Unlocking Investment Opportunities in the Nordics: Interview with Jonathan Aiach of CapMan

July 8, 2024

The Nordic region is renowned for its economic resilience, innovation, and commitment to sustainability. As global investors increasingly seek stable and dynamic environments, Northern Europe stands out with its robust economic fundamentals, supportive regulatory framework, and thriving tech ecosystem. This interview explores why the Nordic countries are emerging as a top investment destination, with insights from CapMan’s Director of Investor Relations and Business Development, Jonathan Aiach, on the region’s unparalleled growth potential.

The Nordic countries are often cited for their economic stability and robust growth. Can you elaborate on the specific economic factors that make Northern Europe an attractive destination for investment funds?

It is the combination of strong economic fundamentals, sound fiscal policies, robust institutions, high quality of life, commitment to sustainability, open economies, and advanced technological infrastructure that makes Northern Europe, and particularly the Nordic countries, highly attractive destinations for investment funds. These factors collectively create a stable, predictable, and dynamic environment conducive to long-term investment growth and profitability.

Innovation and technology seem to be thriving in the Nordic region, with numerous successful startups and tech companies emerging from these countries. How significant is this tech boom in attracting investment funds to Northern Europe?

The tech boom in the Nordic region which has been taking place for the past 20 years is a crucial factor in attracting investment funds to Northern Europe. The combination of a vibrant startup ecosystem, strong support for innovation, a skilled workforce, advanced digital infrastructure, and availability of capital has created a compelling environment for tech investments. This dynamic ecosystem not only fosters the growth of innovative companies but also offers lucrative opportunities for investors, making the Nordic region a prime destination for investment funds focused on technology and innovation.

How does the regulatory environment in the Nordic countries compare to other regions in terms of facilitating investment?

The Nordic region has a long track record of experimenting and pioneering new ESG practices which are now used as a model for investment managers around the world.

The regulatory environment in the Nordic countries is very conducive to facilitating investment. Its key strengths include high levels of transparency, an efficient bureaucracy, competitive and supportive tax policies, flexible labor markets, strong financial and IP regulations, leadership in ESG practices, and active participation in international trade agreements. Compared to other regions, these factors collectively create a stable, predictable, and attractive environment for investors, making the Nordic countries a prime destination for both domestic and international investments.

The Nordic countries are leaders in sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. How do these factors influence the attractiveness of the region for investment funds looking to align with ESG criteria?

The Nordic countries’ leadership in sustainability and ESG practices genuinely enhances their attractiveness to investment funds that prioritize ESG criteria. The combination of strong environmental policies, robust social welfare systems, high standards of corporate governance, innovation in sustainable technologies, and integration of ESG criteria in financial markets creates a compelling environment for ESG-focused investments. These factors not only align with the values of responsible investors but also offer stable and promising opportunities for long-term growth and impact. The Nordic region has a long track record of experimenting and pioneering new ESG practices which are now used as a model for investment managers around the world.

Which sectors in the Nordic countries are currently presenting the most significant opportunities for investment?

The Nordic countries offer diverse and promising investment opportunities across several key sectors. Technology and innovation, renewable energy, sustainable industries, biotechnology, ICT, financial services, tourism, and advanced manufacturing are areas of significant growth potential. The region’s strong economic fundamentals, commitment to sustainability, supportive regulatory environment, and innovative ecosystems make it an attractive destination for investors seeking both financial returns and positive societal impact.

Looking ahead, what trends do you foresee in the Nordic investment landscape and potential challenges that investors should be mindful of?

The Nordic investment landscape is presenting numerous opportunities driven by trends in sustainability, technological innovation, renewable energy, healthcare, and urban development. However, investors must also be mindful of potential challenges, including regulatory risks, market volatility, technological disruptions, environmental risks, and political and social factors. By staying informed and flexible, investors can effectively navigate the evolving landscape and capitalize on the opportunities while mitigating risks.

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Executive Profile

Jonathan Aiach

Jonathan Aiach is a director in CapMan’s investor relations and business development team where he is in charge of fund-raising, strategy, and business development in the EMEA region. He has 15 years of experience in the alternative investment space, working in London and Geneva with a focus on private markets and hedge funds. He was previously an investment specialist in DWS’s infrastructure team. Before that, he contributed to the development of Blackrock’s alternatives platform across wealth and institutional clients in EMEA. He started his career at Cheyne Capital, and worked in Oakley Capital’s private equity team.

About CapMan

CapMan is one of the leading Nordic experts in private assets. For over 30 years, this major private equity player creates value in unlisted companies, infrastructure and real estate. The objective of CapMan is to offer investors attractive returns and innovative solutions. The company is proud of its commitments to sustainable development and supports projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. CapMan also offers management solutions of heritage. CapMan now has 200 professionals in Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, London and Luxembourg. The company is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki since 2001.

The Path to Eco-Friendly Living: Strategies for Sustainable Daily Choices

July 7, 2024

Male consumer holds basket filled with a mixture of various fruits and vegetables

By Ashley Nielsen

With the rise of global warming, carbon emissions, and pollution, making sustainable choices has never been more crucial.

Each decision we make, from the products we purchase to the way we heat our homes, creates a ripple effect on our environment – for better or worse. These choices will shape our planet’s future and generations to come.

Luckily consumers are making more sustainable choices to combat environmental issues, as nearly 73% of global consumers say they would change their consumption habits to reduce their environmental impact.

If you’re wondering how you can make an impact, you came to the right place. Below, we’ll dive into practical strategies and actionable tips to make more sustainable choices.

From simple changes in habits to more significant lifestyle choices, you’ll learn how you can start making a positive impact on your environment today.

Understanding Sustainable Choices

Sustainable choices are decisions that replace common unstainable habits and leave a positive impact on our environment. These choices aren’t just about replacing wasteful habits, but rather improving the lives of future generations. These choices encompass a wide range of areas of daily life including:

Energy

The process of extracting and using fossil fuels for energy significantly pollutes air and waterways, while increasing greenhouse gasses globally. Renewable energy minimizes these effects substantially.

Transportation

Gasoline-powered vehicles emit carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, which contributes to poor air quality, smog formation, and respiratory illnesses. Opting for sustainable transportation can substantially reduce these issues.

Waste Management

Improper waste disposal increases greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to soil, water, and air pollution. Adopting the three R’s (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) can help minimize waste and conserve natural resources in the process.

Food Consumption

Conventional agriculture practices rely on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides that pollute the soil, water, and airways. Supporting local, organic, and sustainable agriculture can substantially reduce your food carbon footprint.

Water Usage

Excessive water consumption both commercially and privately can deplete freshwater resources, disrupt ecosystems, and create water droughts. Adopting water-saving habits and technologies can preserve freshwater ecosystems, maintain water quality, and ensure access to clean water for future generations.

Consumption

Overconsumption of resources can lead to habitat degradation , depletion of natural resources, and increased waste generation such as single-use plastics. Opting for quality, eco-friendly products can minimize these issues.

By prioritizing sustainable choices in these key areas of daily life, individuals and communities can actively contribute to mitigating environmental impacts and fostering a more sustainable future

Strategies for Sustainable Choices

Incorporating sustainable choices into your daily life is crucial for reducing your carbon footprint and promoting a healthier planet. Below are several sustainable choices you can make today to start leaving a positive impact on the world:

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

In your daily life, look where you can reduce, reuse, and recycle. By reducing excess waste and reusing items when possible, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. Swap out single-use plastics such as water bottles and grocery bags with reusable alternatives.

Utilize Renewable Energy

Consider transitioning to renewable energy sources like solar or wind power to reduce your household emissions, which are responsible for 20% of all carbon emissions. Many programs exist to make them affordable, they come with tax benefits, and reduce your energy bills.

Support Sustainable Brands

Look for products from brands that support sustainable initiatives. Parents should consider bamboo diapers instead of cotton, which degrade faster in landfills. Swap out fast fashion with sustainably made tops and bottoms.

Eat Sustainably

You can make your diet more sustainable by sourcing food locally, selecting seasonal options, and opting for choices with lower environmental impact. Shop at local farmers’ markets, reduce your meat consumption and go with organic options when possible to support sustainable farming practices.

Conserve Water and Energy

Making small changes to your daily routine, such as taking shorter showers, air drying laundry, and turning off lights when not in use can save significant amounts of water and energy over time. These small changes can add up to make a big difference over time.

