FROM COMPANIES TO UNIVERSITIES Possible Bridges and possible
FROM COMPANIES TO UNIVERSITIES Possible Bridges, and possible Questions
STRUCTURE STRATEGY SYSTEMS SHARED VALUES SKILLS STYLE STAFF 2
STRUCTURE STRATEGY SYSTEMS SHARED VALUES SKILLS STYLE STAFF 3
1. STRATEGY 4
STRATEGY OBJECTIVES Company strategy should be carefully outlined, well-known throughout the organization and shared by all. Everyone needs to know where the company is going, without which 5 the feeling is that Clarity is of the Strategy must show the relative position essence: where we stand, the WHAT without the one where we want to HOW be is not a strategy, and what we can offer it's wishful thinking. Allocation of resources and how we should is of course a huge partoffer it in order to gain a competitive of this. advantage. COMPETITIVE PRESSURE
CHANGES IN CUSTOMER STRATEGY ADJUSTED DEMANDS TO SUSTAINABILITY ISSUE Companies need to have a well defined Companies need to be up to their approach to the market, to know their responsibilities regarding environmen customers and to know how to dealprotection, employees' needs with a scenario where consumers‘ and community support, beyond routines are permanently evolving. the responsibility towards the shareholders. 6
ARE THERE STRATEGIES IN UNIVERSITIES? DO THEY KNOW WHERE THEY WANT TO GO AND HOW THEY ENVISAGE THE WAY AND THE MEANS TO GET THERE? Do they know their market well and how to approach it? Investment in R&D by companies was in 2009 0. 8% of the Portuguese GDP Universities invested 0. 6% of the Portuguese GDP 7 According to OECD's 2007 Technology and Industry Scoreboard, Portugal ranked in 4 th place regarding average growth in corporate R&D investment (1995 -2005) Source: INE/ MCTES
ARE UNIVERSITIES PAYING ATTENTION TO THEIR MARKET AND DO THEY DEVELOP ACTIVE STRATEGIES OF LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS OF ATTRACTING STUDENTS? DO THEY LOOK FOR NEW MEANS OF FUNDRAISING? ARE THEY MAXIMIZING THE VALUE OF SERVICES THEY ARE QUALIFIED TO PROVIDE, NOTABLY THOSE RELATING TO CONSULTANCY? ARE UNIVERSITIES PREPARED TO FACE A PROFOUND ECONOMIC CRISIS? IS THERE A STRATEGY TO COPE WITH THIS? ARE THERE PLAN Bs? 8
ARE UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO AN EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO THE CORPORATE WORLD AND TO A WIDER AND PROFITABLE SPREAD OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE? 9
DO UNIVERSITIES KNOW THEIR CRITICAL COMPETE WHAT THEY KNOW HOW TO DO BETTER THAN OTHE WHAT THEIR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES ARE? IF SO, DO THEY BUILD ON THOSE COMPETENCIES AND THAT KNOWLEDGE IN ORDER TO GROW AND GAIN COMPETITIVE POSITIONS? 10
ARE UNIVERSITIES AVAILABLE TO ALIGN THEIR INTERESTS WITH THOSE OF THEIR STUDENTS? ARE THEY PREPARED TO CONTRACT WITH STUDENTS ON THE BASIS OF THE OUTCOME, ACCEPTING TO RECEIVE PAYMENT DUE FOR THE EDUCATION PROVIDED AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE EARNINGS RECEIVED IN THEIR PROFESSION CAREERS, THEREBY ADOPTING A RISK-SHARING MODEL? 11
There were 78, 609 university degrees attributed in 2010 Only around 5. 5% of those people found a job with the help of employment centres There are no published indicators assessing the number of students that found a job in their activity area Source: MCTES/ IEFP/ MTSS 12
STRUCTURE STRATEGY SYSTEMS SHARED VALUES SKILLS STYLE STAFF 13
2. STRUCTUR E 14
INDUSTRY STRUCTURE AND COMPANY POSITION Companies should analyse their Industry position and evaluate if it’s optimal. Changes in sub optimal structures should be considered (including restructuring and consolidation) 15
THE COMPANY/TEAM’S DIVISIONS We need to know our structure well in order to keep it permanently oiled-up, flexible and efficient. No exaggerated bureaucracy between departments is tolerable. Interdependence must be fostered. 16
WE NEED TO ACCESS THE HIERARCHY, TO KNOW WHETHER THEY ARE TOO MANY BOSSES AND TOO FEW LEADERS, AND WHETHER THE POWER STRUCTURE IS CLEAR ENOUGH According to the OECD (idem), "If Portuguese higher education is to progress and to vie with its international competitors changing this negative culture of lack of leadership must be a priority" 17
