Inkubator Menedżerów Archive

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Athens Institute for Education and Research Newsletter No. 29, January 2024

Message from the President of ATINER:

I hope and wish that you are doing well. We are living in the post-Covid-19 era after almost 5 years, as this also happened in ancient Athens in 431 BCE, so eloquently described by Thucydides, who, unlike Pericles, survived the pandemic.

Speaking of “survival”, ATINER, with the contribution of its members and friends, fared relatively well during the pandemic years, being able to offer all its academic events online and later a combination of online and onsite presentations. Starting in 2024, we have decided to restrict online presentations only to those who cannot obtain a visa to enter Greece and to those who cannot travel due to serious health reasons.

As you know, ATINER is an association of academics and researchers with a mission to organize small symposiums imitating the ancient Athenian symposiums. This usually entails the participation of between 20 and 50 academics, both presenters and attendees.

With the start of Covid-19, ATINER acquired larger downtown offices (at the heart of the city) which have 4-5 small lecture rooms, enabling us to host all our events at our premises.

Additionally, we have decided to introduce three new eJournals (psychology, politics/international affairs, and demography/population studies). If we are successful in this new endeavor, publication of the journals will start next year.

I do hope that you will be able to come to Athens this year and join one of our small events. In any case, I would love to have a brainstorming meeting with you.

News

From 3-6 January ATINER successfully organized its 11th Annual International Conference on Humanities & Arts in a Global World. During the conference 19 papers were presented from participants coming from 14 different countries (Australia, China, Croatia, Greece, Morocco, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkiye, UK, Uruguay and USA). The final program of the conference is available at: www.atiner.gr/2024hum-pro.

A roundtable discussion (symposium) on “Teaching Arts and Humanities in a Global World“, held on January 3, 2024, during the 11th Annual International Conference on Humanities & Arts in a Global World, at ATINER’s Downtown Office in Athens. The final program for the round-table discussion is accessible at: https://www.atiner.gr/events/3January2024.pdf, and the video is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGLobXaQAbM.

Dr. Natasha Johnson (Instructor, Georgia State University, USA) has joined as a new academic member in our Education and Politics & International Affairs Units.

Dr. Thaddeus Johnson (Assistant Professor, Georgia State University, USA) has joined as a new academic member in our Education and Politics & International Affairs Units.

Dr. Carlo Klein (Economics Teacher, Luxembourg) has joined as a new academic member in our Economics and Sociology Units. We are glad to announce that Dr. Klein is our first member coming from Luxembourg.

Dr. Zoulal Mansouri (Associate Professor, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Morocco) has joined as a new academic member in our Education and Management Units.

Dr. Carolyn Schoenian (Instructor, Helix Opportunity, USA) has joined as a new academic member in our Education and Computer Units.

ATINER is organizing a Special Session on “Unemployment in the Mediterranean Countries” as part of the 17th Annual International Conference on Mediterranean Studies, 25-28 March 2024, Athens, Greece.

The Nursing Unit of ATINER is organizing a Special Session on “Integrating Palliative Care and Supportive Care in Acute Areas” as part of the 10th Annual International Conference on Nursing, 6-9 May 2024, Athens, Greece.

The Sociology Unit of ATINER is organizing a Special Session on “Social Work” as part of the 18th Annual International Conference on Sociology, 6-9 May 2024, Athens, Greece.

The History Unit of ATINER is organizing a Special Session on “Alexander the Great – The King of Macedonia, the Campaigns, the Archaeology” as part of the 22ndAnnual International Conference on History & Archaeology: From Ancient to Modern, 3-6 June 2024, Athens, Greece.

The Economics Unit of ATINER is organizing a Special Session on Degrowth as part of the 19th Annual International Symposium on Economic Theory, Policy and Applications, 1-4 July 2024, Athens, Greece.