Embrace Minimalism

Adopt a minimalist lifestyle by prioritizing quality over quantity. Consider decluttering your space by getting rid of unnecessary items. Doing so not only reduces waste but also promotes mindful consumption and a light, sustainable lifestyle.

Educate Yourself and Others

Stay up-to-date and informed about environmental issues and sustainability practices. Share this knowledge with friends and family, which can lead to engaging and meaningful conversations on sustainability. This can uplift and inspire your social circle to make positive changes in their lives.

Support Policy Changes

Join environmental committees and activist groups that advocate for policies on environmental protection and sustainability at the local and national levels. Together, your voices and actions can contribute to shaping a future where sustainable practices are prioritized.

Practice Sustainable Transportation

Opt for sustainable transportation like walking, biking, or carpooling whenever possible to reduce carbon emissions from daily commuting and travel. Consider purchasing a hybrid or fully electric vehicle, which can substantially reduce your transportation carbon emissions. These choices promote healthier lifestyles and help save money on fuel and maintenance costs

Invest in Long-Term Sustainability

Explore financial strategies and potential investments that have ethical and sustainable standards. Look to divest from industries that harm the environment and instead support companies with green initiatives. By making conscientious investment choices, you can actively contribute to a future where sustainability is a core value in financial decision-making.

The Path to Sustainability: Start Today

With the rise of global warming, carbon emissions, and pollution, making sustainable choices has never been more crucial. Every decision we make, from the products we purchase to how we power our homes, has a profound impact on our environment and future generations.

If you’re eager to make a meaningful impact, you’ve come to the right place. By embracing the practical strategies and actionable tips outlined above, you can start making a positive difference in your environment today.

From reducing waste and embracing renewable energy to supporting sustainable brands and advocating for policy changes, each choice contributes to a more sustainable future. By prioritizing these sustainable choices in daily life, individuals and communities can collectively mitigate environmental impacts and foster a healthier planet for generations to come. Together, we can shape a future where sustainable practices are not just a choice, but a way of life.

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About the Author

Ashley Nielsen earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration Marketing at Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a freelance writer who loves to share knowledge about general business, marketing, lifestyle, wellness, and financial tips. During her free time, she enjoys being outside, staying active, reading a book, or diving deep into her favorite music.

As Geopolitical Threats Mount, Companies are at Risk of ‘Analysis Paralysis’

July 7, 2024

By Matt Ince

Growing numbers of multi-nationals are drawing on geopolitical analysis to better navigate an increasingly volatile and unpredictable global security landscape. Yet there is a risk of being overwhelmed by analysis that may or may not be directly relevant to their business operations and strategies – potentially leading to ‘analysis paralysis’.

Big picture overviews and background information are important to get a general sense of trends and developments globally. Yet key insights need to be distilled into actionable intelligence assessments to enable companies to better anticipate and take steps to mitigate threats to their activities worldwide.

Such assessments aim to empower corporate leaders with sufficient understanding and forewarning to make better-informed and timely decisions that put them ahead of the most pertinent operational and strategic risks they face. Analysis provides context and background but can leave senior executives searching for direction. Actionable intelligence is tailored to their immediate needs, significantly enhancing the decision-making. So, what it is it that makes intelligence assessments actionable.

Defining characteristics

First and foremost, intelligence assessments are about being relevant, directly informing the decisions a company needs. They do so by setting out the implications of a particular geopolitical development for its corporate strategy, global assets and supply chains. Assessments are concise, delivered in short-form formats that use key judgements, and ultimately provide readers with time advantage by answering the “so what?” question up front. They are also precise, using probabilistic language and consistent phraseology to covey the relative likelihood and impact of a particular event. This helps decision-makers to ‘rack and stack’ different risks and identify the ones that are the most pressing to them.

Assessments are forward-looking, so the emphasis is on anticipatory analysis as opposed to looking backwards. And relatedly, they will tend to incorporate scenario analysis – different, plausible pictures of what the future may look like, allowing corporate leaders to plan for the most likely and worst-case scenarios. That gives them greater confidence to act in a timely manner and not lose advantage by being overwhelmed by the potential vastness of geopolitical analysis.

The use of indicators or warning signs – identifying tangible, measurable developments for readers to look out for – help to determine whether a given forecast or scenario is becoming more or less likely. For instance, if a company was worried about a short-term crisis breaking out on the Korean peninsula, then an indicator that it was likely would include North Korea conducting provocative intercontinental ballistic missile tests. Such markers effectively provide a structure that can be followed to enable better anticipation of situations.

Accountability is key

Lastly, what strengthens the credibility of assessments is their accountability. What that means in practice is that they are very transparent about the basis on which they have been formulated – so, for example, they will highlight knowledge gaps or limitations in current understanding around a particular topic or issue. They also surface details about the sources of information upon which any load-bearing assumption are based. In other words, they communicate the levels of confidence that those producing them have in the quality of the evidence base used to put them together.

So, while geopolitical analysis clearly has its place in putting forward an opinion or position on a development or trend, intelligence assessments have gone through a process that is more robust by design, structured and supported by methodology. It, thus, equips decision-makers with what they need to know to ensure their organisations are best prepared for security crises – in essence, giving them the tools to make strategic, operational and tactical decisions to mitigate or avoid the impact of such risks and threats.

Actionable intelligence in action

During the early stages of the Covid pandemic, actionable intelligence focused on providing strategic early warning would have given companies a better understanding about how the Corona virus was most likely to spread. As well as the potential for geopolitical fallout and which countries would be more vulnerable. There were a lot of false assumptions about countries in the Global South being generally less resilient and more exposed, whereas, in reality, it was economically-interconnected countries that ended up having bigger problems. Operational intelligence would have facilitated mitigations to ensure there was sufficient PPE available, avoiding the shortages resulting from supply chain hold-ups. Tactical assessments are likely to have assisted with workarounds required to address pandemic-driven disruptions, such as provision for people to work from home.

As the consequences of climate change becomeing more disruptive, strategic intelligence assessments can determine the extent to which global warming’s cascading impacts can interrupt global supply chains and fuel resource-based conflicts. From an operational perspective, assessments would address business continuity: the safety of physical assets, staff and infrastructure. On a more tactical level, it would be thinking, for instance, about whether equipment in place in climate-vulnerable operational areas has been built to withstand extreme heat.

In the case of the Israel-Gaza war, strategic thinking involves looking at pathways for how the conflict could plausibly escalate, either intensifying dramatically between the protagonists or developing into a regional war. It also involves considering the consequences of these alternative futures – such as further Houthi disruption of shipping through the Suez Canal or an intensifying exchange of rocket fire between Israel and Hezbollah – and what these would mean for the wider business and security environment.

In relation to the latter scenario, operational intelligence assessment could seek to determine the range of the rockets Hezbollah is likely to launch and the areas in Israel that will be impacted. Or to provide an assessment of weapons stockpiles levels to be able to estimate how long they would be able to sustain barrages. Tactical consideration would centre on the logistical challenges in the event of such an escalation, including advice on which airports are likely to remain open and which roads would be best to use to evacuate staff from their offices.

Who consumes what

For senior decision-makers, strategic intelligence assessments, together with the actionable insights they provide, are critical to ensuring that their business strategies, and the implementation of those strategies, are attuned and responsive to global security and geopolitical events. And while business leaders should be across actionable operational and tactical intelligence, these need to be primarily informing senior managers across an organisation, helping them to practically deal with immediate challenges.

As the emerging multi-polar world generates new and more frequent geopolitical risks and threats, multi-nationals are rightly investing in the analytical capacities that will help them become more alert to developments that could undermine their competitiveness. But being aware is one thing, being prepared is quite another. And it’s here that actionable intelligence comes into its own, giving corporate leaders exactly what they need to make decisions that protect their operations and their bottom line.

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About the Author

Matt Ince is an associate director at Dragonfly, a geopolitical and security intelligence firm, where he leads on strategic intelligence. Prior to joining Dragonfly in January 2023, Matt spent a decade working within the UK’s national security community, including leading analysis on emerging global risks and strategy development on the security implications of climate change. He is an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), the UK’s leading, defence and security think tank, and a Research Associate at the University of Oxford’s Climate Change and (In)security Project.

