MIMLINK a journal of the MALTA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT
Issue 3, June 2014
Introducing Agile Methodologies in a Non IT Environment Part One p10-11
Farsons BusinessAnnounces process New â‚Ź27 Million Reengineering Investment p13 p10 A practical perspective p9
Bad Boy Cleaners A Commitment to Cleanliness The Future p7 of your business Intelligence p18
NEWSPAPER POST
MALTA
INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT
MIMLINK
a journal of the MALTA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT
Issue 3, June 2014
President’s Message
MALTA
The first quarter of 2014, the 50th year of existence of the Malta Institute of Management, saw the Institute increasingly active also in preparing itself for the main events that will crystallise this historic moment.
INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT
During this quarter, along with our continuous innovative events, the Institute fulfilled successfully the challenge of organising a high calibre international conference in Rome. The event, which was lauded by the participants, international speakers and sponsors, formed part of our vision of an Institute venturing outside the Maltese shores primarily to explore and boost networking opportunities for the Maltese Manager.
CONTENTS
MIMLINK EDITORIAL
2
TIME FOR REFORM OF LABOUR LAWS
3 5
MAKING LEARNING FUN
9
INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS
BAD BOY CLEANERS
A COMMITMENT TO CLEANLINESS
INTRODUCING AGILE METHODOLOGIES IN A NON-IT ENVIRONMENT PART ONE
FARSONS ANNOUNCES NEW €27 million INVESTMENT IN A BEER PACKING FACILITY
7
10-11
13
GETTING YOUR MBA -
15
THE WINNING PARTNER OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM
A WORTHWHILE JOURNEY
SOCIAL NETWORK RECRUITMENT
BUSINESS PROCESS RE-ENGINEERING A PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE - PART TWO
17 19
A New Era In management
21
SUPPORTING THE EVER CHANGING ROLE OF THE FEMALE WORKER
23
Mobile BANKING
50 YEARS MALTA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT - BORN TO LEAD
MIM CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2014
22
24
Design by:
© Malta Institute of Management 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Malta Institute of Management.
Opinions expressed in MIMLINK are not necessarily those of the Malta Institute of Management. All care has been taken to ensure truth and accuracy, but the Editorial Board cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions in the articles, pictographs or illustrations.
These initiatives of the MIM have their own particular nature and scope. They are totally different from the activities of the Malta Enterprise in this sector. The MIM organises sharings on international subjects. The Institute provides participants from different countries with a common ground of involvement to encourage them to talk and seek to enhance their knowledge and expertise together. At the same time, the Institute promotes the knowledge and expertise that exist in Malta as well as Talent Malta.
The MIM has also been proactive in preparing a paper arguing in favour of certain legislative changes in areas where, in the opinion of the Committee in charge of preparing the document, the existent legislation is limiting the promotion of talent in Malta. The paper encourages Government to push the legislation concerned from its present conservative state to an advanced stage that encourages new qualifications in today’s reality. Government would be indeed forward looking when opening up to these changes in order to assist the economy grow and to ensure that Malta does not fall short of the necessary skills and expertise in this growth. The Institute is further working on other recommendations which it feels may be necessary for the development of the Maltese economy. All members are encouraged to participate in the discussion committees and/or to come up with ideas and suggestions that may assist the Institute in the preparation of new valid position papers.
This publication once again brings you a number of technical articles from experts with various backgrounds. It is important for us managers to be acquainted with diverse topics and not only with topics related to our specific expertise. In this context, I trust you will find this journal useful in your everyday work and look forward to receive your constructive critical feedback on how we can further build on its achievement to date.
Reuben Buttigieg,
President, Malta Institute of Management
Editor: Reuben Buttigieg Design: Dark Dragon Media Ltd. Printing: Best Print Ltd. Distribution: Maltapost Plc.
Malta Institute of Management
www.darkdragonmedia.com
Orange Grove, Block B, Birbal Street, Balzan, BZN 9013, Malta Tel: (+356) 21 456819 - Fax: (+356) 21 451167 info@maltamanagement.com
www.maltamanagement.com
MIMLINK Editorial
January 2014
by Robert M Cachia, Member on Council, MIM
This editorial brings us to the third edition of MIMLINK The journal editor and President of MIM has invited me to share some thoughts with our readership, in the form of a contributed editorial.
The last Link editorial announced MIM’s first International conference, in Rome. That milestone, operating for a few days in the capital of a G8 country, and, indeed, with the Associazione Bancaria Italiana, inclemently places the onus on MIM to follow up with more International projection for the management profession in Malta.
The Institute is now pleased to announce a new diploma, a Higher Diploma in International Business, over three evening semesters. Persons already active in the market, frequently in outward-facing roles interacting with customers or suppliers, will be trained to hone their business skills to work effectively with overseas companies, with persons overseas, and develop a service culture and an international outlook. The proposed training will build on the experience of students with varied and interesting work backgrounds in different roles and industry verticals but without high paper qualifications, and will enable them to establish and maintain customer relationships that are culturally sensitive across belief-systems, legal and political systems, and across language barriers.
The course will allow graduates in non-business disciplines (e.g. linguists, geographers, psychologists, the humanities), even with much less work experience, to train in the same environment with their experienced colleagues. The synergies will be great and benefit both constituents.
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The diploma, that will address face-to-face business exchanges, will place great emphasis on e-service interactions. Persons employed in Financial services, Call Centres, iGaming, Data Centres as well as Web masters in any sector of the economy and who have a flair for mixing with people will find that this course will allow them to advance their career in a growth area. Manufacturers may well see value-add in including services over and above their product, a key strategy in modern manufacturing. Successful students will be able to twin a high-tech with a hightouch career, see longer-term prospects for themselves, and find reassurance that their contribution is high value-add for the business employing them. The more entrepreneurial might start up their own company, born-global.
Many Maltase consumers are habitually purchasing over the Internet. Some local firms have long been complaining of losing business to overseas traders. In the vision underpinning the course, the businessminded response is to address sales to the overseas market, because 420,000 purchasers on one Island are not the huge markets that are China or North Africa, to mention just two markets. With the emphasis being on service, that typically use limited material input, the issue of lack of local natural resources is addressed, and the business is Green, with low environmental impact. Teachers on the diploma will be persons with strong track records delivering in the outer-facing parts of the Maltese economy. The vision is to build on the variegated student profile and to have lecturers and mentors who are role models and who can facilitate networking. The vision above sits in well with other MIM diplomas, and with the Edinburgh MBA and DBA degrees available through
Institute facilitation. This Internationalising envisioning fits in with the opportunities of Banking sensitive to prescripts of the legal systems in the North African market, that are opening up.
