"Game On" is the title; "all in" is the message. The article is a LinkedIn posting made by Jeff Immelt, the now long-tenured chairman of venerable General Electric (NYSE: GE). Immelt has presided over restoring the company to its glory in manufacturing based upon leading edge technology for a vast array of industrial applications. In the post he writes, "[it] has to be one of the biggest game-changers I've seen in my career." Well, Jeff, there's a strong statement! I've spent my life in various facets of advanced materials (full disclosure: I worked for a GE business, since divested, during one summer while in college) and it was Jeff Immelt who helped me grasp the commercial significance of nanotechnology during an interview on the Charlie Rose show. I doubt there is much that Mr. Immelt hasn't seen during his illustrious career with what is certainly one of the most global and far-reaching businesses ever to exist. So, when he (or his ghost writers?) states that something is the biggest game-changer of his career, I've got to perk up my ears and take note. Shouldn't I?

And, here is the topic of his comments: "the availability of shale in the United States and around the world…" Really? Yes. Well, OK, it isn't the shale, as such, but the gas and oil trapped in that shale. It has always been there but, based upon the current price of crude oil, distribution cost of natural gas and improving extraction technology, there is already a major boom underway. Given Mr. Immelt's comments, it sounds like GE might be a little late to the party but scanning their press releases, I'd say they've been investing for some time now and are well positioned to make a significant contribution to the development of this new and very important source of energy. Still, in the LinkedIn posting, he asks, "…can we tap it? Can we develop the technologies to extract it sustainably? If we do, we'll have cheaper energy. We will power a manufacturing renewal." Great vision, Jeff, I hope you're right.

He then goes on to say, "And it is incumbent on innovators and businesses to develop technologies that ensure reliable, safe and efficient extraction and use of unconventional oil and gas. We'll do our part!" Indeed, his company is already doing its part and I have no doubt that the new Global Research Center in Oklahoma City will spawn many new products, capabilities and services. I'll go so far as to say that this source of energy will be developed sustainably; even though sustainability is a hotly debated issue, that Mr. Immelt incorporates it into his business proposition is a good sign.

But, is the extraction of shale gas (and what also includes tight oil) really "the biggest game changer" of a generation? Is it the harbinger of an economic boom? Does it signal the beginning of a new America? Maybe. Or, maybe it's necessary but not sufficient (as my teachers used to say). It is certainly an important new driver for the world economy and already a source of employment that matters. But what of the semiconductor that debuted during Mr. Immelt's lifetime? What of the internet and the communications revolution that, by some estimates, has improved the lives of a higher percentage of humans than the car, radio, television, medical technology and more?

And, what of the Maker movement? The what movement? In essence, the Maker movement is a shift away from factories back to cottages where production of mass merchandise on dedicated equipment is replaced by discrete, custom-oriented production by individuals using personal computers and open source technology. The prospect here is for a New Industrial Revolution that will improve the lives of all and not just those in the major economic zones.

Mr. Immelt is making a very important statement about his company's commitment to a topic of great importance to all who read this blog, who read his postings on LinkedIn and well beyond. He is aiming high, taking on considerable risk for his shareholders (and all of us) and will no doubt help to ensure a secure future. But, there are those individuals who I believe are aiming even higher, with more limited resources at their disposal and who may never make a notable post on LinkedIn or elsewhere. And, it is they who will be the true game-changers - not just of a generation but of an entire era.