SourceWire: Education and Human Resources https://pressreleases.responsesource.com Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:14:16 +0100 hello@responsesource.com (ResponseSource Press Release Wire) support@responsesource.com Copyright2023 ResponseSource Ltd. https://static.responsesource.com/favicon.ico <![CDATA[ResponseSource Press Release Wire: Education and Human Resources]]> https://pressreleases.responsesource.com Zend Framework Zend_Feed en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104156/machines-can-make-better-decisions-than-humans-but-how-do/ <![CDATA[Machines can make better decisions than humans, but how do we know when they’re actually accurate?]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/746182595/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~Machines-can-make-better-decisions-than-humans-but-how-do-we-know-when-they%e2%80%99re-actually-accurate/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104156/machines-can-make-better-decisions-than-humans-but-how-do/       ]]> ESMT Berlin.

This phenomenon is known as algorithm aversion, and is often attributed to an inherent mistrust in machines. However, systematically overriding an algorithm may not necessarily stem from algorithm aversion. This new research shows that the very context in which a human decision maker works can also prevent the decision maker from learning whether a machine produces better decisions.

These findings come from research by Francis de Véricourt and Huseyin Gurkan, both professors of management science at ESMT Berlin. The researchers wanted to determine under which conditions a human decision maker, supervising a machine making critical decisions, could properly assess whether the machine produces better recommendations. To do so, the researchers set up an analytical model where a human decision maker supervised a machine tasked with important decisions, such as whether to perform a biopsy on a patient. The human decision maker then made the best choice based on the information they received from the machine for each task.

The researchers found that if a human decision maker heeded the machine’s recommendation and it proved correct, the human would trust the machine more. But the human sometimes did not observe whether the machine’s recommendation was correct – this happened, for instance, when the human decision maker decided not to take follow-up actions. In this case, there was no change in trust and no lessons learned for the human decision maker. This interaction between the human’s decision and the human’s assessment of the machine creates biased learning. Hence, over time, they might not learn how to effectively use machines.

These findings clearly show that it is not always an inherent mistrust against the machines that means humans override algorithmic decisions, but over time, this biased learning can be reinforced by consistent overriding, which might result in incorrectly and ineffectively using machines in decision making.

“Often, we see a tendency for humans to override algorithms, which can be typically attributed to an intrinsic mistrust of machine-based predictions,” says Prof. de Véricourt. “This bias, however, may not be the sole reason for inappropriately and systematically overriding an algorithm. It may also be the case that we are simply not learning how to effectively use machines correctly, when our learning is based solely on the correctness of the machine’s predictions.”

These findings show that trust in a machine’s decision making ability is key to ensuring that we effectively learn how to utilise them, and that the accuracy of their usage also improves.

“Our research shows that there is clearly lack of opportunities for human decision makers to learn from a machine’s intelligence unless they account for its advice continually,” says Prof. Gurkan. “We need to adopt ways of complete learning with the machines constantly, not just selectively.”

The researchers say that these findings shed light on the importance of collaboration between humans and machines and guides us on when (and when not) to trust machines. By studying such situations, we can learn when it is best to listen to the machine and when it is better to make our own decisions. The framework set out by the researchers can help humans to better leverage machines in decision making.

The paper may be found here.

/ENDS

For more information or to speak with the researchers, please contact Kyle Grizzell from BlueSky Education on +44 (0) 1582 790709 or kyle@bluesky-pr.com
      
]]> Wed, 14 Jun 2023 11:30:00 +0100 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104155/vlerick-business-school-launch-metaverse-for-business-executive-programme-in/ <![CDATA[Vlerick Business School launch “Metaverse for Business” executive programme in partnership with Howest]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/746177555/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~Vlerick-Business-School-launch-%e2%80%9cMetaverse-for-Business%e2%80%9d-executive-programme-in-partnership-with-Howest/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104155/vlerick-business-school-launch-metaverse-for-business-executive-programme-in/       ]]>
The programme is aimed at business leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals from all kinds of sectors and will teach participants about the value potential and possible limitations of the metaverse – without getting into overly complex technical detail.

Participants will also experience the metaverse first-hand in Lab environments and learn as they use technologies including virtual and augmented reality and 3D modelling.

The 6-day programme will cover a range of key topics including;

How the metaverse can benefit your business, customers and employees
. Key concepts of the metaverse – and how they apply to your business
. The skillsets you’ll need to implement metaverse related initiatives
. How other businesses are getting value from the metaverse
. Creating a business case for your metaverse project

“As Web3 technology advances rapidly, the metaverse has emerged as a transformative concept that promises to revolutionise industries and redefine how businesses operate.”, says Martin Butler, Programme Director and Professor at Vlerick Business School. “The metaverse is poised to radically transform the way we digitally interact and work with the world around us, and this programme helps inform executives on the way it can benefit them.”

The partnership combines the strengths of Vlerick Business School and Howest Academy to create a unique educational offering that blends technological expertise with strategic management insights.

Vlerick will bring its wealth of managerial and business expertise to the partnership, teaching participants how the metaverse can impact strategic decision-making, business models, customer engagement, and organisational culture.

And Howest Academy, known for its pioneering work in technology-driven fields, will play a pivotal role in developing laboratory exercises that provide experiential experiences, enabling executives to explore the metaverse's technical aspects and discover its practical applications across industries.

“Helping companies and organisations with a combination of new digital technologies to innovate processes and create value can only succeed if we have the business professionals from Vlerick and technology experts from Howest working collaborating together to deliver a transformational learning experience.” Prof Kurt Callewaert, Valorisation Manager Digital Transformation, Howest

For more information, or to apply for the programme, follow this link: https://www.vlerick.com/en/programmes/metaverse-for-business...

If you would like to speak to the programme director, please contact Peter Remon at BlueSky Education – peter@bluesky-pr.com +44 (0) 77 235 228 30.
      
