Anti-equilibrium Archive

Sea coal logistics in 2022. A radical change in supply routes

Posted in: Anti-equilibrium, Artykuły, Logistyka, Makroekonomia, Marketing

By Marek Grzybowski

Russia’s attack on Ukraine and the sanctions introduced by EU countries resulted in radical changes in coal transport chains in 2022 on a global scale. Polish ports also joined the new system of sea connections under the influence of decisive changes in the sources of coal acquisition on the international market. The bulk terminals of Gdańsk, Gdynia, Szczecin and Świnoujście quickly adapted their technical and organizational potential. Polish ports joined the transshipment of coal in import relations.

Periodic shortages of gas and oil on the international market resulted in increased demand for coal. Global coal consumption increased by 1.2% and reached a record level of demand in 2022, according to a report by the International Energy Agency (EIA).

A new record for coal consumption reached 8,025 million tonnes in 2022. This was slightly above the level of 2013, when 7,997 million tonnes were used for energy, industrial and consumption purposes. The lower demand growth in 2022 is largely a reaction to the economic slowdown in leading industrial regions, including China.

The World Economic Forum highlights that only “about a third of the world’s electricity generation capacity now comes from low-carbon sources, with 26% coming from renewables and about 10% from nuclear power. The other two-thirds come from fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gases, such as coal, gas and oil.”

Coal ships will sail for many more miles and ports will handle millions of tons of coal before economies switch to renewable or nuclear power.

More: Sea coal logistics in 2022

The quantum revolution in the maritime logistics

Posted in: Anti-equilibrium, CRM, Informatyka w Firmie, Logistyka, Nowe Technologie, Zarządzanie Finansowe

By Marek Grzybowski

Maritime transport has recently experienced great turmoil. The new mutations of the coronavirus pandemic and the sanctions imposed on Russia after that country invaded Ukraine have caused disruptions in global logistics. Congestion at the last mile in a port, logistics center or container terminal causes global turmoil in leading industrial markets, both on the supply and demand side.

The world’s merchant ship fleet reached a capacity of around 2.3 billion dwt in January 2023. This is about 60 million dwt more than a year earlier and over 120 million dwt than in January 2021. Tonnage has increased significantly in all segments except general cargo operators in the last two years.

Bulk carriers recorded a particularly rapid increase in overall carrying capacity. The share of bulk carriers in the total capacity increased from 41 to 43 percent, the share of tankers decreased from 30 to 29 percent, and the share of general cargo ships from 5 to 4 percent. in the years 2012-2022.

Over 500 LNG tankers transported liquefied gas across the oceans in 2021. About 650 LNG tankers transported LNG on sea routes in 2022. By the end of 2023, their number will increase to about 690 LNG tankers.

Quantum technology for the logistics industry

What can a forward-thinking organization do with the current state of technology? – asks Dr. Christopher Savoie, CEO of Zapata Computing in Forbs and answers: “It’s best to start with making the most of this technology.”

“We’re seeing a steady evolution of quantum hardware, which is becoming increasingly fault-tolerant, and existing technology is slowly becoming more widely available,” said CEO Zapata Computing.

“Quantum technology is an exciting development for the logistics industry as it allows us to solve the recurring problem of finding the most efficient route between multiple hubs, which is becoming increasingly difficult in a complex environment,” said Justin Baird, Head of Innovation, DHL, Asia-Pacific Center. DHL portal.

Logistics in storms need support

Turmoil in sea and land logistics networks will require the support of efficient tools. These include the already widespread use of IoT and the management of ship and car fleets, traffic control in ports, on railroads and on rivers.
The smallest yacht or even a boat moving on inland waterways is supported by satellite technologies.

No one can imagine the movement of ships, cars and even couriers without the support of satellite technologies. Tracking a package purchased in a store by an individual customer is already a standard. It can therefore be expected that according to the predictions of IBM and DHL and the services introduced by UPS, quantum algorithms will enter global and local logistics at a rapid pace.

