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News from Worker Development, Industry, the Economy, Education, Science, and much more! |
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Have a Great, Safe Thanksgiving Holiday! |
We Have Enough Evidence: Without Employer-Based Structured OJT, Worker Development Falls Way Short |
by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc.
As a nation, we have become accustomed to kicking the can down the road. Maybe not deliberately, we appear to be locked into that mode with regard to worker development. It is not for lack of resources – billions are spent each year by federal programs, state governments and employers. If one backs away and looks at the big picture, the will is there but it seems more that the resources just are not properly aligned and focused.
Employers have been struggling with the “skills gap” since the 1980’s. Every manner of solution has been tried, but the gap seems to linger and grow. This is due, in large part, to disproportionately more emphasis being placed on preparing future workers for work and not enough on the employer’s vital role in providing the task-specific training once hired, and "upskilling" them through change.
Employers have been led to believe that the solution lies solely with education. While laying the strong foundation upon which to build strong workers is an important part of the solution, if the employer does not immediately begin building on the foundation, the foundation degrades relative to the continually evolving job requirements, and the opportunity is lost.
For nearly all firms, training a worker for the tasks they were hired to perform, once hired, is a mixture of uncoordinated efforts. Sometimes an expert worker emerges, but it is hard to explain how it happened let alone repeat the process. In reality, worker development and worker performance are inextricably linked. In practice, they seldom are. Most employers have no way of measuring how much under-developed capacity is on their payrolls or they would act immediately.
“Transfer of knowledge” is often confused with “transfer of expertise,” Read More
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Your “Resident Expert” May Not Be an Expert Trainer, But Easily Could Be |
by Stacey Lett, Director of Operations - Eastern U.S. - Proactive Technologies, Inc.
Just because a worker is informally recognized as a “star performer,” it doesn’t necessarily follow that they can be an effective trainer. Employers like to think it is as easy as that, but seldom does it turn out to be the case. However, with a little structure, some tools and a little guidance these resident experts can, and often do, become expert trainers.
If one thinks about how an expert is measured and recognized, it is usually by subjective, mostly anecdotal measures. The worker performs job-related tasks quickly, consistently and completely. This implies few mistakes, performance that is mostly within specifications and standards of performance, and no one can remember anything rejected or returned as scrap or rework.
Thinking it through a little further, one might struggle to explain how the expert performer developed these traits. Someone showed them how to perform a task, and repetitive performance developed new, retained skills. They are now operating as a “robot” while performing a task, seldom thinking about the subtleties and nuances of each task (filed in memory long ago), which makes them fast, consistent workers – something the employer can notice an appreciate.
But if we ask “who trained this expert,” “how was he or she trained,” or “what specifications and standards were emphasized,” we come up empty. By just playing the role of a trainee, and allowing one of these experts to train you on a task, will reveal a lot as to what the new-hire or cross-trainee can expect. If we compare this expert’s task performance to other peer experts, we probably will notice slight differences in performance between them, which means workers that each trained may be trained differently on the same task. Read More
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The Employers Have the Most Advanced Equipment Available for Training |
by Frank Gibson, Workforce Development Advisor, retired from The Ohio State University – Alber Enterprise Center
Community and technical colleges, career centers and joint vocational schools have always struggled with how to make a positive difference in workforce training. They often bear the brunt of criticism for the “skills gap” employers report when, in reality, employers share equally in the responsibility. Educational institutions have only the resources and capacity to provide core skill training upon which only employers can then provide on-the-job training to drive trainees to the job mastery needed.
Educational institutions are often tempted to assume more of the employer’s role in worker development but run into budget, feasibility and practicality limitations. This distracts them from their very important role of maintaining perpetually relevant core skill and related technical instruction that a high-quality technical education requires. Trying to provide all things to all employers never was the role of educational institutions so they should not take it too personally when good-intentioned efforts do not reach the expectations for them.
These institutions are often encouraged to use their limited resources to buy equipment or build facilities in order to support “customized, hands-on training.” The employer already has the facility and the latest technology in that community. The hard part has been convincing the employer that the school has a viable strategy that makes the employer want to imbed structured on-the-job training into the onsite natural order of learning the job. It would be even harder to convince them a training program, targeting a specific job of theirs, can be more effective offsite at a training facility than onsite.
Technology shifts so fast these days, and the focus of workforce training is so volatile, that it makes little sense for educational institutions to purchase equipment for training when only a few employers have similar equipment and the equipment may be obsolete before the school gets through the purchasing, installation and instructor training stages let alone before someone completes a 2-year training program. Read More
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Classes Alone Will Not Close the "Skills Gap," But Structured On-the-Job Training Can...Every Time! |
by Proactive Technologies, Inc. Staff
Proactive Technologies. Inc. works with many employers, a large number of them manufacturers, to set up structured on-the-job training programs designed to their exact job classification(s), built to train incumbent and new-hire workers to "full job mastery" - still the most elusive goal most employers face and the key to" closing the "skills gap." Under-capacity of workers is an enormous source of untapped value and unrealized return on worker investment.
The accelerated transfer of expertise™ approach can help any employer quickly and completely train the skilled workers they need AND realize an increase in worker capacity, work quantity/quality and compliance (ISO/IATF/AS, engineering specifications and safety) while reducing the internal costs of training. New-hires and incumbent workers are driven to full job mastery and higher levels of return on worker investment (ROWI). The task-based, structured on-the-job training infrastructure is perfect for apprenticeships; instead of marking the calendar for "time-in-job," job-relevant tasks are mastered and documented. AND, unlike classroom or online training, the cost per trainee decreases with each added trainee once set up. Read More
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Proactive Technologies, Inc. Worker Development News
Industry News
Financial News
Economic News
International News
International Trade News
Education and Workforce Development News
Training and Organizational Development News
Quality News
Science
Cyber and IT News
Human Resources Management News
Environmental, Health & Safety News
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Proactive Technologies, Inc.™ -
capturing worker expertise to build and support job specific, task-based worker development programs (with metric-based solutions) since 1986.
Experience the power of the
Develop all the expert workers you need in a fraction of the time, with a fraction of the investment! Increased worker capacity, work quality and quantity, and worker compliance (ISO9001:2015, AS9100D, IATF16949, engineering and quality specifications, and safety requirements)."
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If interested in attending one of the presentations below, click on the title, then select a date/time and press "Send." An online presentation invitation and link will be sent to you. On the date and time of the event, just click on link in email invitation and it will connect you to the presentation. No special equipment required.
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Onsite and group presentations
are being scheduled for the following states, and a representative will be in your area, in the month of:
November, 2023
Proactive Technologies is currently scheduling stops in the following areas:
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U.S. Department of Commerce - Bureau of Economic Analysis |
Gross Domestic Product, (Advance Estimate), Third Quarter 2023
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 4.9 percent in the third quarter of 2023, according to the “advance” estimate. In the second quarter, real GDP increased 2.1 percent. The increase in the third quarter primarily reflected increases in consumer spending and inventory investment. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, increased. Read Report
Personal Income and Outlays, September, 2023
Personal income increased $77.8 billion (0.3 percent at a monthly rate) in September. Disposable personal income (DPI)-personal income less personal current taxes- increased $56.1 billion (0.3 percent). Personal outlays-the sum of personal consumption expenditures (PCE), personal interest payments, and personal current transfer payments-increased $175.1 billion (0.9 percent) and consumer spending increased $138.7 billion (0.7 percent). Personal saving was $687.7 billion and the personal saving rate-personal saving as a percentage of disposable personal income-was 3.4 percent in September. Read Report
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U.S. Department of Commerce - Bureau of the Census |
Advanced Report on Durable Goods Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, and Orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in September, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $13.2 billion or 4.7 percent to $297.2 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This followed a 0.1 percent August decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.5 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 5.8 percent. Transportation equipment, also up following two consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $12.3 billion or 12.7 percent to $109.2 billion.September 2023: +4.7° % Change; August 2023 (r): -0.1° % Change. Read Report
Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, and Orders
New orders for manufactured goods in August, up five of the last six months, increased $6.7 billion or 1.2 percent to $586.1 billion. August 2023: +1.2° % Change; July 2023 (r): -2.1° % Change. Read Report
Manufacturing and Trade Inventory and Sales
U.S. total business end-of-month inventories for August 2023 were $2,548.7 billion, up 0.4 percent (+/- 0.1 percent) from last month. U.S. total business sales were $1,857.2 billion, up 1.3 percent (+/- 0.2 percent) from last month. August 2023: +0.4 % Change in Inventories; July 2023 (r): +0.1* % Change in Inventories. Read Report
Household Pulse Survey
What is the Household Pulse Survey?
The U.S. Census Bureau, in collaboration with multiple federal agencies, is in a unique position to produce data on the social and economic effects of coronavirus on American households. The Household Pulse Survey is designed to deploy quickly and efficiently, collecting data to measure household experiences during the coronavirus pandemic. Data will be disseminated in near real-time to inform federal and state response and recovery planning. Read Data
Small Business Pulse Survey
The Small Business Pulse Survey (Business Pulse) measures the effect of changing business conditions during the Coronavirus pandemic on our nation's small businesses. Business Pulse complements existing U.S. Census Bureau data collections by providing high-frequency, detailed information on the challenges small businesses are facing during the Coronavirus pandemic as well as their participation in federal programs such as the Paycheck Protection Program. Read Report
Monthly State Retail Sales
The Monthly State Retail Sales (MSRS) is the Census Bureau's new experimental data product featuring modeled state-level retail sales. This is a blended data product using Monthly Retail Trade Survey data, administrative data, and third-party data. Year-over-year percent changes are available for Total Retail Sales excluding Nonstore Retailers as well as 11 retail North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) retail subsectors. These data are provided by state and NAICS codes beginning with January 2019. The Census Bureau plans to continue to improve the methodology to be able to publish more data in the future. Access Tables
Economic Indicators
A composite of many of the requested domestic facts and figures. Visit Table
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U. S. Department of Labor Statistics |
Consumer Price Index
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.4 percent in September on a seasonally adjusted basis, after increasing 0.6 percent in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.7 percent before seasonal adjustment.
The index for shelter was the largest contributor to the monthly all items increase, accounting for over half of the increase. An increase in the gasoline index was also a major contributor to the all items monthly rise. While the major energy component indexes were mixed in September, the energy index rose 1.5 percent over the month. The food index increased 0.2 percent in September, as it did in the previous two months. The index for food at home increased 0.1 percent over the month while the index for food away from home rose 0.4 percent. Read Report
Producer Price Index
The Producer Price Index for final demand increased 0.5 percent in September, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Final demand prices rose 0.7 percent in August and 0.6 percent in July. (See table A.) On an unadjusted basis, the index for final demand advanced 2.2 percent for the 12 months ended in September, the largest increase since moving up 2.3 percent for the 12 months ended in April.
Leading the increase in the final demand index in September, prices for final demand goods rose 0.9 percent. The index for final demand services advanced 0.3 percent. Read Report
Job Openings and Labor Turnover
The number of job openings changed little at 9.6 million on the last business day of September, the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, the number of hires and total separations
changed little at 5.9 million and 5.5 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (3.7 million) and layoffs and discharges (1.5 million) changed little. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector, by industry, and by establishment size class.
Job Openings
On the last business day of September, the number of job openings changed little at 9.6 million, and the
rate was unchanged at 5.7 percent. Over the month, job openings increased in accommodation and food
services (+141,000) and in arts, entertainment, and recreation (+39,000). Job openings decreased in
other services (-124,000), federal government (-43,000), and information (-41,000)
Hires
In September, the number of hires changed little at 5.9 million, and the rate was 3.7 percent for the third
month in a row. The number of hires changed little in all industries. Read Report
Unemployment Rate for States
Unemployment Rates for States, Seasonally Adjusted. Read Report
Civilian Labor Participation Rate
For a 20 year chart of the U.S. Civilian Labor Participation Rate. Read Report
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U.S. Private Sector Job Quality Index |
University of Buffalo - School of Management
The U.S. Private Sector Job Quality Index (JQI) assesses job quality in the United States by measuring desirable higher-wage/higher-hour jobs versus lower-wage/lower-hour jobs. The JQI results also may serve as a proxy for the overall health of the U.S. jobs market, since the index enables month-by-month tracking of the direction and degree of change in high-to-low job composition.
By tracking this information, policymakers and financial market participants can be more fully informed of past developments, current trends, and likely future developments in the absence of policy intervention. Economists and international organizations have in recent years developed other, complementary conceptions of job quality such as those addressing the emotional satisfaction employees derive from their jobs.
For the purposes of this JQI, “job quality” means the weekly dollar-income a job generates for an employee. Payment, after all, is a primary reason why people work: the income generated by a job being necessary to maintain a standard of living, to provide for the essentials of life and, hopefully, to save for retirement, among other things. Read Report
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Realtime Inequality - Who Benefits from Income and Wealth Growth in the United States? |
University of California, Berkeley - Thomas Blanchet, Emmanuel Saez, Gabriel Zucman; Department of Economics
Realtime Inequality provides the first timely statistics on how economic growth is distributed across groups. When new growth numbers come out each quarter, we show how each income and wealth group benefits.
Controlling for price inflation, average national income per adult in the United States increased at an annualized rate of 2.2% in the first quarter of 2023, and average income for the bottom 50% grew by 1.5%. National income is similar to GDP and a better indicator of income earned by US residents. Visit the Methodology page for complete methodological details. Review Data
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Job Quality Index Increases in August, Manufacturing Employment Grows to Highest Level In 15 Years |
Coalition for a Prosperous America
WASHINGTON — The Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) today announced that the U.S. Private Sector Job Quality Index (JQI) for August was 85.09, up 0.09% from July. After a few months of slowing job growth and a slight decrease in the JQI, the most recent month shows strong job growth in the economy and among goods-producing sectors.
The increase in the JQI for August was mostly driven by sectors increasing pay and hours above the average for existing jobs. Wholesale Trade and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added high-paying jobs in the month. Construction continues to have strong employment growth and created 23,800 additional high-quality jobs in August. Health care and social assistance added 83,100 jobs. About one-third (30,170) were high-quality jobs but most of the job growth in this sector continues to be low quality. Other sectors adding a significant number of low-quality jobs were Accommodation and Food Services (36,000 low-quality jobs) and Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (19,900 low-quality jobs). Employment growth remains strong throughout the economy and existing jobs are seeing modest wage increases which drove the index up in August.
