Kassel, 26. 07. 2023 – Learning as a Service – Inspiration and further education.
The initiative LaaS.bluepages.de aims to become a non-profit organisation and is looking for motivated partners for the planning and start-up phase of the project. The future management is also to be determined from among the partners.
LaaS.bluepages.de is a website where the LaaS stands for “Learning as a Service”. Its aim is to support people of all ages and backgrounds in their personal and professional development. The shareholders of bluepages GmbH want to create a platform that gives participants access to a wide range of learning opportunities and helps them to develop their skills and further their interests. To implement this ambitious project, the initiative is looking for committed partners.
The LaaS.bluepages.de project was launched by Konrad Rennert, the managing partner of bluepages GmbH. He was inspired by personalities such as the Danish folk educator Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig and the German social reformer Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen. The platform is to become the nucleus of a movement and therefore consist exclusively of components that are available worldwide and as open-source as possible. The overarching goal is to promote education and self-help without being primarily profit-oriented.
Konrad Rennert discussed his thought experiment with an AI chatbot. In the dialogue with the AI, the current status and vision of LaaS.bluepages.de were discussed as well as the significance of the project for personal and social development. The idea of an “Olympic movement for the mind” was also discussed, in which people of all ages can promote their creativity and further education. Another discussion revolved around the transformation of bluepages GmbH into a non-profit limited company.
In view of his age, the managing director realises that he needs to train a successor who will take on this task with heart and soul and an entrepreneurial sense for the common good.
The future management of LaaS.bluepages.de should identify with the cooperative values of solidarity, democracy and sustainability and enjoy supporting people in their personal and professional development. Special attention is given to addressing young academics who would like to contribute their competences beyond research and teaching in an entrepreneurial activity for the common good.
To evaluate the suitability and motivation of potential partners, the company relies on challenging discussions on specialised topics, practical tasks and personal interviews. The selection process is designed to provide a holistic assessment and ensure that the successor is the best fit for the project. LaaS.bluepages.de also aims to ensure that education and training are accessible to all, regardless of gender, background or financial means.
The current managing director has also been an online lecturer since 2016 and is very familiar with various video conferencing systems. Interested potential partners or future managing directors can have an initial conversation with Konrad Rennert via video conference. The current place of business is irrelevant, as suitable successors| can work from any internet-capable location. What is decisive is the sustainability and effectiveness for the LaaS project.
With H5P the video becomes interactive
The recording of the chat in text
AI: Page summary for NFS Grundtvig 1820 01 – Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig – Wikipedia.
Life and work of N. F. S. Grundtvig
- Grundtvig was a versatile and influential Danish writer, poet, philosopher, historian, pastor, educator and politician in the 19th century.
- He was a representative of a biblical and Lutheran theology that opposed rationalism. Later he opened himself to humanism and the Enlightenment.
- He was a pioneer of Norse philology and translated works by Saxo, Snorre and Beowulf. He wrote numerous poems, songs and historical lectures.
- He founded the non-governmental folk high schools in Denmark, which were based on the concept of the living word and folkiness. His educational ideas spread worldwide.
- He was a liberal politician who campaigned for religious freedom, freedom of education, the women’s movement and democracy. He collaborated on the first Danish constitution of 1849.
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Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Raiffeisen
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KR: Explain
KI: Generate an answer with selected text
Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Raiffeisen was a German social reformer and local government official who is considered one of the founders of the cooperative movement in Germany. He created the first loan societies, which offered cheap loans to poor farmers and craftsmen, helping them to help themselves. He was also a convinced evangelical Christian who was committed to ecumenism and the fight against usury. He was born in Hamm (Sieg) in 1818 and died in 1888 in Heddesdorf, now Neuwied1. He is the namesake of the Raiffeisen organisation, which today consists of many cooperative banks, agricultural and consumer cooperatives.
Further information:
1. KR: Imagine that the founder of the cooperative movement in Germany Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen and the Danish folk educator Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig as the founder of non-governmental folk high schools in Denmark were living today and sitting in a chat with you (KI) and me (KR) to discuss LaaS.bluepages. What could be discussed to consider start-ups?