If large and small ports, terminals and logistics centers, sea and land connections are to participate in the logistics networks of the global economy, then we must be prepared to introduce innovative solutions based on quantum, information and space technologies today. Otherwise, we risk marginalization or even falling out of the market.

Sources: Forbs, Zapata Computing, IBM, DHL, UPS

More: The quantum revolution in maritime logistics

BCG: How the Metaverse Will Remake Your Strategy

Posted in: Anti-equilibrium, Firmy, Informatyka w Firmie, Innovation, Marketing, Zarządzanie Finansowe

By Rony Abovitz, Sumit Banerjee, Guy Gilliland, Christy Liu, Edwardo Sackey, Alexey Timashkov, and Rob Trollinger

The metaverse is already a big part of business. It will only become more central.

As digital technologies move to the next stage of advancement—the metaverse—there are two questions companies should ask: How will the metaverse change our business? And how can we get ahead of the change and shape it to our advantage? This is our perspective on both.

The Data and Technology Universe

There’s plenty of debate about the definition of the metaverse, but we find it more useful to take a practical view and focus on the productive use cases that it enables. The metaverse is based on the convergence of multiple technologies and the proliferation of data and content, which combine to create value for users. In the case of consumers, the result might be a virtual-reality (VR) gaming platform, while for business it could be a machine-learning algorithm that incorporates multiple diverse data sets to provide better insights and improve decision making.

In this sense, the metaverse encompasses broad categories of technology (including computing, connectivity, artificial intelligence, and machine learning) that come together in rich ways to create new and unprecedented value. It’s an aircraft engine technician connecting via the company’s help line to an expert 3,000 miles away. It’s the digital twin of an electrical grid that highlights maintenance needs or security vulnerabilities. It’s a smartphone app that integrates with an augmented-reality-enabled windshield to serve up driving directions, which it feeds to the car’s self-driving algorithms. It’s the technology that enables emergency services to respond when a phone or watch belonging to an injured person automatically sends an SOS.

It’s hard to pinpoint where the metaverse ends. It is flourishing, in part, thanks to continuing advancements in technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and VR, big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain. Just as our understanding of the universe and what it encompasses has been vastly expanded by the Hubble space telescope, the nature of the metaverse is a work in progress. Were we able to define its boundaries today, some future technological advance would almost certainly cause us to reassess.

If the metaverse seems a bit amorphous, its use cases are easier to spot and are multiplying fast. (See Exhibit 1.) Many companies already see the metaverse as an opportunity to connect with consumers in new ways. But for both B2C and B2B enterprises, it really represents a new way to do business and an opportunity to reinvent everything from customer journeys to operational processes. We can point to dozens of use cases for companies in all sectors and industries—and the technology underlying these applications is still only in its infancy. Their impact ranges from greater convenience and efficiency (remote maintenance, for example) to the life-changing and disruptive (enhanced surgical assistance and in-home health care). The new use cases can lead not just to quicker and easier ways of doing things but to whole new industries and business models.

More: BCG Metaverse Services

BCG – When Innovation Has No Borders, Culture Is Key

Posted in: Anti-equilibrium, CRM, Marketing, Menedżerowie, Nowe Technologie, Opinie, Raport z Rynku

By Johann D. Harnoss, Anna Schwarz, François Candelon, Martin Reeves, Ashley Grice, Ryoji Kimura, and Nikolaus Lang

Where do new ideas come from? Innovations that propel our societies forward often come from people who look at the familiar with fresh eyes, connecting and combining what’s previously been separate. For such innovators, crossing boundaries—not only mental boundaries, but sometimes actual physical borders—is the key to imagining new possibilities.

Talented, creative people can be found in every part of the world. Bringing together that diversity of talent enables companies and countries to see things in a new way and, our research shows, ignites the much-needed innovative spark that drives sustainable growth.

