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Day: August 27, 2018

5 Things Diversity and Inclusion Can Accomplish for Your Business

Posted on by Staff Writer

Most business leaders today have heard that diversity and inclusion promote improved business performance. But the numbers regarding diversity in the workplace remain rather poor. Among Fortune 500 companies, women hold less than 5 percent of CEO positions. On average, African Americans are 16 percent less likely to be called back for an interview. More importantly, four out of every 10 managers say they are too busy to pay attention to diversity. These statistics suggest that some business leaders are unaware of the advantages diversity and inclusion can bring.

Why Are Diversity and Inclusion Important?

In business today, markets are highly dynamic and competitive. Businesses must, therefore, be adaptable, capable of changing gears quickly and getting the most out of its resources. Naturally, one of the most important resources is a business’s employees. Human creativity and innovation have always driven success in the marketplace. And in today’s environments of constant change, these ingredients are essential in gaining a competitive advantage. This is where diversity and inclusion come into play.

A group of professionals on computers
5 Things Diversity and Inclusion Can Accomplish for Your Business

What Can Diversity and Inclusion Accomplish for You?

Research shows that diverse teams can improve business performance by as much as 35 percent. But how exactly does diversity and inclusion accomplish this task? A number of factors can affect how well a business performs. And you might be surprised how diversity and inclusion affect several of these to provide better business outcomes.

    • Better Productivity – Diversity, and inclusion can improve business productivity in a number of ways. First, diversity can expand product and service offerings for customers through innovative ideas and concepts. At the same time, workplace diversity can improve business processes that enhance efficiency. Better employee morale and attitudes that come with an inclusive culture also advance productivity. Finally, inclusive leaders promote better productivity by creating a sense of unity among their team members. As you can see, several advantages of diversity in the workplace improve business productivity and efficiency.
    • Better Creativity and Innovation – Diversity and inclusion are critical elements when it comes to creativity and innovation. Different experiences, ideas, approaches, and beliefs offer a great recipe for new solutions and unique problem-solving. The “rub” that often comes from diverse points of view is the special ingredient that stimulates creative juices to flow. Businesses that embrace diversity and inclusion will, therefore, be the most likely to reap these benefits. And when it comes to being dynamic and adaptable, creativity and innovation are essential.
    • Better Business Opportunities – Many business leaders fail to appreciate the advantages of diversity in the workplace in terms of business opportunities. Consider diversity in language.

    Multilingual employees offer unique business opportunities in international markets. Likewise, diversity can identify new business opportunities for existing products not previously recognized. When this occurs, business performance increases as economies of scale and scope are realized. Here again, diversity and inclusion offer the means to get the most out of the resources and opportunities available.

    • Better Employee Marketing – If you have an inclusive and diverse workplace, the word is going to get out. Diversity and inclusion, therefore, provide an excellent way to market your business to new talent. One of the advantages of diversity in the workplace is better employee retention and reduced turnover. But few appreciate the impact a diverse and inclusive workplace has on employee recruitment. This will help your business maintain a competitive advantage while also perpetuating diversity and inclusion in the future.
    • Better Workplace Learning – Perhaps business managers least appreciate the learning benefits related to an inclusive workplace. When employees feel respected and have a sense of belonging, they are more open to sharing information. This augments learning in the workplace, which the majority of employees want. As a result, opportunities for both employee growth and business success occur. And in the process, competitive capabilities expand. Diversity and inclusion, therefore, offer an effective way to advance collective knowledge in your business.

     

    Diversity and Inclusion – The Secret to Attaining Business Goals

    Study after study has demonstrated that businesses with a diverse workforce and an inclusive environment thrive. Diversity creates a workplace culture with different ideas, opinions, approaches, and experiences. Inclusion then invites staff to share these individual differences through interaction, collaboration, and teamwork. Together, the impact can be tremendous. Certainly, diversity and inclusion help businesses get the most out of their employees. But at the same time, diversity and inclusion help business achieve so much more.

