Experience 2020
The international work group in 2020 should go to P.S. fashion in Čačak, Serbia
PS fashion in Čačak should have been our partner company in 2020. They are producing fashion for women. But Corona stopped everything... We will see when we could start there! Hopefully soon.
............................................................................................................................................................................................
Working during Corona-times
Instead the work group members decided to work on four different topics:
1. Liquidity simulation based on Monte Carlo
2. Changing the business model in Corona-times
3. Impact of new technologies on our life / work
4. How to measure CSR
All four teams worked during spring, summer and autumn 2020 via Skype, Teams and Zoom. The first results have been presented in September and the final presentation has been on november 6th and 7th .
2020-Corona-work - here you can get the results of the teams
Final presentation on November 6th and 7th
Team 1: Liquidity Estimation with Monte Carlo Simulation
In crisis-times liquidity ist the most important factor for companies to survive. But what can you - as manager, as controller - do to better the liquidity-situation? With Monte-Carlo-Simulation you may recognise the influencing parameters. Have a look!
If you have questions about this topic please contact the team-leader Luiza Arcab, living in Warsaw, Poland; eMail: luiza.arcab{bei}gmail.com Languages: Polish and English
article: Liquidity simulation based on Monte Carlo
The final presentation of "Liquidity simulation based on Monte Carlo"
All four teams worked during spring, summer and autumn 2020 via Skype, Teams and Zoom. The first results have been presented in September and the final presentation has been on november 6th and 7th 2020.
Team 2: realising new business models in Corona-times
Everybody in a company should know the business-model. But many (most ?) companies do not reflect about this. Especially in crisis-times you should spent some time about your business-model: may we furtheron work with our business like it is or do we have to change it? Times are changing, so clients are changing ... What an important task for managers and controllers! Have a look!
If you have questions about this topic please contact the team-leader Valentin Usenkov, living in Kaliningrad, Russia; eMail: valentin{bei}usenkov.pro Languages: Russian and English
The final presentation of "Changing the business model in Corona-times"
All four teams worked during spring, summer and autumn 2020 via Skype, Teams and Zoom. The first results have been presented in September and the final presentation has been on november 6th and 7th 2020.
.
Team 3: New technologies
Times are changing, sometimes faster than we realise. New technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Hydrogene, 5G-net everywhere and 3D-Printing are changing our world. Do we have in our companies the right answer to these changes? And they will surely come... At least you should know what will happen the next 10 or 20 years to discuss in your company how to adapt the business-model. Please read the report about the possibilities of new technologies.
If you have questions about this topic please contact the team-leader Peter Janžekovič, living in Ljubljana, Slovenia; eMail: insilico.info@gmail.com Languages: Slovenian and English
Subteam: Artificial Intelligence
Subteam: Hydrogen
Subteam: 5 G
The final presentation of "New Technologies"
All four teams worked during spring, summer and autumn 2020 via Skype, Teams and Zoom. The first results have been presented in September and the final presentation has been on november 6th and 7th 2020.
.
Team 4: Give CSR a measure
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) seems to be lost a bit in our ecological- and now pandemic-oriented business-world. But CSR is more: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) describes the (still now) voluntary contribution of organisations to sustainable development that (still) goes beyond the legal requirements. CSR stands for responsible entrepreneurial action in the business activities (market), through ecologically relevant aspects (environment) to relations with employees (workplace) and the exchange with the relevant claim or interest groups (stakeholders).
In the European Union big companies have to report on their CSR-activities every year, but this are mostly nice word, no figures. What an area for controllers!
Please read the report why companies all over the world, in Europe or - as a start - your company should work with a CSR-measurement which helps you to be fit for the future:
Give CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) a measure...
If you have questions about this topic please contact the team-leader Jana Štelcer, living in Osijek, Croatia, eMail: jana.stelcer@karolina.hr Languages: Croatian and English
Here is an article about CSR and its possible measurement; afterwards you will find an EXCEL-sheet with a measurement proposal:
-
Article: Give CSR a measure [918 KB
-
EXCEL-file for CSR-measurement [241 KB
Download-Link to and presentation at Slideshare
www.slideshare.net/Friedag/how-to-measure-csr-a-proposal-by-icv-int-work-group
The final presentation of "Give CSR a measure"
All four teams worked during spring, summer and autumn 2020 via Skype, Teams and Zoom. The first results have been presented in September and the final presentation has been on november 6th and 7th 2020.
Here you can see the November-presentation of "How to measure CSR"
.
Consultant at Controlling Partner
Warsaw, Poland
eMail: edyta.szarska@controllingpartner.pl
The whole years activities have been responsible organised by our work group head in 2020, Edyta Szarska. She made a fantastic job. Thanks Edyta.
Resume: Heart or Head ?
Blog-content by Herwig Friedag:
For years, the International Controller Association has been home to many controllers interested in controlling-related topics: Some want to learn more about the latest developments in business administration, others want to learn from practical examples and colleagues. For me, the work groups are the most important thing, they are the heart of the ICV: to get practical information from colleagues, to develop new ideas together with colleagues, so that ideas and suggestions from many people can flow in. And to make friends from the cooperation. For me, the Controller Congress therefore has more the function of a meeting of friends and colleagues than a mere "knowledge transfer".
Neither the Controller Congress nor the members of the work groups were able to meet in Corona times. The ICV homepage shows (randomly) no meetings in 2020. Also (almost) no digital meetings of the work groups. What is the reason for this? Has the "working out" of more intensive relationships, of friendships not been sufficient? Right now, in the second wave of Corona, people want meetings - and it can work!
Unfortunately, the ICV board of directors has largely withdrawn from the work, and does not force alternative meetings sufficiently. Who of the work group-leaders or work group-members knows about the possibility that the ICV has a "team"-licence (also) for all work groups? It can work, here the example of the international work group (iwk):
The iwk has been in existence for five years and meets (compulsory participation!) twice a year in a different European country to gather ideas for a company, to give suggestions for better controlling and management.
More information on this can be found at: https://www.icv-controlling.com/de/arbeitskreise/international-work-group.html
In 2020, visits to the Serbian fashion manufacturer PS fashion were planned, all meetings had to be cancelled due to corona. Shortly after the decision was made, four topics were identified, which were to be dealt with by individual AK teams:
1. liquidity simulation on the basis of Monte Carlo
2. change of the business model in the Corona period
3. effects of new technologies on our life / work
4. how to measure CSR
What kind of remote communication was there: some teams met every 14 days via Skype or Zoom to exchange ideas, to discuss, to argue and to prepare a first presentation for each topic. All work group members took part. The first presentations took place on September 25th and 26th - 3 hours each for exchange and learning from the other teams. Another six weeks were spent working on the final presentations, while writing first articles about the results. On 06th and 07th November the final meeting: Impressive team results, intensive questions/answers and also hearty laughter and joy about a successful work. No head can work without a heart.
Here are the presentations: https://www.icv-controlling.com/de/arbeitskreise/international-work-group/experience-2020.html
We have come closer together again, we have learned from each other and with each other. Although without personal contact, you can also exchange warmth and cordiality via zoom. Of course, we are also looking forward to the missing hugs, chats, maybe in September 2021 in Copenhagen or Zagreb...or even Sarajevo!
Herwig Friedag
come together, work together, learn together, develop together