Ialum 2015 issue #5

Issue #5 - September/December 2015

BUSINESS MAGAZINE

ADVANCEMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS CENTRE

Engagement:

How Can Businesses Improve? M y Greatest Challenge was Overcoming the Fear of Failure

:Curt Wellington Business Intelligence:

Not the Entire Answer, but the Question Needed!

SME's: Past, Present, Future - B2B/B2C Strategies The Role of Social Media in Engagement: A Communications Perspective PLUS CONTRIBUTIONS BY: Albertina Navas, PhD (c) - Director of The International Centre for Social Media Studies, Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business Andre Bates - Manager - Business Development, Data-Lego Advanced Analytics Solutions Limited Bob Semple - Senior Group Quality Manager, Massy Guyana Group

Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations

Ms. Fayola Nicholas

Welcome Message

CURT WELLINGTON

Can Organisations in T&T benefit from Employee Engagement? Focus on the Engaged, Disengaged,

and the Actively Disengaged

By Jane Quesnel

How to make Giant LEAPS in the delivery of Exceptional Customer Service By Bobb Semple

Employee Engagement:

A Human Resource Perspective By Chantal Greaves-Cowan

12. Business Intelligence: Not the Entire Answer but the Question Needed 13. 5 Tips on How to improve Business Engagement 14. SME’s: Past, Present, Future B2B/B2C Strategies 16. Oliver Flax…The Memory Lives On 18. Exceptional Customer Service should not be taken for granted 20. Innovation or Transfer? 22. B2B – a Match Made in Heaven 24. Improve Customer Engagement with Dynamics 26. The Role of Social Media in Engagement: A Communications Perspective

content:

28. Building Customer Relationships through Social Media 29. Engagement: How can Businesses Improve? 30. Who is Curt Wellington? 32. Business ‘Secrets’ from UWI-ALJGSB’s DLIC with Dr. Peter Senge and Tom Peters 35. The Brain Drain Effect: Combatting The Loss Of Our Most Valuable Resource 36. Leadership Re-Orientation: Beyond The MBA 37. Photo Collage: Post-MBA Events 38. Turnover Is High; Productivity Is Low: Employee Engagement must be a Strategic Move as attracting top talent is a Competitive Activity 40. Engaging our Alumni 43. Photo Collage: Alumni Relations Centre Events 44. Taking Business Education to another Level 45. Photo Collage: School Events

3 BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Message from the Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations UWI-ALJGSB In this issue of our ialum magazine, we explore the topic of engagement; one that is very close to the heart of the alumni relations team. Students, alumni, faculty and other members of the business community are once again contributors of this issue. One thing that these persons have in common is that they all speak about engagement in their varying fields of work and what it can mean for their business. As we close our academic year and commence a new one, we reflect on how we have engaged our primary stakeholder: our alumni. Various networking events such as our Business Mixers, and mini seminars like our CEO and Distinguished Alumni Series were arranged to engage our outstanding alumni. As such, we have made plans to continue building our relationship with our alumni into 2016. The Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business has done quite a lot this year; from starting our new Post MBA Programme, to launching our online mentorship platform which provides international networking opportunities. Even as we reminisce about the past year, we also look to our plans for the future. Notwithstanding the excellent facilities currently in use, the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business has, for some time, considered extending the Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operations to improve efficiency and hands-on- learning, and also to increase classroom interaction. Therefore one of the major activities for the next year is the expansion of the UWI-ALJGSB Mt Hope Campus. To this end, an impressive two-story wing building located to the west of the current campus is being built. This new building will serve as an epicenter for students, staff, and faculty members as well as act as a welcoming place for collaboration with the business community. It offers infinite opportunities to students at the Business School which will include: interactive learning in state of the art classrooms, cutting-edge technology and ample space to host many events in the future. We hope that you enjoy this issue and we look forward to your feedback for the next one. In the meantime, join us on campus for our upcoming events to explore our expanding campus, as we continue to grow and educate the extraordinary and innovate leaders of tomorrow.

Regards, Fayola Nicholas Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations UWI-Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business

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“those who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace.”

Is it possible for employees in Trinidad and Tobago to become actively engaged? If I were to be guided by the opinions of many of the managers and supervisors whom I regularly meet at my workshops, I would be inclined to believe that Trinbagonians lacked the motivation and zeal to work. I might be inclined to also believe that the problem is worse among entry-level young persons in the workforce. Fortunately, I do not share these views and I would readily admit that it has been a constant battle to convince some of our managers and supervisors that people genuinely want to work and to contribute to their organisations.

So what might be the problem then? Perhaps we should ask the question in other ways: What is the context in which our employees are expected to be engaged? Are our managers themselves engaged? Do they model the behaviours that employees expect them to display? Or conversely, are our organisations

Curt Wellington

Can Organisations in T&T benefit from

Employee Engagement?

In recent years the term employee engagement has made its way into the jargon of management practice and has been the focus of attention for many academics. Nevertheless what

quietly battling a plethora of egos and personal agendas? I must add that engagement is not merely about obedience and hard work but more about the opportunity to be engaged in meaningful work that contributes to organizational outcomes. In short, it is work that adds significant value to the organization and its stakeholders. Very often I meet managers who lament about the absence of obedience, loyalty and commitment among junior employees yet they are themselves unable to recall the mission, vision and values of their organisations. Attempts to recall these foundations of the organisation’s existence usually end with “I used to know it, you know, but it goes something like that.”

is this “employee engagement”? Furthermore, can it be successfully applied in Trinidad and Tobago?

I call these “foundations of the organisation’s existence” because it is the vision that har-

In an article in the Leader to Leader series (Spring 2007) Theresa Wellbourne opines that “de-

nesses the direction that all must pursue, the

spite a surge in interest in improving engagement, people still disagree about what employee

mission that defines its purpose and the values

engagement is, how to go about getting it, and what it looks like when it is achieved.”

that define its character.

According to the results of a Gallup survey published earlier this year, 51% of U.S. workers

When employees are invited to become a part

are not engaged while 17.5 % are actively disengaged. Gallup defines engaged employees as

of an organization, they are really being asked

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to become a part of something that has a life of its own. In fact, they are being asked to join a network of relationships and to carry a “baton of performance” to be passed on to the next generation of employees to succeed them. This is how the sustainability of the organization is assured. They become even more critical in an environment in which technological advancements have reshaped the competitive landscape. Moreover, it is now generally accepted that real competitive advantage can only be sustained through the collective intellect of an organisation’s people and its internal processes. Engagement should begin therefore with the recruitment and interview processes and continue with interactions with managers and colleagues who are themselves passionate about the business. In such processes, the emphasis should be on finding the appropriate fit between employees and the organisation’s culture, and facilitating the continuous search for solutions to the internal and external challenges that define the organisation’s environment. Instead, new employees will more likely find themselves facing demands for attendance and compliance while the organization champions incremental change in a rapidly changing environment. For example, the retail sector continues to struggle with the challenge of poor customer service while Trinbagonians are embracing online shopping in steadily increasing numbers. It is also generally accepted that organisations that fail to adapt will eventually die. The call for compliance in an unchanging system could therefore precipitate a preoccupation with personal survival rather than in experiencing the excitement in being part of creating solutions to organizational challenges.

believe they are not being well paid, you can be sure they will register their dissatisfaction. Recently I was reminded of the capacity of employees’ desire for organizational excellence by the actions of participants in my workshops. Peter, who works with one of our bottled water companies, entered the session on the first day and recognized that the water provided for the participants came from a competitor. He immediately registered his dissatisfaction with the coordinator and immediately called his office to ensure that a supply was made available to the class for the remainder of the sessions.

It is also generally accepted that “organisations that fail to adapt will eventually die.”

The second example was that of David who indicated that he was approaching the age of retirement and had an interest in passing on the knowledge of the company’s operations that he had accumulated from over 30 years of service. David readily volunteered to prepare several manuals documenting various processes and used these manuals to conduct training workshops for some of his colleagues. In both instances, these gentlemen went beyond what they were “being paid to do” and acted out of sincere concern for the success of their organisations. An initial response could have been, “It’s only two people.” However, I might hasten to add that every year we see the same phenomena being played out in the pan yards and mas camps where thousands of our citizens dutifully assemble for a chance to be recognized as a winner- if only for a brief period. If you believe they do it only because of their love for pan or carnival, then you have got my point. If employees were to be vested in the business of their organisations, their managers would themselves have to model the passion for this business and work assiduously to create an environment in which employees can grow intellectually and professionally, actively engaged. Curt Wellington is a Resident Consultant and member of faculty at the UWI-Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business. He continues to dedicate his work to the development of a competitive Caribbean society by supporting the strengthening of its institutions and the development of its people.

If such an environment were to be created, then managers could no longer focus exclusively on mechanisms for control, but on finding ways to align and ignite the passions of their staff to the vision and mission of their organisations and, ultimately, liberate the collective intellect of their people. More particularly, managers must dismiss the notion that employees should work because they are being paid. Money never serves as a motivator. At best, employees will not be dissatisfied if they are well paid but if employees BUSINESS B BUS USIN IN SS INE SS M MA MAG MAGAZINE AG AGAZ AZI ZIINE Z NE

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Focus on the Engaged, Disengaged, and the Actively Disengaged The view of an

their jobs efficiently (the jobs they were hired

E n t r e p r e n e u r,

to do). Sometimes you have to dig deep

Reflection is important. Understanding your

Re-

to understand the people that work with

definition of success is necessary. Aim for

sources Execu-

you and how you can motivate and engage

excellence, not perfection. Celebrate the

tive, and a young

them to improve your business.

wins, both big and small. Learn from your

Human

mistakes and always see them as growth

professional.

opportunities. Risk something. Encourage It’s simple: Fo-

your people to be bold and honest. Lead

cus on the Busi-

with determination, integrity, and have fun

ness Strategy, the Engaged, Disengaged,

doing it. If you mess up, admit it and don’t

and the Actively Disengaged employees.

back down from your original position un-

Each of these will be defined by Ken Blan-

less someone brings you new information.

chard.

At the end of the day, you can only do your

By Jane Quesnel

best, and your best is good enough.

“just want a job; I want

As an Executive I don’t

to be part of a dream, and work collaboratively with individuals who believe that anything is possible.

”

Live. Love and Learn.

As an Executive I don’t just want a job; I want to be part of a dream, and work collaboratively with individuals who believe that anything is possible. If you understand the business needs of your clients, competitors, current workforce, desired workforce, current culture and desired culture, your Company’s vision becomes simple. Getting there takes an investment mentally, financially, physically,

Firstly, it’s not so elementary unless you have

and spiritually (whatever that may mean to

a strategic, people-centric, results-focused

you).

approach to your business. When you get these things right, B2C and B2B will be enhanced in ways you never dreamt would be possible. When you take on the role of CEO, HR Manager, Sales Executive, etc. you steer the ship; when you do this with intent and passion, you will get the support from your team, which will allow them to do

Jane Quesnel is currently the Head of Training and Performance Consulting for the English Caribbean at Scotiabank Limited, where for the past year and a half she has been responsible for the development of the regional training strategy and a team of 15 training professionals, supporting and providing guidance in 19 countries for 6,539 employees. Her previous roles in her 4 year career at Scotiabank T&T Limited include Assistant Manager, Performance & Learning and Manager, Performance & Learning where she supported both T&T and Guyana.