The Implications from Iran’s Elections Are Global: The International Community Must Not Turn a Blind Eye

July 7, 2024

By Roderick Navarro

The recent death under mysterious circumstances of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May 2024 has thrust the country into an unexpected electoral cycle, with the first round taking place this week. A surprise outcome saw reformist lawmaker Masoud Pezeshkian take 42.5% of the vote while ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili took 38.6%. While the results still need to be reviewed by the country’s 12 member Guardian Council tasked with overseeing elections and legislation, the two faced off in a run-off scheduled for Saturday which, to the surprise of many, saw Pezeshkian win the election with 16.3 million votes. It should be noted that this election has seen the lowest turnout in Iranian electoral history since the Islamic revolution of 1979, with Iranian citizens exhibiting, for the most part, apathy towards the country’s democratic prospects.

This election has provided the Iranian authorities and supreme leader Ali Khamenei a crucial opportunity to tighten their grip on power and suppress any remaining democratic aspirations within the country, meaning that even the surprise win by reformist Pezeshkian should not be seen as indicative of impending change but rather leading to cosmetic changes domestically, without significant departure from the Supreme Leader’s tone. This is something Pezeshkian has made abundantly clear. Importantly, this win should be seen as a step toward the consolidation of absolute power which is expected to have significant global economic implications.

The repressive political environment in Iran has been, over the course of the past few years, increasingly controlled by a select powerful authoritarian group, all close to the Supreme Leader. These have been responsible for the erosion of democratic norms and the country’s ongoing gross violations of human rights, leaving the government with little to no accountability for extensive human rights violations. The recent death of Raisi, who was also known as the Butcher of Tehran due to his direct role in the killing of around 30,000 political prisoners in the 1980’s, and the ongoing electoral cycle, rather than having the potential to shift the Islamic Republic’s political direction, is instead, accelerating the regime’s ongoing attempt to solidify control over its citizens.

The way in which this election played out is indicative of the fact that the regime believes it needs a moderate leader to face the international community in light of increased pressure on the economy from the extensive sanctions which Iran still faces. We must however understand that the Ayatollahs are certainly not seeking to utilize this historic moment for true change, rather to maintain a facade of legitimacy while consolidating brutal authoritarian rule.

Concern has already been expressed by the international community regarding the way in which candidates were selected for this, perhaps sham, election. The role of Iran’s Guardian Council is particularly problematic in light of its strict adherence to the Supreme Leader’s directives. Indeed, only those aligned with Khamenei’s hardliner policies are allowed to stand for election. The results of the still election are therefore viewed by many as predetermined, with the election process simply being a means of projecting the existence of democratic institutions outwards, but with little concrete significance.

From an economic perspective, these elections matter, as does the way in which they are being conducted. Iran has been the product of international anxiety over its nuclear program for the better part of a decade, with the US only recently imposing a fresh set of sanctions due to ongoing violations by Tehran. Such extensive sanctions have crippled its economy, although there was hope that these elections would be ones that would allow Iran’s return to the global market. Indeed while the war in Ukraine rages on, and oil prices surging due to a lack of inventory, Iran, as a country with substantial oil reserves, could play a pivotal role in stabilizing the global energy market.

Market dynamics are and will continue to be significantly impacted by the political stability in the follow-up to the election, of course, the lack thereof. Unfortunately, the way in which these elections have played out will likely perpetuate existing economic sanctions imposed by Western countries. Furthermore, should the United States see a second Trump Presidency, something looking increasingly likely after US President Joe Biden’s poor performance in the recent Presidential debate, sanctions would only be exacerbated, further isolating Iran from the global financial system, for its violation of nuclear norms and ongoing gross violations of human rights.

The global economic impact from Iran’s ongoing violation of human rights and global democratic norms should not be seen as limited to oil markets. Indeed, Iran is strategically located and wields influence across the already delicate Middle East, an area critical for global trade routes. The Strait of Hormuz, for example, is a vital bottleneck through which 17 million barrels of oil pass daily. This is equivalent to between 20% and 30% of global supply. As has already been seen due to Iranian supported heightened political tensions in and around the Straight, the security of this crucial passageway can easily be compromised by Tehran, significantly disrupting global oil supplies and trade.

The international community should not be fooled. The Iranian regime’s strategy is to present a cultivated image of democracy while suppressing genuine democratic processes at home, including murdering journalists, oppressing women and leveraging its impact on global supply chains to perpetuate its radical agenda. This has far-reaching consequences which cannot be overlooked. Aside from the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people which the regime continues to violate, alongside their fundamental human rights, Iran poses a significant threat to regional stability and global markets. The international community, with an emphasis on economic stakeholders, should recognize the broader implications of Iran’s political trajectory.

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About the Author

Roderick Navarro

Roderick Navarro is a political analyst based in Brazil focusing on international affairs in Latin America and beyond. He is also the CEO of Iberoanalisis, a global geopolitical research and analysis firm.

Towards Developing an Economic Model to Serve the Needs of the 21st Century – Part 1

July 7, 2024

By Tim Bovy

Catastrophic events often create the context for new economic models. President Franklin D. Roosevelt developed the New Deal in the 1930s in response to the Great Depression. World War Two led to the creation of the social market economy in Germany, which was launched under the chancellorship of Konrad Adenauer in 1949. The cumulative impact of the 2008 financial crisis, the coronavirus pandemic, and the cataclysmic potential of climate change has spurred the development of Bidenomics, reviving, at least in part, aspects of both the New Deal and the social market economy.

The financial collapse alone could have brought about a similar shift in economic policy. However, there is a good reason that it did not: the US government was committed to neoliberalism, which formed an unbroken dominance in the US from the 1970s to the early 2020s, including during the presidency of Barack Obama. His administration’s economic policies expanded the ever-widening income gap, under the stewardship of Timothy Geitner and Larry Summers, two fellow neoliberals. As Adam Tooze observed, of the “growth generated by the economic recovery since 2009, 95% was monopolized by the top 1%. They saw their incomes rebound by 31.4%. Meanwhile, 99% had seen virtually no gain in income since the crisis.”¹

Bidenomics aims to fix income inequality, among other social inequities, as it moves away from neoliberalism towards something more akin to a social market economy. President Biden himself has said: “Milton Friedman isn’t running the show anymore,”² mirroring the World Economic Forum’s declaration that the Friedmanite model is no longer sustainable. As Klaus Schwab noted in 2019, in arguing for a better kind of capitalism: Greta Thunberg “has reminded us that adherence to the current economic system represents a betrayal of future generations, owing to its environmental unsustainability.”³

These observations come from inside and from outside of politics and touch upon the two most pressing problems facing mankind today for which we need a long-term solution: the interlinked issues of inequality and climate change. I say “mankind” because the problems are global. The solution for developing an economic model to serve the needs of the 21st century must, therefore, also be global to offset Neoliberalism’s worldwide impact, which is the underlying cause of both. Part 1 of my article examines where we are now. Part 2 looks at where we need to go and how we might get there.

The Friedmanite Model

What exactly is the Friedmanite model, which underpins neoliberal thinking? One of its main policy tenets calls for minimum government intervention since it maintains that markets are self-regulating. This core doctrine, however, is misleading. If we have any doubts about this, we need only return to the period of the financial collapse when, after 2008, the US privatized profits and socialized losses. The elite benefited from the financial collapse because the government coddled them in a protective blanket of socialism, or what the head of China’s sovereign wealth fund described in December 2008 as “socialism with American characteristics.”⁴ If we are skeptical about the remark because of its source, we should remember that “the US Treasury was accused by the German finance minister of interventionist tendencies akin to communism.”⁵ The battle cry of the 1% for minimum regulation when they were garnering huge returns on capital quickly mutated into a plea for maximum government intervention to save their wealth when the financial rigging came crashing down. Socialism turned out to be neoliberalism’s safety net.

There was, however, no rescue plan for the 99%, who formed the core of the Occupy Movement in 2011. Bidenomics has given them a voice. If Geitner and Summers were the facilitators of Obama’s neoliberal economic agenda, Jared Bernstein and Heather Boushey are two of Biden’s spokespersons for an economic model that represents a betrayed middle class, which stood on the sidelines watching, as governments “bailed out financial institutions, then recovered the costs by hacking away at public services, effectively punishing laborers and taxpayers for the sins of wealthy bankers.”⁶

Although many of us may have not realized it at the time, “2008 revealed that since 1976 national economic policy had been subordinated to a cluster of transnational banks,”⁷ which played into the neoliberal model of an economic system in which the markets were disembedded from society. Of course, it was not always thus. Franklin Delano Roosevelt said: “We are going to make a country in which no one is left out.”⁸ The New Deal was not perfect, nor was the New Deal Coalition but, with all of their flaws, they attempted to alleviate poverty, reduce income inequality, and promote social justice as precursors of what President Biden is trying to achieve now.