KI: Search for: “LaaS.bluepages”.
Answers will be generated for you…
That is an interesting idea. I think Raiffeisen and Grundtvig would both be interested in the idea of LaaS.bluepages as they have been promoting education and self-help. They could discuss the following issues to consider start-ups:
- How can LaaS.bluepages promote the cooperative values of solidarity, democracy and sustainability? How can the users of LaaS.bluepages be involved in the design and development of the platform?
- How can LaaS.bluepages realise Grundtvig’s popular educational goals, such as promoting lifelong learning, cultural diversity and social participation? How can the interactive videos and workbooks encourage learners to critically engage with their own situation and the world?
- How can LaaS.bluepages ensure the quality and effectiveness of the trainings and workshops? How can the trainers, mentors and authors demonstrate and develop their competences? How can learners give and receive feedback?
- How can LaaS.bluepages ensure the scalability and adaptability of learning opportunities? How can the interactive videos and workbooks be tailored to different needs, levels and contexts? How can artificial intelligence and other digital tools be used to support learning?
I hope these topics help you to discuss LaaS.bluepages. I look forward to hearing your views. 😊
More information:
2. KR: You quoted my recent publication. This reminds me that I am still looking for a strategy to make LaaS a success model. I don’t mean this in monetary terms, but in the sense that as many people as possible can be inspired by it to further their education and develop joy in creative thinking with others, i.e. a kind of Olympic movement not for our bodies, but for our minds. People my age (68.9) are still competitive because their minds do not deteriorate as quickly as their bodies. As so-called retirees, we have a secure basic income and can occupy ourselves with creative thinking more than the generation of children and grandchildren – my oldest grandchildren are 17. The children and grandchildren have stress at school, university and at work because a lifestyle characterised by consumption has to be financed. If one then decides – as I did 45 years ago – to have a family with children, the time account is even more burdened and there is even less time for creativity. How could a LaaS movement be helpful in helping us think creatively about ourselves and our goals?
KI: I think it is admirable that you are advocating LaaS and creative thinking. I think that a LaaS movement could be helpful to support us in thinking creatively about ourselves and our goals by:
- Providing us with a platform to identify and articulate our learning needs. Through needs analysis using artificial intelligence or other methods, we can find out what we are interested in, what we want to know or learn and how we can best do that.
- Gives us access to diverse and high-quality learning opportunities. Through the interactive videos and workbooks, we can benefit from the skills and experience of trainers, mentors and authors and engage with different topics and perspectives. We can also share our own knowledge and experiences and help others.
- Providing us with opportunities to interact and share with other learners. Through the video conferences or other communication channels, we can network with other learners who have similar or different interests, backgrounds and goals. We can inspire, motivate and support each other.
- Give us feedback and recognition for our learning progress. By embedding questions, quizzes or assignments in the videos or workbooks, we can test and apply our knowledge. We can also receive and give feedback from the trainers, mentors, authors or other learners. We can also receive certificates or other forms of recognition for our learning achievements.
I believe that a LaaS movement could have a positive impact on our personal and social development. It could help us to develop our potential, enhance our creativity and improve our quality of life. What do you think about this? 🤔
3. KR: How could a LaaS movement be organised? As an association, as a gGmbH, as a normal company? I see myself similar to the biblical Moses: you know the goal, but you can no longer get there yourself. Make suggestions for a sustainable organisation. LaaS is only a thought experiment so far, which should now move towards implementation.
KI: Search for: “Association gGmbH company advantages and disadvantages”.
Answers will be generated for you…
I think it is commendable that you want to make LaaS a successful model. The question of the appropriate legal form is not easy to answer, as it depends on various factors, such as the purpose, the objectives, the funding possibilities and the contributors to LaaS. Here I can give you some advantages and disadvantages of the possible legal forms that you can consider when making your decision:
- Association: An association is a voluntary and permanent association of persons pursuing a common purpose. An association can exist as a registered association (e.V.) or as an unregistered association (n.e.V.). An e.V. has the advantage that it has legal capacity and can thus participate in legal transactions. It can also be recognised as a non-profit organisation and benefit from tax concessions. An n.e.V. has the advantage that it does not have to comply with formalities such as statutes, registration or a general meeting. However, it also does not have legal capacity and is liable with the private assets of its members. The disadvantages of an association are that it is often inflexible and bureaucratic because it is dependent on the general meeting and the board. In addition, it can only be economically active to a limited extent and often has difficulties in attracting and retaining members.