The average weekly wage for production and nonsupervisory workers in August was $981.56, an increase of 0.32% from July and up 4.06% over the past year. Wage growth remains strong, but after a few months of strong purchasing power gains, workers once again find stubborn inflation of consumer prices, up 0.6% in the past month and 3.7% annually, almost eliminating real wage gains. Read Article
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Speed, Power, and Flexibility for Large-Part Machining |
American Machinist - Robert Brooks
A Michigan manufacturer is enjoying considerable demand from new aerospace programs, as well as from automotive customers filing orders as they adopt work for electric vehicle production. Projects like that, along with ongoing work for appliance, defense, renewable energy, and other industrial sectors, prompted the in Rochester Hills to install a new Starrag EcoSpeed F 1540 five-axis machining center.
“The 3-Dimensional Services Group is the most technically advanced job shop in the market,” according to chief strategy officer Daniel J. Smith. “Our customers include the most innovative companies in the world who come to us for production intent parts with incredibly short lead times. We can then quickly scale our expertise and processes to provide a bridge to the start of production. Read Article
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Cutting Tool Shipments Up 9.4%YTD |
American Machnist
Manufacturers’ demand for cutting tools totaled $1.43 billion through July, but unit shipments are flat – suggesting the year-to-date rise is a lingering effect of inflation.
U.S. machine shops and other manufacturers purchased $189.6 million worth of cutting tools during July 2023, a decrease of -12.7% from the June consumption total but still 4.0% ahead of the total posted for July 2022. Through seven months of 2023 activity, manufacturers’ cutting-tool purchases have totaled $1.43 billion, 9.4% more than the January-July 2022 consumption total.
“July is typically a slow month due to plant shutdowns and employee vacations. This year was no exception,” commented Jack Burley, chairman of AMT’s Cutting Tool Product Group. Read Article
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ISM Report: Manufacturing Continues Contraction, Records Best Performance Since November 2022 |
IndustryWeek - Anna Smith
The September Manufacturing PMI indicates the overall economy grew slightly after contracting for nine consecutive months, notes the report.
Manufacturing economic activity continued to contract for the 11th consecutive month in September, according to the Institute for Supply Management’s September 2023 manufacturing sector report. The September Purchasing Manager’s Index registered 49%, 1.4 percentage points higher than the figure reported in August.
“This is the 11th month of contraction, but the third month of positive change. Of the five subindexes that directly factor into the Manufacturing PMI, two (the production and employment indexes) are in expansion territory, up from none in August,” said Timothy Fiore, chair of the ISM’s manufacturing business survey committee. ISM's monthly report is based on a survey of manufacturing supply executives.
Although 2.4 percentage points higher than the August figure, the new orders index continues to contract at 49.2%. Anything lower than 50% represents contraction. On the other hand, the employment and production indexes registered growth, coming in at 51.2% and 52.5%, respectively. Read Article
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Malibu Boats Plans Roane County, Tennessee, Operations |
Area Development - News Desk
Malibu Boats plans to establish manufacturing operations in Roane County, Tennessee. The $65 million project is expected to create 770 jobs.
The new facility, located at the Roane Regional Business and Technology Park, will allow the company to expand production capabilities of Cobalt boats.
“At Malibu Boats, Inc., our mission is to create the ultimate on-the-water lifestyle. Our local craftsmen and craftswomen are the driving force behind our operations as they create top-of-the-line boats that enrich our customers’ lives and, in turn, enable our company to thrive. Our history of company vitality speaks for itself, where we’ve undertaken various investments in our manufacturing footprint like this one that have enabled revenue growth and employment opportunities year after year,” noted Jack Springer, CEO, Malibu Boats, Inc. Read Article
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Don’t Overthink What Manufacturing’s Future Will Look Like |
IndustryWeek - Jan Burian
A company’s abililty to assess, pilot and scale technology will remain the competitive differentiator.
Reading yet another article about the “future of manufacturing” recently led me to a fundamental question: What, exactly, is this future I’ve been reading about for the last 15 years? Who, exactly, is defining this future? And when can we expect this future to arrive? Five years? Twenty?
A decade ago, analysts were worried about challenges like fragmenting customer demand, rising wages in low-cost regions and the scarcity of technological talent. A complex and uncertain business environment appeared to be driving change. Managers who hadn’t yet gone through a significant global-scale crisis were hit by the Great Recession of 2008–2009. The emergency made them start thinking about the long-term value of strengthening business and operations with digital technologies.
This, of course, was before the COVID-19 crisis — before China become a frenemy of the West, and before Russia became an outcast. Back in those days, Germany was a major exporter to Russia and depended on Russian oil and gas for a large part of its energy needs. Read Article
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SIG SAUER Expands Jacksonville, Arkansas, Operations |
Area Development - News Desk
SIG SAUER, a global leader in the firearms and ammunition industry, plans to expand its ammunition manufacturing operations in Jacksonville, Arkansas. The $150 million project is expected to create 625 jobs over the next five years.
The new 250,000-square-foot facility will include component hybrid case manufacturing, primer manufacturing, and load/pack operations to support multiple contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. Read Article
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US September Industrial Production Beats Expectations |
IndustryWeek - Agence France-Presse
The September industrial production figure was above the median expectation of economists surveyed by MarketWatch.
U.S. industrial production rose more than expected in September, the Federal Reserve said Tuesday, while sharply revising data for previous months.
Overall industrial production rose 0.3% month-on-month, up from a revised 0.0% a month earlier, the U.S. central bank announced in a statement.
Manufacturing output rose in September, as did the mining index, while the index for utilities fell, the Fed said. Read Article
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Musk: ‘We Have to Make Our Cars More Affordable’ |
IndustryWeek - Jennifer Ramsay
Tesla executives were cautious about the global economy—and Mexico investment plans—on the EV giant’s third-quarter earnings call.
Cost-cutting and improving affordability were at the forefront of Tesla Inc. executives mind as the electric-vehicle manufacturer discussed its third-quarter earnings Oct. 18. The Tesla team has reduced the price of its vehicles multiple times this year in an attempt to entice more customers. However, the efforts weren’t enough to meet investors’ expectations as the company posted revenues of more than $23.3 billion and delivered more than 435,000 vehicles during the quarter.
But CEO Elon Musk and his team held firm to its guidance of 1.8 million vehicles delivered for the full year. So far, they have delivered just over 1.3 million vehicles, meaning deliveries would have to climb slightly this quarter to meet that goal. Read Article
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American Battery Factory Breaks Ground on Largest U.S. Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Cell Gigafactory in Tuscon |
Arizona Commerce Authority
TUCSON, AZ (October 26, 2023) — American Battery Factory (ABF), an emerging battery manufacturer leading the development of the first network of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cell gigafactories in the United States, today broke ground on a two million square foot gigafactory located in Tucson, Arizona.
The site will provide an estimated 1,000 jobs, $1.2 billion in capital investment and $3.1 billion in economic impact to the state while accelerating the growth of the clean energy economy nationwide. The first phase of construction is expected to be completed by Sprung Instant Structures by 2025 with plans to utilize the region’s high-capacity border and transportation infrastructure to ship battery cells to nearby markets. Read Release
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Airbus Ramps Up Production and Adds 1,000 Workers at Mobile Facility |
Assembly Magazine
MOBILE, AL—Source: Airbus marks milestone in growth project adding 1,000 jobs in Mobile by Jerry Underwood
Airbus will ramp up aircraft production and add 1,000 workers at the company's Mobile manufacturing facility.
Governor Kay Ivey said the expansion project represents a milestone for Airbus, which announced plans for the Alabama facility in 2012 and has been in constant growth mode ever since. Governor Ivey said adding 1,000 new jobs at the Airbus facility will push total employment to 2,800. Read Article
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Biden-Harris Administration Designates 31 Tech Hubs Across America |
U.S. Economic Development Administration
As part of the President’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Commerce identified regional centers primed for technological innovation and job creation.
The Biden-Harris administration, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), today announced the designation of 31 Tech Hubs in regions across the country. This is the first phase of the new Tech Hubs program, which is an economic development initiative designed to drive regional innovation and job creation by strengthening a region’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize, and deploy technology that will advance American competitiveness. The program invests directly in burgeoning, high-potential U.S. regions and aims to transform them into globally competitive innovation centers. Read Release
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UAW, Stellantis Reach Tentative Contract Deal, Strike Ending |
Automotive News – Vince Bond Jr., Michael Martinez
The deal matches Ford's 25% average pay hikes and includes a commitment to reopen idled Illinois plant and nearly $19 billion in new U.S. investments.
Picketers at Stellantis' Sterling Heights Assembly near Detroit had varying opinions about the proposed UAW pay hikes at the bargaining table.
Stellantis and the UAW reached a tentative labor contract agreement Saturday that includes a 25 percent raise for workers over the life of the pact, a commitment to revive the idled Belvidere Assembly plant in Illinois and nearly $19 billion in new U.S. investments.
The UAW said roughly 14,000 striking workers will return to the job as the tentative contract goes to a vote of Stellantis union leaders on Thursday in Detroit, followed by the rank-and-file members. Read Article
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Classes alone will not close the "skills gap," but structured on-the-job training can...every time! |
Under-capacity of workers is an enormous source of untapped value and unrealized return on worker investment. In addition, standardizing expert task performance -between workers and shifts - can add to worker ROI through lower scrap and rework.
- Increased worker capacity, productivity, work quantity, work quality and compliance (specifications, ISO/AS/IATF programs and safety mandates);
- Decreased internal costs of training
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Higher return on worker investment! You would be surprised how small of an investment is needed to unlock enormous returns.
If budgets are tight, Proactive Technologies, Inc. can be an extension to your training department, with our technical implementation support - included with every project!
There's nothing to lose by taking a minute to contact us to learn more. Copyright © 2019-23 Proactive Technologies, Inc.™
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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If your institution is interested in becoming a Proactive Technologies, Inc. project partner, contact a representative for more information. |
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The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) Announced That it Has Approved the Application Submitted to the Special Financial Assistance (SFA) Program By: |
PBGC Approves SFA Application for Local 210’s Plan – Local 210’s Plan Averts Insolvency and Reduction of Benefits Through Receipt of Special Financial Assistance. Read Release
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Delta, United Must Face Class Action Over US Airfares |
Reuters – Jonathan Stempel
Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) and United Airlines (UAL.O) were ordered by a federal judge to face a consumer antitrust class action accusing major U.S. carriers of conspiring to drive up domestic airfares by reducing the number of available seats.
In a decision on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in Washington, D.C., said passengers offered a “fair amount” or circumstantial evidence of a conspiracy to reduce seating capacity in order to boost profit. Read Article
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SEC Fines Lyft for Failing to Disclose $424M, Pre-IPO Stock Sale |
CFO Dive – Jim Tyson, Senior Reporter
Lyft is required under federal securities laws to disclose stock transactions exceeding $120,000 that
involve a person with ties to the company, the SEC said.
Dive Brief:
- The Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday fined Lyft $10 million for failing to disclose the sale of $424 million worth of private shares before the company’s initial public offering in March 2019.
- Prior to the IPO, a Lyft board director arranged for a shareholder to sell shares to a special purpose vehicle created by an investment adviser affiliated with the director, the SEC said. The director contacted an investor interested in buying the shares through the SPV and received millions of dollars in compensation from the investment adviser for his role in the deal, the agency said.
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Lyft was involved in the sale, the SEC said, noting the company approved the transaction and “secured a number of terms in the contract.” Lyft neither admitted nor denied the finding, the agency said, without identifying people involved in the deal. Read Article
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FASB Hands Businesses Some Tax Wins |
CFO Dive – Maura Webber Sadovi, Senior Editor
The FASB made a few changes that companies wanted before moving forward with new tax rules last month, KPMG Partner Brett Weaver said.
While there’s little debate that businesses will have to disclose much more tax information when new accounting standards go into effect late next year, the standards are not quite as onerous as they might have been.
After hearing from investors calling for more disclosure and businesses that wanted less, the Financial Accounting Standards Board made very few tweaks to the proposed new tax standard, with the few it did make being on the business-friendly side of the scoreboard, according to KPMG Partner Brett Weaver. Read Article
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FTC Sues Amazon for Illegally Maintaining Monopoly Power |
Federal Trade Commission
Amazon’s ongoing pattern of illegal conduct blocks competition, allowing it to wield monopoly power to inflate prices, degrade quality, and stifle innovation for consumers and businesses.
The Federal Trade Commission and 17 state attorneys general today sued Amazon.com, Inc. alleging that the online retail and technology company is a monopolist that uses a set of interlocking anticompetitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly power. The FTC and its state partners say Amazon’s actions allow it to stop rivals and sellers from lowering prices, degrade quality for shoppers, overcharge sellers, stifle innovation, and prevent rivals from fairly competing against Amazon.
The complaint alleges that Amazon violates the law not because it is big, but because it engages in a course of exclusionary conduct that prevents current competitors from growing and new competitors from emerging. By stifling competition on price, product selection, quality, and by preventing its current or future rivals from attracting a critical mass of shoppers and sellers, Amazon ensures that no current or future rival can threaten its dominance. Amazon’s far-reaching schemes impact hundreds of billions of dollars in retail sales every year, touch hundreds of thousands of products sold by businesses big and small and affect over a hundred million shoppers. Read Release
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Fund Industry Braced for SEC Crackdown on Deceptive Product Labels |
Better Markets – Financial Times
Overhaul would require 80% of a fund’s portfolio to match its name.
US financial watchdogs are pushing ahead with a crackdown on deceptive fund names, despite industry warnings that it will discourage stock picking, violate free speech protections and force funds to sell assets at a loss when markets are volatile.
Consumer groups say the proposed change, which would require a broad swath of funds to prove that 80 per cent of their holdings match their names, is badly needed to prevent funds from drifting away from their stated purpose. They say investors who opt to buy a fund labelled “value” or “sin stocks” or “small cap” should get exactly what they are paying for.
