It is increasingly apparent that Asia is returning to its traditional role as the center of gravity in global trends. While Asia’s ascendency is upon us – the region also faces a myriad of complex challenges. Overlapping economic, technological, environmental, cultural, and political transformations are presenting an unprecedented level of complex challenges and needs for innovation and problem solving. How these needs are fulfilled will have macro-level global implications - but their resolutions will be based on micro-level social dynamics.

The discussion will examine one of the micro-level elements of this global moment: the potentials and processes of linkages between people at different ages to facilitate problem solving and innovation in communities and organizations. The discussion moves through three stages, from the concepts to applications: 1) re-framing some common terminology, 2) discussing human capital in Asia, and 3) outlining processes to enhance inter-age connections with a special focus on ‘elders.’ As an early stage for more detailed fieldwork, the seminar aims to be more exploratory than conclusive. There is much work to be done. The core of this work involves understanding how to move beyond western framed discourses around age and human capital to suit the challenges and opportunities of the Asian century.