Many of us have heard the rumors about gas prices increasing to nearly $5 per gallon in just two short months from now. Unfortunately, at the rate gas prices are steadily increasing, this myth may be a harsh reality for anyone with an oil-powered automobile. A.K.A. most of the United States.

The uncertainty about oil supply due to Middle East turmoil attribute to the skyrocketing gas prices, but also shows us that the US dollar’s worth is declining and so is our purchasing power. And fast.

The article, “There is Something We Can Do About High Gas Prices”, suggests that in our current state where we have little to no control over the astonishingly high gas prices the US should consider additional gas drilling and creating more of a market for solar and wind powered eco-friendly products, including electrical cars.

What do you think about skyrocketing gas prices? Will you continue to use your gas guzzling car and shell out hundreds of dollars per month or will you cut back on travel? At what price limit do you think society will make the shift to driving electric and renewable energy automobiles? Comment below and let us know your thoughts! 

I recently received a complimentary copy of Faisal Hoque’s new book The Power of Convergence: Linking Business Strategies and Technology Decisions to Create Sustainable Success. While this is quite a mouthful for a book title and subtitle, the book is well worth the read. In the area of Business Technology Management (BTM), Hoque is a real pro.

Busy professionals might not have or might not want to take the time to read the book cover to cover. If so, don’t fear. Scan the Contents pages and read topics of interest. It’s not as useful as reading the entire book, but you’ll see the value, and can finish the book over time.

As the owner of a mid-sized, full-service communications agency, the chapters that leapt out at me were:

• Chapter 6, Size Doesn’t Matter: How Small Enterprises Benefit from Strategic Investment Management
• Chapter 8, Creating Business Agility
• Chapter 10, Driving Operational Excellence

Hoque’s writing style is direct and almost conversational, as if he’s speaking directly to the reader. He summarizes key theoretical points in a very accessible way and also includes many real-world examples throughout to help readers see theories in action. Sometimes he takes the opposite approach which is equally effective. One of the funniest and most educational stories comes from the cartoon satire South Park, and the tale of the underpants gnomes. It’s a great satire of poor business planning and I won’t try to repeat it. Foque uses this as a launching pad to discuss the key steps in the operational excellence journey…nice.

In summary, I’d recommend picking up and reading Faisal Hoque’s book. You can use it as a reference, a how-to guide, or for ways to start and stimulate business conversations inside your organization.