]]> Wed, 14 Jun 2023 11:00:00 +0100 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104154/men-are-more-likely-to-hide-knowledge-at-work/ <![CDATA[Men are more likely to hide knowledge at work]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/746171009/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~Men-are-more-likely-to-hide-knowledge-at-work/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104154/men-are-more-likely-to-hide-knowledge-at-work/       ]]> UCL Global Business School for Health (UCL GBSH).

Dr Paola Zappa, lecturer in Organisational Behaviour and HR management at UCL GBSH, and Dr Tatiana Andreeva, Associate Professor at Maynooth University School of Business, investigated the influence of gender on knowledge hiding.

Participants – UK based workers employed in a variety of industries – answered questions about their demographics, work attitudes, and knowledge hiding behaviours, focusing on three types: evasive hiding (providing incorrect or incomplete information), playing dumb (pretending not to know the answer), and rationalised hiding (admitting to concealing knowledge but sometimes with a genuine reason, e.g., privacy or confidentiality reasons).

The findings suggest men feel more entitled than women to conceal their knowledge: they hide it more often than women, specifically through rationalised hiding, while women use evasive hiding and playing dumb. Men also conceal knowledge more frequently in a female-dominated environment and are more likely to use the same methods as women, since they believe that women will sanction them less than men for this behaviour.

Although intentionally withholding knowledge from colleagues can be damaging for individuals and organisations, this behaviour may be an attempt to cope with work conflict, psychological stress, or to gain a competitive advantage over colleagues.

“Rationalised hiding does not necessarily involve deception, and leads to lower turnover intentions and higher job satisfaction. Therefore, men are likely to benefit more, as they protect their knowledge by selecting the most inconsequential or safest way to do so,” explains Dr Zappa.

For women, openly admitting to not sharing knowledge may be perceived as going against the social expectation of being caring and helpful and may lead to negative responses from colleagues. Dr Zappa continues, “By pretending not to know the answer to a colleague’s request, women might reinforce the gender stereotype of not being competent, harming their reputation within the company”.

Managers should counteract gendered stereotypes around competence and decrease social pressure on female employees to avoid rationalised hiding. This can be done by acknowledging the expertise of female employees and the value of their knowledge.

These findings were first published in Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology.

/ENDS

For more information, a copy of the research paper, or to speak with Dr Zappa, please contact Kyle Grizzell from BlueSky Education on +44 (0) 1582 790709 or kyle@bluesky-pr.com
      
]]> Wed, 14 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0100 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104152/remote-workers-feel-policed-by-unpredictable-managers/ <![CDATA[Remote workers feel “policed” by unpredictable managers]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/746145062/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~Remote-workers-feel-%e2%80%9cpoliced%e2%80%9d-by-unpredictable-managers/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104152/remote-workers-feel-policed-by-unpredictable-managers/       ]]>
Birgit Schyns, Distinguished Professor of People and Organisations at NEOMA, co-authored a study analysing survey data on 450 employees at UK-based firms.

According to the researchers, when working from home, employees can feel that they have less autonomy and are under constant surveillance if monitored too frequently. These feelings can be exacerbated if managers’ behaviour is unpredictable, they say.

“Day-to-day monitoring leaves remote workers wondering why their managers are making such frequent demands, which may leave them questioning their own ability and putting themselves down. At the end of the day, some employees feel physically and intellectually exhausted” says Professor Schyns.

The researchers recommend managers establish clear guidelines for checking on employees’ progress. Once communicated, these guidelines must be observed, they add.

The impact of remote management is so important that the authors recommend that business leaders should also tackle the issue. This role includes providing managers with guidance about their conduct and defining appropriate benchmarks for managerial behaviour.


/ENDS

For more information, a copy of the research, or to hear from Professor Birgit Schyns, contact Jamie Hose at BlueSky Education on jamie@bluesky-pr.com, or call +44 (0)1582 790 706.
      
]]> Wed, 14 Jun 2023 07:30:00 +0100 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104145/ons-labour-statistics-a-concern-with-employers-facing-an-impossible/ <![CDATA[ONS labour statistics a ‘concern’ with employers facing an impossible predicament]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/745772726/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~ONS-labour-statistics-a-%e2%80%98concern%e2%80%99-with-employers-facing-an-impossible-predicament/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104145/ons-labour-statistics-a-concern-with-employers-facing-an-impossible/       ]]>


Tania Bowers, Global Public Policy Director at APSCo, commented:



“The latest data from the ONS shows just how complex the labour market in the UK is becoming and how much pressure is on businesses who are already battling with high inflation, an uncertain economy and shrinking talent pools. The growth in both employment numbers and the proportion of the workforce that have been out of work for a year or more – which is indicative of an increase in non-participation due to long-term illness – suggests that the dearth of talent that has been noted for most of this year is only going to increase. Across the public sector in particular, the continued loss of working days due to strikes and on-going unrest is a real concern for the stability of resources.



“The fact that pay also fell when adjusted for inflation, despite the growth in average pay that was noted between February and April, suggests that the economic climate continues to drive salaries up, with seemingly little return for households. UK employers are facing what is now a sustained period where they are inflating remuneration in response to demand from candidates who are aware of the labour shortages facing businesses – and are leveraging this to command higher pay. With salaries falling when adjusted for inflation, it is likely that employers will find staffing budgets increasingly squeezed.



“The UK’s economy may be resilient enough to avoid a recession for now, but we are in a negative spiral of skills shortages and pay inflation that is putting the small stability we’re experiencing at risk. The Sunak administration may have pledged to improve the strength of the country’s skills, but movement is slow. We urgently need more immediate solutions to the labour market struggles we are facing.”





