mesh conference

An unconventional, yet strategic thinker, Mark Federman has more than twenty-five years experience in the high-technology industry as executive, manager and consultant, spanning disciplines including research and development, marketing, sales, operations and strategic leadership. Until recently, Mark has played the role of Chief Strategist at the McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology at the University of Toronto. He is a regular guest lecturer at Högskölan för Lärande och Kommunikation (Practical School of Education and Communication – equivalent to a polytechnical institute that grants both undergraduate and graduate degrees) in Jönköping Sweden, and has been a visiting professor at the Fachhochschule (same as a högskölan) in Kiel Germany, and elsewhere.

Mark is the co-author, with Derrick de Kerckhove, of McLuhan for Managers — New Tools for New Thinking. Some of his recent explorations have examined “Generation Gap: Why today’s youth are living in tomorrow’s world,” “The Penguinist Discourse: A critical application of open source software project management to organization development,” “Why Johnny and Janey Can’t Read, and Why Mr. and Ms. Smith Can’t Teach,” “Discovering the Passion in Your Work and Your Life,” “The Ephemeral Artefact – Visions of Cultural Experience in 2020,” “How to Know What Business You’re Really In,” “Integral Awareness in the Connected Society,” “The Cultural Paradox of the Internet,” and “Creating a Culture of Innovation.” His recently completed research proposes the notion of “role*” (pronounced “role star”) through which people can become aware of the effects of the roles they play, and how to actualize these effects to achieve personal motivation, engagement and passion throughout their lives.

Mark is often called on to provide thought leadership on issues relating to consequences of the seemingly massive changes that are occurring throughout society. Most recently, he has been invited to provide keynote addresses to the senior levels of management in Canada’s Public Service, health care researchers and policy makers, teachers, school administrators, and education policy advisors, and senior executives in the advertising, marketing, branding and public relations industry. Internationally, Mark has been called upon to provide a view into the future for the emergence of culture by UNESCO, and at universities in Germany, Sweden, Austria, the Slovak Republic, and elsewhere. The University of Toronto lists Mark in its “blue book” of experts and he is frequently called by major media outlets, including Canada’s three major television networks, and the major newspapers across the country; a feature interview with Mark specifically on his method of strategic engagement appeared several years ago in the Wall Street Journal.

Mark is currently engaged in Ph.D. research at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, the theme of which is A Valence Theory of Organization. His research strives to re-theorize the concept and consequences of organization, creating an emergent model of the “organization of the future” that is consistent with our present conditions of ubiquitous connectivity and pervasive proximity, or “UCaPP.”

An internationally sought lecturer, speaker, facilitator and playshop leader, Mark consults to businesses and government agencies as a strategy advisor to help them gain awareness, perception and insight into complex issues in an environment of continual change.

Mark blogs at What is the (Next) Message?.