Monthly Archive for April, 2008

Wired Politicians

Published
by
Graeme Codrington
on April 30, 2008
in Generations, Global View and Technology
. 0 Comments

A week or so ago, Dean noted that the Tories in the UK were trying to target (or needed to try and target) a younger generation of voters. In the same week, I read an article in The Economist about how British politics was using (or not using) digital communication technologies and Web-based tools. Read it online here, or a summary below.

The internet and politics

Semi-connected

Apr 17th 2008
From The Economist print edition

British politics is missing out on the potential of new media

EVEN the least fogeyish of politicians have been flummoxed by the internet. Tony Blair, champion of all things modern, paid no end of lip service to the potential of new media as prime minister but was comically technophobic himself. Still, the internet plays a role in huge areas of British public life: party politics, punditry and government itself. But web aficionados lament a yawning gap with America, and with the most go-ahead corners of Europe.

The official websites of the main political parties—Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats—get less web traffic than the most popular political blogs, and much less than even the far-right British National Party. No surprise, say cyber enthusiasts; they do a passable job as repositories of information but offer little scope for users to get involved beyond signing up for e-mail distribution lists.

Continue reading ‘Wired Politicians’

Solving the Ten Most Common Generation Y Workforce Challenges

Published
by
Graeme Codrington
on April 30, 2008
in Millennial generation
. 0 Comments

I was pointed to a website recently that offers a place for people to post free content for reprint. In between the rubbish on the site, there are some real gems. Here is one related to the Millennial generation at work. It’s fairly obvious stuff, but succinctly written, and a nice starting point for discussions in the workplace.

Solving the Ten Most Common Generation Y Workforce Challenges

by Bea Fields

We are at a very important time in history. Over the next five years, approximately 62 million Baby Boomers, who have helped form our business world for the last 20 years will be retiring. As they exit out of the workforce approximately 40 million Gen X, born between 1965 and 1977, and 72 million Generation Y, born after 1977 will fill their shoes. In this day and age, our businesses cannot thrive without young talent. And, if our businesses are not thriving, the economy will become more and more anemic. There is a huge force at play in this equation, and that force is Generation Y.

Many organizations and businesses are asking how they need to change in order to attract and then retain Generation Y. When I answer this question, many people don’t seem to like my answer, because my answer is this: If you want to attract young talent into your organization, you will be called to not just change but undergo a metamorphosis that will keep Gen Y interested and excited about working for and with your company. And, if you try to sit on them, keep them or make life difficult, they will leave in a heartbeat.

Continue reading ‘Solving the Ten Most Common Generation Y Workforce Challenges’

Talent management as a competitive differentiator

Published
by
Graeme Codrington
on April 30, 2008
in Future Trends and Talent - Bright Young Things
. 0 Comments

The Adecco Institute does ongoing studies into the Future of Work. Last week, they released the following study (see the Executive summary below).

Study: Talent Management to become key differentiator for companies competing in global marketplace

Globalization boosts demand for skilled labor - growing skills shortages require new role of HR to succeed in competition for qualified workforce.

Finding talent, developing talent and keeping talent will be the new role of Human Resources (HR) management in the future. This “talent management” - the assessment and long-term planning of a company’s workforce needs - rather than the traditional filling of vacancies, will become a key differentiator for companies competing in the global marketplace.”This new role of HR management comes as a consequence of three trends converging: Globalization, demographic change and skills shortages”, says Donna Murphy, Managing Director of the Adecco Institute, referring to the result of a study based on interviews with 5,000 HR professionals. Globalization in developed countries increases the demand for skilled and highly qualified labor, while the demand for unskilled work shrinks.

Continue reading ‘Talent management as a competitive differentiator’

Competing for Eco tourists

Published
by
Graeme Codrington
on April 25, 2008
in Environmental Issues, On the Move - Travel and The Quick and the Dead - case studies
. 0 Comments

The Strategy+Business blog and website always has insightful content. It’s the online moutpiece of consulting giant, Booz Allen Hamilton, so that should be no surprise. Subscribe to their e-zine here.