Press Contact

Vickie Collinge

Vickie@bluesky-pr.com

01582 790705

About APSCo

The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) is the trade association for the professional recruitment market. APSCo Global comprises APSCo Asia, APSCo Australia, APSCo Deutschland and APSCo United Kingdom as well as APSCo OutSource, the trade body for the RPO and MSP sectors.

Find out more: www.apscouk.org www.apscouk.org
      
]]> Tue, 13 Jun 2023 11:00:00 +0100 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104140/lse-ideas-selects-next-mladena-and-dianko-sotirov-visiting-fellow/ <![CDATA[LSE IDEAS selects next Mladena and Dianko Sotirov Visiting Fellow to focus on US-China competition in the Balkans.]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/745765616/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~LSE-IDEAS-selects-next-Mladena-and-Dianko-Sotirov-Visiting-Fellow-to-focus-on-USChina-competition-in-the-Balkans/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104140/lse-ideas-selects-next-mladena-and-dianko-sotirov-visiting-fellow/       ]]>
As a Bulgarian scholar Ivan brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team and will use this experience to examine an important and underappreciated topic.

He recently completed his PhD at Kings College London in International Relations and Political Science. Dr Lidarev received his MA in International Affairs, with a concentration in Asia, from the Elliott School of International Affairs (ESIA), George Washington University and BA in History, Asian Studies and Global and International Studies from Bard College. He boasts a rich think tank experience and between 2014 and 2017, served as advisor at Bulgaria’s National Assembly.

His research titled ‘’China-US competition in the Balkans: impact, regional responses, and larger implications’’ will seek to answer three broad questions: 1) how the China-US competition has shaped the strategic framework in which Balkan states operate; 2) how Balkan states have responded strategically to this competition; 3) what the long-term implications for the region of the US-China competition are.

This fellowship is made possible thanks to the generous endowment by Mrs Mladena Sotirov. The Mladena and Dianko Sotirov Visiting Fellowship at LSE IDEAS provides support for a selected scholar to undertake study into Bulgaria and the Balkan region, working to understand its recent history, international affairs, the challenges it faces today and the prospects of tomorrow.

Professor Christopher Coker, Director at LSE IDEAS, says:

‘’We value the support which the Sotirov family has given IDEAS over the years. We have been able to bring over many excellent scholars to work on issues involving Bulgaria and the Balkans and I am excited to see the results that Dr Lidarev will produce.’’

Dr Ivan Lidarev, 2023/24 Mladena and Dianko Sotirov Fellow, said of his appointment:

‘’I am very excited to be selected for the Sotirov fellowship and grateful to LSE IDEAS and the Sotirov family. For me, this is a great opportunity to research an important but often underappreciated topic in the intellectually stimulating environment of LSE IDEAS.’’

To hear more from Dr. Ivan Lidarev, contact Jamie Hose at BlueSky Education on jamie@bluesky-pr.com, or call +44 (0)1582 790 706.
      
]]> Tue, 13 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0100 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104139/king-s-business-school-launches-executive-mba-designed-for-a/ <![CDATA[King’s Business School launches Executive MBA designed for a world facing complex challenges]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/745757177/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~King%e2%80%99s-Business-School-launches-Executive-MBA-designed-for-a-world-facing-complex-challenges/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104139/king-s-business-school-launches-executive-mba-designed-for-a/       ]]> King’s Business School are now open.

Reflecting society’s new expectations of business and the urgent need to address problems like climate change through multi-faceted solutions, King’s Business School is launching a new EMBA with an emphasis on how businesses can address grand challenges via multi-disciplinary approaches.

Starting in September 2023, the EMBA will expand beyond staple themes such as finance, strategy and CSR that form the basis of many business school modules. Instead, a cross-departmental approach will examine how these concepts intertwine, allowing students to understand, for example, how sustainability impacts financial decisions.

In addition, EMBA candidates will learn from leading King’s researchers from areas as diverse as life sciences and war studies to test their skills and enable them to see business decisions in the context of wider technological and societal change.

“Businesses tell us that to succeed today, you need to combine leadership skills with an awareness of wider social and environmental challenges. We are proud to launch an EMBA that takes addressing these broader challenges as its starting point and recognises the opportunities that creates for businesses that find the best solutions to them. It is very much in the King’s tradition of working to make the world a better place. ” says Professor Stephen Bach, Executive Dean.

“A typical business education is no longer enough for professionals on their way to the C-suite. Increasingly, leaders need to consider all kinds of input; from cutting edge technological developments to the needs of the communities their business operates in. Working with top academics and other future leaders, graduates of our programme will think through issues, test out ideas, and learns how they can secure their organisation’s success in the years to come and make a positive contribution to the world around them.” Professor Jens Hagendorff, Director of the Executive MBA programme.

In constructing the programme, King’s Business School consulted with business leaders across different sized enterprises to highlight what leaders needed to know and master in current and future contexts, and what might be missing from current EMBA programmes. As a result the King's Business School's EMBA has a particular focus on the social and environmental challenges facing business, and how future leaders can harness the solutions for long-term success in the market.


/ENDS

For more information on the EMBA programme, or to speak with the faculty, please contact Alexandre Lopez at BlueSky Education on alex@blusky-pr.com or call on +44 (0)1582 797959
      
]]> Tue, 13 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0100 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104132/essec-business-school-and-carnegie-mellon-university-s-tepper-school-of/ <![CDATA[ESSEC Business School and Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business Announce New Dual Degree Program]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/744892763/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~ESSEC-Business-School-and-Carnegie-Mellon-Universitys-Tepper-School-of-Business-Announce-New-Dual-Degree-Program/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104132/essec-business-school-and-carnegie-mellon-university-s-tepper-school-of/       ]]>
The program will take a minimum of two academic years to complete, with students spending at least one academic year at each school, plus internships. Students will study in the Paris suburb of Cergy while enrolled at ESSEC and in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania while enrolled at the Tepper School.