Publications Uploaded This Month

Athens Journal of Education
Athens Journal of Law
Athens Journal of Mediterranean Studies
Forthcoming Papers
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Piotr Witek, President of the Management Board of MOORE Polska: ESG is important because it integrates environmental, social and governance aspects

Marek Grzybowski (5) questions to Piotr Witek, Managing Partner, President of the Management Board of MOORE Polska

An Exclusive interview to Baltic Journalist Maritime Club  of the Baltic Sea & Space Cluster  (BSSC)

ESG is important because it integrates environmental, social and governance aspects and this allows companies to operate in a sustainable way, contributing to social well-being, building trust and ensuring long-term success.

Companies are increasingly focusing on ESG issues not only because of social and environmental concerns, but also because of the growing interest of investors, who are increasingly directing their capital towards companies that demonstrate a strong commitment to these areas.

Introducing ESG as a step-by-step process, involving the whole team and skilfully adapting the approach to the specifics of the company in question. Assistance in these areas can help a small company implement sustainability and social responsibility practices more effectively.

Marek Grzybowski: Please, describe the fields in which the ESG is important?

Piotr Witek, Managing Partner, President of the Management Board of MOORE Polska:

ESG (Environment, Society and Governance) has become really important for several important reasons outlined briefly in the following paragraphs:

  1. Sustainability: The challenges of climate change, poverty, social inequalities and other environmental issues are making sustainability a key priority for society. Companies that focus on ESG issues can contribute to solving these problems and the long-term wellbeing of society.
  2. Investments in line with values: Investors are increasingly paying attention to sustainable investments. Companies that effectively manage ESG issues are seen as more credible, ethical and long-term oriented. As a result, they are attracting investment from those investors who look not only at profits, but also at positive social and environmental impact.
  3. Risk and regulatory oversight: Environmental, social and governance activities can affect a company’s reputation and carry legal and financial risks. As a result, more and more regulation is drawing attention to these areas and companies are required to report and act more transparently in line with ESG principles.
  4. Increased consumer trust: Customers are increasingly paying attention to what values a company stands for before they decide to buy products or use services. Companies that are committed to ESG principles can build stronger relationships with customers who prefer companies that care about society and the environment.
  5. Long-term performance: companies focused on sustainability and social responsibility are more resilient to changing market conditions. Effective ESG management can contribute to a company’s long-term performance and sustainability.

In other words, ESG is important because it integrates environmental, social and governance aspects and this allows companies to operate in a sustainable way, contributing to social well-being, building trust and ensuring long-term success.

Marek Grzybowski:  What does an entrepreneur understand by the acronym ESG?

Piotr Witek, Managing Partner, President of the Management Board of MOORE Polska:

ESG can be translated as ‘Environment, Social, and Governance’. These are the three key areas that companies and investors consider when assessing a company’s sustainability and social responsibility activities and performance.

The interpretation of the terms thus formulated could be as follows:

  1. Environment (Environmental): Refers to how the company affects the environment. Includes issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, natural resource consumption, waste management and other activities that affect the ecosystem.
  2. Society (Social): Includes aspects related to social relations, personnel management, employee safety, community engagement, diversity and inclusivity.
  3. Governance: Deals with the organisational structure, the way the company is governed, transparency, business ethics, compliance with legislation and corporate rules. It also deals with issues related to risk management and stakeholder relations.

Companies are increasingly focusing on ESG issues not only because of social and environmental concerns, but also because of the growing interest of investors, who are increasingly directing their capital towards companies that demonstrate a strong commitment to these areas.

Companies that effectively manage ESG aspects can enjoy better access to capital, greater customer confidence and other long-term benefits.

Marek Grzybowski:  ESG reporting covers topics such as recycling, greenhouse gas emissions, other types of air pollution, environmental impact, business ethics, employee health and safety, as well as safety management and accident prevention. What is the role of the audit firm in this process?

