In Australia, both the unions and federal government are mounting major advertising campaigns about proposed changes to the federal industrial relations laws by the Australian government. The changes are part of the government’s industrial relations reforms.
Whilst I do not want to debate the merits of the union and government cases, I do want to continue discussion of the theme of employee engagement covered in a previous employee engagement article.
The Australian union movement, through the ACTU (Australian Council of Trade Unions), has mounted a national advertising campaign.
One TV advert features a mother, obviously enjoying a healthy work/life balance, being confronted with the threat of dismissal by an employer requesting a change of roster.
Another union advert features an employee being forced under threat to change his employment status by the employer representative.
There is much debate in Australia about whether the scenarios depicted will actually be possible under the proposed reforms
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Industrial relations reform
In Australia, both the unions and federal government are mounting major advertising campaigns about proposed changes to the federal industrial relations laws by the Australian government. The changes are part of the government’s industrial relations reforms.
Whilst I do not want to debate the merits of the union and government cases, I do want to continue discussion of the theme of employee engagement covered in a previous employee engagement article.
The Australian union movement, through the ACTU (Australian Council of Trade Unions), has mounted a national advertising campaign.
One TV advert features a mother, obviously enjoying a healthy work/life balance, being confronted with the threat of dismissal by an employer requesting a change of roster.
Another union advert features an employee being forced under threat to change his employment status by the employer representative.
There is much debate in Australia about whether the scenarios depicted will actually be possible under the proposed reforms
Whilst I do not want to debate the merits of the union and government cases, I do want to continue discussion of the theme of employee engagement covered in a previous employee engagement article.
The Australian union movement, through the ACTU (Australian Council of Trade Unions), has mounted a national advertising campaign.
One TV advert features a mother, obviously enjoying a healthy work/life balance, being confronted with the threat of dismissal by an employer requesting a change of roster.
Another union advert features an employee being forced under threat to change his employment status by the employer representative.
There is much debate in Australia about whether the scenarios depicted will actually be possible under the proposed reforms
Sunday, September 6, 2009
New business implication
Technology has rapidly become a workplace fixture and is increasingly being woven into our lives and lifestyles, providing new options for communication, personal productivity and community interaction, and expanding career and business opportunities.
The capabilities of personal computing and the Internet are becoming remarkable tools to help people with disabilities overcome many of the challenges they face. Implementing accessible technology can amplify and accelerate these opportunities and serve as an equalizer.
The aging workforce of information workers includes more than 44 million workers aged 40 or older, nearly one-third of the entire U.S. workforce. With fewer younger cohorts entering the workforce and increasing numbers of retirements being significantly delayed, the proportion of older workers is growing, as is the importance of accessible and assistive technologies.
The capabilities of personal computing and the Internet are becoming remarkable tools to help people with disabilities overcome many of the challenges they face. Implementing accessible technology can amplify and accelerate these opportunities and serve as an equalizer.
The aging workforce of information workers includes more than 44 million workers aged 40 or older, nearly one-third of the entire U.S. workforce. With fewer younger cohorts entering the workforce and increasing numbers of retirements being significantly delayed, the proportion of older workers is growing, as is the importance of accessible and assistive technologies.
Business practicenor and policy maker
One of the greatest challenges for business practitioners and policy-makers today is to converting ideas and intangible assets into economic wealth, and to translate innovations into higher levels of welfare. In particular, issues of IP (intellectual property) are becoming a key element to management of innovation, given the continuous change and the rising level of knowledge intensity of economic activities.
The conference aims to stimulate the scientific and policy debate on current controversial IP topics, such as the validity of different methods for assessing the value of IP, from patents to trademarks, the obstacles to the development of efficient markets for technologies, the costs of strategic patenting and patent litigation, and IP policy harmonization across countries. These are key issues in the economics and management of IP whose profound understanding still entails much theoretical and empirical work. From this perspective, we aim to stimulate and collect novel theoretical, empirical and policy-oriented works with different approaches, from quantitative to qualitative, in-depth case studies.
The conference aims to stimulate the scientific and policy debate on current controversial IP topics, such as the validity of different methods for assessing the value of IP, from patents to trademarks, the obstacles to the development of efficient markets for technologies, the costs of strategic patenting and patent litigation, and IP policy harmonization across countries. These are key issues in the economics and management of IP whose profound understanding still entails much theoretical and empirical work. From this perspective, we aim to stimulate and collect novel theoretical, empirical and policy-oriented works with different approaches, from quantitative to qualitative, in-depth case studies.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Book review: Management and marketing have opposite ideas
The problem with management, according to marketing consultants Al and Laura Ries, is that managers don't have the brains for marketing.
This reflects a difference in brain dominance. Managers tend to be left-brain dominant, focusing on logical and analytical ways of dealing with the world. Marketers tend to be right-brain dominant, getting their ideas more intuitively and holistically.
