what ceos do all day · and your learning. i hope you enjoy the read. linda wilkin managing editor...
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A magazine for ABE members May-September 2018 | Issue 60
Read about: Business innovation
Edward de Bono and the need for creative thinking
Writing assignmentsLeading interviews Business Stay-Up:
sustainable entrepreneurshipABE success stories
And more!
What CEOs do all day
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04 Welcome and progression news
06 Guide to writing assignments
10 Business innovation: the innovator takes it all
14 Business Stay-Up: the role of education in sustainable entrepreneurship
16 A profile of Edward de Bono
20 What CEOs do all day!
22 Guide to conducting the perfect interview
24 Graduation pictures27 Alumni profile28 Meet the award winners 30 Our Top Paper stars
Contents
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Linda Wilkin – Managing EditorValerie Makinde – Sub-editor
Published by: ABE, 5th Floor, CI Tower, St Georges Sq., High Street, New Malden, Surrey KT3 4TE
Tel: +44 (0)20 8329 2930 Email: [email protected] Web: www.abeuk.com
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All advertisements are accepted subject to ASA guidelines. The publisher cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information contained in the advertisements and does not enter into disputes on behalf of third parties.
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welcome |
In this issue Welcome to another packed issue of Focus.
Our regular contributor, Rajesh, has supplied a fascinating article exploring the expansive subject of business innovation. One person who is a champion of the creative thought process that leads to innovation is our president, Edward de Bono, and we are lucky to have some of his words on the subject from an exclusive interview with his friend Lynda King Taylor, who is also a published business writer.
Those who have started their own business, or who aspire to start one, should take note of our Business Stay-Up campaign (page 14). This is a high-profile initiative, spearheaded by ABE, which looks at how business education can increase the probability of start-ups staying up over that crucial first five-year period.
In addition, there’s the usual professional development and study tips to help you excel in your career and your learning.
I hope you enjoy the read.
Linda Wilkin Managing Editor
Webster University, USA
Webster University is a private, non-profit, accredited liberal arts university recognised for its diversity, inclusion and global orientation. This worldwide institution’s mission is bold, and appropriate for these times: to ensure high-quality learning experiences that transform students for global citizenship and individual excellence.
Its main international campuses are located in Saint Louis, Missouri; Orlando, Florida; and Irvine, California.
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What’s more, 97% of its research was ranked as being world-leading, or of international importance, in the most recent Research Excellence Framework.
Latest progression opportunitiesSince the last issue, we have signed two more progression agreements with the excellent universities listed below. For details of all the progression opportunities offered by our university partners, please visit: www.abeuk.com/universities&careers/findauniversity
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Read these top tips to help you get the best grade possible – some are also quite handy when tackling exam questions. By Valerie Makinde
A simple yet effective guide to writing the perfect assignment
focus a magazine for abe members | may-september 2018 | PAGE 7
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Once you have read (and re-read) the question, you may find what is being asked is quite straightforward
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feeling under pressure, and unsure whether you’ll ever be prepared enough to tackle the question effectively. Remember it doesn’t have to be like this; the most important thing is to start – and start early.
Starting your assignment in good time will allow you to keep looming deadline pressures down. This should help with maintaining a better, more relaxed head space; which will increase your ability to focus. Also, keep the following in mind as you work through the brief:
1. Read the questionThis may seem like an obvious step, but it is one that is often overlooked. Many of us do not take the time to read the assignment question carefully, and instead skim read. This can be risky, as although you may have identified some of the key words you think are important, you need to fully understand what is being asked and what the examiner is looking for.
It is easy to get carried away and delve into writing your assignment without really answering the question. A good way to avoid this is to take some time to consider the key words within the question and what they are prompting you to do.
Understanding ‘directive words’ such as evaluate, discuss, and explain, are vital in writing your assignment, as they provide instruction on how you are supposed to answer the question. It is a good idea to highlight or underline these words within the question, to help you keep them in mind as you progress through your assignment.
Sometimes, the question can be written in a manner that makes it appear more intimidating than it is. Once you have read (and re-read) the question, you may find that what is being asked is actually quite straightforward. You may also benefit from rewriting it in a way that means you are able to process the instructions better.
2. Research and planningCarefully researching and planning your assignment will give you a structure to follow when it comes to writing it. Research and planning will allow you to be better prepared and could make the difference between a mediocre piece of work and an exceptional one.
This is your chance to consider any specifications for the assignment, such as word count, the points you would like to include, and how it needs to be set out.
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Editing and proofreading can help you to improve your assignment even after you’ve finished writing it
When planning the points for your assignment, it is important to understand what you are working towards. You should refer to the learning outcomes and assessment criteria for the assignment to help you with this. You can find these on the assignment brief as well as within the syllabus, in your Study Guide or in the Qualification Specification document for your course.
As well as researching the topic, it is also a good idea to find good source materials to include in your assignments beforehand. Use the unit reading list and academic journals to help showcase your wider
reading and gain different perspectives to support your answer.
3. StructureBefore you start, it can help to create an assignment structure. This can be as detailed as you like but the basic structure should be your introduction, key arguments and points, and your planned conclusion.
IntroductionThis refers to a short paragraph that explains what you are going to be discussing. It should outline your argument and reference the key issues within the question.
Main bodyThis is where you should focus on structuring your argument. You may need to compare or critically evaluate two or more different methods or theories to explain your choices or recommendations. Examiners are looking to see if you can analyse information and make decisions accordingly. You should make sure that your ideas and claims are supported with research when required.
Top tips: When you start to discuss a new idea,
you should start another paragraph
When using many different sources for supporting evidence, it can be easy to forget to add them to your reference list. To avoid this, try referencing as you go along
ConclusionThe conclusion is your final chance to summarise what you have discussed. You should be careful not to introduce new points that you did not mention within your assignment. A good conclusion will leave a lasting impression on the examiner, so make it count.
Top tip: Recap on the key points in your
assignment, include supporting evidence if needed
4. DraftingAsk your teacher for feedback by submitting a first draft of your assignment a few weeks before the final hand-in date.
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For more detail and guidance about how to set out your assignments please read our Assignment Style Guide in the Library section of your Portal. For more information about the type of answer you are required to provide, please read the guide to command words – also in the Library section of your Portal.
This will help you improve your assignment before submitting your final version.
RememberMake sure it is your own work; although you teacher can give you some advice on how to improve your work, you must write the assignment yourself.
5. ProofreadEditing and proofreading can help you to improve your assignment even after you’ve finished writing it. Before doing this, it is important to get some distance from your work. Taking a short break, will help you to come back and check it over with fresh eyes.
When proofreading, as well as grammatical and spelling errors, you should be checking that the structure of your assignment is clear, and that you have properly addressed all of the question.