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How to make

Giant LEAPS in the delivery of

Exceptional Customer Service We are all customers. We all want to be treated nicely and feel valued. However, sometimes when we are on the other By Bobb Semple end of the spectrum as the ‘server’, we sometimes forget about this basic want; and so the challenge many companies face is how to get their entire team to be consistent in the delivery of exceptional service. Based on my experience, here are some Key Success Factors I am confident will be able to make a huge impact on the customer experience for your organization.

1. Leadership - It may sound almost generic but it is a key element. Here, I am talking about passionate action and not lip service as explained by Jeanne Bliss in her book, Chief Customer Officer – Getting Past Lip Service to Passionate Ac-

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tion. The Management Team right up to the CEO and Board of Directors must not only believe that exceptional Customer Service is a key differentiator in business, but they must be able to inspire all employees, and constantly reinforce the importance of the customer as key to the survival of the organization. This is a simple equation which is oftentimes taken for granted in our Caribbean environment even within retail sectors.

“

It is important that we hire for talent; and hire the right people for the right jobs.

”

2. Employees - It is important that we hire for talent; and hire the right people for the right jobs. Focus should not only be placed on the frontline but also on the back end. Many times, companies may have a good frontline team but their service delivery is disrupted by the sloppy or unresponsive service by the back-end team (who oftentimes fail to realize that the business of providing exceptional service requires all team members to be fully on board). Recruitment focusing on detecting good interpersonal skills therefore becomes critical. When employees are happy and fully engaged, the higher the propensity for them to go the extra mile.

3. Accountability - Leaders who do not get it should be held accountable as they not only have a responsibility to deliver on their operational KPIs but must also visibly support the Customer Service program for the organization. Unfortunately, many times, Customer Service appears to be the responsibility of a Customer Service Officer/Manager or Department - rather than that of the entire organization. Employees also have to be held accountable for their performance, with positive behaviours reinforced, and negative behaviours corrected, through training, coaching and mentoring. If these development techniques do not work then the relationship with the employee should be terminated.

“

Focus has to be placed on the experience as the customer interfaces with all contact points of the organization including in-store and online. 4. Processes

5. Strategy - Implementation of customer service initiatives has to be deliberate and well thought out. It cannot be ad-hoc. Focus has to be placed on the experience, as the customer interfaces with all contact points of the organization including in-store and online. Companies should also have systems in place to ensure that the organization keeps its ears very close to its customers and that feedback is constantly solicited and acted upon. Bobb Semple is a holder of an EMBA from the UWI-Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business and a B.Soc.Sc. in Economics (Hons) from the University of Guyana. He is currently the Senior Group Quality Manager at Massy (Guyana) Ltd as well as the Company Secretary for Massy Technologies (Guyana) Ltd. He has 10 years’ managerial experience in Customer Service, Quality Management and Safety Management. He believes the concept of continual improvement should not only be applied to work processes but to our professional work-life as we seek ways and means to continuously re-invent ourselves. He is also a member of the Rotary Club of Demerara.

”

- Systems and work processes have to be constantly reviewed and the business environment must be one that is very accommodating to the changes that are required to remove the frustrations from the customers’ experiences. Many times, companies may be aware of the bottlenecks but lack the ‘guts’ and will power to do anything about it.

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Employee Engagement:

A Human Resource Perspective Absenteeism at your workplace high? Staff attendance at company functions, and not to mention, productivity low? Odds are that By employee enChantal Greaves - Cowan gagement is an issue. Wikipedia provides some insight into the concept of employee engagement, defining it as the extent to which employees feel passionate about their jobs, committed to the organisation and go that “extra mile” in the execution of their work. Employee engagement has moved out of the realm of buzzword straight into being truly recognised as a real factor which can affect the bottom line. In fact, organisations now realise that it is not as simple as keeping employees happy. It can make the difference between an organisation limping through a difficult year and an employee population that has gone above and beyond to achieve superior performance, despite it being a difficult year. So let’s discuss employee engagement, and how it really can be achieved. Almost everything to do with employees and their very existence in the workplace is usually entrusted to the Human Resources (HR) department as employees are HR’s responsibility. Guess what: employee engagement is the responsibility of the business as a whole, as its effects can have such far-reaching implications. The line manager, as the primary and most frequent contact point with the employee, plays a significant role in engagement, with HR providing solid support. HR can implement the biggest programmes and employ all the best practices in the world, but without the right line manager, engagement remains but

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an elusive dream. So some key points to note as you embark on the employee engagement journey: Communication: The recurring decimal underlying most people issues, its importance cannot be overstated. Constant communication on what’s going on in the department, in other departments and in the company in general is critical to a sense of belonging among employees. As regards major changes in the company, it is important to over-communicate to ensure clear understanding of the changes and their repercussions. Strategic Alignment: Has the organisation articulated a clear strategy and goals, and more importantly is there alignment between these and employees’ individual objectives? Do they understand how what they do contributes to the organisation’s overall success? Do their objectives ensure that they are focused in the right way and not being channelled in several different directions, causing confusion, and withdrawal of effort? Employees are also engaged when they see clear alignment between the company’s raison d’être and their own personal values. Performance Management & Feedback: Studies show that employees who receive regular feedback, and can have regular dialogue with and guidance and coaching from their line managers feel a greater connection with the organisation, and more of an intrinsic desire to work there. A 2011 study by Bersin & Associates shows that managers who invest in their employees – through onboarding, coaching and mentoring – and who offer recognition for a job well done, are three times more effective at producing improved business and talent results than those managers who do not. Great managers inspire great performance and loyalty. This gives credence to Marcus Buck-

ingham’s assertion that “employees don’t leave jobs – they leave their line managers!’’ Career Development and Succession Planning: When we – HR and line managers - can create opportunities for employees, and they have a fairly clear idea on what they can aspire to in the organisation, we create conditions which are conducive to generating engagement. Employees who are sure that there is a future place for them in the organisation, and are experiencing the company’s investment in them through training and development, and overall preparation for their future there, are less likely to exit the organisation for other opportunities. For organisations crafting an engagement strategy, a word of caution. Engagement cannot always be a one-size-fits-all approach, and what works at your competitor may not work wholesale at your organisation. Factors to consider when considering how to truly engage your employee population are the culture of your organisation and the different generations which may be coexisting. For instance, engaging your millennials may definitely differ from how you engage your older employees. Employee engagement then, is a priority for any business today. The Human Resources perspective, such that it is, must be the organisational perspective, if engagement is to be achieved at all levels of the organisation. Engagement of different groups of employees has to be done differently. There is no doubt that EE is a human resources priority but more so a priority for business as a whole.

Chantal Greaves-Cowan is an alumna of the Institute of Business and Human Resource Manager at the UWI-Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business.

Business Intelligence:

Not the Entire Answer but the Question Needed! How does one engage one’s business? This question has proven to be challenging and scintillating. If we personify a business, we can liken it to a child at varying levels By Andre Bates of its development throughout its life. Its birth, terrible two’s, adolescent, maturity and, if not properly managed, eventual senescence and death can all be earmarked. What is almost always understated is: How do we improve on our successes? Innovation is often thrown around haphazardly with monoliths of the Caribbean business worlds emerging from ‘mom and pop’ operations. Does Trinidad & Tobago, a mecca for energy production, have the propensity for true innovation and intelligent business optimization?

Our Company: The Human Body Business engagement can be likened to various images. If we liken a business to a human’s physiology at a cursory level; • Extremities – the day-to-day execution of duties and completion of operations. The tactile sensory is the first to feel the effects of its external environment. Information is in a raw format and only when it travels up the value chain to the brain can it be classified and prioritized. • Eyes, Ears & Throat – The inputs of observation can be assimilated to an organization’s financial position. Its overall performance can be seen, heard and depending on its end of the spectrum; it can taste either bitter or sweet. • Brain – The body’s management system is often a clichéd metaphor. The ‘brains’ of the operations is responsible for the regulation of the different components. It simultaneously delivers and receives information and once it is performing efficiently it can respond and or anticipate accordingly.

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• Nervous System & Blood Vessels – The body has an information super highway, relaying data received from its sensory inputs. Similar to an organization, information relayed appropriately can differentiate a mobile / fluid company from a static one. This can also relate to the company’s internal policies, frameworks and processes. Is bureaucracy impeding the dynamisms of your organization similar to cholesterol? • Heart & Lungs – Who breathes life into your organization? Your employees! And who is responsible for ensuring your company has the best fit for your organization? Your Human Resources Department! They both work in tandem and they often share a symbiotic relationship. The HR works tirelessly to ensure that their strategies align with the goals and vision of the organization. New employees can inject a boost of creativity, critical thinking and resourcefulness that was previously overlooked or simply ignored.

The Comparison Ends Here Should the human body continue to be compared to an organization, what happens when an organization experiences illness? Unfortunately, the body is often reactive: it can only show causal effects after the virus or affliction has taken residency. The body tries to eliminate it through inducing a fever and using white blood cells to attack the contagion. What if I told you that, unlike the human body, illness can be predicted? Hidden deep within the company, hidden often in discarded folders, derelict cabinets and inconspicuous diskettes and CD’s are a company’s best resource: its data! Nevertheless, “we utilize our data” is often the cry! If so, then why do so many companies fall victim to the same crises?

Utilization versus Prediction Humans are prone to habit and repetition. This disposition can ultimately initiate predictability. Once the trend can be cataloged, it can be mitigated- migrating a company to the theater

of proactivity. Successful companies sustain their success with this level of forecasting and maneuverability. What if the human body could retain data from each time you fell ill, when your insulin and blood pressure spikes, and when your heart beats irregularly? You would be able to mitigate lifestyle diseases efficiently and effectively! Business intelligence has transitioned from a buzzword to a useful tool in any diligent practitioner’s toolkit. Analytics are no longer savvy products kept secret by multinational corporations to differentiate their operational model. How can it effect everlasting change in your organization?

Prevention outstrips the Cure What do analytics mean for a company? What is its return on its investment? How soon can we expect to see results? It ultimately depends on the manifesto of the organization and its competitive strategy. The culture of the organization has to be dynamic and responsive. The vision of the company has to be a stalwart in the being of every employee. Analytics and data mining afford management with benchmarks and dashboards. These tools, once effectively used, can catapult a company to the stratosphere. True engagement starts when a company intakes its by-products and recycles them to further enhance its value chain. Andre Bates is a new entrant to the data and business analytics field utilising both his insights from former occupations and his knowledge to effect change in his endeavours. His desire is to see companies continue to make informed decisions based on critical analysis and not on intuition alone

Tips on how to improve 5Business Engagement In this globalized era, keeping our customer engaged is a great challenge, yet there are things we can put in place so that we are at the top of their minds.