This bifurcation leads to divergent ideas of what constitutes a good campaign. The conflict creates a War in the Boardroom, the title of the Rieses' new book.
While the marketing department may have a better grasp of how marketing works, say the Rieses, a father and daughter team, management always makes the final decisions. And that can lead to companies basing marketing strategies on management thinking.
Where the two differ:
•Management deals in reality; marketing, in perception. Most managers believe that producing a better product is the key to success. Yet, time and again, new products with perfect benchmarks fail, such as Volkswagen's Phaeton (a luxury car with top ratings) and beverage Miller Clear. Miller Clear tasted like regular beer, if you closed your eyes. "(But) when you drank Miller Clear with your eyes wide open," the Rieses write, "it tasted like watery beer. Perception always trumps reality."
•Management focuses on the product; marketing, on the brand.
Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola are similar soft drinks. Although Pepsi consistently wins blind taste tests, Coke outsells Pepsi by more than 50% in the USA, and even more internationally.
•Management wants a diversified market strategy; marketers prefer to focus in one area. Motorola introduced the first commercially available mobile phone in 1983, while Nokia came later to the cellphone market. However, Nokia began selling off non-cellphone holdings, while Motorola added computers, radio, even satellite communications. By 1998, Nokia could boast cellphone supremacy.
•Management targets the center of the market, while marketing targets the ends. Management sees the market as a bell curve with a large middle; marketers see it as bifurcated between a low end and high end.
Southwest Airlines succeeded by ignoring the first-class market and sticking to discount fares. Kmart failed by attempting to target the middle ground between low prices (Wal-Mart's specialty) and designer goods (Target's specialty).
•Management wants better products, while marketing wants different products. Management's response to a rival is often to try to do the same thing better. The marketing response is to do something different and create a new mental category.
Rather than fight Ivory Soap's pureness campaign, Dove responded with "cleansing cream." Rather than fight the hardware of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Nintendo released the Wii. It's still a video game system, but it creates its own category — as well as more sales and profits than the other consoles.
•Management wants a single brand; marketing wants many brands. Management wants the big brand name on everything to justify the money spent on brand recognition. Marketing wants to launch new brands, because often the new product isn't a good match for the old brand name.
Xerox was well-known in copiers, but Xerox computers fell flat. Kodak was a leader in film photography, but Kodak digital cameras didn't move. On the other hand, Levi's launched a workplace casual line with Dockers, and Toyota managed a luxury brand called Lexus. No doubt a "Toyota Elite" would have gone the way of VW's Phaeton.
In short, the Rieses believe that management wants good products that appeal to everyone, while marketing wants a powerful brand that dominates a mental category.
Because management makes the decisions, marketing folks should learn to speak in left-brain terminology. The book is a good place to start lessons. Examples are well-explained and down-to-earth. As for managers, even the most logical and analytical types should be able to see the reasoning behind "marketing sense."
This reflects a difference in brain dominance. Managers tend to be left-brain dominant, focusing on logical and analytical ways of dealing with the world. Marketers tend to be right-brain dominant, getting their ideas more intuitively and holistically.
This bifurcation leads to divergent ideas of what constitutes a good campaign. The conflict creates a War in the Boardroom, the title of the Rieses' new book.
While the marketing department may have a better grasp of how marketing works, say the Rieses, a father and daughter team, management always makes the final decisions. And that can lead to companies basing marketing strategies on management thinking.
Where the two differ:
•Management deals in reality; marketing, in perception. Most managers believe that producing a better product is the key to success. Yet, time and again, new products with perfect benchmarks fail, such as Volkswagen's Phaeton (a luxury car with top ratings) and beverage Miller Clear. Miller Clear tasted like regular beer, if you closed your eyes. "(But) when you drank Miller Clear with your eyes wide open," the Rieses write, "it tasted like watery beer. Perception always trumps reality."
•Management focuses on the product; marketing, on the brand.
Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola are similar soft drinks. Although Pepsi consistently wins blind taste tests, Coke outsells Pepsi by more than 50% in the USA, and even more internationally.
•Management wants a diversified market strategy; marketers prefer to focus in one area. Motorola introduced the first commercially available mobile phone in 1983, while Nokia came later to the cellphone market. However, Nokia began selling off non-cellphone holdings, while Motorola added computers, radio, even satellite communications. By 1998, Nokia could boast cellphone supremacy.
•Management targets the center of the market, while marketing targets the ends. Management sees the market as a bell curve with a large middle; marketers see it as bifurcated between a low end and high end.
Southwest Airlines succeeded by ignoring the first-class market and sticking to discount fares. Kmart failed by attempting to target the middle ground between low prices (Wal-Mart's specialty) and designer goods (Target's specialty).