Top tips: It can often be difficult to see mistakes in
your own work, if possible, ask a friend or family member to proofread your assignment for you
Refer back to the assignment objectives – have you answered the question?
Make sure that your assignment reads well, and you are within the word count
6. Plagiarism and referencingNot taking the time to reference properly is the biggest way to lose marks on an assignment. When using books, case studies and journals you must reference to show where you got your information from.
When writing ABE assignments, you should use Harvard Referencing to correctly cite information sources and include a bibliography at the end. Citations should be listed in alphabetical order by the author’s last name. If there are multiple sources by the same author, then citations are listed in order by the date of publication.
Using your own words, and correctly citing information sources mentioned within your assignment will help you ensure you have not committed plagiarism.
Top tip: Use anti-plagiarism software such as
Quetext to check your work before submission. ABE will also be checking for plagiarism when marking; remember it’s not worth the risk – your assignment could be rejected if you do not correctly reference your sources
Writing assignments is something most of us cannot avoid; following these steps should make the process much easier. Remember to prepare, ask for help and always do your best.
We wish you every success. Happy writing!
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ABE examiner and regular Focus contributor, Rajesh Raheja, has an MBA, 28 years’ business experience and has written study texts, including the study guide Operations Management in our updated portfolio. Here, he discusses the nature and scope of innovation
The innovator takes it all
Amazon recently purchased Ring, an American start-up company that makes doorbells. On the surface, $1 billion seems too much to pay for such a start-up. But, Ring is not a mundane doorbell company. It is an astute entrepreneurial venture that has seized the opportunity to offer innovative video doorbells and security cameras that harmonise with the smartphone-driven digital lifestyle. Ring’s devices also integrate with Amazon’s own innovative digital products like ‘Alexa’, an intelligent, voice-controlled, digital personal assistant, and ‘Amazon Key’, a secure home-entry device.
With Ring’s acquisition, Amazon aims to innovate its home delivery service – an integral part of the online retailer’s operations – by securely delivering packages inside the customer’s house and even fresh grocery to the refrigerator.
By bringing Ring’s home security products in its portfolio, Amazon intends to empower millions of customers to remotely check the delivery person’s inside-the-home activity on their smartphones. The logic is that once customers’ fear of theft reduces, speedy adoption of Amazon’s novel innovation in last-mile logistics will follow, thereby offering the retailer strategic advantage against its rivals.
Innovation is doing new thingsInnovation is a frequently used term in
business management. The Innovations Unit of the UK Department of Trade and Industry defines innovation as ‘successful exploitation of new ideas’. Successful exploitation implies the innovator is able to harness knowledge, skills and creativity to create new value for the marketplace and, as a consequence, enjoy commercial gains. However, this definition does not imply that new ideas must always be novel, radical and ‘new-to-the-world’ products and processes.
Innovation can unfold either at the level of ‘component’ or may involve the introduction of a ‘new-to-the-market’ system. Broadly, the spectrum of innovation comprises:
1. Incremental innovation: this is the result of continuous improvement in quality and productivity because of sustained focus on learning and problem solving within the organisation. Bicycle frames made from light alloy are an example of incremental, component-level innovation,
while an electric bicycle represents incremental, system-level innovation.
2. Radical innovation: is manifested in a unique product or service. One example of a recent radical, component-level innovation is the puncture-proof bicycle tyre – made from ‘micro-closed polymer resin’.
An electric car epitomises radical, system-level innovation. Self-drive cars (see Focus Issue 55, April-September 2016) and passenger-carrying drones are two other imminent innovations. These ‘personal robotic transportation’ systems exemplify the kind of radical innovations, which when adopted, have the potential to alter the personal transportation sector.
Disruptive innovation: this creates a new ‘value proposition’ that often causes discontinuity in the industry with a completely novel system. Apple Inc. is a good example. At the turn of the century, Apple bundled iPod – a portable music device that was a vast improvement in functionality and design over the existing MP3 players – with iTunes, its online music retail shop, to offer a novel system that changed the way people bought and used music and movies.
Amazon’s inside-the-home delivery service can be seen as a blend of service and process innovation
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Figure 1: Dimensions of Innovations. Adapted from Tidd and Bessant (2013: 25)
In the services sector, a notable example is Netflix. The 30-year-old company started as a DvD rental business, but took a strategic leap in 2007 by launching a subscription-based online streaming service. Initially seen as inferior by customers of traditional DvD rental businesses, it currently has more than 100 million subscribers, and has redefined the way people consume entertainment content.
The majority of innovations are component level and incremental, and therefore have limited industry-wide impact. Only a small percentage of innovations are radical or disruptive. However, a disruptive innovator makes a significant impact in the industry, and, if able to sustain its strategic advantage, experiences exponential gains in sales revenue and market share.
Scope of innovationInnovation can take place in four domains. These domains are termed as the 4Ps of innovation. They include:
1. Product innovation: as the name suggests, this is the transformation in the product(s) and/or service(s) offered by an organisation.
2. Process innovation: the organisation’s ability to change ways of either creating or delivering its product(s) and/or service(s).
3. Position innovation: takes place
when the organisation successfully changes the context in which the product(s) and/or service(s) are introduced.
4. Paradigm innovation: unfolds when the innovator changes the marketplace’s or consumers’ ‘mental model’ about the product, service, business or even industry.
Product innovation is perceptible. Dyson’s bladeless fan is a tangible product innovation, while online banking is a service innovation. Product innovations are easily protected by intellectual property rights (IPR) such as patents. However, service innovations tend to be easier to imitate, and therefore offer less potential for sustainable competitive advantage. Though the app-based taxi-hailing business model is an exceptional innovation, it exemplifies this shortcoming. Uber, the innovator, rejuvenated the taxi market all over the world, but faced immediate competition from new entrants (see Focus Issue 57, October 2016-March 2017).
Amazon’s inside-the-home delivery service can be seen as a blend of service and process innovation. However, Amazon’s rivals in the grocery industry may find it challenging to imitate because it is tightly coupled with innovative home-security products.
Incremental position innovation is subtle.
It is constantly practised in the airline industry. Private suites in first class, flatbeds in business class, and normal seats in economy class are examples of this innovation. Recently, the airline Air Asia X introduced entertainment tablets and noise-cancelling headphones for its premium flatbed passengers on its Malaysia to Japan route. However, a few decades ago the airline industry also experienced disruptive-position innovation when the first low-cost airline was launched. The innovator changed the elitist image of air travel, and brought it to the level of regional transit systems. Discounters did the same in the retailing sector.
A distinctive paradigm innovation took place in the greeting cards sector with the advent of subscription-based e-greeting cards that disrupted the traditional, paper-based greeting cards industry, and transformed it from a purely product-driven sector to compete as an electronic service.
