Generational differences at the workplace dissected in new e-book series

Source: Universum. Cover for Brave New Workplace.

The INSEAD Emerging Markets Institute has released Brave New Workplace, the first of three new Generations Series e-books in collaboration with employer branding specialist Universum, Singapore-based think tank The HEAD Foundation and MIT Leadership Centre.

As organisations seek to optimise the work environment and policies for multigenerational workforces, generational differences may play a significant part - or they may not. Focusing on the behaviours and attitudes of Gen X, Gen Y and Gen Z, Brave New Workplace explores how these three generations are reshaping the nature of work and workplace culture.

Growing up digital, say some, has so influenced younger generations that it has given them a permanently different outlook than their older peers. Gen X says Gen Y cling to childhood even as adults. Millennials (Gen Y) characterise their Gen X peers as nihilistic and disdainful. Neither has fully formed their opinions about Gen Z, who are on the cusp of entering the workforce.

“Regardless of opinion about the members of this age group, the inclusion of Gen Z in to the labour market will initiate a new era in workplace culture; their presence will disrupt the nature of work as we know it today and therefore understanding the new multigenerational workforce must not be treated as an afterthought,” said Universum CEO, Petter Nylander. He continued “Gen Z are set to account for around 20% of the adult workforce by 2020, knowing how to harmonise and steer a workplace that includes these three generations should be a top priority for any employer.”

The research questions these generalisations. Are younger generations truly so different? Or is it possible that as they age and gain experience at work, they begin to behave a lot like their older peers? Based on a survey of over 18,000 students and professionals from 19 countries – spanning Gen Xers who’ve been in the workplace for two decades to Gen Z students – Brave New Workplace can now share data about preferred work styles, leadership qualities, and hopes and fears about future careers.

“Today’s workplace is an interesting assortment of multigenerational values, approaches to technology, leadership styles and workplace preferences. Through this global study spanning the three generations, we seek to understand how each group can best be motivated, managed, led and encouraged to lead, for optimal results,” said Henrik Bresman, Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour; Academic Director, INSEAD Global Leadership Centre; Senior Advisor, The HEAD Foundation. 

“This study shows that as far as the need to identify with a company’s culture and values, there is no perceptible difference between the three generations. On the other hand, in terms of whether they have an optimistic or pessimistic outlook towards their work, there is a clear generational divide.”

Vinika Rao, Executive Director of INSEAD Emerging Markets Institute, added, “One dimension that demonstrates both a clear generational divide as well as a geographical one is the aspect of challenges that women face at work. Organisations therefore need to avoid overgeneralisations such as blanket initiatives targeting women. Managing a multigenerational, diverse workforce entails a careful study of how workplace measures are perceived by different employees.” 

Interested?

Download the Brave New Workplace e-book

Two more e-books are in the pipeline. Focusing on the topics of technology and leadership, these eBooks will be released in the coming months and include research that not only offers insights about the preferences and values of individual generations, but also point to how employers can integrate and manage a multigenerational workforce. 

AirAsia X to connect Kuala Lumpur, Auckland

Source: AirAsia. AirAsia X launches flights from Kuala Lumpur to Auckland.

AirAsia X, the long-haul, low-fare affiliate of the AirAsia Group, commences its operations into Auckland, New Zealand from Kuala Lumpur via the Gold Coast, Australia on 22 March 2016.

Benyamin Ismail, Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia X says, “New Zealand is a world class destination that has always had a special place in our heart. We are excited to be back in this beautiful country to launch this service, allowing seamless connection for our guests from all over Asia to Auckland city. Similarly, New Zealanders will now have more flight options to Gold Coast as well as access to all the exciting destinations across our extensive flight network in Asia through the Kuala Lumpur hub. We are confident that our highly competitive fares will attract many new guests from the region, creating higher travel demand and in turn boosting tourism traffic for all sectors.

“Australia has always been a key market for us; this new route from Kuala Lumpur to Auckland via Gold Coast signifies our commitment to developing flight connectivity in the region and our continuous effort to expand our operations. We have all the confidence that this new route will thrive, riding on the success we achieved from our other Australian routes.