Living With a Star – The Bold Mission of the Parker Solar Probe

Posted on by Staff Writer

In 1958, astrophysicist Eugene Parker predicted space was filled with solar winds emanating from the sun. Now, sixty years later, the first NASA sun probe bears the name of the innovative genius…the Parker Solar Probe. On the 12th of August, the Parker Solar Probe launched from Florida’s Cape Canaveral on a 7-year mission to the sun. Given the distance, the absence of a human astronaut, and of course, the extreme temperatures, the mission is certainly awe-inspiring. But the answers the Parker Solar Probe may provide could be even more profound.

Constructing the Parker Solar Probe

The NASA sun probe is not as massive as you might think. In fact, its size roughly compares to that of a standard automobile. But the devil is in the details. The primary concern for the NASA sun probe is its ability to withstand the sun’s extreme temperatures. The surface of the Parker Solar Probe facing the sun will encounter temperatures of 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit! The solution? A thick, carbon fiber shield composed of 2 rigid plates separated by an all-carbon foam. Thus, while the outside will be extreme, the inside of the NASA sun probe will be only 85 degrees.

Making the Parker Solar Probe a Reality
Different Projects Making the Parker Solar Probe a Reality

In addition to the NASA sun probe’s shell, it will also contain an array of instruments to collect data. The FIELDS instrument, composed of the rare metal niobium, will detect electromagnetic waves. WISPR will collect images from the probe. SWEAP and ISOIS will count, measure and analyze charged particles in the sun’s atmosphere. Lastly, a solar probe cup will actually extend inside the sun’s atmosphere to “scoop” surface-like samples. In addition to niobium, the Parker Solar Probe’s instruments contain a variety of other unique compounds. Titanium, zirconium, molybdenum, and tungsten are other materials included in specific instruments to offer protection from the extreme environment.

The “Living With a Star” Mission

NASA’s Living With a Star (LWS) program is responsible for the probe’s mission. LWS seeks to better understand the dynamics between the Sun and the Earth in relation to human life and society. Understanding this, the Parker Solar Probe will autonomously orbit the sun 24 times during its 7 years in space. This will bring the NASA sun probe within 3.9 million miles of the sun’s surface. Though this seems like a long distance still, it’s not in space terms. Scientists compare this proximity to a football team being on an opponent’s 4-yard line. In addition, the Parker Solar Probe will reach speeds of 430,000 miles per hour during its orbit! That will make the NASA sun probe the fastest man-made craft ever.

The goal of the NASA sun probe’s mission is to find answers to longstanding questions about the sun. For example, scientists are looking for explanations for why the sun’s atmosphere is hundreds of times hotter than its boiling surface. Likewise, they hope to better understand how solar winds are generated. The sun’s solar winds actually travel at supersonic speeds reaching the far ends of the galaxy. Many hope the Parker Solar Probe will provide some insights into these areas. In doing so, the LWS program hopes to better predict space weather changes in the future. This has particular relevance to satellites, the International Space Station, space travel, as well as power grids on Earth.

A Truly Collaborative Space Mission

Parker Solar Probe Instruments for NASA Sun Probe
Parker Solar Probe Instruments

The Parker Solar Probe project involves a number of investigators and enterprises making the NASA sun probe journey a reality. In addition to NASA solar scientists, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory played a major role in the mission. In addition to creating the trajectory mapping, which involves several orbits around Venus, they also designed the probe itself. Johns Hopkins partnered with Carbon-Carbon Advanced Technologies for the actual construction of the thermal shield. Likewise, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory was involved in the development of some of the Parker Solar Probe’s instruments. And numerous universities will be involved in analyzing the data and conducting relevant research. The Naval Research Lab and the universities of Princeton, UCLA, Arizona, and UC Berkeley are all involved in this effort.