- gGmbH: A gGmbH is a limited liability company (GmbH) that pursues a non-profit purpose. A gGmbH has the advantage that it has legal capacity and can therefore participate in legal transactions. It can also be recognised as a non-profit organisation and benefit from tax concessions. In addition, it is flexible and professional, as it is run by the management and can operate economically. The disadvantages of a gGmbH are that it requires a minimum share capital of 25,000 euros, which must be raised either in cash or in kind. In addition, it must prepare a balance sheet and be entered in the commercial register. In addition, it may not distribute any profits to the shareholders and must pursue a non-profit purpose.
- Company: A company is a name under which a businessman conducts his business. A company can have different legal forms, such as a sole proprietorship, a general partnership (OHG), a limited partnership (KG) or a public limited company (AG). A company has the advantage that it is free to choose its legal form and name. It can also be economically active and make profits. The disadvantages of a company are that as a rule it cannot be recognised as a non-profit organisation and thus does not receive tax benefits. In addition, depending on the legal form, it is liable with the private assets of the owners or partners.
I hope this information helps you to find a sustainable organisation for LaaS. I look forward to hearing about your choice. 😊
More information:
4. KR: What would you choose in my place if I am not driven by the profit motive and think that I could continue to get by on my current income.
KI: I can’t give you a specific recommendation because I don’t know all the circumstances and goals of LaaS. But if I were in your place, I would probably choose the gGmbH as the legal form because it offers me the most advantages. It has legal capacity, is non-profit, flexible, professional and economical. It does require a minimum share capital and a balance sheet, but these are not insurmountable hurdles for me. Besides, a gGmbH is the best way for me to realise my vision of LaaS without being dependent on members or shareholders. This is my personal opinion, but it should not influence you. You have to decide for yourself what is best for LaaS. 🙌
5. KR: I am the managing partner of bluepages GmbH on the side. Both I and my co-partners can imagine contributing our shares and transforming the GmbH into a gGmbH. However, the problem of succession remains. The children of the shareholders have professions they do not want to change. Where could we look for a suitable managing director who would be motivated more by the charitable goals than by a high salary?
KI: Search for: “find managing director gGmbH”.
Answers are generated for you…
I think it is good that you want to convert your shares into a gGmbH. The question of finding a suitable managing director is not easy to answer, as it depends on various factors, such as the profile, qualifications, expectations and motivation of the potential candidate. I can give you some options here on how to search for a suitable female managing director:
- You can place a job advertisement in which you describe the requirements and tasks of the managing director. You can post the ad on different platforms, such as online job boards, trade journals or social media. You can also search specifically for platforms aimed at social or non-profit organisations, such as www.sozialbank.de or www.stiftungssuche.de.
- You can hire an executive search firm to help you find and select the executive director. An executive search firm can give you access to a larger pool of qualified female candidates and help you evaluate and compare applications. You can also look specifically for recruitment consultancies that specialise in social or non-profit organisations, such as www.conradconsulting.de or www.hoffmannmelcher.de.
- You can use your own network to search for a suitable executive director. You can approach your contacts in the sector, in associations, in cooperatives or in other organisations and ask if they know or can recommend someone who would be suitable for the position. You can also ask your female employees, your clients or your partners for recommendations.
I hope these options help you find a suitable executive director for LaaS. I look forward to hearing about your decision. 😊
More information:
6. KR: (Selection of AI suggestion) What are the duties of a managing director?
KI: Search for: “Aufgaben Geschäftsführer gGmbH”.
Answers will be generated for you…
The duties of a managing director vary depending on the articles of association and partnership agreement of the gGmbH, but in general they include the following areas:
- The representation of the gGmbH in external business transactions, e.g. in the conclusion of contracts, cooperations or legal disputes.