3 - Don’t ask them what they want, surprise them! Customers don’t want surveys, they want brands/companies to know them and give them solutions.

1 - Personalized attention: Who doesn’t like to be called by their name and have their needs anticipated and solved? Little details that are unforgettable.

5 - Have a genuine interest in your customers: respond to their queries in a timely and assertive way, apologize and provide a solution. When you receive negative feedback, your customer is looking for a better relation with you- if not they would not have even bothered.

By Adi Mabel Montas

2 - Be where your customer is: whether this is social media or the supermarket, be visible to them where they are.

4 - Have your employees engaged: customers will feel the “vibe” of your employees; if they are engaged, it will be much easier to engage your customers.

Adi Montas is the Director of Marketing at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business. Twitter:adi_montas Email: a.montas@lokjackgsb.edu.tt

“

In this globalized era, keeping our customer engaged is a great challenge, yet there are things we can put in place so that we are at the top of their minds.

”

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SME’s: Past, Present, Future B2B/B2C Strategies Small business is anything but small anymore. At the end of 2011 (in T&T), 20,000-odd SMEs contributed close to By Natalie David 30% GDP and employed over 200,000 persons. They provide a range of goods and services. It is estimated that within middle income countries, where most Caribbean economies can be placed, SMEs contribute over 90% employment and 70% GDP.

“

SMEs still use many traditional methods, but now exploit newer cost-effective Social Media technologies to create online communities among their customers/prospects to evaluate opportunities

”

Official statistics on SME’s can be notoriously difficult to obtain since several remain unregistered, undocumented, or informally attached to larger companies. Many have complex consumption patterns, while others have become quite aggressive/adaptable to dynamic, environmental factors such as time pressures, and in some cases, worsened economic conditions.

Data In the past, traditional one-off unfocused 16

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methods like hearsay/postal services were utilized. This often saw the demise of an SME in the longer term. Seemingly overnight, other businesses would popup and gobble-up any ‘mirage’ of market share; alternatively larger businesses would engage in price wars. Intellectual Property was a foreign concept, with many ideas being stolen when funding was denied to the SME. Over the last 40 years many unscrupulous individuals have capitalized on the naïveté of many SMEs.

ucts in the market; while Branding represents the SME’s brand identity. In the past, mostly larger chains developed such strategies. SMEs now treat their target market(s) as a material business entity with people and personality. Repositioning the business when necessary allows the SME to gain valuable industry knowledge and experience making them stronger during the process.

Today, the T&T Government actively encourages Entrepreneurialism: offering funding from institutions such as NEDCO; and training at YTEPP, FairShare, and UWI-ALJGSB with its MSMEM programme: all with a view to protecting and evolving this embryonic industry to a globally competitive level.

Market Research SMEs still use many traditional methods, but now exploit newer cost-effective Social Media technologies to create online communities among their customers/ prospects to evaluate opportunities and generate valuable insight, which can allow customized product development.

SMEs remain authentic and true, allowing them to ‘SHAPE’ their offering to find their natural fit (in the market) by asking: • What is the current situation (S)? • What human resources (H) do I have? • What can I do best with my resources – ability (A)? • What area(s) is my leadership passionate about (P)? • What have I learnt from past experiences (E)? Consistency between brand and positioning creates synergy which can highlight the SME’s unique strengths.

Positioning and Branding Positioning is the placement of prod-

Communications Channels Offline marketing is expensive and un-strategic, although some marketers do suc-

cessfully use direct mail and print despite the odds. Tele-Marketing is dead: SMEs don’t respond well to the hard sell. Earning trust is vital in the SME world where business owners can be time-poor and cynicism-rich. Presently, social media bridges this gap, turning the SME from a salesperson into a member of the community. Online content works by producing non-sales content which responds to ‘business pains’ to nurture SME leads until they are ready to buy.

Leads, Conversion and Sales-force Engagement A Strategic Business Plan provides a structured roadmap to growth: a methodology with timelines and the process to get there. This has moved the business-owner from performing ALL the tasks themselves, that is, operational activities, to recognizing the need for additional specialized personnel/ resources (i.e. strategic growth). Knowledge of a customer’s decision-making processes (by segment) provides a good base from which to start conversations allowing the SME to utilize a ‘pull’ ap-

proach rather than a ‘push’ strategy. Online discounts also encourage customer visits to an SME’s virtual store which can lead to repeat business.

Relationship Building SMEs are mindfully cautious of ‘logo-slapping’ and ‘sympathy-sponsorship’:

“Just because an opportunity is out there, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worth taking.” They discreetly select the best sponsorship that fits with their target audience to cultivate meaningful social relationships. Digital channels can target by industry segments, special interest groups, or locations. Many try to avoid the hard sell, which often does not augur well with larger monopolistic/oligopolistic suppliers. One-on-one contact usually only allows for limited expansion; SMEs now employ customer relationship management (CRM) techniques making service personnel responsible for timely/relevant information-

gathering at each customer ‘touch point’. They focus on the needs of individual buyers. Catering for their interests and concerns drives personal engagement expected from a B2C relationship to that of a B2B. Engagement can be very tricky. Many companies are in business simply for the money (i.e. profits), while others are in it for philanthropy or personal gratification/satisfaction. Over the years both Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Customer (B2C) relationships have been forged. For SMEs, this evolution has been quite dynamic, and if managed properly promises to modernize the average Mom & Pop Shop of today to a global market player in the future. (SME Growth and National Development, Part II - 22/ Aug/2013 http://www.newsday.co.tt/businessday/0,182589. html)

Natalie David holds a wealth of business experience spanning over 20 years in a diverse range of knowledge areas. She is a Certified Accountant (FCCA); with supporting Masters level qualifications in Strategic Marketing and Small Business Development. Natalie currently runs a successful financial consultancy firm.

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Oliver Flax… The Memory Lives On

On Saturday 8th August, 2015, golfers from throughout Trinidad and Tobago competed for a host of valuable prizes in the second annual OLIVER FLAX MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT which was held at the Millennium Lakes Golf Course in Trincity. Some 50 two-member teams teed off at 10.30 that morning in a shotgun start in a Two-Ball Better-Ball format. The occasion, however, was more than just a mere golf tournament. The aim of the tournament was to raise funds to assist Vitas House, the hospice located on the compound of the National Radiotherapy Centre in St. James which is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society for terminally ill cancer patients. A worthier cause is hard to imagine. In 2014, the first annual tournament raised a total of $86,000.00 for the Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society and the Organising Committee set itself the goal in 2015 of raising $100,000.00 for this year’s beneficiary. But who was Oliver Flax and how did the tournament come to bear his name? Oliver Wendell Flax, an alumnus of the UWI-Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, who graduated with distinction with an Executive M.B.A., was born in Antigua on December 5th, 1944. Academically, Oliver was exceptionally brilliant.

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He always said that one of his greatest regrets was that his work often prevented him from giving the amount of time to golf that he would have liked.

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In 1963; he left Antigua for the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica to read for a Special Honours degree in French and graduated in 1966 with Upper Second Class Honours. While at university in Jamaica, Oliver met Diana Giuseppi who was also studying for a degree in French. They were married on December 14th, 1969; a union which produced two children, Warren and Jo-Anne. The family moved to Trinidad in 1976. 18

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His professional life was varied and saw him serving as Head of Public Relations at Trintoc and Manpower Planning and Development Manager at Petrotrin, Manager, Corporate Administration at Trinmar, Executive Vice-President, Organisation Effectiveness at TSTT and finally as Senior Vice-President Integration, Communication and Outreach at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, a position he held until his retirement. But Oliver Flax’s service to Trinidad and Tobago went beyond the jobs at which he was primarily employed.

He always said that one of his greatest regrets was that his work often prevented him from giving the amount of time to golf that he would have liked. As fate would have it, Oliver developed bone marrow cancer which would eventually be responsible for his death. But he bore his illness with a strength of character that was so typical of the man. Through all the visits to the hospital, through all the medicine, the blood transfusions and the tests, he never once complained. He accepted that this was what the Lord had deemed was his lot and he accepted it with the quiet confidence that was always his style. On Thursday, December 12th 2013, Oliver Flax succumbed to his disease and the country was poorer as a result.

He served for years as a Member of the Teaching Service Commission. He was a former Chairman of the National Training Agency as well as of the Board of Industrial Training and he was a Past-President of the South Trinidad Chamber of Industry and Commerce. He was also an author, playwright and actor. As far as sport was concerned, cricket and golf were among his greatest loves.

A few months after his death, his widow Diana and brother-in-law, Neil, decided that the best way to honour his memory would be to organise a golf tournament in his name to raise funds to assist persons who, like Oliver, were afflicted with cancer. And so the Oliver Flax Memorial Golf Tournament was born. Like the first edition, the second annual tournament was a tremendous success and we feel sure that Oliver is looking down from his seat at the right hand of the Lord and smiling as he sees that his life’s mission of helping his fellow men is continuing unabated.

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The aim of the tournament was to raise funds to assist Vitas House, the hospice located on the compound of the National Radiotherapy Centre in St. James...

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We who survive him console ourselves, therefore, with the knowledge that as so aptly described by the poet, Shelley who, writing on the death of John Keats, in his famous poem “Adonais”, noted that…

“He lives, he wakes – ‘tis death is dead, not he.” Neil Giuseppi - Chairman Organising Committee The Oliver Flax Memorial Golf Tournament

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Exceptional customer service should not be taken for granted To many managers, customer service is delivered only by frontline employees, that is, those persons who come into direct contact By Shirley Mohamed with the customer. After all, what does a back office employee who runs errands for the company or a computer operator have to know about customer service? The answer to this question is: everything! In every firm, every employee is a producer of service to the customer – directly or indirectly. At the end of the day all employees should be trained to deliver exceptional service. At any point, an “indirect employee” may find himself in direct contact with a customer needing service. So, who in your organization needs customer service training? Everyone! Furthermore, who is a customer? A customer is anyone external to the organization and everyone composed of its internal structure. That’s a lot of people. Most people think that a customer is someone who has done business with the company. Wrong. Just think of it- in this era of globalization, the world is the marketplace and everyone in the world is a potential customer. What this means is that there are more customers not using your products or services than the ones who do. In turn, this means that independent of the nature of your business, its potential is unlimited. How then, do we tap into this potential? By treating the customer right. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Yes, that is, until one realizes that respect and courtesy must be extended to both internal and external customers. Internal customers must be as satisfied as external customers. If internal customers

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are dissatisfied this would trickle down to external customers in the form of poor service. Customer intimacy must also extend to our internal customers. In other words managers should shift their priorities- from capital optimization to people optimization (Arie de Geus 2002). Employees should be treated in the same way that external customers are treated. Service could be used as the differentiator that sets the best enterprise apart from its competitors. Could an enterprise innovate around service delivery? Certainly. Embedding excellent service delivery as part of organizational culture is a precondition for innovation. This would foster the collaborations and conversations required to build customer intimacy. The four lenses of innovation (Skarzynski & Gibson 2008), could also be applied to strengthen this intimacy:Challenging orthodoxies – Consider the orthodox ways in which service is delivered and find new unique ways to deliver service. Review all customersinternal and external, local and foreignto devise diverse strategies. Harnessing discontinuities – Customers are now far more sophisticated than in previous times. Present trends are sometimes non-indicative of what would happen in the future. It is the focus on these discontinuous trends that could make the key difference in the way service is delivered by one firm when compared to its rivals. Leveraging competencies and strategic assets – The ability to recognize the specific customer service needs of your industry is critical. Single out employees who display the competencies to deliver exceptional service and exploit these in ways not considered in the past.