“At AirAsia X, our aim is to continue building an extensive list of exciting destinations to our guests and the introduction of this new route is in line with our turnaround initiatives that we believe will bring positive contribution to the bottom line.”

His Excellency Dr John Subritzky, New Zealand High Commissioner to Malaysia says, “I am really happy to see another major airline like AirAsia X making its entry into New Zealand, offering all Kiwis competitive fares to visit Asia – and the broader Southeast Asia region - through the airline’s extensive flight network. I look forward to seeing a higher number of tourists visit New Zealand as a result of the new daily flights into Auckland, boosting our tourism sector and strengthening economic growth.”

Following this new route announcement, guests can now travel from Kuala Lumpur to Auckland, New Zealand with a quick stopover in Gold Coast, Australia. An Australia visa is not required for this stopover and Malaysians can travel visa-free to New Zealand for up to 3 months. Guests can also make use of the Fly-Thru option to connect seamlessly to Auckland from other cities within AirAsia group’s extensive flight network; or the Multi-City option to spend a few days on the stopover in Gold Coast before travelling onward to Auckland.

Flight Schedule for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KUL) – Auckland, New Zealand (AKL) via Gold Coast, Australia (OOL):

Route	Flight No.	Departs	Arrives	Flight Frequency
KUL - OOL	D7 206	2140	0750	Daily
OOL - AKL	D7 206	0905	1530	Daily
AKL- OOL	D7 207	1700	1725	Daily
OOL - KUL	D7 207	2140	0400	Daily

Note: All times are the local time at the destination.

Interested?

AirAsia X is offering promotional all-in-fares from RM499* one-way on economy seats and from RM1,499* one way on the Premium Flatbed seats. The Premium Flatbed seats on AirAsia X's flights feature universal power sockets, adjustable headrests and built-in amenities such as tray table, drink holder, reading light and privacy screen. Premium Flatbed guests also enjoy premium complimentary products and services including unlimited flight change, choice of seats, priority check-in, priority boarding, priority baggage, immigration fast track at selected airports, 40kg baggage allowance, complimentary meal and drinks with pillow and duvet.

These promotional fares are available for booking online until 24 January 2016 for travel from 22 March until 5 February 2017. All promotional fares can be booked online as well as via AirAsia’s mobile apps on iPhone and Android services, and also from AirAsia’s mobile site.

*Promotional all-in-fares quoted are for one-way travel only inclusive of taxes. Terms and conditions apply.

Singaporeans are familiar with human trafficking but underestimate its extent

The International Organization for Migration’s X Campaign (IOM X), along with its partners USAID, the US Embassy Singapore and Microsoft, have presented the findings from IOM X Connect Singapore – a pilot outreach project aimed at raising public awareness for the issue of human trafficking in Singapore.

As part of the project, university students from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Singapore Management University (SMU) used the new IOM X Learn, Act and Share App to test 100 Singaporeans’ knowledge on the issue.

Findings revealed that while a majority of Singaporeans (75%) knew the correct definition of human trafficking, only half of them (50%) were able to correctly identify who could be a potential victim of human trafficking. In addition, when asked about the total number of human trafficking victims globally, majority of the respondents underestimated the gravity of the issue, with the average response coming up to only 11 million, which equates to around half (53%) of the actual 20.9 million victims globally.

“While the findings from IOM X Connect Singapore revealed a broad understanding of human trafficking and exploitation in Singapore, the severity of the issue has been largely underestimated. Human trafficking continues to impact countries all over the world including Singapore, and we believe that by driving widespread public awareness and support to counter this, we will be able to help prevent exploitation and better protect the victims at large. We are delighted to see how the use of technology and the IOM X Learn, Act and Share App have helped us to gain quick and accurate insights into the public’s understanding of the issue, and this information will help us to design better activities and messages that are relevant to the rest of the ASEAN community,” said Tara Dermott, Program Leader, IOM X.