By the 1970s, the New Deal Coalition had collapsed, and in its place arose neoliberalism which gradually eroded the stability of the middle class and cautioned businesses to stop being wimps. Writing in The New York Times in September 1970, Milton Friedman criticized businessmen who thought that business must promote “desirable ‘social’ ends; that business [must have] a ‘social conscience’ and [must take] seriously its responsibilities for providing employment, eliminating discrimination, avoiding pollution and whatever else may be the catchwords of the contemporary crop of reformers.”⁹

What appealed to Friedman is that markets do not have a conscience, and are free from the constraints of the interdependent relationships that define society. Neoliberalism buried society so far beneath the market that Margaret Thatcher declared the former non-existent: “There’s no such thing as society. There are individual men and women and there are families.”¹⁰ As Tony Judt observed, in such a political milieu, “the role of the state is reduced…to that of a facilitator. The task of the politician is to ascertain what is best for the individual, and then afford him the conditions in which to pursue it with minimal interference.”¹¹ It is important not to miss the irony here. Creating the fertile economic conditions necessary for the top 1% to flourish required deliberate state action. “Laissez-faire,” as Karl Polanyi wrote in the 1940s, savoring the oxymoron, “was planned.”¹²

The Need for a Global Solution

Bidenomics middle-out, bottom-up economic model seeks to counterbalance social and economic inequality with social and economic justice. The problem, however, is that no matter how noble the underlying moral and ethical sentiment, the model is local, in the same way that Germany’s social market economy in mid-twentieth century Europe was local, whereas the problems of inequality and climate change are global. If we are going to move towards an economic model that serves the needs of the 21st Century by offsetting the damage that neoliberalism has done, we need to reimagine capitalism in a way that benefits everyone, including nature.

Part 2 of my article explores how we might get there.

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About the Author

Tim Bovy

Tim Bovy has over 35 years of experience in designing and implementing various types of information and risk management systems for major law firms such as Clifford Chance; and for international accountancy firms such as Deloitte. He has also developed solutions for organisations such as BT, Imperial Tobacco, Rio Tinto, the Kuwaiti government, The Royal Household, and the US House of Representatives. Tim is an elected member of The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, an Independent Think Tank based in Central London, and holds a BA degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame, and MA and C.Phil degrees from the University of California, Davis.

Reduction of Pollutant Emissions from Motor Vehicles to Combat Infections

July 5, 2024

By Ziyang Lou & Michael Palocz-Andresen

Ultrafine soot particles and NOx are known to be extremely harmful to human health. The concentration of these pollutants is very high in many large cities of the world. It weakens the body and makes it easier for the virus to penetrate human cells. Reducing pollutant emissions in metropolitan regions worldwide is urgently necessary in order to avoid future infections and pandemics.

Theoretical Introduction to the Role of Ultrafine Soot Particles in Cities

In the big cities, the primary volatile hydrocarbons, which are considered to be the precursors of ultrafine soot particles, come mainly from heavy-duty vehicles (see figure 1).

Table 1 summarises the most important mechanisms and properties of fine dust¹.

The larger particles fall to earth relatively quickly. However, they are usually whirled up from the asphalt surface by motor vehicles driving on the road.

Smog from Ultrafine Soot Particles

From an aerodynamic point of view, the coronavirus belongs to the category of ultrafine dust. Figure 2 shows the most important components, the order of magnitude, and the cycle of ultrafine dust particles and of the coronavirus².

Ultrafine dust particles can float in the air for a very long time and can be carried far by the wind. The blurry image of large cities with a high concentration of airborne dust is known as evidence (see figure 3).

Ultrafine soot particles are smaller than the virus. They usually have an amorphous shape (see the middle image in figure 4)³.

The core pores of the filter can be seen as dark dots in the images. The ultrafine particles are lighter than the background. There are three main categories of particles in the pictures:

a) Spherical shape – often oxides from high-temperature processes
b) Grape-shaped form – mostly primary particles of soot
c) Spherical agglomerates – mostly aged soot or mixed particles.

Ultrafine particles make up only about 1 per cent of the mass, but 80 per cent of the surface of airborne particles. They can adsorb a considerable amount of volatile organic gases (VOC) and other compounds from the precursors for secondary organic aerosols (SOA) and transport them into the human organism⁴.

Ultrafine particles generally tend to form conglomerates⁵. It may be that the coronavirus, like all fine dust particles, adsorbs ultrafine soot particles. The crown may even be able to hold a large number of soot particles. The size of the conglomerate mainly depends on the humidity of the air (see figure 5).

Ultra-small soot particles sometimes carry heavily toxic and carcinogenic substances that are deposited in the human respiratory system.

The aim of this development work is to ensure that especially heavy-duty vehicles emit significantly fewer pollutants in future.

Analysing the Relationship Between the Emission of Ultrafine Soot Particles and the Danger of Coronavirus

The pandemics caused an enormously spreading infection in large cities such as Mexico City, New York, Hamburg, Madrid, and Milan in March and April (see figure 6)^6-14.

With the introduction of curfews and contact restrictions, the number of infections decreased significantly in many cities around the world. The reduction in air pollution reflects the same decreasing tendency as the reduction in infection rates¹⁵ (see figure 7).

As a result of the restrictions and the decreasing tendency of transportation intensity in cities, there was an exponential decrease the concentration level of NO₂ and PM2.5 (see figure 8).

Mexico City’s pollution level is much higher and the downward trend is not as pronounced as in the two other cities. Air pollution in Mexico City, Hamburg, and New York on 31 May 2020 is shown in figure 9.

The same tabular and graphical representation is used for the cities of New York and Hamburg (see figures 10 and 11).

Figure 12 shows the comparison of the annual air pollution with PM2.5 in the three cities examined.

What is particularly worrying is the fact that the number of days with very high concentrations in Mexico City is extremely high. The average is 26 days with 48 µg/m³. The WHO annual mean limit is 10 µg/m³, that of the EU 25 µg/m³. A limit of 20 µg/m³ will apply from 2020. The EU limit of 25 µg/m³ has been criticised for years as being too high.

Innovation Demand in Heavy Motor Vehicles

From the point of view of the spreading of virus, air pollution, primarily through ultrafine soot particles and NOx, needs to be intensively reduced in big cities. Otherwise, the greatest efforts to contain the future infections or pandemic will either be ineffective or will work for only a limited time. Diseases could come back with enormous strength.

Electric driving systems not only help the environment but also protect people’s health against infection in densely populated cities. Heavy-duty vehicles in particular, such as buses, trucks and off-road vehicles, should use more modern electric propulsion systems, alternative fuels such as bio and synthetic fuels, hydrogen, and hydrogen derivates.

Other additional measures, such as the construction of traffic-protected districts and green areas, especially in the centres of cities, are of importance.

Summary

Commercial vehicles are motor vehicles intended for the commercial transport of goods and passengers, with light commercial vehicles often referring to vehicles under 3.5 tons. Heavy commercial vehicles are essential for the delivery of goods and people. Pollutants in cities come mainly from traffic with heavy-duty vehicles and off-road engines.

In 2022, worldwide commercial vehicle production grew to around 23.7 million units, continuing the slow recovery from a decline of 3 million units recorded in 2020. With around 13.3 million vehicles produced, North America was the leading region in the production of commercial vehicles in 2022¹⁶.

Outlook

Even though electric drive systems are gaining in importance, heavy commercial vehicles and off-road machines will still be powered by the internal combustion engine in the foreseeable future. It will be necessary to improve electric drive systems and motor and exhaust gas after-treatment technology.

Acknowledgement
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42077111, 72261147460), the High-end Foreign Expert Introduction Program of China (G2022037007L), the Technology Innovation and Development Project of the Inner Mongolia Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2021PT0045-02-01), the Jinan City Talent Development Project in 2021 (2021GXRC067), the Organisation Department of Sichuan Provincial Party Committee and the Department of Human Resources and Social Security of Sichuan Provincial.

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About the Authors

Dr Lou Ziyang is a professor at the Shanghai Engineering Research Centre of Solid Waste Treatment and Resource Recovery, School of Environmental Science and Engineering. He is a member of the China-UK Low Carbon College, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and director of the Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security Shanghai and of the China Institute for Urban Governance in Shanghai and of the Research Institute in Sichuan, Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Michael Palocz-Andresen is a guest-professor at BUAP Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla. From 2018 to 2021 he worked as a Herder-professor supported by the DAAD at the TEC de Monterrey in Mexico. He became a full professor at the University West Hungary 2005-17. He is currently a guest professor at the TU Budapest, the Leuphana University Lüneburg, and at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He is a Humboldt scientist and instructor of the SAE International in the USA.