Integrate these competencies into the firm’s recruiting strategy. Use strategic assets such as advanced technology and unique business processes that the firm possesses to attract and retain customers. These assets provide a level of efficiency that can prove difficult for competitors to match. Understanding the unarticulated needs of the customer – Customer intimacy makes service delivery easy. Firms should go all out to understand their customers so that products and services match customer expectations. The greater a firm’s customer intimacy, the easier it becomes to interpret unarticulated needs and thereby, deliver products and services that customers did not even know they needed. Exceptional service should be at the heart of every organization and not be taken for granted. Service delivery could be integrated into the firm’s offensive strategies to build competitive advantage or widen an existing one (Strickland & Gamble 2007). Customers who experience poor service may never lodge a formal complaint yet an unsavory review given to their peers could have a multiplier effect on a firm’s image and reputation. Poor service is indicative of the poor health of a firm. This should not be left untreated if a firm is expected to survive and be profitable. Shirley Mohamed is a Hospitality professional who is passionate about exceptional service delivery. She has over two decades’ experience in the Hospitality sector, and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from the University of New Brunswick, Fredricton and an Associate of Science Degree Management from UWI-ROYTEC. She is presently pursuing the International Master of Business Administration at the UWI-Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business.

Innovation or Transfer? Innovation is the act of starting something for the first time; a creation resultant of research with genesis in the mind. This makes innovaBy Dwight C. Lewis tion inherently subjective because whilst the subjective comes into being after the essence of a thing, it is a complete breakaway from the essence of the said thing. Essence being a continuous evolution of reflection on the appearance and actuality of the thing itself. At subjective self, the absolute abstraction of the thing occurs as a revolution beyond its essence, thereby creating the first universal notion of the thing. The notion of the thing then evolves into a more concrete entity by acquiring objectivity until it is an idea. This objectivity is determined by comparisonwith other empirical objects or similar subjects- and in a process of rationalization, the best externalization that completely unifies with the concept of the subject, becomes its object. Therefore, while something may have a pre-history, that history does not make the thing, but only defines the set of circumstances at the starting point of the thing. It is the mind that creates a conception of the thing that brings it into first existence, even if a process of evolution and revolution is what causes it to emerge, as an idea. This idea is, then, the solution to the social need or challenge that was of concern. In so being, it may be a product, technology, institution, process, policy or lifestyle etc. The idea must be replicable within the societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s affordances and therefore in line with the constraints of both Nature (scientific law and environmental preservation) and the history of economic costs. Indeed there is a permanent process for improvement or additional innovations.

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It is important to go to this philosophical underpinning of innovation if we are to assess our efforts at innovation and more importantly, capture the infinite possibilities for innovation. The absolute abstraction in subjectivity contains the real elemental meaning of the thing and this permits the doing away with all previous determinations as if outmoding them; in order that the concept be carried forward in a new form. The creation of the subjective is also necessarily disruptive because it forces us to consider dropping the conventional category of evolutionary innovations which correspond to continuous or dynamic improvements which at best become transformational.

Transfer The key economic structure of the Caribbean, dating back through slavery, has been a monoculture, with no real attainment of vertical integration or diversification. In each territory, this ranged through the primarily undeveloped, no value-added products of sugar, banana, cocoa, coffee, timber, spice, oil, gas, bauxite and other raw minerals. The list can hardly make any pretence at innovation. Even where we ventured into services, the ideas were not original - all-inclusive tourism, offshore banking, contact centres and BPOs. These efforts appear more to be the cost management strategies of multinational corporations (MNCs) in the developed

markets rather than any developed creatively on the part of an emerging market. This is consistent with the development strategy well expounded by Arthur Lewis called Industrialisation by Invitation. In the skewing of national economic policies to attract selective industries, success meant expanded country production and manufacturing that could be used for import substitution and export. Main successes in the region have been Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and in these latter years, Trinidad and Tobago. The net beneficial effect has been dubious. A key contention has been the fact that the businesses of these industries have been

resourced with expatriate labour and foreign proprietary technologies. As such, the transfer of know-how has been marginal. Furthermore, with business strategy driven by the head offices, accumulation of entrepreneurial risk taking acumen has not developed in proportion to the time in which we have participated in international industry. Unique competitive advantage is a key assurance required for capital investments. As this competitive advantage becomes spurious the associated risk taken becomes nominal with the consequent basic returns; the latter making capital formation illusory. Clear low risk, hardly competitive industries

are like the 807 manufacturing under the Caribbean Basin Initiative (assembling apparel and electronics etc.), low aluminium content bauxite, tourism offering minimized by crime, sugar and banana which only survived on effective protectionist subsidies. These Caribbean industries are imitators or “also-rans” because they are taking someone else’s product concept (the real innovator) and attempting a more effective approach, at best. They all appear in the mature stage of the product life cycle where the key strategy is milking and, withdrawal by the investor is second nature at this stage where he is motivated purely to be an economic taker. Genuine competitive advantage takes on the greatest risk; in the process creating revolutionary products and thereby new markets e.g. MovieTowne, Port of Spain; Rap music out of Reggae’s “DJ’ing” and Calypso’s Extempore; Trinidad LNG, Sandy Lane Resort in Barbados. Therefore, what then transpires for innovation, in regional domestic markets, appears to be a perpetual struggle to catch up. Catch up via technology transfers, access to markets via trade agreements or niches, incremental improvements in national education policy, perfunctory token provisions for SMEs, and tax holidays for export operations of essentially redundant developed market industries or for un-improved and therefore non-premium raw materials and primary products. This strategy, without mystery, is the inbuilt code of regional economic failure. National population sizes do not permit domestic markets that can create scales of economies. The countries, at the same time, have inherent demand (irrespective of conservative theory) for overseas goods. In zero sum, the problem then becomes, “What is

the domestic premium accrued (from internal and external revenues) compared to the value of imported premium products necessary to keep society functioning?” Without a break-even or sufficient cover, we cannot be surprised at our economic state. This then becomes the fundamental necessity for innovation- not abstract development, modernization or efficiency improvements such as productivity.

Without an original “thought, there can be no innovation. Everything else is copycat which, for the expedient, may be okay if they view the genuine mental, cultural and institutional investments required as out of its reach and too much of a

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sacrifice.

Without an original thought, there can be no innovation. Everything else is copycat which, for the expedient, may be okay if they view the genuine mental, cultural and institutional investments required as out of its reach and too much of a sacrifice. In this, there is the jump start effect of someif small revenue generation, given the level of underdevelopment, is better than nothing. This is a deficient proposition especially

when the retrospection for the last half century is done. Clearly a continuation of the same approach is indefensible and downright lacking in said innovation. Strategies such as market studies to search for opportunities, positioning techniques, trade access and agreements, acquiring “new” technologies, skills training, etc. are only tempting suggestions for innovations. Consider whether for any good imported into the Caribbean, its producers first checked whether the region would consume it before the product was first created. Are the consumer and lifestyle trends in the developed markets a function of any provision from the Caribbean? Any idea (product) created in the Caribbean will have to compete with similar and other ideas from everywhere else in the globe. Filling market demand means the market already exists and the product solutions in question are known. What competitive advantage then, in that scenario, can the Caribbean muster? The notion of competitive advantage in this context is thus a fleeting illusion as the records will confirm; less credibility can be lent to rebranded Red Stripe beer drank by Tom Cruise or Barack Obama, a Blue Mountain Coffeehouse chain reminiscent of Starbucks, resort area wood carvings, tropical fruit punches, eco-tourism centred on reggae or cocoa. They all have in common that the markets are known and the products exist. Even if the existing products are the starting point, the mould of their value propositions have to be broken and new classes of users created for the offering to become truly innovative Dwight Lewis is an Energy Industry Expert and Lecturer in Energy and Markets at the UWI-ALJGSB.

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B2B – a Match Made in Heaven The Business School equips students with the right tools and anecdotal information to open new panoramas to the everyday By Anil Seunath workplace. The study of Business to Business is an interesting concept with favorable opportunities for success. In fact with a B2B relationship a mutual bond is created which exists for better or worse; it success is dependent on the players

Nevertheless, those who grasp the concept in its fullest ideology are able to appreciate the merits and efficiencies of this “closed relationship.” I recently found myself explaining to a prominent company in the United States why it would be hard for them to penetrate the company for which I work. My justification was summarized in one word - B2B- and they were able to appreciate not only the present, but also the past and to look at the future with only a glimmer of hope.

On the outside, B2B relationships cast a bad impression for those who don’t understand the relationship. It can be seen as a closed relationship which over time becomes synonymous to favoritism or improper governance.

I think “theGenerally, adage of “do a great job and the relationship will grow” has worked well since the adverse effects to its contrary are only too evident.

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Is timing a constitution in building B2B relationships? For a large company I think timing is a constitution. When relationships are established they are hard to break. What breaks a B2B relationship? It comes down to one party giving up or wanting out. What keeps them together? To answer this, I draw an analogy to an undergrad applying for a job without success- only to be hired through a summer program. In this case, my advice to them would be this: prove yourself and work relentlessly; this too can turn into a long term relationship. Generally, I think the adage of “do a great job and the relationship will grow” has worked well since the adverse effects to its contrary are

only too evident. Furthermore, if this undergrad were on the “outside” they would not stand a chance!

In the end, a B2B relationship is to be taken seriously. When a party enters into one such relationship, the job has not been completed. It’s up to that party to grow that relationship; to leverage it to perform on the top of their game. It’s important for them to overcome complacency. Look for what needs to be done better. A B2B relationship should be viewed as a privilege and partners should work diligently to overcome challenges and setbacks. Remember: it’s very hard to recover from mistakes. A Business to Business arrangement has its own rating department called internal auditors who look at every transaction so as to ascertain what went wrong.

Anil Seunath is the Brand Officer for Atlantic LNG Co. of T&T and currently serves as the Chair of the CSR Committee, Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Anil holds a Degree in Applied Computer Science and is currently enjoying the Executive MBA program at UWI-ALJGSB.

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Improve Customer

Engagement with Dynamics Which profile describes your company?

By Derrick Villeneuve

Profile 1 Rep: Thank you for calling ABC Company. How can I help you?