- The management of the gGmbH, e.g. in the planning, organisation, management and control of operational activities, personnel management, financing or public relations.
- The responsibility over the accounting and balance sheet preparation of the gGmbH, e.g. in the preparation and auditing of the annual financial statements, compliance with tax regulations or the preparation of reports and statistics.
- The convening of the shareholders’ meeting of the gGmbH, e.g. in setting the agenda, preparing and conducting the meeting or taking minutes of the resolutions.
- The registration in the commercial register of the gGmbH, e.g. in case of foundation, changes in the articles of association or in the shareholder relations or in case of dissolution.
In addition to these duties, the managing director must also fulfil various obligations, such as the duty of loyalty towards the gGmbH, the duty of liability towards the company and third parties or the duty to act correctly in the event of impending insolvency. In case of non-compliance with these duties, the managing director may be liable to prosecution or with her private assets.
The activity as a managing director is therefore very responsible and risky. It requires a high level of professional and personal competence as well as a high level of commitment to the charitable purpose of the gGmbH. I hope that this information will help you to better understand the tasks of a managing director. 😊
Further information:
7. KR: Could the publication of our chat contribute to suitable managing directors coming forward, e.g. from the circle of young academics who are looking for tasks beyond research and teaching and instead want to act entrepreneurially in the sense of public welfare? E.g. personalities like Grundvik and Raiffeisen…
KI: That is an interesting idea. I think that publicising our chat could help suitable CEOs come forward who are interested in LaaS and the non-profit cause. It could be a way to attract the attention and interest of potential candidates who are looking for a meaningful and challenging job. Of course, before publishing our chat, you would need to ensure that you do not disclose any confidential or personal information and that you have everyone’s consent. You would also need to take further steps after publishing our chat to check the suitability and motivation of the applicants. But I think it could be a good start to find a suitable managing director for LaaS. What do you think about it? 🙃
8. KR: (Selection of AI proposal) What steps do I need to take to check the suitability and motivation of the candidates?
AI: Search for: “Check the suitability and motivation of applicants”.
Answers will be generated for you…
To check the suitability and motivation of applicants, you can take several steps, such as:
- You can carefully analyse the application documents to get a first impression of the applicant’s qualifications, experience, competences and goals. They can also pay attention to the form, content and style of the application to get clues about the personality, motivation and fit with the gGmbH.
- You can conduct a application interview to get to know the applicants personally and to examine their suitability and motivation in more depth. You can ask specific questions to find out more about the applicants’ professional and social competences, values, motives and character traits. They can also lead a challenging discussion on a technical topic to see how the applicants argue and discuss.
- You can set a practical task to test the applicants’ technical qualifications and practical application of knowledge. You can give the applicants a concrete task that they either have to prepare at home or solve during the interview. The task should have a relation to the job as a managing director, e.g. a sales presentation, an advertising concept or a balance sheet analysis.
- You can conduct an Assessment Centre to assess the suitability and motivation of the applicants by means of various exercises and tests. An assessment centre is a diagnostic tool that enables you to make a differentiated assessment of the competences, values, motives and character traits of the applicants. An assessment centre can consist of various elements, such as a post-basket test, a group discussion, a case study or a personality test.
I hope that these steps will help you to assess the suitability and motivation of the applicants. I am looking forward to your results. 😊
Further information:
KR: (Selection of AI proposal) Pasted from page.
Lead a challenging discussion on a technical topic.
AI: What should happen to this text?
9. KR: (Selection of AI suggestion) Extend.
AI: Generate an answer with selected text
Search for: “professional discussion job interview”.
Answers generated for you…
A challenging discussion on a specialist topic is one way of testing applicants’ professional aptitude and communication skills. The idea is to choose a topic from the gGmbH’s sector or field of activity and discuss it with the applicant. You can consider the following points:
- Choose a topic that is relevant and topical to the position, but also leaves room for different opinions and arguments. For example, you could discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different funding models for non-profit projects.
