In the race to remain competitive, firms are scrambling to reinvent themselves Organisation culture may not yet be fully geared up to embark on business transformation. Photo: Shutterstock.com Transformation has become a buzzword for businesses and organisations in general, and even for society. We no longer talk of initiating, promoting and managing change and innovation, but we talk of the need to transform. So, businesses are not evolving or being redeveloped but are being transformed. The mantra has become that if businesses want to compete more effectively, they need to transform themselves. Gradual change is not enough but they need to change completely the way they go about their affairs. Traditionally, organisations used to talk of transformation when they went through mergers and acquisitions. The new ownership structure would demand a completely new way of doing things. They also used to talk of transformation when new regulations came into force. Malta experienced this when it joined the EU in 2004 and a whole new set of legislation transformed the local business landscape. Otherwise, changes in society, in markets and even in technology happen more gradually and with some foresight, one can usually prepare for them. Eventually, this would result […]

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Martina Cotter, CEO of Synergy Credit Union. Synergy Credit Union is responding to the changing financial landscape by expanding its services and evolving the ways in which it interacts with its members. Members are increasingly looking for products and services that offer efficiency and convenience, which has led to an increasing demand for enhanced digital services. “We have been rolling out our digital services to meet this demand whilst still cognisant of the need to balance the new digital experience with the human touch”, a spokesperson for Synergy CU said. “We have enhanced our online banking and mobile app which is empowering members to complete important financial journeys end to end remotely. This digital transformation increases the efficiency and convenience of access to products and services that our members expect. “Thanks to the intelligent automation that is powered by our banking system, members can now apply for a loan on their mobile or through online banking and receive a decision within minutes any time of the day or night. Once they receive approval, they can accept the loan offer and sign for it using a digital signature and have the funds in their account ready for use without ever […]

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Explore insights from four members of USGBC’s green building community. Elevating the voices of women in our green building community is especially timely during Women’s History Month. Women have always been leaders in the sustainability movement—from Rachel Carson’s environmental advocacy in the 1960s to Greta Thunberg’s in the present day. Among the many women setting the course for an even more sustainable future are four professionals who recently shared their thoughts with USGBC on the future of green building, mentoring the next generation and projects that inspire them: Hannah Baghdadi , sustainability and environmental analyst, Corning Incorporated Katie Bergfeld , branch chief, building performance and enforcement, Department of Energy and Environment, Government of the District of Columbia Meredith Hendricks , vice president—sustainability, Entegrity Tonya Hicks , president and CEO, Power Solutions ; president and founder, Women Do Everything LLC What are the challenges of your professional role in helping to build a more sustainable world? Baghdadi : As a sustainability and environmental analyst focused on renewable energy (RE), I face new challenges each day, sometimes without clear solutions in immediate sight. For example, it is difficult when there are roadblocks to RE availability in the markets we operate in—especially […]

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NicoElNino Snowflake (NYSE: SNOW ) is a leading data warehouse provider, which is rated with 4.5 stars out of 5, according to G2 Reviews . This is higher than AWS Redshift which has just 4.3 stars out of 5. Snowflake’s platform breaks down "data silos" across organizations and multiple clouds, which enables insights to be unlocked through advanced analytics and AI. Therefore, it should be no surprise that Snowflake is poised to benefit from the growth in multiple industries including the Hybrid cloud , AI and of course "Big Data". The Big Data industry alone is forecast to grow at an 11% compounded annual growth rate [CAGR] and reach a value of over $273 billion by 2026. In the fourth quarter of FY23, the company reported solid financial results as it beat revenue growth forecasts. However, due to slowing growth rates and tepid guidance, SNOW stock price fell by ~7% in after-market trading. This compounds on top of Snowflake’s share price decline of over 60% since November 2021. I personally believe this is a market overreaction due to the aforementioned industry tailwinds, its high customer retention, and its large amount of contracted revenue. In this post, I’m going to […]

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We’re expecting Digital Lavender, WGSN’s Colour of the Year for 2023, to penetrate all aspects of our lives. So what would that look like in our spaces? WGSN has been tracking the potential of Digital Lavender, which has made a splash in fashion and tech in line with our prediction for it as Colour of the Year for 2023. This time, we’re turning our attention to the interiors industry with WGSN’s Head of Interiors Gemma Riberti, who speaks to Tatler Homes Singapore. Discover how the pastel can be applied in both public and private settings to offer a sense of holistic wellness. Digital Lavender speaks to the rise of digital cosy with its multifaceted qualities. It can be a tactile pastel, a cool hue that speaks to futuristic environments or even connect to the growing focus on mental wellbeing with its calming and luminous softness. Industry applications The hospitality sector has been embracing this colour in bolder and often all-over applications that exalt its Insta-perfect quality. From restaurants and retail environments to lobbies and waiting rooms, this colour is cropping up via ultra-matte and tactile finishes across peach skin, velvet, frosted glass, anodized aluminium, glazed ceramics and pigmented concrete. […]

