thinking globally embracing social responsibility and banking on connectivity. They also need to apply some practical tools and techniques such as peer coaching pair working design thinking divergent thinking convergent thinking and perspective-taking.

If you want to learn more about the power of perspective for coaches and consultants you can enroll in our online course that will teach you how to apply perspective in your own projects and ventures. To register for the Power of Perspective course please visit our website