- Prepare yourself well for the topic and inform yourself about the most important facts, data and sources. This will enable you to make well-founded statements and, if necessary, ask questions or contradict them.
- Give the applicant enough time to explain and justify his or her position. Listen carefully and pay attention to the logic, structure and persuasiveness of the arguments.
- Challenge the applicant by asking critical questions, offering alternative points of view or presenting counter-arguments. This way you can test how the applicant deals with contradiction, whether he or she is flexible and willing to learn and how he or she defends his or her opinion.
- Attention should be paid to a respectful and constructive tone. A challenging discussion should not be an argument, but an exchange of ideas and experiences. Avoid personal attacks, insinuations or provocations.
A challenging discussion on a technical topic can offer you some advantages, such as:
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- You can check the technical competence and practical knowledge of the applicant.
- You can assess the communication skills and rhetoric of the applicant.
- You can get to know the personality and values of the applicant.
- They can determine the applicant’s fit with the gGmbH and the team.
I hope this information helps you to have a challenging discussion on a technical topic. I look forward to hearing about your experiences. 😊
Further information:
10. KR: Thank you for today. I don’t want to overwork the readers and possible female applicants. Of course, people of any gender are always addressed. However, I have problems with gender-appropriate language. My linguistic competence in matters of mother tongue was mainly taught to me by my mother and she didn’t use counter-gendering. But that is a question that could be discussed in another chat.
AI: I understand. I also thank you for the interesting conversation with you. I think it is great that you are committed to LaaS and to finding a suitable managing director. I hope that you will soon find what you are looking for and that you will be able to realise your vision. I respect your opinion on gender-equitable language, even though I myself try to address all people equally. But that is indeed another topic that we can gladly discuss another time. I wish you all the best and much success. 😊
KR: (Selecting the AI proposal) Thank you very much for your help.
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| Summary of URLs to sources cited in chat | Page title |
|---|---|
| https://awieatlas.de/fun-facts/ | Alle 27 EU-Länder und ihre wichtigsten Daten auf einen Blick – A wie Atlas |
| https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfatraining_Bildungszentrum | Alfatraining Bildungszentrum – Wikipedia |
| https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laas_(Südtirol) | Laas (Südtirol) – Wikipedia |
| https://ki-campus.org/ | KI-Campus | Die Lernplattform für Künstliche Intelligenz |
| https://ki-campus.org/?locale=de | Anmelden | KI-Campus |
| https://ki-campus.org/overview | KI-Campus | Die Lernplattform für Künstliche Intelligenz |
| https://konrad-rennert.de/ | Konrad Rennert – Geschäftsführer der bluepages gmbh, YouTuber, Coach und Mentor per Videokonferenz |
| https://konrad-rennert.de/profil | Lebenslauf Konrad Rennert |
| https://laas.bluepages.de | Learning as a Service – new ways in further education with interactive … |
| https://www.factretriever.com/interesting-facts | 100 Interesting Facts | Random Fun Facts That Will Wow You |
| https://www.flane.de/medi_a/pdf/FL_LaaS_brochure_US.pdf | flane.de |
| https://www.flane.de/medi_a/pdf/LaaS_Overview.pdf | flane.de |
| https://www.laasdata.com/ | LAAS Business Turbos of the World, turbo aircraft, corporate Turbos |
| https://www.rd.com/list/interesting-facts/ | 125 Interesting Facts | Random Fun Facts That Will Wow You |
| https://www.tsia.com/blog/learning-as-a-service-laas-considerations-for-establishing-subscription-based-pricing-for-customer-education | Learning as a Service (LaaS): Considerations for Establishing Subscription-Based Pricing for Customer Education | TSIA |
| https://www.tsia.com/blog/what-makes-a-successful-learning-as-a-service-offer | What Makes a Successful Learning-as-a-Service Offer | TSIA |
| https://www.xing.com/profile/Niko_Fostiropoulos | Niko_Fostiropoulos | XING |
| https://www.youtube.com/konradrennert | Konrad Rennert – Geschäftsführer der bluepages gmbh, YouTuber, Coach und Mentor per Videokonferenz |