Customer: I called last week to get my service upgraded. (provides name and account details) Rep: Please hold for a moment while I check on your account. (5 minutes later)

Customer: I called last week to get my service upgraded. (provides name and account details) Rep: I can see the details of your call right here. I see that you placed an order for X. How can I help you? Customer: Well I wanted to add the unlimited data option. Rep: No problem. We can add that to your existing order. I notice you have previously purchased X from us. How is that working for you?

Rep: Sorry I could not find any record of your call. Who did you speak to?

Customer: Great!

Customer: I don’t know. They didn’t give me a name or reference number.

Rep: Are you aware that there is a new version of that device?

Rep: Sorry. Can you provide me with the details of what you wanted to upgrade? (10 minutes is spent repeating all of the info

Customer: No. What is it? (Rep proceeds to upsell customer)

from the last call with the customer growing increasingly frustrated)

Profile 2 Rep: Thank you for calling ABC Company. How can I help you?

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The company in Profile 1 has poor systems to support its customer interactions, while the company in Profile 2 has invested in tools to facilitate their sales reps. This reduces call times and increases customer service and satisfaction.

customers “whoSatisfied have a reduced price sensitivity, are less likely to switch to a competitor and more likely to refer your company to someone else.

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We have all experienced this situation. However, despite the advances in technology, which is available at lower costs, this continues to be a common occurrence.

The “Profile

company in 1 has poor systems to support its customer interactions, while the company in Profile 2 has invested in tools to facilitate their sales reps.

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It is 6 to 7 times more costly to acquire a new customer than to retain a new one. Satisfied customers who have a reduced price sensitivity, are less likely to switch to a competitor and more likely to refer your company to someone else. To top it off, they bring you repeated business.

Companies wanting to succeed in a competitive environment need to place a priority on customer satisfaction through the entire customer lifecycle. This requires building a customer-focused culture and supporting this with technology to facilitate customer interactions. This includes self-service web portals, social media presence and other customer relationship management solutions.

whether the customer opened your email and clicked on it to view a promotion or to view product or service information. You can provide electronic surveys which result in data that provide insight into business opportunities within your existing customer base.

Derrick Villeneuve, Director of Strategy, Davyn. He is a former Microsoft employee with over 15 years of ERP experience and has the responsibility for chartering the strategic direction of Davyn.

Take action and treat your customers to great experiences!

It is also important to market effectively to your customers. With technology available today you can easily determine things like

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The Role of

Social Media in Engagement: A Communications Perspective The era of unilateral communication is over. On the contrary, in the new social media-driven business model By Albertina Navas are the people who are dictating the nature, extent and context of marketing exchanges. As noted by Reid Hoffman, co-founder and chairman of LinkedIn, the ability to leverage relationships embodied in social networks will become one of the most transformative uses of the Internet.

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With connectivity and interactivity in mind as strategic activities, the traditional 4 P’s (Product, Promotion, Price and Place) are not nearly enough to achieve a set of marketing objectives in a digital era.

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Unlike traditional marketing, Social Media accomplishes a unique task: it allows people to communicate with one another and have the ability to tell thousands of other people with just a few keystrokes. In other words, marketing can no longer be limited to capturing attention; instead it should focus on continuing attention via engagement. The Cluetrain Manifesto, which examines the impact of the Inter28

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net on marketing in 95 principles, clearly states:

Conversations are the products the new markets are marketing to one another constantly online. By comparison, corporate messaging is pathetic. It’s not funny. It’s not interesting. It doesn’t know who we are, or care. It only wants us to buy. If we wanted more of that, we’d turn on the tube. But we don’t and we won’t. We’re too busy. We’re too wrapped up in some fascinating conversation. Engagement in these open freewheeling marketplace exchanges isn’t optional. It’s a prerequisite to having a future. Silence is fatal. As consumers are turning away from traditional sources of advertising such as radio, TV, magazines or newspapers, they are increasingly requiring on-demand and immediate access to information at their own convenience. This is the reason why social media strategists agree that social networks are not about websites, but about experiences. These experiences arise when marketers are able to incorporate reach, intimacy and engagement into the company’s overall integrated market-

ing communications strategy through the interconnectedness of social media combined with traditional media. With connectivity and interactivity in mind as strategic activities, the traditional 4 P’s (Product, Promotion, Price and Place) are not nearly enough to achieve a set of marketing objectives in a digital era. Even adding three more aspects to the marketing mix (People, Process and Physical evidence), for a 7 P’s model, is not enough. The present belongs to those who are best able to understand that this is the time for brands, not for products; for people, not consumers; for conversation, not promotion; for experiences, not transactions. This is the framework in which the new P’s should work on: 1. Purpose: It is moving from a product proposition mind-set to brand purpose. It is extremely difficult to differentiate a product on a utilitarian basis in a saturated market. A brand is definitely more compelling than a product. Brands engage heads and hearts. While the product is limited to what it is, the brand maximises the value of the customer. It is the time to look for fans, not to be content only with having users. 2. Principles: If customers look for products, they expect functional benefits. If customers look for brands, they expect meaningful value. Brand values are more compelling than product values. People engage with stories, not with lists of features. Great marketing

is embodied in actions, beyond statements. What values should we target? Transparency, sincerity and integrity. Nobody expects a brand to be perfect all the time, but people seem willing to forgive brands that admit their mistakes. The way a brand deals with its issues is more important than the actual issues. Humour, generosity, empathy. Brands should have the ability to entertain and connect with real people and behave like one of us. What the brand does is far more important than what it says.

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That is what Social Media Engagement is about: establishing m e a n i n g f u l relationships. Marketing should co-create mutual value, not just sell stuff. People are more engaged when they are involved in actions.

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3. Participation: Consumers perceive social media as a more trustworthy source of information regarding products and services than corporate-

sponsored communications, and consumers are no longer passive recipients in the marketing exchange process. Don’t interrupt them, instead engage and involve them. Participation is more effective than promotion. Even though much of today’s marketing is about grabbing people’s attention, there is still confusion between attention and attraction. It is not the same to say: ‘I am aware of’ than ‘I care’. Brands do care. Their role is no longer to broadcast, but to listen, participate and inspire actions. We need to think of people as part of our brands, not only as consumers. That is what Social Media Engagement is about: establishing meaningful relationships. Marketing should co-create mutual value, not just sell stuff. People are more engaged when they are involved in actions. It’s not only about making people want things; it is about making things that people want. We have to start building democratic brands; brands of the people, by the people, for the people. And the time is NOW! References: Berthon, P. R., Pitt, L. F., McCarthy, I., & Kates, S. (2007). When customers get clever: Managerial approaches to dealing with creative consumers. Business Horizons, 50(1), 39—48. Blackshaw, P., & Nazzaro, M. (2004). Consumer-Generated Media (CGM) 101: Word-of-mouth in the age of the Webfortified consumer. Retrieved July 25, 2008, from http://www.nielsenbuzzmetrics.com/ whitepape

Foux, G. (2006, May 8). Consumergenerated media: Get your customers involved. Brand Strategy, 38—39. Levine, R., Locke, C., Searle, D., & Weinberger, D. (2001). The Cluetrain Manifesto: The end of business as usual. New York: Basic Books. Rashtchy, F., Kessler, A. M., Bieber, P. J., Shindler, N. H., & Tzeng, J. C. (2007, February). The user revolution: The new advertising ecosystem and the rise of the Internet as a mass medium. Minneapolis, MN: Piper Jaffray Investment Research. Ricadela, A. (2007, October 31). Google girds for Facebook fight. Retrieved September 29, 2010, from http://www. businessweek.com/technology/content/ oct2007/tc20071031_631820.htm Vollmer, C., & Precourt, G. (2008). Always on: Advertising, marketing, and media in an era of consumer control. New York: McGraw-Hill. Wyshynski, G. (2009, October 29). Inside the NHL’s social media innovations, growing pains. Retrieved October 1, 2010, from http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_ daddy/post/Insidethe-NHL-s-social-media-innovations-growi?urn=nhl-199092

Albertina Navas, PhD (c) is presently the Director of The International Centre for Social Media Studies at the UWI-Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business

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Building Customer Relationships through Social Media Building your business’ competitiveness to survive in an ever-changing business environment requires you to adopt effective customer engagement strateBy Trevis Gangaya gies. Customer engagement no longer involves a sequence of one-off experiences but now relies on continuous dialogue between the business and its existing and potential consumers. The widespread use of social media has contributed to a fundamental shift in how businesses engage with customers. As a result, marketing and sales are moving away from the traditional focus on “touch points” to modeling strategies with the inclusion of social media in order to build strong relationships that place consumer engagement at the forefront.

Strategy determines your use of social media When you think of social media, the first names that probably come to mind are Facebook or Twitter. Nevertheless, all forms of social media are not necessarily always the best fit for all organizations. Exploring beyond popular social media platforms to personalized apps is an alternative. A business must look at developing a strategy that is reflective of its unique business needs and designed to capture its target market. Small and medium enterprises that dedicate time and resources to fully engaging the customer are more likely to outperform those that fail to do so.

Understanding the benefits and risks of using social media Finding innovative ways of engaging your customers is especially crucial for Business-toCustomer (B2C) relationships that need to be driven by some desired end result. A decision by a business to engage customers to assist in building brand perception, ensuring loyalty and ultimately increasing sales for the com-

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pany drives motivation within the organization. With customers being more readily available to give information, it is no longer necessary to speculate about the needs and desires of your target customers. Business can now use sophisticated social and web analytics to understand the content of customer opinions and concerns, social interactions and online behavior. This medium makes engagement more beneficial as it gives the business a better insight into what may be required to win customers over and allows for more informed decision making. The effectiveness of social media in spreading your company’s brand mantra or your unique corporate message designed to capture a new pool of potential customers should not be underestimated. This will also assist in building a sense of trust that can be measured against your company’s name and brand. Social marketing has propelled many small businesses into the spotlight. It is a tool that can be used to promote your products, services and offers to persons who may otherwise remain unaware of your business. Entrepreneurs can take full advantage of this tool to share content and information and, in the process, build networks that can have a positive impact on a search engine optimization strategy. It is also important for businesses to examine the risk factors before deciding to add social media to its armor of marketing strategies. Social networking can prove to be time consuming and management must be able to dedicate resources to monitor and post product information in a timely manner as well as respond to complaints and queries. It is important to note that social marketing can be seen as intrusive to the privacy of customers. This can lead to persons becoming less willing to share personal information over time. Therefore, it is beneficial to conduct a cost-benefit analysis that must be tied back to the company’s strategy.

Deploying social media in the Caribbean context Bringing this new paradigm of engaging customers to the Caribbean does not rule out the power of social media. Customers feel compelled to spend their money on brands to which they feel connected. The region has long suffered from weak business competitiveness and is dominated by large multinational companies. Can we here in the Caribbean start intensifying efforts by promoting our products and services to the world through social media? Customers around the world now have the opportunity to appreciate the tag that says “Made in the West Indies”.