Characteristics of disruptive innovationDisruptive innovation in a product or service has a profound impact on the performance of dominant firms in the industry in which the innovation takes place. There are several reasons for this. A disruptive innovator exhibits astute judgement of a market opportunity, often taking a simple approach to appeal to the untapped mass of customers. The success of a disruptive new entrant in the industry often has much to do with the rigid mindset of the dominant firm. As a result, the dominant firm develops a blind spot concerning emerging opportunities.
A prime example of this is Nokia. Just over a decade ago, the highly reputed and dominant player in the mobile handsets industry enjoyed almost 50% market share with market capitalisation of more than $250 billion. However, Nokia not only failed to innovatively apply touchscreen technology to its handsets, but also overlooked the potential of user-friendly mobile software applications, popularly known as apps. Apple exploited both opportunities with this union of product,
Product innovation
Product innovation Novel business
model(distinct from incumbent’s
business model) Improved
componentsNew
components
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Incremental Radical Disruptive
Dyson’s bladeless fan is a tangible product innovation, while online banking is a service innovation
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Figure 2: The 4Ps of Innovations. Adapted from Tidd and Bessant (2013: 25)
Product innovation
Processinnovation
Position innovation
Paradigminnovation
position and paradigm innovation in its smartphone.
The late entrant in the handset market not only replaced Nokia as the market leader, but also became one of the prime causes of its failure. It won’t be a fallacy to state that Apple’s innovation started a digital lifestyle that quickly proliferated on a global scale.
Significance of innovationInnovation can offer strategic advantage to the innovator. Many industry leaders drive incremental innovation by creating a core design on which they continuously improve, and use to spawn other innovative variants. For example, all variants of compact, portable music devices are engineered from the same, fundamental ‘robust design’ using similar components, even though they look different in shape and style. Similar examples are seen in aerospace (with variants of commercial aircrafts) and many other industries. Designs are leveraged to recover research and development investment and this gives momentum to further innovation.
Many innovators are also able to monetise their intellectual property through licence fees. This is a widespread practice in the pharmaceutical industry, especially for firms whose drugs become highly successful. Innovators that are pioneers enjoy the first-mover advantage. For example, Google introduced and set the pace in online advertising, and therefore enjoys an enviable stream of revenue and market share. Facebook has been a fast follower.
The ability to position innovation at the premium end of the market is another advantage enjoyed by some innovators. Dyson is a good example. The appliance maker’s basket of products are so novel that they make it possible to charge a premium price, which, its flat-footed rivals cannot demand.
Innovators may find it easier to achieve market leadership. Amazon’s aggressive attempt at ‘rewriting the rules’ in last-mile logistics with Ring’s acquisition was worrying for ADT, the current leader in burglary alarm systems. The emerging
threat to ADT’s leadership position was not lost on investors; the firm’s shares fell by 7% as the Amazon/Ring deal was announced. It remains to be seen how this rivalry takes shape in future.
However, despite these examples, it’s worth noting that innovation is not exclusive to high technology or complex products. In recent years, innovation management has become a distinct discipline. Many successful firms, irrespective of the nature of industry or complexity of product, adopt a systematic approach to innovation. By making a deliberate effort at transforming ideas into a remarkable way of doing things, they keep ahead of rivals and, as a consequence, experience superior financial performance in terms of revenue, market share and/or profitability.
ReferencesChristensen, C.M. (2016). The Innovator’s Dilemma. Harvard Business Review Press.
Dastin, J. and Roumeliotis, G. (2018). Amazon buys start-up Ring in $1 billion deal to run your home security. Reuters [Online], available at https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ring-m-a-amazon-com/amazon-buys-startup-ring-in-1-billion-deal-to-run-your-home-security-idUSKCN1GB2VG
Evans, A. (2017). The 8 best cycling innovations: from dockless bikes to solid tyres. Guardian [Online], available at https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/jun/17/10-best-cycling-innovations-dockless-bikes-solid-tyres
Groden, C. (2015). Why Uber isn’t disruptive Netflix is. Fortune [Online], available at http://fortune.com/2015/11/17/uber-disruption-christensen/
Kaur, S. (2018). AirAsia X flights just got better with Sony’s noise cancelling headphones. MalayMail [Online], available at http://www.themalaymailonline.com/travel/article/airasia-x-flights-just-got-better-with-sonys-noise-cancelling-headphones#7QX2LUyh2mxiRIGX.99
Lin, J. and Singer, P.W. (2018). This people-moving drone has completed more than 1,000 test flights. Popular Science [Online], available at https://www.popsci.com/ehang-passenger-carrying-drone
Ovide, S. (2018). Google and Facebook Need Advertising ‘Moonshots’. Bloomberg [Online], available at https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-26/google-and-facebook-need-moonshots-for-advertising.
Salinas, S. (2018). The biggest loser in an Amazon-Ring deal is alarm company ADT, VC Jason Calacanis says. CNBC [Online], available at https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/28/amazon-ring-deal-biggest-loser-is-adt-vc-jason-calacanis-says.html
The Economist (2018). Ericsson and Nokia are now direct rivals. How do they compare? The Economist print edition, March 10th, 2018.
Tidd, J. (2001). Innovation Management in Context: Environment, Organisation and Performance. International Journal of Management Reviews. Vol. 3, Iss. 3, pp. 169 – 183.
Tidd, J.; Bessant, J. and Pavitt, K. (2005). Managing Innovation: Integrating Technological, Marketing and Organisational Change. John Wiley and Sons, 3rd Ed.
UK Department of Trade and Industry (2003). Competing in the global economy: the innovation challenge. National Archives [Online], available at http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http:/www.dti.gov.uk/files/file12093.pdf
GlossaryBusiness model is a firm’s economic arrangement of its product/service. An innovative business model overcomes existing competition and captures a significant share of the market.
Digital technology is technology that makes use of electronics and/or the internet.
Digital lifestyle is the organisation of day-to-day activities with the aid of digital technology, for example, online banking and online shopping.
Dominant firm is also called an incumbent. The term refers to the major member firm usually enjoying leadership status in an industry.
Entrepreneurial venture is the fresh and usually creative investment of time, money and effort into an original economic activity by an individual with the aim to gain profit.
Strategic advantage is also termed as competitive advantage. It is an organisation’s edge over its rivals. According to Michael Porter, two key sources of competitive advantage are low costs and superior benefits.
You can learn more about innovation in our Level 5 unit, Innovation and Business Performance.
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We know many ABE members become successful entrepreneurs. This high-profile initiative will highlight the role of education in sustainable entrepreneurship
ABE spearheads Business Stay-Up campaign
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‘Business Stay-Up’ is a research-led campaign ABE is instigating to raise awareness of the pressures and challenges businesses face as they seek to sustain and build on start-up success.
