Statistics Animated

Thinking out of the box Statistics Animated

Bringing statistics to life

Gapminder was born in 1998-99 since the technology was available at that time. We have found a new understanding of data analysis. Your understanding changes over time. In our website, data become alive becoming more understandable. The main aim for Gapminder is to animate data and use them in videoclips or in TV shows just as meteorologists have done with the weather television forecasts. Our system is very useful, especially in a period in which the principle of data sharing in research has acquired a lot of importance. In the traditional research each researcher connects its information, creates a database and writes an article about it. Researchers share their articles but not the data. However even if they work thanks to tax money, their articles are published only on commercial scientific journals that are only available to those who pay for a subscription. So it is very complicated for someone who is not going to University or is unable to pay to get the publication. To guarantee the data accessibility to everyone, the journal articles should be free on the internet too. Researchers must be paid when they publish an article and then it should be free and available on the Internet to everyone. This is to demonstrate that if used in the right way, the Internet could help to store huge amounts of data at a very low cost. The easy access to data analysis, is currently getting more important in different aspects of life. In politics, for example, during the Swedish elections, every major newspaper started to employ a journalist to check the data for accuracy in order to find out if what was said was true or not. Many newspapers and media were doing a good job by visualizing and animating data like unemployment rates, average waiting time in hospitals or benefits for retired people, but not at the root team level. For instance, an example which surprises me is how can the government budget not be available in an understandable way. In other words, data showing how much each country spends on military, school, roads and health is not available in a way that every voter can understand. These are the type of information we are trying to make available to the public. I have been successful in my lectures, but we have not yet been successful to put these tools in the hands of the people who have an internet connection.

Showing data on the Internet, can also help to decrease the amount of misinterpretations, because everyone can go back to the provider to check it. So, if you do not want an organization to interpret the world for you, if you do not want one group of specialists to interpret the world for you, it is necessary to deal with the problem of data analysis. People have to realize that newspapers also rely on interpreting data in a way. Actually, the best way to live together with data analysis, is to have a limit for misinterpretation and modification, starting to debate for a more democratic process of analysis. In conclusion, we need to push international organizations such as UN, IMF and OECD to share their data. We are going through a big financial crisis, maybe making stats available to companies, voluntary organizations and universities in a more understandable way could be beneficial. This has happened at national level and it has to move to an interna• tional level. Tax funded data should be free and available to the masses.

Hans Rosling

Is a Professor of International Health at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Discovered Konzo, a new epidemic paralytic disease, when serving as a doctor in Mozambique in 197981. Two decades of research in rural Africa tracing the causes to toxic ill-processed cassava roots, hunger and poverty. Co-founded Gapminder that unveils the beauty of statistics by turning boring numbers into enjoyable animations that make sense of the world.

20.10.2010 World will celebrate the first World Statistics

Day to promote the many achievements of official statistics premised on the core values of service, professionalism and integrity.

The WSD serves as a tool to further support the work of statisticians across different settings, cultures, and domains. On World Statistics Day, activities at national level will highlight the role of official statistics and the many achievements of the national statistical system. International, regional and sub-regional organizations will complement national activities with additional events. The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon explains, “today marks the first observance of WSD, proclaimed to recognize the importance of statistics in shaping our Societies. However, as in so many other areas, developing countries often find themselves at a disadvantage. On this first WSD I encourage the international community to work with the United Nations to enable all countries to meet their statistical needs. Let us all acknowledge the crucial role of statistics in fulfilling our global mission of development and peace.”

Thinking out of the box Statistics Point of View

By KENT JOHNSON By GALIT SHMUÉLI

Statistics: Math or Myth?

Answering a Question with the Wrong Statistics

Simon and Cathay are chefs at two restaurants in town. They recently discovered the recipe for a delicate pastry that is made just before serving. If the pastry is not made correctly, it falls flat and cannot be served. Simon and Cathay decided to have a friendly competition to see who is more skilled at making these pastries. Last Tuesday and Wednesday, they both offered a special that contains the pastry; whoever had the largest percentage of pastries turn out well would win a bottle of single-malt scotch. On Tuesday night, Simon and Cathay met after work to compare their evening’s records; that night, 20% of Simon’s pastries were successful, but only 10% of Cathay’s were. They both thought they could do better, so they practiced during the night. On Wednesday night, 95% of Simon’s pastries turned out well, but only 80% of Cathay’s did. Upon seeing this, Simon victoriously grabbed the scotch and poured a drink. But before he could toast his victory, Cathay quietly showed him something she’d written on some paper. They studied the figures. Eventually, Simon let out a big laugh, graciously handed Cathay the scotch, and declared her to be the contest true winner! On average, Simon was better at pastry-making on Tuesday night, and he was again on Wednesday night. Yet Cathay was better on average on Tuesday and Wednesday nights taken together. How could this happen? If this strikes you as bizarre, you are not alone. However, cases such as this one, which are known as a “Simpson’s Paradox”, can occur quite easily. To see what happened, we must look at the absolute numbers that produced the percentages, not the percentages themselves. Since the contest concerned the best overall average, Cathay tallied up all her trials and all of her successes over both days. Thus, these two facts were what mattered most for their overall scores in the contest. When we consider a statistic, we are viewing a summary that will hopefully allow us to draw relevant and appropriate conclusions. But summaries always involve some loss of information. That is, a statistic provides an accurate report of one aspect of what may be a very complex situa• tion. Asking a statistic to say something about some other aspects of the situation can be a risky business. (kj)

Workplace Statistics: Who’s Asking?

Managers prefer “hard data” over gut feelings for decision making. Computing the right statistic from a set of data and interpreting its meaning requires figuring out the exact question that we are trying to answer. A critical aspect of the question is: who is asking? Is it the employer, the employee, or perhaps a government agency? In each case, a different number might be needed. Let me illustrate this point by considering employer initiated drug screening. Drug testing used by companies for screening potential and current employees are controversial for various ethical and legal considerations. One such issue is the false-positive rate of the tests. A falsepositive result means that the tested person incorrectly tests positively. In drug screening, this would mean that a non-user is tested positively for drug use. Various factors affect the inaccuracy of urine drug tests. According to the European Workplace Drug Testing Society “an analytical positive result may be due to medication or to dietary causes.” False positive results can clearly carry a hefty price. Therefore, a key piece of information that both employers and employees need from the testing agency is the false positive rate of the test. Public information on false positive rates of standard urinalysis drug testing is not readily available. While some sources report a rate of 1%-2.5%, others claim “at least 10 percent, and possibly as much as 30 percent”. But what exactly is a false positive rate? How is it computed? There appears to be confusion regarding how to compute it. An employee taking the test wants to know: “Given that I am not using drugs, what is the chance that I will test positive?” In contrast, an employer might want to know: “Given all the positive test results in my company, what percent is incorrect?” for evaluating costs and other resources related to follow-up testing, rehabilitation plans and compensation. While the employee and employer’s questions seem similar, they in fact differ significantly. The employee knows whether he or she uses drugs, but their test result is unknown when they are asking this question. In the employer’s case, the • test results are known, but the employees’ drug usage is unknown. (gs)

Principle and values Sustainability Indicators

By ALESSANDRO ZOLLO

THE EVALUATION OF INTANGIBLE ASSETS or social and environmental performances has always been a fascinating field of study for scholars and practitioners.

Measuring sustainability inside the company

In recent years there have been basically two different methodologies for this purpose: auditing/accounting measures and classifying/rating for sustainable investors. Most people and scholars are concerned with these indexes because they cannot predict crisis as they don’t really know the company. From the BP environmental crisis to the financial cracks, analysts feel that there is something missing in this kind of measures as we know that, for instance, BP was rated in the top five list of the DJSI till January 2010. So some business analysts think that we have to change perspective and try to really understand the companies processes to evaluate them. This is one of the output of the RESPONSE project which analysed 19 multinational companies to identify the real factors that determine high or low social and environmental performance. At this stage the pyramid is overturned, analysts should be interested in the evaluation of stakeholders instead of accepting what companies say. Taking as reference the RESPONSE output two consulting and research organisations: VerA (relations and strategies for the responsible company) and Great Place to Work Institute® Italy with the academic support of Professor Maurizio Zollo, create a completely different methodology called rewords® .

THE REWORDS® MODEL: FILLING THE GAP

rewords® (responsible workplace developing sustainability) is built to rewrite the paradigm of the evaluation based on declared data, adding to them the analysis of real perceptions of stakeholders and stressing the internal ones who are the real boost in the realisation of sustainable practices. Evaluation of strategies and processes is based on a deep audit on sustainability and organisation practices, measuring how they are deployed into the business processes. Perceptions are measured on both internal and external stakeholders through surveys to middle and top managers and interviews to external stakeholders. An important part of the model is the integration of the Great Place to Work® questionnaire and methodology to measuring of organisation’s climate. Another innovation is the measure of internal and external gaps. Through some key questions, in fact, rewords® evaluates the connection between what managers think of their company and what external stakeholders understand and needs from the organisation. The model also take personal behaviours into consideration through interviews to top management. Finally all analysis are evaluated by two NGOs in free ex ante and ex post fairness opinions which express their opinion on the method and results achieved.

FATER THE FIRST COMPANY ExPERIMENTING REWORDS®

In February 2010 Fater, a join ventures by Angelini group and Procter and Gamble, in its process of revision of the business model, decides to join the test of this new sustainability measuring model. Fater understood the capacity of rewords® to measure all aspects of sustainability in a deeper way than other methods already developed. Fater gave all the documentations needed to the analysts, invited 180 top and middle managers to answer the sustainability survey, selected 340 employees to answer the climate survey and informed 11 stakeholders that they will be interview by rewords® experts, finally the 7 top manager were interviewed by a psychologist. In July 2010 the evaluation was complete and Fater had the opportunity to benchmark its performance and understand strengths and weaknesses of its sustainable processes. Rewords® confirms Fater’s innovation capacity, excellent strategy, favourable climate, showed by employees satisfaction and the high envi• ronmental standards pursued in these recent years.

RESPONSE Understanding and responding to society demands on corporate responsibility, is an academic study cofunded by European Commission and managed by INSEAD, Bocconi University, Copenhagen Business School and Leon Kozminsky Academy

Coaching News from the Past

By ALLAN HALL

STARTING FROM THE BOOK Zen in the Art of Archery we have investigated training opportunities, based on patience and perseverance, that people adopted to create new opportunities.

Being Zen in business

Zen and business may seem to be polar opposites; who can attain the perfect balance between body and mind in a vortex of crushing economic news, curtailed expenses, dwindling contracts and a day with too few hours in it? Where are the prospects, the opportunities, the nations of the future instead of the industrial wastelands of the past? And what has Zen got to do with any of this anyway?

ZEN IN THE ART OF ARCHERY

Zen as a concept in commerce came to the west in 1948 with the publication of Zen in the art of Archery by Professor Eugen Herrigel. It tells of the author‘s six year quest to learn archery in the hands of Japanese Zen masters. But it is neither a book about Zen nor about archery. It is more a guide to Zen-Buddhist principles and learning, perfect for practitioners and non-practitioners alike, to attain the patience and calmness to succeed in any and all walks of life. Zen in the Art of Archery has a relevance to today‘s chaotic business world as the financial crisis forces tectonic shifts in thinking, planning, and thereby instigates a quest for calmness in the face of staggering challenges.