A Moral Cause with a Business Case

Reducing the obstacles to global migration, and building bridges to opportunity for talented people regardless of where they were born or what their circumstances might be, is a moral cause that also has a strong business case. The war in Ukraine, along with ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria, and elsewhere, reminds us that not all migration is voluntary—which only makes the moral cause that much more urgent.

In this “Innovation Without Borders” report, we lay out a pragmatic way forward for business executives who intend to drive creativity and innovation through global diversity. The report is based on a first-of-its-kind survey of executives in 20 industries and 10 countries, the personal beliefs that guide them, and the operational tactics they use. The report also includes the in-depth perspectives of four executives who have seen how rewarding the journey to global diversity can be for an organization—and the struggles that can occur along the way. Here are a few of their insights:

From Aspiration to Action

Our survey found that, while 95% of executives plan to embrace globally diverse teams, only 5% have fully scaled such teams across their organizations. This gap between ambition and execution is mostly a result of one thing: culture. Senior executives, especially in large, established firms, told us they worry about the significant cultural change a globally diverse workforce brings with it. Leaders of large companies who express a strong intent to pursue global diversity (and many who already are) also voice a healthy skepticism that they can get thousands of employees to follow them without ruffling some feathers.

Four Clusters of Maturity

We found that the firms in our survey fall into four distinct clusters of global diversity: companies we refer to as question marks, companies that see diversity as a tool, those who see diversity as a celebration, and those for whom diversity is a part of their DNA. Identifying the cluster a company occupies is a prerequisite for ambitious executive teams to drive action.

Managing Three Moments of Culture Shock

The four clusters above serve as beacons in the journey to global diversity, with higher creativity, growth, and innovation output the ultimate rewards. Each step on this journey offers benefits from a value creation perspective: firms that start as question marks can significantly increase their chances of becoming world class innovators by taking one or two steps in the journey to global diversity.

More: The BCG Henderson Institute is Boston Consulting Group’s strategy think tank, dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, technology, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas. The Institute engages leaders in provocative discussion and experimentation to expand the boundaries of business theory and practice and to translate innovative ideas from within and beyond business. For more ideas and inspiration from the Institute, please visit our Latest Thinking page and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

16th Annual International Conference on Global Studies: Business, Economic, Political, Social and Cultural Aspects

Posted in: Anti-equilibrium, Branże, Innovation, Makroekonomia, Marketing, Opinie

Monday 19 December 2022

09.00-09.30
Registration

09:30-10:00
Opening and Welcoming Remarks:

Gregory T. Papanikos, President, ATINER

10:00-12:00 Session 1
Coordinator: Theodore Trafalis, Head, Industrial Engineering Unit, ATINER, Professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering and Director, Optimization & Intelligent Systems Laboratory, The University of Oklahoma, USA.

Elisabeth Springler, Professor, University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna, Austria.
Nathalie Homlong, Professor, Volda University College, Norway.
Title: Second Hand Clothing Market in Ghana: Driver for Sustainable Development or Waste Colonialism?
Vincenzo Asero, Assistant Professor, University of Catania, Italy.
Valia Kasimati, Head, Tourism, Leisure & Recreation Unit, ATINER & Researcher, Department of Economic Analysis & Research, Central Bank of Greece, Greece.
Title: Event Tourism, Authenticity and Places Identity in the Mediterranean Area.
Yaffa Moskovich, Associate Professor, Zefat Academic College, Israel.
Title: Lesson learned from Cultural Features of Successful Non-privatized Kibbutz Industry- An Israeli Case Study.
Ju-Hyun Pyun, Associate Professor, Korea University, South Korea.
Title: The Effect of Inter-Firm Brain Circulation: Spillover from MNEs ‘Foreign’ Human Capital and Local Firms Productivities.

12:00-14:00 Session 2
Coordinator: Nathalie Homlong, Professor, Volda University College, Norway.

