PowerSwitch

Does anybody know any websites, people or organisations (maybe business or economic departments at universities) that are working on business solutions to Peak Oil.

I mean real tangible solutions and action plans that people can use instead of reading something and going OH S**T my business is screwed - they can read about Peak Oil and at least have access to tools to provide courses of action.

I have some ideas for this, but need help setting them up.

I am fed up with so many people making a fast buck out of selling stories of the impending doom without offering anything too constructive - who's doing the useful stuff.

I met a lecturer from Liverpool university business school who was in the process of updating their syllabus to be peak oil aware.

Can't remember his name though!! Something Snow*** I think if that's any help.

I think the dearth of ideas around business continuity in the face of Peak Oil is symptomatic of the recognition that the future for the financial system upon which businesses depend (and are enslaved by through debts & financing arrangements) is rather bleak.

Structures that can operate independently of the growth economy such as wholly self-owned smallholdings & other sole traders, workers co-operatives, LETS schemes, time banks, credit unions etc seem to offer a better approach to preparing for collapse as they aren't as vulnerable to the fundamental unsustainability/instability of the current financial system.

Yes, these structures will also face the more prosaic challenges of heating buildings, organising transportation of deliveries, sourcing biros etc (which I think is what you're on about Max?) but trying to make existing, "conventional" businesses work in a world of permanent economic contraction feels a bit like taking an asprin for cancer.

Why do businesses need external advice on this? Any consultants' view is just going to be based on opinion like the business owner's will be. There are no peak oil experts out there. Surely those in business, once they've grasped PO, are best placed to come up with solutions. Senario-planning anyone?

Businesse are not in a position to come up with their own solutions - if they were then there would not be all this panic welling around about the inevitable decline that Peak Oil will cause.

Of course - some people with a natural ability to adapt won't need consultants (and some of the consultants may be crap) and some businesses will not be able to be saved - but the vast majority of people (that I have spoken to anyway) do not realize how interwoven into their business and its supply chain Oil is? and thus they cannot prepare for it - experts and a business tool for helping preparation is one way forward.

Joe is right that any business solution needs to consider the financial system as well as the buildings and biros part of their operation - and no doubt experts will rise who with practical solutions to both parts.

I am going to get in touch with the guys at Liverpool because I want to become one of those experts.

clv101 wrote:Can't remember his name though!! Something Snow*** I think if that's any help.

Could it have been Snowden by any chance? There's a Mr Simon Snowden who works as a lecturer in the School of Management and there's not many Snow-people at the university.

Directory here He's in the e-business division. It's a public directory so I've not really been naughty in giving you a link to it.

Ultimately the problem with the consultants is, none of them really has any more of a clue of what's going to happen in an oil-starved future as you or I. My dad has a mistrust of consultants; he says they just come in, advise you what to do, take your money and leave you to pick up the pieces when their advice goes belly up.

Simon Snowden - yep I found it thanks - hoefully he will be in touch.

I must admit I also have a mistrust of consultants (in general) but there is no denying their value in certain areas if they are truelly experienced with a lot of knowledge or contacts.

My idea and "tool" for business goes slightly beyond consultants just offering advice but a system by which businesses can go some way to establishing supply chain security. There is no point in a business preparing for peak oil (whether with the advice of consultants or not) if its customers and suppliers are not prepared.... that is where my idea comes in.

In my oppinion it is crucial that people do something to prepare, whether they do it themselves or with the advice from "experts"

bigjim, that has to be the guy a I met. He lists Oil Vulnerabilities for Business as a research interest.