Reference book: Herrigel, E. (1953) “Zen in the Art of Archery”, Pantheon Books, USA.” 01 Screen shot taken from the movie Avatar, directed by James Cameron.

ZEN IS A TRENDY APPROACH

A quick search on the Internet will throw up numerous linkages between Zen and business; Mike Leidig, clearly, is not alone out there. There is even a book called Zen of Business Administration by Marc Lesser that advises people to inject Zen into all their commercial dealings. Paul Burton, a 34year-old wellness market analyst who in July moved from the USA to Germany, says that while cash is tight, the quest for health and healthy living is still a booming business. He said “I advise clients to move into energy drinks, invest in spas, nutrients and wrinkle creams, to name but a few. Identifying trends early on, playing the long game with them, that‘s what you have to do. I don’t know if it is Zen-like but softly-softly, and with some doggedness, usually catches the monkey for me! ”

A PHILOSOPHER PR MANAGER Mike Leidig, the 44-year-old owner of the Central European News and PR agency based in the Austrian capital Vienna, is a man who respects and understands this quest. The old business model of supplying photographs and stories to the world’s press first began to be squeezed three years ago when media organisations began to concentrate more on the Internet side of publishing. Rates for news were slashed as the economic meltdown hit the media world hard. It meant British-born Mike had to look further a-field for profits. He said “I actually try to have a Zen outlook on life anyway and so instead of getting angry and frustrated, I went away and meditated and then I spent several days alone working out a new business model. What works and what doesn‘t? Well, newspapers are dying but the Internet is expanding. So I started up several online newspapers. I had to think out of the box and spent time meditating, two hours a day in order to do it. Gradually the business built up. I think this Zenapproach - slowly, calmly, rationally - is the only way to go in a world where there are fewer and fewer possibilities of get-rich-quick schemes.” •

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Tim Berry writes on his website dedicated to business planning that it and Zen are not mutually exclusive. “I respect Zen,“ he says. “Maybe it’s the coolness factor, so, reflecting on Zen and Business Planning, I suggest four key points: 1. Accept change as constant. The value of the plan isn’t mindless implementation in a guessed-at future. The value of the plan is the planning process, the management of change it creates. Planning enhances vision and understanding of past, present, and future.

2. Use planning to remain mindful of which direction you want to

move. Towards which horizon. Stay mindful of your own definition of success.

3. Understand how, as you move through business time, where

you are is always different from where you thought you’d be. You do that by leaving tracks (the plan) which you can use to trace changed assumptions (plan vs. actual).

4. Correct your course as your assumptions change, remaining mindful of long-term direction and short-term necessity.

Communication Integrate Technology

TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED THE WAY WE BEHAVE. It is not unusual to see a mother pushing a pram across the road whilst texting and the ability to stay in permanent contact places communications at the centre of our existence and blurs our life and work identities.

Effective workplace communication

Despite the maelstrom of social networks, emails, texts and Twitter, people are increasingly lonely and look to their technology for solutions. Many people drive and most walk, with a mobile clamped to their ear, leading to a complete lack of awareness and consideration of others.

Nicholas Carr, who wrote the article, “Is Google making us stupid?” has just published a book called The Shallows, in which he considers how various human inventions have influenced our essential modes of thought. Compared to the advent of the book, which encouraged us to be contemplative, the internet’s ‘cacophony of stimuli’, has given rise to ‘cursory reading and superficial learning’. Experience rewires our brain’s circuits (neuroplasticity) and Carr writes “if, knowing what we know today about the brain’s plasticity, you were to set out to invent a medium that would rewire our mental circuits as quickly and thoroughly as possible, you would probably end up designing something that looks and works a lot like the internet.” If technology can change the ways we behave and interact and even alter the shape of our brains, it must surely have a revolutionary effect on the ways we communicate at work.

GALLUP SURVEY

According to a Gallup poll, 69% of employees are not engaged while they are at work, which leads to lower levels of productivity. The best way to increase employee engagement is with effective internal communications. Human Resources are increasingly being asked to lead and deliver internal communications and they need to produce and apply effective communications’ plans.

COMMUNICATION 2009/2010 ROI STUDY In its snappily-titled report, Effective Communication 2009/2010 ROI Study, the global professional services company, Watson Wyatt, claims “courage, innovation and discipline help drive company performance, especially in tough economic times. Effective internal communications can keep employees engaged in the business and help companies retain key talent, provide consistent value to cus-

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01 Emerging Boy 2009 Chromogenic print, © Mona Kuhn, Courtesy of the artist and Flowers Galleries

02 Virgin Forest 2009 Chromogenic print, © Mona Kuhn, Courtesy of the artist and Flowers Galleries

The Brazilian photographer, Mona Kuhn, after 20 years of absence, went back to her native country and with a captivating new book Native, she tried to represent her adult exploration of her origins. By contrasting the vitality of the dense Brazilian countryside with the sparse interior of an abandoned apartment, Kuhn establishes her own fantasy of time and place. Mona Kuhn (1969), of German descent, was born in São Paulo, Brazil. The photographer states that her work for the book Native started as a personal journey, “metaphorically, I was thinking of a bird that flies back into the forest, searching for its childhood nest”.

Photographed in the rainforest and surrounding city area, Mona Kuhn’s images seem to suggest that just a return to nature, to the origin and to spontaneous relationships could be the solution to the loneliness created by technology.

tomers and deliver superior financial performance to shareholders.” The survey says that companies that are effective communicators, “have the courage to talk about what employees want to hear, can redefine the employment deal based on changing business conditions and have the discipline to plan effectively and measure their progress.” Wyatt defines courage as “telling it like it is”, saying shielding employees from bad news is treating them like children and that if you tell them what they need to know they will reward you with solid performance. Innovation needs to be constant and employees should be encouraged to rethink processes, streamline tasks, implement productivity measures and think creatively.

TROUBLED TIMES REQUIRE ACCOUNTABILITY, WHICH NEEDS DISCIPLINE Companies need to set direction and measure how they are doing. Plans need to be communicated, rather than just giving direction without context. A firm communication plan, supported by updates on intranets, blogs, emails and tweets, lets employees know how the company is performing. Chris Bradford is an HR consultant who believes HR should be a value-adding advisory service to a business and consequently is likely to take the lead or share responsibility for internal communications. Bradford says “internal and external communications must be joined up and consistent. Some organisations make big promises to external customers, but treat their staff as second-class citizens. Your people are your shortest route to market and personal recommendation is the most effective way of selling your product or service.” She says that if communication is going to be taken seriously, it must be honest and authentic; over-engineered messages and spin make people cynical and distrustful; “people at all levels have an innate bullshit detector.” “Communication must be two-way; in all relationships we resent being told and not being asked. Feedback via sur-

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By NIGEL PHILLIPS

veys is a key way of finding out what your staff really thinks, but listening is not enough; you need to act on the feedback, which creates a virtuous circle, reinforcing credibility and trust.”

SOCIAL MEDIA IMPACT

Rachel Allen is head of operations at London Overground Rail Operations and writes about the role of technology and social media in the management of internal communications. She says “social media is here and even if you don’t yet have a strategy in place, and even better, linked to your external communications, your employees are already using collaboration sites in their personal lives. This impacts internal communication as people are used to communicating in this way and expect to be able to do the same at work.” New media, like traditional media, do not suit every person or organisation, but when used properly, blogs and social networks can pull employees into a community and give them access to people at all levels all the time. Horizontal networks can be a very efficient way to find true expertise, often in unexpected places, but whether a company’s communications are horizontal or vertical, those responsible need to be aware of how employees are interacting and ensure internal communication maximises the desire to share information. Allen says “i think social media’s role in internal communication should be kept simple, it should improve interaction between employees at all levels. I think it needs to be demystified and viewed as another tool in our toolbox to help employees communicate with each other and the outside world.” Unlike in the real world, where technology dangerously prevents people from travelling in a straight line, unexpected changes in direction should be encouraged in the workplace, harnessing the best of any available technology. •

Change management Corporate Canteen

By GIORGIO TEDESCHI

HOW DO PEOPLE EAT IN CORPORATE CANTEENS? In the past year we have seen a progressive reorganization of the restaurant industry, which has always adopted the duty to promote correct nutrition, together with food.

Canteens befriends wellbeing

THE EVOLUTION OF THE CORPORATE CANTEEN

Correct nutrition is fundamental for good health and wellness. Knowing what this means is key for achieving a balanced diet. A large proportion of the working population eats at least one meal outside the home daily. This shift, more recent in Italy than in other countries, has led to a progressive reorganization of the restaurant industry, where part of the work includes ensuring that employees are apprised of how to eat healthy. The world of work is undergoing constant evolution. We notice a change in the way people work, in their rhythms, timetables, as well as in the composi-

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tion of the workforce, in their expectations and habits. These changes are also reflected in the catering sector that serves them their mid-day meals.

SAVINGS IN THE CORPORATE CANTEEN While some observers feel that company canteens waste considerable amounts of food, both Laurent Cousin and Edoardo Venturini, of Sodexo France and Italy respectively, disagree. By planning ahead and collaborating upstream with their vendors, all levels of the value chain can optimize usage levels. Both the companies and the foodservice providers are alive to the need to maintain costs. Suggests Giovanni Co-

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lombo, from the Italian outpost of Dussmann Service, Germany’s largest private multi-service provider, which boasts almost 54.000 employees and subsidiaries in 24 countries. In Italy, the range of waste of cooked food in corporate canteens is slightly less than 10%. He does acknwoledge, though, that the proportion varies from canteen to canteen. Knowing about employees’ habits, likes and dislikes allows foodservice providers to custom-tailor menus. This, together with recently-introduced “cooking on request” option, helps significantly to reduce waste. Any leftovers are donated to food banks run by charity organizations. Thus waste is eliminated almost entirely. Similarly, by grouping deliveries, leveraging purchasing power and, where possible, centralizing procure-

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Corporate spending for canteens Generally speaking, we

can say that the worldwide average price for a lunch in a company canteen is somewhat less than 10 Euro, with considerable

differences between countries. Indeed, while in Italy the average cost of a meal ranges from about 3.50€ to 6€, in China we can find offers for 90 cents, or in the opposite side, in the USA meals can range up to $9. In France the average subsidy in corporate services has, over the last twenty years, dropped from between 75% and 80% to a little less than 50%. In some cases, employees get no subsidy at all. We find further examples of what we might call a “zero subsidy” in Moscow, this in some modern business centres.

Local Food and Seasonal dishes

Organic and locally-produced food are finding their way into company canteens.Seasonal food by focusing on seasonal foods, suppliers bring fresher, tastier and, arguably, more nutritious food to their customers. The use of seasonal food ensures people eat different dishes throughout the year. More, seasonal food means energy saving in terms of transport, along with lower CO2 emissions. Seasonal food costs less than non-seasonal, which has probably been airlifted in from a long distance.

Buying seasonal, locally-grown, food means supporting the local

economy. Last but not least, eating seasonally means reconnecting with nature’s cycles.