A Mission for Now and a Mission Forever

The Parker Solar Probe may be able to start providing some data to NASA scientists as early as November of this year. Though it will not have yet reached its solar orbit, the Parker Solar Probe will have some data to transmit. In addition, the Parker Solar Probe is not making a return trip. Eventually, the probe’s rocket fuel will run out, and it will simply remain in orbit around the sun. But NASA’s sun probe will pose no harm to the sun. But a plaque of 1.1 million names submitted by the public will be mounted on the Parker Solar Probe’s antenna. Not only will the Parker Solar Probe likely yield critical insights soon. It will also serve as a wonderful living memorial next to a star.

Why Businesses are Not Yet 100% Done with Digital Transformation

Posted on by John R. Miles

There may be no universally accepted definition of “digital transformation.”  However, it is undisputed that the phrase constitutes an approach to doing business that involves new processes and new systems. With startup companies often riding the leading edge of innovation, digital transformation has enabled them to shrug off old restrictions.  They now utilize smartphones, tablets, and cloud apps to instantaneously access information, communicate and centralize customer data. Companies with a dying business model are also leveraging technology as a way to bolster their future outcomes.

Digital Transformation of a Dying Business Model
Digital Transformation and the Components of Change on Business

A Revolution Within a Revolution

Digital transformation is getting significant traction because it is altering the way businesses approach day-to-day operations. A businesses communications, customer relations, logistics, sales, and marketing all changing with an eye toward greater efficiency. The widespread popularity and adoption of mobile devices and apps are placing digital transformation in the office, and many business functions are evolving with the use of automation and digitization in business processes.

There are many reasons why digital transformations fail to take hold in a company. One of the primary ones is the cultural impact on a company and its employees. There can be a natural resistance to change, especially if it’s coming from outside the department or organization. This gets trickier if a new management team, leader or consultants are brought in by the board to create change.

Other reasons for enhancing success include a proper change management framework and the types and depth of training. Users may not effectively perform their duties if they don’t understand the new processes, tools, apps, and methods.

Users will not embrace change for the sake of transformation. If they understand that they will benefit from these improvements, then they will help implement these new methods. But, it can be hard to explain this to stakeholders like investors and customers. They may benefit from the company’s improved services and products the most. However, unless they appreciate the story behind the transformations, they might shy away from patronizing the company as a whole. Convincing them of the opportunities digital transformation can offer is a revolution within a revolution. The customers though are instrumental in the adoption of digital transformation initiatives.

Digital Transformation vs. Tradition, And the Battle Against Gradual Change

Holding physical meetings is proof that there are still people who stick to the traditional ways of doing things. With virtual meetings, no one needs to carry reams of documents, as “soft” digital copies are accessible via the employee’s mobile device. There are also plenty of online meeting tools that allow each participant to annotate the documents during the meeting. The concept is extending further with virtual meetings if there is no need for the participants to be physically present in the same room. Most meetings can easily be conducted through a conference call or a video call.

A close examination of the functions within a company may show that while management commits to digital transformation, many functions are barely digital at all. Digital transformation should start at the top in order to affect all areas of business. While that sounds good in theory, in practice most organizations approach digital transformation only gradually.

When an organization does too much too soon, it might not be able to focus on any single task, leaving them accomplishing nothing. The better approach is to identify an area of inefficiency within the business that will greatly benefit from the digital approach and begin from there. Focusing on one thing at a time will allow the company to go through each transformation faster, while simultaneously affording them the time to assess any learning from the experience, and use that for the next project in moving forward.

Digital Transformation of a Dying Business Model

It is often the case, that a dying business model requires digital transformation to succeed. These companies normally are experiencing tremendous strains on the historical core business. Bringing the company into the digital world is challenging but when it is coupled with financial strains, the transformation is even more complicated.

There is no template for universal success in digital transformation, but embedding digital tools and methods in many parts of the operation will help employees get familiar with digital tools and the new approaches that come with them. That will make it easier to fully embrace automation and innovative digital transformation later on. It will also serve as a potential way for a dying business model to be resurrect itself.

Sources:

http://www.information-age.com/holes-digital-transformation-123469706/

https://www.ie.edu/corporate-relations/insights/the-black-holes-of-digital-transformation/

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