References

[1] https://www.tecnosida.com/ultra-fine-dust-origin-and-effects-on-health-and-environment

[2] Dobkin, J., Diaz, C.: “Coronavirus Statistics: Tracking The Epidemic In New York”. 7 April 2020 12:45 p.m. https://gothamist.com/news/coronavirus-statistics-tracking-epidemic-new-york

[3] Andresen, L.: “Statistische Datensammlung zur Corona Pandemie”. March-April 2020. 7 April 2020.

[4] COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

[5] Coronavirus Hamburg, Germany. https://www.ovulation-calculators.com/coronavirus/de/hamburg/

[6] “Coronavirus (COVID-19) confirmed cases in Russia as of 10 April 2020, by region”.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1102935/coronavirus-cases-by-region-in-russia/

[7] “Number of deaths related to coronavirus (COVID-19) in Spain as of 9 April 2020, by autonomous community”. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=corona+madrid+statistics

[8] “4446 Coronavirus-Infizierte bestätigt Zahl der COVID-19-Toten in Berlin in einer Woche mehr als verdoppelt”. https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/4446-coronavirus-infizierte-bestaetigt-zahl-der-COVID -19-toten-in-berlin-in-einer-woche-mehr-als-verdoppelt/25655678.html

[9] “NO₂-Belastung sinkt trotz ungünstiger Wetterbedingungen messbar. Behörde für Umwelt und Energie Hamburg”. 21 April 2020. ttps://www.hamburg.de/pressearchiv-fhh/13868008/2020-04-21-bue-luftqualitaet/

[10] “Air quality during COVID-19”. Department of Health NYC. http://a816-dohbesp.nyc.gov/IndicatorPublic/Closerlook/COVID air/

[11] POSITION PAPER. “Relazione circa l’effetto dell’inquinamento da particolato atmosferico e la diffusione di virus nella popolazione”. http://www.simaonlus.it/wpsima/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/COVID 19_Position-Paper_Relazione-circa-l%E2%80%99effetto-dell%E2%80%99inquinamento-da-particolato-atmosferico-e-la-diffusione-di-virus-nella-popolazione.pdf

[12] “Feinstaub und Gesundheit. Eine Initiative des Gesundheitsreferenten des Landes Kärnten”. Klagenfurt, January 2008. http://www.wolfsberg.at/srv/img.ashx?id=1102709426

[13] Rivera, B. H., Rodriguez, M.G.: “Characterization of Airborne Particles Collected from Car Engine Air Filters Using SEM and EDX Techniques”. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 1 October 2016.

[14] Mehel, A., Murzym, F.: “Effect of air velocity on nanoparticles dispersion in the wake of a vehicle model: Wind tunnel experiments”. Atmospheric Pollution Research, Volume 6, Issue 4, July 2015, pp. 612-17

[15] Coronavirus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus

[16] Kitzler, Ch.: “Smog in Mailand. Italien riskiert hohe EU-Strafe wegen Luftqualität”. https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/smog-in-mailand-italien-riskiert-hohe-eu-strafe-wegen.1773.de.html?dram:article_id=379115

[17] https://www.statista.com/statistics/725818/truck-production-value-mexico/

Collect and Respect: Six Steps to Making Better Leadership Decisions

July 5, 2024

By Scott Mautz

Successful decision-making hinges on gathering and analysing data effectively. Here, Scott Mautz argues the benefits of the “Collect and Respect” credo, and puts forward strategies to broaden perspective, avoid biases, and critically assess the available information, so helping to ensure that your decisions derive the optimum leverage from it.

Leaders are required to make decisions all day long, but some are more skilled at making them than others. In my research, I have found that the best leaders draw on their mental strength for the discipline, courage, and conviction it takes to make better decisions, more decisively.

One key area to focus on to improve your decision-making is data – both collecting it and analysing it wisely. Research from the Kellogg School of Management showed that, in the typical meeting, an average of three people do over 70 per cent of the talking. That makes it hard to get a diversity of input to aid decision-making, especially if there are introverts you’d like to hear from. But a breadth of input is critical for making great decisions. Otherwise, you risk working in an echo chamber, a vacuum, with only a few vocal opinions shaping an incomplete point of view.

Of course, just collecting data to broaden your point of view isn’t enough. Potentially great decisions turn into misguided ones when that data isn’t properly analysed.

To ensure that you’re gathering perspective-broadening data, in the right way, and to then properly honour and respect that data by analysing it critically, you should invoke the “Collect and Respect” credo. The credo centres on three fundamental points to keep in mind when collecting data, along with three key points for analysing data.

When Collecting Data Force Fresh Perspective

This simply means to gather data from sources outside of your typical circle. For example, encourage introverts at that meeting to share their points of view. Or get an informed outsider’s point of view – someone in the industry, but not close to the decision. For example, say you’re struggling to decide which vendor should supply a key component. So, you bring in outsiders from other companies, all of whom have experience with each vendor, and who can share pros and cons of each.

It also helps to seek out others to contradict your opinion, not validate it. Ask someone to play devil’s advocate and challenge assumptions. Of course, this isn’t about gathering so much data that you overwhelm yourself or unduly delay a decision, but about expanding your point of view selectively and wisely.

Beware the Danger of Familiarity

Every piece of information you receive from someone else has been structured, represented, or filtered in a way intended to influence your opinion.

Being super-knowledgeable in an area can be just as dangerous as helpful. When making a decision on a familiar topic, it’s easy to cut corners and just rely on what you already know to make the call. But when you do, you lose objectivity and may miss important, fresh perspectives. For example, say you have to hire someone for a role on your team, a role you’ve personally occupied in the past. So, you cut the hiring process short and hire someone like you (since you did the job so well and know what it takes). But, in so doing, you miss interviewing candidates who might be very different from you, and who would bring a much-needed new perspective to the table. The goal here is to keep challenging what you know and recognise when you’re too close to be objective.

Revisit Your Values

While collecting a variety of data, don’t forget one constant: your values. Revisiting your values can make it clear what to decide. Values can turn guesses into good decisions. For example, if a core value is risk-taking, your decision should probably push some boundaries.

When Analysing Data

1. Be Mindful of How Data Is Presented to You

Every piece of information you receive from someone else has been structured, represented, or filtered in a way intended to influence your opinion. Be careful to avoid what neuroscientists call the “framing bias”. This bias occurs when your decision is influenced not by what information is presented, but how it’s presented.

As a simple example to illustrate, a team shows a chart visually indicating a high growth rate for a product (Chart A below), for the period from April through May.

At a glance, the overall visual impression is one of high growth. But when you change the scale of the chart and examine the same data over a longer time period, from January through July (Chart B), you see it’s a modest short-term spike amid an overall alarming decline. How data is presented can shape the decision you make, so it’s important to keep a critical eye.

Now, some framing of information is often helpful, for example to help make different decision options clearer. Just keep in mind the motivations behind the information or argument presented. Be clear on what is fact and what is opinion. Watch for potential distortion or exaggeration of facts or data. And surround yourself with people who can help break down and interpret the data you have access to, and who can help course-correct any of your misperceptions about the data.

2. Listen Carefully to What’s Said and Not Said

Actively listen when people are sharing data or their point of view. Ask lots of questions. Don’t get swayed by emotion and pay attention to what’s not being said. For example, you’re trying to decide whether or not to buy that new car. And while the salesperson goes on about the fantastic mileage, they’re not answering your question about safety ratings. There’s often something behind what’s not being said.

3. Analyse Versus Paralyse

Invest the time you’ve allotted to carefully analyse the data you’ve collected. But don’t drown in the data, getting paralysed by it all, unable to discern what to do next.

Look for patterns in data, or discrepancies and inconsistencies. Of course, keep an open mind, but at the same time, question data sources and apply some healthy scepticism. If it’s a big strategic decision, take time to analyse, up until the point you worry that the opportunity will pass you by (like when acquiring a key competitor or investing in a start-up).

Again, though, avoid analysis paralysis. Equipped with the best information and perspective you have, just make the call. And don’t look back – except, possibly, to later evaluate that decision and learn from it.

Avoid analysis paralysis. Equipped with the best information and perspective you have, just make the call.

