Why Corporate Entrepreneurship And Why Now?

Dec 6, 2021 | Gazette

Why Corporate Entrepreneurship And Why Now?

Monday, December 6, 2021, by Dr. Alex F. DeNoble

While conversing with a colleague recently, we somehow segued into a discussion about the concept of “punctuated equilibrium” (PE). He is an educator, and he was talking about the need to adapt our approaches to providing meaningful and impactful learning experiences for our students. Afterward, I began to dig deeper into the concept of punctuated equilibrium. I learned that the term evolved from paleontological literature. Scientists use this term to make sense of how a sudden exogenous factor can change the status quo of an entire ecosystem. In paleontology, they refer to dinosaur life before and after the sudden interruption caused by an asteroid striking the earth. Alas, some life forms went extinct because they could not adapt, while others flourished as they adapted to the new status quo.

Today, as a global society, we are faced with our form of punctuated equilibrium event brought on by a confluence of exogenous forces led by the COVID-19 pandemic and enhanced by intensified global concerns about the environment and climate change and demands for social justice through meaningful diversity equity and inclusion.

As I thought about it more, I began to divide the world into three distinct periods: 1) conceptually life before COVID-19; 2) life during COVID-19; and 3) an emerging “new normal” life as we learn to live with COVID and its many new variants. This new normal will profoundly affect how we will live, work and play in the near term future.

Like the dinosaurs, many companies went extinct during COVID -19 because the impact was too sudden and they could not react fast enough to survive. But for those companies and entrepreneurs who were able to hold on during quarantines, social distancing, and institutional closures, the challenge is not over. It has only just begun.

Now companies, both large and small, are anxiously trying to figure out what their own new normal will look like. No longer can they rely on the adage of “If it worked for us in the past, it would work for us in the future.” Instead, companies need to rethink their business models, processes, and traditional customer markets. What is needed now, more than ever, is the corporate entrepreneur, the innovator, the maverick initiator of change in an organization.

In this introductory article, I underscore the urgency for individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset and drive to reimagine our work environment and the markets that companies currently serve. Because Corporate Entrepreneurship is a complex process, it requires individuals who can draw on their confidence in their abilities to navigate the organization’s hierarchies and roadblocks. In addition, such individuals will need to develop effective social skills to overcome the obstacles that can impede their progress towards introducing new business and process ideas. In the months ahead, I will offer short articles on insights I have gained about Corporate Entrepreneurship through my research and interviews with many amazing people who have successfully navigated the corporate maze to bring their ideas to life. I hope you will enjoy the ride as much as I want to share my thoughts with you on this most critical topic. Until next time……

Industria 4.0 y Pymes manufactureras en Latinoamérica Entrega 1

Nov 22, 2021 | Gazette

Industria 4.0 y Pymes manufactureras en Latinoamérica Entrega 1 –

Entrepreneurial Revolution Series

Monday, November 22, 2021, de Dr. Rubén Ascúa

El nivel de difusión de las nuevas tecnologías involucradas en la llamada Industria 4.0 (I40) es aún incipiente en América Latina y en particular en pymes manufactureras. La I40 presenta dos dimensiones, por un lado, la política descendente en la que los gobiernos incentivan al sistema productivo a adoptar los motores de esta revolución tecnológica y, por otro, la dimensión empresarial impulsada por las grandes empresas transnacionales y la red de participantes pymes en sus cadenas de valor. Este artículo encuentra que las principales motivaciones de las PYMES analizadas que la introducción de estas nuevas tecnologías está vinculada a la necesidad de encontrar soluciones, en términos de mejora de la eficiencia en los procesos, mayor calidad de los productos y servicios a los clientes y proveedores. Por otro lado, el cambio que supone la digitalización, plantea un salto cualitativo para las PYMES lo que les obliga a replantear su funcionamiento y en el que es imprescindible la interconexión y actualización dinámica de las competencias de sus recursos humanos.