04 Leading international suppliers

• Aramark

[W aramark.com]

• Compass

[W compass-group.com] • Elior [W elior.com] • Dussmann [W dussmann.com] • Sodexo [W sodexo.com] • Sysco [W sysco.com] • Taylor Int. Services [W taylors-international.com]

01 —02 — 03 A “BeTraditional” set up of a corporate canteen in Madrid 04 A Sodexò restaurant in Helsinki 05 A Sodexò corporate canteen in Boston

ment at global level, the foodservice companies aim for maximum efficiency at the other end of the value chain.

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT

The most important trends in foodservice revolve around responsible practices for health, nutrition and sustainable development. As Mr. Cousin states, “people are more and more environment-conscious. They want to contribute to lowering their carbon footprint. They are concerned about protecting endangered species. Traceability and fair trade are not just slogans.” In the USA, an increasing number of consumers now expect their food to come from the state where they live, while actions to promote local and seasonal products are numerous. Customers are expecting responsible offers that help to protect the environment and contribute to global social welfare. Nowadays, continues Cousin, “having lunch at a corporate canteen is turning into something more than just having a nice, decent-priced meal. Indeed, it is also an opportunity to contribute to a better planet.” Asking customers to use the appropriate recycling bins when they clear away at the end of their meals has been welcomed from many quarters. It is seen as a way for people to take charge of the recycling effort. In the Netherlands for example, Sodexo’s introduction of selective sorting in restaurants many years ago, has been proved to increase consumers’ adoption of recycling.

TARGETING

Venturini, states“clearly, before proposing a service it is important to know who your final customers are. By taking into account the needs and the expectations of your clients, you will improve the quality of their lives and, in the long term, this will provide a return in terms of productivity.” As part of their strategy, Sodexo Italy has conducted a study that has identified six types of final clients. That are labeled as: the creative, the guaranteur, the conservative, the practical, the effective, and the free spirit. Each group has been offered a solution in terms of menus, timing, and layout of canteen space. Indeed, it seems that the new trends in food consumption around the world are “less about variety, such as having the choice between dozens of starters, entrees and desserts, and more about different ways • of eating, such as fast, take away, or full sit-down meal,” says Cousin.

Wellness and nutrition

Menus in corporate dining rooms are designed to be healthy and balanced. To meet these needs, foodservice providers worldwide also offer educational programmes. In the UK, for example, Sodexo’s Healthwise offers consul-

tancy and operational management for health,

fitness and well-being in the workplace. With a similar objective, Sodexo Australia has implemented Smartfuel. This includes personal nutritional coaching. In Italy, the programme known as Pleasurable and Healthy? Yes, indeed! offers many initiatives to help transform the lunchbreak into an educational experience. Posters and place-mats feature advice on healthy lifestyle choices and eating habits. The main objective of foodservice providers indeed seems to be “not only to advise and contribute to encourage healthier eating habits in the workplace by means of programs in the corporate canteen, but also to change people’s behaviours in a deeper way,” states Mr. Venturini. In this fashion, the company is trying to widen its influence beyond direct action in order to promote healthier eating habits within the population at large.

Data transfer Company Compliance

By ROSARIO IMPERIALI

HOW DO BUSINESSES MANAGE THEIR DATA TRANSFER? Legal requirements are in place but too often receive a formalistic acknowledgement.

From theory to practice

Compliance with legal requirements often receives a formalistic response from the corporate sector rather than being translated by companies into effective compliance programs. Mere formalism increases bureaucracy, and is not beneficial to legal fulfillment. This is why, globally, we are witnessing the national legislators’ progressive move from the former declination of abstract legal principles in their acts, towards a new pragmatic approach, where the concern for an effective behavioral change of corporate operations is key.

ExAMPLES

If Manufacturing Ltd. did not provide its workers with proper information and training on the safety measures available on the work site, it would not ensure a safe work environment. It could not be deemed in compliance with the law. Similarly, consider if Defresh Inc., a renowned US public company, despite the obligations provided for by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX), did not implement an internal compliance management system made of quality control, auditing, independence standards, inspections and investigations on malpractices followed by disciplinary proceedings where justified. The company would violate the law because that internal management system provided for by SOX, is designed to prevent corporate and criminal fraud. Finally, imagine that Znet Inc. had charged its service administrator with specific duties regarding data security without an adequate budget. The company – in such a case - would not be in compliance with the legal obligation (EU directive 95/46) compelling “data controllers” to implement adequate measures in order «to ensure an appropriate level of security».

DELEGATION OF POWER

It is frequently adopted as a risk mitigation tool, top management usually delegates power to middle managers in specific areas - technical or operational - in order to avoid personal legal responsibility. It is seldom taken into account, however, that delegation of power is not an expedient for law elusion. Only when supported by specific competence, adequate budget, autonomous decision power and freedom from improper influence or interference from top management, delegation of power can be an effective shield against top managers’ personal responsibility.

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Compliance programs aimed at implementing a management system integrated with the company operational life are not new. The group of those who have adhered to voluntary models of international standards organizations is already large. Their scope is the creation of accountability systems that go above and beyond the minimum legal requirements in specific areas.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO GO FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE

Indeed, to depart from ‘theory’ and reach ‘practice’ or ‘effectiveness’, ‘accountability’ seems the solution. As put forward by Art. 29 Data protection Working party, ‘accountability’ shows “how responsibility is exercised and making this verifiable. Responsibility and accountability are two sides of the same coin and both 01 essential elements of good governance. Only when responsibility is demonstrated as working effectively in practice can sufficient trust be developed.” Not only must responsibilities be expressly assigned but legal compliance must also become part of the shared values and practices of the organization. To accomplish this task, legal requirements must be translated into real practice. Corporate policies and procedures need to ensure that the principles and obligations set out in the law are complied with.

Finally, the ability of companies to demonstrate compliance to external stakeholders as well as to supervisory authorities, upon request, shall ultimately be a recognition of their correct behavior and supporting evidence of reliability and trustworthiness before the whole marketplace. •

Legal Copyright

By MATTHEW SEMINARA

SINCE OUR UNIQUE PASSIONS ARE ALWAYS EMBEDDED IN OUR WORK

AND OUR STYLE, understanding copyright law in the U.S. allows us to master our intellectual property rights as employees in America as well as internationally.

Understanding Us copyright law

COPYRIGHT PROTECTION

Under U.S. copyright law, copyright protection attaches the minute the work is fixed. Unlike other areas of U.S. intellectual property, there is no need to take any other affirmative step to protect the work. In the U.S., if you sit down with a blank piece of paper and write an article for The Work Style Magazine, as soon as your pen leaves the paper, you have copyright protection in the work. It is necessary, however, to have federal copyright registration in order to sue someone for infringing your copyright in the U.S.

LENGTH OF PROTECTION

In general, if the work was created after January 1, 1978, the copyright in a work lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years after the author’s death. If you are dealing with a joint work, the term of copyright is for the life of the last surviving author plus 70 years after the death of the last surviving author. For works made for hire, the copyright lasts for 95 years from publication, or 120 from creation, whichever comes first.

WORKS MADE FOR HIRE

U.S. copyright law’s work made for hire doctrine provides that the employer and not the employee/author is the author of a work prepared by an employee within the scope of her employment. Because the employer is considered the author of the work, the employer owns the copyright in the work! What can the employee do to avoid this predicament? At the time of employment, the employee can artfully negotiate her employment agreement. At its most basic level, the employment agreement must define and maintain the employee’s rights in any intellectual property created while employed at the company! Of course, this will be quite daunting considering the current state of our global economy. The employee could also try to negotiate an agreement whereby employer and employee jointly share ownership in any intellectual property created by the employee while employed by the company. Such an agreement would allow the employee to at least retain some rights in the work while sharing in any profits. Finally, if the employer is unwilling to grant the employee any rights in the work produced within the scope of employment, the employee could argue for an increase in pay or responsibility. Unfortunately, considering the current state of our economy, employers again have the edge!

CAN STYLE, FABRIC AND FASHION BE COPYRIGHTED? Now that we have down the basics of copyright law in the U.S., can style, fabric and fashion be protected by copyright? As always, the lawyerly answer is: it depends! And it depends on whether the work as a whole is a useful article. The useful article doctrine provides that there will only be protection for design features if they can be identified separately and exist independently of their utilitarian aspects. Because clothing, in general, is considered “inherently functional,” it is not given copyright protection in the U.S. However, under the useful article doctrine, the separable aesthetic and non-utilitarian aspects of the clothing or fabric is provided copyright protection in the U.S. One famous example of the useful article doctrine is a second circuit case, Kieselstein-Cord v. Accessories by Pear, Inc. (1980). In this case, an artist created a jeweled belt buckle and the issue was whether there was copyright protection for the jeweled belt buckle. Clearly, a belt buckle is utilitarian – it keeps your pants up! The court concluded, however, that the belt buckle was copyrightable material because it thought that the aesthetic aspects of the belt buckle were conceptually separate from its utilitarian function. In other words, the court thought that some people would look at that belt buckle and not even see the belt buckle but rather see an ab• stract work of art – a piece of jeweled sculpture.

Performance The ROI of the Knowledge

By GABRIEL JAMES BYRNE

CULTURE CONTRIBUTES to create a country’s identity, increase its popularity in the World and -- as a consequence-- its tourism industry.

Investing in culture, the way forward

Culture is a distinctive element of a country, as are its landscape and industry. When we talk of culture, we immediately think of arts and entertainment, as well as museums and specific initiatives promoted by the public and private sectors. Culture is an intangible asset. For instance, in 2009, Spain earned $53.2billion from tourism-related activities, while France made $48.7 billion. Last year, Brooklyn earned $20billion from cultural tourism -- from people who visited because they had seen Brooklyn in a film, documentary, television programme, or a magazine.

CULTURE IDENTITY

More people travel to see and experience the culture of ancient Rome, because they have an awareness of that culture: its cultural identity, in other words. Cultural identity is formed by artists such as movie stars, filmmakers, authors, composers, painters, but also via jokes, cults and other aspects. Art is international, and the great artists are timeless. Therefore, people seek artists like Mozart and Shakespeare. People need to be trained to appreciate culture. This training comes at all levels, from primary school to college and university, in arts and sciences. An indicator of a nation’s good governance is the extent of its cultural programs.

CULTURES AND COMPANIES

For companies, culture is a sign of good management that shows commitment to its social responsibility. Described in this way, culture would seem to be an essential element for every developed country. Yet it is not. Often, for budgetary reasons, funds are shifted in favour of other areas, and culture goes without. However, a country full of culture is rich.

A SHARED SENTIMENT I approached then the economic subject because I used the term “rich”, thinking about culture as a promoter of wealth for a country. The element that I want to show clearly in this article is the “sense of culture.” A state is rich when it “feels the culture” - What does that resemble? Perhaps it resembles what one might call “civic sense”. Culture is also a shared sentiment. When culture is shared, it becomes a pleasure for many, including businesses. Companies, that are lucky enough to settle and operate in countries where culture is a shared and defended value, function better than others. This is because people who enjoy culture, work better. For this reason, these companies must contribute, and invest in culture. •

Many companies, believe in the importance of investing in culture, here are some examples..