It is backed by the British Government’s All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Entrepreneurship, as well as The Entrepreneurs Network (TEN), and the Centre for Education Economics (CEE), two leading Westminster think tanks.
A programme of research and events will lead to a report launched in the British Houses of Parliament, with recommendations for policy makers and education providers.
Why is Business Stay-Up a critical issue?As a global leader in business education, ABE has found that governments worldwide
have used different policy tools to increase entrepreneurship rates in their countries. This is a worthwhile goal, however, more needs to be done to raise the probability of firm survival – or Business Stay-Up.
Rob May, ABE Chief Executive, says: “We believe that future entrepreneurship policy should not merely focus on increasing the rates of entrepreneurship – but identify and stimulate factors that help to spur high-quality, sustainable entrepreneurship. Our report is the first of its kind to focus on how education can increase the probability of small business success at a crucial time in the life-cycle of a business, and will be a platform for media discourse, awareness raising, and potential policy development.”
World-class researchABE has commissioned research led by the independent think tank the Centre for Education Economics (CEE).
The centre will survey evidence on the role
of education and human capital in
ensuring higher-quality entrepreneurship
and business survival and growth around the world.
Parliamentary eventsThere will be a series of roundtable events in the UK’s House of Commons where politicians, entrepreneurs and experts will debate current practice. The final report will also be launched at the House of Commons, London.
Rob May added: “During the research stage and following the launch of our report, ABE plans to engage with Ministries of Education and Enterprise throughout the world to share the lessons learned and participate in policy and curriculum development.”
ConclusionFor ABE members, the campaign will help to bring into focus the value and skills that an ABE qualification offers, as well as raising awareness among employers, governments and other stakeholders. If you are also an entrepreneur, we believe the findings of this report will contribute to shaping policy and set the entrepreneurship agenda globally.
Follow this campaign on the www.businessstayup.org website or ABE’s own website or social media channels (Twitter: #BusinessStayUp)
Are you already in business? Then look out for our Business Stay-Up of the Year Award. Details will be published online soon.
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A profile of ABE’s President, Edward de Bono, by Lynda King Taylor
PAGE 16 | may-september 2018 | focus a magazine for abe members
Edward de Bono
Forty years ago, I had the honour of having Edward de Bono as my mentor. Now in his 85th year, he is still considered a mentor by many and is providing the foreword to my soon-to-be-published book on corporate social responsibility: Can You Succeed in Business Without Going to Hell? Here I have interviewed Edward exclusively for Focus readers and share my insight, and that of others, into the impact he has had in shaping our success.
It never ceases to amaze whenever you meet this champion of creativity; he exudes, energetically and enthusiastically, everything he has stood for and written books on. Published by Kite Group Malta (www.kitegroup.com.mt), in his latest book Bonting – a new dictionary word meaning ‘thinking to create value’ – Edward has given us a new tool: the adding of value to that which is already good but not good enough.
This is something organisations need to take note of when reviewing ethical excellence, management motivation and corporate social responsibility in a changing consumer and capitalist world.
Edward de Bono is convinced that, in a highly competitive world, there is more need for creativity to add value for the consumers. He says, “If whatever you are doing can be obtained more cheaply elsewhere, then why should people buy your product or service?”
He believes this is a reason why creative thinking is more key for ABE members today than ever before. “There are certain
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“It never ceases to amaze whenever you meet this champion of creativity; he exudes, energetically and enthusiastically, everything he has stood for and written books on”
Nominated for the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2005, ABE’s president, Edward de Bono, is regarded by many as the leading authority in the field of creative thinking, innovation and the teaching of thinking as a skill. He is the originator of the concept of Lateral Thinking.
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Lynda King Taylor and Edward de
Bono
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people who have the habit, attitude, skills and motivation to be creative. However, creativity is a skill that everyone can acquire and use. They can learn it just as much as they learn mathematics. These are the processes of lateral thinking and can be very powerful.”
David Malachi (Dave to his friends) is a top-of-the-class Consultant Headteacher and Educational Transformation specialist. He agrees with Edward’s lateral thinking tools talent and admits being inspired by ABE’s President – and also suggests all students and businesses bont!
Dave says, “Edward has been a major influencer throughout my teaching career. The concepts and creativity in his book Six Thinking Hats bring to life the concept of parallel thinking and have had a direct impact upon outcomes for my learners who have learned to rearrange and redirect thoughts under examination conditions.”
I asked Edward if his instruction in ‘thinking’ has changed and why it is important for the current business generation? Living in an information age means we get as much information as we want. However he casts caution, saying:
“Many organisations believe all they need to do is analyse information to enable them to make decisions and strategies. That’s a dangerous situation. We need creative thinking to look at information in different ways, otherwise we are just trapped in old concepts. We need creative thinking to design the way forward on how we use information. Information skills and analysis are essential; however, they are not enough. The fact we have more information makes thinking more, not less, important.”
In my forthcoming book, Edward states there is a need to make clear to executives an expectancy that they are meant to have new ideas. He says, “Most executives feel it is enough that what is expected of them is continuity and problem-solving – keep doing what you are doing and solve any problems that arise. This is certainly not enough. The CEO must endorse an expectation that people will have new ideas whether for simplifying processes and procedures, on market access, product promotion, or on designing a product or service.”
As such, in a competitive world, where everything becomes a commodity available to everyone, there is a much greater need for creative know-how than ever before. “For so many reasons creative skills are no longer a bonus, they are a necessity. Not everyone will be equally good at this skill, just as not everyone is good at tennis or skiing, but everyone can learn a useable level of the skill.”
Gabriel Colombo is a young journalist and writer who endorses Edward’s vision.
“The CEO must endorse an expectation that people will have new ideas whether for simplifying processes and procedures, on market access, product promotion, or on designing a product or service”
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Readers can look forward to being inspired with Edward de Bono’s foreword in my next book – Can You Succeed in Business Without Going to Hell?. The book is written using experiences from my life; with contributions from various sources to provide a rounded collaborative input.
I also share the knowledge I gained from Edward’s mentorship. The book will supply readers with questions to ask themselves and others as they carve out a successful career and make decisions to ensure a sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility approach to business beyond 2020.
n For those interested in Corporate Social Responsibility, ABE is also launching a Level 3 short course Award in the Principles of Business Ethics
Gabriel says, “When individual creativity is very filtered, it ceases to be creative, it becomes just a basic pure instinct of survival. In a purely capitalist society, creativity is the most expensive coin to get.”
Edward further adds that those sectors of society that have a bottom line – in other words results – are more interested in ‘thinking’ than others. He says, “When I wrote my first book, business was the most interested, as business has ‘results’ and no amount of argument can improve your sales figures. Same as sport.”