The students discussed the findings and their experiences at yesterday’s IOM X Connect Singapore Conference, a dialogue on how technology is impacting the fight against human trafficking. The event also featured an expert panel including U.S. Embassy Singapore’s Deputy Chief of Mission Blair Hall, Microsoft’s Vice President Asia, Public Sector, Stefan Sjöström, actress and advocate Eunice Olsen, U.N. Women Singapore Committee’s Public Awareness & Youth Initiatives Manager Mrinalini Venkatachalam and Jolovan Wham, Executive Director of the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME).

“Over the last decade, the global community has made appreciable progress in understanding human trafficking. Social media and technology have played a crucial role in expanding our efforts to raise awareness by enabling us to reach new audiences and to amplify our message,” said Blair Hall, Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy Singapore.

Interested?

The IOM Learn, Act and Share App, which was created by IOM X and Microsoft, is now available for download at the Windows Store.

View the associated video

posted from Bloggeroid

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac supports OS X El Capitan

Source: Parallels. Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition showing Cortana operating in El Capitan. 

Parallels, a cross-platform solutions provider and creator of software for running Windows applications on a Mac, has announced that Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac fully supports OS X El Capitan.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac (build 11.0.2) supports El Capitan as both a host and guest, as well as Windows 10 and dozens of other operating systems as a guest, and enables users to leverage the latest features and functionality from the newest operating system of their choice.

In Coherence mode, Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac enables users to run the new OS X El Capitan Split View feature – the ability to display two different apps on one screen for optimal multitasking. In addition, Microsoft’s intelligent personal assistant Cortana can be used on a Mac with both OS X and Windows 10 apps. This is the first time that Parallels Desktop has made both Windows and Mac features available across both OS platforms.

“With Windows 10 and OS X El Capitan launching within months of each other, we are seeing more innovation in software than ever before,” said Jack Zubarev, Parallels President. “We are pleased to enable a choice of OS X or Windows on a single device, as well as enjoy a seamless experience of integrating Windows and OS X key features.”

With full support for OS X El Capitan, Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac offers additional advantages for saving time and enhancing performance improvements over Parallels Desktop 10 for Mac for an even faster work experience, including*:

· Windows 8 and Windows 10 launches and shutdowns are up to 50% faster

· File operations inside of Windows are improved by up to 20%

· Virtual machine suspend is up to 20% faster

· Travel Mode can increase battery life up to 25%

· Improved network performance

Interested?

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac is available now to both current and new Parallels Desktop for Mac users at www.parallels.com/desktop worldwide, and at local retailers including Challenger, EpiCentre, Harvey Norman, iStudio, NuBox and other Apple resellers in Singapore.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition is available online at www.parallels.com/desktop and at the Apple online store.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Business Edition is available through commercial resellers.

The recommended retail price (RRP) of Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac is S$108. Upgrades for existing Parallels Desktop 9 or 10 for Mac customers are S$68, with an introductory offer to upgrade to a Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition subscription for S$68 per year available from www.parallels.com/desktop.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition and Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Business Edition are available to new customers for S$134 per year. Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition includes a complimentary Parallels Access subscription to remotely access their Mac from any device.

Read the TechTrade Asia blog post on the Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac launch

*Parallels internal testing

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac runs Windows better than ever

Source: Parallels. Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac.

Parallels, a global provider of cross-platform solutions, today launched Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac. The release includes a new version of the software for developers, designers and power users, Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition. It also includes Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition, previously known as the Enterprise Edition.

The new editions of Parallels Desktop for Mac benefit from speed improvements of up to 50%, Travel Mode which extends battery life by up to 25% while on the go, support for Windows 10 along with OS X El Capitan readiness.

Jack Zubarev, Parallels President, noted that the company has made it easier than ever to run Windows on a Mac. “Developers, designers and power users are one of the biggest audiences among our millions of Parallels Desktop for Mac customers,” said Zubarev. 