The proposal, which the Securities and Exchange Commission will take up on Wednesday, is an update to its two decade old “names rule”. Read Article
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CFOs See Monetary Policy — Not Labor — As Biggest Risk: Duke CFO Survey |
CFO.com – Adam Zaki, Reporter
CFO are now also more confident about the outlook for the economy and their businesses alike going into 2024. While talent continues to be a major issue for many companies and their finance teams, concerns around issues outside of the CFO’s control — e.g. monetary policy — are more pressing.
The results of the CFO Survey, conducted by Duke University and the Federal Reserve Banks of Richmond and Atlanta, revealed CFO confidence about the U.S. economy improved to 56.2 on a scale of one to 100, up nearly two points from last quarter’s survey. Growth expectations for GDP for the next year were upgraded to an average of 1.3% from 1% percent last quarter, and CFOs assigned a lower chance to negative GDP growth over the next 12 months.
CFO’s confidence in their own company’s performance also rose slightly to 67.8 from 67.2 a quarter ago, and the same from a year ago. Read Article
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3 Valuation Takeaways From Fraud Ruling in Trump Asset Case |
CFO Dive – Maura Webber Sadovi, Senior Editor
The judge’s ruling is a cautionary tale for financial executives who might look to disclaimers to defend a potentially flawed real estate appraisal.
Real estate valuations are part of the typically routine financial reporting practices at the heart of a New York judge’s bombshell ruling Tuesday in the civil-fraud case against former President Donald Trump and other defendants including his two oldest sons, The Trump Organization and its former CFO Allen Weisselberg.
But the day-to-day approach of Trump and some of his officers to financial reporting was far from routine, as described in the ruling from New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur F. Engoron. In his 35-page decision, Engoron found that New York Attorney General Letitia James had satisfied her burden of establishing liability on the part of the defendants related to their use of fraudulent documents that inflated the value of many of Trump’s signature real estate assets. Read Article
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SEC fines Newell Brands $12.5M for Misleading Investors |
CFO Dive – Jim Tyson, Senior Reporter
Newell veiled sub-par sales using various accounting changes and disregarded warnings from its audit committee and auditor, the SEC said.
Dive Brief:
- The Securities and Exchange Commission fined Newell Brands $12.5 million and its former CEO $110,000 for misleading investors about sales growth in 2016 and 2017.
- As sales lagged company goals, Newell and former CEO Michael Polk pulled future sales into earlier quarters without adequate disclosure, overriding internal accounting controls and disregarding generally accepted accounting principles, the SEC said. The company then misled investors by saying results were “strong” or “solid.”
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“Newell’s former CEO issued an instruction to ‘scrub’ the company’s accruals after he learned that the company was projecting a ‘massive’ and ‘disappointing’ miss for the quarter,” Mark Cave, associate director of the SEC’s Enforcement Division, said in a statement. Senior executives “risk abusing the duties attendant to their offices when they reach into a company’s accounting control processes as a way of making up for performance shortfalls.” Read Article
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PCAOB Chief Slams Auditors For 40% Error Rate |
CFO Diver – Jim Tyson, Senior Reporter
The federal overseer of audit firms last year doubled the number of enforcement orders compared with 2021 and imposed record penalties.
Dive Brief:
- Inspectors this year at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board will probably report flaws in 40% of the 2022 audits they review, PCAOB Chair Erica Williams said Thursday, noting that many auditors fail to back up their opinions with solid evidence.
- “We are seeing audit quality for both domestic and international firms trend in the wrong direction for the second year in a row,” Williams said in a speech. Inspection reports this year will probably show that the proportion of flawed audits surged 6 percentage points in 2022 after rising 5 percentage points in 2021.
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“Audit opinions were signed without completing the audit work required to verify the accuracy of financial statements,” Williams said. “That is a serious problem at any rate, and 40% is completely unacceptable.” Read Article
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5 Reasons CFOs Should Adopt Real-Time Payments |
CFO.com – Vincent Ryan, Senior Reporter-at-Large
Instant or real-time payments offer speed, lower cost, easier reconciliation, and more precise control of working capital.
Arecent U.S. Bank survey found that 68% of more than 1,000 CFO respondents intend to use real-time payments (also called instant payments) two years from now, up from less than half right now.
The RTP Network, available since 2017, had 150,000 businesses using its network as of September 1, according to its operator, The Clearing House. FedNow, the instant payment rail operated by the Federal Reserve, just launched in July. Read Article
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GE to Pay $61M to Settle 401(k) Fund Mismanagement Allegations |
CFO Dive – Ryan Golden, Senior Reporter
The payout represents the “largest ever in an ERISA case alleging a retirement plan improperly offered proprietary funds,” according to the plaintiffs.
Dive Brief:
- General Electric will pay $61 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by participants and beneficiaries of its 401(k) retirement plan, according to court documents filed Oct. 6.
- The settlement concludes nearly six years of litigation stemming from a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in 2017. The plaintiffs alleged GE breached its fiduciary duties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act by limiting actively managed funds available to participants to a group of five funds that were managed by a wholly owned subsidiary of GE.
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The funds at the center of the suit also “substantially underperformed” other comparable investment options, and GE refused to consider replacing the funds or their managers, the plaintiffs alleged. Per the settlement terms, GE denied all claims and allegations of wrongdoing. Read Article
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When the Markets Tighten and Cash Stops Flowing, What’s Next? |
IndustryWeek – Mick Goik
Working capital financing may be an alternative for smaller manufacturers disproportionately affected by a credit crunch.
The one-two punch of a slowing economy and tightening credit environment can be especially difficult for small and mid-sized manufacturers that rely on loans and credit lines to fund facilities, equipment, machinery and day-to-day business needs in capital-intensive industries.
Manufacturers can experience cash flow shortages for many reasons, even when they’re generating significant revenue:
- Misalignment between customer payment terms and a company’s cash outflow needs.
- Company growth that is faster than conversion of their invoices to cash.
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Inflexibility in existing lending options due to customer concentrations, financial covenant defaults, etc. Read Article
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Big Oil Players on a Spending Spree as Chevron Buys Hess |
IindustryWeek – Staff
The news from Chevron, No. 2 on the IW U.S. 500, follows closely on a big purchase announcement from Exxon Mobil earlier this month.
The big are getting bigger. Oil and gas producer Chevron Corp. announced Monday that it would purchase Hess Corp. in an all-stock transaction valued at $53 billion, a significant purchase by any measure. However, it’s only the second largest deal in October among the oil and gas giants. Earlier this month Exxon Mobil Corp. reported plans to acquire oil and gas exploration company Pioneer for a slightly higher purchase price at $59.5 billion.
Both Exxon Mobil and Chevron lead the 2023 IW U.S. 500, IndustryWeek’s annual list of the largest publicly held manufacturing companies in the United States. Exxon Mobil tops the 2023 list with annual revenue of $402 billion in 2022, followed by Chevron, whose revenue came in at $244 billion. Both companies enjoyed double-digit profit margins over the previous year as well. Read Article
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Rent, Food or Health Care? People Make Tough Choices Amid Rising Health Costs, Debt |
USA Today - Ken Alltucker
Half of working-age Americans struggle to pay for health care, and 1 in 3 Americans owe money to a hospital, doctor, or other health care provider, a new survey shows.
The survey by The Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that focuses on equitable access to health care, also reports that nearly 2 in 5 people skipped or delayed medical care or didn't fill a prescription in the past year because they couldn't afford it. The survey revealed that even people who get health insurance through the workplace or elsewhere often can't afford health care costs.
The financial strain of health care has made Americans sicker and often put them in debt, said Sara Collins, a senior scholar and vice president at the New York-based foundation. Read Article
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Why You Shouldn’t Be Surprised That Autoworkers Are Asking for a 40% Pay Raise |
NPR – Danielle Kaye
As a potential strike at the Detroit Three automakers inches closer, the United Auto Workers union is pushing for a substantial pay raise for its members: 40% over four years.
It’s the kind of raise that Marcelina Pedraza, a Ford electrician in Chicago, thinks is long overdue.
“Everything’s going up — the cost of food, gas, mortgage interest rates,” Pedraza said. “A lot of people haven’t been able to have a safety net anymore.” Read Article
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Reviving Manufacturing Is the Only Way to Economic Growth |
IndustryWeek – Michael Collins
The transition to a service economy has failed.
OPINION
There is a general assumption by many economists that the erosion of American manufacturing is an acceptable premise in a changing economy. They say that just as the economy progressed from an agricultural economy in the early 20th century to an industrial manufacturing economy, it is now changing to a service economy.
The assumption was that this transition is a healthy and natural process of economic evolution, and that economy and living standards will continue to grow. But instead, the transition has become a decades-long experiment in deindustrialization and is testing the assumption that we can thrive in a post-industrial economy.
There are four principal reasons why we must abandon this experiment before it is too late. Read Article
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Everyone Versus Google: Will Big Tech Be Held Accountable? |
Institute for New Economic Thinking – Lynn Parramore
The tech giant is in the hot seat, but it’s going to be a “big fight,” warns antitrust expert Mark Glick.
As every tech watcher knows, the 21st century’s biggest federal antitrust trial is currently underway, targeting Google’s search business. A second trial involving the company, focused on display advertising, is in the pipeline for next year.
Google is in the hot seat, but so far it has managed to mostly elude efforts to curb its power.
At the crux of the two cases is Google’s dominance in the world of internet search and digital advertising, which shapes how just about everybody consumes and engages with content online. The U.S. government alleges that the company deploys unlawful strategies to stay on top, elbowing competitors out of the market and giving consumers a raw deal in the process. Read Article
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What the UAW and Everyone Else Need to Know About CEO Pay |
Institute for New Economic Thinking – Matt Hopkins and William Lazonick
What is GM CEO Mary Barra’s take-home pay? (It’s more than you are being told)
In striking General Motors (GM), Ford, and Stellantis, the United Auto Workers (UAW) has put the spotlight on the enormous pay packages of these companies’ CEOs. UAW leader Shawn Fain claims that the combined average pay of the CEOs at GM, Ford, and Stellantis has increased 40% since 2019, the date of the last UAW contract with the automakers. He cites that increase in justifying his demand that his union’s members get the same raises as well over the next four years.
According to the UAW’s methodology, comparing 2019 and 2022, CEO pay increased by 34% at GM, 21% at Ford, and 77% at Stellantis. In both years, Mary Barra, CEO of GM, had by far the highest pay of the three top executives. According to the UAW, Barra’s compensation was $21.6 million in 2019 and $29.0 million in 2022.
In fact, Barra’s actual take-home compensation was $30.1 million in 2019 and $34.1 million in 2022, substantially higher than the UAW’s figures for those years but yielding a smaller 13% increase. Moreover, the money that Barra banked in these two years was far less than her take-home compensation of $40.7 million in 2020 and $62.3 million in 2021. Barra’s actual annual pay averaged $41.8 million over these four years, whereas the numbers used by the UAW give an average of $25.9 million. Read Article
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Is Foreign Ownership of U.S. Farmland & Agribusiness Becoming a Problem? |
Coalition for a Prosperous America – Kenneth Rapoza
What’s driving up food prices and putting ranchers out of business? Is it competition from deep-pocketed investors and foreign ownership of agribusiness consolidating the market? Is it the Chinese, often Capitol Hill’s favorite villain? The Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing titled Foreign Ownership in U.S. Agriculture to see if they could figure this out.
The average price of food in the United States increased 4.3% in the 12 months ended August, after posting an annual increase of 4.9% in July, according to the latest inflation data published Sept. 13, 2023, by the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In August 2022, the food prices were 11.4% higher than the previous month, representing the highest jump in food prices since 1979. Food prices are still averaging higher than the overall inflation rate. Could it be due to a greater concentration of corporate ownership in certain sectors of American agribusiness? Read Article
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Antitrust Enforcement in the Crosshairs |
Institute for New Economic Thinking – Darren Bush, Mark Glick, and Gabriel Lozada
Post-Chicago Economists vs. New Brandeisians on the New Merger Guidelines
The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission have issued new Draft Merger Guidelines (“DMG”) out of a recognition that prior merger enforcement has been inadequate. Decades of weak enforcement have resulted in tremendous industry consolidation, rising industry concentration, and steep declines in competition in many key sectors of the American economy. To take one example, the major tech platforms, Meta, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple, have each acquired literally hundreds of companies, yet until recently, not a single challenge was issued by the antitrust agencies. A contributing factor to this weak merger enforcement has been the persisting omnipresent influence of the Chicago School in the agencies’ approach to merger enforcement.At the heart of the Chicago School approach is the “Consumer welfare Standard,” a normative economic theory that holds that the only appropriate goal for antitrust enforcement is to advance consumer surplus—in short, prices and output matter but other social goals do not.The Consumer Welfare Standard limited merger analysis to the impact of mergers on post-merger prices of the parties in the output market. Read Article
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In the Footsteps of Ptolemy: The ‘Science of Monetary Policy’ and the Inflation of 2021-2023 |
Institute for New Economic Thinking – Servaas Storm
The impenetrability of this continuously expanding Ptolemaic New Keynesian paradigm is maddening
Introduction
The recent increase in inflation took monetary policy makers by surprise, at least if we credit the Summary of Economic Projections (SEP) of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve (Figure 1). The FOMC did not anticipate the surge in the core PCE inflation that started in 2021 and it consistently projected the inflation rate to rapidly decline rapidly to its 2 percent target rate.
Instead, inflation continued to increase in the following quarters. The Federal Reserve, other central banks and most observers were wrong in believing that the inflation would be transitory in nature. Why were the members of the FOMC caught flat-footed and why did most professional forecasters have it wrong as well? Read Article
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Brookings Institution – Tom Wheeler, Visiting Fellow, Governance Studies, Center for Technology
Innovation
In the decades since the launch of the world wide web, a handful of digital platform companies—such as Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon—have come to dominate internet services and soar to the top of the list of the world’s most valuable companies. These companies, collectively known as Big Tech, have leapt from innovators’ ideas to marketplace dominance and great wealth.
