Understanding Resilience History

We are living in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Some changes can be easily noticed. Business disruption, caused by the technologies that underpin the revolution, are visible across all industries. Other impacts, such as a risk of social inequality, are subtler, and their effects will not be apparent for some time.

Four hundred years ago, in the middle of another transformative period now referred to as the Scientific Revolution, a simple concept called resilience appeared. Today, resilience is a significant area of interest in a range of fields, from human psychology and ecological systems, to organisational performance and natural disasters.  Understanding the evolution of the concept is the first step towards building a ’no regrets resilience strategy’, essential for both personal and societal sustainability and thriving in the face of complex disruptions and disturbances. 

The Global Resilience Collaborative’s Resilience Case Files is the first in a series of tools designed to help those seeking to define their future through resilience in the face of complex disruptions resulting from the Fourth Industrial Revolution…WATCH VIDEO

Having a To-Go bag ready when disaster strikes

When Yolanda Oriet left her Hutchinson home at noon on March 5, there was no indication that she would never see it again.

Then, as she enjoyed lunch with her mother in a Wichita restaurant, she noticed seven missed calls from her husband.

“When I finally called him,” she said, “he told me, ‘They’ve evacuated me. I think our house is gone.’”

In the panic to escape the wildfire soon to engulf their home, her husband had quickly picked up their dog, his cell-phone and his phone’s charger. There was no time for anything else…READ ON