"We’ve created Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition specifically for them and will continue to quickly innovate to help them stay more productive in their day-to-day work. Seamless experience has been the hallmark of Parallels Desktop since its inception. Today we further our commitment to innovation with Parallels Desktop 11—from Windows 10 and El Capitan integration to making Microsoft’s Cortana available on Mac."

Parallels Desktop 11 empowers Mac users to run Windows 10 and leverage the advantages of Microsoft’s intelligent personal assistant, Cortana, when using both Windows and OS X. This is the first time that Parallels Desktop has ever made a Windows feature available for OS X applications. Parallels Desktop 11 also provides experimental support for OS X El Capitan prior to its launch, and will fully support the platform shortly after its release to give users a seamless experience with the latest operating systems.

“As Windows 10 and OS X El Capitan enter the market, it is essential for businesses, developers and consumers that need to be productive to use virtualisation software to easily run both operating systems, so they can work effectively, regardless of their platform,” said Laura DiDio, Strategy Analytics Director of research and consulting. “All three Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac editions provide the best tools to address respective customer audiences and deployment scenarios that seamlessly enable people to use the applications they need, regardless of platform.”

New Parallels Desktop 11 ease-of-use benefits include improved performance and battery life with the use of Travel Mode, which can easily be activated to optimise performance. When users are on the go and not connected to power, Parallels Desktop Travel Mode will automatically extend battery life by up to 25% by temporarily shutting off resources that drain power.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac offers significant speed performance improvements over the previous version for an even faster work experience, including*:

· Windows launch and shutdown is up to 50% faster

· File operations inside of Windows are improved by up to 20%

· Virtual machine suspend is up to 20% faster

· Travel Mode can increase battery life up to 25%

· Improved network performance

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition 

This is a new version of the software specifically designed for developers, designers and power users, giving them the powerful tools they need for maximum productivity. The Pro Edition supports integration with popular developer tools including Docker, Visual Studio (plug-in), Chef and Jenkins, Vagrant, Guest OS debugging and network simulation. Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition empowers users to run preview Windows machines and use nested virtualisation for both Windows and Linux guests, making it the perfect tool for developers, power users and testers who need a variety of virtual machine environments, including simulation of more complex deployments.

Parallels Desktop for Mac Business EditionPreviously known as Parallels Desktop for Mac Enterprise Edition, Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition includes all Pro Edition features, offering IT admins the most efficient means to enable their employees with Macs to run Windows applications.

The Business Edition builds upon Parallels Desktop by adding administrative features that enable IT departments to control and manage end user virtual machines as well as manage and administer licenses via the new Parallels License Management Portal. This feature provides IT administrators with vital information, such as license expirations, usage statistics, and real-time visibility into licensing activities, to easily manage all of their deployed licenses. Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition also supports business cloud services including Box, Dropbox for Business and OneDrive Business.

Highlights of Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac include:

· Always on Cortana enables customers to use Microsoft’s virtual assistant with Mac applications, even when Windows 10 is not the forefront application

· Travel Mode extends the battery life by up to 25%

· Quick Look for Windows extends this cool Mac convenience to Windows documents and files

· New Force Touch gesture support enables a quick preview of files with Quick Look or the ability to look up the definition of an unknown word

· Improved Mac Window Controls include a new Coherence mode button

· Most recently used files list now can be viewed on the Mac regardless of where those files are stored: on the Mac, in a virtual machine, in the cloud or on a file server

· New easy printing with all Mac printer options support saves time with an intuitive solution for OS X users

· “New Item” support for creation of new files in Windows apps including Microsoft Outlook, Excel and Word

· Now users can easily cancel time-consuming virtual machine actions

· Mac location services are now available to Windows applications

· Automatic synchronisation of the volume setting of a virtual machine with that of the Mac

· Enhanced file associations with smart notification messaging helps change file association in OS X

· Improvements in the setup and use of a virtual machine to directly access a Boot Camp Windows partition—without rebooting

· One-time opportunity to upgrade to Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition from Parallels Desktop 9 or 10 for S$49.99 per year