Today, other organisations have taken on board his teachings including police forces. His work with the Metropolitan Police was well praised and we worked together to illustrate that the creative tools of lateral thinking remain powerful. Edward is emphatic saying, “There’s a need to look at areas and decide – here’s a problem, we don’t have a good answer: here’s a problem, we have an answer. However, maybe we could get a
better one: here’s an area where we could simplify or improve things. One of the difficulties is we are so overtrained only to look at problems that when something appears to be excellent we never look at it. Yet, when something is excellent very often it can be greatly improved by some creative thinking. We must challenge even the most satisfactory concepts – saying ‘yes’ this is fine but let’s step aside and see what the alternatives and different approaches are. How are we doing today with a concept, and can it be delivered a different way?”
One of Edward’s books, The Happiness Purpose, explores how the essentials of thinking are accompanied by humour and humility. ABE’s President has all three. Happy 85th birthday year Edward de Bono. Thank you for your laudable legacy and worldly wisdom from fans, friends, global graduates, business bontings, entrepreneurial excellence and all at ABE – the pioneer in global business education.
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LEARNING NEVER ENDS
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PAGE 20 | may-september 2018 | focus a magazine for abe members
In answer to this question Rob May, ABE’s Chief Executive, shares his diary for a week
What do CEOs do all day?The role of the CEO is to have an impact on company performance by setting vision, communicating that vision effectively, and co-ordinating key functions of the business to develop and refine strategic initiatives.
Because the Chief Executive’s focus and schedule changes daily, the answer to the question ‘What do CEOs do all day?’ can often prove elusive!
Wherever I am, my day usually starts at 5.30am. Leading an international organisation means that there’s always a fresh supply of emails and social media to respond to first thing in the morning from our staff and customers who are located across four continents.
I make sure that I am always in the gym by 6.30am for a workout, which fires up my energy levels for the day ahead. Usually I’m at my desk or on a train with a piping hot coffee by 8.30am.
My day will mostly involve meetings, which are planned in advance, but some are organised quickly to attack the operational challenges and opportunities of a rapidly unfolding global market. A business and a market consist of multiple moving parts, none of which stay constant for very long. Leading a business requires a constant recalibration of effort and resources, while keeping the main objective and vision intact. This means that my weekly agenda can change day to day.
Over a typical day, I’ll meet colleagues in marketing, sales, compliance, product management, operations and finance. I’ll usually talk to external stakeholders, and these talks will be focused on growth initiatives and strengthening our value proposition for students and centres, and I’ll typically spend 25% of my day on the phone or sending emails.
However, a ‘typical day’ is a rare occurrence. To be effective in a CEO role, you must be able to easily switch from getting involved in the details of day-to-day management challenges to higher-level leadership tasks.
Leading a business with a global footprint also means I spend much of my time visiting customers and stakeholders all over the world. I get to talk to ABE teachers and students across multiple countries and cultures, hearing first-hand their aspirations, their inspirations, what they like about ABE’s educational programmes, and what they think we could do better.
A week in the life of a CEO
MondayThis week I’m visiting Myanmar, one of ABE’s most important markets. We’ve been operating in Myanmar for 20 years. The country is on the brink of economic acceleration, and there’s a rapidly growing, progressive middle class, which values education and recognises the need for business and management skills as an enabler for social and economic reform.
There’s still lots to do before jumping on a night flight to Yangon via Dubai. I spend the morning calling my senior team, checking that they have everything they need from me. It’s a busy time at ABE with ambitious plans to deliver, but I have a brilliant and focused management team who are forging ahead. I then spend the
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morning making external calls and getting through my emails before packing.
TuesdayA full day of travel, I leave London at 8pm on Monday and arrive at my hotel in Yangon at 6pm on Tuesday, 6.5 hours ahead of GMT. The night flight allowed me to catch up on some reading and finally watch Darkest Hour – an inspirational movie about Winston Churchill’s first few months as Prime Minister. It’s interesting to see how one of the great leaders of our time wrestled with self-doubt and aggressive opposition to his plans.
WednesdayI meet up with our ABE Area Manager, Suren, to go through the week’s itinerary, followed by meetings with Yangon University to discuss an articulation agreement for ABE students and employability skills modules for university undergraduates.
Then I have a meeting with Myanmar Chamber of Commerce to talk about sustainable entrepreneurship and the pressures on Myanmar’s human capital as foreign investment escalates. As a new member of the Chamber, ABE qualifications can help the country strengthen its local talent pool, supplying an attractive, low-risk, cost-effective environment for inward investment.
ThursdayAnother flight, this time a hop up-country to Naypyitaw, the new capital of Myanmar,
for a meeting with the Ministry of Education, and the Director General of the department responsible for technical and vocational education. We discuss how the Economic Skills Plan for Myanmar is seeking to create more synergy between the national curriculum and the technical skills priorities for the country and the role that ABE qualifications will play, with our expertise, brand strength and heritage in Myanmar. Like the UK, and many countries across the world, Myanmar’s
labour market is a tale of two extremes; an over-supply of over-qualified graduates at one end and unskilled labour at the other. Focusing on technical and managerial skills at levels 3 to 5 will help to improve Myanmar’s productivity.
FridayThe main focus for Friday is a 30-minute interview on Myanmar’s only commercial television network, covering the rapid digitisation of learning, the importance of choosing accredited qualifications, and ABE’s exciting Business Stay-Up campaign (see page 14).
Later, a meeting with the chairman of one of Myanmar’s leading group of companies in the energy industry about how to deliver much needed management skills and soft-skills into the sector.
SaturdayA meeting with the dynamic CEO of the British Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar, Chloe Taylor, about finding job placements for ABE graduates, followed by a launch event for ABE Endorsed.
By endorsing high-quality, in-house training programmes, our internationally recognised quality mark can help reduce staff attrition, increase motivation and improve customer and stakeholder confidence.
SundayThe main event: The ABE graduation ceremony. More than 400 young graduates from 10 colleges across Myanmar and 1,000 guests, some travelling 600km to support their loved ones on their special day. Emotional scenes of triumph and celebration, and I’m deeply honoured to address the audience and present certificates to graduates and Top Paper Award winners. The event is perfectly planned and executed by our team in Myanmar, and everything goes smoothly.
The evening follows with a drinks reception for ABE’s centres in Myanmar and some emotional farewells.
MondayBack to the airport, but not homeward-bound just yet!
Next week I’ll spend a few days in Sri Lanka, a fast-growing market for education, which will be an exciting new addition to the ABE world. A ‘typical day’ still looks a long way off!