Desde fines del siglo XX y comienzos del siglo XXI, en un marco de fuerte globalización y reconfiguración de la fisonomía del capitalismo de base industrial imperante en las décadas precedentes, se aprecia la transición hacia una etapa donde el uso masivo y difusión de nuevas tecnologías impacta fuertemente en la dinámica social y económica. Esta transformación en los escenarios productivos es conocida recientemente como “Cuarta Revolución Industrial”, o Industria 4.0, en tanto cuarta mega etapa de la evolución técnica-económica de la humanidad desde el inicio de la Primera Revolución Industrial.

El concepto “Industria 4.0” surge en Alemania a comienzos de la década pasada como emergente de la iniciativa del gobierno federal alemán de diseñar un programa de mejora de la productividad de la industria manufacturera del país. El término Industria 4.0 fue presentado por primera vez en la Feria de Hannover de 2011. Desde la academia se ha comenzado a prestar atención a la I40 de manera reciente y como reacción a la dinámica impuesta por las dos dimensiones antes señaladas. En particular se destacan los informes de consultoras como McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte, entre otras que a nivel global y desde la consultoría han comenzado en los últimos diez años a seguir básicamente la cadena de decisiones e inversiones en tecnologías I40 por parte de las más importantes corporaciones del mundo.

El término industria 4.0 se refiere a un nuevo modelo de organización de los procesos productivos y de control de la cadena de valor con eje en las tecnologías de la información y dispositivos comunicados de manera autónoma. Se parte de la posibilidad de la configuración de fábricas “inteligentes” que integran lo físico con lo virtual, lo que supone la articulación de sistemas computacionales y procesos manufactureros, el despliegue de decisiones descentralizadas y mecanismos de optimización “auto organizativos” (European Parliament, 2016).

Autor

Dr. Rubén Andrés Ascúa – Rector de Universidad Nacional de Rafaela

PERFIL

. CONTADOR PÚBLICO NACIONAL – Universidad Nacional del Litoral – Argentina.

. LICENCIADO EN ECONOMÍA – Universidad Nacional de Rosario – Argentina.

. Magister y Doctor (PhD) en Economía – PW University San Diego – California – EEUU.

Actual: Profesor en las Universidades Tecnológica Nacional, de General Sarmiento y del Litoral en Argentina; y en la de Ciencias Aplicadas de Kaiserslautern, en Alemania. Presidente de la Asociación Civil Red Pymes MERCOSUR. President of International Council for Small Business (ICSB 2014-2015). Director de A&M Ciencias Económicas.

Behavioural Finance and Generation Z

Oct 26, 2021 | Gazette

Behavioural Finance and Generation Z

Tuesday, October 26, 2021, by Dr. Mariya Yesseleva-Pionka, PhD

The global online connectivity has soared from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as the world was forced to rely on technology to maintain communication and the exchange of information. The business models of the existing and new businesses had to be re-evaluated to factor in the importance of having an online presence. Moving forward, entrepreneurs and MSME owner-managers and the corporate sector have to assess the benefits of the hybrid business models and hybrid work arrangements for their staff members. Generation Z represents a significant group of the current workforce globally and they also actively seek various investment options. Members of Generation Z were born between 1995 to 2010 and, according to a report published by Mckinsey Consulting Company,[1] this is a “hypercognitive generation”, which is searching for “truth” and “individual expression”. Every generation has unique identifying characteristics and approaches to personal finance and investments.

A new research study results by Barclays Smart Investor[2] demonstrated that Generation Z looks at the short-term investments that promise high returns. One quarter (25%) of Generation Z investors are checking the performance of their investment portfolio, and 17% are trading on a frequent basis which is not surprising, due to the easy access to smart mobile devices. Most importantly, 16% of the respondents are engaged in speculative investments. This could have a detrimental effect on their future lifestyle if the risk exposure is not minimised. High-risk investment strategies are not suitable for everyone. There is also a common misconception that Generation Z could try to take on higher risk just because of their young age, as they have more time to make up for the potential losses. It is vital to comprehend the overall impact on investors’ lifestyle, financial and mental health, requirements to work harder and longer hours, and unnecessary stress and wellbeing.