The attentive reader will discern a context to all this. Ten Years ago, with EU accession, the immediate overseas market was the EU. In just ten years, the Internet became pervasive; China surpassed the US as the major world trader; and North Africa, still in turmoil, will surely settle down to a new beginning.
Further, our educational system – public schools and private schools – have admirably woken up to the opportunity and challenge of teaching children Chinese and Arabic. Before four years are out, young joiners to the work force will increasingly be interacting over the Internet with potential markets of 1.2 billion and 200 million consumers respectively.
Turning to the institutional level, the organization and structure of Government has received a subtle but long-range upgrade in thinking. A former Ministry of IT has seen itself morph into a Ministry that embraces the Digital Economy. This is more than a change in terminology. The focus moves away from the tool, and embraces the Internet platform as an electronic meeting place, a market, a repository, of Big Data. The internal scene and the external context are at once in Malta’s favour, and the MIM diploma hopes to offer value; to the different streams of students who will want to take it up, and to the businesses who will deploy this blend of skills, all conceived locally and tuned to local needs and opportunities. Note: Dr Robert M Cachia has experience spanning technology and management, in the private and the public sectors, in Malta and overseas. Enquires on the Higher Diploma may be addressed to Ms Valentina Barbara Oliva, on Tel: 21 456 819.
Our modern lifestyle is interlinked and almost inseparable from technology. It affects our work, our lifestyle, the way we seek pleasure and even how we entertain ourselves. It is no wonder that the buildings we inhabit have become more sophisticated, complex and evermore hungry for energy. Property owners need therefore be on the constant alert that their building services are operating efficiently and economically, lest the energy costs spiral out of control. Good building managers seek to reduce their operating costs through energy efficiency and by eliminating wastage in a practical and cost-effective manner. Achieving this goal is to wisely be able to manage energy consumption. For example, severe reduction in the provision of heating or cooling to any building does bring a reduction in energy costs - but is it sensible? Definitely it is no joy to work at an establishment having this attitude towards curbing costs and you would be excused from not spending any of your hard earned money at a leisure venue also entertaining such an approach. Delivering intelligent buildings is all about providing high quality comfort in an environmentally sustainable manner through the optimisation of energy usage.
Working or seeking pleasure in a building which employs energy conservation measures and having a small or no carbon footprint, is a healthier, friendlier and more attractive. It is both a more productive working environment as well as more appealing to visit. Profitable Intelligent Buildings A significant benefit of intelligent buildings is the potential to earn more money from the property.
Reduction in energy costs is the key driver behind intelligent buildings. Yet, just as important is the added increase in value of the property and its prestige. Attractive and comfortable buildings have the potential to attract higher revenue. Technologically speaking, intelligence in buildings is delivered by what is referred to as a Building Energy Management System (BEMS) - a combination of software and field devices controlled by an electronic brain. A well-executed BEMS not only manages energy consumption intelligently but also contributes towards improved ambient conditions of the building, much to the satisfaction of visitors and residents alike.
Typically, buildings fitted with intelligent BEMS operate at 20% less energy than ones which are not. Whilst many think of BEMS as systems that need to be put in place during construction, smart controls can just as readily be retrofitted in existing buildings, often leading to higher returns on investment. Another upside to having intelligent buildings, apart from their lower operational costs, is their contribution towards an efficient and productive workforce. Many studies show that within a few years following the retrofitting of a BEMS system, the revenue generated from increased productivity tends to outweigh the initial investment costs.
Intelligent
Buildings by Darryl Schembri, Engineer with AIS Technology Ltd.
Once installed, BEMS need to be operated properly. As such systems are sitting on the communication backbone of the building, managing the building from a central location is an integral feature of BEMS. Whilst the central location need not even be physically located on the property itself, BEMS provide real-time information on the status of the building at all times. This means that faults or excessive energy usage are quickly identified making it practically possible to fix failures quicker resulting in less wastages. Harmonious Intelligent Buildings An Intelligent Building is also one which senses changes in internal and external ambient conditions and takes appropriate action to manage energy better. For example, what is the point of running the cooling system when there’s a nice breeze outside? Good quality BEMS have the potential to continuously deliver optimal building performance by taking advantage of natural resources, such as sun light, wind and rain and integrate them harmoniously to provide the energy needs of the building. Advances in technology, coupled with the relentless quest to reduce operational costs, have contributed toward making new and existing buildings more intelligent.
Intelligent building controls are built around the specific characteristics and layout of the building. The type of materials used in the structure together with window size openings and the finishes used, are all inputs considered in the design and implementation of any good BEMS. Typically, BEMS manages the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, air quality, energy & water metering and access control systems. All these systems are brought together and integrated into the BEMS on a single platform. With over 80% of a building’s energy consumption taken up by the HVAC and lighting systems, the BEMS is an indispensable tool for any business owner.
services and understanding these services is crucial to integrating them seamlessly in the most economical way. Finally, the BEMS is there to provide people with comfortable ambiance in tune with the environment. A well implemented BEMS needs therefore be user-friendly and one which is easy to interact with.
The correct way of implementing a BEMS starts by spending enough time in understanding the nature of the building, its function, its short and long term usage and how people are expected to interact with it. BEMS sits on top of all the key building
Note about Author: Darryl Schembri is an engineer with AIS Technology Ltd. (formerly Advanced Industrial Systems Ltd.), a leading engineering firm with over 22 years’ experience in intelligent energy efficiency technologies. AIS has installed numerous BEMS solutions to private and public organisations and provide free energy assessments, carried out by specially trained staff to organisations interested in reducing energy wastage and increasing energy efficiency.
Delivering Intelligent Buildings As with anything else, there is the correct way in doing something and then there is the other way.
Issue 3 - June 2014
Conclusion Moving away from a traditional building to a smarter, greener and intelligent building need not be a major undertaking. The tools and technologies available today make it possible for any building to be controlled intelligently. Whether the building is still on the drawing board or whether it has been standing for decades, an intelligent and well-executed BEMS, manages energy intelligently, provides comfort and returns a good profit.
3
Time for
reform of labour laws by Reuben Buttigieg, President of Malta Institute of Management
One of the most important functions of the Employment and Industrial and Relations Act (EIRA) and the Wages Regulations Order is to regulate the practice of how employees of organisations in Malta are paid. The EIRA has been with us for a number of years now. It is the successor of previous legislation regulating employment in Malta and the result of negotiations between the constituted bodies and the Government of Malta.
This Act has proved to be a major step forward. Yet, the test of time is showing all the more that it requires a substantial reform. As it is, the EIRA has the weakness of leaving various matters subject to interpretation. This is something which, at times, leads to different forms of uncertainties.There are in fact occasions when one hears about issues between the Director of Industrial and Employment Relations (DIER) and certain employers which could and should be avoided.