This strategic collaboration leverages the strengths and expertise of these two prestigious institutions to foster innovation, cross-cultural exchange, and excellence in business education. The partnership also facilitates academic collaboration, and student exchanges, building students’ understanding of the evolving needs of the global business landscape.

Vincenzo Vinzi, Dean and President of ESSEC, notes: “ESSEC Business School is thrilled to establish this exciting partnership with the Tepper School of Business, a collaboration that signals our shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and global engagement. ESSEC is proud to have a powerful global network of business leaders and to offer unparalleled opportunities to our students, faculty, and the broader business community. This partnership will provide invaluable access to a multicultural environment, increased knowledge-sharing, and interdisciplinary collaboration, contributing to our common overarching goal of preparing leaders for impactful careers.”

"The partnership between the Tepper School of Business and ESSEC is a transformative step forward in shaping the future of business education," adds Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou, Dean and Richard P. Simmons Professor of Finance, Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business. "By joining forces, we will position our students for a truly global experience that prepares them to navigate the complexities of an interconnected world."

ESSEC’s MiM program provides a solid foundation of general management knowledge and aims to equip the next generation of leaders to handle the major challenges facing businesses, organizations and society. The Tepper School’s MSBA program is a STEM-designated program for students to sharpen their business expertise and creative problem-solving skills by analyzing data to make smarter decisions for their company or organization. ESSEC students who graduate from the MSBA program may be eligible to work in the United States for a certain amount of time under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) initiative.

In addition to the dual degree program, ESSEC and the Tepper School are exploring further opportunities, including a two-week executive education program focusing on luxury business, exchange programs for students to study at ESSEC’s campuses in France, Singapore, and Morocco and on Tepper’s campus in Pittsburgh, a joint postgraduate program at ESSEC’s Singapore campus and the Tepper School’s Pittsburgh campus, and a study abroad program.

Both schools share a commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in business education. The partnership will prioritize creating an inclusive learning environment that embraces students from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and cultures while preparing them to become ethical and responsible global leaders.

/ENDS

If you would like to learn more, or speak to Professor Vincenzo Vinzi from ESSEC Business School, please contact Georgina at georgina@bluesky-pr.com.

—
About ESSEC Business School: ESSEC, founded in 1907, is one of the world’s top management schools and holds the “triple crown” accreditation from EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA. With 7,221 students; a faculty comprised of 169 full-time professors, 23 of which are emeritus professors, in France and Singapore, recognized for both the quality and influence of their research; a wide range of management training programs; partnerships with the world’s best universities; and a network of 65,000 alumni, ESSEC continues to foster a tradition of academic excellence and a spirit of openness in the fields of economics, social sciences and innovation. In 2005, ESSEC opened a campus in Asia. ESSEC’s operations in Asia Pacific, strategically located in Singapore, present the perfect foothold for ESSEC to be part of the vibrant growth of Asia and to bring its expertise to the expanding region. Additionally, in 2017 ESSEC opened a new campus in Rabat, Morocco. ESSEC’s international expansion allows students and professors to study and understand the economic forces at work in the different regions of the world. For any additional information, please visit www.essec.edu or www.essec.edu/asia.

About Tepper School of Business: The Tepper School of Business, located in the heart of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, embodies a forward-thinking culture and the spirit of innovation. From artificial intelligence to intelligent systems, the Tepper School is the birthplace of the data-informed and human-driven approach to business. Designed to educate leaders for the Intelligent Future, the Tepper School is ranked among the world’s top business schools by leading business publications. The school offers a STEM-certified MBA program, MS degrees in Product Management, Business Analytics and Computational Finance; undergraduate degrees in business and economics; a Ph.D. program; and executive education for professionals and their organizations. To learn more, please visit https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/.
      
]]> Thu, 08 Jun 2023 11:00:00 +0100 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104128/umbrella-company-consultation-is-progress-but-regulation-will-be-difficult/ <![CDATA[Umbrella company consultation is progress, but regulation will be difficult]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/744716672/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~Umbrella-company-consultation-is-progress-but-regulation-will-be-difficult/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104128/umbrella-company-consultation-is-progress-but-regulation-will-be-difficult/       ]]> Tackling non-compliance in the umbrella company market published yesterday, Tania Bowers, Global Public Policy Director at APSCo comments:

“While this is a significant consultation that will require a lot of input and insight from the staffing sector to ensure any regulatory change is fit for purpose, it is promising to see that HMRC is committed to driving long-term changes in umbrella regulation which we believe are necessary.

“Looking at the detail that is currently available, the options on defining an umbrella company into law is something APSCo will need to engage fully with members on, as any definition could create opportunities for avoidance by unscrupulous umbrella businesses.

“We are pleased to see that the Government is looking to set statutory compliance standards for umbrella businesses which is in line with our initial recommendations last year. However, rather than placing more responsibility on the umbrella industry itself, forcing it to mature, through requirements such as client accounts for workers’ pay and regulatory enforcement on directors and officers akin to that seen in financial services, Government are once again seeking to rely on passing legal and tax risk up the supply chain to employment businesses and end hirers. We already see the uncertainty around potential HMRC enforcement that Off Payroll and Managed Service Company legislation has created, with hard-to-quantity, long-tail potential liabilities. We can understand the attractiveness to Government of the seemingly simple logic of debt transfer to employment businesses or a further deemed employer regime. However, in the long term, this could create further uncertainty in the UK’s highly regarded and vibrant recruitment and outsourcing sectors, so vital to the productivity of the labour market and the future of work agenda. We will be working closely with our members to ensure that the voice of the professional staffing sector is brought to the table amid what looks set to be some significant changes to umbrella regulation.