Alejandra-Maria Vilalta-Perdomo, Director of International Academic Development and Global Initiatives, TEC de Monterrey, Mexico.
Title: Higher Education Institutions Learnings and Resilience from Previous Crisis. Developing Resilience and Learnings from Previous Crisis in Mexico Applied on the Global Covid 19 Pandemic to Continue International Student’s Mobility Operations in a Higher Education Institution in Mexico.
Gannadiy Chernov, Associate Professor, University of Regina, Canada.
Title: Selective Exposure: Revisiting Key Concepts.
Luisa Weinzierl, Lecturer, St Mary’s University, UK.
Title: An Integrated Framework on the Impact on Emotions, Challenges and Strategies that Arise from Mixed Proficiency Levels in the Corporate Language in Multinational Teams.
Bekeh Ukelina, Professor, State University of New York, USA.
Title: Missionization and Early Christian Education in Nigeria, 1843-1900.
Kenneth Christie, Professor, Royal Roads University, Canada.
Title: Lockdown, Vulnerabilities and the Marginalised: Melbourne as a COVID-19 Response Study.

14:00-15:00 Lunch

15:00-16:30 Session 3
Coordinator: Olga Gkounta, Researcher, ATINER.

Defne Gönenç, Researcher, Yasar University, Turkey.
Title: Decolonizing Climate Change: Indian Climate Policies.
Nkululeko Zondi, Lecturer, Durban University of Technology, South Africa.
Title: Rural Community Perceptions on Land Use Change and Its Effects on their Agricultural Practices in Vulindlela, Kwazulu-Natal.
Veronika Belousova, Associate Professor, HSE University, Russia.
Title: What Factors Help Universities to Attract Private R&D Funding?
Emilio Bravo Grajales, Researcher, Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico.
Title: Socio-Environmental Landscape of Daily Mobility in the Lake Zone of Mexico City Tlahuac Xochimilco-Milpa Alta.

16:30-17:30 Session 4
Coordinator: Olga Gkounta, Researcher, ATINER.

Luigi Spedicato, Associate Professor, University of Salento, Italy.
Title: Breaking the Obvious: Interpreting Hate Speech on Schützian Reflective Bases.
Pratima Verma, Professor, Alliance University, India.
Title: Impact of Organizational Politics Perception at Different Stages of the Organization.

20:30-22:30
Greek Night

Tuesday 20 December 2022

Session 5
09:00-11:00 Session 5a Coordinator: Kostas Spyropoulos (Administrator, ATINER)	08:15-11:00 Session 5b Coordinator: Olga Gkounta, Researcher, ATINER.
Ali Abusalem, Director, E-Learning: The Quest for Quality Education, Australia. *Title*: Engaging and Retaining Students in Online Learning. Lorraine Bennett, Managing Director, Lorraine Bennett Learning and Teaching Consultancy, Australia. *Title*: Building Academic Integrity and Capacity in Digital Assessment in Higher Education. Flavia Capodanno, PhD Student, University of Salerno, Italy. *Title*: Appreciative Inquiry for Inclusive Schools: Preliminary Results from A Scoping Review. Alessio Di Paolo, PhD Student, University of Salerno, Italy. *Title*: Music, Fostering Reading Skills Through Simplex Didactics and Music. Creation of an Inclusive Tool for Pupils with Dyslexia. Al-Khansaa Diab, Faculty Member, David Yellin college, Israel. *Title*: Emotional Experiences among Youth Palestinians in the Israeli Jewish Higher Education Institutes. Fausta Sabatano, Researcher, University of Salerno, Italy. *Title*: Narrative Tool as a Vicarious Tool: An Action-Research on Inclusive Instructional Design.	Old and New-An Educational Urban Walk The urban walk ticket is not included as part of your registration fee. It includes transportation costs and the cost to enter the Parthenon and the other monuments on the Acropolis Hill. The urban walk tour includes the broader area of Athens. Among other sites, it includes: Zappion, Syntagma Square, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Ancient Roman Agora and on Acropolis Hill: the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, and the Parthenon. The program of the tour may be adjusted, if there is a need beyond our control. This is a private event organized by ATINER exclusively for the conference participants. Some participants have videotaped the event. Click here for an example.