One main issue concerns the debatable way salaries/wages are calculated. This issue has been ongoing for decades. Still, no Government addressed it, perhaps because - the constituted bodies did not even raise it up. As is known, problems arise between employers and employees on the matter, and in certain situations the differences could be substantial. At the centre one would find the mathematical differences that crop up due to different approaches in the calculation of pro rata payments of salaries. If one calculates per
day, per week (5 or 7 days) or per month, one is bound to come face to face with different results. The legislation does not deal with the subject, but mathematical arguments arise although in reality these cannot be supported by legal arguments. Another issue concerns the concept of time in lieu and and that of flexi hours. The DIER accepts the concept of time in lieu on certain occasions. However, the legislation does not cater well enough for today’s realities, with the result that the DIER is to a certain extent obliged to take action on matters which in present circumstances are not logical and practical. Moreover, as it is the legislation discourages employment on flexi hours and hence defeats all the political arguments of family friendly measures. There is also the issue of Union recognition which to date has not been properly addressed. In fact, we still see Unions debating and arguing about who should be representing whom and in which organisation. We recently saw an issue concerning the BoV, which could have easily been avoided. It so happens that various issues regarding this matter are left open in our current labour laws. On occasions, things depend very much on the analysis of the employer or the DIER. The way things are verified is not regulated and it is subject Issue 3 - June 2014
to the discretion of the DIER. Many issues that have emerged to date may have been the consequence of this discretion. There is also the fact that the number of persons the Unions say they represent is not audited or at least not in the way one would expect to have enough peace of mind that everything is transparent. Other areas not properly regulated concern redundancies, termination and disciplinary actions. The result is that certain practices, whether fair or not, became the norm. The main concern in this context is the warnings issue, which may be abused by both employers and employees.
Of particular concern is the fact that the issue of the deductions and relevant refunds of sick leave and injury leave is not at all regulated. Meanwhile, what is being done to ensure that the system is not being abused by certain employees who may be getting paid twice due to their employers’ efforts to be fair? These are just a few of the issues that arise from the present situation of our current labour laws. The time is certainly ripe for a strong reform that assists the generation of employment in various forms, reduces the risks of abuse and minimises the areas of possible litigation.
5
BAD BOY CLEANERS
A COMMITMENT TO CLEANLINESS by Claudine
Ellul Sullivan, Bad Boy Cleaners
Throughout a time-span covering over 44 years, Bad Boy Cleaning Services Limited has built a reputation for efficient, reliable and dedicated cleaning services in both domestic and industrial markets. We have over the years gained extensive experience in different sectors of the cleaning industry and through this have become the leading force. An achievement we are proud of.
Becoming the leading force in cleaning requires commitment to maintaining the highest standards, no matter the size of the project
Our portfolio offers several different types of services, some of which include deep kitchen & bathroom sterilize cleaning and hygiene services, window and showroom cleaning, carpet & upholstery cleaning, disinfection cleaning, office-maid and chambermaid services, boat and car valeting, road sweeping, and upkeep of urban and nonurban roads as well as specialised cleaning in marble, parquet and concrete polishing and maintenance. We have also, for a number of
years, provided our clients with, what we call a one-off, first time clean. This means that we professionally clean any type of premises, be it homes, offices, factories, hotels and such other commercial and industrial premises, before these are moved into for the very first time. On the majority of occasions these premises require a general clean due to the fact that we are often faced with dirt problems which would have been left by workers, such as paint and cement on floor tiles, furniture, windows, and apertures. Silicone, grease and unsightly grout stains is also another common problem which appears in kitchens and bathroom wall/floor tiles and fittings. These types of stains can only be removed by mechanical or manual scrubbing, using a selection of appropriate cleaning chemicals. In this regard the prime responsibility is to ensure that a dedicated group of janitors would qualify for the task. They are also to ensure that premises and their contents are capable of being effectively cleaned. There is nothing demeaning about cleaning. Whoever is entrusted with a cleaning task should know the procedures of cleaning methods and materials. A selection of Issue 3 - June 2014
cleaning chemicals often requires expert technical advice simply because the use of the wrong chemicals, or the right chemicals at the incorrect amounts, temperature or correct time, may have serious consequences. In our field this matter is given the utmost importance. Becoming the leading force in cleaning requires commitment to maintaining the highest standards, no matter the size of the project. However, in order that such high standards are achieved and maintained we constantly invest in key areas which underpin a quality service, by constantly monitoring advances in the cleaning industry both locally and overseas to equip our staff with the most effective methods and materials available. Although we are awarded the very largest cleaning contracts, we have not outgrown our commitment to providing a friendly, approachable service to all our clients.
Whatever the size or requirements of the task in hand we assure our clients our personal and complete attention at all times, and effectively remain the oldest and largest cleaning company on the Island, engaging a large number of workforce.
7
MAKING
LEARNING FUN Simon Bonanno, CEO, Holistic Institute of Technologies.
by
Two new methods of Teaching Technology were launched a couple of years ago at Holistic Institute of Technologies. These technologies were in the areas of Robotics & Gaming. Both were successful. However, Robotics proved the most popular. Using Robotics to teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) to Youths proved to be very engaging for students. Students’ ages varied from 7 years upwards.
After a few weeks improved performance in maths, computer programming, engineering, electronics, creativity and team work were measurable. Also students showed interest in pursuing this field as a professional career. Robots will grow like PC’s grew in the 1980’s, with a robot or two in every home in a few years’ time. So we will need a trained workforce in this area. The second phase of the project consisted in training computer programming in the Robotics field. Robotics is a multidisciplinary area. However, this field is more perceived as the domain of engineers rather than software developers. In the third phase robots were used to hold workshops for managers to strengthen team building. Various tasks were given and these could only be solved by having managers from various departments collaborate together to solve the task at hand. Holistic Institute of Technologies for another consecutive year will be organising The Summer Tech Camp 2014.
Issue 3 - June 2014
9
Introducing Agile Methodologies in a non-IT environment: Part ONE by
Clive Scerri, B. Com (Hons.), HRD Executive, Credal Business Consulting
A reduction in work in progress frees up working capital and the return on investment is obtained from shorter cash cycles. The bottom line is that this leads to an increase in the organisation’s profitability and agility. Given this premise the academic world has provided us with literature regarding value chain analysis and the importance of lean management. The problem, however, is that such practices usually rely on repetitive processes with a low level of unknowns. In an office environment such as in law departments, customer support, HR and sales, the work involves a high level of uncertainty and therefore such areas have found it hard to implement lean solutions.
Projects involving a high level of uncertainty have traditionally fallen onto project management practices which advocate the dedication of large slots of time to planning and analysis. Problems arise since at the start of the project, throughout the requirements analysis stage, the client is not really sure what he or she wants. The result: You end up estimating something that you are not sure of how it is going to work out, and not knowing whether it will satisfy your Client’s requirements.