Consumers have paid a price for this success, and a majority of Americans—of both political parties—feel that Big Tech has too much power and influence. Former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission Tom Wheeler argues that the time has come for a rebalancing. Read Article
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Institute for New Economic Thinking – Isabella Weber, Assistant Professor of Economics, UMASS, Amherst
Is inflation just a number game or does it hold deeper societal implications?
Join Isabella Weber as she challenges traditional economic stances on inflation and delves into the social dimensions of pricing. Discover how context shapes our reactions to price hikes and why understanding this can be a game-changer. See Video
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Theories of Economic Crises |
Institute for New Economic Thinking - Alessandro Roncaglia
The theoretical approaches to analyzing crises have behind them contrasting conceptions of the way the economy works.
1.Introduction
There are different understandings of economic crises. Distinguishing between them is essential for an orderly debate, both for the interpretation of crisis situations and for making judgments about possible economic policy interventions.
In the following, I will attempt to briefly sort out the main conceptions of crises: as a normal phase of the economic cycle; as an unexpected shock that moves (transiently) away from an equilibrium position, considered as the center of attraction of the economic system; as the result of the systemic instability of market economies, in particular of the game of financial expectations. The first two conceptions - the first two groups of theories - consider crises as accidents of the road with no lasting effects on the economy, whose long-term course depends essentially on developments in technology and resources, including the working-age population. The third conception - the third group of theories - sees crises as manifestations of the endogenous instability of market economies with persistent negative effects on income and employment trends, social coexistence and civil life, and the environment. Read Article
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Have Workers Gotten a Raise? |
Brookings Institution - Chloe East, Wendy Edelberg, and Noadia Steinmetz-Silber
Key takeaways:
A close look at pay—comparing different metrics of pay, inflation measures, and reference periods—
reveals complex findings about changes in real purchasing power since the pandemic.
The distributional breakdown shows positive changes in pay for lower-income workers from the prepandemic period to the time of the analysis. Mixed evidence points to lower or no growth for higherwage workers Read Article
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Post-pandemic Poverty is Rising in America’s Suburbs |
Brookings Institution – Elizabeth Kneebone, Former Nonresident Senior Fellow and Alan Berube, Interim Vice President and Director
This is the time of year when the U.S. Census Bureau publishes its latest data on poverty in the United States, and headlines are presenting a mixed picture. Found that the overall number of people living in poverty in 2022 was relatively unchanged from the last two years. In contrast, another survey found that
between 2021 and 2022, largely due to the post-pandemic expiration of an expanded child tax credit. The divergent results reflect the fact that the Census Bureau measures poverty in more than one way.
Neither of these results, however, sheds much light on where poverty is rising, falling, or staying the same, and who is most affected. Ten years ago, our book, “Confronting Suburban Poverty in America,” chronicled the rapid rise of poverty in the nation’s suburbs during the 2000s. We showed the challenges the shifting geography of
poverty posed for low-income Americans’ ability to access safety net services, transportation, and jobs. Read Article
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Mexico, Latin America, South America and the Caribbean |
IDB Launches BID FOR THE AMERICAS to Boost U.S. Business Opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean
InterAmerican Development Bank
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) today launched “BID FOR THE AMERICAS,” a new program to strengthen and grow economic ties between the United States, and Latin America and the Caribbean. As the largest source of multilateral financing in the region, the IDB’s program will focus on three pillars: public procurement, trade and investment, and financing.
The launch featured special addresses from high-level government and private-sector leaders, including Senator Chris Dodd, Special Presidential Advisor for the Americas, Don Graves, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and senior representatives from Intel, Amazon, and SBA Communications.
“The U.S. is a critical partner in our efforts to increase development impact and scale in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said IDB President Ilan Goldfajn. “BID FOR THE AMERICAS will give U.S. businesses a unique platform that leverages innovative technologies and financial tools to expand in Latin America and the Caribbean. Read Release
Why Don’t We Follow the Rules? Drivers of Compliance with Fiscal Policy Rules in Emerging Markets
InterAmerican Development Bank – Ardanaz, Martín; Ulloa-Suarez, Carolina; Valencia, Oscar
Under what conditions do countries comply with their fiscal policy rules? We tackle this question in the context of emerging countries, with a specific focus on Latin America and the Caribbean, a region where fiscal rules have become increasingly common in recent decades. Based on an original dataset of compliance behavior across 14 countries observed between 2000 and 2020, we first document that complying with fiscal rules makes a difference: countries that comply with their fiscal rules show, on average, lower sovereign bond spreads, higher credit ratings, and lower probability of public debt acceleration episodes than countries that do not comply with their rules. We then show that compliance is affected by the broader macroeconomic and politico-institutional environment. First, we find an asymmetrical response of compliance to macroeco-nomic conditions: while compliance decreases during bad times, it does not improve during good times. Download Report
Hurricane Otis: Mexico troops tackle looting in devastated Acapulco
BBC
Hurricane Otis destroys the Plaza Manzanillo yacht club in Mexico, Acapulco 28 October
Officials believe the damage could be estimated at billions of dollars. Some 17,000 soldiers and police have been deployed in the Mexican resort city of Acapulco, where there has been widespread looting since a powerful hurricane hit the region.
Videos show people taking food and water from shops, while others walk away with expensive electronic items and clothes from shopping centres. Thirty-nine people are now known to have died in Hurricane Otis. Read Article
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Canada, Europe and Great Britain |
What is At Stake in Poland’s Election?
Brookings Institution – Anna Grzymała-Busse, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Center on
the United States and Europe
As a key supporter of Ukraine, the largest post-communist country in the European Union, and a staunch U.S. ally, Poland’s October 15 parliamentary elections will have far-reaching consequences. Poles will choose between four more years of a populist government accused of several violations of the rule of law, undermining the EU, and xenophobic policies since it first came to office in 2015, or its long-standing opposition, and the chance for Poland to restore its democratic institutions and its international reputation. Regardless of the outcome, Polish politics will remain polarized.
The incumbent Law and Justice party (Prawo I Sprawiedliwość, PiS) gained power in 2015 on promises of “good change” and appeals to moderation. Its controversial chair, Jarosław Kaczyński, the country’s prime minister from 2006 to 2007, did not run for a leadership position, relying instead on more palatable proxies. It was only after PiS gained power that the party suborned the judiciary, used government media as a
propaganda mouthpiece while limiting the free media, and . It has also built a loyal constituency of older, more rural, more conservative voters that brought the party to power in 2015 and reelected it in 2019. Read Article
Germany’s New Far-left Party Could Challenge Far-right AfD
DeutscheWelle -Ben Knight
The Left Party’s Sahra Wagenknecht, one of Germany’s most controversial politicians, has announced plans to form a new party. Analysts say the far-right AfD should be most worried.
Leftist politician Sahra Wagenknecht triggered a media hype when she presented her ‘Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht’ alliance, the precursor for a new political partyImage: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Prominent left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht finally announced that she was founding her own party on Monday, potentially posing a threat to both the socialist Left Party she is leaving and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
At a press conference in Berlin, she announced the foundation of an association named Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (“Sahra Wagenknecht alliance”), to collect donations and prepare the ground for the new party. Read Article
Germany’s Wine Regions
DeutscheWelle
Wine grape harvest is in full swing in Germany. Take a trip into the world of Riesling, Müller Thurgau, Silvaner and co. See Slide Show
Italy: Roberto Saviano’s Conviction a Major Blow to Free Expression
European Federation of Journalists
The undersigned international media freedom, free expression, and journalist organisations express shock over yesterday’s criminal conviction of writer and journalist Roberto Saviano, in a case brought by current Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, and we convey our full solidarity with him.
On 12 October 2023, the Criminal Court of Rome convicted Saviano of criminal defamation. The case was initiated by Meloni in November 2021, prior to her assuming the current role of Prime Minister. The criminal lawsuit accused Saviano of aggravated criminal defamation due to his critical comments about Meloni’s persistent anti-migrant stance, voiced during the television programme Piazza Pulita. Saviano’s remarks came after Piazza Pulita covered the tragic death of a six-month-old baby from Guinea, one of the migrants who drowned in the Mediterranean when Italian authorities delayed their rescue efforts. Read Article
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Belt and Road: Just How Successful is Xi’s ‘Chinese Dream’?
DeutscheWelle
China’s Belt and Road Initiative stands as one of Xi Jinping’s most iconic policies. However, sustaining the same fervor it once enjoyed seems to present more challenges now than ever before.
China is hosting its third Belt and Road summit this week, marking the 10th anniversary of its iconic Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Worldwide leaders and representatives from over 100 countries are gathering in Beijing, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Putin is keen on intensifying relations with China and showing that he is not isolated internationally, Russia expert Alexei Chigadaev, told DW. Read Article
Indonesia: Corruption Scandals Escalate as Election Nears
DeutscheWelle – Arti Ekawati
Corruption continues to blight Indonesia as President Jokowi nears the end of his second term. Four political figures related to his regime have recently been sentenced for wrongdoing.
Indonesia has been hit by a series of corruption scandals whereby several leading officials have been accused of wrongdoing.
The latest allegation came against the former Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo. Earlier this month, the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested Limpo in his apartment in south Jakarta for suspected corruption and extortion while in office. His case is still ongoing. Read Article
Why Li Keqiang's Death is Dangerous for Xi Jinping
BBC - Stephen McDonell
The death of a leader in China can usher in big changes, it did after Mao Zedong, or can lead to political upheaval, like it did when grieving for Hu Yaobang morphed into the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.
For this reason, the passing of former premier Li Keqiang has already triggered various measures to ensure that stability is maintained.
A crackdown on VPN use is under way to reduce the access of Chinese citizens to the parts of the internet not controlled by the Communist Party. Read Article
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Asia, India and Australia |
India: Exam Pressure Fuels Spike in Student Suicides
DeutscheWelle – Adil Bhat in New Delhi
Immense pressure and expectations from parents to succeed is taking a deadly toll on students’ mental health. DW meets one youth who has moved to Kota to fulfill his parents’ dream of becoming a successful engineer.
Every morning, Shakib Khan (not his real name) wakes from a recurring nightmare of failure. He experiences constant anxiety and fear.
The 20-year-old hopes to get a place in the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), one of India’s most prestigious colleges. His parents have long wanted him to become a successful engineer.
Three years ago, Shakib moved from Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, to Kota, a hub of private coaching institutes in the northern state of Rajasthan catering to youngsters hoping for entrance into some of the country’s most prestigious medical and engineering colleges. Read Article
Manual Scavenging: The Unending Pain of India's Sewer Workers
BBC News Gujarati - Roxy Gagdekar Chhara
Anjana's husband died of asphyxiation while cleaning a sewer.
In a dimly lit hut in the western Indian state of Gujarat, Anjana cradles her baby boy, her eyes welling up as she says he is named after his father.
Anjana's husband Umesh Bamaniya died in April, 10 days before his son was born, while cleaning a choked sewer - a job that would've earned him 2,000 rupees (£19; $24). His body, enveloped in sewage, was retrieved from a manhole in Gujarat's Tharad town. He was just 23 years old.
The loss of her husband, the family's breadwinner, has left Anjana devastated. "How will I raise my children and educate them?" she asks. Read Article
South China Sea: Biden Says US Will Defend the Philippines if China Attacks
BBC News - Joel Guinto
Rising tensions in the South China Sea have led to a boat collision.
US President Joe Biden has warned China that the US will defend the Philippines in case of any attack in the disputed South China Sea.
The comments come days after two collisions between Filipino and Chinese vessels in the contested waters.
Mr Biden reiterated his "ironclad" defence commitment to the Philippines. Read Article
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Africa, Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia |
Edgar Lungu: Ex-Zambia President Makes Political Comeback
BBC News - Kennedy Gondwe
To the full-throated cheers of his supporters, Zambia's former President Edgar Lungu has announced that he is making a political comeback.
He retired from politics in 2021 after suffering a crushing defeat in a presidential election.
After six years in office he left the country heavily in debt and with a precarious economy.
But Mr Lungu is now aiming to capitalise on growing dissatisfaction with his successor, Hakainde Hichilema. Read Article
Ghana Power Crisis: Limited Gas Supply Triggers Nationwide Power Outage
BBC News, Accra & Nairobi - Favour Nunoo & Wycliffe Muia
The outage follows days of intermittent power cuts in parts of Ghana.
Many parts of Ghana were plunged into darkness due to a lack of gas to power machinery used to generate electricity in the country.
Power distribution firm Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) says the situation has caused "a supply gap of 550MW at peak time" at Tema power plant, near the capital, Accra. Read Article
Russia Hikes Interest Rates to 15% as Inflation Soars
BBC News - Tom Espiner, Business Reporter
Russia's central bank has put up its key interest rate to 15% to try to curb inflation and bolster a weak rouble.
The higher-than-expected rate hike of two percentage points raises borrowing costs for the fourth time in a row.
Globally the pace of price rises has been high, in part due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Inflation in Russia hit 6% in September. Read Article
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Proactive Technologies' Project Partners |
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Frank J. Gibson Consulting |
"One thing is certain... nothing is certain!"
The rate of change affecting work, the worker, management and the educational institutions that service all three has been accelerating - made worse by the unexpected Covid-19 pandemic. The economy, the consumer, supply chains and operational strategies have all been disrupted in the short-term, casting doubt on the long-term.
Rapid adaptation is the key to survivability, sustainability and growth. Sometimes an experienced outside advisor can help facilitate needed improvements to take the worry out of change and the fear out of growth. Frank J. Gibson Management and Workforce Excellence Advisor
- Business Development & Growth
- Workforce Development and Optimization
- Training and Cross-Training
- Local,/Regional Workforce Development Projects and Community Development
- Facilitated Problem Solving
- Process Improvement Cross-Functional Leadership Coaching and Mentoring
- Internship and Apprenticeship Projects
- Strategic Doing/Strategic Planning
Copyright © 2023 Frank J. Gibson
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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PTI Systems
International, Inc.™
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- Affiliated with Proactive Technologies, Inc. for projects outside the United States;
- Workforce development partner for employers, and education/ training providers who support employers, to ensure every worker can be trained to full job mastery;
- Experienced with governmental, IDB, GIZ and economic development agency sponsored projects;
- Experienced in assuring multinational employers expanding to the U.S. have the skilled workforce they need.