It is vital to understand the importance of diversification and the creation of a well-balanced investment portfolio. When assessing any investment portfolio, it is crucial to take into account two broad types of risk: systematic risk and unsystematic risk. The systematic risk refers to the economy-wide risk, and all investors in the market are exposed to it. Thus, it is essential to assess current economic conditions and how they might affect your investment choices. The unsystematic risk is also known as a firm-specific risk as it directly relates to the firms investors monitoring for the potential investment. Changes in management, product and brand reputation, the introduction of the new project could represent some of the examples of the effect on the firm performance. Generation Z was introduced to technology and investment opportunities at their fingertips from a young age, due to the rapid developments in finance and technology, which was not the case for older generations. The ease of use and accessibility of the online investment options should not cancel detailed research and assessment of the potential risk involved in the investment options and the long-term effect on financial wellbeing.

[1] https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies

[2] https://www.barclays.co.uk/smart-investor/news-and-research/investing-insights/rise-of-the-gen-z-investor/

Author

Dr Mariya Yesseleva-Pionka is Global Certificates Manager at ICSB, a Higher Degree by Research Supervisor at Excelsia College and Adjunct Academic at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. Dr Yesseleva-Pionka held teaching and senior academic management positions in Central Asia (Kazakhstan) and Australia. She specialised in general investments, personal and corporate superannuation investments while working for Westpac Banking Corporation and BT Financial Group in Australia. She was invited to join The Housing Connection, a not-for-profit organisation in Sydney, Australia as Treasurer and Board Member from November 2019. Her research interests include entrepreneurial finance, traditional and alternative ways to finance small and medium enterprises (SMEs), corporate finance, policies for the small business sector, innovation and SMEs, FinTechs and Blockchain. Dr Yesseleva-Pionka is the Associate Editor for the Journal of the International Council for Small Business (JICSB).

4th Industry and Humane Entrepreneurship

Sep 26, 2021 | The Latest

4th Industry and Humane Entrepreneurship

Sunday, September 26, 2021, by Dr. Ayman El Tarabishy

As our society moves through Industry 4.0 and acclimates to manufacturing automation, this 4th Industrial Revolution is throwing our world into uncharted waters where cold, uncompromising technology meets the warmth and unpredictability of the human experience.

Within the context of humane entrepreneurship, we understand that each entity has its histories, values, and cultures that inform how they do business and interact with their peers. However, any time we approach a different way of operating, there are new questions that arise. Chief among them, we must ask ourselves what the role is of humane entrepreneurship at this unfamiliar intersection of technology vs. the human experience and how we can consider the lessons we have learned from the past to embody the society we want to be in the future.

According to academic and researcher Ivea ZeBryte, we must keep sight of the human element in all that we do. ZeBryte says, “When teaching entrepreneurs, we should be working through a matrix where empathy is understood as the ability to put oneself into the place of another, to identify and be sensitive to others that we recognize as different from us.” Therefore, it is precisely the differences that challenge us to come together for the greater good. To move forward together into the next realm of entrepreneurship, ZeBryte lays out the road map to follow: reevaluate, or delineate what we value as humanity; reimagine, or work out the plurality of futures ahead of us; and reset, or build a new system of value creation and exchange based on these agreed-upon ideas.

Meanwhile, taking a more micro-level view, we must also consider what influences entrepreneurs and their decision-making processes, both internal and external. Psychological factors include personality, mindset, and level of cognition, while non-psychological elements encompass affiliation to a group, religion, culture, and friends and family. Additionally, one could underscore three main orientations: entrepreneurial, emphasizing innovation; human resource, regarding empowerment; or sustainability, highlighting environment. “When taking all of these factors cumulatively, it creates a multi-dimensional construct that is humane entrepreneurship,” says Indu Khurana, Assistant Professor at Hampden-Sydney College. Without consideration for the individual and the society, including the influences behind our decisions, we lose the value of humane entrepreneurship.