Certain departments have realised that it is not worth spending too much time in planning when: • Needs and priorities shift on a daily basis; • Fixed-length, fixed-commitment plans are difficult to set up due to a high rate of uncertainty and variability; • Priorities are continuously changing. This gives rise to multi-tasking where a person would need to work on multiple tasks pending the settlement of various impediments - E.g.: • Pending approval of work from your superior; • Phone calls from clients demanding changes; • Clients putting jobs on hold; • Pending an enquiry from an internal department; • Etc.
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This has been considered for too long as a necessary evil but this has inadvertently resulted in a loss of focus on the various team members, and a lack of proper visualisation of the progress being done on the various jobs. It transpires that these common challenges have been faced by IT departments and for the past 12 years. The IT field has brought about a shift from traditional project management and introduced Agile methodologies. There has been a realisation that while flexibility is key, there was still a need for a system of control which facilitates ‘focus’ and increase the ‘velocity’ of the lead time of projects. The term ‘Agile’ was chosen as it means the ability to move and change direction and position of the body (organisation) quickly and effectively while under control. Organisations need the ability to anticipate changes so that they can develop tactics to realign resources in time to manage stakeholder expectancies. The objective of Agile as introduced in the Agile Manifesto is to “increase the return on investment by focusing on the continuous flow of value through frequent interactions and shared ownership”. Agile focuses on recognition of individuals as the ultimate source of value, and not processes. A process is introduced in order to facilitate the creation of an environment where accountability for results is brought about through shared responsibility within the teams.
As opposed to waterfall project management techniques where the items of the PDCA cycle are performed in a sequential manner throughout the project, Agile advocates the introduction of multiple cycles with multiple prototypes as deliverables, constantly improving the process throughout in shorter cycles. None of these practices are by themself new. What is new is doing all the practices together in a disciplined way of getting all work done.
Ironically, whilst the academic world has mostly overlooked the progress that has been made, large corporations are now expanding the scope of such Agile methods from their IT departments into other areas. In the list we have early adopters like Yahoo, Microsoft, Google, and recently DaimlerChrysler and Barclays.
Agile methods can be summarised under two main frameworks Kanban and Scrum. Their primary concern is agility - focusing on the interdependence of people, projects and value: • People need to be provided with an environment where they excel through self-management; • Visualisation on the progress of the project with multiple interactions with the various owners of the tasks to ensure acceptance; • The Team Leader acts as a Servant Leader sorting out impediments for the team whilst keeping them focused on the project objectives and maximise value. The idea is to move away from a PUSH system where the Team leader assigns tasks to the team, to a situation with a shared backlog from which the team PULLs the requests into WIP. This leads to a focused self-managed team with a reduction in multi-tasking and overburdening, and ultimately, a reduced throughput time.
This paradigm shift does not come around without any initial hiccups. Managers might find it hard to relinquish their ‘power’ over the team in the assignment of work. They may attribute a drop in performance as a result of them not having enough control over the affairs. The counter argument however is that the self-management of the team allows them to take more of a mentoring role facilitating the progress of the team member’s careers. Research has shown that self-management enhances the self-efficacy of individuals and improves their social learning skills. Some employees may resist this as they would prefer of being told what to do. In such cases, coaching may be necessary.
Scrum is more prescriptive than Kanban. It is more structured and prescribes the use of time-boxed iterations called sprints enabling project estimation and making scalable for small to large projects. I will discuss the implementation of Scrum in future articles. The first step into Agile is to introduce Kanban as it introduces the values whilst respecting current process, roles, responsibilities & titles. The Kanban method presumes that the organisation may already have some elements that work acceptably and are worth preserving. By agreeing to respect current roles, responsibilities and job titles management eliminate the initial fears of change. Kanban is evolutionary; it gradually introduces a framework for continuous improvement based on TQM principles. The underlying principle is that changes are not brought about through an up-down managerial approach but through providing tools so that the team self-manages its evolution. Although Kanban has its origin in the late 1940s, it is through its re-adaptation and simplification via the software development world that its application has become as simple as ever. The Kanban method as formulated by David J. Anderson is an approach to incremental, evolutionary process and systems change for organisations. In this approach, the process, from definition of a task to its delivery to the customer, is displayed for participants to see and team members pull work from a queue. The role of the Team Leader is to assign priority of the tasks and to keep the team focused on reducing the WIP.
Kanban is all about the need for a constant reduction in work in progress: • Agility – being more reactive to client needs; • Visualisation – reducing uncertainty on what jobs are more important, identifying bottlenecks; • Team Collaboration – working collectively instead of individually passing the buck; • Scalability – establishing a solid framework in order to facilitate the
scalability of the organisation.
The process is simple – a new task comes in, its priority is assessed by the team leader, and it is addressed and solved by the team. Visualisation facilitates Measurability. The mere visualisation of the process is a first step in identifying and measuring bottlenecks in order to get the discussion going on the evolutionary changes required by the team. The simplest form of a Kanban board is a whiteboard with 3 columns: To Do, In Progress, Done. The pull system acts as one of the main stimuli for continuous, incremental and evolutionary changes to the system as new items are only picked if they do not go above the WIP limit.
The only exception to this rule results from external impediments. Such impediments have to be assessed and reduced so that they don’t affect the throughput time of the team.
In Kanban, reporting is kept to the essential but requires multiple interactions to keep the team focused. I recommend the introduction of the daily stand-up meetings recommended by Scrum and the Rockefeller habits. In these 15 minutes, the team leader reprioritises the tasks at hand and explains the reasoning to the team. In turn, each team member reports: • What’s Up: What he/she has been working on; • Where I am stuck: Issues they are facing and how they intend to go about it; • What’s next: What will he/she be working on after the current task is completed. Kanban focuses on continuous improvement and in order to do this, the team needs to sit down and discuss its operations through a review meeting. Kanban does not prescribe a time duration but a two-three week window. The retrospective is a great platform for inspection and adaption. The objective of the retrospective is to: • Serve as a team self-coaching - setting a motion for continuous improvement on Issue 3 - June 2014
a team and individual level; • Enhance the sense of achievement and meaning through recognition of the work performed; • Creates a sense of membership and belonging, and it cultivates consensus; • Allow the team to re-focus on the value of immediate action in achieving the team’s vision.
Once the ball starts rolling, the next step is to introduce further measures which provide more data to the team. This would require the introduction of a software solution. The flow of work through each state in the workflow should be monitored, measured and reported in order to reduce the lead time. In subsequent articles I will discuss the introduction of estimation in Kanban and how the need for more complex estimations requires the introduction of Scrum.
