On 22 July 1999, on the occasion of the Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III), held in Vienna from 19 to 30 July, the Director-General of the European Space Agency (ESA), Antonio Rodotà, and the Director-General of the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES), Gérard Brachet, announced their intention to establish a satellite system operators' charter with a view to contributing more effectively to disaster management.
Such disasters result not only in tremendous human suffering, but also in major losses and damage for society as a whole
As was emphasized many times in the course of the efforts which led to the adoption in June 1998 of the Convention on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations (Tampere, Finland), our planet is constantly subject to the unforeseen effects of natural disasters (such as floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, forest fires and tropical storms) or of human activity (for example, hydrocarbon emissions). Such disasters result not only in tremendous human suffering, but also in major losses and damage for society as a whole.
Earth observation satellites, particularly ESA's ERS-1 and ERS-2 and CNES's SPOT-1, SPOT-2 and SPOT-4, within the framework of a cooperative arrangement with Belgium and Sweden, provide the authorities responsible for disaster management with reliable information which complements the data obtained by conventional ground-based and aerial observation systems.
In recent years, many initiatives have been taken by space agencies, working with disaster management authorities, to demonstrate the value and potential of space technology for enhancing the management of natural or man-made disasters.
When a disaster occurs, the signatories to the above-mentioned charter will support the bodies responsible for rescue and assistance by providing them with space observation resources in the form of satellites, on-board instrumentation, the Earth segment and archived image banks. Such assistance will be provided at the request of the disaster management authorities of the signatory countries.
Among other things, ESA and CNES have made a specific commitment to pool their satellite resources for the purpose of observing the geographic areas affected by disasters in order to ensure the rapid provision of relevant data concerning those areas. Any space agency or satellite operating company in any part of the world may become a co-signatory to the charter. — ESA/CNES.
BT launched in mid-June 1999, a major education initiative aimed at helping more than one million children improve their communication skills. Called FutureTalk, the initiative aims to promote more effective speaking and listening skills amongst children and to help them recognize how traditional communication skills will still be essential in the next century.
Seen as one of the biggest initiatives ever by a British company, FutureTalk will run until July 2001. It will include drama performances and workshops in 3500 schools across the United Kingdom, with curriculum material for teachers available to every school in the country.
Good communication skills will benefit children for the rest of their lives
Speaking at the launch of this new education programme, Estelle Morris, Minister for School Standards, said: "Communication skills are essential skills for learning. Good communication skills will benefit children for the rest of their lives. FutureTalk emphasizes these core skills, and will reinforce our initiatives to raise standards in our schools."
Sir Iain Vallance, Chairman of BT, said: "Children are not in the least bit fazed by the new communications technologies. But they also need to understand how to communicate with other people effectively face to face. Both sets of skills are essential and highly valued by employers. FutureTalk is BT's way of helping a generation of schoolchildren prepare for the next century by acquiring the skills they need for success."
Part of the idea for the initiative came from the research which BT commissioned MORI to undertake. This research revealed that 84 per cent of those surveyed thought the nation could be better communicators, but only 38 per cent had ever had any relevant training. In adition, 86 per cent thought schools should do more to teach children to be good communicators.
However, the good news for teachers was that they came top of the class when people were asked to nominate the profession which was best at communicating. — BT.
At AFCOM '99 held in early June, the Director-General and CEO of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (INTELSAT), Conny Kullman, joined other industry executives and policy-makers to discuss the future of satellite communications in Africa. AFCOM '99, which was the eighth All Africa Telecommunications, Information Technology, and Broadcasting Conference, also brought together 20 African ministers in charge of communications and information.
Some 50 African countries use the system for international communications and 25 of them depend on it for their domestic links
In a panel focusing on international satellite communication developments, Mr Kullman provided African leaders with an update on the organization's progress towards restructuring into a fully commercial entity. He assured participants that a privatized INTELSAT would continue to meet its lifeline connectivity obligation, protecting service provision to countries with no alternative for global connectivity except via the INTELSAT system.