You can also overcome analysis paralysis by following the advice of Google’s first chief decision scientist, Cassie Kozyrkov, who says this of critical analysis: commit to your default decision up front. Meaning, pick a decision among your emerging options, up front, using your best judgement of the pros and cons of the options at that time. Ask yourself, “If I see no additional data, or more influential data, beyond what I’ve already seen, what will I do? Which decision would I make if I had to choose right now?” Then, have the discipline to stick to your default choice if the data doesn’t clearly tell you otherwise. This keeps you from swimming in the data for too long or relying on it too much.

4. Your First Small Step

Mark deadlines for upcoming substantive decisions on your calendar. Also mark a window of time before each deadline for data collection and analysis (reviewing the “Collect and Respect” credo principles for each at that time). We often don’t gather the data we need for an informed decision because we feel rushed for time, not able to wait for the data. So, plan for it. And keep in mind that the data is only as good as your disciplined analysis of it. Being careless in the process here is as unhelpful as never having collected the data to begin with.

5. In Moments of Weakness

Sometimes you have to rush to a decision or just make the call, and that’s understandable. But when you feel like you’ve skipped the data collection and analysis steps and it could have affected the quality of the decision, commit to upping your discipline next time around. Remember the decision you made without proper analysis, and compare it to the one you made where you did due diligence. You’ll surely see a difference in the quality of decision that will reinforce the importance of getting back on track here for future decisions.

There’s no question that decision-making is one of the key tests of leadership. By developing good data-gathering and analysis habits, you’ll be on your way to passing that test with flying colours.

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About the Author

Scott Mautz – author of The Mentally Strong Leader, is the founder and CEO of Profound Performance™, a keynote, training, and coaching company. Mautz is a former Procter & Gamble executive who successfully ran four of the company’s largest multi-billion-dollar businesses. He is also the multi-award-winning author of Leading from the Middle, Find the Fire, and Make It Matter. Mautz has been named a “CEO Thought-leader” by the Chief Executives Guild and a “Top 50 Leadership Innovator” by Inc.com, He is faculty on reserve at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business for Executive Education and is a top instructor at LinkedIn Learning. To learn more, visit his website: www.scottmautz.com.

Recruitment Trends in Social Media in the Automobile Manufacturers in Mexico

July 5, 2024

By Zamir Madjidian, Roberto Carlos Ambrosio Lazaro, Michael Palocz-Andresen

The automotive sector is rapidly evolving, focusing on digitalisation and social media platforms. Renowned car manufacturer companies face a shortage of skilled personnel around the World due to changing environmental conditions and stricter criteria. Social media platforms have revolutionised recruitment practices, requiring firms to balance specialised tools with integrated systems.

The study investigates how car manufacturer companies can influence potential candidates to apply for its production plants. They employ various advertising strategies, including celebrity endorsements, sports sponsorships, social media influencer partnerships, and viral video content to attract diverse demographics and boost sales. They also use predictive analytics and AI Artificial Intelligence in talent search to improve digital presence and understand customer behaviour. The companies are also developing VR and AR applications for efficiency and performance optimisation.

International enterprises use social media platforms to engage with diverse demographics and tailor job opportunities. Utilising AI-based methodologies, video content, and data analytics, the companies can enhance recruitment efficiency, showcase they culture and values, and improve they recruitment strategies.

Introduction

Automobiles are a global symbol of social standing and economic success¹. The automotive sector is rapidly evolving, focusing on digitalisation and social media platforms. Failure to adapt could lead to lose the market dominance or lag². Technology, particularly the internet, has significantly impacted society, changing employment attitudes and recruitment processes³.

Recruitment is a systematic process of attracting qualified individuals to an organisation, influenced by new technologies and innovations^4,5.

Volkswagen, as a prominent car manufacturing company currently operates five manufacturing plants in Mexico, including San Jose Chiapa 1, Puebla 2, Escobedo 3, Querétaro City 4, and Silao 5, see Figure 1.

VW faces challenges in identifying suitable candidates for positions in Puebla and Silao, Mexico, due to the abundance of candidates and recruitment tactics⁶. This shortage is particularly prevalent in these regions.

Social media platforms have revolutionised recruitment practices, leading to the rise of “social” recruitment software and the need for firms to balance specialised tools with integrated systems, influencing marketing and consumer-to-consumer interactions^5,8.

The study investigates how this renowned car manufacturer company can influence potential candidates to apply for its production plants in Mexico.

Evolution of Recruitment Practices within the Automotive Industry

Traditional Recruitment Methods

The recruitment industry, dating back to medieval times, has evolved through internal recruitment, promotion, networks, and traditional advertising techniques, with rapid technological advancements transforming methods. Table 1 shows the changes in HRM during the last 100 years.

Before the early 2000s, conventional recruitment techniques including classified advertisements and headhunting were widely accepted and deemed effective. During this period, individuals seeking employment would heavily depend on classified advertisements included in newspapers, job boards, and informal communication channels to discover potential job openings. Meanwhile, recruiters would invest significant amounts of time in scrutinising resumes and conducting face-to-face interviews to identify the most suitable candidate for a given position. As their efficacy has diminished in contemporary times, these methodologies have undergone a gradual evolution, leading organisations to adopt the utilisation of recruiting agencies to facilitate the identification of suitable applicants. However, despite the advancements in technology, conventional recruitment approaches have predominantly retained their fundamental characteristics⁹.

Organisations establish personal connections with candidates, emphasising job characteristics, and communicating reasons for interest. Employment agencies facilitate recruitment, requiring significant investment in resources and time¹⁰, see Table 2.

The implementation of successful recruitment and selection processes is closely linked to the appointment of a competent employee.

The current period is characterised by intense rivalry to attract talented individuals, and “recruitment” has become widely recognised as a crucial organisational process. It serves as a means of identifying prospective applicants and enticing them to apply for available positions. Recruiters employ a range of recruitment strategies, including job advertisement, internet portals, word-of-mouth, and social media, to attract eligible applicants. It has been observed that the inclination of recruiters to utilise these tactics is contingent upon many pre-hire and post-hire consequences, including the number of applications received, the knowledge of candidates, the efficiency of filling vacancies, the subsequent job performance of new hires, rates of absenteeism, as well as the commitment and satisfaction levels of the applicants¹¹.

The implementation of successful recruitment and selection processes is closely linked to the appointment of a competent employee. The significance of recruitment should not be underestimated, as the selection of an inappropriate candidate can result in diminished productivity, recruitment expenses, elevated training costs, increased likelihood of task underperformance, and a higher probability of client attrition. Hence, organisations exhibit heightened caution in their recruitment endeavours. The principal aim of organisations is to recruit suitable candidates while rejecting unsuitable ones¹².

Digitalisation Of Recruitment

E-recruitment is a systematic process involving the selection of qualified individuals from a global pool, aiming to balance suitability and cost-effectiveness while enhancing efficiency in the hiring process¹³, see Figure 3.

E-recruitment, a shift in job searching and recruitment, involves gathering employment information through online platforms like corporate websites and commercial job boards, see Figure 4.

Significance of Social Media in Employer Branding for the Automobile Manufacturer Presentation

The VW Group has grown significantly since 1937, producing 12 brands and offering financial services like financing, insurance, leasing, and fleet management¹⁵.

The automotive industry is adapting to consumer preferences, government regulations, and market demands to enhance its market presence¹⁶. VW, as a leading European car manufacturer company invests heavily in manufacturing, sales, logistics, and technology¹⁷. The industry is generally shifting from a centralised manufacturing model to a decentralised, partnership-based network, focusing on regional and cultural preferences¹⁸.

Sustainability in the Automotive Industry

To promote sustainability, transportation must significantly reduce environmental impact. Stringent regulations and initiatives aim to achieve this. Technology advancements like Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are often pursued, but obstacles hinder their widespread implementation and dissemination¹⁹. Electric mobility or e-mobility, is gaining prominence for efficient energy use in transportation and addressing sustainability challenges like climate change and urban air pollution. Sustainable strategies require a comprehensive assessment of society, economy and environment²⁰, see Figure 5.

Conceptualisation Employer Branding

Volkswagen is expanding its brands into classic and sporty models. The company’s tagline, ‘Aus Liebe zum Automobil’ (For the love of automobiles), suggests the potential cannibalisation of lower-priced vehicles. The introduction of the Phaeton enhances its brand image²¹.

Utilising Social Media Platforms for Employer Branding

Organisations invest heavily in recruitment, using social networking platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook to connect with individuals, promote their businesses, and generate higher profits⁴. The car company uses social media for recruitment, product innovation, and marketing, with Instagram having high engagement. Adopting a well-crafted strategy and assertive video marketing can boost brand recognition³².