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Being a skilled interviewer will help to ensure you appoint the best person for the job. Linda Wilkin offers a handy checklist to enable you to perfect this process
How to conduct the perfect job interview
Before the interview1. Know the job Make sure you have a clear picture about what the day-to-day requirements are, how this role will support the team, the top-level objectives for the role and where
it fits with your organisation’s objectives. This way you can accurately define the key skills you need.
If you are not familiar with all aspects of the job, or if there are technical elements
that are not your area of expertise, make sure you have enough knowledge to ask the right questions and recognise a good answer. If not, then invite someone with that knowledge to join you for the interview.
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2. Decide what traits you requireIt’s good to have in mind what you want from your new recruit. For example, in operations it might be an organiser who can improve your processes and systems, for product it might be an innovator who can shake things up and instigate new ideas, for admin a safe pair of hands who’ll get the job done, for sales a dynamic go-getter determined to exceed targets. It’s likely that you’ll want a combination of several traits, but recognising which are most useful to the role will give you a good starting point.
3. Thoroughly read the candidates’ CVsLook at what the person’s strengths and weaknesses might be; how have they listed their experience? Do they say exactly what their contribution to a role or project is? Or is it just a vague reference, such as ‘the company’s market share grew by 15%’ – which leads to the question ‘what part did you play in this growth?’ Do they talk about tasks as things done or things they’ve achieved – indicating whether they are task focused or goal focused? These points can help you hone questions to the individual candidate.
4. Prepare your questionsTaking on board the outcomes of 1, 2 and 3, you can now start to craft your questions based on the skills the job requires, which traits you are looking for, and questions arising from the individual candidate’s Cv. Design questions that are based around work situations and how the applicant would approach work issues. Try to avoid asking cliché questions as the candidates are likely to have ready-prepared answers to these that may not give you much insight into what they are really like. Have a list of general questions you’ll put to everyone, and a list of individual questions based round the applicant’s Cv, experience and qualifications. Be careful not to ask anything that could sound prejudicial, for instance, in the UK during a job interview it’s illegal to ask a woman if she is planning to have children (even if you’re just being friendly!).
5. Decide if you want to set a taskAsking candidates to do a work-related presentation is an increasingly popular part of the selection process. However, if you do want to make this part of the interview, make it reasonable, don’t set something in the first round that will take a week of research for the person
to complete, or where they feel you’re asking them to do the job unpaid – instead set something that will give you an insight into how they would approach a task or challenge that would form part of their role.
If you are interviewing for a senior position, look to set an in-depth task for the second round of interviews
6. Prepare your answersRemember, interviews are two-way. Your candidates will also have questions. So, go through all the things you need to tell them about your company and the job. If you want someone to leave their current position to join your organisation you need to be upbeat but honest. Provide a detailed job description, and clear information about the expectations and objectives for the role, as well as how the job fits in with the overall organisational strategy and what challenges they might face. You also need to give general information about the organisation, its history, its mission, its plans, structure and how it keeps employees motivated.
During the interview1. Make it structuredAn unstructured interview that flows like a friendly chat is very nice but not the best way to see if someone has the qualities you need. Doing the ‘Before the interview’ steps will ensure your interview does have structure. Allow a few minutes of friendly chat at the beginning to put the candidates at ease, then start with the general questions, going on to the more specific questions about the individual towards the end. Never start by talking about the job and what you are looking for or the interviewee will naturally tailor their answers to what you have just told them. You need their answers to be honest and relatively unfiltered by what they know of your requirements.
2. Listen carefullyMake sure you give the candidate your undivided attention. Focus completely on what they are saying, asking further questions about their answers as they occur to you. It’s easy to get distracted
by planning your next question, particularly if you are new to interviewing, so having the questions as a written list that you can refer to will help you avoid this.
3. Set a friendly but professional toneFew people perform at their best in a hostile environment. By providing a relaxed setting people are more likely to be honest with you. Plus, if you are too antagonist your preferred candidate may well decide they don’t want to work for you. That said, don’t act like a best friend and get side-tracked by small talk that doesn’t help you assess their suitability.
4. Consider using interview scorecardsYou can consider scoring candidates 0-5 on their answers and desirable traits. The good thing about scorecards is they can offer an objective view of a candidate’s suitability. The pitfall is that they can be a distraction and result in sticking rigidly to identical questions, so use them as a tool, not a dictator.
5. Be clear about your expectationsIf you want the right person, you need to be clear about what is expected of them from the start – so take the time to ensure this is well understood. If they don’t think the job is for them, it’s better to know at this stage.
Making your selectionTeams that are too alike can get stale in their outlook and may not help the organisation adapt in a dynamic business environment, so it’s good to choose someone who can bring a fresh perspective to your team. Before selecting the successful candidate it’s worth looking at all influencing factors:
n Do they have the right skills?n Do they have the right personality
traits?n Will they be happy and stay at your
organisation?n Will they help the organisation/team
meet its goals?n Will they bring a fresh perspective to
the team? It can take time to perfect your skills as an interviewer but, when your new person ticks all of the above, it’s time well spent.
Previous issues of Focus have featured top tips for job applicants (Issue 58) and interviewees (issue 59)
If you are interviewing for a senior position, look to set an in-depth task for the second round of interviews
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Zambia
Graduation ceremonies are a prestigious celebration of ABE members’ achievements and the successful culmination of their hard work. Here are some pictures from recent events in Mauritius, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Myanmar. ABE graduation ceremonies typically take place every two years in our larger markets
Celebrating ABE graduates
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Executive Buyer at mediaReach OMD, Nigeria
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Festus AgbiFestus was introduced to ABE through his workplace mediaReach OMD, one of the biggest media agencies in Central and West Africa, which supports its employees to study ABE qualifications
“I am happily married to a beautiful wife and blessed with a baby girl. I believe in hard work, teamwork and innovation.”
ABE qualifications were first brought to his attention by his employer, a media planning and buying agency in the advertising sector.
The agency shared his views on the importance of training and development within the workplace and recommended that he be entered for the ABE Marketing Management Diploma. He jumped at the chance to study an ABE qualification,
which he believed would be beneficial to his career progression. He successfully completed his diploma and has not looked back ever since.
Festus says: “Admittedly, my skills needed to be polished. Studying an ABE qualification has positively impacted my ability to deliver within my job and has also contributed to a promotion.”
Festus’ role requires him to buy goods for various telecommunication mediums. He is also involved in analysing and reporting on the results of marketing campaigns. Achieving his ABE qualification in Marketing Management has allowed him to make better business decisions, providing a great strategic understanding of business management, as well as marketing expertise.
Talking about studying ABE qualifications, Festus said: “I highly recommend studying with ABE. They provide you with great support, and relevant study resources which you should utilise as well as your own further reading. If you work hard you will succeed.”