· Improved Japanese keyboard—specific to the Japanese language edition only

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition includes all of the features of Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac, as well as the following new and key features:

· Integration with key developer tools, such as Docker, Visual Studio (plug-in), Chef and Jenkins

· Support for Vagrant and other developer tools

· Additional user profiles for developers, power users and testers for optimal configuration for their particular scenarios

· Advanced networking tools and configuration for virtual networks to test complex networking scenarios, including the ability to simulate some network instabilities

· Cloud storage access through Box.net, Dropbox for Business and OneDrive Business, for sharing from Windows to Mac

· Headless mode for running virtual machines in the background without user interface

· Ability to create linked clones to conserve disk space and optimise installations

· Enhanced memory (64 GB RAM) and processing power (16 vCPU) for improved performance

· Nested virtualisation for Linux guests

· Modern.IE test environments in the Parallels New Virtual Machine Wizard provide access to free trials of browsers for testing

· 24/7 phone and email support

The Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Business Edition has all of the features of the Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition, as well as the following additions:

· Centralised administration and management capabilities to keep IT in control of virtual machines

· Web-based Parallels License Management Portal with a single activation key to eliminate manual management of individual license keys

· Business-level support, including prioritised 24x7 phone and email support options

· USB devices policy enforcement for additional security

Interested?

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac is available now to both current and new Parallels Desktop for Mac users at www.parallels.com/desktop worldwide, and at local retailers in Singapore including Challenger, EpiCentre, Harvey Norman, iStudio, NuBox and other Apple resellers.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition is available online and at the Apple online store. Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Business Edition is available through commercial resellers.

The recommended retail price (RRP) of Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac is S$108.00. Upgrades for existing Parallels Desktop 9 or 10 for Mac customers are S$68.00, with an introductory offer to upgrade to a Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition subscription for S$68.00 per year available from www.parallels.com/desktop.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition and Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Business Edition are available to new customers for S$134 per year. Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition includes a complimentary Parallels Access subscription to remotely access their Mac from any device.

*Based on Parallels internal testing

AirAsia and AirAsia X launch a new inflight menu concept

Source: AirAsia.

AirAsia and AirAsia X have launched a new inflight menu concept themed Santan, replacing AirAsia Café as part of the airline group’s move towards being a high value carrier and providing its guests with an enhanced gourmet experience while flying.

There are new items such as nasi dagang* and chicken curry, a Malaysian dish from the East Coast which is now available on for on-board purchase and pre-book on both AirAsia and AirAsia X flights. Other items available for on-board purchase on AirAsia flights include teriyaki chicken rice cake, smoked chicken pizza sandwich; while new pre-book meals are tomato rice with ayam percik*, chicken satay wrap and vegetable pasta with roast chicken.

AirAsia X has also included mee goreng mamak* in its pre-book selection as part of introducing more Malaysian and Asean dishes to its guests.

Tony Fernandes, Group CEO of AirAsia commented, “Food is a big thing for us. Look at how we have made Pak Nasser nasi lemak* into a brand itself. We have people travelling from all across the region wanting to order our nasi lemak and this Malaysian dish is a standout in our inflight menu. 

"Our food is as good as restaurant food – it’s not just inflight food and this is what we want to achieve with Santan – introduce a new gourmet inflight dining experience which features cuisines from across ASEAN. We are starting with AirAsia and AirAsia X flights after the launch... but we will be implementing this across the whole group by October.”

Apart from the new pre-book meals on AirAsia Berhad (AK) flights, guests are now able to add a sweet ending to the meal of their choice with the introduction of the Maximise Your Meal option which includes a salted caramel cookie bar and a Kit Kat for RM7.

“While we continue to give low fares to our guests, we are increasing the value with new product offerings such as Premium Flex, Premium Flatbed, and the introduction of this new gourmet experience on board is part of us moving in that direction,” added Fernandes.

Interested?

All AirAsia and AirAsia X guests are encouraged to pre-book their meals to save up to 20% as compared to purchasing their meals on board, with a guarantee that their preferred meals are available. Guests who have booked their flights without meals can easily add them in via the Manage My Booking option after logging in to airasia.com.