Join the Digital Age Despite differences in the nature of your organization or industry in which you set up shop- be it Business-to-Business (B2B) or Business-to-Customer (B2C)- the power of customer engagement has proven to be a key factor in the ability of companies to achieve outlined objectives. Whatever the strategy used, it is important to find a balance between the benefits and the outlined risk factors of using social media. With the quick accessibility to portable internet capable devices, a growing knowledge-based economy and the increasing use of smartphones, the answer to the engagement required for this digital age can be found in social media. Social media can be leveraged as an effective tool for transforming your business image and promoting your brand. This can bring significant benefits to your company in the long term. Trevis Gangaya has more than 3 years’ work experience in financial and economic data analysis. Adept at technical report writing and leveraging data for developing business strategies and planning, his experience is not just limited to finance, having been involved in projects for marketing, strategic planning and change management to build effectiveness and efficiency. He is also currently an IMBA student at the UWI-ALJGSB.

Engagement:

How can Businesses Improve? Every business survives because of the combination of three core factors: the products that they sell, the customers who need the products and the employBy Herma J. Joseph ees who either make the products or explain its functions to the customer. In Trinidad and Tobago, near full employment is creating a problem for this system: manufacturers and retailers are unable to find people willing to work. Data released from the Central Statistical Office, second quarter of 2014, records that 659,100 people were employed in businesses throughout the country. It also noted that 22,900 people (who were willing to work) were unemployed, while 403,700 of the population were not considered part of the labour force. Manufacturers and retailers acknowledge that they employ 61% of the population and yet, to expand their businesses, that is, to build and staff a new factory and retail units, they need more workers. In addition, they claimed that of the workers who are employed, many are not very productive. At a discussion panel during the 59th Annual General Meeting and Business Breakfast of the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturer’s Association, it was noted that absenteeism and male underachievement were the Association’s biggest problems. They acceded that there was no shortage of skilled labour, and that women were more productive workers than men. The latter finding had encouraged them to seek more female workers. The Central Statistical Office reported that as of the 2nd Quarter of 2014, the Trinidad and Tobago workforce consisted of 368,800 males and 267,300 females. Social changes and education have helped to increase the num-

ber of women seeking jobs. Additionally, single female parents have become the head of the household and require employment to support their families. However, these social factors do not change the fact that the female is still considered the primary caregiver to children and aging parents. For female workers, employment is necessary to earn a salary to support the family but when a child or a parent is ill, their primary responsibility is to remain at home to care for the said member. If employers want to attract more female employees, they must be willing to lend support to female workers through on-the-job nursery centres, homework centres and centres for the aged. If these measures are put in place for the care of their family members, among female workers, absenteeism will decrease and productivity will rise. Does this approach also work for male employees? Employers complain of absenteeism and male underachievement. Male employees are “committed to themselves”, “not the interest of their employer or the job” and “resist authority.” The following Case Study illustrates these issues.

The Enterprise Project Marvin Wilson, Project Manager for the Enterprise Construction Company, hired Independent Contractor Lloyd Jones to do masonry work on a project. They met to assess the job, and agreed that although the job had a small degree of difficulty, it could be completed in a minimum of three days. They agreed on a price and a date for the start of the work. On the agreed date, Lloyd Jones and his crew arrived at 7:30am to begin work. Jones pulled Wilson aside to explain that the crew would only work for one day. He explained that they were committed to another project – a fishing trip – for the next day. He told Wilson that the

crew would work late to complete the job, and he would like to be paid at the end of the day. As indicated, the crew worked non-stop to complete the project. The highly skilled masons were placed on the difficult areas of the job, while the other masons completed the regular areas. Lunch was 30 minutes and bathroom and water breaks were limited. The crew only left the work area for lunch, and on return worked diligently until 6:00 pm. As the light faded, Wilson examined his project. They had given him 95% of what he expected. Three days’ work in one day. He paid the agreed price. Career Coach, Ryan Niessen, posits that employers look for employees who are passionate about the job and understand that their value proposition is to help drive organisational impact and revenue. The Enterprise Project shows that employees can be passionate about projects that help them generate revenue and further their own self-interest. Zappos CEO, Tony Hsieh, believes that workers perform better in task-specific projects using self-management and self-organization. Similarly, personal motivation and independence contributed to the satisfactory completion of the Enterprise Project. Therefore, it is evident then, that when dealing with male employees, a new management style must be employed. For male workers, self-interest is a defining factor. Employers can find a way to tap into this factor and use it to increase productivity. Herma Joseph holds a Master of Small and Medium Enterprise Management degree from the UWI-Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business and is currently pursuing the Post MBA Programme at the UWI-ALJGSB

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Who is Curt Wellington? 1: Who is Curt Wellington in 5 Words? Passionate, Caring, Available, Optimistic and Caribbean Focused.

2: What is your motivation? I am passionate about Caribbean Development - after all, the Caribbean was colonized for its capability to produce primary resources, but in the post-Independence period, we have not built the capability to add value to that bank of resources. We have a brilliant people, our challenge however, is that we cannot seem to marry the brilliance of the people with the exploitation of the resources. I do not have to be a politician to want to influence change, I have committed myself to promoting the potential of the Caribbean society, the potential for excellence in what we do. We do not have to go elsewhere to excel, we can excel right here in our own backyard.

Wow, that is a tough one. I read, exercise and run occasionally. I also listen to all genres of music, I have a collection of Caribbean music – I particularly like Calypso. I play the cuatro which I learned while playing with a parang band in Tobago. It is one my favorite instruments.

6: Describe your teaching philosophy?

3: Tell us the best advice you ever received? Everyone is on their own journey! In working in human development, it is always important to recognize that there is no real right answer; people have different lived experiences and as such use different lenses to view the same things. We can achieve so much more if we try to see what others are seeing, embrace the contributions of others and learn to listen! It is never about me rather it is about helping others.

Working in academia, you sometimes encounter individuals who have not been in the classroom for sometime and who have to be encouraged. At times you see their concern of having to battle through with the younger persons, who in their view might seem brighter and sharper. The truth is though, we all have something to offer, some value to add and my style is to facilitate a sense of inclusion in the classroom.

After the failure at exams and being fired from a job, the biggest challenge was overcoming me. I doubted myself. I recognized this and drew upon the advice of my coach when I attempted my first marathon. He said “don’t worry about the finish line, set small goals and when you reach each goal have a mini celebration. I started to live my life like that marathon. When you go as far as you can see, you will see further when you get there (but make sure you enjoy the journey.)

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I believe in people’s infinite capability; I believe that people have the potential not just to do but to become great. It starts with me honoring that possibility and getting others to recognize their potential.

4: What has been your greatest challenge?

5: What do you do when you are not working?

I am mindful that in the UWI-Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, our job is to help people become good practitioners. We marry the academics with the practice and this is done within the context of working together to develop our society.

7: Tell us about your current research interests? How can we leverage intellectual capital to create value for organizations? In the knowledge economy businesses focus more on their investment in the tangible assets rather

than the intangibles, and it is advanced that the intangibles have greater potential for wealth creation. We are blessed with a vast resource of intellectual capability but it may just be that we are missing a tremendous opportunity to make our mark on the global economy

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I am not being facetious when I say that one of the proudest things that I can look back on is getting married to my wife Merlene, of thirty (38) years.

8: Why did you choose this field/profession?

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After I lost my job I did not want to work for anyone. I started to look at how I could create something from the resources around. That grew into a kind of ‘blind’ passion. With the recession in the 80’s I looked at how I could help people to create as well. That led me to go into the church and community and offer assistance in developing programmes for unemployed youths. I began looking for a tutor for one of the community programmes and found YTEPP. When the representatives from YTEPP saw the programmes that I had done, they offered me a job to lead one of their community development programmes. It was that search in finding solutions for others that laid the foundation for my continuing search for solutions for Caribbean people.

9: What is one of your proudest accomplishments? I am not being facetious when I say that the one of the proudest things that I can look back on is getting married to my wife Merlene, of thirty (38) years. Merlene has been a rock and is still my most enthusiastic supporter. She married a bank manager, who then became someone pounding the pavement trying to ‘make it’ before getting into people development. Through all the hardship [and there have been many], we were able to raise three (3) kids and still very much enjoy each other today.

10: Faced with many competing demands for your time, how do you determine your priorities? Life is a series of moments and each moment prepares you for the one that is to come. I live in the moment; I focus on what is in-front

of me and give attention to that. Everyone has 24 hours in a day, it means that at times I sacrifice sleep in order to get some things done. I cannot worry over what is to come or what has not happened, what I do know is that what I do now has effect on what is going to happen down the road.

11: Tell us one thing most people do not know about you?

I used to be scared to stand in front of persons and speak. This manifested when I sold Insurance and would be scared to go speak to the clients. My then manager, recognized this and sent me to do the Dale Carnegie course. This course revolutionized my life… since then I just cannot stop talking.

12: Who were your points of reference and why? I once sat in a class that was taught by Lloyd Best and his perspective on the Caribbean society made an indelible mark on me. I can specifically remember him saying that we usually think of Europe and America as the centers of the world when the truth is wherever ‘you’ are is the center of the world. What I think he meant was that there must be an appreciation for who we are and how we are able to influence our environment.

13: What’s the next step for you? The end of one journey is the beginning of another. I would like to begin writing about our Caribbean business successes. We value texts and theories that come from other places, yet we do not seem to appreciate that we do things that are really very good. We have organizations like SM Jaleel that from small beginnings have grown into global corporations. We have stories of people like Arthur Lok Jack of Trinidad and Tobago and Butch Stewart of Jamaica. We tend to look for theories that validate what we do but theories are really the validation of what the practice has been able to accomplish.

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I believe in people’s infinite capability; I believe that people have the potential not just to do but to become great.

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Business ‘Secrets’ with

Dr. Peter Senge and Tom Peters

Questions? 1. What happens to the behaviours and attitudes of people from the time they are born and to the time they enter the world of work? 2. How is it that people often appear to misplace their natural creativity, curiosity, joy, true sense of purpose, and willingness to learn after a certain age? 3. Why is work always made to feel like ‘work’ in order to generate production? 4. Couldn’t work and fun occur simultaneously, and with better outcomes? 5. What makes a company the most desired company to work with? 6. What’s the secret that Google Inc. and Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited share that embeds a genuine culture of smiles and happiness amongst its employees? On Monday 13th April, 2015, the national agency responsible for regulating all technical vocational education and training (TVET) in Trinidad and Tobago gave an opportunity to 13 of its staff members to embark upon a journey to find the answers to the aforementioned questions and others alike, in an effort to enable a suitable organizational culture for all of its personnel to enjoy. This

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expedition led them to participate in the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business’ (UWI-ALJGSB) Distinguished Leadership and Innovation Conference (DLIC), with world renowned leadership and management gurus, Dr. Peter Senge and Tom Peters. The following represents some of the most salient leadership and management ‘secrets’ elucidated by these eminent authorities from which many contemporary organizations could benefit: 1. If you want staff to give great service, give great service to staff. ‘Treat employees like customers, and cater to their needs.’ It is critically important to continuously make the workplace and workspace comfortable and enjoyable for employees as ‘your customers would never be happier than your employees.’ 2. Spend time with different people, otherwise you might soon become the people you hang out with regularly. 3. Smile as though your job depends on it. Many benchmarking, service-oriented US-based companies have this philosophy as a core prerequisite to hiring. 4. “People leave managers, not companies.” Tom Peters

5. Appreciate the small businesses/entrepreneurs around you, as collectively, they create the most jobs. Become an entrepreneur yourself. 6. Make sure the purpose of your business centers on satisfying a need in society, and not mainly on obtaining profit. Profit comes after. A healthy business contributes to the wellbeing of society. 7. People matter. For better job performance, companies should help individuals achieve their life goals, not just work goals. Financial success is a result of the development of people. 8. Training = Investment. “An employee is only as good as his/her training.” Businesses should be like the Military, and Police Force and constantly train their employees. Develop a training plan to improve employees’ “hard” and “soft” skills. 9. Learn to apologize even if you are not wrong, as one’s behavior has a part to play in one’s success or failure. 10. Individuals do not get in trouble for what they might have done, they get in trouble for their response. “The re- action to a problem becomes the real problem.” 11. Women = Success in organizations.

