Momentum

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  • Even though we interact with some form of artificial intelligence (AI) every day, a new report from UQ Business School researchers discovered two-thirds of Australians don’t trust AI systems. This raises the question: What does this mean for the future of Australian businesses?
  • As Australia emerges from a winter hibernation unlike any experienced before, many small businesses are struggling to stay afloat. Top UQ business and law experts share their top strategies to help small businesses take stock, pivot and innovate to avoid an insolvency spiral.
  • The global COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a series of changes to the way we work. From suddenly managing teams working remotely to employees experiencing hardship – the crisis has led to many new leadership challenges. According to Professor Neal Ashkanasy (OAM), leaders now more than ever need to have a sharpened awareness of emotional intelligence and how to use it.
  • Most people say they care about their personal information being shared online. However, a much smaller percentage of people actually take the necessary actions to preserve their privacy. Dr Ivano Bongiovanni discusses why actions don’t always match beliefs when it comes to data.
  • The chaos caused by the coronavirus outbreak forced the hand of Australian businesses and organisations to create and action rigorous COVID Safe plans, allowing them to continue operating while mitigating risk to the community. Dr Anna Phelan warns that without a similar approach to the global plastic waste issue, this crisis will continue to escalate.
  • Insider trading comes in two main forms: arguably legal and clearly illegal. But, as with drugs in sport, it’s hard to tell when arguably legal ends and clearly illegal begins. Associate Professor Barry Oliver sheds light on new research how some CEOs are walking a thin line when it comes to insider trading.
  • Research shows that trust within an organisation is critically important for successfully navigating crises and disruption. Management expert from The University of Queensland Business School, Professor Nicole Gillespie, shares insights on how leaders can maintain employee trust during the current COVID-19 crises.
  • Cancel culture — withdrawing support for public figures when they do or say something offensive — has become so widespread it was Macquarie Dictionary’s 2019 word of the year. Marketing expert, Dr Alison Joubert from The University of Queensland Business School explains how this trend is affecting society and marketers.
  • Tourism has emerged as one of the hardest-hit industries during the coronavirus pandemic, yet, its income is paramount to the survival of most countries. Now is the perfect time to build in strategies that ensure environmental and economic sustainability.

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  • NEXT? began with a question at UQ Business School. What if we gathered the brightest future-thinkers and discussed what’s next for business?
  • Cost overruns are threatening investment in the oil and gas industry. Does this mean a shift overseas? If companies focus on innovation, collaboration and deepening competitive capabilities, Australia's energy industry can continue to compete globally.
  • How can a small firm with a second-rate product challenge big business and end up dominating the market? Disruption - the concept often used to explain such shifts - is now at the centre of a heated debate.
  • In our third issue of Momentum, we challenge business to consider: ‘What’s next?’
    At UQ Business School, it’s not merely a question, it‘s our strategic position.
  • To fuel the innovation process, you need a whole stack of ideas, some great, some just worth a try. We ask businesses how they capture the great ideas floating in and around their organisations and turn them into small steps to better business or game changing innovations.
  • Competition among not-for-profits is tough. Success can depend on a strong brand, smart marketing and transparent corporate governance, as much as it does in any commercial business. But it's not enough to earn a great name. You have to keep it. Surf Life Saving Australia is learning tough lessons, the hard way.
  • In sport, as well as business, improving performance is about creating an environment that enables people to grow and develop. A former Olympic coach explains how it’s done.
  • ‘Greed is good' was the theme of business in the 80s, but more recently the GFC has led to calls for business to rediscover its moral purpose. Now a group of worldwide leaders including Sir Richard Branson have come together to launch the B Team, which aims to 'put people and planet alongside profit'. Can business save the world? And should we all be working towards more altruistic goals?
  • Look out - a disruptive new technology is about to send shockwaves through the world of business. Here are some of the ways in which additive manufacturing is likely to shape the future.

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  • Telemedicine could transform Australia’s health services – but overcoming resistance from patients and healthcare professionals will require strong change management skills.
  • We take a look at a few useful business podcasts that could pep up your journey, and make you more effective when you get there.
  • Trust. Jack Welch, former Chair and CEO of General Electric, believed it was the only way to get employees to do their best. Yet in turbulent times, and in the face of economic crises, trust is often under threat. How do companies build trust? And when trust is lost, what can be done?
  • Renowned business mentor John Bittleston has had a 60-year career in business. In the first of two interviews with Momentum, he recalls how he found his first mentor at the age of 13 when a ploughman taught him how to create a straight furrow across a field by fixing his eyes on a tree at the other end. He discusses his own approach to mentoring and the importance of helping people to find their own ‘tree’.
  • Team building can be challenging if the members are thousands of miles apart. However research has indicated ways to help virtual teams manage conflicts and become high performers.
  • What do businesses that grow fast have in common? If we knew that, we could bottle it.
  • Futurists meet a need. In the midst of relentless and constant change, CEOs are looking for tools to manage uncertainty and reduce risk. But that’s not all. Business leaders don’t simply want to prepare for change; they want to influence it.
  • From showrooming to virgin consumers we’re tripping over new business buzzwords at every turn. Are they simply jargon or do they tell us something about today’s rapidly changing business landscape that we should be listening to?
  • The Australian Government’s first Cyber Crime and Security Report was launched this month, with statistics showing that cyber crime has become ever more targeted and much more efficient. UQ Business School’s Dr Peter Clutterbuck suggests there is still plenty that businesses can do to protect their data integrity.

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