Many African countries still depend entirely on this system for their global connectivity. Some 50 African countries use the system for international communications and 25 of them depend on it for their domestic links. More than 40
African telecommunication entities have a voice in INTELSAT, as part owners of its system, with combined investment currently valued at over USD 115 million.
Mr Kullman explained that under a timetable endorsed by INTELSAT owners, a single commercialization proposal would be submitted by the organization's Board to a meeting of INTELSAT member governments in Malaysia in October 1999. Final approval is expected in the fourth quarter of 2000, putting INTELSAT on target to become a fully privatized entity by early 2001. — INTELSAT.
Digital television, which has began to expand in the United Kingdom and the United States since November 1998, promises to open a range of new opportunities, including an abundance of new programme channels and high-quality services. Digital technology is expected to reinvent television as a medium very different from the one we know from the past.
Having recognized the urgent need to help broadcasters in the Asia-Pacific region to make the digital transition as smoothly and cost effectively as possible, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) and the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) jointly organized an international seminar in Kuala Lumpur (5–8 July 1999).
The event was attended by some 200 delegates from the engineering, programming, and management streams of broadcasting organizations. Speakers from the world over included those who have had a direct role to play either in the development of digital technology and its applications or in the actual implementation of digital services in Europe and elsewhere.
Among the topics discussed in the seminar's eight sessions were:
This is the first time that a seminar has been organized in the Asia-Pacific region which aims to address comprehensively all important aspects of the migration from analogue to digital television services. — ABU.
… and are working with regulators to lift remaining restrictions
According to Asian trunking operators, despite fierce competition for spectrum and users, they have had many regulatory successes in recent times, which have created a more positive environment for the industry and a more level playing field. This report was made at the 2nd Asia Pacific Congress on commercial trunked radio (Singapore, 20–21 June 1999), organized by the International Mobile Telecommunications Association (IMTA).
However, there are still many issues that need to be resolved and operators are working with regulators to abolish regulations that restrict industry growth.
In India, commercial trunked radio operators face a range of restrictions. For example:
However, the Mobile Trunked Radio Operators Association of India has been working with regulators to develop a more positive environment for the industry. In particular, the regulatory body TRAI, which was formed in 1998 to act as an independent regulator has initiated interactions with the commercial trunked radio industry to develop a more positive framework. Service providers can now get a tax break for five years.
Import tariffs on radios have been reduced from 58.65 per cent to 47.9. Import tariffs on infrastructure have been reduced from 58.65 per cent to 53.82. Additionally, according to the National Telecom Policy 1999, licence tenure is to be extended to twenty years, from the current five, and will be renewable subsequently for every ten years.
In China, the industry faces numerous challenges, despite its large and growing market. On the regulatory front, there is a long approval process for type approval and site commissioning. Although there are more than 2.5 million commercial trunked radio users in China, the overall penetration is low. One reason is that unlike in the United States, commercial trunked radio came after cellular and paging.
This has presented a difficult marketing challenge for operators who are competing with these other wireless services. In addition, due to lack of resources, operators are inactive in promoting commercial trunked radio services and customers are unaware of their benefits.
In Japan, despite its success as one of the largest markets for commercial trunked radio in the world, operators have faced numerous regulatory challenges. By working with the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, many of these obstacles have been removed. For example, the user's radio operator's licence has been eliminated. This rule required users to obtain a licence if they wanted to use commercial trunked radio services.
There was no such requirement for cellular or paging users, which made trunking unattractive to many potential users. After months of negotiations, this restriction has been removed. In addition, operators are now allowed to implement site networking by a dedicated line, obtain individual telephone numbers for each radio, provide services to taxis, buses, trains, and local government, establish a fleet licence system for future expansion, and offer users a free trial of the system, which previously was forbidden.