Clive Scerri The author is an experienced Scrum Master with over 7 years’ experience in the use of Agile Methodologies. He works with D’Alessandro & Associates Ltd. offering consultancy services for the implementation of Agile in various workplaces. 1.1 References Agility, from Wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agility The Declaration of Interdependence from PMDOI.org: http://www.pmdoi.org/ Kanban, from Wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanban Kanban (development), from Wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanban_(development) Kanban, from Crisp.se: http://www.crisp.se/gratis-material-och-guider/kanban Denning S. 2011, Scrum Is a Major Management Discovery, from Forbes.com: http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2011/04/29/ scrum-is-a-major-management-discovery/ Smith P.G., Oltman J. 2010, Flexible Project Management: Extending Agile Techniques beyond Software Projects, 2010 PMI Global Congress Proceedings - Washington
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FARSONS ANNOUNCES NEW €27 MILLION INVESTMENT in a beer packaging facility
Karen Scicluna Calleja, Communications Executive, Simonds Farsons Cisk plc.
by
The Chairman of Simonds Farsons Cisk plc, Mr Louis A Farrugia, recently announced that Farsons will invest €27 million in a Beer Packaging facility. The announcement was made during a press conference held at the Mriehel Brewery in the presence of the Prime Minister, Dr Joseph Muscat, the Parliamentary Secretary for Planning and Simplification of Administrative Processes, Dr Michael Farrugia, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Competitiveness and Economic Growth, Dr Edward Zammit Lewis. Details of the investment were given by both the Farsons Group Chairman, Mr Louis A Farrugia, and by CEO, Mr Norman Aquilina.
The purpose of this significant investment is twofold: a) To ensure that Farsons beer packaging facilities remain competitive in today’s market place by servicing the important local market with packages that are relevant to contemporary consumer preferences. b) To meet the Group’s objectives of increasing its exports of beer and non-alcoholic products to nearby markets. In his opening address, Mr Louis Farrugia stated that “Farsons has ambitions to become a niche regional player in the beverage market and aims to treble its exports within the next five years. Exports currently represent 6% by volume of Farsons’ total production and we aim to increase the share of our total production to 17% by 2020.
During the past 6 years, Farsons has invested no less than €50 million in a new PET packaging facility, a Logistics Centre and a new Brewhouse. We have been totally committed to investing in new facilities to ensure that we remain competitive and so grow our businesses in our own and other markets. Through these investments Farsons has shown its determination to grow and remain a leading
and relevant Maltese business,” added Mr Louis Farrugia.
On completion of this new investment, Farsons would have invested no less than €80,000,000 in its beverage business alone in the space of 8 years, averaging €10,000,000 a year over the period. Farsons is a totally owned Maltese Group led by Maltese management selling Maltese brands in Malta and other markets.
Mr Norman Aquilina, Farsons Group CEO, announced that work on this project has already commenced and will be completed in April 2016. The new facility will have a glass line and a canning line: the latter having a capacity to fill beer and non-alcoholic beverages at the rate of three times the current capability. The new lines will bring about improved quality and productivity along with increased efficiency through automation, lower energy consumption and water reduction.
The proposed building housing these lines will also bring about centralisation of all raw and packaging material storage. There are significant benefits in doing this in terms of reduction of handling costs as well as improvements in storage conditions and computerisation of inventory control. This project entails a significant investment in new technology and Farsons will be investing in the retraining and upskilling of its workforce to maximize its potential productive output.
It is envisaged there will be no less than 100 construction workers on site by early summer Issue 3 - June 2014
and more workers in the first quarter of next year when other trades will be engaged.
“This bold investment is critical to Farsons’ vision and export led strategy as it will primarily provide the company with the right cost structures to operate and compete more effectively and efficiently on both the local and international market,” explained Mr Aquilina.
Since 2006, Farsons experienced double digit growth in its exports, with 2013 being one of their best years as the company exported more than 370 x 20ft containers of beers and soft drinks to Europe, North Africa and Asia – more than one container a day. In 2013, Farsons continued to increase its exports to Italy, its primary overseas beer market, with brands including Cisk Export, Cisk XS, Farsons Strong Ale and others. Main markets for Kinnie include Libya, the Netherlands and Russia and soon Farsons will be shipping its first containers with Kinnie to the Czech Republic and Poland. Kinnie is also produced under licence in Australia with 2013 being a record year both in terms of volume and royalty income. “Through this investment, we will be rendering our business more competitive, expanding our current export base by enabling us to establish a position in select markets with high quality, innovative and premium brands. These factors will ensure that the existing Farsons Group workforce of over 800 employees remain in secure and rewarding jobs,” added Mr Aquilina.
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GETTING YOUR
MBA
A Worthwhile Journey Audrey Cordina Sacco, Dip. Psy., B.A. (Hons) Italian, B.A. (Hons) Bus. Admin, MBA
by
I started my journey with Heriot-Watt University of Edinburgh, specifically the Edinburgh Business School, also known as EBS, back in 2012 when I had decided to read for a MBA degree programme. I had researched many options for this degree and I finally decided to choose Heriot-Watt. Today I can gladly say that I made the right choice. What had initially attracted me to this University was the fact that their degree programme was provided on a distancelearning basis. This means that the student can study in his/her own free time and at his/ her own pace. Given that I have a demanding full-time job it was important for me to be able to read for this degree in my own free time. The student also has the possibility to sit for an examination in every quarter of the year. Therefore one can choose to sit for an examination whenever he/she feels ready to do so. The fact that the University is one of the most reputable ones in the business field, as well as the modules and exams being very challenging have contributed to my choice of Heriot-Watt for my MBA degree. I have since completed my MBA programme in December 2013 and achieved a MBA with Distinction award. The University provides valuable study material, real business case studies and self-assessment tasks. Apart from these, the University also provides the student with past papers and exercises for practising and revision purposes. The material is provided as an elegant filed document and also online, on the Student Portal. The modules have proved to be very enjoyable as they provide the student with both theoretical and practical knowledge and hence holistically contributing to the formation of the student.
Apart from the study material provided by the University there are student forums, such as the Delphi Forum. This Forum is dedicated to students undertaking the degree and is easily accessible by the students for the purpose
of sharing ideas, notes, experiences and thoughts with the rest of the EBS community. The Watercooler, which is an online website provided to the public by EBS, is made up of students and Professors and provides a platform on which links to business news, study notes, student and Professor sites and University announcements can be found. The students can communicate with experts on the subject regarding any queries in relation to the course modules. The tutors are very helpful and provide feedback within a short period whether if it is on the forums, the Watercooler or on the online Student Portal. The Student Portal is the University website on which the course study material can be found. Other than this on the Student Portal the student can pay for their examinations and view the results when they are published online.
My journey with the University has been an enjoyable yet challenging one and I am glad that in the end, I did make the right decision
All throughout the MBA programme the student has all the academic support that he/she needs. Professional support from the University tutors and support from the EBS forums and communities are constantly provided throughout the whole journey of the MBA programme.