“While it will be the finer details that need to be informed by the insight of the recruitment sector, it is a promising sign that HMRC is taking a carefully considered approach to an issue which – given the significant number of initial responses to the consultation last year – is clearly a prime concern for workers, recruiters and end hirers. It’s clear that the Government is being ambitious in its plans to tackle the unscrupulous behaviour of rogue umbrella firms, but any such changes should not be to the detriment of employment businesses and the wider economy”


Press Contact
Vickie Collinge
Vickie@bluesky-pr.com
01582 790705

About APSCo

The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) is the trade association for the professional recruitment market. APSCo Global comprises APSCo Asia, APSCo Australia, APSCo Deutschland and APSCo United Kingdom as well as APSCo OutSource, the trade body for the RPO and MSP sectors.

Find out more: www.apscouk.org
      
]]> Wed, 07 Jun 2023 11:10:00 +0100 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104124/businesses-must-implement-human-rights-policies/ <![CDATA[Businesses must implement human rights policies]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/744701219/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~Businesses-must-implement-human-rights-policies/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104124/businesses-must-implement-human-rights-policies/       ]]>
According to Levashova, this is a logical as well as moral step, to comply with tightening international regulations, avoid human rights-related lawsuits by NGOs which can cause reputational damage, and maintain a competitive edge.

She recommends business leaders develop a comprehensive understanding of key issues that fall under the umbrella of ESG and human rights, such as due diligence, human risks related to foreign direct investment and climate change-related regulatory risks.

Organizations should start implementing human rights due diligence in their supply chains as soon as possible, in order to keep abreast of new European corporate social responsibility (CSR) enforcement measures and maintain their competitive edge, she believes.

According to Levashova, business leaders can benefit from lifewide learning at higher education institutions. For example, several specialised short courses focusing on helping leaders integrate human rights standards in their business operations have been developed at Nyenrode Business Universiteit.

“The business world’s compliance with human rights is no longer a voluntary option. Numerous authoritative international codes and guidelines specify CSR obligations for companies, such as the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises and the UN Global Compact. The growing role of mandatory compliance requires swift action from companies to stay competitive and socially responsible in a changing market,” she says.

/ENDS

For more information, or to speak to Yulia Levashova, contact Chloe Lane at BlueSky PR on chloe@bluesky-pr.com.
      
]]> Wed, 07 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0100 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104120/umbraco-publishes-inaugural-impact-report-cms-company-calculates-carbon/ <![CDATA[Umbraco publishes inaugural Impact Report - CMS company calculates carbon and community impact -]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/744471767/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~Umbraco-publishes-inaugural-Impact-Report-CMS-company-calculates-carbon-and-community-impact/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104120/umbraco-publishes-inaugural-impact-report-cms-company-calculates-carbon/       ]]>
Eighteen years after its launch, Umbraco has become the largest open-source .Net CMS in the world, supported by more than 250,000 software contributors, implemented by 1,500 digital agency partners and used to develop more than a million websites. It is among the top three CMS platforms used by UK local authorities. As such, the company is committed to leading positive change in the CMS industry:
“We’re taking a comprehensive look at our operations to ensure that they align with the UN Global Compact, which calls on companies to adopt universal principles that treat people and the planet well and make a positive impact on society as a whole,” explains Umbraco, CEO, Kim Sneum-Madsen. “We are blessed with a highly-engaged global community of developers and digital agency partners, backed by a commercial operation that ensures that software is safely maintained. We know that our people, whether they be employees, developers, partners, or end-users, are core to our success and we want them to feel included, supported and rewarded. At the same time, we need to ensure that Umbraco software is used in a sustainable way, that actively reduces CO2, or compensates for emissions.”

The Umbraco Impact Report 2022 details how the company is tackling some of the common challenges facing the IT industry, including sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and the shortage of developers.

Diversity and Inclusion:
Open-source software promotes the inclusion of under-represented groups in the IT industry because it enables anyone to contribute to the core CMS, regardless of gender, ethnicity, learning differences or socio-economic status.

Umbraco has established a Female Mentoring Programme, in partnership with the University College of Odense, with clear career paths and leadership training.
2022 saw the formation of the Umbraco Accessibility Team of volunteers, who raise awareness of ways to make Umbraco websites more inclusive for end-users who are blind, deaf, have learning differences, or limited mobility. The team are working to ensure that the Umbraco back-office meets WAI Level AA accessibility criteria.

Chief Operating Officer Javier Miranda comments, “Up to two billion people have difficulty using websites that are not designed with accessibility in mind. Designing accessible sites is good for society and businesses. Nucleus Research figures indicate that ecommerce organisations that make sites easier for blind people to use are winning $6.9 billion of business a year from competitors that haven’t invested in making their sites accessible and inclusive.”

Developer Shortage:
Talented developers are in short supply and can afford to be selective about the technologies that they work with. A survey undertaken by Danebury Research among digital agencies and enterprises in the technology, retail, and public sector, revealed that almost a quarter (24.7%) believed that having a legacy CMS made their organisation less attractive to talented developers. Umbraco is addressing this challenge by ensuring that its core CMS continues to be user-friendly, flexible and sustainable, so that it remains an attractive choice for developers.

To understand the needs of developers and end-users, Umbraco regularly meets with its open-source community and publicly recognises the top contributors with Most Valuable People (MVP) awards and inclusion in its Hall of Fame: 67 MVPs were recognised in 2022 and there were 1458 attendees at Umbraco’s annual developer event, Codegarden.

To empower the next generation of developers, Umbraco runs Coding Class for school children, and free Umbraco training and certification for computer science students at UNCC in Charlotte USA, UCL in London UK, and SDU in Odense Denmark. Students at the universities of Leeds and Cardiff have also been provided with Umbraco training by UK digital agency twentysix Digital. The company is also a Hack Your Future gold partner, providing free Umbraco training to refugees.
Umbraco Director of Developer Relations, Emma Burstow, comments, “With 77 regular meetups, we have the friendliest open-source community in the world. Meeting with developers keeps us on our toes and focused on the issues that matter most to our end-users.”