Impact of Genuine Employee Reviews on Organisational Reputation

Employees significantly influence a company’s reputation, shaping stakeholder attitudes and public perceptions²². Transparency in corporate communication is crucial for establishing a positive identity and fostering lasting connections²². Strategic management enhances reputation, while unfavourable reviews can be a liability²³. Employees contribute to an organisation’s success through positive electronic word-of-mouth²⁴.

Methods of Effective Social Media Recruiting for the Automobile Manufacturer

Analysis of Social Media Platforms

Car manufacturing companies use customised advertising strategies including celebrity endorsements, sports sponsorships, viral video content, and social media influencer partnerships to attract diverse demographics, boost sales, and strengthen brand identity²⁵. They use image-based advertising to establish customer value and loyalty, promoting integrity and dependability. Innovative marketing strategies target a specific market segment, enhancing its market presence²⁶.

Strategy for Creation and Communication of Content

VW intensified uses social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn to promote product launches, lifestyle content, and user-generated content. It also incorporates interactive website designs and mobile technology innovations, such as smartwatch applications, to engage with environmentally conscious consumers.

Integration of Predictive Analytics and Artificial Intelligence in Talent Search

Manufacturers use data analytics and AI to improve its digital presence and understand customer behaviour. By analysing web traffic, search terms, and social media mentions, the company refines marketing strategies²⁶. Predictive analytics helps in talent acquisition by predicting future recruitment trends and business growth projections. This method can be used to organise and to allocate resources effectively. Predictive analytics also support identify employee success traits, enhancing recruitment outcomes, employee performance, and retention rates²⁷.

Integration of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

VW is developing VR Virtual Reality and AR Augmented Reality applications to improve efficiency, minimise costs, and optimise performance throughout the product lifecycle. The company has created a cloud-based infrastructure to automate 3D data preparation pipelines and evaluate its ability to remotely render and stream 3D graphics to AR/VR headsets. It uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Innoactive Portal to transfer VR rendering and 3D data optimisation tasks to the cloud. This approach enhances the efficiency of the 3D data preparation pipeline and enhances rendering capabilities within the cloud environment²⁸.

The advantages during the recruiting and onboarding process are shown in Table 3.

The integration of both components will yield a heightened level of immersion, rendering it particularly suitable for a younger audience. The removal of the headgear in augmented reality will present a more challenging endeavour, thereby fostering increased attentiveness to the user’s environment³⁰.

In the field of automotive logistics, various activities and measures are implemented with the objective of optimising logistics processes, areas, handling devices, and material flow.

Logistics plays a pivotal role in the operations of automotive companies, serving as a critical component within their overall framework. It engages in a high degree of collaboration with the production process. Collectively, these entities engage in the manufacturing of automobiles, the production of service parts, the assembly of aggregates and their corresponding components, as well as the fabrication of tools and preparations.

In addition to its primary functions, logistics also encompasses the critical responsibilities of maintaining the availability of parts and components, while concurrently facilitating the implementation of new projects. In the field of automotive logistics, various activities and measures are implemented with the objective of optimising logistics processes, areas, handling devices, and material flow. To fulfill these stipulations, the incorporation of information technologies is executed, followed by the synchronisation of Just-in-Time procedures and the establishment of packaging protocols. Lastly, logistics concepts and projects are developed³¹.

Conclusion

Volkswagen, as a leading car company uses various social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to engage with diverse demographics and tailor job opportunities to specific audience segments. The company uses a variety of content, including job advertisements, corporate culture insights, employee testimonials, career opportunity information, and event details, tailored to Mexican culture and the labour market. This content provides potential candidates with information about a company’s working environment and values, establishing a favourable perception of the company as an appealing employer.

Outlook

New trends in social media recruiting include the use of AI-based methodologies to enhance candidate pre-selection processes, video content for job advertisements and company insights, prioritising employer branding and storytelling to showcase the company’s culture and values, and data analytics for assessing and improving recruitment strategies. The manufacturer in this study can integrate these trends into its strategic approach by utilising technological advancements and developing innovative content. AI and automated chatbots can enhance the recruitment process efficiency, while video content can enhance communication efforts by fostering a more dynamic and engaging interaction with its target audience.

Emphasising employer branding and storytelling can effectively showcase the company’s culture and values. Data-driven methodologies can be employed to consistently evaluate and enhance the efficiency of a company’s recruitment strategies.

Acknowledgment
The authors would like to thank Mr. Dipl. Ec. Ralf Thee, industrial engineer and project manager of the Research Association for Internal Combustion Engines (FVV) Frankfurt for years of support in the scientific area of automobile technology.

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About the Authors

Zamir Madjidian studied Business Informatics at Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany. He is the founder and owner of FINEST SOLUTION GmbH, a recruitment firm headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. With his large team, he specialises in collaborating with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Germany. To date, his firm has successfully placed over 700 skilled professionals at various partner companies, showcasing a profound understanding of technological requirements and effective talent acquisition strategies.

Roberto Carlos Ambrosio-Lazaro is currently a research professor with the Electronics Faculty at Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (BUAP). His research interests include developing energy harvesting technology, conversion and storage for renewable sources such as vibrations, solar, and thermal; integration of semiconductor materials for the development of solar cells and sensors; in addition, signal conditioning circuits for sensors and automotive electronic systems.

Michael Palocz-Andresen is a guest professor at BUAP Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla. From 2018 to 2021, he worked as a Herder-professor supported by the DAAD at the TEC de Monterrey in Mexico. He became a full professor at the University of West Hungary 2005- 2017. Currently, he is a guest professor at the TU Budapest, the Leuphana University Lüneburg, and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He is a Humboldt scientist and instructor of the SAE International in the USA.

Picking the Right Non-Betstop Betting Site in Australia – Expert Guide

July 4, 2024

Selecting the right non-BetStop betting site can be challenging, but with our help, it’s easier than you think! Look for sites that offer a smooth user experience, generous bonuses, and a variety of betting options.

Our top recommendations are MyStake and FreshBet. These sites are known for their trustworthiness, attractive promotions, and extensive sports markets. Whether you’re new to betting or a seasoned pro, the right site can enhance your betting experience.

Let’s explore why these sites are our top picks!

Ranking the Top Betting Sites Not on BetStop AU

We evaluated various non-BetStop AU betting sites based on user experience, bonuses, variety of betting options, and overall reliability.

Our goal was to identify platforms that provide a seamless and enjoyable betting experience. After a thorough review, we selected the best sites. Let’s dive into the mini-reviews of our top picks!

1. MyStake – Best Betting Site Not on BetStop Australia

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How Do Non-BetStop AU Betting Sites Work?

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Best Sports to Bet on At Non-BetStop Sportsbooks

When it comes to betting at non-BetStop sportsbooks, certain sports stand out for their popularity and excitement. Here are some top choices:

Australian Rules Football (AFL)

AFL is a favorite among bettors, offering thrilling matches and numerous betting markets. It’s a must-try for anyone using sports betting sites.

Rugby League

Rugby League attracts a massive following, with plenty of opportunities to place bets on exciting games. This sport is a staple on the best betting sites.

Cricket

Cricket offers a variety of betting options, from domestic leagues to international tournaments. It’s a top choice for those looking to enjoy a new Australian online casino experience that includes sports betting.

Soccer

Soccer’s global appeal ensures a wide range of betting markets. Whether it’s local leagues or international events, soccer remains a popular choice on sports betting sites.

Tennis

Tennis is loved for its year-round tournaments and straightforward betting options. It’s perfect for those seeking a reliable and exciting sport to bet on.

Tips for Finding the Top Non-BetStop AU Bookies

Finding the best non-BetStop AU bookies can be straightforward if you know what to look for. Here are some tips to help you choose the right one:

User Experience: Look for sites that offer a smooth and user-friendly interface. A seamless experience makes betting online more enjoyable and hassle-free.

Bonuses and Promotions: Check for generous bonuses and promotions. The best betting sites not on BetStop often provide attractive welcome bonuses and ongoing offers to enhance your betting experience.

Variety of Betting Options: Choose bookies that offer a wide range of sports and casino games. Betting sites not on BetStop Australia should cater to different interests, ensuring there’s something for everyone.

Security and Reliability: Ensure the site is secure and reliable, protecting your personal and financial information. Look for platforms with strong reputations and secure payment methods.

Customer Support: Good customer support is essential. Opt for sites with responsive and helpful support teams to assist you with any issues or questions.