The MBA programme consists of a total of nine modules. Out of these nine modules two of them are electives. The list of electives that the student can choose from is very vast and comprises of interesting subjects which are practical to the field of work. The electives enable the student to specialise in an area of interest of their choice. I had chosen the modules Leadership and Influence Issue 3 - June 2014
as I wanted to further my knowledge in the management of people, which is very important for my career.
The core modules, which are seven in total, are mandatory and provide the student with a solid ground and useful knowledge of the business world.
The exams are no mean feat. The student should study for the examinations and there are no short-cuts that one can take. One should make sure that he/she understands the content of the modules before sitting for an exam. The exams will test what in actual fact the student understood from the modules and whether he/she can apply the subject studied to real-life business case scenarios. Studying the modules and knowing the content is not enough. It is important to actually understand the meaning of the subject in question. The challenge that the modules and examinations provide were motivational for me. The University does not issue pass marks easily to students who sit for the exam. Only those students who study can get good grades. I have always considered this as beneficial since at the end of the day the graduands of the University would be well-prepared students in the area of business and management. This is extremely important for the University to keep their reputation of being one of the best Universities in this area. My journey with the University has been an enjoyable yet challenging one and I am glad that in the end, I did make the right decision. I am now looking forward to utilise what I have learned during my MBA course for my career going forward.
Throughout the course, The Malta Institute of Management always provided me with invaluable assistance and efficiency especially when I had questions in relation to the administrative aspect of the MBA programme.
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SOCIAL NETWORK RECRUITMENT, the winning partner of the new millennium
by Gianfranco Capozzi, Director at Erremme Recruitment
Over the last decade, we have witnessed exponential growth in the use of social media. Every region in the world seems to have its own favourite social networking sites and those specific to Malta’s side of the world seem to be LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, Instagram, Badoo, WordPress and Flickr.
Another important aspect is data-mining. Software mechanisms are able to use advanced algorithms to recognise patters and sift through large amounts of data to assist in discovering strategic business information and areas of interest of individuals.
Our main concern is how technological innovation and the advent of the Internet are shaping the business world today. In this day and age distance has become irrelevant. The grand feats in the development of communication systems have led to the shrinking of the world into a global village. It is possible to videoconference an associate in Tokyo in real time, while comfortably sitting in front of the Eiffel Tower sipping a café au lait and following up on the Times of Malta’s newsfeed updates.
It was only up until recently that we started to recognise the importance of social media websites as an indispensable tool for employee resourcing, evaluating appraisal systems, identifying the competition and getting to know our clients better.
ICT has given life to a new model of society. Every day, we share vast quantities of information through our smartphones, laptops and tablets in the form of status updates, website links, messages, photos and videos. Much of this information is made public for everyone to see. We are the so-called Information Society and today businesses face new challenges brought about by this era of social networking. Privacy, for sure, is the first issue that comes up when discussing social media sites. The use of personal data which is published on social websites is subject to strict legislations and it is within the social media providers’ privacy policy or terms of use to take those precautions necessary to ensure that personal data is not used maliciously or in a way that could harm the individual. Before sharing personal information, it is within a person’s own interest to ensure that he does so prudently and cautiously. The pace at which information is shared is so fast that we rarely stop to think before we share an update or a photo.
What’s trending in Employee Resourcing?
In the recruitment process we have realised how easy it is to get to know our candidates in greater depth. Through a search on the main social websites it is in fact possible to discover a myriad of information about the individual, so it is very often possible to identify red flags omitted from the person’s CV. Nonetheless, there are ethical issues to be considered. For instance, to which extent is it appropriate and relevant for employers to seek information about workers’ private lives? Employers may leave themselves vulnerable to charges of discrimination, because by vetting candidates online, employers gain a range of information about candidates, including sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, marital status, age and political views making it easier for rejected candidates to claim unfair discrimination.
On the plus side, social media networks offer an immediate access to a vast pool of candidates and a more efficient and costeffective method of employee resourcing that are quite different from the more traditional methods of recruitment. A case in point, if a business publishes a job advert in the local newspaper, then that advert will have high visualisation on the day it is published. Yet what happens if the ideal candidate did not read the papers that day? From a business perspective, social media have gained such relevance that they can Issue 3 - June 2014
make or break its corporate identity. Building a strong social network can become an efficient vehicle for attracting new clients and prospective employees. However, if not used appropriately it can become a double-edged sword. In international news it has become increasingly more frequent to hear of employees who were fired due to the unflattering comments that they posted on Facebook about their employer. Thus, the need arises for businesses to provide their employees with appropriate training regarding social media etiquette in order to avoid virtual accidents that could seriously damage the credibility of the firm. Social media company policies have also been taken into regard to control employee’s social media actions.
From these arguments, we foresee that companies will need more and more assistance via a professional social media administrator. The main tasks foreseen will be to take care of the firm’s social networking, ensuring that the company maintains a positive image on the net, providing and updating information regarding the company, developing new on-line marketing strategies and recognising new business opportunities. At Erremme Recruitment, we have adopted the so-called Social Network Recruitment, using social media as an element of strength for our process of employee resourcing. Not only do we believe in the advent of high technology, but we also harness its potential to the full. We use all resources made available by our era of the Information Society with the purpose of reaching the greatest number of possible candidates and recruit the best for our clients and ourselves. GLOBAL TRENDS IN SOCIAL MEDIA 250,000,000 users log on Facebook every day 277,000,000 registered users on LinkedIn 241,000,000 monthly active users on Twitter 684,478 contents are shared on Facebook every minute 40% of people socialise more on online than face-to-face 29% of job seekers use social media as their primary tool for job searching 94% of recruiters have or plan to use social media as recruiting efforts 2013 data shows most companies have used social media in their recruiting process
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Business Process RE-Engineering A PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE PART Two (cont. from Issue No.2)
BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING A practical Perspective Part Two by Ramakrishnan
Jayaraman
The role of IT in BPR is quite significant. Many of the radical and transformative business process reengineering was made possible only because of technology adoption in a big way. The whole process of outsourcing to low cost destinations like Asia could be possible only by extensive use of technology . Many of the corporates have used shared service models in reengineering their business processes which required the process to be carried out in a remote location. This was made possible only because of technology. Companies like GE, which have operations in multiple geographies, have successfully outsourced to effective shared service centres to carry out accounting work. Capabilities of IT in BPR IT can reduce human labour in certain processes and reduce the error rates
IT can transfer information with rapidity and ease across large distances, making business processes independent of locations IT can transform unstructured business process into standardised transactions IT can bring vast volumes of detailed information into a business process
IT can bring complex analytical methods to bear on a process
IT enables changes in the sequence of tasks in a process, often allowing multiple tasks to be worked on simultaneously IT allows the capture the capture and dissemination of knowledge and expertise to improve the process IT allows detailed tracking of status, inputs and outputs
ERP and BPR Enterprises Resources Planning (ERP) systems have come into active play over the last decade and half. There has been increasing adoption of ERP systems , which integrate all functions of the enterprise seamlessly and moving from a silo reporting need to that of increased information accessibility and availability . Many companies implementing ERP have used this opportunity to carry out BPR , align their business processes and carry out ERP implementation after the BPR exercise have been completed. This approach helps the companies in many ways - it helps them to define their future business processes and align the business processes in conjunction with the best practices and standard product features of ERP. ERP Challenges
Implementing ERP can be expensive time consuming and is resource intensive. ERP Implementations have to be approached in a scientific manner in order to gain maximum from the investments. Some of the challenges faced in ERP include: 1) The Challenges on vendor Selection Multiple Product companies and implementation partners. Choosing your right partner is a critical success factor.