•Management wants better products, while marketing wants different products. Management's response to a rival is often to try to do the same thing better. The marketing response is to do something different and create a new mental category.
Rather than fight Ivory Soap's pureness campaign, Dove responded with "cleansing cream." Rather than fight the hardware of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Nintendo released the Wii. It's still a video game system, but it creates its own category — as well as more sales and profits than the other consoles.
•Management wants a single brand; marketing wants many brands. Management wants the big brand name on everything to justify the money spent on brand recognition. Marketing wants to launch new brands, because often the new product isn't a good match for the old brand name.
Xerox was well-known in copiers, but Xerox computers fell flat. Kodak was a leader in film photography, but Kodak digital cameras didn't move. On the other hand, Levi's launched a workplace casual line with Dockers, and Toyota managed a luxury brand called Lexus. No doubt a "Toyota Elite" would have gone the way of VW's Phaeton.
In short, the Rieses believe that management wants good products that appeal to everyone, while marketing wants a powerful brand that dominates a mental category.
Because management makes the decisions, marketing folks should learn to speak in left-brain terminology. The book is a good place to start lessons. Examples are well-explained and down-to-earth. As for managers, even the most logical and analytical types should be able to see the reasoning behind "marketing sense."
Copyright 2009 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
The Economics of the European Patent System: IP Policy for Innovation and Competition
by Dominique Guellec, Bruno van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie
In this book, two chief economists of the European Patent Office (EPO), Dominique Guellec and Bruno van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie, investigate the economics of patent systems, review the organization of EPO, and propose changes .
Reviewed by Zi-Lin He
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Information Management Issues in Mergers and Acquisitions: A Manager's Briefing
by
David O. Stephens, CRM, CMC, FAI ISBN: 0-933887-95-7
This Manager's Briefing addresses the subject of mergers and acquisitions in a very authoritative and practical manner. Through the introduction of the subject in a two-page Executive Summary, the author highlights the areas of management concern and the role played by records and information management practitioners in merger and acquisition activities. A number of key issues associated with the subject are covered: legal and regulatory concerns, organizational and staffing issues, policy and procedures matters, and records retention and storage issues. This is a big order for a publication that contains only 18 pages, but the topics are organized in a logical sequence, and key points are emphasized in an outline or highlighted format.
The role of records and information management is presented in a manner that emphasizes its strategic value in supporting merger and acquisition efforts. A case study provides a major corporation's vision statement for the future of RIM in a merged organization. The interesting point here is that the two key elements cited for RIM's successful involvement are proper organizational placement and well-documented policies and procedures. These are traditional needs for any successful RIM program. Yet, they take on added meaning in the critical area of changing organization environments. Whether it is a merger, acquisition, divestiture, or liquidation, information is a key ingredient in the preplanning, transition, and post-transition stages of these changes.
The retention issues addressed in this Briefing are not directed at specific retention periods for varying categories of records, but rather the general concern with records that are received or transferred as the result of a merger or acquisition action. The emphasis is on the need for a RIM transition team to examine existing retention policies and to make them applicable based upon the legal position of the companies involved. Guidelines are also provided for the disposition of old, unscheduled stored records. The bottom line is clear: The organization with the best RIM program will serve as the guide for future applications. The emphasis again falls on the need for a RIM transition team to develop a plan detailing the systems conversion/ integration process.
Not cited in the Briefing is the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act (HSR Act) requiring a premerger notification form. A working records retention schedule can be of special value in meeting the requirements of this premerger agreement. Like many other laws, unfortunately, the HSR statue identifies several categories of records that may be requested without specifying how long they should be kept. The document requirement applies mainly to studies, surveys, and reports that may have been prepared to help a company evaluate a proposed merger.
The publication adds authoritative support to the need for a close working relationship between RIM professionals and information technology departments. The parties to a merger and acquisition transaction must have information systems and architectures, as well as recordkeeping systems, that are compatible. Failure to resolve these possible incompatibility issues can undermine the overall objectives of such transactions. It is the responsibility of the transition team to make certain that both disciplines work together and play an active role in the effort.
In the final section of the Briefing, standards and best practices are covered. These include a summary review of the pending ISO standard (ISO 15489) on records management, the Department of Defense (DoD 5015.2) standard for records management applications, ISO 9000 on quality records, and electronic document standards. The inclusion of these standards adds little to this treatment of mergers and acquisitions except as a reminder that standards are of overall importance to RIM programs under any conditions. The space could have been used more productively for an expansion of the M&A subject. A recommended list of books and articles on the subject is also provided.
PUBLISHER: ARMA International
PUBLICATION DATE: 2000 LENGTH: 18 pages PRICE: $22 ARMA members / $32 non-
SOURCE: ARMA International Bookstore, www.arma.org or 888-241-0598
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