Festus was also one of our Top Paper Award winners.
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“Studying an ABE qualification has positively impacted my ability to deliver within my job and has also contributed to a promotion”
Anuradha Sunglee, Mauritius – Top Paper Award in People Planning and Resourcing studied at Sagittarius (Centre For Information Technology and
Business Studies)Payroll specialist and journalism graduate, Anuradha, found her ABE course has added to her work skills and hopes to eventually become her own boss.“I use the acquired skills and knowledge from my ABE course in my current post and find opportunities of relating work to my qualification. ABE does not simply create bookish students, but rather it helps a student to tackle situations logically and creatively.”
Maham Nazarali, Tanzania – Top Paper Award in Strategic Marketing Management, studied at Financial Training CentreMaham had a keen
interest in business studies but was put off because she lacked confidence in her accountancy skills. Since enrolling on ABE Level 4, Maham has realised she is more than capable and has gone from strength to strength. She is now planning to go on to a degree in marketing.“I was very excited when I received an email from ABE saying that I had achieved a prize for Strategic Marketing Management.
“I never thought I would get an award for a theory paper, but I guess I was underestimating myself as I had a very good teacher and all our hard work paid off.”
Emmanuel Otegbayo (Adediran), Nigeria – Top Paper Award in Integrated Marketing Communications, studied at Market SpaceMedia strategist
and graduate Emmanuel was one of several staff members sponsored by his company, mediaReach OMD, to take ABE qualifications as part of their professional development objectives.“The choice of ABE was based on the understanding that the modules and courses were practical in nature and structured to immediately improve workplace effectiveness.”
Danai Bvukumbwe, Zimbabwe – Top Paper Award in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Operations Management, studied at Trust AcademyDanai chose ABE for its
recognition, affordability and because she liked the programmes. In the long-term she plans to use her knowledge to develop a career in senior management in the tourism sector.“My education means a lot to me because it is a stepping stone to get to where I want to be in life.”
Nicolas Dhootun, Mauritius – Top Paper Award in Sales Management (self-study)Nicolas worked hard to become a reception and concierge manager, but
realised without higher level qualifications it would be difficult for him to progress further in his career. A friend recommended ABE as the ideal solution.“ABE really helps students to love the subjects they are studying. I was able to project myself into my previous job and realise the mistakes I had been making and what I could do to perform better. Great ideas were coming up. I could see things differently and was eager to put this new knowledge and skills into practice.”
Mazvita Mangenera Ndudzo, Zimbabwe – in Introduction to Business Communication, studied at Speciss CollegeMazvita is an experienced
Marketing and Client Relations professional. She currently works for Zibuko Capital in Marketing and Administration, and also runs her own events planning company. She holds a Diploma in Travel and Tourism and also has a Diploma in Marketing. “I have already gained vast marketing, communication and management skills. ABE has taught me to think outside the box and practically which has helped me immensely day-to-day in my career.”
Bhagwantie Charran, Guyana – Top Paper Award in Introduction to Travel, Tourism and Hospitality, studied at Nations School of Business & Management
Media Sales and Marketing Representative, Bhagwantie, has found ABE benefited her work and given her the confidence to pursue training as a criminal defence lawyer.“The course has proved to be beneficial to me by exposing me to internationally accepted standards of exams and providing guidance in my field of work and study. It has helped me to understand what is expected of me, the time and dedication that needs to go into any field of study and has laid the foundation for my future academic pursuits.”
Effat Rawji, Zambia – Top Paper Award in Project Management, studied at Zambia Centre for Accountancy StudiesBusiness-minded Effat chose ABE because of
prizewinners |
Meet the ABE award winnersABE Top Paper Awards are given to the most successful candidates worldwide. Here are extracts from longer stories sent in by some of our winners from the June 2017 session (December’s winners will feature in the next issue). You can read their full stories online at www.abeuk.com/blog
PAGE 28 | may-september 2018 | focus a magazine for abe members
“ABE has taught me to think outside the box and practically which has helped me immensely day-to-day in my career” Mazvita Mangenera Ndudzo
the variety of subjects the qualifications offered. She has studied with great success and plans to go on to do an MBA before becoming a high-flyer in the corporate world.“I did a lot of research to find a course that offered a variety of themes that would help me learn many things in one programme. I chose ABE as it had all options for me...”
Ropafadzo Nyaku, Zimbabwe – Top Paper Awards in Business Plan for Enterprise Start-up / Enterprise Start-up / Understanding Entrepreneurship,
studied at Speciss CollegeNineteen-year-old budding entrepreneur, Ropafadzo, has many ambitions for the future and plans to continue expanding her knowledge and development.“The knowledge I have gained from my Diploma has been, and will continue to be, a big part of how I run my business which I look to expand in the near future.”
Vinati Maharaj, Trinidad and Tobago – Top Paper Award in Human Resource Management studied at CTS College of Business & Computer Science
vinati plans to use her ABE qualifications to build a career in HR and then open her own art-based business while helping others develop their talent. “ABE is one of the more cost-effective programmes and was highly-recognised and recommended, with sufficient resources and easy-to-use online features and services, which is one of the best things about studying with ABE.”
Loice Mwaripa, Zimbabwe – Top Paper Award in International Travel, Tourism and Hospitality, studied at Trust AcademyBudding entrepreneur
Loice is truly enthusiastic about the skills she has gained on her ABE course.“I am now creative and able to start up my own business as I have gained managerial skills.”
Anita Kharapuwa, Malawi – Top Paper Award in Managing People studied at The University of Malawi Management Development CentreAnita shares some top
study tips and is looking forward to a great career in HR.“I chose to study Human Resource Management with ABE, because of three main reasons. Firstly, ABE is an examining board that is recognised all over the world, and secondly, I saw that it is a rich area of study with a great career path. Last but not least, I look at my ABE HRM qualification like a master key that opens doors for me. After I complete Level 6, I can do a degree in HRM or a can study towards a Masters degree in HRM.”
Susan Mugo, Kenya – Top Paper Award in Personnel Administration (self-study)HR and Administration Officer, Susan, already holds a Bachelors
degree and an MBA but chose to top up with ABE HR because the coursework was so relevant to her job. She has already found herself applying her learning in a wide range of ways.“The ABE programme is recognised by corporate institutions in Kenya and is offered by most of the universities and colleges.”
Kariah Medard, St Lucia – Top Paper Award in Introduction to Quantitative Methods, studied at National Research & Development Foundation
Kariah has previously won a Top Paper Award in Introduction to Accounting (December 2016). She praises the high level of tuition provided by her college and has found studying ABE Business Management fuelled her ambition to run her own business. She is now studying for a BSc.“I knew that I made the right move choosing to study with ABE. From the courses that I have completed, I have been able to apply concepts and rules to my job on a daily basis...”