01 02 03 04

Akbank Akbank Art Center is a prestigious institution that supports the most prominent contemporary art activities in Turkey

and has hosted many highly acclaimed events in visual arts, music, theatre and dance.

Prada 01 Foundation, every year

hosts 2 exhibitions accompanied

by specific publications. In addition, company is building a museum to present their collection of contemporary art which is expected to be open in 2012. Moreover, company is contributing to arts worldwide. The Bank of America 02 art

collection is one of the largest

held by an American corporation. The Bank has been lending its art collection as pre-packaged exhibitions to US museums free of charge since 2008, via its “Art in our communities” programme. Siemens 03 supports projects

and artists that advance contemporary and experimental art

forms. The Siemens Art program engages collaborative projects in the visual and performing arts, music, contemporary culture and internal cultural communications.

Vodafone 04 In addition to sponsoring major events such as Bien-

nale of Venice also contributes local events such as opening an art

school in Gijòn, Spain to promote art amongst young people with some type of disability. Illy caffè 05 started to contribute to the arts by means of its collections of designers cups entitled Arts and Crafts, the first having been launched in 1992.

Performance Inside the CFO

THE ROLE OF THE CFO HAS MUTATED into a job that puts roots in a higher number of daily enterprise situations. How the CFOs of the future will be leaders in driving and implementing the strategies emerging from the economic downturn?

The DNA of the CFO

STEERING PERFORMANCE

IN THE WAKE OF THE FINANCIAL CRISIS CFOs AT THE FOREFRONT

“Leaders keep their eyes on the horizon, not just on the bottom line.” (Werren G. Bennis) And that is what is required of CFOs in the heat of the global crisis, according to a recent report from Deloitte on the Recession. This report highlights how CFOs will have to address two distinct challenges. They must manage their short-term credit, cash and performance needs – despite receding pricing power. At the same time, they must position and utilize assets with an eye toward post-recession growth. Even if executive search firms report that companies’ precise requirements depend on how the crisis is affecting them, one thing has become clear: the CFOs of the future will be leaders in driving and implementing the strategies stemming from the economic turmoil.

THE ERNST&YOUNG SURVEY Confirm of this comes in a new report from Ernst & Young titled “The DNA of the CFO”. Based around a survey of 699 CFOs in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia, the report challenges the assumption that all Chief Financial Officers aspire to be Chief Executive Officers. Infact, it finds that 73% would like to remain in their role. The majority of respondents confirm their leading strategic contribution is

01 The earliest counting device was the human hand. As larger quantities were counted, various natural items like twigs were used to help count. Those who traded goods not only needed a way to count items they bought and sold, but also to calculate their cost. Until numbers were invented, counting devices, such as the abacus, were used to make everyday calculations.

in providing insight and analysis to support the CEO and the senior management team. In addition, over 60% of CFOs have seen a rise in their standing within the organization during the past three years. This is largely because the financial crisis has led to unprecedented demand for the unique perspective and discipline proper to senior finance professionals. The CFO role is thus broadening far beyond its technical heartland. It is now evolving into a role geared to guiding the business going forward. Moreover, almost two-thirds of those interviewed said they are often asked to act as the public face of their company on all financial matters and performance. A similar proportion agreed that, since the financial crisis, the CFO’s key priority is to build trust with stakeholders such as investors, analysts and the media. But this is exactly where CFOs see a need to improve their skills. Indeed, our experi

“It’s increasingly the case that finance directors, because of their skills, are put in charge of areas like IT, property and logistics” Ian Dyson CFO of Marks & Spencer “The people who are best positioned to help form the strategy of the business are people who are in the finance area” Andy Halford CFO of Vodafone

By ELENA MAZZUOLI

Les Clifford, Chairman of the Ernst & Young CFO Program in the UK and Ireland

twsm What precise contribution does a CFO make to strategy? lc And what about traditional core responsibilities, such as attention to cash, and cost management. Core competencies such as cash management, cost reduction, fundraising effectiveness and efficiency of finance, still remain core competencies for CFOs. I think that what you’ve seen in many organizations is a clearer strategic direction being created. When companies are growing, it’s quite easy to find investments and try to make good return on investments. But, in tough financial markets, you really need to make sure that all business decisions are really grounded on sound financial criteria. Here is where CFOs play a key role.

ence in writing this article attests to how difficult it is having a talk with them sometimes.

CFO EUROPEAN SUMMIT

Shaping solid relationships with stakeholders (both internal and external) is one of the areas where CFOs are expected to focus their attention. This view is confirmed by the annual CFO European summit in London. At the last meeting, emphasis was laid on the challenges CFOs are called to face, and the priorities they consequently need to set. CFOs need to shift resources and capital to faster-growing markets, rather than seeing developed markets as core and emerging markets as destinations for incremental investments. M&As might seem appealing, but companies should consider the fit of company cultures, so as to avoid destroying those special characteristics that created the asset’s value in the first place. Cash management needs to come to the fore, both as a discipline and in financial reporting; investors are paying much greater attention to the balance sheet as a way to assess financial health. In their relationship with investment banks, CFOs should consider the relevance of an independent view and whether the same institutions that are providing brokerage services should also be providing capital. Risk management should not only be considered a function that protects the organisation, but also as a means to create added value for the business. The aim should be for business units to behave automatically in a riskaware manner. Companies do not • need more rules. They need a return to ethics.

twsm Is this why CFOs are increasingly gaining operational responsibilities for functions such as IT or property? lc In larger organizations, what you often see now is that, aside from the CFO, there’s a very strong Number Two finance person. This enables the CFO by title to have more responsibility for areas such as IT or risk management or looking at meetings, doing the rules of the CDO in business development, corporate development, as well as the finance. And often you will have those functions, such as IT, reporting to the individual CFO.

twsm When talking about recovery, different scenarios are likely. Reading the signals and discerning the shape and structure of the recovery is a challenge for CFOs. How do they address this issue? lc Because of the uncertainties of these days, people can’t be really sure to understand when things happen: if it is a trend, or a real change. Building strong financial foundations gives them the possibility to weather the storm if things don’t happen in accordance with plans, or trends aren’t identified. Companies are going through efficiency programs, cost reduction programs, outsourcing, off-shoring – just to cite some - looking for that margin management that ensures they have strong foundations to build on if growth is there. And, if it is not, to manage through until growth finally happens.

twsm The role of CFOs has evidently evolved since the financial crisis. Is the pattern the same both in big and medium-small sized enterprises? lc The issues pertaining to any business are the same. But, depending on the size of the company, they are higher or lower priorities. In larger organizations, this often means looking at off- shoring, outsourcing, share service centres, whereas small-medium sized companies are looking more on automation and better controls. Financial transformation is an issue they face, but the response depends on the size of the company. Capital management for larger organizations means, for example, that CFOs are spending their time going to the market, with bonds, fund raising, while mediumsized company are more likely to make sure they have backing facilities in place, so as to secure the next years.

“It’s still really important that people have good, old-fashioned basic finance. We’ve seen what can happen if you don’t” Robin J. Stalker CFO of Adidas “Your up-and-coming, aspiring CFO needs to get themselves around a bit and get themselves on some interesting strategic projects” Evelyn Bourke CFO of Friends Provident

Principles and values Historical Companies

By SARA PEVERELLI

DURING THE PAST YEARS A MASSIVE NUMBER OF NEW BRANDS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED IN TO THE MARKET.

Some of them have excelled in the field for over one hundred years or, in some cases, even three hundred. Others disappeared in the blink of an eye. Which key factors determine longevity?

The longevity of historical brands

01

02 COMPANIES

The longevity of a corporate business is determined by the consolidation of its brand throughout the years. Indeed, once the firm has enhanced its position within the market and has gained strong notoriety, the management of the brand becomes a strategic element in the growing process of the firm. Historical brands are most of the time family companies that, over the decades, were able to maintain their sense of business across generations, as a key factor of continuity. Firms that last over time have had an extraordinary ability to regenerate while passing through adversity and troubles. Furthermore, as Mr. Marc De Kuyper, USA Vice President marketing & sales of related brand and member of the famous International Family Business Network, suggests, another important pillar of a family historical business over the last generations has been the focus on the niche markets. “There, where the giant companies are not able to quickly adapt to the niche opportunities, the most directly managed business family can”.

1 Key-factor:

Ability De Kuyper

De Kuyper is a family business distillery founded in Rotterdam by Johannes de Kuyper in 1695. During the 11 generations of its life, it has spread to more than 100 countries and nowadays is considered as the brand N.1 in the Range of liqueur Worldwide, with 1 bottle sold every second and a range of 38 flavours to choose from. This success is due to the ability to innovate efficiently and to focus on a short time to the market. According to Marc De Kuyper, their philosophy of “an effective and distinctive innovation, which is possible only in company with a good and positive corporate culture, allows all employees (from all working levels) to express their idea and to be heard for a positive growth of the firm”. Indeed, De Kuyper has above average investment in the development and careers of its employees and it is quite common that people develop across departments or across specific skills. The key of the success of the brand seems to be a mixed management of the company, with strict rules for the family and corporate governance. They contract an external CEO for a period of time of 5/7 years between every generation, to limit the composition of their board of directors to the family members and to engage external companies for the selection of the family members. In this way they manage to protect the company against error-driven mistakes in management.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORICAL BRANDS

The common philosophy at the heart of historical companies is the value of the concept of the family company, as a real alternative to multinationals. They are considered a separate entity (different from SME’s or privately

2 Key-factor: Brand power Farina 1709

The Farina company was founded in 1709 and is now still run by the eighth generation of family members. Over three hundred years ago, John Maria Farina, an Italian migrant, created a perfume which he named Eau de Cologne so as to honour his new home town. The family makes it a point to nowadays still produce the same fragrance according to the traditional methods that they have jealously saved. One could therefore say that there have hardly been any changes undertaken. The important historical dimension of Eau de Cologne renders it a milestone for the modern perfume industry. “The uniqueness and novelty the perfume offers are the values on which the company is still run” states Julia Furelaud, spokesperson of Farina 1709. These values made Eau de Cologne an exclusive perfume that after three hundred years is still in the market and can be found just in selected retailers.

03

The Tercentenarians’ Club iso ne of the most Executive ‘Britain’s Club’. Its membership is confined to businesses that are at least 300 years old and have also maintained a connection with the families of their founders throughout that time. Nowadays, the number of compagnie belonging to the Club has increased and the Club now boasts some foreign associates. The Tercentenarians’ Club has no constitution, no annual subscription and membership is by invitation only. The current members of the Club are: Berry Bros & Rudd 1699, John Brooke & Sons Holdings Ltd 1541, R Durtnell & Sons Ltd 1591, Folkes Group Plc 1697, Fortnum & Mason 1707, Peter Freebody & Co Ltd ~1707, C Hoare & Co 1672, James Lock & Co 1642, Shepherd Neame (1698), Toye, Kenning & Spencer 1685, Whitechapel Bell Foundry 1570

owned businesses), governed by different management policies. Their strong point is the focus on continuity. Most of the private enterprises aim for short-term results. Adapting the company to these results means changing management strategies, organization and staff policy. Historical business companies instead have a long-term vision, make long- term investments and choose loyal shareholders that are not interested in short-term profits. According to Gérard Lipovitch, spokesman of the Henokiens, the managers of these companies are looking for growth with stability. Indeed, they have the moral commitment of preserving what has been created by their ancestors, and this view is shared both by the family involved in the management and by those who are not directly included.