*Food glossary
Ayam percik is grilled or roasted spiced chicken.
Mee goreng mamak is fried noodles, Indian style.
Nasi dagang consists of rice steamed in coconut milk, fish curry, and other dishes.
Nasi lemak consists of rice steamed in coconut milk, fried fish or chicken, and other dishes.

OS X Yosemite is a free upgrade

Apple has announced that OS X Yosemite, the latest major release of the desktop operating system used by Macs, is available as a free upgrade for from the Mac App Store. Yosemite delivers a new look and introduces Continuity features that make it easy to hand off activities between Mac and iOS devices and even make and receive iPhone calls from your Mac.

Yosemite also includes a new Today view, a redesigned Spotlight system-wide search feature, and updated versions of the Safari browser, Mail, Messages and iTunes.

“OS X Yosemite is the most advanced version of OS X we’ve ever built, with a brand new design, amazing Continuity features and powerful versions of the apps you use every day,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior VP of Software Engineering. “OS X Yosemite ushers in the future of computing, where your Apple devices all work together seamlessly and magically. It’s something only Apple can do, and it’s available today.”

App icons have a consistent design, and a new system font improves readability on every Mac. and looks stunning on a Retina display.

Yosemite includes Continuity features that allow the Mac and iOS devices work more closely together.* Handoff automatically passes what you’re doing from one device to another, like writing an email or surfing the web. Instant Hotspot makes using your iPhone’s hotspot as easy as connecting to a Wi-Fi network.** AirDrop now works between Mac and iOS, so you can quickly and easily share content across devices. All the SMS messages that previously only appeared on your iPhone now can automatically appear in Messages on your Mac and all your iOS devices. You can even make and receive iPhone calls on your Mac.***

Yosemite introduces innovative new features, including:

§ The Today view in Notification Center, giving you quick access to informative widgets for Calendar, Weather, Stocks, Reminders, World Clock and social networks. You can also add widgets like Yahoo! Sports from the Mac App Store to customize the Today view;

§ a new Spotlight, delivering rich information right to your desktop from Wikipedia, Maps, Bing, App Store℠, iTunes Store, iBooks Store, top websites, news and movie showtimes;

§ iCloud Drive, so you can store files of any type in iCloud, organize them any way you like, and access them from your Mac, iPhone, iPad or even a Windows PC;

§ a streamlined new Safari that delivers the fastest performance, as well as the longest battery life for web browsing and Netflix HD video streaming on the Mac;

§ an updated version of Mail, which includes Markup for quickly filling out and signing forms and PDFs right within Mail, plus Mail Drop, which makes it easy to send large attachments up to 5GB for free;

§ enhanced Messages, so now you can add participants to your ongoing group conversations, see their locations on a map, quickly access attachments and even mute notifications;

§ iTunes 12, which has a new look, and makes it easier to switch between browsing your music library and discovering new music on the iTunes Store. A new Recents view makes it easy to access the media you just purchased or recently played.

Yosemite also delivers platform technologies that make it easier for developers to create new Mac apps. Swift is a powerful, next-generation programming language for iOS and OS X that’s fast, modern, interactive and helps developers write safer and more reliable code. SpriteKit makes it easier for developers to incorporate realistic motion, lighting and physics in games and when integrated with SceneKit, makes it simple to create games with animated 3D scenes and effects.

Yosemite supports all Macs introduced in 2009 or later, and some models introduced in 2007 and 2008. For a complete list of system requirements and compatible systems, please visit apple.com/osx/how-to-upgrade. Continuity features require iOS 8.1, which is available as a free upgrade starting October 20. OS X Server 4.0 requires Yosemite and is available from the Mac App Store for US$19.99****.

*Some Continuity features require advanced Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi features available only in more recent Macs.
**Check with your carrier for hotspot availability.
***Cellular data charges may apply.
****Pricing refers to the US, and may vary in other countries.