Piotr Witek, Managing Partner, President of the Management Board of MOORE Polska:

The auditor’s role in ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) reporting is key to ensuring the integrity, credibility and transparency of the information contained in companies’ ESG reports.

Here are some key aspects of the auditor’s role in this context:

  1. Verification of information: ESG auditors are responsible for verifying and confirming that the information contained in ESG reports is accurate, comprehensive and in line with accepted standards. This includes checking data on greenhouse gas emissions, natural resource management, social practices, diversity, business ethics and other ESG-related areas.
  2. Compliance with norms and standards: Auditors verify that companies comply with specific norms and standards for ESG reporting, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), or the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Verifying compliance helps ensure consistency and comparability between different companies.
  3. Evaluation of processes and controls: Auditors assess the processes and controls that the company has put in place to collect, analyse and report ESG data. This includes checking that appropriate data quality controls are in place and that reporting systems are transparent and effective.
  4. Financial reports and ESG: Auditors also consider the links between financial reports and ESG data. They assess whether there is consistency between financial and ESG information and whether possible risks related to ESG aspects are adequately addressed in the financial reports.
  5. Provision of audit opinion: Following the audit, the auditor provides an audit opinion on the reliability and trustworthiness of the information contained in the ESG reports. This opinion is important for investors, customers, business partners and other stakeholders as it confirms that the information is trustworthy.

By carrying out these activities meticulously, ESG auditors play a key role in enabling companies to report ESG effectively and build trust among stakeholders. Reliable ESG reporting is becoming increasingly important with the growing importance of sustainability and social responsibility.

Marek Grzybowski:   Large companies have created special sections to meet the conditions and prepare ESG reports. How to help small businesses act in accordance with ESG mandates?

Piotr Witek, Managing Partner, President of the Management Board of MOORE Polska:

Implementing ESG of a small company can be beneficial for both the company itself and its stakeholders. Here are some ways you can help a small company implement ESG:

Training and awareness:

    • Organise training for the management team and employees to raise their awareness of the nature and benefits of ESG.
    • Awareness of what the key ESG areas are and why they are important for the long-term success of the company.

Risk and opportunity analysis:

    • Help the company identify potential risks and opportunities related to ESG aspects.
    • Conduct a business impact assessment in the context of environmental, social and governance issues.

Development of ESG strategies:

    • Development of an ESG strategy, tailored to the specific industry and company characteristics.
    • Help set ESG goals that are measurable, achievable and in line with the company’s mission and values.

Introduction of reporting standards:

    • Assist in the implementation of ESG reporting standards, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) or others appropriate to the industry.
    • Provide tools to effectively monitor and report progress in the ESG area.

ESG data management:

    • Assist in the collection, analysis and management of ESG-related data.
    • Help automate data collection processes to facilitate regular reporting.

Partnerships with stakeholders:

    • Building relationships with different stakeholders such as investors, customers, suppliers and the local community.
    • Identify stakeholders’ ESG expectations and help align the company’s strategy with these expectations.

Access to sustainable finance:

    • Help to identify sources of sustainable finance, such as sustainable funds or programmes that support ESG-compliant investments.

Investor education:

    •  Communicate with investors and demonstrate that the company manages ESG aspects effectively.
    • Preparation of relevant ESG materials and information for investors.

Introducing ESG as a step-by-step process, involving the whole team and skilfully adapting the approach to the specifics of the company in question. Assistance in these areas can help a small company implement sustainability and social responsibility practices more effectively.

Marek Grzybowski:   Many companies view the auditor as just another controller in the company. Especially small and medium-sized companies that have little staff perceive the auditor this way. Is it possible to create an atmosphere of partnership between the SME and the auditor? How does MOORE do it?

Piotr Witek, Managing Partner, President of the Management Board of MOORE Polska:

This is how this process is possible. It becomes crucial to create an atmosphere of partnership between small businesses and the auditor. This approach is called partnership auditing or audit consulting. In this context, the auditor is not only seen as an auditor, but also as a business partner who helps the company achieve its business goals, identify areas of improvement and adapt to changing market conditions.