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Water pollution is threatening the livelihood of Debabrata Khuntia By Priti Gupta in Mumbai & Ben Morris in London Business reporters For generations the family of Debabrata Khuntia made a living by fishing in the Bay of Bengal and the rivers and canals of Purba Medinipur in West Bengal. He remembers being able to catch 10 tonnes of fish a year, some of which he would keep and the rest he would sell in the market. But those days are gone. There are few fish and Debabrata now makes a living growing tomatoes and brinjal. He is in no doubt what is to blame. "Excessive shrimp farming." Many farmers have shifted to shrimp farming because the money is better, he says. But that involves building shrimp ponds, feeding the shrimp and treating them with antibiotics. At the end of the growing cycle – when the shrimp are ready for market – the water is flushed into the river untreated which, Debabrata says, has caused pollution. "The water turns black and smells," he says. The poor quality of the water has even hit his vegetable crop. Shrimp farming has also been blamed for social and environmental problems elsewhere in the […]

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Crystal Warren stands with her vending machines. Starting a vending-machine business can be a lucrative side hustle or full-time venture. Finding a good location is key to earning a profit, Crystal Warren, who runs such a business, said. Here are five top locations for vending machines chosen by entrepreneurs in the business. Sign up for our weekday newsletter, packed with original analysis, news, and trends — delivered right to your inbox. Something is loading. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you’re on the go. Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . One of the most important steps to starting a vending-machine business is assessing your locations. That’s a lesson Crystal Warren learned the hard way when she started her company , Vending Factory, which made six figures last year. She lost about $5,000 from a vending-machine route that she purchased without fully vetting the three locations and five machines. "It was missing a lot of key things that I didn’t know," she said. "As soon as I purchased the […]

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The food service industry includes way more than simple restaurants. There are tons of unique niches and business models that can help entrepreneurs turn a profit. If you’re looking to start your own food business, here are some ideas to consider. What is a food business? This is a modal window. No compatible source was found for this media. Best Empty Warehouse Business Ideas to Start in 2022 A food business can include anything related to serving, selling, or processing food and beverages. This includes restaurants, grocery stores, mobile food stands, catering services, and businesses that support food sellers. The Food Industry in 2023 The food industry has changed dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic began. With many traditional restaurants struggling, consumers are increasingly interested in delivery, carryout, and specialty food services. Top Ideas for Food Businesses If you’re looking for the best food business ideas to start in 2023, here’s an extensive list. 1. Food Truck Business Food trucks sell various types of food out of mobile vehicles at festivals and special events. This type of small food business can sell anything from burgers to Mexican food. 2. Food Delivery Business Offer delivery services for those looking for restaurant […]

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Changpeng Zhao, CEO of Binance, speaks at the Delta Summit, Malta’s official Blockchain and Digital Innovation event promoting cryptocurrency, in St Julian’s, Malta October 4, 2018. Changpeng Zhao, CEO of Binance, speaks at the Delta Summit, Malta’s official Blockchain and Digital Innovation event promoting cryptocurrency, in St Julian’s, Malta October 4, 2018. Darrin Zammit Lupi | Reuters WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of senators asked Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange and once-competitor to bankrupt crypto giant FTX, for detailed information on its business operations amid accusations of illegal practices. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Roger Marshall, R-Kan., requested a slew of documents on company finances, compliance and risk management practices from Binance and its U.S. affiliate, Binance.US, in a letter dated Wednesday. “In the years since Binance’s founding, the company has faced increasingly disturbing allegations regarding the legality of its operations,” the senators wrote in a letter addressed to Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao and Binance.US CEO Brian Shroder. The Justice Department began a criminal investigation into Binance and Zhao in 2018 — the year after the company was launched — amid concerns the exchange defied U.S. anti-money laundering and sanctions laws. The agency has […]

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Ford unveiled Thursday a new business unit called Latitude AI, designed to develop automated driving tech for future vehicles. The division will initially focus on a hands-free, eyes-off driver assist system to improve safety and the driver experience. In 2017, Ford injected $1 billion into Argo AI, a self-driving startup, along with Volkswagen , in a move to advance autonomous vehicles and strengthen their leadership in the industry. Initial plans included combining Ford’s virtual driver system team with the robotics talent and expertise of Argo AI to develop and introduce a virtual driver system for Ford’s SAE Level 4 self-driving vehicles by 2021. However, after Argo failed to attract investors over the years and Ford posted a whopping $2.7 billion (pretax) loss on its investment in the third quarter of 2022, Ford said it was abandoning the company. Ford shifted its focus from full self-driving L4 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) being developed by Argo AI to internally developing L2 and L3 tech, like Ford’s BlueCruise . CEO Jim Farley said, “There’s a huge opportunity right now for Ford to give time – the most valuable commodity in modern life – back to millions of customers” as he announced […]

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