2) Project Resource Competencies On both client and implementer side, many a ERP project fails not because of technological fitment, but mostly on people fitments and competency issues.
3) ERP projects require significant Stakeholders Commitment
4) Managing the Project is challenging Scope creep and change orders are common. Unless tightly controlled, the project over run in terms of time & cost is inevitable.
5) Problems of Customisations & Interfaces Standard products have to be customised /configured to suit a particular industry need. A well balanced trade off is required to adopt standard features without making process usage cumbersome. Too much of customisation can be expensive and have upgrade issues when migrating to higher product version. When the Operations require industry solutions, interfacing them with ERP can pose integration challenges.
Issue 3 - June 2014
6) Data Migration This can be a nightmare. Although the most important component, this aspect many a time is not well thought through. The energy, budget are spent on acquiring the product. Only much later in the implementation cycle the need for data is felt. This approach can be quite detrimental to the project interest. A good system is as good as the quality of data available for reporting.
7) Training needs are continuous and does not stop with the commonly practised train the trainer approach by the implementers.
8) Support Post implementation support arrangements have to be decided upon early. Various models like outsourcing , recruiting new skill, combination of both exists in supporting the ERP systems.
9) Change Management An Effective Change Management strategy must be pursued in conjunction with the BPR/ERP project in order to handle the changes to the enterprise. Significant top management involvement is required to reinforce the change. ERP and BPR - summary
ERP integrates internal and external management information across an entire organisation, embracing finance/accounting, manufacturing, sales and services etc.
BPR focuses on transformation aspect of the business process whereas ERP focuses on the automation aspect of the business process. BPR is the fundamental step taken prior to ERP implementation.
Both have different approaches in achieving the same goal.
Affects all organisation- irrespective of their size and nature. Change the nature of jobs in all functional areas.
Change in process is likely to have risk such as lack of organisational adaptability, incorrect choice of the appropriate practices to implement, resistance to change etc. Large change in both process and software can affect probability of success.
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MOBILE BANKING, Marandi, Partner, Global Business Development
to use the service (Safaricom, 2007) and over $87million was transferred. (National Bureau of Economic Research [NBR], 2011, Introduction, para. 1). After only thirty months, the number reached to over 8.5 million registered users (Safaricom, 2009) and the amount of money transferred via mobile is staggering $3.7 billion, which was equivalent to ten percent of Kenyan GDP. (National Bureau of Economic Research [NBR], 2011, Introduction, para. 1).
The ever fast advancement of technology exposes us to new norms and standards. Perhaps twenty years ago no one could imagine in their wildest dreams that people could actually physically transfer money without needing to go to a branch of their bank and fill in application forms and wait for days for the money to be transferred. Today, the mobile technology advancement, the Internet, the cloud computing technology, the smart phones and all such technologies have turned many impossible tasks to our second habits and something that is part of today’s life. Technology has been so intrusive into our day to day activities yet managed to integrate itself into our lifestyle and has become part of who we are as twenty first century citizens.
Other implications and effects of mobile money transfer technology that are worth highlighting are customer behaviour change, micro impacts, macro impacts, monetary impacts, supply and demand impacts, as the ease of use of technology and the accessibility affect the frequency of service use. This means it affect the existing quota of supply and demand, as with new technology come new opportunities and new businesses blossoming through these opportunities could also be deemed as new competitors to existing businesses.
A New Era In Management by Masoud
Money on the move; implications and opportunities
According to a research that was conducted back in 2011 by National Bureau of Economic Research, the impact of mobile money transfer technology on Kenyan people and the economy as whole is astonishing. The study shows that the use of mobile technology had affected the social fabrics of Kenyan society, as well as creating more competition forcing major brands such as Western Union and MoneyGram to reduce their fees. (National Bureau of Economic Research [NBR], 2011, The impact of M-pesa on Money Transfer Companies, para. 2) Within eight months of inception of the company and introduction of mobile transfer service, over one million people registered
Whilst back in 1990s Africa was being virtually unconnected, by 2010 over sixty percent of Africans have mobile phone coverage (Aker and Mbiti, 2010). This obviously means more people are communicating with each other and more communication means more awareness, more connections and, of course, more business opportunities for business while managers it offers potentials as well as challenges.
Mobile banking and integrated management
Perhaps couple of decades ago, concepts such as macromanagement and micromanagement were looked at in a very isolated way. However, today the advancement of technology has provided an opportunity for these concepts to converge. Therefore, from the management perspective, whilst you can have long term policies and approaches that are on macro level, the technology also enables you to reach out to the very fabrics of your business environment and it empowers a business in micromanagement. Also the faster and easier communication means that any decision made by the management can rapidly affect the business Issue 3 - June 2014
and the market. This can be a tricky situation for managements as a whole, but it also offers them to gain a better and deeper understanding of the business environment and the markets they are involved in. It also cuts through and reaches out to the consumers and customers more effectively and much faster.
The winners, the losers
We have to accept that no one can stop the fast-pace advancement of technology or disintegrate its affects from our day to day lives. With every technology comes new sets of challenges and new opportunities; those who choose to get on board are surely on the winning side as they can see the opportunities and those who are not on board yet, will be forced to join in as otherwise they will face tough challenges. In a technologically integrated world, there are no losers after all and it is a win-win situation for everyone. From consumers and customers to business executives and managers, to business stakeholders, the key question is how to utilise the technology in order to make the most of it and making profit as well as serving our communities.
About the author
Masoud Marandi has over 14 years of experience in IT, project management, business intelligence, business analysis in major international law firms in City of London and is currently Partner in charge of global business development at Lemon
Way SAS, an award winning mobile banking and mobile money transfer technology and solution provider.