04 THE ABILITY TO BE SURROUNDED BY COMPETENT HUMAN RESOURCES

In ancient family companies, like those belonging to the Henokines or to the Trecentenarian’s Club, managers have a total commitment to the management of the firm, they spend most of their time and energy on the company and they try to convey this spirit to their staff. Human Resources staff are very qualified people who

05 06 07

3 Key-factor: Etichal code Crespi 1797

Seven generations of direct descent have followed Benigno Crespi, who founded over 200 years ago one of the most famous companies in the Italian textile industry, Crespi 1797. The longevity of the company, according to Francesca Crespi, is the result of their excellence in natural fabrics, gained throughout the centuries by their know-how and high technology; the ability to always choose the best quality raw materials and working with a careful, loyal and qualified service for their customers which includes the best fashion designers in the world. Another key element for their success is the bond with their territory, the history created through time with passion. Crespi 1797, has based its success on a strong code of ethical values, such as the value of work, considered as an expression and strengthening of human growth; the respect for the environment, that has recently allowed them to gain a certification of zero emission electricity for clean energy; and one for people, which stands out also because of their attention to human resources.

4 Key-factor: Conduction Sambonet

Sambonet Paderno is the Italian firm leader in the production of design tableware and kitchen accessories. Created at the end of the 28th Century by the talented goldsmith and silversmith Giuseppe Sambonet and officially founded by his son in 1856, Sambonet was acquired in 1997 by the Paderno Group. During the years, thanks to its attention to R&D, design, quality, innovation and creativity, Sambonet has grown and enlarged its market worldwide. Its longevity is due to its vocation to reach and maintain the high quality of the Made in Italy Design, to its investment in reaching partnerships with qualified human resources and international designers, and to the ability to innovate through the passing of time. These values allowed Sambonet Paderno to be, after two decades, a group leader in its field and to gain several international awards for excellence in the management of the firm and for the quality of the Design.

The Henokièns is an association of family and bicentenary companies. The membership criteria are: company longevity – a minimum age of 200 years – permanence – the family must be owner of the company or the majority share holder - one member of the founder must still manage the company or be a member of the board – and the company must be in good financial health. In addition, being modern is a final requirement. The current members of the Association are: Friedr. Schwarze 1664, Möller Group 1730, J.D. Neuhaus 1745, D’Ieteren 1805, Banque J.P. Hottinguer & Cie 1786, Baronnie de Coussergues 1321, Delamare Bios 1690, Maison Gradis- Société Française pour le commerce avec l’autremer 1685, Hugel & Fils 1575, Louis Latour 1797, Editions Hery Lemoine 1772, Mellerio dits Meller 1615, Revol 1789, Jean Roze 1470, Thiercelin 1809, Viellard Migeon & Cie 1679, William Clark and Sons 1700, Amarelli 1731, Augustea 1629, Barovier & Toso 1450 , Beretta 1526, Cartiera Mantovana 1615, Stabilimento Colbachini 1745, Confetti Mario Pelino 1783, Crespi 1797, Ditta Bortolo Nardini 1789, Garbellotto 1775, Gruppo Falck 1792, Lanificio G.B. Conte 1757, Monzino 1750, Piacenza 1733, Akafuku 1707, Gekkeikan 1637, Hoshi 717, Okaya 1669, Toraya (…), De Kuyper 1690, Eeghen 1632, Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie 1796, Pictet & Cie 1805

try to make the best of this team spirit to contribute to the innovation of the brand by proposing new ideas that help the company always go a step forward. Furthermore, most of the historical brand companies have a longterm relationship with their employees and also with their clients, because, as Mr. Lipovitch suggests, “this type of link makes the business less fragile”. Henokiens companies try to reduce at the minimum the staff turnover in order to maximize the proficiency of their commercial relationship, to give a certain continuity to the production 02 and to outperform other companies over the decades.

NAVIGATING BETWEEN MODERNISM AND TRADITION

Throughout the centuries family businesses have considered tradition as an important asset for their existence, but they have also had the ability to reinvent their products and to adapt their behaviour to the passing of time. “Some historical values, such as: mutual respect, humanity and an ethical approach in the management of the business lead them to move in a moving world and to be still deeply rooted in the economic realities of the present”, states Mr. Lipovitch. This ancestral know-how, transmitted from the past in the form of an understanding of their business and the skills acquired during the years, enable them to innovate, diversify their products and avoid serious mistakes, by distinguishing between the good ideas that can be developed and the ones which have no chance of success, even if they seem attractive. Navigating between modernism and tradition, between know-how transmitted from the past and innovation or diversification are the most relevant guiding principles transmitted by their descendents and which allow companies not to rest on their laurels but to always • try to do better than their previous generation.

08

01 View of the Dutch distillery De Kuyper 02 Blue bar of the De Kuyper company 03 Rosoli-Flacon used by Farina 1709 to export its perfumes since the 18th century. 04 The Italian textil company, Crespi 1797 05 Francesca Crespi, Owner of Crespi 1797 06 Offices of Sambonet in Novara 07 Cutlery produced by Sambonet 08 Old van of the British tre-centenarian building company, Durtnell & Sons

09 Lambertz Printe Cookies box 10 Hermann Bühlbecker, owner of the Lambertz group

09

09 —10

5 Key-factor: Challenge Durtnell & Sons

Durtnell & Sons Limited is Britain’s oldest building company, starting from 1591. Through the years it has earned an enviable reputation for quality work, fine craftsmanship and business integrity. Its longevity is both a family affair, related to the willingness of several generations that have followed one after the other to continue the family business, and a question of values. Indeed, Durtnell has always put loyalty and integrity at the base of its business, and as a result it has attracted many individuals who, by their hard work and talent, has contributed significantly to its progress.

6 Key-factor: Tradition Lambertz

The name Lambertz since 1688 has stood for tradition, reliability and extraordinary quality. Lambertz has developed from a small niche supplier to now becoming one of the leading German manufacturers of long-life bakery products. The key of the success according to the slogan of the brand is “maintain tradition and live innovation”. Indeed, the company has always managed to keep up with the times and adapt to the consumer’s needs and wishes. This combination helped to keep regular customers, as they can rely on the quality, and to gain new groups of buyers by launching innovative up-to-date products. What makes the success of Lambertz so special is that they have grown without any traditional advertising. A customer-tailored product range and sophisticated marketing strategies, as well as diversified corporate activities and extensive PR work, form the basis of the brand’s longevity.

Culture Integration Design Values

By CHRISTIAN RASMUSSEN

INVESTIGATING HOW THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMPANIES AND DESIGNERS has evolved over the years. From the ambiguous success of the Panton Chair, to the current and excellent examples of BoConcept and Ikea, up to Fritz Hansen case history from the “voice”of Christian Rasmussen and Kasper Salto.

Strengthen your design

THE ExCITING HISTORY OF PANTON CHAIR

During the 1950s, Verner Panton was working on a chair constructed from a single piece of material. Even though the notion of a stackable cantilevered one-piece chair continued to fascinate the innovative designer, the chair made of three-dimensionally molded plywood, had a high price that made it marketable only in limited numbers. Believing in the project, Panton continued working on a prototype, all the while seeking a manufacturer who might also believe in the project and who was prepared to bear the financial risks involved. In 1963, Panton came into contact with the Basel-based company Vitra. Willi and Rolf Fehlbaum responded enthusiastically to Panton’s design which, by then, had almost maturedinto its final form. In 1967, Vitra decided to risk producing the chair. It was expensive, but sold well. However, with time, it became apparent that the plastic in which the chair was made was susceptible to breakage. In the late-1970s, Vitra discontinued production. However, Panton was not defeated, and continued to experiment with new forms of plastic. Eventually, a reliable approach was found, and the WK Group showed interest and commissioned the Horn company to resume production in 1983. The Panton Chair has since become established as a design classic, and has been manufactured and retailed by Vitra since 1990. Close cooperation between Panton and Vitra yielded the fourth, and final, authorized version. Experts are still undecided whether the chair was, above all, an industrial design project - where the work of the designer is just one aspect of a risky and costly investment exercise - or that Panton alone pursued the realization of his chair idea with enormous and unwavering persistence.

Black or white, today the objectives are the same; a company tends to have a clear strategy and established values that designers have to follow.

01

Testimonials of two international furniture

companies, where the designer’s ideas and the company’s values have found a winning balance.

02

1 BoConcept

BoConcept, a furniture retailer that started in Denmark and currently has 340 stores in 50 countries worldwide “has very close co-operation with a few selected designers who have a strong understanding of its concept. These include many new up-and-coming designers from around the world who bring new creative input and ideas to us,” explains Claus Ditlev Jensen, Collection & Visuals Director at BoConcept. He adds that they choose their designers, following “BoConcept’s design philosophy of simplicity, functionality and worldwide appeal.” Undoubtedly it is very important that a designer shares, “our open mind and natural interest in the latest lifestyle and designs trends.” Sometimes, designers bring their own creative ideas to BoConcept. But, concludes Jensen, in many cases, “we give them a detailed brief on a specific piece. No matter the process, all the designs are evaluated by our in-house collection managers to ensure that the designs are not only unique but also at the right quality and price.”

and KASPER SALTO

02

FROM THE COMPANY’S PERSPECTIVE These days, companies must establish good relations with their designers, as Christian Rasmussen, Head of Design at Republic of Fritz Hansen, explains. “In the past, the designers often created a coherent product line and visual identity in the company by themselves. Today, companies that are used to work with designers, have a well-defined strategy, and the collaboration between them and the external designers is more of a 50/50.” Speaking of his personal experience, Rasmussen explained that Fritz Hansen “has a clear design strategy that can’t be altered. Our designers are welcome to interpret, and challenge, but they can never change our values.” He continues, “they have a free pass to express their creativity within the borders of the company’s scheme. Limits are often very positive, and make the creativity of a designer bloom. If everything is

03 01 BeConcept Carmo

sofa. Designed by Anders Nørgaard

02 Panton Chair

Design Verner Panton, Photo H. Hansen© Vitra 03 NAP chair in milk white with seat cushion without armrest. Designed by Kasper Salto for Fritz Hansen 04 Little Friend 2005. Small table - fixed or adjustable height, for laptop or other use. Top is black synthetic laminate (2006). Designed by Kasper Salto for Fritz Hansen

possible, a designer can often get paralyzed.” For this reason, the choice of a good designer is becoming increasingly important. Rasmussen continues “designers must be innovative, and have good communication skills. It’s crucial that they can identify with Fritz Hansen and our design values, and that they understand them 100%.” In order to choose the people that best represent the company’s values, says Rasmussen, “we spend a lot of time visiting designers. Indeed, it’s crucial to have an idea of their work processes, their strengths and weaknesses, to better understand how we might unfold their creative potential in the best possible way. We also invest a lot of energies in explaining about our design values and the overall strategy of the company.”