This month’s “Leading Idea” was about eco tourism, and how to maintain a competitive advantage in this space. There are lessons for every business trying to use corporate social responsibility as a strategic tool. Read the full article here, or see a summary below.

Competing on the Eco Front
by Jürgen Ringbeck and Stephan Gross

4/01/08
Environmentally friendly countries have a leg up in the competition for international travelers, but sustaining that advantage takes work.

Eco tourismWhy do travelers — be they on business or just visiting — prefer to go to Switzerland rather than, say, Ukraine? It’s no surprise: Switzerland offers a much more attractive combination of factors. It’s easy to get there and to travel within the country, it’s clean and visitors feel safe there, and Switzerland’s combination of traditional culture and natural beauty is justly famed all over the world. Yet the continued popularity of Switzerland and other desirable destinations is by no means a given. Maintaining the relative purity of the environment while promoting and growing tourism is critical as competition intensifies among regions to attract the ever-growing number of travelers.

A recent study by Booz Allen Hamilton (part of the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2008) found that environmental factors may determine whether travel and tourism sectors thrive or falter in the coming years. The report evaluated the health of the tourism industry in 130 countries based on 14 pillars important to travelers, private operators, and public authorities — including regulatory framework, infrastructure, and cost to natural, cultural, and human resources. This year, for the first time, the index also ranked each country according to its environmental sustainability. Among the items examined were the stringency of environmental regulations and the extent to which they are enforced, carbon dioxide emission levels, and the percentage of the country’s species that are endangered.

Continue reading ‘Competing for Eco tourists’

Load shedding lessons (and opportunities)

Published
by
Graeme Codrington
on April 23, 2008
in Articles, Connection Economy and Leadership
. 4 Comments

Dr Graeme Codrington offers insight for South Africans (and others) on how not to be left in the dark when it comes to strategic planning as well as attracting and retaining talented young people with creativity - particularly when traditional solutions aren’t working. Consider how you could use the current load shedding to your advantage!

Continue reading ‘Load shedding lessons (and opportunities)’

Developing corporate leaders

Published
by
Keith Coats
on April 23, 2008
in Articles and Leadership
. 4 Comments

Explore four trends that are currently changing the face of business as Keith explains how these trends are resulting in the need for a radical transformation in the process of developing leaders who are capable of leading into the future.

Continue reading ‘Developing corporate leaders’

The Great HR Paradox: A Thought Bullet for CEO’s everywhere

Published
by
Keith Coats
on April 23, 2008
in Articles, Leadership and Talent - Bright Young Things
. 2 Comments

“Never before has ‘HR’ (Human Resources) been so redundant within the corporation; yet paradoxically, never before has it been more critical.” In this article, Keith Coats offers a viewpoint on how companies can make the transition to the connection economy and arrive in tomorrow’s world with the requisite skills to not only survive but succeed and lead in the business world today.

Continue reading ‘The Great HR Paradox: A Thought Bullet for CEO’s everywhere’

Tories target Generation X

Published
by
Dean van Leeuwen
on April 20, 2008
in Generations and Marketing and sales
. 1 Comment

Tories logoAccording to The Sunday Telegraph, April 20, 2008, David Cameron, the Conservative Leader is channelling considerable resources into targeting people between the ages of 29 to 40. The Tories see this group of 3 million voters as being key to their success in the 2010 general election.