Data Privacy:
Umbraco Cloud’s managed hosting infrastructure provides 24/7 service monitoring, automatic patching and single-click feature upgrades, protected by Microsoft Azure’s enterprise-grade security controls, data-privacy and compliance tools. In 2022 Umbraco added US and UK regional hosting options, allowing customers to select whether their Umbraco Cloud projects, data and environments are stored within Western Europe, UK, or US. Regional hosting provides organisations with reassurance that their data is stored within their national jurisdiction and in compliance with local data privacy laws.

Umbraco CTO, Filip Bech-Larsen, comments, “We provide the flexibility for customers to develop and host websites and digital experiences in the environment that best serves their organisation. Working on Umbraco Cloud provides the full capability of our core CMS and minimises the management overhead, while delivering enterprise-level security and data privacy.”

Sustainability:
Umbraco began calculating its carbon footprint in 2022 and now has a tool and methodology allowing the company to identify the greatest emission sources. Hosting Umbraco Cloud and HeartCore projects represents more than 50% of Umbraco’s estimated 1,100 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent. Owing to Microsoft’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality, websites that have been migrated to the new .NET versions of Umbraco became at least 50% more efficient, leading to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.

The company’s second largest source of CO2 emissions is business travel, specifically flights. Umbraco is working to reduce this through more sustainable business practices, including meeting online wherever possible.

As part of its journey to becoming carbon neutral, Umbraco has sponsored 30 verified carbon avoidance projects through Ecologi and funded the planting of 19,122 trees. The company headquarters switched to renewable energy and installed water dispensers to discourage the use of single-use plastic bottles, and waste is sorted to encourage recycling. Umbraco also examines the carbon footprint of existing and new suppliers.

The company has just launched its Sustainability Team, who will promote awareness of best practices and open-source tools for designing low-carbon and carbon-aware websites. Umbraco CMS product lead, Lasse Fredslund, observes, “Building eco-friendly websites usually means that they’re performing more efficiently, and loading faster, which is also better for user experience, sales conversions and business.”

Commenting on the company’s first Impact report, Umbraco CEO, Kim Sneum-Madsen, says, “We have always measured Umbraco’s success using broader metrics than financial performance, now we have made it a formal, annual commitment. We want to know whether we’re delivering on our mission of making it easy for anyone to create online experiences, helping our partners to serve their clients and enabling companies to create flexible, sustainable digital experience platforms. At the same time, we want to know that we’re creating a friendly, inclusive environment for our colleagues to contribute and develop to their full potential. Looking broader still, we know that we must ensure that our activities are carried out in a sustainable way that minimises our impact on the planet.”

##

The Umbraco Impact Report 2022 is available at: https://umbraco.com/media/p1jlhp2h/umbraco-impact-report-202...

About Umbraco:
Umbraco was founded in 2003 with the vision of making the complex simpler. Powering +750.000 websites worldwide, Umbraco offers a flexible, user-friendly content management system at the core of its composable digital experience platform (DXP), which seamlessly integrates with best-of-breed third-party applications to provide unlimited functionality and customisation.
A leader in open-source tools and server applications, its success lies in the open-source model, a unique community of more than 220,000 developers and users, and a well-established partner network of digital agencies. Umbraco has 100+ employees, headquartered in Odense, Denmark. For more information, visit www.umbraco.com.


Media contact:
Josie Herbert
Phiness PR
+44 (0)7776 203307
josie@phinesspr.co.uk
      
]]> Tue, 06 Jun 2023 09:30:00 +0100 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104112/simon-witkiss-joins-ciphr-as-vp-of-product/ <![CDATA[Simon Witkiss joins Ciphr as VP of product]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/743815670/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~Simon-Witkiss-joins-Ciphr-as-VP-of-product/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104112/simon-witkiss-joins-ciphr-as-vp-of-product/       ]]> Ciphr, a leading UK provider of SaaS HR software, has announced the appointment of Simon Witkiss as its first VP of product. He joins the ECI-backed group’s leadership team, with immediate effect.

Bringing decades of experience in product management and product marketing, including 15 years in product leadership roles, Witkiss takes over responsibility for Ciphr’s product strategy across its suite of market-leading HR, payroll, recruitment and learning solutions. He’ll lead all product activities for the group, further accelerating Ciphr’s product innovation and ongoing growth.

He will report directly to Ciphr CEO Sion Lewis, who he previously worked with at IRIS Software.

More recently, Witkiss served as global head of product & marketing at TrustQuay, a SaaS fintech provider to the trust, corporate and funds services sector, where he was a member of the management team that led the company through a PE-backed management buyout in 2019 and subsequent sale last year.

Prior to this, he held various product leadership roles – helping to create and build market-focused and customer-orientated product strategies and culture – across a variety of SaaS products in travel, big data, and supply chain industries. Witkiss also spent six years at IRIS Software, responsible for their accountancy products.

This is the third leadership hire by Lewis since he took charge of Ciphr earlier this year.

Sion Lewis, CEO of Ciphr, says: “We’re delighted to welcome Simon to Ciphr. He has an impressive track record of developing and delivering customer-focused products and services to the market and his strategic insights will be a huge asset to the business as we build out our product proposition. He’s a great fit for Ciphr, and I’m confident that his commercial expertise and experience are just what we need.

“One of the key aspects that I’ve been focused on in my first four months at Ciphr, is making sure that we have the right leadership team in place. That’s why we’ve bolstered our board and introduced three important new roles – chief marketing officer, chief sales officer, and VP of product – to support me and help drive Ciphr on the next phase of its exciting growth journey.”