THE DESIGNER’S OPINION Kasper Salto, a well-known Danish designer, who has worked with Fritz

04

Hansen for over 12 years, agrees. Kasper argues that working with companies that are used to work with designers allows both the company and the designer to better understand each other, and thereby to develop things in collaboration. He specifies that, “the best products come out of the mix between good research, analysis, and then good product development.” Kasper explains that the best way to maintain good relations with his clients is “to work with them in the best possible manner.” Usually, when he starts working with a new company, it is important to mix the company’s ideas with his own creativity. This makes it profitable for all concerned. He concludes, “sometimes I come to the manufacturer with an idea, and sometimes the brief comes from the manufacturer. Indeed, if the • company has great ideas, I am the first to be thankful.”

2 IKEA

At IKEA’s headquarters in Älmhult, Småland (Sweden), are twelve in-house and seventy freelance designers, who work to create design products that will strengthen the IKEA identity. Lars Dafnäs, IKEA’s Design Manager, states that “being a designer at IKEA is not a one-man show, but it is team work, where the designer is a very important player.” Working for a company like IKEA means being able to embody its fundamental values: “Simplicity, Honesty, Clarity, Humanity.” IKEA’s products reflect the company’s identity, so its designers are required to take inspiration from “Swedish nature and perspective from the Smålandish heritage.” They are encouraged to use natural and blond materials with love and care to present solutions for the future, eschewing conventional, status-led thinking. Dafnäs tells us that IKEA’s designers follow a range of design directions in line with the company’s priorities and styles. On occasion, though, the company may decide to realize special projects to surprise their customers.

05 Stockholm cushion

by IKEA. Cotton velvet with extra lustre and softness; nice and soft against the skin. Easy to clean; removable and washable cushion cover. Designed by Åsa Gray

People Unusual Jobs

By PAOLA BETTINELLI

WORKING DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN SEATING AT A DESK EIGHT HOURS A DAY. Some jobs allow people to cultivate their passions. One example: mountain guides. These mix their love for nature and sport with an unconventional job that requires years of specialization, physical ability and technical skills.

When your work is your passion

MOUNTAIN GUIDE

A mountain guide is an adventure tourism guide that has developed a specific series of skills which he or she employs to lead people into high mountain environments, and back again, in a safe and enjoyable fashion. “Becoming a certified guide means earning the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA) certification,” explains Jason D. Martin, Operations Manager of the American Alpine Institute (AAI). “The IFMGA qualification is an international standard for professional mountain guides accepted by 25 countries across the globe” confirms Betsy Novak, who is Executive Director of the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA ). The successful candidate has completed three courses in three disciplines: rock, alpine and ski. “Ironically,” proceeds Martin of AAI, “only a small percentage of mountain guides are certified. This is because certification takes years, and a lot of money, to obtain.” Being accepted onto a training program is difficult in itself. Applicants need at least one if not two years’ professional, as well as many years of personal, experience. Benjamin Gorelick, Expedition Director of the Mountaineering Training School, tells us that, “In the USA, the training program itself will take an average of between five and six years to complete, and will cost approximately 24.000 Euros. This does not include extras, such as the expenses for compulsory personal and professional trips that form part of the certification process.” That said, states Ben Gorelick, “the IFMGA doesn’t provide certification for less technical activities such as backpacking, or trekking or top-roping or rock climbing.” Moreover, “The IFMGA is stronger in some countries than others. In Europe, all technical guides must be certified, while very few American companies require IFMGA certification. For example, in all of Alaska, there are only two IFMGA certified guides.”

A MOUNTAIN GUIDE’S CHARACTERISTICS

To be a good guide, a person

“needs to be physically strong and technically competent,” continues Ben Gorelick. Betsy

Novak of AMGA simply describes a guide as “strong and smart”.

Martin Chester, Director of Training of Plas y Brenin in Wales, which is also the British National Mountain Centre, states that that being a good guide means “being as passionate about people as you are about the mountains.” Meanwhile, on the mountain, “Everything you do is risk management,” says Ben Gorelick, “There are many hazards. Guides must be able to manage to minimize the dangers their clients -- and they -- are exposed to.”

A CAREER AS A MOUTAIN GUIDE?

Urban living makes many people yearn for the chance to experience life on a more elemental and simple level. As a consequence, activities such as mountaineering and rock climbing have become increasingly popular. Today, a fully-certified IFMGA guide can expect to earn between 200 and 400 Euros a day, but Ben Gorelick underlines: “This varies from country to country, and from company to company.” Martin Chester, explains that a guide’s salary depends on various factors, “Guides have two work seasons: ski-ing from December to April, and mountaineering from June to September.” A guide might be employed by a company or be self-employed. As in other fields, the latter option, especially if the guide has his or her own guiding service, could be more profitable. Finally, stresses Betsy Novak, to calculate an annual salary it is important to understand that, “What one guide makes is determined not only by their certification level, but also by the level of their personal experience.”

SAFARI GUIDE

Grant Hine, CEO (MD) of the Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA), defines a safari guide as, “the link between the natural and the cultural surroundings and the clients,” someone, in other words, who leads people in natural surroundings, and adds value to their experience by interpreting the natural environment. These days, there are many different types of guides who specialise in different environments, the best-known being those we might call Terrestrial Nature Guides (such as Field Guides and Trail Guides) and Marine Guides. In South Africa, the Field Guide Association of South Africa (FEGSA) certification is the most common. This also

Trekking guide or a “Nepalese Sherpa”?

Ram Prasad Ghimire, Executive Director of Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management (NATHM) in Katmandu, Nepal, explains that, “In Nepal, a trekking guide has to hold a valid license issued by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.” Some schools, like NATHM, organize trekking guide training both on their own initiative, and upon request from the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal. Ram adds that the expression “Nepalese sherpa” or “Himalayan sherpa” is not synonymous with “trekking guide”. As Nigma Sherpa, a 30-year-old Nepalese Sherpa from Dolakha, explains “The word Sherpa is composed of two words ‘Shar’ and ‘Pa’. Shar means east and Pa means people in sherpa language. So Sherpa means people who live in the estern mountain region of Nepal. In the past most of the Sherpa people lived in the mountain region but nowadays they live in different part of the country because of their job, business, study etc. To become a sherpa, it is necessary to speak sherpa language and be familiar with sherpa culture and tradition.”

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constitutes “the basis for many different careers in the this industry,” adds Corne Schalkwyk, Marketing and Sales Manager of Eco Training, which is based in Nelspruit in northeastern South Africa.“To obtain certification a candidate has to pass a theory exam as well as the practical guiding assessment. Having registered with the South African Department of Tourism, he or she can work as a nature, or safari, guide,” says Grant Hine, a field guide with many years’ experience. Also if “various countries can have their own certification criteria [...] usually connected with local tourism laws [...] it is possibile that neighbouring regions will recognise each other’s guiding qualifications [...] lately also in the UK, vacancy advertisements requiring a FEGSA certification were seen” explains Dylan Panos, Head Instructor for Bhejane Training, which is based in Northern Kwa-Zulu Natal. A professional Field Guide course, costs between 10.000 and 14.000 Euros and, depending on the school, might last from six to 12 months. As Corne Schalkwyk, from Eco Training, explains, “the professional one-year course is definitely the most popular due to its links with the industry and employment opportunities.” Usually, the courses include both theory and practical, on-the-job, training. Dylan Panos states that, in his academy, “the training may also be divided into morning and, sometimes, evening practical training sessions, such as bush walks and game drives. Moreover, if the student qualifies, he or she can be placed at a local lodge or reserve, in order to gain some experience in a real working environment.” Nowadays in Southern Africa there are around 45 training providers offering guide training.

WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE? “Tourism is a very entrepeneurial industry, which basically means that your earnings will often be a reflection of your level of dedication, enthusiasm and passion for wildlife and people. Working at a lodge or reserve offers limited possibilities, but most guides that are serious about a career in guiding eventually find themselves working freelance as specialist guides, or set up their own businesses,” advises Dylan Panos. Moreover, after a career as a guide proper, a person can change his or her work direction, using the field guide basic qualification as the basis for many careers in the industry. These might include wildlife filmmaking, or writing about the environment. Corne Schalkwyk gives us some examples of careers undertaken by past students at EcoTraining: directors of environmental TV programs, authors, filmmakers and internationally-renowned guides. All jobs that are not only well-paid, but • also offer the chance to continue to cultivate a passion.

People Women Gallerists

By MAGDA DANYSZ

IT HAS TAKEN A LONG TIME FOR WOMEN TO BECOME RECOGNIZED AS

LEADERS IN THE ART WORLD. There are many examples of women gallerists in history who profoundly impacted the business with their accomplishments.

Striving for recognition

Does being a woman make a difference in the arts field? In the twentieth century, women have accomplished a lot in the arts. It is quite a recent phenomenon that women have taken positions in the art world as heads of museums or gallery owners.

WOMEN GALLERISTS ON THE SCENE In the twentieth century, many galleries founded by women played a key role in the international art scene, enabling the emergence and recognition of new artists and new trends. In the footsteps of Berthe Weill, a pioneer who opened a gallery in Paris in 1901, women gallerists have been discoverers of talent, reaching to the unexplored, passionate and exciting; and have allowed a whole new generation to be known and recognized.

A MUSEUM DIRECTOR CAN BE A FEMALE JOB

It is mainly from the 1980s that some women began to enter the elitist club of museum directors. Now they are directing dozens of art centers and museums. But let’s remember that the Guggenheim museum in Venice and the Whitney museum in New York were initiated by women.

GERTRUDE AND PEGGY, ExAMPLES OF SUCCESS IN ART

Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, the museum’s namesake and founder, was herself a well-regarded sculptor as well as a serious art collector. As a patron of the arts, in 1929 she offered to donate her work to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As the Met declined the gift, in 1931 she decided to open her own museum exclusively for American Art. In the modern-Medici world of 20th-century art patronage and art collecting, Peggy Guggenheim was a unique character. She collected art like nobody else, picking up items that didn’t sell, and works for which there was, as yet, no market, just because she loved them. She discovered Jackson Pollock when he was a humble carpenter in Solomon Guggenheim’s museum, and gave him his first exhibition in 1950 at the Museo Correr in Venice. Now her collection is amongst the most renowned around the world.

WOMEN OPEN GALLERIES

As recognition came for women, others also decided to get involved by opening art galleries. And though some might think that there are a lot of women, let’s not forget that it was not always the case. More than a specific education path, it is their passion and determination that led them to take the risk of promoting normally unknown artists and help them build their careers. For a long time women gallerists were not respected as some people saw them as bored housewives. Leo Castelli’s first

A glance at the Gallery workplace with Andrée Sfeir-Semler

What is the concept behind managing an art gallery or

museum? I manage a commercial gallery and our aim is to represent an artist by first discovering him or her, promoting and showing their work, contacting museums, taking care of costs, and selling the pieces. We organize exhibition shows in a huge space every 6 weeks or 2 months. Why are there many women gallerists? Actually, most of the leading galleries of the world are run by men. For example when you look at New York, there are a few prominent women gallerists, but the majority of galleries/museums are owned and managed by men. If you look at the broader art scene, you can find many smaller galleries managed by women. The one exception to this rule is Madrid, where most of the important galleries are run by women.