- PTI Systems International sets-up complete worker development and performance management systems, and provides technical implementation support;
- We provide strategies for our project's transition to local management.
- Speakers for seminars and conferences.
Don't complain about a "skills gap," deliberately develop every worker to full job mastery!
© 2018-23 PTI Systems International, Inc.™
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“The greatest waste … is failure to use the abilities of people…to learn about their frustrations and about the contributions that they are eager to make”
American engineer, statistician,
professor, author, lecturer, and
management consultant
1900 - 1993
“The simultaneous rise of both the working poor and non-working rich offers further evidence that earnings no longer correlate with effort.”
American professor, author, lawyer, political commentator and former Secretary if Labor
1946 –
“American inequality didn't just happen. It was created.”
American New Keynesian economist, public policy analyst, professor at Columbia University. He is a recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences and the John Bates Clark Medal.
1943 –
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U.S. Department of Commerce - Bureau of Economic Analysis |
U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services
The U.S. monthly international trade deficit decreased in August 2023 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit decreased from $64.7 billion in July (revised) to $58.3 billion in August as exports increased and imports decreased. The goods deficit decreased $5.5 billion in August to $84.5 billion. The services surplus increased $1.0 billion in August to $26.2 billion. Read Report .
U.S. International Transactions, 2nd Quarter 2023
The U.S. current-account deficit narrowed by $2.4 billion, or 1.1 percent, to $212.1 billion in the second quarter of 2023, according to statistics released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The revised first-quarter deficit was $214.5 billion. The second-quarter deficit was 3.2 percent of current-dollar gross domestic product, up less than 0.1 percent from the first quarter. Read Report
New Foreign Direct Investment in the United States
The statistics on new foreign direct investment in the United States provide information on the acquisition, establishment, and expansion of U.S. business enterprises by foreign direct investors. Read Report
Activities of U.S. Affiliates of Foreign Multinational Enterprises, 2021
Majority-owned U.S. affiliates of foreign multinational enterprises employed 7.94 million workers in the United States in 2021, a 2.9 percent increase from 7.71 million workers in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). These affiliates accounted for 6.2 percent of total private-industry employment in the United States in 2021.Read Report
Direct Investment by Country and Industry 2022
The U.S. direct investment abroad position, or cumulative level of investment, increased $212.2 billion to $6.58 trillion at the end of 2022 from $6.37 trillion at the end of 2021, according to statistics released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The increase reflected a $172.8 billion increase in the position in Europe, primarily in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. By industry, manufacturing affiliates had the largest increase.
The direct nvestent in the United States position increased $216.8 billion to $5.25 trillion at the end of 2022 from $5.04 trillion at the end of 2021. The increase mainly reflected a $142.2 billion increase in the position from Europe, with the largest increases from the United Kingdom and Germany. By industry, affiliates in manufacturing and wholesale trade accounted for the majority of the increase. Read Report
BEA International Trade and Investment Country Facts
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U.S. Department of Commerce - Bureau of the Census |
Monthly Wholesale Trade
August 2023 sales of merchant wholesalers were $662.3 billion, up 1.8 percent (+/- 0.5 percent) from last month. End-of-month inventories were $900.2 billion, down 0.1 percent (+/- 0.4 percent)* from last month.
August 2023: -0.1* % Change in Inventories; July 2023 I: -0.3 % Change in Inventories. Read Report
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Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development |
U.S. Data versus the World
Find, compare and share the latest OECD data: charts, maps, tables and related publications. Access Data
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International Trade in Services
Trade in services records the value of services exchanged between residents and non-residents of an economy, including services provided through foreign affiliates established abroad. This indicator is measured in million USD and percentage of GDP for exports, imports and net trade. Services include transport (both freight and passengers), travel, communications services (postal, telephone, satellite, etc.), construction services, insurance and financial services, computer and information services, royalties and license fees, other business services (merchanting, operational leasing, technical and professional services, etc.), cultural and recreational services, and government services not included in the list above. Trade in services drives the exchange of ideas, know-how and technology, although it is often restricted by barriers such as domestic regulations. All OECD countries compile their data according to the 2008 System of National Accounts (SNA). Access Data and Tables
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If Companies Are Leaving China, Where Are They Going, And Why? |
Coalition for a Prosperous America – Kenneth Rapoza
Are companies really leaving their China partners behind, and if so…why are they leaving? Is it export restrictions making life too complicated for certain product lines? Is it the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention law that makes pretty much any business operating in Xinjiang carry a red flag for importers? What about tariffs? Are companies leaving because of the imposition of Section 301 tariffs set in 2018?
Dan Harris poses these questions and gets answers to them every day. The (mostly) Seattle-based attorney at the Harris Bricken law firm helps companies do business in China, and leave it if they must. He errs on the side of leaving. Harris says that while companies are removing supply chains from mainland China, his biggest recommendation is to move to Mexico. “Some companies, though, are definitely coming here,” he says, fresh off a trip to Mexico City, a city he says keeps getting better for business and for lifestyle. Some reshoring is happening, too. “Those people that are reshoring already had some manufacturing capacity In the U.S,” he says.
One of the most interesting takes from the interview was that it’s not export restrictions, forced labor issues, or even tariffs (seeing how the markup on some goods coming from China is astronomical, and the dollar is so overvalued against the yuan). Harris says that what really lights a firecracker under the seats of decision-makers these days is Taiwan. Read Article
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U.S. Attracting FDI From European Manufacturers |
Area Development – Michael Johnson, Shareholder, Baker Donelson, Sebastian Meis, Shareholder, Baker Donelson
High energy prices and bureaucracy at home, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain demands are among the factors spurring European companies to expand or relocate operations to the United States.
Due to record-high energy prices and economic instability in Europe, many European manufacturers are looking to the U.S. market for relief and are considering shifting production to the states. To seize this opportunity and attract foreign direct investment (FDI) for U.S. sites, it is essential to understand the reasons behind this trend and the challenges European companies face when relocating.
For over a decade, European companies have been eyeing manufacturing in the U.S. Recent developments induced more and more European companies to plan on expanding their production in U.S. facilities or to relocate their manufacturing to the U.S. altogether — especially for products requiring energy-intensive manufacturing.
Between 2014 and 2020, European FDI in the U.S. increased by over 40 percent, rising to $3.19 trillion in 2021. For instance, 93 percent of German companies plan to grow their U.S. investments in the next three years, with construction, infrastructure, and industrial manufacturing industries leading the charge, according to the German American Chambers of Commerce. Read Article
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German Exports in August Drop More Than Expected |
DeutscheWelle
Europe has been grappling with high inflation and an industrial slowdown, and weakening demand from China has taken its toll on Germany’s export-oriented economy. However, the country’s trade surplus saw a modest rise.
German exports fell by 1.2% in August compared to the previous month, according to figures from the federal statistics agency Destatis.
Analysts interviewed by FactSet Research had predicted a smaller decrease of 1%.
Exports in August totaled €127.9 billion ($134.5 billion), Destatis said. This represented a year-on-year decrease of 5.8%.
Imports were down 0.4% compared with the previous month, totaling €111.4 billion. The country’s trade surplus saw a modest rise, up to €16.6 billion. Read Article
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Is Industrial Policy Making a Comeback? |
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH – Council on Foreign Relations, Anshu Siripurapu and Noah Berman
The threat of climate change and the rise of China have prompted renewed debate about the U.S. government’s role in shaping the economy.
Summary
Industrial policy refers to government efforts to support particular industries that are considered strategically important, such as semiconductors.
It has been employed in many countries, including the United States, though it fell out of favor in the 1980s. Some experts warn that, done poorly, it can backfire.
The Joe Biden administration has supported advanced manufacturing to contend with worsening climate change, tumult in global supply chains, and China’s economic rise.
Introduction
As the United States confronts a series of challenges—climate change, global supply chain instability, and the rise of China foremost among them—experts are again debating the role of industrial policy, or government support for industries that are deemed strategically important. Read Article
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Trade and Development Report 2023 |
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH – UNCTAD
UNCTAD’s Trade and Development Report 2023 warns that the global economy is stalling, with growth slowing in most regions compared with last year and only a few countries bucking the trend. In the chapter “Food Commodities, Corporate Profiteering and Crises: Revisiting the International Regulatory Agenda” the report highlights the stark contrast between the surging profits of commodity trading giants and the widespread food insecurity of millions stating that unregulated activity within the commodities sector contributes to speculative price increases and market instability, exacerbating the global food crisis. Download Report
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Supporting U.S. Manufacturing: CPA Member CEO Arnold Kamler On Walmart’s ‘The Huddle’ Podcast |
Coalition for a Prosperous America
Last week, America celebrated National Manufacturing Day (organized by The Manufacturing Institute) to recognize the country’s robust manufacturing industry, highlight the vital contributions of our MFG workers, and raise awareness to the challenges facing producers in an ever-changing economic environment.
Over the last 25 years, the U.S. has lost virtually its entire bike manufacturing industry, while China has become the world’s dominant manufacturer of bikes, e-bikes and bike parts.
The disappearance of the U.S. bike manufacturing industry has proven to be a huge loss for regions where the industry was a major employer, including parts of Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. It’s also a warning for other industries in the crosshairs of China’s industrial growth plans, such as semiconductors and automobiles. Read Article and Hear Podcast
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7 Ways to Strengthen Leadership Succession and Development |
HR Dive – Fran Maxwell, Managing Director Global Lead, People Advisory and Organizational Change & Johnny Martinez, Director People Advisory and Organizational Change
Mindful of the links between leadership-talent quality and leadership succession and development programs, corporate boards are asking chief human resources officers (CHROs) tough questions about the efficacy of these capabilities. While boards want to know more about succession plans, many rising leaders and other high-potential (HiPo) employees don’t know enough about their own advancement pathways and development opportunities.
Human Resources (HR) leaders should move swiftly to close this knowledge gap by identifying and remediating shortcomings that hamstring many succession and development programs, and by considering the adoption of higher-caliber leadership succession and development practices. The most prevalent inadequacies include: Read Article
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How to Break China’s Hold on Batteries and Critical Minerals |
Foreign Policy – Brian Deese, a fellow at MIT and former director of the U.S. National Economic Council, and Jason Bordoff, a columnist at Foreign Policy and a dean at the Columbia Climate School.
The security of clean energy is easier to manage than the security of oil.
The rapid growth of electric vehicle sales finally makes real the prospect of curbing the United States’ addiction to oil, as former President George W. Bush called it, limiting climate change, and reducing the geopolitical influence of petrostates such as Russia. Yet concerns about China’s dominance of the supply chains for Evs have prompted some to warn against swapping energy insecurity in oil for insecurity in the minerals and metals used to make EV batteries. This January, for example, a resolution introduced in the Wyoming state legislature called for ending the sale of Evs by 2035, citing threats to mineral supplies as one of the justifications.
While supply chain concerns are justified, the United States should view critical minerals as a challenge that can be solved with diplomacy, investment, and innovation—not an excuse for delaying electrification and clean energy deployment. In reality, the risks of import dependence for energy storage needs are not nearly as severe as those for oil, for at least three reasons. Read Article
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Nearshoring: U.S., Mexico Announce New Tax Incentives |
Holland & Knight Alert – Turenna Ramirez Ortiz, Eugenio Grageda, Rodolfo Rueda, Francisco J. Sanchez
The advent of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), along with recent disruptions to global supply chains, has generated opportunities once again to relocate business and manufacturing operations closer to the U.S., also known as nearshoring.
The Mexican government, through its Department of Treasury, published an executive order to promote investments in Mexico due to the nearshoring phenomenon through tax incentives for export-oriented industries.
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has recognized that U.S.-Mexico total trade in goods and services surpassed US$864 billion in 2022, an all-time high. Into 2023 (year-to-date through July), Mexico has become the largest partner of the U.S. for total trade in goods. Read Article
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Time to Consider Supply Chain Reshoring? |
Deloitte
It may lower supply chain risks and up supply chain resilience
Complex supply chains that have long been financially worthwhile for many organizations are today getting a hard look. Rising global wages, lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and higher sustainability expectations are among the factors pushing leaders to consider supply chain reshoring or nearshoring. Who should be considering this closer-to-customers strategy and what questions should they be asking?
The changing supply chain landscape
In just a few years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the factors that drive corporate supply chain decisions have dramatically shifted. For decades, the default view favored globalization—the creation of increasingly complex supply relationships spanning the globe to tap lower labor costs and other competitive advantages. This has given way to a new decision landscape that puts a higher value on supply chain resilience, reflects ongoing changes in production and transportation costs, and in some cases dictates a closer-to-customers strategy. Read Article
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USTR Katherine Tai Says U.S. Will No Longer Support WTO Data Storage Proposal |
Coalition for a Prosperous America - Kenneth Rapoza
The U.S. is stepping away from World Trade Organization (WTO) objectives long-sought for by Big Tech.
Countries around the world are increasingly legislating requirements requiring that their citizens’ data be stored domestically. Big tech understandably doesn’t want to rebuild its server network in every country and has been enlisting USTR for years to push that agenda.
On Wednesday, the USTR, led by Amb. Katherine Tai, told WTO members that are party to the joint initiative on digital trade that the U.S. was no longer supporting the unpopular proposal. Despite the revolving door between Big Tech and former government employees, the USTR seems to have done them no favors on this one. Read Article
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Education And Workforce Development News |
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Washington Watch: Borrower Defense Claims Show Up at Community Colleges |
Community College Daily News – David Baime and Kathryn Gimborys
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) staff are receiving reports from community colleges across the country that the U.S. Education Department (ED) has notified them of former students who previously took out federal loans and have filed “borrower defense” claims against their institution.
The notices are delivered to the chief executive officer of the institution as well as the student aid office and, understandably, create anxiety. While the direct financial impact of these claims will likely be limited, the administrative effort entailed in processing them is another matter, and, as described below, the regulatory framework concerning more recent filings remains uncertain. Read Article
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ED Releases New Gainful Employment Rule |
Community College Daily News – Daily Staff
The Biden administration on Wednesday late afternoon released final regulations to protect college students against certificate programs that leave them with unaffordable debt or no improvement to their earnings. The regulations also aim to provide students with more information to make decisions on enrolling in programs.