Simon Witkiss, VP of product at Ciphr, says: “I’m thrilled to be joining Ciphr and am looking forward to working with such an innovative and talented team. Ciphr is an ambitious, customer-centric business with a vision to help UK organisations grow by leveraging the value of their people. Throughout my career, I’ve worked on business-critical software and, to me, there’s nothing more critical to a business than its people.

“Ciphr is already well-known as a successful innovator in the UK’s HR technology market. I’m relishing the opportunity to build on that success and help shape the future of HCM software – to deliver an even better experience for Ciphr customers and their people.”

Other senior new starters at Ciphr in recent months include Neal Morris, who joined as director of data science and analytics from UK Tote Group, and IT manager Stephen Walker, who joined from Thomson Reuters. Ciphr also has a new head of learning and development, Karen Lough (Assoc CIPD).

Ciphr is a leading UK-based provider of integrated HR, payroll, learning and recruitment solutions. Ciphr also offers off-the-shelf and bespoke eLearning content and diversity and inclusion consultancy services through its recent acquisition, Marshall E-Learning. Over 230 employees work across the group, which includes Ciphr, Digits LMS, Marshall E-Learning, and Payroll Business Solutions (PBS).

For more information about Ciphr, please visit www.ciphr.com.

###


Media enquiries:
Emma-Louise Jones, digital PR manager at Ciphr
e: ejones@ciphr.com
t: 01628 244206

Chris Boddice, chief marketing officer at Ciphr
e: cboddice@ciphr.com
Website: www.ciphr.com
Twitter: @ciphrhrsoftware
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ciphr

Notes:
A photo to accompany this announcement is available at: www.ciphr.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Simon-Witkiss-Ciphr...

Ciphr is a leading UK-based provider of integrated HR, payroll, learning and recruitment solutions. Ciphr also offers off-the-shelf and bespoke eLearning content and diversity and inclusion consultancy services through its recent acquisition, Marshall E-Learning.

Ciphr’s integrated HCM platform helps organisations manage their end-to-end employee lifecycle so they can deliver an amazing employee experience. With Ciphr, organisations can be confident they can access all their people data in one place, thanks to secure, time-saving integrations between Ciphr’s own solutions and API connections to specialist, third-party tools.

More than 600 organisations use Ciphr solutions globally across the public, private and non-profit sectors, including the Information Commissioner’s Office, the Natural History Museum, and the Met Office.

Ciphr is a privately held company backed by ECI Partners, and headquartered in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. Over 230 employees work across the group, which includes Ciphr, Digits LMS, Marshall E-Learning, and Payroll Business Solutions (PBS).

Ciphr spokespeople are available to provide expert media comment on a broad range of topics, including HR strategy, people management, employee experience and wellbeing, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), learning and development, the future of work, tech trends, business and leadership, marketing, and more.
      
]]> Thu, 01 Jun 2023 12:45:00 +0100 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104111/only-in-european-firms-scale-up-more-than-annually-new/ <![CDATA[Only 1 in 10 European firms scale up more than 10% annually – new report showcases the best strategies to do so]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/743795021/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~Only-in-European-firms-scale-up-more-than-annually-%e2%80%93-new-report-showcases-the-best-strategies-to-do-so/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104111/only-in-european-firms-scale-up-more-than-annually-new/       ]]>
The report, Cracking the Growth Code: Traits and Strategies of High-Growth Firms in Europe, is a collaborative European Scaleup Monitor, and was launched at the Institute’s inaugural conference at Nova Business School, Portugal. The conference welcomes academics and practitioners across Europe to engage in discussions to strengthen and build a knowledge community around scaling up.

The European Scaleup Institute is a collaboration between leading academic experts in Europe including: Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship & Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus University Rotterdam), Netherlands; ESADE Business School, Spain; ESSEC Business School, France; Luiss Business School, Italy; NOVA Business School, Portugal; University of Galway, Ireland; Vlerick Business School, Belgium; WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management, Germany.

The collaborative European Scaleup Monitor analyses the dynamic landscape of high-growth firms (HGFs) and reveals a multitude of growth paths across Europe. The monitor sheds light on the traits and strategies of HGFs across the European scaleup ecosystem, providing valuable insights for (scaleup) entrepreneurs, governmental organisations, knowledge institutions and policymakers to address the scaleup gap.

Only one in ten companies in Europe manages to scale on average by more than 10% annually, over a three-year period. When it comes to high growth (more than 20% annual growth), this shrinks to one out of twenty-four. Consistent scaling is even more difficult to achieve: only 1.13% of all European companies are able to scale by more than 20% for two years out of the three-year period.

The European Scaleup Monitor also identifies some interesting trends regarding high growth in Europe:

Younger HGFs tend to achieve higher (consistent) average annual growth rates: they are, on average, 20% faster than their mature counterparts.
The higher the growth rate, the larger the firm size: firms with more than 50 employees experience more than twice the growth rate of their smaller counterparts.

Although HGFs are well spread across different industries, ICT and service-based industries remain in the lead.
Only 10% of Hypergrowers (40% consistent growth)are funded and tend to receive a surge of late-stage funding in the third year of the hypergrowth, implying hypergrowth to be a catalyst for funding.

Three out of the top five countries (in terms of HGF concentration) are from the Nordics, while Helsinki is a major hotspot for both high- and hypergrowth, together with Dublin and Munich.
“Together with the European Scaleup Institute, we want to address what is often referred to as ‘’the scaleup gap’’, in which less SMEs are said to be able to achieve high growth in Europe when compared to similarly crowded entrepreneurial ecosystems in the rest of the world.” - Leonardo Fuligni, Executive Director of the European Scaleup Institute.

According to European Scaleup Institute's Academic Director, prof. dr. Veroniek Collewaert: “All too often, scaling, scaleup and high-growth firms tend to be equated with young, tech firms, who have all raised millions of Euros in Venture Capital. Yet, our statistics show that these firms come in many more colours, shapes and sizes. It is absolutely key that we map and understand this diversity in high-growth firms as they may require substantially different strategies, processes and support to achieve their high growth.”