What kind of personal and professional “path” has led women gallerists to this job

position? If you look not only at the art world, but also at the general structure of society, the highest jobs still go to men. Women in art galleries and museums normally have assisting roles, but not at the top management level. I have a PhD in Art History, which is of course a requirement for the field, but I use Business a lot more. For a woman, it is very challenging to reach the top.

How do women gallerists organize

their work day? It is all about business. We talk about how business comes first and culture second. You have to have the skills and know which artists to promote. Once you pick them, you need to know how to finance them by selling their work. The idyllic portrait of the “starving artist” is obviously not the goal.

What relationship do you have

with new media? When I started my gallery in 1985, I only worked by phone. Now everything is done with new media, our website and email. A website is one of the best forms of promotion and I read around 200-300 emails per day for communication.

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Corporate Arts Collections

Contemporary art and machines

The BMW Group’s cultural programme sponsors more than 100 events worldwide and has been a key element of corporate communication for almost 40 years. The company guarantees absolute creative freedom in all cultural activities it is connected to.

Visual Art of the Twentieth

Century Bayer’s commitment to the visual arts goes back more than 100 years. The company now owns more than 5.500 thwentieth-century paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures. It offers works from its “Artothek” to employees on loan.

wife Ileana Sonnabend was one of these formidable dealers of 20th century art. She ran a contemporary art gallery in Paris during the early 1960s after the couple divorced and was a true discoverer of emerging talent. In the 1970s, she opened another contemporary art gallery in New York, the Sonnabend Gallery. In Paris, Denise René was a key example of determination. She started working in 1945 and her gallery still exists. And as Daniel Abadie puts it in his book “Form and Movement in 20th Century Art”, “Denise René took the idea that art must invent new paths in order to exist as her guiding principle.”

GALLERY ACTIVITIES

In truth, the job is not about holidays, cocktails and endless art talks. Days are exciting yet long, and whether one is a man or a woman, there is more to learn about moving crates and artworks, installing or drilling holes in the walls, than preparing a perfect cocktail. In fact, there is no usual day. During a show preparation it is all about running around and logistics. Then as the show starts, it is also about communicating your passion to the art collectors who come and eventually convincing them of the presented artists’ quality. Then the day is not over as the gallerist has to promote the artists in other places, from art fairs to museums and art centers. And this is even more work when you decide, as I did in 2009, to expand and open a second (or third for some) gallery in another place in the world. The job is multi-faceted, and that is the exciting part of it. Recognition is real when it comes from peers, regardless of their gender. Several women artists had their work recognized, such as when the photographer Lee Miller did a cover for Life magazine, or more recently when Sophie Calle and Annette Messager represented France at the Venice Biennale. However, note that at the Festival de Cannes in more than sixty editions, only one woman has won the Palme d’Or.

NEW MEDIA With the rise of new media, women artists also know how to take their chances and use all the tools to convey their messages. German filmmaker Ulrike Ottinger, makes unconventional videos with stunning visual richness and playful accents. Since the 70s, she has built plural and poetic work, leading her audience into extraordinary and enchanting worlds. Others such as the Guerrilla Girls raise a question. In a widely shown poster they ask: “Do women have to be naked to get into U.S. museums?”. In 1989, when the Guerrilla Girls did

The new Florence Nightingale Museum Opens in May 2010

The Florence Nightingale Museum re-opens on May 12, the birth date of the Lady of the Lamp.

Situated in the grounds of St Thomas’ Hospital on the site where Florence established her very first Nightingale Training School for Nurses, the Museum tells her story via three pavilions, focusing on her Victorian childhood, the Crimean War and her later years as an ardent campaigner for health reform. The Museum also celebrates the profession of nursing and explores Florence’s legacy to today’s nursing practice. The Museum features an unparalleled collection of Nightingalia, with highlights including the writing slate Florence used as a child; the medicine chest she took to the Crimean war; a rare Register of Nurses which lists the women who served under her in the military hospitals in Turkey and the Crimean; and her pet little Owl Athena who travelled everywhere in her pocket. The highly visual and engaging interpretation features interactive and touchscreen exhibits, films, a creative programme of free arts activities for children, and regular contemporary art exhibitions which will see artists respond to different aspects of Florence’s life and legacy. Visitors even use a

Classical Modernism and

Contemporary Art The Deutsche Bank Collection is one of the largest corporate collections worldwide, with more than 56.000 works of art. The collection is in 911 of the bank’s buildings and on loan in 28 museums and cultural institutions.

A world-class collection of

contemporary art UBS With a collection of paintings, photographs, drawings, sculptures and video art from 1950 onwards, UBS is recognized as having one the world’s most important art collections of contemporary art.

Fashion and Contemporary Arts

The international Hugo Boss arts programme concentrates on contemporary arts. Nowadays it sponsors exhibitions in more than 20 museums worldwide and with the Guggenheim they have established a contemporary art award.

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the first version of their poster, less than 5% of the works in the Modern and Contemporary Sections of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art were by women, but 85% of the nudes were female. In the fall of 2004 we went back and recounted. SURPRISE. Not much had changed. In fact, there were a few less women artists than fifteen years before! Need• less to say, women have a long way to go to be recognized.

01 Ernst Wilhelm Nay, 1902–68, Red in the Center (1955), Oil on Canvas. 100 x 160 cm, Acquired by Bayer in 1980 02 Magda Danysz – Paris, étage, courtesy galerie Magda Danysz 03 Shanghai, exposition Zhang Dali. Courtesy of Magda Danysz

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03 A commitment to art in the

everyday world In Crédit Suisse art is quite important, both in terms of sponsorship and of Art Collection. Established in 1975, the collection now comprises 5.000 artworks and it is investing a lot in improving its collection with new young talent.

Arts insurances Zurich in the last few years has gathered a great art collection in order to embellish its workplaces. Furthermore Zurich sponsors some important cultural institutions: the Art Basel and an annual award: The Zurich Art Prize.

Aesthetics and flavour: two

inseparable concepts Illy is partner of the most important international art fair worldwide.In 1992 Illy created the first collection of cups trying to combine the aesthetic of the cup together with the taste and flavour of coffee.

pair of stethoscopes to hear the audio tour. Caroline Worthington, director, of Florence Nightingale Museum says “this is a special year for Florence and the new Museum is a very fitting tribute to someone who has contributed so much to modern day nursing. Florence has inspired so many men and women to join a profession which we all rely on and it is fascinating to see that the issues she tackled such as hospital hygiene, caring for soldiers and the training of nurses are still hugely relevant today. We are excited about welcoming a wide range of audiences to discover more about this iconic Briton.”

Arts collections, exhibitions, international arts fairs but also literature, music, theatres and creative thinking. In the next issue we will focus on these to understand which are the latest trends in this sector and which are the best practices for working with arts.

“Arts reflects who we are - as a society, as an individuals, and as an institution. It can remind us of our collective heritage. Our hint at our future. The same goes for us- UBS.” This is the thinking that has lead UBS to invest a lot on their Art Collection and on becoming sponsor of several international arts museums. Also the BMW Group has a strong interest in all forms of cultural expression, both globally and locally. For its own employees as well as for a wide cross-section of the interested public. They think that “by cooperating with and supporting artists as well as those involved in culture in a broader sense, the BMW Group’s Communication division wishes to set thematically challenging and convincing accents.” The philosofical concept of the kalokagathia links indissoluble taste and flavour to beauty: what is good is also nice and vice versa. To follow this ideal Illy has contributed to the circulation of contemporary art and to the support of young artists and international arts fairs, for fifteen years.

People Family and Work

By JERôME BALLARIN

CHILDREN ALWAYS ExPECT SOMETHING FROM THEIR PARENTS. What about working parents? Sometimes just a few pointers are enough to build and maintain a good relationship in families where both parents work.

Working parents: what do your children think

Barack Obama has said “I’ve been a lawyer, a teacher, a senator, and now I’m the president of the United States and I can say that the hardest job […] is to be Sasha and Malia’s father.” And he is, of course, correct. Being a parent is a demanding task. The stress, job strain, and deadlines encroach on time that should be dedicated to one’s children. Reconciling the two takes effort. Generally, when both parents work, they have less time for their children, and it is normal that these feel neglected. A sullen child just gets more withdrawn if parents, tired by their work, just say “yes” to everything. Curious children are disappointed if their parents do not have the energy to engage in intellectual or artistic discussions after a hard day at the office. The care of young children has become increasingly problematic, largely because of the growing numbers of mothers working outside the home. The family map has been redesigned, but children need their parents, or at least one of them, to help them grow.

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WHAT DO CHILDREN ExPECT FROM THEIR PARENTS?

The Paris-based Parenthood Observatory conducted a study among 500 14-17 year-olds, the objective being to better understand the way they considered their parents’ work.

The three key findings were: • a large majority of teenagers was able to name and describe their parents’ professional activity; • most of them regularly discussed their work with their parents, and they seemed satisfied with the degree of time spent on this subject. That said, 71% stated that the amount of time spent talking about work with their parents was about right. This might be taken to mean that teenagers want to shield themselves from the professional world, since it seems stressful; • more than two thirds of the respondents believed that their parents’ jobs were stressful, tiring, and difficult. Only a few felt their parents had jobs that were gratifying.

WHAT’S THE RESULT?

It might be said that the younger generations see only the gloomier side of the professional world. They associate work with financial scandals, the fear of being fired, or stress. That said, these young people will be entering the professional world in less than three years. Their outlook must be taken seriously. It would appear that they want to avoid worries,

The Parenthood Observatory was launched on April 2008 and aims at enhancing

dialogue between the key actors of both professional and personal lives.

Parenthood Observatory’s three main objectives are to: • • Promote the Corporate Parenthood Charter Organize workshops for companies who want to share their company policies and practices on balancing their employees’ work/family time • Assess the changes within companies regarding the support they provide to employees with children Four major fields in which companies can act to become family friendly: 1. Services to support employees with children 2. Financial support 3. Work organisation 4. HR and managerial support

02 Loretta Lux (1969)

is a fine art photographer known for her surreal portraits of young children. Lux was trained as a painter, and after graduating at Akademie der Bildenden Künste, she started her career as a photographer in 1999. In 2005 she received the Infinity Award for Art, from New York’s International Centre of Photography, her subjects are children that are sometimes gives odd but symbolic props - a fish, a loaf of bread - then photographed under even, shadowless light. The results are faces and bodies which have pale complexions and the visual resonance of porcelain. Then she sometimes slightly manipulates the scale of the heads, hands or torso, and places the child’s image into a plain backdrop which she may have painted herself. The result can suggest Victorian portraiture. But Lux will float the child in space against a featureless background. The children become dissociated from time and, by virtue of the technique, from the context. They float, slightly surreal, in a nowhere world.