Research shows this group, often referred to as Generation X, to be a demanding and less forgiving than older generations. The Tories have identified that issues such as housing, transport, the environment, crime, education and the NHS are more relevant to Generation X than tax cutting pledges of the Labour Government. This may be so but David Cameron should well consider the core driving values of this Generation especially as all their literature is aimed at them. Generation X are highly suspicious of marketing especially political marketing and if the Tories want to connect with Generation X they will need to have an in depth understanding of the formative events that shape the attitudes, views and norms of this very dynamic and constantly changing Generation. Our experience shows that research is often already out of date before the ink is dry because once you define Generation X they have an uncanny knack of changing. Understanding their core values will help the Tories to predict these changes and connect with Generation X, a generation that is coming of age and reaching positions of economic and political influence.

To read the full article see The Telegraph

The Multitasking Generation

Published
by
Graeme Codrington
on April 17, 2008
in Millennial generation, Talent - Bright Young Things and Technology
. 0 Comments

Every now and again, TIME magazine has a seriously excellent, long and in depth, feature article that grabs my attention. I am not a subscriber, but always check TIME editions out on the newstand. These features are well researched and worth keeping.

I missed one about 2 years ago, and was recently given a copy of it by a friend. I found it online, and it is available here. It is about the generation of young people that are growing up with pervasive technology, and the impact of multitasking from a young age.

It’s long, but it’s worth a read. Extracts are available below…

The Multitasking Generation
TIME magazine, Mar. 19, 2006
By CLAUDIA WALLIS

It’s 9:30 p.m., and Stephen and Georgina Cox know exactly where their children are. Well, their bodies, at least. Piers, 14, is holed up in his bedroom–eyes fixed on his computer screen–where he has been logged onto a MySpace chat room and AOL Instant Messenger (IM) for the past three hours. His twin sister Bronte is planted in the living room, having commandeered her dad’s iMac–as usual. She, too, is busily IMing, while chatting on her cell phone and chipping away at homework.

By all standard space-time calculations, the four members of the family occupy the same three-bedroom home in Van Nuys, Calif., but psychologically each exists in his or her own little universe. Georgina, 51, who works for a display-cabinet maker, is tidying up the living room as Bronte works, not that her daughter notices. Stephen, 49, who juggles jobs as a squash coach, fitness trainer, event planner and head of a cancer charity he founded, has wolfed down his dinner alone in the kitchen, having missed supper with the kids. He, too, typically spends the evening on his cell phone and returning e-mails–when he can nudge Bronte off the computer. “One gets obsessed with one’s gadgets,” he concedes.

Continue reading ‘The Multitasking Generation’

A great carpark innovation at Joburg airport

Published
by
Graeme Codrington
on April 16, 2008
in Innovation, On the Move - Travel and Technology
. 1 Comment

I spend a lot of time in carparks, specifically at airports. Normally, I am rushing to park and get checked in. And, at most airports around the world, there are not enough parking spaces, and it can take a lot of time to find an empty bay. But, at OR Tambo International airport in Johannesburg, the carpark has added a wonderful new feature.

Above every parking bay a small unit has been installed in the ceiling. This has the ability to detect whether something is parked in the bay, and turns a bright light from green to red if the bay is full. This is a remarkable improvement - you drive into the parking area and scan the ceiling for green lights. Search time is dramatically reduced, and from the far side of the parking garage, you can set a course for an open parking bay.

Thanks ACSA. This is one of your best innovations ever!

Answering the climate sceptics

Published
by
Graeme Codrington
on April 9, 2008
in Environmental Issues
. 0 Comments

The BBC News website recently carried a great article about climate change and answers for the sceptics. It is available online here, or read a summary below.

What are some of the reasons why “climate sceptics” dispute the evidence that human activities such as industrial emissions of greenhouse gases and deforestation are bringing potentially dangerous changes to the Earth’s climate?

As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) finalises its landmark report for 2007, we look at 10 of the arguments most often made against the IPCC consensus, and some of the counter-arguments made by scientists who agree with the IPCC.

Continue reading ‘Answering the climate sceptics’

Five Ways Generation Y May Reinvent IT

Published
by
Graeme Codrington
on April 9, 2008
in Millennial generation and Technology
. 0 Comments

I was sent a link to Baselinemag recently, that took an interesting look at the Millennial Generation from an IT industry perspective. Read the original article here, or see a summary below.