Lakshmi Ramlochan, Trinidad and Tobago – Top Paper Award in Contemporary Hospitality Management, studied at Professional Institute of Marketing
and Business StudiesRelocation Coordinator, Lakshmi, has a strong belief in equality for women. She wants to go on to gain a Masters degree and then forge a high level career in the travel and tourism sector.“I liked the structure of the ABE programme and decided it suited my needs, both time wise and financially, and guaranteed the same results at the end of Dip 6 – the equivalent to a Bachelors degree.”
Anjalie Simboo, Trinidad and Tobago – Top Paper Awards in Entrepreneurship and Business Development / Financial Accounting, studied at CTS
College of Business & Computer ScienceAnjalie has achieved a staggering five Top Paper Awards, having already won three in the December 2016 session: Introduction to Quantitative Methods, Quantitative Methods for Business Management and The Business Environment. “ABE has assisted me in becoming an increasingly independent and efficient budding professional. Having a positive outlook is the first step in being successful at anything you aspire to accomplish.”
Zoha Imtiaz, Saudi Arabia – Top Paper Award in Organisational Behaviour, studied at Aptech Training InstituteZoha is originally from
Pakistan and found ABE offered the ideal solution for her to progress her studies when she moved to Saudi Arabia. She shares some good insight into how to do well in your studies.“It is crucial to begin studying early for the exams. So, even if you have a short attention span and cannot study more than an hour a day, you will still get the curriculum covered by the time examination date arrives.”
Caleb Kasentin, Ghana – Top Paper Award in Employment Relations, studied at Pentecost University CollegeCaleb has also won an Award in Introduction
to Travel, Tourism and Hospitality after the December 2016 exams session. “I chose to study ABE because it is a short route to attain a degree as well as a professional qualification recognised globally.”
Cassandra Sheldon, Zimbabwe – Top Paper Award in IT in Hospitality and Tourism Operations, studied at Trust AcademyCassandra shares some
great advice about how to make the most of your studies and achieve the best results.“I recommend anyone who aspires to achieve excellence to study with ABE as it has the best study resources!”
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prizewinners |
Top Paper Awards Winners
Name Country Study Centre Unit
Samuel Koitsiwe Botswana Byte Size College of Computer & Business Studies Introduction to Financial Accounting
Tirafalo Aphiri Botswana Realic Professional and Technical College Introduction to the World of Computers
Agberndifor Ortance Beteck Cameroon London Institute of Infotech and Professional Training International Marketing
Caleb Kasentin Ghana Pentecost University College Employment Relations
Bhagwantie Charran Guyana Nations School of Business & Management Introduction to Travel, Tourism and Hospitality
Rajkumarie Harrinarine Guyana Nations School of Business & Management Quantitative Methods for Business Management
Mesha Singh Guyana ATC – Accountancy Training Centre Introduction to Accounting
Top Paper Award winners – June 2017 highest achieversAfter each exam session we honour the highest achievers in individual units with a special ‘Top Paper Award’. These are the people around the world who score the best percentage pass across the entire exam sessions. Congratulations to all – what a great accomplishment!
(December 2017 winners will feature in the next issue)
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Susan Mugo Kenya Self-study Personnel Administration
Trushit Patel Kenya SCLP Samaj Australian College Economics for Business
Amosi Banda Malawi Self-study Performance Management and Reward
Anita Kharapuwa Malawi The University of Malawi Management Development Centre Managing People
Willy Kazembe Malawi Pact College Systems Management and Internal Financial Controls
Anuradha Sunglee Mauritius Sagittarius (Centre For Information Technology and Business Studies) People Planning and Resourcing
Nicolas Dhootun Mauritius Self-study Sales Management
Thiha Swe Myanmar AIM Institute of Management Managerial Accounting
Thwe Zaw Myanmar Ever Up Human Resources Institute International Business Case Study
Emmanuel Otegbayo Nigeria Market Space Integrated Marketing Communications
Manju Murali Oman Ramford Institute of Business Management Managing in Organisations / Corporate Strategy and Planning
Muhammed Asharaf Oman Ramford Institute of Business Management Strategic Business Management and Planning
Abdulla Wajeeh Republic of Maldives Clique College International Travel, Tourism and Hospitality
Aishath Abdul Rasheed Republic of Maldives Clique College Principles of Marketing
Zoha Imtiaz Saudi Arabia Aptech Training Institute Organisational Behaviour
Daynia Demille St Lucia National Research & Development Foundation Introduction to Marketing
Kariah Medard St Lucia National Research & Development Foundation Introduction to Quantitative Methods
Balraj Singh Mudhar Tanzania Emerson Education Ltd Introduction to Business
Maham Nazarali Tanzania Financial Training Centre Strategic Marketing Management
Ruheen Mohamed Tanzania Financial Training Centre Managing the Customer Relationship
Anjalie Simboo Trinidad and Tobago CTS College of Business & Computer Science Entrepreneurship and Business Development / Financial Accounting
Halima Mohammed Trinidad and Tobago CTS College of Business & Computer Science Marketing Policy, Planning and Communication
Vinati Maharaj Trinidad and Tobago CTS College of Business & Computer Science Human Resource Management
Lakshmi Ramlochan Trinidad and Tobago Professional Institute of Marketing and Business Studies Contemporary Hospitality Management
Nikisha Sookwah-Kingston Trinidad and Tobago Sital College Managing People
Ngoc Nguyen Vietnam Western Saigon Vocational College Strategic Human Resource Management
Effat Rawji Zambia Zambia Centre for Accountancy Studies Project Management
Maxwell Ntambo Zambia Zambia Institute of Business Studies and Industrial Practice Employment Relations
Michelle Banda Zambia Self-study The Business Environment
Mubangwa Mwitwa Zambia Zambia Institute of Management Principles of Business Law
Cassandra Sheldon Zimbabwe Trust Academy IT in Hospitality and Tourism Operations
Danai Bvukumbwe Zimbabwe Trust Academy Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Operations Management
Loice Mwaripa Zimbabwe Trust Academy International Travel, Tourism and Hospitality
Mitchelle Choga Zimbabwe Trust Academy Travel, Tourism and Hospitality
Deon French Zimbabwe Gateway High School Understanding Entrepreneurship
Mazvita Mangenera Zimbabwe Speciss College Introduction to Business Communication
Ropafadzo Nyaku Zimbabwe Speciss College Business Plan for Enterprise Start up / Enterprise Start up / Understanding Entrepreneurship
Umar Cassim Zimbabwe Speciss College Marketing Information Systems
focus a magazine for abe members | may-september 2018 | PAGE 31
Qualifications for ambitious people