Although there are more than 2.5 million commercial trunked radio users in China, the overall penetration is low. One reason is that unlike in the United States, commercial trunked radio came after cellular and paging. This has presented a difficult marketing challenge for operators who are competing with these other wireless services
In the Philippines, the Trunked Radio Operators of the Philippines Association (TROPA) has realized several accomplishments working with the National Communications Commission. These include allocating 13 MHz of additional frequencies for trunked radio, deregulating tariffs, and developing an interconnection template with the industry. However, TROPA still faces a number of challenges, including implementing channel loading standards, convincing regulators to encourage the use of spectrum-efficient technologies, and developing better rules regarding interconnection.
All in all, while operators still face regulatory challenges, it is encouraging that regulators in many of these countries are responding to industry needs and have lifted many restrictions. IMTA has expressed the hope that an even more positive environment will be created as trade associations which represent the industry in these countries continue to work with regulators in the region. — IMTA.
It is "common wisdom" that diversity of views between managers is natural, and also enriching for the enterprise
1, be it private or public. However, when such diversity manifests itself as strong divergences of opinion or disputes, the consequences for the enterprise become counter-productive. This may be a significant risk when the enterprise is going through a pivotal transformation2, which has been typical for many telecommunication enterprises due to evolutions of technology and economic conditions. Attention to management relations and behaviour thus becomes particularly important during periods of significant change.Dealing with disputes between subordinate managers is an integral part of the responsibilities of general managers
3. Such disputes may arise for a variety of reasons, but there are two situations that may be particularly critical for the enterprise, and often delicately challenging for the general manager.In one scenario, each manager typically blames the other for what has gone wrong, often after the action. Another situation corresponds to the "turf war" scenario, with each manager claiming responsibility for a project or undertaking. This usually happens before the action. The general manager who is forced to act as the referee/umpire may wonder why this has to happen, or why this keeps happening between these two managers.
Let us consider two specific examples, involving two competent managers Eric (Publications Manager) and Mark (Information Technology Manager) who report to Miriam (General Manager). The context is the catalytic role of the Internet in creating new opportunities and challenges.
"Our customers are very unhappy with the system that your department designed for our Web-based sale of publications", says Eric. "It is confusing and very slow. So much for software development by your department!"
"I remind you that the specifications were made by your staff and the system we have delivered corresponds to your specifications. The Web-based system is not working because your specifications were inadequate", replies Mark.
"Marketing and sales of publications is the responsibility of my department", says Eric. "Therefore it is evident that developing the Web-based marketing should be done by my department."
"You are forgetting that software development is the responsibility of my department", replies Mark. "Web is software, and must be done by my department."
Whilst the above scenarios are of course fictitious, they are inspired by a variety of real events. Do these scenarios sound familiar? And have such scenarios ever involved or affected your responsibilities?
In some cases Miriam, the General Manager, may of course find simple answers to her thoughts. For example, one manager may be "trespassing" on and interfering with the responsibilities of the other (first scenario). However, circumstances often occur in large enterprises when two or more managers need to cooperate in order to achieve a common goal, or in order to implement a joint project. The umpire's task is often delicate and more challenging in such situations, particularly when dealing with competent managers.
The management issue may be better illustrated by considering an analogy with tennis. Let us imagine a doubles game: Eric and Mark are playing Piotr and Alexis. Piotr plays the ball in the space between Eric and Mark: they both try to take the shot, they bungle and lose the point. Each accuses the other as being responsible for losing the point. Whose fault is it?
It is the same question that Miriam has to answer. And if she does, she will probably make a management error.