Editor’s note: This article presents a general overview of the news regulations. The American Association of Community Colleges will provide a more in-depth analysis in the coming days.
The revamped Gainful Employment (GE) rule will apply to certificate programs at all higher education institutions, as well as degree programs at private for-profit colleges. The goal is to shield students from career training programs that leave graduates with unaffordable loan payments or earnings no better than what someone with a high school diploma earns in their state, according to an Education Department (ED) fact sheet. Read Article
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New Report by UNESCO, World Bank and ILO Says Technical and Vocational Education and Training Must Improve to Meet Skills and Labour Mismatch |
UNESCO
Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) systems in many low- and middle-income countries do not match skills and labour market needs and are unprepared to meet the large rise in demand for TVET in the coming years, according to a new joint study by the World Bank, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Launched ahead of World Youth Skills Day (15 July), the Building Better Formal TVET Systems: Principles and Practice in Low- and Middle-Income Countries report is the first rigorous global analysis of TVET challenges and reforms in developing economies. Read Release
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Diversifying Aerospace: Promoting Women in STEM |
Area Development – Leshia Pearson, Deputy Director. Aerospace & Defense, Oklahoma Department of Commerce
Promoting initiatives to educate young people on STEM opportunities, while closing the gender gap, will spur the growth of the U.S. aerospace/aviation sector.
According to the new 2023 Women in Tech report, 45 percent of women technologists say they are outnumbered by men in the workplace by 75 percent or more — a significant increase from the 25 percent who said the same in 2021. This is particularly the case within the aerospace industry. From stereotypes to biases, there is an undeniable perception of this male-dominated field that undermines the potential for female success. Breaking these patterns is crucial to empowering women in STEM and closing the gender gap.
In terms of STEM majors, only around 21 percent of engineering majors and around 19 percent of computer and information science majors are women, according to the American Association of University Women. In the aerospace workforce, as of 2021, 13.4 percent of the workforce is made up of women. According to the Pilot Institute, female pilots account for 9.57 percent of the total, with only 6.34 percent of that percentage being non-student female pilots. Read Article
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US Accounting Degree Graduates Plunge 7.4% |
CFO Dive – Jim Tyson, Senior Reporter
Students snub accounting for reasons ranging from comparatively low pay to tough requirements for certification, according to financial executives.
Dive Brief:
- The number of students who graduated at the end of the 2021-2022 academic year with a degree in accounting plunged 7.4% compared with the prior period, accelerating a six-year trend of declining entrants into the profession.
- The number of graduates who received a bachelor’s degree fell 7.8% compared with the 2020-2021 period, while those earning a master’s degree declined 6.4%, according to a survey by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. At the conclusion of the 2020-2021 academic year, the number of bachelor’s and master’s degrees awarded fell 2.8% and 4.7%, respectively, compared with the prior period.
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“We’re still on a downward trajectory for accounting graduates, although it’s worthwhile to note that U.S. university enrollment and earned degrees collectively shrank during this period,” Jan Taylor, the AICPA’s academic in residence, said in a statement. Read Article
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Gauging Youth on Non-degree Options |
Community College Daily News – Staff
Interest among youth in alternatives to college degrees continues to grow, but a new survey indicates many young people don’t know much about non-degree options or how to determine their quality.
The survey from American Student Assistance and Jobs for the Future examines non-college-bound youth’s perspectives on education and career plans. What it finds is that there is an increased interest in non-degree pathway programs — apprenticeships, boot camps, licenses, certificates and certifications — but a lack of understanding about those programs appears to be a barrier.
For example, two in three Gen Z youth who did not pursue a non-degree education pathway indicated they would have considered this option if they had known more about it, according to a report on the findings. Also, nearly a quarter of survey respondents said their need to focus on work is a barrier to pursuing a pathway program, even though there are programs that offer opportunities to earn while they learn. Read Article
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The Relationship Between Teacher Intentions, Turnover, Behavior, and School Conditions |
Brookings Institution – Erica Harbatkin Assistant Professor, Florida State University; Tuan D. Nguyen Associate Professor, School of Education, Kansas State University
Research using statewide administrative data has shown teacher turnover climbed in 2021 and 2022
in several states, raising concerns that the worst could be yet to come.
Teachers who say they plan to leave their schools—either to transfer or leave education—typically
do leave their school within three years.
Teacher intentions—and, to a lesser extent, eventual turnover—are largely driven by school
organizational conditions and organizational commitment. Read Article
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Community College Daily News – Dennis Pierce
In thinking about traditional funding models that give public tax dollars to colleges based solely on enrollment, Choi Halladay is reminded of a famous quote from the legendary college basketball coach John Wooden: “Never mistake activity for achievement.”
Halladay, who is the deputy executive director of business operations for the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, believes funding colleges based partly on their performance is a better approach because it incentivizes colleges to create opportunities for students and rewards their success. Read Article
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Inside a New Effort to Vet Credential Providers |
HR Dive – Natalie Schwartz, Editor
The Higher Learning Commission recently launched an initiative called the Credential Lab, which will implement an evaluation model for content providers.
Students looking to gain new skills have a staggering number of options they can pursue these days. About 1.1 million credentials are available in the U.S., and some three-fifths of those are from nonacademic providers, one recent tally found.
Moreover, it can be easier to access credentials from nonacademic providers like LinkedIn and Microsoft than traditional providers, a group of authors argued in a 2022 white paper for the Higher Learning Commission, or HLC, an accrediting agency. Read Article
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Training And Organizational Development News |
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Employers See $7 ROI for Every $1 Spent on Leadership Programs, Report Says |
HR Dive – Carolyn Crist
Leadership development investment varies by industry, including the amount and who receives training and coaching.
When businesses invest in coaching programs for employees, the average return on investment (ROI) is $7 for every $1 spent on leadership development, according to a Sept. 21 report from BetterManager, a leadership development platform, and research firm The Fossicker Group.
The ROI appears to stem from increased revenue and sales as a result of leadership development participation, as well as cost savings through higher employee retention and lower recruiting costs.
“Countless qualitative studies have shown that the benefits of leadership development ripple out across the entire organization,” John Topping, president and COO of BetterManager, said in a statement. Read Article
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Bosses are Getting Gen Z’s Skills Deficit All Wrong: The Generation Says its Hard, Not Soft, Skills They Need to Learn |
MSN – Fortune, Chloe Berger
Most of us have fibbed once or twice about being proficient in Excel or Powerpoint to get a job, only to later learn the skill on the clock and get a couple grey hairs while at it. But Gen Z feels it doesn’t need to be that way, if only they were better trained for the skills employers want.
While much ado has been made about Gen Z needing to sharpen their soft skills in the wake of the pandemic, if you ask them, that’s not really where the issue lies. They’re more focused on catching up on increasingly important technical abilities. Nearly half (48%) said they want more hard skills training at work, compared to the 33% who said they want more soft skills training, finds Adobe’s newly-released survey of more than 1,000 Gen Zers. Read Article
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American Machinist – Alexandria Trusov
If you’re planning to announce a change, recognize that how you communicate a change will help ensure that your colleagues and customers accept it – and even embrace it.
I’ve got two marketing secrets that will help non-marketers grow their businesses:
1) Marketing is not about selling, it is about communication. And most frequently, marketing is about communicating a change.
2) People do not like change.
No one wants to know about your policy change or new website, or anything your company is doing that represents a change to them – including the new product you’re offering to replace the supplier and process they have in place – unless, of course, the change was their idea.
“Forced” change is scary and destabilizing on an emotional level that we don’t often associate with business. But the truth is that every business is made up of people: people who work for the business and people who buy from it. Read Article
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Better Continuous Improvement Through GAPS: Go See, Ask, Pause, Study |
IndustryWeek – Katie Anderson
Four consistent habits that effective leaders practice to foster greater engagement and problem-solving
Leaders want their organizations to stay relevant, survive and thrive and solve important problems for their customers, the organization and work processes.
From large corporations such as Toyota and General Electric to small family-owned manufacturing companies, these leaders know that a problem-solving culture and a focus on people development is the way to achieve business results.
But what does a culture of continuous improvement really look like—one where people are engaged in and capable of problem-solving at all levels, every day? Read Article
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Slack’s ‘Ranger Week’ of Training Could Represent a Growing Trend |
HR Dive – Ryan Golden, Senior Reporter
Organizations have begun to realize the need for a more targeted approach to build in-demand skills, a source told HR Dive.
Slack relieved employees of some duties last week in order to dedicate time toward achieving “Ranger status” on parent company Salesforce’s Trailhead platform in a move that could become a more common feature of learning and development programs.
Ranger status represents one of the many ranks employees can obtain on Trailhead. According to Salesforce, Ranger rank is obtained by earning a combination of 100 badges and 50,000 points by completing modules and challenges that cover a variety of subjects, but Trailhead is primarily used to train workers on Salesforce tools and technology. Read Article
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Are You Setting the Right Trajectory? |
IndustryWeek – Dan Markovitz
Here are two major considerations that will dramatically affect your problem-solving.
Books devoted to problem-solving emphasize the importance of deeply understanding the problem before implementing countermeasures. Many of them (including mine!) cite Charles Kettering’s maxim that “A problem well-framed is a problem half-solved.” But what, precisely, is a “well-framed” problem? I’ve written before about some of the obvious errors to avoid—couching a solution in the form of a problem, and relying in generalities instead of specifics. Now let’s talk about the importance of word choice.
Full disclosure: As a college English major and former high school English teacher, I’m predisposed to focus on the power of language. But this isn’t just a matter of quibbling over semantics. Words matter. They set the trajectory of our problem-solving voyage. A small change in word choice can lead us to an entirely different set of countermeasures, just as surely as a small change in angle will send a satellite hurtling into outer space instead of useful orbit. Read Article
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Turning Shop-Floor Workers into Leaders Takes Patience, Coaching and Mentoring |
IndustryWeek – Carl Livesay
It’s important to realize that there are underlying factors contributing to a person’s readiness to learn and take on new tasks.
In this tight labor market, workforce development is required of every company. But how do you develop your team? Patience, coaching and mentoring are especially important. Let’s look at all three in action.
Patience involves not making snap judgments about your employees, but rather taking the time to observe and understand them, and realize that there are underlying factors contributing to a person’s readiness to learn and take on new tasks. Things like:
1. Family and personal situations. As leaders, we do not know what our team members are exposed to when they leave work. Read Article
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Access Proactive Technologies' Recent "Proactive Technologies Workforce News" Article Quicklinks |
Located on the left panel below, this includes articles on structured worker development, achieving worker "full job mastery," engineering/quality/safety compliance, ISO/TS/AS quality program support and compliance, and many other contemporary worker development and management topics. |
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Recent Proactive Technologies News Article Quicklinks |
Recent Proactive Technologies News Article Quicklinks
October
by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc.
by Stacey Lett, Director of Operations - Eastern U.S. - Proactive Technologies, Inc.
Proactive Technologies, Inc. - Staff
by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc.
September
by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc.
by Stacey Lett, Director of Operations – Eastern U.S. – Proactive Technologies, Inc.
by Proactive Technologies, Inc. – Staff
by Proactive Technologies, Inc. – Staff
by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc.
August
by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc.
by Stacey Lett, Director of Operations - Eastern U.S. - Proactive Technologies, Inc.
by Frank Gibson, Workforce Development Advisor, retired from The Ohio State University – Alber Enterprise Center
by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc.
by Proactive Technologies, Inc. Staff
July
By Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc.
by Stacey Lett, Director of Operations – Eastern U.S. – Proactive Technologies, Inc.
by Randy Toscano, Jr., MSHRM, Executive Director of Human Resources, Paris Regional Medical Center
by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc.
by Proactive Technologies, Inc. - Staff
June
by Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc.
by Stacey Lett, Director of Operations - Eastern U.S. - Proactive Technologies, Inc.
by Frank Gibson, Workforce Development Advisor, retired from The Ohio State University – Alber Enterprise Center
by Proactive Technologies, Inc. - Staff
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Proactive Technologies, Inc. Partners With Educational Institutions, Workforce/Economic
Development Groups, Government Agencies
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Structured on-the-job training attracts and engages employers in workforce development partnerships...some projects sustainable for more than 18 years!
This creates a steady need for your related technical instruction, services and a pathway for employment.
These partnerships:
- enhance your institution's opportunity to market your products and services to incumbent workers;
- allow your organization to include structured on-the-job training as a capstone to preemployment preparation;
- document a trainee-to worker's increasing value to the employer - the key to retention - rather than leaving it to chance;
- properly aligns workforce development resources and maximizes the impact and results; allows you to engage an employer's facility, equipment and staff in the training process;
- provides the best, sustainable infrastructure for apprenticeships and internships that last!
- is a win for the trainee, win for the worker, win for the employer, win for the institution and win for the community!
This approach has continued to prove itself since 1988, and does not compete with your school's or agency's products and services; it adds to your efforts the clear, tangible, measurable advantage that employers seek.
Copyright © 2015 - 2023 Proactive Technologies, Inc.™ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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Tri-Rivers Career Center - Adult Education provides lifelong, continuous learning for a diverse adult population. We utilize practical skills with an eye toward technological advancement.
We partner with state agencies and employers to provide targeted skill development to future and incumbent workers.
Our RAMTEC (Robotic and Advanced Manufacturing Technology Education Collaborative) facility - one of many throughout the state - offers advanced technical training in specialized areas such as robotics, robotic welding, and engineering technology.
Copyright © 2022 Tri-Rivers Career Center - Adult Education - RAMTEC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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PROACTIVE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. CLIENT SERVICES |
To supplement onsite PROTECH™ system of managed human resource development classes, these regularly scheduled webinars are available to the registered staff of clients:
- Structured On-The-Job Training Instructor Certification
- Structured On-The Job Training Checklist Administrator Certification
- Management Structured On-The-Job Training Project Support Briefing
- Integrating Support for Plant-Wide ISO/AS/IATF Quality and Safety Systems with PROTECH Workforce Development System
- Supporting "Pay-For-Value" Systems
- Promoting Continuous Process Improvement While Implementing the PROTECH System for the Accelerated Transfer of Expertise™
- PROTECH Onsite Lead Trainer and System Administrator Certification
Contact US t o attend one of these seminars and we will send you an e-reservation. Include your client ID, name and user ID number and which webinar you would like to attend.
