Stephen Dubner Steven Levitt

Why do drug dealers still live with their moms?
Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool?
What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common?

If your success depends in part on your ability to answer even the most seemingly unanswerable questions, this keynote presentation is a must. Discover how the convergence of seemingly unrelated ideas uncovers new insights and can help you identify new business opportunities.

Freakonomics, written by Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner is a number-one bestselling business book and presents a new, rational thought process. Through forceful storytelling and wry insight The Art of Freakonomics demonstrates how asking unique questions reveals new business opportunities in a world that is not inherently uncertain, impenetrable or unknowable, but simply more intriguing than we imagined. Levitt and Dubner show that economics is actually the study of incentives - how people get what they want, or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing. By studying riddles of everyday life, Levitt and Dubner will show you how to draw conclusions that regularly turn conventional wisdom on its head.

Freakonomics grew from a New York Times Magazine profile that Dubner wrote about Steve Levitt, the much-heralded young scholar and winner of the esteemed John Bates Clark Medal, an award presented to the most influential economist in America under the age of 40.

Dr. Roberta Bondar

In a world of extremes, a leader's vision must be bold yet within reach for your team. To help you become more successful, Dr. Roberta Bonda will share her powerful insights and discuss how a true leader not only knows how to effectively set objectives and goals, but also understands "fellowership".

In 1992 Roberta Bondar realized a personal dream aboard the space shuttle Discovery. She captured the imagination of millions while forwarding research in space medicine. Since her space flight, Dr. Bondar has applied lessons learned about self-reliance, leadership, curiosity, and flexibility to new endeavors and the world of business. She teaches that in a world of extremes, a leader's valued team members learn when to lead, when to follow and when to stay the course. Flexibility and adaptability become key tools for business success. Respecting and trusting other people's minds becomes a prerequisite for accomplished leadership.

Roberta Bondar is a pilot, physician, professional photographer and author of three highly acclaimed photo essays on science and the Canadian landscape. Her numerous commendations include the NASA Space Medal, induction into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, and 24 honorary doctorates from American and Canadian universities.

Bring your ideas to life with The Disney Imagineers. Charged with developing new concepts for the Walt Disney Attractions Division, including theme parks, resort hotels and cruise ships, The Walt Disney Imagineers have developed an energizing eight-step process to bring ideas "from Spark to Park." This session details their unique process and presents a variety of real life examples and specially selected interactive sessions to help you capture the enthusiasm and experience the magic.

From creating a supportive environment through brainstorming, concept development, feasibility, design and launch, you'll have an insiders view of how maintaining "show quality" through disciplined continuous improvement is a key element of Disney's creative formula.

Highlighting the vision and ideals of Walt Disney, the Disney Institute is a recognized leader in experiential training, leadership development, benchmarking, and cultural change for business professionals across the globe. The Disney Institute facilitators represent a rich and diverse background; they are dynamic presenters who are effective in relationships, skilled in business, and passionate about the Disney approach.

Bill Jensen

In the global war for talent, how can you differentiate your company from others? Ask Bill Jensen. Bill has spent the last decade studying business' ability to design work. Much of what he has found horrifies him. His research has inspired a life's work dedicated to battling corporate stupidity and helping employees everywhere to rediscover their passions.

Bill believes that our biggest limitation is no longer the reach of our imagination, but the ability to order, make sense of, and connect everything demanding our attention - clarity. Clarity creates focus and enables a new competitive advantage - setting the highest possible standard for staying focused, getting more done in less time, all while engaging the hearts, minds and hands of others. In an era of collaboration and ubiquitous connectivity, what real value does the corporation add to the employee work experience?

Bill Jensen is the author of the best-selling books Simplicity, Work 2.0, and What is Your Life's Work? He has over 25 years of experience in communication, change consulting, and organizational development. He's CEO of The Jensen Group, whose mission is to make it easier to get stuff done. Among the Jensen Group's clients are Bank of America, Pfizer, NASA, The World Bank, Walt Disney World, and the Guangzhou China Development District.

In 2004, CoreNet Global released Corporate Real Estate 2010: Enabling Work in a Networked World. We forecasted near-term change, and the resulting transformation of service delivery models, roles and players. Since that time, we've seen an acceleration of merger and program development activity that is redefining the capability and capacity of the service delivery network. So, what evidence do industry leaders see of the forecasted transformation? What are the implications for corporations using the service delivery network?

To explore these questions, Corporate Real Estate Leader, the official publication of CoreNet Global, interviewed key industry leaders and dedicated its September issue to the viewpoints and conclusions of those who are shaping the future of our industry. This session begins with a brief summary of the insights and revelations uncovered by Leader, and continues with a professionally facilitated panel discussion of select industry leaders who will explore the dynamics of industry evolution. The topics of consolidation, global performance platforms and business models, and the changing nature of markets will be discussed. The panel will also examine the trend toward centralized and outsourced models, and discuss the probability that these models will continue to penetrate the global operations of multi-national companies.