For more information on how mobile banking and mobile payment technology can help your business contact him via mmarandi@ lemonway.fr
References: Aker, J., & Mbiti, I. (2010). Mobile Phones and Economic Development in Africa. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 24(3), 207-232. Retrieved from http://sites.tufts.edu/jennyaker/ files/2010/09/aker_mobileafrica.pdf National Bureau of Economic Research. (2011). Mobile Banking: The Impact of M-Pesa in Kenya, 2011, USA, (Working paper 17129). Retrieved from http://www.nbr.org/papers/w17129 Safaricom (2011). M-PESA Customers and Agent Numbers. Retrieved from http://www.safaricom.co.ke/images/Downloads/ Personal/M-PESA/m-pesa_statistics_-_2.pdf
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50 YEARS. MALTA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, Born to lead A MIM publication by Charles Buttigieg by Josie Pace
This commemorative Book, with its distinctive steel blue and gold tooled cover, dressed in a black and red ‘jacket’, makes great reading for managers of firms and corporations, and those involved in a management role who wish to know more about the Malta Institute of Management and what it can do for them. It is profusely illustrated, (I counted over 50 photos), printed in large type, and - once read - it makes a lovely coffee-table book. It traces the story of MIM through the eyes and voices of its leaders and members. The book is available from MIM. Its author is perhaps better known as a journalist, later P.R.O. for the Archbishop’s Curia, then Malta’s first Refugee Commissioner. His journalistic background is reflected in the very readable way he knits together the story of 50 Years of MIM, which is peppered with references to the Institute Journal and interviews and snapshots of past presidents, councilors and members. The Book relates Malta’s early experiences in the area of professional management, and how the Malta Institute of Management, launched in 1964 on the initiative of Mr. Chris Calascione (today a Benedictine monk), contributed to the development and progress of managers in Malta in the last 50 years.
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Mr Buttigieg refers to various initiatives taken by MIM over the years. He also looks to the future of MIM with great anticipation and a busy 5 year plan in progress. The Book contains a fascinating look at the huge amount of activity the Institute fostered over these 50 years…. such as its contract with the Maastricht School of Management for the MBA programme, the Taxation Conference, the Advanced Diploma in International Business, the National Economic Forum, the popular Mothers in Management Conference, the Islamic Banking Seminars, co-operation agreements with various professional and educational bodies, with international organisations and more. As several new enterprises gradually increased and multiplied over the years, the MIM gained in importance as a point of reference. In a seminal interview Chris Calascione reflects on his 14 year connection, eight of them as President. He also covers, inter alia, the need of management training in the Church and for its ‘workers’ today. Mr Reuben Buttigieg, MIM’s President since June 2011, delivers his Golden Anniversary Message with verve and passion. He emphasises his belief in the Institute and its importance as a representative body of the managerial class, in the general economy of the country. Since several years the Institute also looks and comments on government budgets and national events that affect its members in any way. Already at the age of 21, Mr Buttigieg had approached MIM to become a member. Mr Buttigieg refers to the work of the subsidiary of MIM, MIM Training and Development Services, of which he was director and Chairman for some years.
The brief interviews with several past MIM Presidents make fine reading and also ‘viewing’ due to some excellent photos showing MIM’s diversified activities. The book also looks at the 25th, 30th and 40th Anniversaries through the lens of those who had been directly involved at the time. This makes fascinating reading, for it traces – in flashbacks – the excellent hard work of the MIM councilors and the staff to make MIM an ever growing voluntary entity, not only in management education but in the way of providing a support and lobby group in the interest of managers across both Islands. There is a whole chapter on Additional Highlights in MIM’s Life, traced from 1971 to date. The book ends with a very useful copy of the Statute and Bye-Laws. This publication should be in every home or office of any manager worth his salt. A MUST READ not only for MIM members, but even for University Students in the management courses and graduates considering getting involved in business management or in management training!
SUPPORTING THE EVER CHANGING ROLE OF THE FEMALE WORKER by Doreen
Leonide Pace, Chairperson, Women in Management Committee
Women in management face unique societal, organisational, structural and cultural hurdles. In many ways, the business world is still a maledominated environment, and this is particularly true the farther up the management ladder one progresses. Women play an important role in the economic development of society yet the traditional mind set on the role of women hinders the acknowledgement of the female contribution to this growth. Financial and social factors have contributed to a drastic increase to the number of working women in all spheres of the industry. However, most women are still not given support through vote and most managerial post are still occupied by males. Maltese female workers compared to their European counterparts readily give up their carrier in order to be able to raise up a family. It is also noted that the female continually juggles family responsibilities and work responsibilities, thus encountering a big difficulty to find time and freedom to commit oneself. This unfortunately is reflected in the number of women being elected to Parliament, women being promoted to managerial posts and a number of women who get disheartened from further perusing their careers. Although there has been an encouraging upturn in the number of women running businesses in the past decade or so, much more needs to be done to overcome the specific factors which discourage the growth of women in management. Female managers must be given more prominence. Young women need role models and families need a culture change in order to realise that women also need support when embarking on a political, business or professional career. Women should also be given every opportunity to work, if they wish to pursue a career.
Education is important because, as it is known educating the woman also means educating the family and a nation, in turn opening up opportunities not only for work but also as a contributor to society.
With this aim in mind, the Malta Institute of Management has last year launched the Women in Management Committee. The committee aims primarily to consolidate the Institute’s current female representation (30% of MIM’s current members are female) as well as ensure a further influx of female members. The committee also aims to create a solid platform for female managers to share ideas, to voice and discuss key issues and to enhance business networking.
The Women in Management Committee aims to seek such goal by exploiting MIM’s current family friendly training and educational platforms especially MIM EB Learn training programmes as well as EBS distance learning Masters and Doctorate. The committee aims to take ownership of the recent initiatives of the institute to address parents in management and women in management during seminars and conferences held in Malta and abroad. The Women in Management committee aims to raise awareness on opportunities, issues, legal updates as well as developments relevant to women in management by means of articles, information sessions and round table discussions. The committee also seeks to facilitate networking opportunities by seeking collaboration partnerships with similar foreign institutions, and by organising quarterly networking events. As part of the initiatives planned for this year, the Women in Management Committee, in collaboration with the Chartered Management Institute UK, will organise in London next September the annual Parents in Management Forum. The aim of this event is to address issues pertinent to parents in management by means of case studies, panel discussions and workouts.
Issue 3 - June 2014
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MIM
Calendar of Events 2014
EVENT 9th
Round Table Discussion - Succession Planning For Family Business
17th
Round Table Discussion - Payroll
September
18th
The MIMA Conference - Optimizing Value through Management Accounting
October
16th
The MIM VAT & EU Conference 2014
November
TBC
The MIM Islamic Finance Conference 2014
TBC
The MIM Duties & Responsibilities of Company Secretaries Conference
TBC
The MIM Parents in Management Round Table Discussion - London
TBC
The MIM Annual Reception
July
December
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