They’ve been called everything from narcissists to “Generation Me,” but those wily post-Gen X employees might just show their elders how to revamp an enterprise.

They depend too much on their parents’ money, they need constant hand-holding, they have no job loyalty, but do show remarkable acumen for demanding more than they’re worth, showing disrespect for older employees, and displaying stunning naiveté about corporate culture.

The backlash against Generation Y seems to be in full swing while the ink on their college diplomas is still drying.

Much discussion has centered around the expectations and work habits of this particular generation, with some pundits fretting about whether their casual attitudes will sink enterprises in the long run.

Continue reading ‘Five Ways Generation Y May Reinvent IT’

A Place for Mom to Work

Published
by
Graeme Codrington
on April 9, 2008
in Future Trends and Gender issues
. 0 Comments

This was sent to me by email yesterday:

In the same way that freelancers are flocking to shared working spaces, stay-at-home moms are happy to find a third space that accommodates both them and their offspring. In London, private members clubs like Maggie & Rose and Cupcake Mom, offer mothers a place to convene and relax, where they’re welcome to come and go as they please, 7 days a week.

Maggie & Rose, based in Kensington, features several play areas and offers children’s lessons in art, cooking, dance and more, as well as a weekend movie club and birthday party services. Parents are catered to with a comfortable and quiet café (with wifi access, of course), as well as seminars and access to a family advisory service: “well researched info on nannies, tutors, schools, holidays, etc.” Memberships are priced at GBP 500 per year.

Set to open in Wandsworth next month, Cupcake also aims to provide a grown-up but child-friendly environment. Its focus, however, is mainly on pregnant women and new mothers. In addition to a crèche and an organic café, Cupcake also offers personal trainers and a spa. The top floor of the club, where the spa is located, is a “baby-free zone” and features treatments tailor-made for pregnant women and new moms, from the “Cupcake in the Oven Massage” to the “Mermaid Wrap.” Cupcake also plans to install a sleep pod for much-needed powernaps, and will offer a concierge service to help busy moms complete their to-do lists. Membership is GBP 149 per month. Founded by Karen Hastings, an American MBA graduate who lives in London, Cupcake is backed by Trapezia Capital, a UK venture fund that solely invests in women-led businesses. Hastings plans to open clubs in affluent areas across the country. We’re pretty sure British moms (and dads) aren’t the only parents who would gladly pay for access to a being space, a community of peers and the opportunity for some pampered me-time. Entrepreneurs across the world: start planning.

Websites: www.maggieandrose.co.uk — www.cupcakemum.com
Contacts: studio@maggieandrose.com — info@cupcakemum.com

Olympics, controversy and you

Published
by
Graeme Codrington
on April 8, 2008
in Environmental Issues, Ethics, Future Trends, Global View and The Quick and the Dead - case studies
. 0 Comments

The Olympic torch has left Athens, Greece on its traditional torch run around the world until it eventually arrives at the Beijing Olympic stadium during the opening ceremony. Right from the first day, it has been met with something that the Chinese officials did not anticipate: protestors. In an unprecendented move, the torch was actually extinguished in Paris so that it could be loaded onto a bus and rushed away from growing violence amongst the protestors. TV news scenes from London, Paris and San Francisco show police beating protestors, dragging them into prison vans and frog marching them away - none of these are scenes that add to the Olympic brand and mythos.

This is becoming a major news story - a BAD news story. It’s China Inc that’s on the receiving end. But it could be you and your company next. We have been saying for some time now that there is a new generation of young people and global citizens that are going to rise up and become activist customers and ethical consumers. This Olympics needs to be YOUR company’s wake up call that this can happen anytime, anywhere. You have been warned - get your act together, and ensure that all the skeletons in your closet are well sorted out!