In the meantime, it is essential to reconcile these humane concepts with new technology that is rapidly advancing this current industrial revolution. Take, for example, the travel industry. With tourism contributing USD 8.9 trillion to global GDP, it is closely linked to countries’ social, economic, and environmental well-being. The opportunities to make it even more innovative and efficient through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation are endless. Still, it is essential to consider what cost they may come, particularly for these citizens for whom so much is at stake. As Dr. Jugho Suh, Assistant Professor at George Washington University School of Business, warns, “AI-based off of Big Data is not a panacea for all problems…AI can read patterns and behavior, but it cannot read attitude, values, or underlying motives for action.” Therefore, while it is essential to lift the travel industry in this current age of technology, we must not do so at the expense of human lives.

At its core, technological advances have brought us to the current era and given countless opportunities to those living today. However, we are experiencing an important crossroads right now, one with immense ramifications for future generations, and it is up to us the future we choose to orient ourselves toward. Although there will always be significant differences across cultures, we must find common values to move into the future that we desire together.

Watch the session below for more on the impacts of colonialism on Chile, religion in India, and AI technology on the travel industry.

Investment Choices and The Power of Gold Shield

Sep 21, 2021 | Gazette, The Latest

Investment Choices and The Power of Gold Shield

Tuesday, September 21, 2021, by Dr. Mariya Yesseleva-Pionka, PhD

The Bretton Woods system of monetary management was created to establish an international currency regime. The United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference took place in 1944 at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. At that time, the delegates from 44 countries established two significant institutions – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, now known as the World Bank Group. It took a long time and only in 1958, the Bretton Woods system was in full operation. The responsibility of the United States was to keep the price of gold fixed at USD 35 an ounce and make sure the supply of dollars was at adequate levels to maintain future gold convertibility, as the gold was the basis for the U.S. dollar. Participating nations were required to settle international balances in dollars. The Bretton-Woods system did not last long and officially ended in 1971 when President Nixon confirmed that the United States would not continue exchanging gold for the United States Dollar, mainly due to the fact that at that time, the U.S. balance-of-payments deficits contributed to the level of dollars in circulation surpassing the level of U.S. gold stock[1].

Is gold still an attractive investment 50 years later? How has the price of gold been fluctuating over the years? The price of gold is affected by three important factors- supply, demand conditions and investors sentiments. Gold is one of the precious metals that has been a subject of great attraction for investors worldwide. For many, the gold represents a treasured investment and demand for gold is exceptionally high during times of economic and financial crises, such as the Great Depression, Global Financial Crisis and the most recent COVID-19 global pandemic. The supply of gold also has an impact on the price of gold. Gold mining has been continuing for centuries and one could assume that, if there is a higher supply, the price should be lower. This is not always the case as the increasing demand for gold is explained by the growing number of jewellery items, the higher level of gold added by central banks to their reserves and gold investments in commodity markets, with many investors choosing to have gold in their investment portfolios as a shield from unstable economic circumstances.

In 2020, during COVID-19 global pandemic, the price of gold was driven to new heights, reaching above USD 2,000 per ounce. Due to volatile economic conditions worldwide, investors rushed to choose gold and other precious metals as a reliable and recession-proof store of value, further driving up the price of gold. Another contributing factor to the surging price of gold was the severe disruption in the gold supply chains worldwide, due to the pandemic restrictions with the decreased production levels, deliveries and suspension of work in refineries. Nevertheless, to this day, gold is a well-known investment choice for diversifying investment portfolios and it is used it as a shield from uncertain economic conditions.

[1] www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/bretton-woods-created

Author

Dr Mariya Yesseleva-Pionka is Global Certificates Manager at ICSB, a Higher Degree by Research Supervisor at Excelsia College and Adjunct Academic at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. Dr Yesseleva-Pionka held teaching and senior academic management positions in Central Asia (Kazakhstan) and Australia. She specialised in general investments, personal and corporate superannuation investments while working for Westpac Banking Corporation and BT Financial Group in Australia. She was invited to join The Housing Connection, a not-for-profit organisation in Sydney, Australia as Treasurer and Board Member from November 2019. Her research interests include entrepreneurial finance, traditional and alternative ways to finance small and medium enterprises (SMEs), corporate finance, policies for the small business sector, innovation and SMEs, FinTechs and Blockchain. Dr Yesseleva-Pionka is the Associate Editor for the Journal of the International Council for Small Business (JICSB).