Here are some of the concepts that Moore Polska believes will make partner auditing possible:

  • Understanding Business:Auditors can invest time in understanding the client’s specific business and business objectives. This allows them to better tailor the audit approach to the company’s specific needs.
  • Support in Process Improvement: Auditors can offer tips and suggestions for improving internal processes, risk management and operational efficiency in general.
  • Development of the Financial Strategy: Auditors can assist clients in developing a financial strategy, helping to identify areas for investment and achieving long-term financial goals.
  • Advice on ESG Issues: Auditors can act as advisors in ESG-related areas, helping companies to adapt to sustainability standards.
  • Education and Cooperation: Auditors can play the role of educators, helping clients understand the nature of auditing, the principles of compliance and the benefits of appropriate financial management practices.
  • Transparent Communication: An important element of peer audit is transparent communication. Auditors should actively engage in dialogue with clients, jointly solving problems and discussing audit results.
  • Personalised Approach: Auditors can tailor their approach to specific client needs, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach and providing a more personalised service.

Creating an atmosphere of partnership requires commitment from both sides – auditor and client. It is important that the auditor is not seen as just an audit tool, but as a partner who supports the growth and success of the company.

A long-term relationship based on mutual trust and cooperation can benefit both parties.

Marek Grzybowski: Thank you for your answers

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McKinsey: Women are more ambitious than ever

 

This is the ninth year of the Women in the Workplace report. Conducted in partnership with LeanIn.Org, this effort is the largest study of women in corporate America and Canada. This year, we collected information from 276 participating organizations employing more than ten million people. At these organizations, we surveyed more than 27,000 employees and 270 senior HR leaders, who shared insights on their policies and practices. The report provides an intersectional look at the specific biases and barriers faced by Asian, Black, Latina, and LGBTQ+ women and women with disabilities.

This year’s research reveals some hard-fought gains at the top, with women’s representation in the C-suite at the highest it has ever been. However, with lagging progress in the middle of the pipeline—and a persistent underrepresentation of women of color1—true parity remains painfully out of reach.

The survey debunks four myths about women’s workplace experiences and career advancement. A few of these myths cover old ground, but given the notable lack of progress, they warrant repeating. These include women’s career ambitions, the greatest barrier to their ascent to senior leadership, the effect and extent of microaggressions in the workplace, and women’s appetite for flexible work. We hope highlighting these myths will help companies find a path forward that casts aside outdated thinking once and for all and accelerates progress for women.

The rest of this article summarizes the main findings from the Women in the Workplace 2023 report and provides clear solutions that organizations can implement to make meaningful progress toward gender equality.

State of the pipeline

Over the past nine years, women—and especially women of color—have remained underrepresented across the corporate pipeline (Exhibit 1). However, we see a growing bright spot in senior leadership. Since 2015, the number of women in the C-suite has increased from 17 to 28 percent, and the representation of women at the vice president and senior vice president levels has also improved significantly.

Four myths about the state of women at work

This year’s survey reveals the truth about four common myths related to women in the workplace.

Myth: Women are becoming less ambitious
Reality: Women are more ambitious than before the pandemic—and flexibility is fueling that ambition

Myth: The biggest barrier to women’s advancement is the ‘glass ceiling’
Reality: The ‘broken rung’ is the greatest obstacle women face on the path to senior leadership

Myth: Microaggressions have a ‘micro’ impact
Reality: Microaggressions have a large and lasting impact on women

Myth: It’s mostly women who want—and benefit from—flexible work
Reality: Men and women see flexibility as a ‘top 3’ employee benefit and critical to their company’s success

More: McKinsey Report: Women in the Workplace Full Report (52 pages)

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McKinsey: The economic potential of generative AI

Generative AI is poised to unleash the next wave of productivity. We take a first look at where business value could accrue and the potential impacts on the workforce.