The European Scaleup Institute is a platform of academic experts and practitioners in Europe for scaleups, high-growth firms, governmental organisations and policymakers to address the scaleup gap. Their mission is to enable Europe to become a leading global scaleup ecosystem. The European Scaleup Institute aims to do this through joint research and educational initiatives across borders, sharing best practices and building a strong knowledge community around scaling up.

If you would like more information or to receive the report, please contact Peter Remon at BlueSky Education - peter@bluesky-pr.com +44 (0) 77 235 228 30.
      
]]> Thu, 01 Jun 2023 09:30:00 +0100 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104110/job-vacancies-and-applications-plummet-in-northern-ireland/ <![CDATA[Job vacancies and applications plummet in Northern Ireland]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/743795024/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~Job-vacancies-and-applications-plummet-in-Northern-Ireland/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104110/job-vacancies-and-applications-plummet-in-northern-ireland/       ]]>
The data, provided by the world’s largest network of job boards, Broadbean Technology, revealed that year-on-year job vacancy numbers for April 2023 have dropped by 12%. In addition, month-on-month vacancy numbers have seen a more pronounced drop with a 17% fall from March to April 2023, highlighting that growth in the country is weakening as Northern Ireland faces a challenging economic picture for 2023.

Applications for roles have also seen significant decreases with a 22% year-on-year decline and, more worryingly, a 52% drop since March, meaning that businesses will be increasingly focusing on retaining their key staff in light of the challenging hiring market.

Previously, the strongest performing sectors for job creation have been IT, engineering and accountancy, however, vacancy and application numbers fell in each of these fields both month-on-month and year-on-year. This is perhaps unsurprising given rising inflationary and interest rates across the country.

Ann Swain, Global CEO at APSCo, said


“The Northern Ireland labour market is showing signs of slowing with jobs down both month-on-month and year-on-year in April, which can largely be linked to the ongoing economic uncertainty that is impacting both business and worker confidence. However, with a recent report from Trade NI – an alliance of three trade bodies (Hospitality Ulster, Manufacturing Northern Ireland, and Retail Northern Ireland) – outlining the key reforms needed to support growth across the country, including access to resources, the fall we have seen in applications is concerning. With April seeing half the number of job applicants than March, a skills crisis could be on the cards.”


Press Contact
Vickie Collinge
vickie@bluesky-pr.com
01582 790 705
About APSCo
The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) is the trade association for the professional recruitment market. APSCo Global comprises APSCo Asia, APSCo Australia, APSCo Deutschland and APSCo United Kingdom as well as APSCo OutSource, the trade body for the RPO and MSP sectors.
Find out more: www.apscouk.org
      
]]> Thu, 01 Jun 2023 09:30:00 +0100 https://www.responsesource.com/news/104101/the-search-is-on-for-a-brilliant-cancer-research-student/ <![CDATA[The Search is on for a Brilliant Cancer Research Student to Win a Bursary Worth up to £12,000]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/743661521/0/sourcewireeducationandhumanresources~The-Search-is-on-for-a-Brilliant-Cancer-Research-Student-to-Win-a-Bursary-Worth-up-to-%c2%a3/ https://www.responsesource.com/news/104101/the-search-is-on-for-a-brilliant-cancer-research-student/       ]]>
Red Trouser Day, a UK bowel/colorectal cancer charity, run by volunteers, has put out the call to postgraduate research students. Paul Finch, founder of the charity, says, "It is only through research that we can improve the treatment of cancer, and hopefully one day, see the elimination of this disease. Few know that bowel cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, and the second most common cause of cancer fatalities, leading to almost one million deaths per year. Our award is open to all postgraduate students whose research can impact bowel cancer outcomes."

The Red Trouser Day charity, founded in 2017, is run solely by volunteers. Many of these fundraisers have had their lives affected by bowel cancer. Paul speaks on behalf of all the volunteers, "We know that an exceptional student is out there in one of the UK's excellent universities. Only by going public with this search, will this substantial bursary help a well-deserving student with their research into bowel cancer."

Everyone involved with the Red Trouser Day charity is aware that finding funding for postgraduate research is becoming increasingly difficult. Nationwide cutbacks affect everyone, including students; this is why they have prioritised this award. 95% of all the Red Trouser Day funds raised,(excluding event costs), goes to sponsor research and awareness. Paul stresses that funding is one of the most common difficulties facing postgraduate students, "Just one student, free from financial constraints, could have a major effect on fighting cancer. That talented person, with the freedom to fully focus on developing new solutions, could potentially lead to new insights."

Last year's Red Trouser Day award allowed an exceptional research student from City, the University of London, to focus solely on her work. She had been holding down two part-time jobs just to pay for her living expenses, until the Red Trouser Day charity stepped in with a bursary.

The year’s award will go to a student whose research work shows promise in furthering the understanding of bowel cancer and contributes to preventing, improving the early detection of, or improving the treatment of colorectal cancer, aligning with the charity’s goals.

So we encourage everyone to get the word out there, that the search is now on!

In addition, there are two further discretionary awards available to help students. There is a travel award of £500, for undergraduate and postgraduate students researching cancer worldwide. This bursary can be used to fund travel to conferences, seminars, or for visits to the UK to further bowel cancer research. A final award of up to £1,000 will be available for funding research consumables.

The closing date for all applications is August 31, 2023.

Contact & Further Information:

To contact the Red Trouser Day Press Office, please email: info@redtrouserday.com

Full details of our bursaries, terms & conditions, and an application form, can be found on our website: https://redtrouserday.com/
      
]]> Wed, 31 May 2023 13:30:00 +0100