Promote them. Women buy EVERYTHING – therefore it is important to empower them in businesses as they know what consumers want. 12. Gender inequality in the workplace should be replaced by equal opportunity rather than misconstrued perceptions of inability. The ‘glass ceiling’ does not exist, it’s a perception. 13. Kindness = Repeat business = Profit (K=R=P). As a Chinese proverb goes, ‘A man without smiling face should not open shop.’ 14. Have the right attitude to start the day: ‘it’s one thing they can’t take from you.’ 15. Show gratitude. Say ‘thank you’ for small things. People appreciate being appreciated. It pays off in the long run. 16. A major part of Effective Leadership is knowing how you affect everyone around you. 17. Globalization has destroyed the differences that are needed in organizations. Therefore, incorporate traditional ways of doing things with new and ad-

vanced technologies. 18. Create an innovative culture. New ideas need to be harnessed and implemented to move the organisation forward. 19. Start everyday assuming you have zero satisfied customers, then work above and beyond to please them. 20. Soft skills are important, as they can make or break an organization. Leaders/employees must be able to relate well to develop productive relationships with each other and with their customers. 21. Take action (for the betterment of humanity). Try not to have regrets. ‘Don’t look back and say you didn’t do it because the ‘boss’ didn’t want you to/tell you to.’ People sit around planning and thinking, when what is really needed is action. People should be allowed to make mistakes as it is part of the learning process. 22. Never be “too busy.” Make time for those 3-minute follow-up calls or e-

mails to touch base with family, friends and customers as required. 23. Move away from the colonial ‘indoctrinated’ type of authority. In school, who tells you what to learn, how to learn, and if you’re doing well? – The Teacher; similarly this occurs in business, where managers do that. This does not facilitate authentic learning. 24. Meetings are required, but meetings should incorporate excellence, enthusiasm, engagement, learning, tempo, build interest, etc. 25. Four of the most important words in an organization: What do you think? It’s important for employees to know that they have a say and that their opinions matter. 26. ‘Sometimes, a business secret is not low cost, but high revenue.’ Contributed by

The National Training Agency

Contributors (alphabetically by surname): Mr. Steve Arman(CEO), Ms. Sherlene Bass, Ms. Marva Connell, Ms. Jenna Dass, Mr. Rishi Dass, Ms. Nalini Diaram, Mr. Francis Felician, Ms. Nakita Henry, Mr. Dinesh Jonas, Mr. Rohan Kanhai, Ms. Andrea Ramadoo, Mr. Akaash Ramkhalawan, Mr. Avenash Ramsoobhag, Ms. Annmarie Singh, Ms. Rose Uche-Nwachi

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The Brain Drain Effect :

Combatting the loss of our most valuable resource The Caribbean is renowned for its beautiful islands, diverse sporting prowess, natural resources and most importantly, its graduates. With the advent By Garth Francis of affordable and in some instances, free tertiary education, the abundance of scholastic talent has led to the illumination of what was previously the elephant in the room: the migration of highly qualified graduates. It is a biased assumption that brain drain is a clear cut problem as opposed to a causal effect of various factors. Nevertheless, it remains an issue that needs to be addressed to ensure the continuous development of the Caribbean region. As such CaribbeanJobs.com has embarked upon its own initiatives to address the problem at hand.

CaribbeanJobs.com is a subsidiary of a German online job board group, Stepstone GmBH, and a member of a network of similar companies founded by Stepstone, known as The Network. The Network, which spans job boards across 134 countries and partnering with the Boston Consulting Group, conducted a survey in 2014 of over 200,000 jobseekers in 189 countries. The survey was aimed at measuring the propensity of skilled talent across the world to migrate. Though we are aware of the inclination of many graduates to migrate in search of better career opportunities, the results still

provided some element of surprise (see accompanying infographic).

We at Caribbeanjobs.com have introduced some methods to actively counteract the dreaded brain drain effect and get the best and brightest workers to contribute to our economies; from Jamaica in the North to Guyana in the South. Caribbeanjobs.com offers job seekers the ability to search for jobs free of charge; have a customized experience based on the type of employment they are seeking, and register their CVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so that they can be informed of job opportunities relevant to their career path. The Caribbeanjobs.com Education Platform currently provides a strong link between job seekers and the institutions that can provide them with the necessary skills and qualifications. A work force that is trained to take advantage of jobs that exist in the region is something to which we continue to strive. The Top Caribbean Graduates Initiative allows educational institutions to provide a list of their best graduates every year. These elite students are actively marketed to the best companies in the region so that Caribbean firms can benefit from their skills and expertise. If we are to be competitive as a region we must identify our best talent and make a great effort to keep them within the Caribbean. Finally, Caribbeanjobs.com is an online recruitment tool which allows for Caribbean people, who have migrated, to be made aware of opportunities in the region. Many of them could be motivated to return and as they bring the skills that they have acquired back to the Caribbean; the companies and nations that embrace them will reap the benefits. Garth Francis MBA, Business Development Manager for Caribbeanjobs.com; Responsible for the Caribbeanjobs.com Education Platform Akil Edwards, Marketing Manager; Responsible for the relaunch of the upgraded Caribbeanjobs.com site

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Leadership Re-Orientation: Beyond The MBA ‘What does great leadership feel like?’ When this question was posed to a group of colleagues the response raised eyebrows and puzzled looks. By Dr Kamla Mungal Most writings and discussions produced on leadership often address the actions of the leader. In the last two decades, however, a more personal theory of authentic leadership has dominated academic and professional literature on the subject. The emphasis has clearly shifted from mainly “doing” to “being what you do” as you contribute to positive outcomes. As such, leadership development programmes are more self-focused and designed to bring the true human being to the fore. These programmes seek to connect the person, their actions and behaviours and their environment in a naturalistic manner. These aspects though are beyond the scope of the MBA programme structure.

to deepen their integration of knowledge to achieve personal evolution into greater leadership. The Post-MBA is one such opportunity. It is a leadership development experience that engages the re-oriented leadership phenomenon and facilitates a clear understanding of leadership as personal development with increasing spirituality which increases social and environmental connectivity. The participant is able to achieve self-awareness and selftranscendence; engage in “elastic thinking” where he or she is able to consider perspectives across levels and paradigms; and connect to management practices in a way that reflects their authentic selves. This addresses fundamental learning from the limitations of earlier theories of transformational leadership; leadership must be sustaining to the leaders themselves.

The Post-MBA “experience was designed as a process that allows participants to distill their experiences and make new connections in a manner that is authentic and driven by one’s inner self.

advancement both on a personal and organisational level. The experience commences with a journey into self and results in self-awareness and deepening consciousness. Participants are then taken into an “other-focused” journey as they enhance their awareness of the social and wider environmental realities of the world in which they will enact their purpose. They are also reoriented to find ways of positioning their purpose to create value for others within wider networks. Throughout the Post-MBA journey, the participant connects self with solutions, including organisational transformation activities. The final course on “Execution” brings together human understandings with financial and project management capabilities to develop an advanced competency for delivering and obtaining results in a manner that revitalizes the spirt of the organisation and makes a significant contribution to society. Leadership therefore feels natural and invigorating. The journey is one that is self-revelatory and truthful. It is inspiring and humbling. True happiness results when there is no gap between what one is and what one does. There is no action that is inconsistent with the human conscience. The leadership aura is enhanced and there is increasing motivation, confidence and courage. The leader is increasingly concerned with achieving his or her purpose and serving wider humanity. Leadership is always a consequence of such self-transcendence and spiritual actions. Ultimately, the result is a strong sense of self, conviction of purpose and peace with one’s legacy.

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While the MBA is a complete toolkit to equip graduates to undertake personal, organisational and societal transformation, it is constrained by time. For this reason, other opportunities must be provided for graduates

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The Post-MBA experience was designed as a process that allows participants to distill their experiences and make new connections in a manner that is authentic and driven by one’s inner self. MBA tools are integrated into the experience so participants can focus on sustainable mechanisms for achieving growth and

Dr. Kamla Mungal is a graduate of the Executive MBA from the UWI-ALJGSB and is currently Director – Academic Development & Accreditation/Leadership Institute at the UWIArthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business.

Turnover Is High; Productivity Is Low: Employee Engagement must be a Strategic Move as attracting top talent is a Competitive Activity Globally, the employee-employer relationship is evolving. Businesses are shifting their emphasis more on engaging emBy Genelia Lezama ployees as companies attempt to retain the best and build the best organisations. Across Trinidad and Tobago, businesses are experiencing high turnover rates and decreases in productivity. This is largely due to employees, particularly those of the millennial generation, operating in a transparent job market. New job opportunities are being presented via smartphones and on forums such as LinkedIn and other social networking platforms in the industry. They seek more than a nine to five job and are easily demotivated. Therefore, businesses must recognise the increasing importance of developing their leadership skills, and concentrating more on their human resource function as a key player in changing these outlooks and helping shape employees as creative contributors.

It is a well-known fact that each employee is essential to a business achieving its strategic goals and business objectives. As such, kick-starting employee engagement is not as difficult as some may think. Engaging an employee requires businesses to develop strong and trusting relationships which should be in conjunction with mutual respect. Employees are equal partners and to demonstrate this, employers should see them in a client to client relationship. Managers play an integral role in employee retention and engagement. People leave managers, not necessarily organisations; hence, it is important to get managers on board. Consistent soft skills training is a key method to ensure this is always at the forefront of departmental goals and by extension, overall organisational goals.

Issues of retention and engagement are increasing, however this is not one sided. Employees should make some commitment to this effort in order to go forward on a positive note. On the other hand, engagement must come from the top down; it must start at the head of an organisation. In speaking with clients we have seen a need for psychometric testing since employers are seeking to enhance their engagement processes. In order for engagement to be successful businesses should:

Employees are equal “partners and to demonstrate this, employers should see them in a client to client relationship. Managers play an integral role in employee retention and engagement. 40

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jobs or being victimized based on this culture. Since culture has a direct link to employee relations and by extension employee engagement, many job applicants are becoming increasingly interested in a company’s culture before deciding to take an interview appointment. The new generation of workers are now frequently inquiring about their roles and responsibilities from a social and cultural aspect, which is clearly seen from several interactions with candidates. Further, in an attempt to discern the likelihood of retention, an increase in requests by organisations for personality traits of prospective employees has also been observed. This highlights then that employers are becoming more sensitised to their working environment.