In the tennis game, either Eric or Mark could have anticipated their joint bungling by calling "your shot"
4. In the enterprise Scenario 1, better communications between the managers, before implementing the Web-system, would have similarly increased the likelihood of success in the joint undertaking5.However, the "your shot" solution assumes that both Eric and Mark are playing to win (against Piotr and Alexis), which is the game objective. Or is it? It is possible, for example, that Eric and Mark both want to play the maximum number of shots and winning is a lesser objective for each. In the context of game theory, this would then be a different "zero-sum game"
6 in which Eric is playing Mark, the game objective (or "pay-off" in game-theory jargon) being who can play more shots. It is evident that the attitude and personal objectives of the players can create a sub-game thus changing the real game as distinct from the formal game.Game theory also applies to the management context in the enterprise. In Scenario 2, the enterprise objective, for the new project, is to increase the market by providing a better service to the customers. However, the terms of the dispute between Eric and Mark indicate that their personal objectives are different: each wants to increase his own scope of responsibility by fighting for ownership of the new project. The zero-sum game is thus internal, played between Eric and Mark, instead of being external against the competition.
Let us stay with Scenario 2 and address Miriam's dilemma. The real issue is the divergence between the enterprise objectives and the personal objectives of the managers.
A manager's importance in any enterprise grows with his scope of responsibility. Even if this does not bring monetary rewards, there is the tangible reward of increased social and status recognition. This tends to create an internal zero-sum game between the managers with importance as the "pay-off". On the other hand, relatively few enterprises have mechanisms for recognizing and rewarding teamwork, at least not directly. But major undertakings and projects often need teamwork as a prerequisite for success. If the "pay-off" for large projects is at best limited, it is not surprising that their success may be overshadowed by conflicting games with larger pay-offs. In such a culture, the enterprise/competition game may sometimes degenerate into the "turf-war" scenario. Thus, the general manager's real challenge is to motivate a change of the enterprise culture.
Let us return to the tennis game. Whilst Eric and Mark have lost the point, they should recognize that the game is not over and that the situation may occur again. If they take time to agree on a convention or mechanism to avoid a repeat bungling, they will increase the chances of winning both in the formal game and in their sub-game (e.g. by increasing the number of shots in the game).
In Scenario 1, Miriam's challenge is to make both Eric and Mark aware that they are partners playing against the external competition and that the game is not over. They need to work as a team not only to resolve the current problem but also to bring future and timely improvements to the new Web-system ahead of the competition.
Each enterprise has its own distinct culture which motivates the attitudes of its managers, and of its other employees, and which influences the management behaviour. A re-examination of the enterprise's culture and values may be essential to sustain important new projects or pivotal transformations
7. This may be particularly pertinent for many telecommunication enterprises, private or public, that continue to face major adaptation challenges due to evolving technologies and market economics.In the context of the simplified case study in this article, it would normally be a management error for Miriam to blame one of her competent managers, and it would be an error for the enterprise to continue its culture of not rewarding good teamwork.
It is another "common wisdom" that anticipation is a key part of good management. Let us imagine that the ball is in your court. Whose shot is it?
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1 In this article, "enterprise" is used as a generic term and refers to a private company, a public company or an international organization. 2 A pivotal transformation is any change that may dramatically affect the future of the enterprise. See "Only the paranoid survive", by A. S. Grove (1996). Mr Grove (then President and CEO of Intel Corporation) gives a lucid presentation in this book of "strategic inflection points" which corresponds to the starting point in a pivotal transformation. 3 In the assumed model for the enterprise, the managers report to general managers who report to the chief executive. However, the examples and analyses are valid at all levels of hierarchy. 4 The risk of both players making the same call is much less than both taking the shot. 5 A richer, and more complex case study could be made from the selected scenarios. However, that would go beyond the scope of this article. 6 In game theory, a zero-sum game is defined as a game in which the total pay-offs add up to zero, i.e. the gain of one player is balanced by the loss of other players. 7 See "Leading change: why transformation efforts fail", by J. P. Kotter, Harvard Business Review, 1995, Vol. 72, No. 2, pages 59–68. According to this article, one of the main reasons for failure of transformations is "not anchoring changes in the corporation's culture". |