How to Get Started at the Top Non-BetStop Sites

Getting started at the top non-BetStop sites is easy and straightforward. Here’s a quick guide to help you begin:

Choose a Site: Select from the best betting sites not on BetStop, such as MyStake or FreshBet. These sites offer a great user experience and generous bonuses.

Sign Up: Provide your basic information to register for an account. This usually takes just a few minutes and is the first step to betting online.

Claim Your Bonus: Take advantage of welcome bonuses, like MyStake’s 100% welcome bonus of up to $500 or FreshBet’s $500 sign-up bonus. These offers give you extra funds to start with.

Deposit Funds: Add money to your account using a secure payment method. Top betting sites not on BetStop Australia offer various options, including credit cards and e-wallets.

Start Betting: Explore the wide range of betting options available. Whether you’re interested in sports betting or casino games, there’s something for everyone.

By following these steps, you’ll be ready to enjoy a seamless and exciting betting experience at the top non-BetStop sites. Happy betting!

So, What Are the Best Non-BetStop Betting Sites Online?

After evaluating numerous options, it’s clear that MyStake and FreshBet stand out as the best non-BetStop betting sites online.

Both platforms offer an exceptional user experience, generous bonuses, and a wide variety of betting options.

Whether you’re a sports fan or a casino game lover, these sites have something for everyone. No matter which site you choose, please always gamble responsibly.

DISCLAIMER: The information on this site is for entertainment purposes only. Online gambling is risky and there’s no guarantee of financial gain.

Needless to say, gambling can be addictive. If you or anyone you know suffers from a gambling addiction problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1800 858 858 to speak with a professional who can help. All gambling sites listed are only for people who are 18+. Check your local laws to find out if online gambling is legal in your area.

For free online gambling addiction resources, visit these organizations:

https://www.gamblersanonymous.org/
www.gamblinghelponline.org.au
https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/

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How to Take Your Business Beyond Borders Through International Billing

July 4, 2024

The world is your oyster. Or, in the modern context, your global marketplace.

It’s no longer a collection of isolated markets, but a vibrant, interconnected ecosystem of consumers and businesses. The global marketplace presents opportunities of increased revenue, broader customer base, and greater brand recognition. With this potential comes a new set of challenges.

Venturing into international markets requires more than just translating your website and hoping for the best. Customers are demanding and picky, they expect you to fully meet their needs, including providing convenient payment options and seamless flow.

What It Takes to Enter the International Market

Scaling your business across borders opens doors to a wider customer base and increased revenue potential. While domestic billing systems might suffice for local operations, venturing beyond national borders requires a more sophisticated approach.

Tracking currency fluctuations and exchange rates: Managing multiple currencies, tracking exchange rates, and ensuring accurate conversions for billing and invoicing can be a complex and time-consuming task.
Providing a variety of payment methods and gateways: Different countries have their preferred payment methods, from cards to e-wallets, bank transfers, and mobile payments. Integration with various payment gateways requires technical expertise and is often time-consuming and costly.
Consideration of linguistic and cultural differences: Billing documents, email notifications, and customer support materials need to be localized to cater to language and cultural preferences, ensuring clarity and positive customer interactions.
Tax Compliance: Navigating the complexities of tax regulations across multiple countries is a daunting task. Different VAT rates, sales tax laws, and reporting requirements necessitate a robust system to ensure compliance and avoid costly penalties.

Beyond Borders, Beyond Complexities

Rainex is your international billing navigator. The billing and subscription management system is designed to empower businesses to expand their reach and conquer new markets.

Rainex emerges as a beacon of simplicity and efficiency in the international billing landscape, providing a comprehensive solution that addresses the unique challenges of global businesses.

1. Multi-Currency and Payment Gateway Support:

- Multiple gateways: Rainex is integrated with a wide range of global payment gateways, including popular options such as PayPal and Stripe, as well as local payment providers. Streamlined management of all payments and consolidation of data into a single space is essential for efficient growth.
- 135+ currencies: Support for practically all global currencies and smart routing removes barriers for international customers, allowing them to pay in their local currency without the hassle of currency conversions. This expanded accessibility opens up a wider market, increasing potential customers and revenue for your business.
- Demanded payment methods: A wide range of proven payment methods, including ACH and QR codes, allow customers to choose their preferred ones, increasing convenience and boosting conversion rates.

2. Localization and Multilingual Capabilities:

- Localized billing documents: Invoices, receipts, and statements are automatically translated into the appropriate language, improving customer comprehension and satisfaction.
- Multilingual notifications: Rainex not only automates communication with customers, but also makes it as high-quality as possible by being multilingual. Keep your customers in the loop with a seamless global experience.
- Localized self-service: The Rainex Customer Portal (more details below) is also your effective element for localizing products for specific markets. Multilinguality, complemented by flexible plan reflectivity settings in different currencies, ensures that the offer reaches your target audience.

3. Automated Invoicing and Tax Calculation:

- Recurring billing: Automated recurring invoicing according to flexible settings relieves the ever-increasing workload of the team. In advance or at the end of the billing period (for autopayments), flat fee or per unit Rainex will generate and send any invoice to customers for you.
- Compliance with global regulations: Rainex simplifies tax compliance by automating tax calculations based on specific geographic locations, product type and customer. This ensures billing accuracy and legal compliance.
- Credit notes and refunds: Changes to subscriptions and cancellations are no longer your headache. Automatic generation of credit notes and adjustment invoices ensure seamless customer data accuracy. And full or partial refunds via the customer’s payment method require only a couple of clicks.

4. Flexible Subscription Management:

- Flexible subscription plans: The ability to build various subscription tiers with different pricing, features and payment cycles empowers you to meet the needs of specific customer segments.
- Cross-sale options: Extended versions of products and services through addons, charges, and single payments help to simultaneously improve customer satisfaction with the service and increase their average check.
- Promotion: Flexible promotional tools can be the key to winning the market. Attract customers with different types of discounts customizable in Rainex, retain them with the value of your product.

5. Revenue Recovery Increase:

- Payment reminders: Prefer to issue invoices earlier than the end of the billing period? Customizable reminders can help your customers remember to pay your invoice on time and keep your cash flow stable.
- Dunning: Customer forgetfulness took over after all? Dunning, automatically activated when payment is not made on time, will kindly remind your customers of the late payment.
- Intelligent retries: The rate of involuntary churn due to failed transactions, missing funds on the customer’s card, etc. will remain low! Rainex not only retries debits within your settings, but also notifies the customer of the failure.

On Top of the Smart Billing Platform

Customer Portal: Make self-service your competitive advantage with the Rainex Customer Portal! A convenient and secure space for customers to select subscriptions, supplement them with addons and charges, track and pay invoices, and manage their payment information. This transparency builds customer trust in the business. And a custom, fully branded space, including CNAME, keeps customers engaged in your company’s ecosystem.
Real-Time Analytics: Rainex provides valuable insights into global customer behavior, payment trends, and revenue performance, empowering you to make data-driven decisions for strategic growth. Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) in real-time through intuitive customizable dashboards, allowing for quick analysis and decision-making.
AI Lead generation Tool: Rainex not only helps you manage your current customers, but also find new ones. GetLeads is unique for a billing system to generate leads based on filters and a portrait of current customers, generate a personalized offer for the decision maker and trigger an automated mailing in LinkedIn. Full cycle of customer interaction in a single place!

Rainex GetLeads

By choosing Rainex, you:

Reduce operational costs: For every 1,000 customers, you save up to 40 business hours for your managers on billing and payment tracking.
Increase revenue and profitability: Upsale and cross-sale opportunities increase check amounts for an average of 25% of customers.
Improve customer satisfaction: According to research, 75% of your customers would happily choose a self-service tool over interacting with customer support.
Improve customer retention: Dunning reduces involuntary churn by 17-35%.
Expand your market reach: Drive 89% increase in lead conversion with our AI tool to analyze customer portraits and better target your leads.
Boost business agility: Rapid adaptability to the latest technologies increases the chances of taking a leading position in your niche.

Make the right decision for your business

Rainex emerges as a powerful ally, providing a comprehensive solution that empowers businesses to conquer international billing with ease, allowing them to focus on what matters most – growing their business and expanding their reach.

By automating and optimizing workflows, companies working with Rainex reduce operating costs by up to 40% while increasing profits by 30%.

Do not miss your chance to give your business a new boost of growth. Take 30 minutes for a demo and see if Rainex is exactly what you need to scale.

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