An economist, a retooled policy analyst, and an academic walk into a conversation about creating standards; what follows is an exposition replayed for graduate students in technology, sociology, political economics, and finance. Now IT Matters is incredibly grateful to Kate Ruff for joining the latest edition of Why IT Matters: Creating the New Norms. Kate holds many roles, including Co-Director of the Carleton Centre for Community Innovation, Lead of the Canadian Common Approach to Impact Measurement, and Assistant Professor at the Sprott School of Business at Carlton University.
This in-depth conversation is about the assumptions we place behind structures such as accounting measures, impact measures, and the necessity of community participation that creates and supports them. Uncover the crucial threads of what becomes perceived as immutable standards in economy and business that are much more able to be changed by racial/social justice activism, which presents a holistic view of why change advocacy is critical. Learn why it’s not just about who is in the room for these discussions; but how they prioritize what ultimately becomes standardized.
Here is what you should take away from this conversation:
- Changework has a much more significant economic impact than is sometimes discussed in technology or revealed in the ordinary course of business
- The technology used by nonprofits and impact organizations as a tool is a product of economic assumptions that need revision through changework
- The urgency of this outcome must happen in the next year
Alongside these key takeaways, you will learn about Kate’s prodigious experience, observations, and wisdom. One last note, if you love Dungeons & Dragons, then this conversation is for you!
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