COORDINATION OF THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS Departments are not islands and they should share information among themselves. Companies should promote interchange and accumulation of knowledge across the organization and internal forums aimed at sharing experiences and best practices. 18
LINES OF EXPLICIT AND IMPLICIT COMMUNICATION Without an honest line of formal communication within the company, whereby essential facts are shared, no team spirit may emerge. The same applies to a healthy work environment regarding peers, subordinates and superiors. 19
DO ALL UNIVERSITIES SERIOUSLY TAKE PROACTIVE MEASURES TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND DO THEY USE SOPHISTICATED AND RATIONAL MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES, WHERE APPROPRIATE DO THEY HAVE GOOD LINES OF COMUNICATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS? DO UNIVERSITIES FOSTER KNOWLEDGE BANKS AND TRANSVERSAL BODIES TO FACILITATE INTER DEPARTMENTAL COMUNICATION? 20
ARE THERE TOO MANY UNIVERSITIES, INSTITUTES AND DEGREES IN PORTUGAL? IF SO, DO THEY LOOK FO CONSOLIDATION OPPORTUNITIES? DO THEY APPROAC OTHER IN ORDER TO DISCUSS THIS? ARE THEY SATISFI MAINTAINING THEIR SMALL CIRCLES OF TERRITORIAL A SOCIAL INFLUENCE? HAVE UNIVERSITIES DESIGNED A P TO REFORM THE MAP OF DEGREES AVAILABLE IN PORT WITH THE AIM TO ADAPT IT TO GLOBALIZATION, TO TH PORTUGUESE CONTEXT AND TO THE NEEDS OF SOCIET Only 7. 2% of university students are taking a science, According to the OECD (idem), "The conclusion drawn maths or computer-related degree in 2011 is that the higher education institutions are less engage with national needs, are less creative, responsive, entrepreneurial and innovative and less transparent Source: GPEARI/ MCTES in their decision-making than is required and expected by the country at large" 21
There are 149 institutions in Portugal that attribute university - level degrees 66 universities and 83 institutes (politécnicos) There are 39 universities in Australia, 28 in Belgium, 23 in The Netherlands, 17 in Sweden and 46 in Finland 22
STRUCTURE STRATEGY SYSTEMS SHARED VALUES SKILLS STYLE STAFF 23
3. SYSTEMS 24
SYSTEMS THAT RUN THE ORGANIZATION A company is also made up of routines and processes: financial, HR, legal, etc. They need to be aligned with strategy and with the pursuit of efficiency and they need to be balanced with the key objectives. 25
CONTROLS AND HOW THEY ARE MONITORED AND EVALUATED Companies need to know and have easy access to key-people and information regarding problematic points, persons or processes. Key objectives should be monitored on a regular basis. 26
DO UNIVERSITIES HAVE ADEQUATE SYSTEMS IN THE MANAGEMENT AREAS? DO THEY USE BALANCE SCORECARDS TO MONITOR KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS? 27
STRUCTURE STRATEGY SYSTEMS SHARED VALUES SKILLS STYLE STAFF 28
4. SHARED VALUES 29
THE CORE VALUES The DNA of a company must be known: this provides sense of direction, team spirit and avoids fundamental misunderstandings. Good companies publish and explain their values across the whole organization. 30
PROMOTIONS BASED ON MERIT AND THE DIVERSITY OF THE WORKING FORCE Companies have to deploy recruitment, evaluation, payment and promotion systems that foster diversity and guarantee career progression based on merit. Failing to do this will open the door to recruitment and promotions based on non-transparent criteria. 31
DO UNIVERSITIES ALLOW ENOUGH TIME FOR SERENDIPITY? Knowledge should be transversal: all disciplines should inform the others, share experiences and destroy rigid boundaries. This is the way to foster innovation within the university and to create the right conditions for new branches of knowledge to flourish. 32
IS THE OLD 19 TH CENTURY THEORY THAT CONDEMN "UTILITARIANISM" APPLIED TO SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE STILL ALIVE? ARE UNIVERSITIES MORE OPEN TO APPLIED INVESTIGATION AND TO THE TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE TO SOCIETY? 33
WHAT IS THE TEAM CULTURE AT UNIVERSITIES? ARE THEY INDEPENDENT FROM ESTABLISHED POWERS? ARE THEY DEPENDENT OF GOVERNMENTS? HOW DO THEY FOSTER COLABORATION AND TRUST BETWEEN PEERS? 34