AI has permeated our lives incrementally, through everything from the tech powering our smartphones to autonomous-driving features on cars to the tools retailers use to surprise and delight consumers. As a result, its progress has been almost imperceptible. Clear milestones, such as when AlphaGo, an AI-based program developed by DeepMind, defeated a world champion Go player in 2016, were celebrated but then quickly faded from the public’s consciousness.

 

Generative AI applications such as ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, Stable Diffusion, and others have captured the imagination of people around the world in a way AlphaGo did not, thanks to their broad utility—almost anyone can use them to communicate and create—and preternatural ability to have a conversation with a user. The latest generative AI applications can perform a range of routine tasks, such as the reorganization and classification of data. But it is their ability to write text, compose music, and create digital art that has garnered headlines and persuaded consumers and households to experiment on their own. As a result, a broader set of stakeholders are grappling with generative AI’s impact on business and society but without much context to help them make sense of it.

The speed at which generative AI technology is developing isn’t making this task any easier. ChatGPT was released in November 2022. Four months later, OpenAI released a new large language model, or LLM, called GPT-4 with markedly improved capabilities.1 Similarly, by May 2023, Anthropic’s generative AI, Claude, was able to process 100,000 tokens of text, equal to about 75,000 words in a minute—the length of the average novel—compared with roughly 9,000 tokens when it was introduced in March 2023.2 And in May 2023, Google announced several new features powered by generative AI, including Search Generative Experience and a new LLM called PaLM 2 that will power its Bard chatbot, among other Google products.3

To grasp what lies ahead requires an understanding of the breakthroughs that have enabled the rise of generative AI, which were decades in the making. For the purposes of this report, we define generative AI as applications typically built using foundation models. These models contain expansive artificial neural networks inspired by the billions of neurons connected in the human brain. Foundation models are part of what is called deep learning, a term that alludes to the many deep layers within neural networks. Deep learning has powered many of the recent advances in AI, but the foundation models powering generative AI applications are a step-change evolution within deep learning. Unlike previous deep learning models, they can process extremely large and varied sets of unstructured data and perform more than one task.

More in the McKinsey Report: The economic potential of generative AI

Authors
Michael Chui
Eric Hazan
Roger Roberts
Alex Singla
Kate Smaje
Alex Sukharevsky
Lareina Yee
Rodney Zemmel

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Deloitte: Pięć kluczowych kompetencji przywództwa w transformacji technologicznej

W pierwszej części wyników badania Deloitte 2023 Global Technology Leadership Study przedstawiamy, w jaki sposób ewoluowały role liderów w obszarze technologicznym oraz jakie kompetencje powinna posiadać kadra zarządzająca, aby odnieść sukces w obecnym środowisku, aby skutecznie przeprowadzić transformację technologiczną.

Dzisiejsi liderzy technologiczni rozumieją, że ich rola ulega zmianie. Nie wystarczy być ekspertem od transformacji technologii, specjalistą IT, czy profesjonalnym dostawcą usług. Przywództwo technologiczne jest obecnie sportem zespołowym, który stawia na pierwszym miejscu umiejętności współpracy, komunikacji, koordynacji i współtworzenia.

– mówi Anna Wiącek-Kocot, partnerka w Zespole Strategii i Transformacji Technologii, Deloitte.

 

Przywódcy technologiczni powinni kierować zsynchronizowanym zespołem o wielu talentach i kompetencjach, który pracuje nad transformacją przedsiębiorstwa. Badanie Deloitte Global Technology Leadership Study 2023 pokazuje, w jaki sposób liderzy technologiczni nie tylko radzą sobie z tym wyzwaniem, ale także jak wytyczają nowe ścieżki kariery dla siebie i pracowników w swoich zespołach.

Webinar: Jak być skutecznym liderem technologicznym?