In order to ensure employee retention, the old business adage of “do as I say and not as I do” must change; it is no longer relevant to both parties. Employees often become disengaged, fearful of losing their

• Ensure that they work with managers to get ‘buy-in’ on the engagement plans. Businesses are now seeing the importance of this to support the development of employees and efforts are being made by employers to revamp the rewards and recognition programmes- a direct effect of the engagement process. • Be true to their values and what they believe drives the business, and this should be reflected in the day to day behaviour of the entire organisation. • Filter all levels of the business in order for employee engagement activities to be successful. Although getting all business leaders on board with this is not easy, it is necessary. • Breathe life into organisational goals. It must not be on paper only, but be an active part of the day to day life of organisations. A shift in company culture takes time. Culture is a shift changer and can make or break any engagement planning process. It

all comes down to the commitment of both the employer and the employee. Employers should: find the strong points of their team and work with them to encourage selfworth and motivation; engage employees by guiding and nurturing their teams; encourage them to think outside of the box, revamp their roles and responsibilities, and look at new ways to improve their jobs and tasks assigned.

Businesses across Trinidad and Tobago have to adapt to building an appealing organisation in order to recruit and retain the best by remaining competitive in the marketplace and by building a sensitive and socially responsible company. By Genelia Lezama, Placement Officer, Eve Anderson Recruitment Limited

Businesses across Trinidad and Tobago “have to adapt to building an appealing organisation in order to recruit and retain the best by remaining competitive in the marketplace and by building a sensitive and socially responsible company.”

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Engaging our Alumni The concept of marketing engagement is not a new one. Marketing engagement is related to experiential marketing, which By Fayola Nicholas involves the use of various tools to create an experience with customers that builds an emotional affinity with the company or brand. We also know how marketing engagement influences brand impact for various campaigns.

At UWI-ALJGSB we “measure our engagement by the number of alumni that interact with the school after they graduate, and at present 16.6% of our alumni return to the school and take part in our events, conferences or are a part of the mentorship programme.

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The Graduate Management Admission Council’s 2014 report indicated that in Latin America & the Caribbean, alumni have three ways they wish to be more engaged, including more networking events, greater transparency in usage of donations and contact with faculty or business advisors. The UWI-ALJGSB surveys and focus groups have led us to create a number of events and potential experiential opportunities for our esteemed alumni. These events are meant to interact with alumni in ways that you have explicitly stated you need assistance. These include career development, continued learning, ways to give back and a forum to share your knowledge. The Alumni Relations Centre works to highlight the achievements of alumni; we create opportunities for networking, we communicate the current activities of the school, we share job opportunities and we allow alumni to give back to students through our mentorship programme. Using a mixture of alumni events, digital communication and other means, we continue to have a conversation with our alumni that feeds directly into the services we provide. At UWI-ALJGSB we measure our engagement by the number of alumni that interact with the school after they graduate, and at present 16.6% of our alumni return to the school and take part in our events, conferences or are a part of the mentorship programme. The 2014 UWI-ALJGSB Alumni Tracer Survey resulted in a mean score of 4.65 on a five point scale, when alumni were asked how likely they were to recom-

mend UWI-ALJGSB to friends or family. The school has great stories of 112 alumni participating as mentors in our last mentorship programme, more than 200 people attending our bi-monthly Business Networking events, and the many alumni that have returned as students in the Post MBA and DBA classes. Yet the question still arises How can we increase our engagement with our alumni?

Should we have a few more events? Throw a BBQ or sporting event? Should we focus on more careers, further education or a more social theme? The answer lies at the point where an alumni begins as a student. The best way to create a group of engaged and committed alumni, is to begin with a group of engaged and committed students. Rather than asking about what we can do for alumni after they have left the school, we need to create a positive experience for the student while they are studying. The

challenge for the Advancement and Alumni Relations Centre now lies in balancing the needs of current alumni, while nurturing our relationship with future alumni. We must find a way to provide a fuller and more enriching experience for our students, beyond their academic experience. Our situation is somewhat unique, as our academic programmes and students are part-time. Students don’t have the time to engage in traditional ‘student life’. There are no student-led groups such as the hiking, debating or parang clubs. Our students have a lot on their plate. Two to three classes per week plus workshops, class preparation and group meetings, in addition to their work demands and precious time with family. This is exhausting and they may not want to hear from yet another person at UWI-ALJGSB. Do they have the time to be engaged?

It requires a little “creativity and a deeper understanding of the concerns of the students at present.

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We believe that the answer is a resounding yes! It requires a little creativity and a deeper understanding of the concerns of the students at present. Perhaps not all the conversations with students need to be face to face. Technology and social media can provide the connection and support they need. A great example of this is the new online Mentorship Platform, which allows students to view all alumni volunteer mentors and contact any of them for a quick chat. Although they are invited to our Distinguished Alumni Series and CEO’s Back to School events, there is often a clash with classes and group meetings. This forces us to employ creative scheduling for student events or even meeting them in their classes to build the relationships. The Business Networking event on a Thursday starts at 6 pm and continues after normal class time, so that they can stop in for a drink and to mingle with alumni. It also means that we have to be aware of the students’ needs as much as we are aware of the needs of alumni. This means, perhaps, to help them build their networking skills in a safe environment with students from other programmes and working with them to plan their career, so that they are poised and ready to maximize their new

qualifications once they have crossed the stage and collected their certificates. We can also encourage them to share their own expertise by contributing to the school’s content for magazines such as the ialum. This is a long-term programme, for which we will not see the results for the next two years or longer. However we are committed to making the experience of our students and our alumni a greater one, so that everyone feels welcome and supported in the alumni community. If you would like to volunteer to assist our students in their personal and professional growth and development with career guidance, as an online mentor, or a guest speaker for an event, please contact the Advancement and Alumni Relations Centre at alumni@lokjackgsb.edu.tt. Ms. Fayola Nicholas is the Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations at UWIArthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business

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Taking Business

Education to another level At the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, we believe in constant growth and development of all our stakeholders, helping you ensure that you are on the cutting edge of business. The key events of this quarter demonstrates our continuous commitment to providing updated knowledge while forging paths for growth in new frontiers.

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Our biennial Women in Leadership (WIL) conference themed “Insights from Great Contemporary Women” took place this year on Wednesday July 8th...

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“Learn to Disrupt – Disrupt to Learn” was the theme for this year’s 13th Annual Distinguished Leadership and Innovation Conference (DLIC) held on April 13th. We were doubly honoured to have world renowned authorities on management and leadership Dr. Peter Senge and Tom Peters as the key speakers at the conference. Both speakers did utmost justice to the theme of this year’s conference, exciting and intriguing the audience while setting them on a path of critical thought and reflection to be followed by action. Breaking new ground this quarter, we hosted a trade mission between Guatemala and

Trinidad and Tobago on April 12th -16th, 2015, aimed at building global relationships and assisting the trade initiative of both countries. It was attended by executives from three prominent Guatemalan sectors in Agribusiness, Information Technology and a mass consumer goods manufacturing company. The Business School has

operations in Guatemala where it offers the Masters of Small and Medium Enterprise Management and has numerous partnerships with companies and Guatemalan institutions such as – AGEXPORT, Interbanco, Walmart Central America, Claro, Campus Tec, Solucion Web, Inforum, Social Communication Skills among others. April 28th 2015 marked a new chapter for the institution as we turned the sod to commemorate the expansion of the UWIALJGSB facilities in an effort to create an atmosphere which promotes idea generation, collaborative learning and dual-mode technology supported learning. Celebrating the occasion was Senator the Honorable Fazal Karim, Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Lok Jack, Members of the Board of Directors of the UWI-ALJGSB, staff, students, alumni and specially invited guests. The expansion will begin this year and take place at the back of the school building, comprising two floors with classroom and informal spaces. In collaboration with the UNDP, GEF and SGP we were able to host a Knowledge Fair held on May 28th and 29th. The twoday event themed “Igniting Global Enviro-

minds- Transforming Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow” focused on catalysing new opportunities to create a more sustainable future, while showcasing the contributions and best practices of the GEF, SGP, UNDP grantees in addressing environmental challenges at the community level. The event brought together dynamic leaders from diverse sectors to examine issues such as climate change, biodiversity conservation, land degradation, threats to international waters and pollution.

Our biennial Women in Leadership (WIL) conference themed “Insights from Great Contemporary Women” took place this year on Wednesday July 8th and featured International Leadership speaker and bestselling author, Fawn Germer who addressed over 300 of Trinidad and Tobago’s leading women. Closing off the day’s powerful lineup was a Fashion Show, cocktail reception and a book signing with the speaker. Participants were also treated to complimentary activities from express massages to makeup sessions in addition to unparalleled networking opportunities with career and business women with a consensus that WIL 2015 was “exciting, powerful and inspiring.” Stay tuned to www.lokjackgsb.edu.tt or follow us on social media to find out our upcoming events for the next year! BUSINESS B BUS USIN IN SS INE SS M MA MAG MAGAZINE AG AGAZ AZI ZIINE Z NE

School Events

The International Leadership speaker and Best Selling Author Fawn Germer signs books for participants of the Women in Leadership Conference 2015

Mr. and Mrs. Lok Jack along with Members of the Board of Directors and Senator the Honourable Fazal Karim, Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training at the sod turning for the building expansion

A cross-section of the women at the Women in Leadership Conference 2015

NGC Energy Lecturing students at the GEF SGP Knowledge Fair 2015 hosted by UWI-ALJGSB

Michelle Sohan from Bakery Treats at UNDP GEF SGP Knowledge Fair 2015

Members of the Guatemala Trade Mission along with representatives of the UWI-ALJGSB meet with Mr. Arthur Lok Jack, Director, UWI-ALJGSB and Professor Miguel Carrillo PhD, Executive Director and Professor of Strategy, UWI-ALJGSB

Networking at the Distinguished Leadership and Innovation Conference 2015. From left: Professor Miguel Carrillo, Executive Director and Professor of Strategy, UWI-ALJGSB; Gervase Warner, Group CEO, Massy Holdings Ltd; Tom Peters, feature speaker; Arthur Lok Jack, Chairman, Associated Brands Industries Limited and Dr. Peter Senge, feature speaker at DLIC.

Alumni Events 2015

2015

Business Mixer

Our distinguised panel discussing the inpact of business design on social change

Meet the right people, right here!

Business Mixer

Networking at our mixers

Meet the right people, right here!

Leadership Lessons: Building for the Future

Panel discussion at the Leadership Lessons 2015

Networking at our mixer in July at the UWI-ALJGSB