Copyright © 2019-23 Proactive Technologies, Inc.™ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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Hyundai, Kia Recall 3 Million Cars in US Over Fire Risk |
IndustryWeek – Agence France-Presse
The problem comes from an issue with the vehicles’ anti-lock brake systems (ABS), “which could leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short,” the NHTSA said.
South Korean car manufacturers Hyundai and Kia are issuing recalls for 3.3 million vehicles in the United States due to their risk of suddenly catching fire, regulators announced Wednesday.
“Until these recalled vehicles have been repaired... the safest place to park them is outside and away from homes and other structures,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a statement.
“Fires can occur whether the vehicle is parked and turned off or while driving.”
The vehicles in question include 1.64 million from Hyundai and Genesis, concerning 2010 to 2015 models, and 1.73 million Kias, ranging from 2010 to 2017. Read Article
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The Productivity Imperative: Companies Sharpen Their Focus on Continuous Improvement |
IndustryWeek – Geert De Lombaerde
Across industries, digitization and other investments are spurring gains. Up next: An AI-driven boom.
A productivity boom? In this economy?
Three years after word began spreading about an illness called COVID-19, the U.S. economy has largely digested supply chain, labor and inflation shocks. But neither businesses nor their workers have declared the all-clear: The latest Chief Executive survey of leaders reveals a far more negative outlook for 2024 versus early summer while a new study from the Employee Benefit Research Institute shows a majority of workers remain anxious about work-life balance and other quality-of-life issues.
Despite the progress made since the depths of the pandemic, some sand remains in the gears of the economy that would normally delay notable productivity gains—even if 2024 brings more growth and no recession. Read Article
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Endless Control Possibilities for Ceramic Grinding |
American Machinist – Del Williams
As tolerances become tighter and production requirements more demanding, shops can take advantage of advanced automation to meet productivity targets – even as experienced operators retire.
Ceramic materials are used to manufacture a range of industrial, commercial, and consumer products. With hard ceramics, grinding is essential process to achieve close tolerances. Some materials’ exceptionally hard, dense, and brittle characteristics mean that ceramics require specialized precision grinding to achieve required tolerances.
However, due to the brittleness of ceramics, particular care must be taken to avoid surface damage, edge chipping, and pitting, as well as microcracks and fissures that can render a workpiece useless.
Modern rotary surface grinders offer sensors and controls that contribute to achieving tighter dimensional tolerances, flatness, parallelism, and surface finish in much less time. Read Article
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What’s the Deal with Hydrogen? |
IndustryWeek – Eryn Devola
A look at potential applications of hydrogen as an alternative fuel, and the hurdles around storage, engineering and cost.
Decarbonization and sustainability programs are happening in nearly every process, company and industry around the world. And this change continues to accelerate—whether due to financial incentives to do more with less, growing environmental regulations or pressure from customers.
Although there are many tiers of responses to this challenge, most often they involve removing the combustion of hydrocarbons. Some businesses are looking to electrification to become sustainable, relying on battery technologies to meet their energy storage demands. Read Article
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Start-up to Open World’s First Factory for Humanoid Robots |
Assembly Magazine
SALEM, OR—Agility Robotics will soon open a new factory here to produce its bipedal humanoid robot Digit. Dubbed RoboFab, the factory will be able to produce more than 10,000 robots per year.
Initial construction of Agility’s 70,000 square foot factory began last year, and it is set to open later this year. Agility anticipates that the factory will produce hundreds of Digit robots in its first year of operation. At full capacity, RoboFab will employ more than 500 workers. The factory will also employ the Digit robot for moving, loading and unloading totes. Read Article
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Antarctica is Melting and We All Need to Adapt, a Trio of Climate Analyses Show |
NPR – Rebecca Hersher
At its most expansive, Antarctic sea ice covers an area the size of Antarctica itself, doubling the size of the frozen continent. But the winter sea ice has been shrinking, and this year there was less ice than ever before, going back to when satellites started tracking annual ice extent around 1980.
A trio of new scientific analyses about the loss of ice in Antarctica paint a picture of a continent in trouble. Sea ice is disappearing, gigantic portions of the West Antarctic ice sheet are crumbling and even relatively stable East Antarctica is showing worrying changes.
That’s a problem for humanity.
Let’s begin with the sea ice. Each winter, the ocean water around Antarctica freezes. Because Antarctica is in the Southern Hemisphere, this happens during North American summer months – deep winter in Antarctica is in July, August and September. Read Article
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Q&A: This Scientist Developed a Soap That Could Help Fight Skin Cancer. He’s 14. |
NPR – Max Barnhart
Heman Bekele with the help of his 3M mentor, Deborah Isabelle (left), created a prototype soap to treat melanoma. Isabelle said of Bekele, “he’s going to continue to inspire other young people to realize that science can make a positive difference.”
3Mheman Bekele is not your typical high school student. Rather than spending his free time playing video games or staring at his phone, this 14 year-old from Fairfax, Virginia was calling professors and conducting experiments, all to invent a product he hopes could help change the world.
His goal is to create a soap that could treat skin cancer, and to make it affordable for everyone who needs it. Read Article
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Long COVID Brain Fog May Originate in a Surprising Place, Say Scientists |
NPR - Will Stone
Scientists have uncovered a possible explanation for one of COVID-19's most vexing legacies: the stubborn neurological symptoms of long COVID, such as brain fog, memory loss and fatigue.
The first clue emerged when researchers scoured the blood of long COVID patients: It was serotonin – specifically, a lack of the neurotransmitter circulating in the body — that grabbed their attention.
Their analysis revealed that having low levels of that chemical predicted whether or not someone was suffering from persistent symptoms following an infection. Read and Hear Article
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India Had an Impressive Year in Space—and It’s Just Getting Started |
Popular Science – Jon Kelvey
Up next for the Indian Space Research Organization: a Mars and Venus orbiter, crewed missions, and more.
The Indian Space Research Organization, or ISRO, is on a roll. India’s national space agency accomplished the first ever landing of a spacecraft, the Vikram lander, near the lunar south pole on August 23. On September 2, ISRO launched Aditya-L1, the agency’s first solar probe.
And on October 21, ISRO completed a successful launch abort system test for the Gaganyaan, a spacecraft India hopes will carry three national astronauts around Earth on an orbital mission by 2026. That’s an ambitious leap from uncrewed space missions, but if India succeeds, it will join a club of just three other nations that have sent their own astronauts and craft to space—Russia, the US, and China. Read Article
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Cyber Security And IT News |
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CISA Urges Use of Memory Safe Code in Software Development |
Cybersecurity Dive – David Jones, Reporter
Unsafe programming languages, like C and C++, account for more than 70% of security vulnerabilities.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is urging the software industry to embrace the use of memory safe programming languages as part of a wider effort to eliminate security vulnerabilities in code.
CISA called for the changes alongside a push to embrace secure-by-design practices during the software development stage and to increase the security of open source software.
The White House Office of the National Cyber Director in August issued a request for information on open source security, which sought input on the development of memory safe languages. Read Article
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MGM Resorts Warns Customers of Fraud as it Faces Class Action Lawsuits |
Cybersecurity Dive – David Jones, Reporter
The plaintiffs claim the company was negligent for failing to protect customer data despite prior warnings about previous attacks.
MGM Resorts is facing class action litigation in two separate lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court in Nevada in connection with the cyberattack launched against the company earlier this month.
The suits, filed Thursday, allege the company was negligent and gained unjust enrichment for failing to protect the personal data of MGM Resorts customers from the alleged social engineering attack.
The plaintiffs separately claim MGM should have been aware of the risk of attack because of prior warnings by Okta that it had been repeatedly targeted for social engineering attacks and failed to take steps necessary to protect customer data. Read Article
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Royal Lurked in Dallas’ Systems Weeks Before Ransomware Attack |
Cybersecurity Dive – Matt Kapko, Reporter
The prolific threat actor gained initial access on April 7 and stole almost 1.2 TB of data before it deployed ransomware on May 3, city officials said in a post-attack report.
The Royal ransomware group intruded Dallas’ systems and surveilled and exfiltrated data for a month before it initiated a ransomware attack that threw city operations into disarray last spring, the city said Wednesday in a post-attack report.
The prolific ransomware group, which was linked to a spree of attacks in the Dallas metro area, established a foothold in the city’s domain service account, which was connected to a server, the city’s Department of Information and Technology Services’ Risk Management, Security and Compliance Services said in the report. Read Article
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Caesars Entertainment Faces Class Action Lawsuits Following Rewards Database Hack |
Cybersecurity Dive – David Jones, Reporter
At least four separate plaintiffs allege the company was negligent for allowing their sensitive personal data to be stolen in a social engineering attack by criminal threat groups.
Caesars Entertainment is facing multiple class action lawsuits from hotel guests alleging the company was negligent for allowing their sensitive personal data to be stolen in a social engineering attack.
Caesars disclosed earlier this month that its guest rewards database was stolen after hackers launched an attack against an IT support vendor. Security researchers say the incident was part of a larger campaign by a group called Scattered Spider, which used voice phishing techniques against various organizations. Read Article
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Johnson Controls Hit by ‘Severe’ Cyberattack |
Cybersecurity Dive – Matt Kapko, Reporter
The manufacturer of industrial control systems, security systems and HVAC equipment, said it’s still assessing what information was impacted.
Johnson Controls International is responding to a cybersecurity incident that disrupted some of its internal IT infrastructure and applications, the company said Wednesday in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. While Johnson Controls did not describe the nature of the incidents, security experts are blaming a ransomware attack.
The company, founded in Milwaukee but headquartered in Cork, Ireland, manufactures industrial control systems, security systems and HVAC equipment, said it’s working to mitigate the impact of the cyberattack as it assesses what information was impacted.
Many of the company’s applications remain operational and workarounds are in place where possible, the company said. Read Article
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FBI Warning: Crooks Are Using This New Tech Support Scam |
Komando.com – Kim Komando
One of the most important parts of my job is making sure you know what criminals and cybercreeps are up to. Enough people fall for this junk — I don’t want you to be a victim, too.
The FBI is warning about tech support scams that robbed folks of a whopping $542 million in just the first half of 2023. It all starts with a notification that looks like it’s from your bank or even the government warning of a computer hack. You guessed it. They’re fake.
‘Trust me, I’m here to help’
The bad guys are running what’s known as “phantom hacker” scams. The target? Often older adults. The aim? To get them to empty their bank accounts. It’s a wicked twist on a tech support scam that’s been around for a while, where you get a pop-up warning your machine has been hacked. Read Article
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Dropbox Users Targeted by Devious New Phishing Campaign |
Tech Radar – Sead Fadilpašić
Not every email coming from Dropbox is legitimate
Cybersecurity researchers from Checkpoint have recently observed a brand new phishing campaign that abuses cloud storage platform Dropbox to get people to click on malicious links.
The campaign is widespread, “nearly impossible for email security services to stop,” and equally difficult for victims to identify, the company said in its report.
Their suggested course of action? A pinch of suspiciousness, and a lot of common sense. In the campaign, the unnamed threat actors create a Dropbox account and host a seemingly benign document. The document looks like a file from OneDrive and has a “view document” button on it, which leads the reader to a third-party host site, hosting the malicious, credential-harvesting page. Read Article
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23andMe User Data Stolen in Targeted Attack on Ashkenazi Jews |
Wired
At least a million data points from 23andMe accounts appear to have been exposed on BreachForums. While the scale of the campaign is unknown, 23andMe says it’s working to verify the data.
THE GENETIC TESTING company 23andMe confirmed on Friday that data from a subset of its users has been compromised. The company said its systems were not breached and that attackers gathered the data by guessing the login credentials of a group of users and then scraping more people’s information from a feature known as DNA Relatives. Users opt into sharing their information through DNA Relatives for others to see.
Ackers posted an initial data sample on the platform BreachForums earlier this week, claiming that it contained 1 million data points exclusively about Ashkenazi Jews. There also seem to be hundreds of thousands of users of Chinese descent impacted by the leak. On Wednesday, the actor began selling what it claims are 23andMe profiles for between $1 and $10 per account, depending on the scale of the purchase. The data includes things like a display name, sex, birth year, and some details about genetic ancestry results, like that someone is, say, of “broadly European” or “broadly Arabian” descent. It may also include some more specific geographic ancestry information. The information does not appear to include actual, raw genetic data. Read Article
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Cloud Giants Sound Alarm On Record-breaking DdoS Attacks |
Cybersecurity Dive – David Jones, Reporter
Google, AWS and Cloudflare warned the HTTP/2 Rapid Reset attacks are beyond anything ever recorded.
AWS, Cloudflare and Google observed mass exploits of a novel zero-day vulnerability used to launch distributed denial of service attacks reaching a record-breaking scale, the companies said Tuesday.
Security researchers warned threat actors are exploiting the zero-day vulnerability, HTTP/2 Rapid Reset, to launch a series of attacks. Observations of peak requests per second during the attacks varied widely between AWS, Cloudflare and Google.
Google said the attacks peaked at 398 million requests per second, surpassing the peak DdoS attack observed during 2022, which topped off at 46 million requests per second. Read Article
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“We Broke Them All” — How Researchers Broke Current Image Watermarking Protections and What it Means for a New Era of Truth-altering ‘Reality’ |
TechRadar – Keumars Afifi-Sabet
Big tech may point to watermarking to separate real from AI-generated material, but scientists have already cracked it
The tool many big tech companies are banking heavily on being able to help the public and businesses separate fact from fiction, in the context of AI’s meteoric rise, has already been undermined before it’s even taken off.
The idea of watermarking is something that companies including OpenAI, Amazon and Google have pointed to as being able to combat disinformation online. With generative AI on the rise, particularly in the form of deepfakes, it might be looked at as one way to identify what’s actually real. It’s one of the key proposals among efforts to make the usage of AI, safer and more transparent. Read Article
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Ads Getting a Little Too Targeted? Here’s How to Stop Retailers From Tracking Your Data |
USA Today – Kim Komando
If you have a pulse and an internet connection, companies want all the details they can get on what you’re willing to buy – and it’s getting harder to tell where they’re getting all that info.