HOW STRONG ARE UNIVERSITY VALUES? DO THEY EXIST AT ALL? Values can only continue to be values if they stand the test of reality. DO PEOPLE KNOW, SHARE AND BELIEVE THEM? DO EMPLOYEES HAVE SIMILAR VALUES OF THEIR O ARE PEOPLE CYNICAL TOWARDS THEM? ARE THEY CREDIBLE? HAVE THEY BEEN EXTENSIVELY AND THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED? 35
IS THERE A CODE OF CONDUCT OR A SPECIFIC ETHICS MANUAL THAT UNIVERSITIES FEEL COMMITTED TO? 36
STRUCTURE STRATEGY SYSTEMS SHARED VALUES SKILLS STYLE STAFF 37
5. STYLE 38
LEADERSHIP STYLE IN COMPANIES The leadership style needs to be adapted to the strategy of the company. Good company boards are composed of diversified directors, including independent personalities with the function, among others, of challenging the leadership style and results. 39
HOW EFFECTIVE IS LEADERSHIP AT UNIVERSITIES? ARE UNIVERSITIES BEING LEAD WITH ADEQUATE STYLES? IS THERE ROOM, IF NEEDED, TO MORE ASSERTIVE LEADERSHIP STYLE IN UNIVERSITIES? ARE UNIVERSITIES’ GOVERNING BODIES SUFFICIENTLY DIVERSE AND INDEPENDENT? DO THEY EFFECTIVELY EVALUATE AND 40
STRUCTURE STRATEGY SYSTEMS SHARED VALUES SKILLS STYLE STAFF 41
6. STAFF 42
POSITIONS AND SPECIALIZATIONS REPRESENTED WITHIN THE TEAM. THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT PLACES Companies have to monitor these issues constantly. This has profound implications regarding people’s mobility. 43
POSITIONS TO BE FILLED Know your people: everyone knows very little but you can find knowledge about everything somewhere. Talent and competencies need to be monitored and trained. Geographical mobility must be fostered. 44
DO UNIVERSTITIES HAVE A CLEAR IDENTIFICATION OF THEIR STAFF AND OF THE PARTICULAR COMPETENCIES THEY POSSESS? DO UNIVERSITIES PROVIDE ADEQUATE CARREER P INCLUDING TRAINING FROM TOP TO BOTTOM? DO UNIVERSITIES PROVIDE TRAINING IN SOFT SKILL BEHAVIOURAL AREAS, INNOVATION, COMMUNICATI COMPETENCIES OR ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AT 45
ARE UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO ENSURE THAT NO PROGRESS TAKES PLACES IN ANYONE'S CAREER FOR ANY REASON DIFFERENT FROM INDIVIDUAL WORTH? WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE FACT THAT SO MANY SIMILAR FAMILY NAMES ARE OBSERVED IN MEMBERS OF THE ACADEMIC WO IN SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS AND ACROSS DIFFERENT FACULTIES? 46
WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF MOBILITY OF UNIVERSITIES‘ HUMAN RESOURCES (MAINLY AMONG TEACHERS), BETWEEN DIFFERENT FACULTIES, BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES IN PORTUGAL AND REGARDING OTHER GEOGRAPHIES? Portuguese data show that the inbreeding rate at the two largest engineering schools in Portugal is 80 -90% Source: MCTES 47 According to the OECD (idem), regarding universities in Portugal, "The consequences of serious inbreeding c be damaging for the productivity and effectiveness of the system. Inbreeding does not facilitate structural changes or new approaches to scientific research and education"
STRUCTURE STRATEGY SYSTEMS SHARED VALUES SKILLS STYLE STAFF 48
7. SKILLS 49
THE STRONGEST SKILLS REPRESENTED WITHIN THE COMPANY/TEAM SKILL GAPS Assessment of skills and performance must be systematic, durable and fair. Talent pool must be monitored. 50 THE ABILITY TO DO THE JOB Training and education Key factors are is of paramount assessment, training, importance. coaching and mobility. It allows companies Lack of these means to permanently adapt ill preparation its people to its needs for the globalized world. and to the evolving context.
DO UNIVERSITIES CARRY OUT SYSTEMATIC ASSESSMENT PROCESSES OF THEIR HUMAN RESOURCES? DO THEY KNOW THEIR PERSONS WELL? DO THEY EXTRACT MEANINGFUL CONSEQUENCES (BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE) OF THESE RESULTS 51
DO UNIVERSITIES PROMOTE AND PUT IN PLACE FORUMS TO EXCHANGE KNOWLEDGE WITH OTHER UNIVERSITIES, AND WITH ORGANISATIONS OF SOCIETY, AS THEY DO (AT LEAST THEY SHOULD) WITH FACULTIES WITHIN THE SAME UNIVERSITY? 52
“WE BELIEVE THE LIMITS OF THE HUMAN CONDITION PREVENT ANYONE FROM HAVING THE ABSOLU TRUTH. THAT’S THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE UNIVERSITY, ISN’T IT? ” Bill Clinton
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