01 Portrait of Antonia 2007 © Loretta Lux, Courtesy of the Artist, Yossi Milo Gallery, New York and Torch Gallery, Amsterdam 02 John, 2008 © Loretta Lux, Courtesy of the Artist, Yossi Milo Gallery, New York and Torch Gallery, Amsterdam 03 Elusions (2004-2005) Obione ©galerie Magda Danysz 04 Elusions (2004-2005) Falaise ©galerie Magda Danysz 05 Nocturnus or The Lost Boys (2006-2007)Esquives, Obione ©galerie Magda Danysz

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spend more time with their parents, and enjoy their company. According to a Sofres survey conducted in June 2008 on 4.400 French youths aged 15 and over, the 99% said that family was important in life. The 50% thinks it’s synonymous with love, and according to the 43% with happiness.

WHIC ADVICE CAN BE GIVEN TO WORKING PARENTS TO HELP THEM

BUILDING AND MAINTAINING A GOOD

RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR CHILDREN? WHAT CAN PARENTS DO?

How can working parents ask for part-time or tele-commuting work so as to reconcile professional and family commitments? How can employees ask their superior to limit the number of meetings scheduled late in the day? How can parents grow professionally without abandoning their children to a nanny? First, they have to dare to formulate their request, and mobilize all their courage. They have to be careful to make a request tactfully. It’s preferable to ask, for instance, what the company has done to reconcile professional and family life. Avoid a question like: “Can I go home earlier, like 6 o’clock, every day? I have to get my children from the nursery school.” The perfect time would be at the annual interview. That is the time to ask for a change in working time, and to convince one’s supervisor that it is feasible and would not impact negatively on the quality of work. Finally, take advantage of informal occasions with the boss, so as to make him or her aware of one’s family constraints. This person might have the same problems, and will feel empathy. A coffee or lunch break is the ideal time for such a chat.

THE PRINCIPAL ADVICE TO GIVE TO PARENTS WOULD BE “TIME MANAGEMENT”

Working parents, it’s time to hunt down and get rid of time-wasting activities! This consists in organizing your time. First, it is important to prioritize those activities that take longest, filling the gaps with shorter, easier tasks. The objective here is to plan your time, so you are not overwhelmed by lots of minor activities that build up tension. Another approach would be to make a To-Do list. This enables you to put on paper everything you have in mind, so you do not forget anything. Overall, it keeps you focused on a limited number of tasks, so you do not feel stifled. For someone who works in different spheres, it enables you to manage more missions, keep focused, and does not oblige you to keep everything in your head. If you refine this tool, you could do a daily To-Do list, writing down things that must be done by the end of the day. On the right of this list, for example you could write family things, such as buying a gift for your daughter’s birthday, calling the plumber, or phoning the bank. The To-Do list can go with you all day. You must remember to look at it regularly to remind yourself of the day’s or the week’s priority items. When this list becomes overwhelming, because of the sheer volume of tasks to be achieved, start a new one, transcribing the unfinished tasks, and throw the old list away. Put together, key actions like these, help working parents lead balanced lives. •

By signing the Corporate Parenthood Charter (which has already been signed by 150 French companies, representing one million French employees) companies proclaim their willingness to implement the following concrete actions aimed at promoting parenthood: • • to bring about change in attitudes to parenthood within the company making Human Resources officers and all other managers aware of the importance of taking the issue of parenthood into consideration • informing staff members of their commitment to the Parenthood

Observatory • creating an environment that is favourable to working parents, especially expectant mothers • providing employees with the means to balance their professional and personal lives • • offering flexible working conditions to expectant mothers respecting the principle of non-discrimination in the careers of employees with children • preventing and eliminating any practices that discriminate against employees with children from our Human Resource processes • encouraging management practices and behaviour that enhance the professional development of employees with children

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Mireille Loup (1969)

is a Swiss contemporary photographer, who actually lives and works in Arles, France. She belongs to this new generation of photographers who captured starkly from reality, without any frills or special effects. The pictures in these pages belong to two different project: ‘Elusions’ (2004-2005) and ‘Nocturnus or The Lost Boys’ (2006-2007). Elusions is a photographic work related to a novel of the same title, that deals with victimology of Childhood. Behind the innocence of childhood, Mireille Loup invites the viewer to apprehend the terrors to which the child can be confronted, and for whom the only resource is the elusion.‘Elusions’ proposes the mental world of a child, staging through “setting in landscapes.” The whole works as an ode to liberty and suggests a breakaway. ‘Nocturnus or The lost boys’ invites us into children’s fantasies, in the world of fairy tales. Each image is a fairy tale scene and the whole series can be read as a journey of initiation in three parts, from the city to the wild, always in a nocturnal atmosphere.

Joining the company The Value of a Good Integration

THE SAME MANAGER MAY BE PERFECT FOR ONE COMPANY AND TOTALLY WRONG FOR ANOTHER. The quality of a résumé is as important as personal ability in a specific context.

Excellent integration: the rules

By MARTHA TINTIN

WHY A NEW APPOINTMENT WORKS

Creating a perfect match between an executive and a company depends on various factors. These might include, over and above a clear understanding of objectives and responsibilities, the appropriate professional experience and a cultural fit. The executive must have the values and the motivation that chime with the culture of the company he or she is joining. “It is fundamental that the executive has the abilities and necessary competences in order to be appointed in a position that perfectly fits the organizational culture.” Says Roxana Lequerica, Partner, Signium Colombia. “If employers want managers to hit the ground running, they need to ensure a very thorough orientation plan. This would include an understanding of the business and all product lines, an introduction to all relevant colleagues, and some training on the values, culture and vision of the company,” affirms Asad Haider, Managing Partner, Signium Middle East and Pakistan, who goes on to add“companies that have gone one step further and assigned a mentor or “buddy” to the employee, have found it works wonders to help the employee understand how we do things around here” and hence help the person integrate and start to be productive in the shortest time possible.” In the USA, successful candidates have experience in facing challenges that will confront them in their new role. “Examples might be profitably growing a business sector, mergers and acquisition expertise, introducing and rolling out a new product line, or rebuilding a specific function such as the supply chain,” says Glenn Anderson, Senior Managing Director, Signium Cleveland, OH, USA.

WHY A NEW APPOINTMENT DOESN’T WORK

For Ignacio Bao, Chairman of Signium International and President, of Signium Spain, matters are clear “a proper handling of the above factors lead to a successful integration, while a mishandling in some cases might irrevocably damage the relationship between executive and organization.” Chemistry is also an important component. Explains Glenn Anderson, “I had a placement several years ago who went from working at a large multi-billion global business top-down, command culture, to a smaller mid-size company with a flat organization and a team approach. The candidate ultimately worked out, but it took him a few months to adapt to the new environment.” Anderson goes on “if the candidate is moving to a smaller business, he or she must understand the dynamics of aligning with a closely-held company, the need to wear several hats, and the need to get engaged more broadly in the business plan and operations.” For Lequerica, “every new job forces us to reinvent ourselves. Another obstacle we face, is to think that we still belong to the old organization, the old job with the same habits, and many times a new environment requires other perspectives of ourselves. To shorten the adaptation time and to improve the percentages of success, opportunities are not paid attention to in the organizational world,” she says. The new appointee needs to listen closely. Says Haider“the manager has to make more of an effort to understand, listen attentively and understand the new team that he will be working with. The sooner he can do this, the faster he will integrate and be accepted by the rest of the team.”

ASSESSMENT PROCESSES

Assessment exercises provide the chance to determine current levels of competence as well to predict potential. “The interviews allow us, consultants, to have an integral knowledge of the executive’s personal and professional characteristics and his/her capacity to develop in a specific role,” comments Lequerica. Bao elucidates “once the personal evaluation of a candidate has been completed, and both consultant and client feel that the candidate is a good fit, the search consultant begins the process of a 360 degree reference check, being sure to speak with superiors, peers and subordinates from the most

Data Twsm Mantra Hire people: • first with the right mind-set, and second with the right tool-set • who have a demonstrated record of life-long learning and its application • who love to stay with others and take part in social activities • who are passionate, and see negativity as an opportunity • who have an optimistic mood and are excited about managing their own career • who relive negative experiences as a learning and growth tool rather than a personal failure

Ignacio Bao

Chairman of Signium International and President of Signium Spain Madrid, Spain

Asad Haider

Managing Partner Middle East and Pakistan

Allan Marks

Joint Managing Director Sydney, Australia

Glenn Anderson

Senior Managing Director Cleveland, OH, USA

Roxana Lequerica

Partner Bogota, Colombia

recent positions. However, the most important thing is to help corroborate or demystify weaknesses that emerged during the interview and evaluation process by checking references of the most recent and relevant position to the one the candidate is being considered for.” Bao goes on“these processes are universally applicable to all professional sectors at a managerial level.” Glenn Anderson adds“in some cases, criminal background checks and, in some cases, credit checks will also be required.” “Once finalist candidates are identified, it is appropriate to introduce psychometric testing into the process” adds Allan Marks, Joint Managing Director, Signium Sydney, Australia. “This level of assessment will help provide insight and direction for further evaluation either in subsequent interviews or through the reference checking process to ensure a ‘best fit candidate’.” Assessment centers are sometimes used. Haider clarifies“assessment centers are possibly the best indicators of whether someone will be a good cultural fit or not. [This] approach is best used when hiring a large number of positions e.g customer service agents, cabin crew, sales staff, there must be a sizeable group for it to be effective.”

THE CREDIBILITY OF THESE PROCESSES

A good assessment exercise often provides interesting elements to those making hiring decisions. While achieving a 100% perfect fit is clearly impossible, such an exercise can go some way towards indicating how the candidate would perform in the post, and how he or she might develop. For Lequerica, the credibility of these processes is the credibility of the consultant himself. “The ability to understand the skills and traits necessary to fill a particular professional role, as well as a well-developed ‘sixth sense’ regarding the human aspect, is generally something learned by the search consultant over time,” she says. Moreover, Marks adds ”A consultant with a proven track record of placement and strong industry knowledge demonstrates the effectiveness of the search process utilized.” Haider, meanwhile, has no doubts. “It has been demonstrated that just interviews are an inefficient method of predicting success in the job. It may be concluded that rather than heavily relying on any one method, the best selection would consist of a variety of approaches i.e., tests, structured interviews and background and work history references as well as track record.”

WHO MANAGES THESE PROCESSES?

Usually the processes are carried out in-house, using the latest technology tools. “Typically, these tools are online tests of managing styles, which give accurate, reliable and in-depth information”, says Lequerica. “However, some clients use their own tools, or external consultants, in order to validate what we come up with,” she adds. “For example, we have an individual who is certified to oversee and interpret a specific assessment tool that is given to all finalist candidates presented to our clients” explains Anderson, “if the client wishes to augment this with additional testing, they may do so.” “Both internal and external need to co-operate and manage the whole process of assessment and interviews in a seamless manner,” comments Haider. Hiring the right person means taking the necessary time and using all the tools available in the decision-making process. Making the wrong choice can lead to all manner of regrettable situations. These might include reduced employee morale, inappropriate behaviour, lost customers and opportunities, time and money wasted in training and development. Making • the wrong choice may also expose the company to legal action.

Signium International

is a global executive search consulting firm, which provides top quality consulting services to national and multinational companies that need to recruit, grow and retain the best leadership talent in their individual markets. Signium International has 44 offices in the main cities of 28 countries, and a team of 150 consultants serving the major markets of the world.