Kluczowe wnioski z raportu Deloitte Global Technology Leadership Study 2023

Zarejestruj się 

Rolą działu technologii nie jest już tylko zapewnienie niezakłóconego przebiegu procesów biznesowych, ale także płynnego zarządzania całą firmą. Kilka lat temu technologia spełniała swoją rolę, gdy była niewidoczna dla organizacji. Dziś za sukces trzeba uznać, gdy w sposób aktywny, ale niezauważalny, na równi z innymi obszarami wytycza kierunek funkcjonowania biznesu.

– mówi Krzysztof Kozłowski, CTO w Warner Bros. Discovery TVN.

W tej publikacji – pierwszej z cyklu czterech – omawiamy tę zmianę bardziej szczegółowo i podkreślamy pięć różnych kompetencji, które CIOs/CTOs powinni rozwinąć, aby stać się transformacyjnymi liderami technologicznymi.

 

Ewolucja przywództwa technologicznego

Od czasu naszego badania z 2020 roku technologia nadal tworzy nowe sposoby działania organizacji. To, wraz z presją pandemii COVID-19, przyczyniło się do rozproszenia i rozszerzenia roli liderów technologicznych. Pojawiły się nowe możliwości wykorzystania i zarabiania na danych, a technologia jest postrzegana nie tylko jako czynnik umożliwiający realizację strategii, ale także jako jej współtwórca. Świadczy o tym powstanie m.in. stanowisk Chief Data Officer, czy też Chief Digital Officer.

Prawie jedna czwarta badanych przez nas organizacji posiada Chief Data Officer’a (27%) lub Chief Digital Officer’a (25%). 72% ankietowanych firm zawiera w swoich strukturach stanowisko Chief Information Offier’a, 51%, Chief Technology Officer’a oraz 47% Chief Information Security Officer’a. Z kolei 9% przedsiębiorstw posiada trzy stanowiska – Chief Digital Officer’a, Chief Data Officer’a oraz Chief Technology Officer’a.

To rozszerzenie funkcji jest prawdopodobnie wynikiem szerokiego spektrum oczekiwań. Z jednej strony oczekuje się, że liderzy będą innowacyjni i strategiczni, a z drugiej – że zapewnią niezawodność operacyjną i cyfrowe bezpieczeństwo. Respondenci poproszeni o wskazanie pięciu najważniejszych obszarów, którym poświęcają większość swojego czasu, stwierdzili, że oczekuje się od nich nadania priorytetu wszystkim aspektom, począwszy od rozwoju strategii biznesowej/cyfrowej (35%), poprzez innowacje (22%), aż po zapewnienie biegłości technologicznej organizacji (15%) (wykres 1).

Ponadto, ankietowani liderzy zauważają ogólne rozszerzenie oczekiwań wobec ich roli. Wymaga się od nich kierowania inicjatywami obejmującymi całą organizację, m.in.: rozwojem biegłości technologicznej (43%), innowacjami (37%), a także planowaniem strategicznym (13%). Co ciekawe, respondenci wskazali również, że nadal oczekuje się, iż funkcja technologiczna będzie dostarczać narzędzi i analiz w obszarach takich jak programy różnorodności, równości i integracji (DEE), czy też inicjatywy ESG.

Pięć kompetencji transformacyjnego przywództwa technologicznego

Przy tak wielu różnych rolach i obowiązkach, w jaki sposób liderzy technologiczni mogą skutecznie kreować wartość dla organizacji?

Z naszego badania wynika, że ci, którzy wyróżniają się na tle innych, nie tylko posiadają podstawowe kompetencje, takie jak biegłość w posługiwaniu się technologią, zarządzanie danymi i ich monetyzacja, innowacyjność, zarządzanie zmianą i wyczucie biznesowe, ale stosują też ustrukturyzowane, oparte na kompetencjach podejście, w ramach którego rozwijają i pielęgnują pięć odrębnych umiejętności w swoich organizacjach i zespołach przywódczych.

Więcej: Deloitte