Retailers can now track what customers purchase to influence their buying patterns. Loyalty programs collect data on your purchases, frequency and preferences – in exchange for deals.
Mobile apps take it a step further. If location tracking is enabled, retailers know when you’re in-store – those coupon notifications aren’t a coincidence. Read Article
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US Data Compromises Hit All-time High |
Cybersecurity Dive – Matt Kapko, Reporter
Supply-chain attacks and zero-day exploits, such as the widespread attacks against the MOVEit file-transfer service, are surging, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center.
Data breaches resulting in compromised personally identifiable information in the U.S. are at an all-time high this year, squashing a record set in 2021 with the final three months of the year yet to be recorded, according to Identity Theft Resource Center’s research released last week.
More than 2,100 organizations filed data breach notices through the first nine months of 2023, beating the previous record of 1,862 data compromises in 2021, ITRC found. Read Article
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Human Resource Management News |
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Calculating the True Cost of Unfilled Maintenance and Reliability Jobs |
Plant Services – Adrian Messer
Adrian Messer says quality, productivity, and safety all take hits the longer key roles go unfilled.
As maintenance and reliability professionals, maintaining machinery and ensuring reliable operations are paramount for achieving optimal productivity, product quality, and workplace safety. Unfilled maintenance and reliability jobs can have a profound impact on a company’s bottom line, extending far beyond the immediate job vacancy. When you begin to dive deeper into the true cost of unfilled maintenance & reliability jobs, there’s a greater void than just the lack of the person in the role. Read Article
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UAW Workers Want Work-Life Balance. It’s Exactly What the Industry Needs |
IndustryWeek – Shannon Gabriel
Enacting a more tolerable work week with better compensation could help solve some of the people problems manufacturers currently face.
The United Auto Workers strike has brought attention to work-life balance for automotive operators in a big way. And it’s high time. While many other industries have been actively addressing the issue for some time in the wake of COVID and the Great Resignation, automakers and other manufactures have lagged behind when it comes to valuing and supporting the needs of their frontline operators.
Now, they will need to catch up, and catch up fast.
Work/life balance is practically non-existent for many autoworkers.
Back in 1926, manufacturing operators were logging 100 hours a week on average. That didn’t change until the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act cut the standard work week to 44 hours a week, which later fell to 40. Read Article
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Tyson, Hormel Face Class Action Over Worker Compensation |
HR Dive – Nathan Owens, Reporter
Executives allegedly held secret meetings and “off-the-books” dinners to discuss worker pay rates, supporting a “plausible inference” of a conspiracy to suppress wages.
Dive Brief:
- Major meatpackers, including Tyson and Hormel, will face a class-action lawsuit alleging the industry conspired to suppress plant worker wages after a federal judge declined to dismiss the case.
- Chief U.S. District Judge Philip Brimmer said in a 44-page ruling last week that the case against more than a dozen meatpackers will continue after hourly workers provided evidence that companies exchanged data on future compensation, not just current wages.
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Meatpackers had argued the plant worker plaintiffs failed to provide direct or circumstantial evidence of a conspiracy, but Brimmer denied their efforts to dismiss. Spokespersons for defendants Hormel and Tyson declined to immediately comment about the case. Read Article
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Make Sure Employees Understand Benefits |
EHS Today – Staff
Employees are becoming more intentional about their benefits selection as a means of improving their overall job satisfaction.
As the workforce enters open enrollment season new research finds employees who understand their benefits are happier and have a greater sense of overall stability at work.
According to the latest data from MetLife’s Employee Benefit Trends Study, 76% of workers who understand their benefits are happy and 82% believe their benefits give them a greater sense of overall stability—versus only 47% and 52%, respectively, who don’t.
This comes as employees say “being happy” is the most important aspect of their work experience (73%), followed by doing meaningful work and being successful. Read Article
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7 in 10 Workers Say They’ve Lied On Their Resumes |
HR Dive – Carolyn Crist
Even higher percentages have lied in cover letters and job interviews, according to a new survey from ResumeLab.
About 70% of U.S. workers say they’ve lied on a resume to land a job, and 37% say they lie frequently, according to an Oct. 3 report from ResumeLab.
In addition, about 76% have lied in their cover letters, and 80% have lied during a job interview, often by embellishing skills, job responsibilities and previous job titles.
“In the competitive world of job hunting, the pressure to stand out in a candidate pool leads many people down a slippery slope — lying on their resumes. All’s fair in love, war, and recruitment, right? Wrong,” Agata Szczepanek, a career expert at ResumeLab, wrote in the report. Read and Hear Article
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Talent Advisory Board: What Does the Talent Situation for Manufacturing Really Look Like? (Part 2) |
IndustryWeek – Carl Livesay, General Manager, Mercury Plastics, Inc.
Build Teams with Fair Market Wages and Plan for the Long Term
In South Baltimore, we have noticed a steady decline in the desire for full-time employment. This is exacerbated by the abundance of government subsidies and the failure to support those who are deserving while unintentionally promoting fraud. It is particularly sad to learn that some people refuse 40 hours of work so they can remain below the threshold for one or more government funded subsidies. There are strong financial incentives for people to stay at home and not work.
The resulting lack of interest earning an honest living appears to be more prevalent in single adult males under the age of 35. In contrast, single women and single parents supporting a household have emerged as an even stronger workforce resource than before. Recently a surge in business presented an opportunity for a considerable amount of overtime. We were again surprised by the number of people who said they were simply not interested in overtime rates.
With many of the recent special government giveaway programs now ended, artificially high prices will likely start to normalize. Impulse purchases will slow down. Housing prices and interest rates will return to normal. We are hopeful that people will again be incentive to earn a livable wage at fair market value. Read Article
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Employers’ Perceptions of Employee Engagement May Differ From Reality |
HR Dive – Carolyn Crist
The mismatch may be due to a lack of worker sentiment surveys in recent years, according to a Gallagher report.
More than half of employers agree (49%) or strongly agree (9%) that their employees are highly engaged, which may not match up with reality, according to Gallagher’s 2023 Career Wellbeing Report.
For instance, about 38% of employers increased the importance of career well-being at their organizations this year, marking a 5-point year-over-year increase. However, career well-being was the least emphasized well-being initiative in 2023, falling behind employees’ emotional (74%), financial (49%) and physical (47%) well-being. Read Article
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UPS Expands Emergency Day Care After Pilot Program Cuts Turnover |
HR Dive – Emilie Shumway
Editor, The company said the pilot helped it avoid 120 unplanned absences and reduced turnover in the pilot group from 31% to 4%.
Dive Brief:
- UPS will expand an ‘emergency child care initiative’ for U.S.-based front-line workers, the company announced Tuesday. The program, a partnership with Patch Caregiving, was piloted from August 2022 through January at a Northern California site.
- According to UPS, 80% of eligible employees participated in the emergency day care program, which helped the company avoid more than 120 unplanned absences. UPS also reported a significant reduction in employee turnover in the pilot group — from 31% to 4%.
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UPS will expand the program to additional shifts at the California pilot site and some Pennsylvania facilities this quarter. It will add additional facilities in 2024. Read Article
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Workforce Equity: Employers Stuck in ‘Time Warp’ About Older Workers |
HR Dive – Ginger Christ, Reporter
Companies need to address “blind spots” and ageism in their recruiting efforts, panelists said at the Center for Workforce Inclusion’s annual Equity Summit.
As people live longer and choose to remain in the workforce longer, society needs to reevaluate its stereotypes about older workers, Elizabeth White, an author and aging solutions advocate, said Tuesday during a panel discussion at the Center for Workforce Inclusion’s annual Equity Summit.
“We’re stuck in a time warp about what it means to be an older adult. The expectation is that people stop working at 65, and that’s just not the case,” White said. “There’s a big challenge to change our framework and our perception of what it means to be an older adult.” Read and Hear Article
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The Worst of the Layoffs is Over, But Leaders Lost Employee Trust, HR Pros Say |
HR DIve - Carolyn Crist
Many employers are reportedly dealing with a perception of inconsistency, inefficacy and poor communication.
The worst of the layoff wave has passed, HR pros indicated in a recent survey, but employee trust in leadership is a little worse for the wear.
While 29% of the 200 human resource and business leaders surveyed said their companies are currently conducting or planning to conduct layoffs, that number is down from 45% this spring, according to an Oct. 17 report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Likewise, only 4% said they anticipate the need for future layoffs, down from 8%. Read Article
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Environmental, Health & Safety News |
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EHS Today - Nicole Stempak
Achieving excellence starts by asking the hard questions.
Years ago, I attended a journalism training that featured a panel of Pulitzer-prize winning reporters. As they recounted their experiences of uncovering those investigative features, I marveled at how they had time for such pursuits. Now, of course, I realize they didn’t have the time; rather, they made the time.
In our September/October print issue, we featured the 2023 class of America’s Safest Companies. After judging this competition for a few years, it’s safe to say you don’t win this award by accident. This year’s crop of winners, as in years past, stand out because they made the time and a commitment to doing the hard work. They also ask the tough questions—of themselves and of their organizations. Read Article
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OSHA, EPA Investigations Lead to Convictions in Deadly Mill Explosion Case |
EHS Today - Staff
The explosion killed 5 workers and seriously injured others.
A federal jury in Madison, Wisconsin, on Oct. 13, convicted current and former Didion Milling Inc. officials of workplace safety, environmental, fraud and obstruction of justice charges following a deadly explosion in 2017 at a corn mill that Didion Milling operated in Cambria, Wisconsin. The explosion killed five workers and seriously injured others.
Didion Milling Vice President of Operations, Derrick Clark, was convicted of conspiring to falsify documents, making false Clean Air Act compliance certifications as Didion’s “responsible official” and obstructing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) investigation of the explosion at the corn mill by making false and misleading statements during a deposition. Read Article
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New Research to Help Prevent Lone Worker Incidents |
EHS Today - Staff
Research reviews the use of worker monitoring technologies, ranging from fall detection devices and proximity sensors to mobile apps and panic alarms, in remote settings.
An estimated 15% or employees are working by themselves. And for those working in isolated environments there could be risk for serious injury, even death. Recognizing the emergence and severity of this issue, the National Safety Council released a new white paper through its Work to Zero initiative, Using Lone Worker Monitoring Technology to Protect Workers, to help employers identify and implement new solutions to keep their workers safe.
“Lone work can be beneficial for both organizations and employees, allowing for more flexibility and a greater utilization of resources, but this practice also comes with heightened risk for workers," aid Katherine Mendoza, senior director, workplace programs, NSC, in a statement.." According to a 2021 survey, nearly 70% of organizations reported a safety incident involving someone working by themselves in the past three years, and 1 in 5 of these incidents were described as ‘quite or very severe. Every employee deserves to work in an environment where safety risks are minimized, and this white paper helps business leaders do just that by providing a playbook for understanding the unique hazards isolated workers face and how industry-specific technology can be used to save lives and prevent injuries.” Read Article
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Is Financial Well-Being A Thing? |
EHS Today - Staff
Financial well-being programs are being used to increase worker satisfaction and retention, says Employee Benefit Research Institute.
With employers seeking every aspect of an employees' concerns in order to both attract and retain employees, financial well-being, it turns out, is in fact a thing.
And there is a strong business reason to provide this type of benefit for employees. A new survey out last week, Financial Wellbeing Employer Survey published by the Employee Research Institute (EBRI) found that productivity and employee satisfaction were the primary reasons for employers to offer financial wellness benefit programs.
What is driving this need for financial programs? Not surprisingly, benefits decision makers cited high costs of living as the top issue. This has in fact supplanting retirement preparedness for the first time ever. Read Article
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Having trouble finding, selecting, training and keeping the skilled workers you need? Are your employee turnover costs a concern?
Let's start with what we already know:
- Classes alone will not train workers to perform your tasks...
- Quality Control policies and Process Documents are not a substitute for task training...
- Putting 2 people together and hoping for the best is not a training strategy...
- Wishing and hoping won't develop the skilled workers you need...
The cost of one worker malperformance or one worker's under-capacity or under-performance - due to lack of proper training - can more than justify the investment to train all your workers properly!
AND, unstructured, uncontrolled, undocumented task training is going on all day, every day. But if you cannot explain the process, you surely cannot measure and improve it.
Proactive Technologies's approach to structured on-the-job training takes place where, and while, the work is performed. You need no additional staff and structured on-the-job training does not interrupt your work schedule like unstructured, haphazard and ad hoc training or classroom learning does.
You probably have most of the pieces are already in place; they just need structure around them to make the training experience work for everyone through the accelerated transfer of expertise™.
As part of every project, Proactive Technologies provides the support to set-up, implement, manage, document and revise the worker development system so you can stay focused on business.
Copyright © 2019-23 Proactive Technologies, Inc.™ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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EMPLOYERS!
If your organization sees training as a cost, not as an investment, maybe you should consider another approach!
- Cuts the employer's internal costs of training;
- Lowers the costs associated with turnover;
- Drives new-hires and incumbent workers to "full job mastery;"
- Increases worker capacity, work quality, productivity and compliance (ISO/AS/IATF training and records requirement, engineering specifications and safety mandates);
- Creates framework for cross-training, retraining and worker certification;
- Establishes the framework for employer specific/job-specific apprenticeships and internships - registered or not;
- Builds career development tracks and succession plans for hourly (and salary) workers;
- Ensures the increased and maintained "Return on Worker investment" through any type of change...
ALL OF THIS FROM ONE APPROACH!
This structured on-the-job training is performed where, and while, the work takes place!
You need no additional staff, and this will not disrupt your work schedule or burden your existing staff!
If your firm is partnered with local career and technical educational institutions, use of shared employer's equipment, facilities and paid wages of trainer(s) and trainee(s) are attractive match for potential grant assistance.
for more information.
Copyright © 2019-23 Proactive Technologies, Inc.™
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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Copyright © 1988 - 2023 Proactive Technologies, Inc.TM
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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