11:00-12:30 Session 6
Coordinator:Elisabeth Springler, Professor, University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna, Austria.

Basirat Oyalowo, Senior Lecturer, University of Lagos, Nigeria.
Title: Between Modernization, Rights & Responsibilities: Lagos Informal Sector Policy through a Political Settlement Lens.
Noa Lavie, Senior Lecturer, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Israel.
Title: COVID-19, War and the Decline of Democracy: Combat Lessons from the Israeli TV.
Cheryl-Dean Thompson, PhD Student, Royal Roads University, Canada.
Title: (Re)Discovering the Empathic Process for a (Re)Generative Approach to Global Challenges.
Mark Rowlands, Master Student, Royal Roads University, Canada.
Title: Resonating Global Change: A Needs Assessment.

12:30-14:00 Session 7
Coordinator: Basirat Oyalowo, Senior Lecturer, University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Amer Samar, Associate Professor, Zagazig University, Saudi Arabia.
Title: Post-COVID-19 Smell, and Hearing Impairment; Frequency, Determinants, and Predictors Case-Control Study 2022.
Sarah Zheng, Assistant Professor, University of Victoria, Canada.
Title: When Is Standardization Most Beneficial for Reducing Medical Errors? The Moderating Role of Operational Failures.
Abbas Fadhil Mohammed Albayati, Professor, Alqalam University College, Iraq.
Title: Domestic Violence in Iraq in Light of the Repercussions of the Corona Crisis.
Nemanja Milenkovic, Assistant Professor, University of Belgrade, Serbia.
Title: Measuring Socio-Economic Development of MENA Countries – A Multivariate Approach.

14:00-15:00 Lunch

15:00-17:00 Session 8
Coordinator: Olga Gkounta, Researcher, ATINER.

Robert Smith, PhD Candidate, University of New England, Australia.
Title: Is An “Open Innovation” Policy Viable in Southeast Asia?: A Legal Perspective.
Ronagh McQuigg, Senior Lecturer, Queen’s University Belfast, UK.
Title: Conceptualising Domestic Abuse – The Evolving Approaches of the European Court of Human Rights.
Aleksejs Jelisejevs, PhD Candidate, Turība University, Latvia.
Title: Good Faith as a Doctrinal Tool to Interpret Legal and Contractual Frameworks for Banks’ Rights to Close Accounts Unilaterally.
Daphne Vidanec, Professor, Balthazar University of Applied Sciences, Croatia.
Title: Taxonomy Related to the Public Administration Regarding Defence and Security Policy: An Ethical Approach.
Danilo Yanich, Professor, University of Delaware, USA.
Title: War in Ukraine: What is the Story.
Monica Ewomazino Akokuwebe, Research Fellow, North-West University, South Africa.
Title: Male Involvement in Family Planning Decisions in Malawi and Tanzania: What are the Determinants?

17:00-18:30 Session 9
Coordinator: Olga Gkounta, Researcher, ATINER.

Qinghe Hou, PhD Student, Southeastern University, China.
Title: Assessing Hydrological Cost-Effectiveness of Stormwater Multi-Level Control Strategies in Mountain Park under the Concept of Sponge City.
Antje Bierwisch, Professor, MCI (R) The Entrepreneurial School, Austria.
Title: Corporate Foresight as an Enabler for Business Model Innovation in the Craft Industry.
Cristian Pelizzari, Associate Professor, University of Brescia, Italy.
Title: Rainfall Risk Management in the Wine Industry.
Chixiao Lu, Master Student, University of Bristol, UK.
Title: Analyzing the Performance of Service Industry during Pandemic Using SOCP Transformed Dynamic DEA and Classification DEA.

19:30-21:00
Dinner

Wednesday 21 December 2022
Visiting the Oracle of Delphi

Thursday 22 December 2022
An Educational Visit to Selected Islands