ZEROING IN ON CHANGE FOR HAULIERS COUNTRY: Colombia SCHOOL: Faculty of Administration, Universidad de Los Andes With the aim of driving change in the automotive freight transport (TAC) sector, Universidad de Los Andes has presented the second year of results from its GiroZero project to an audience of public and private sector representatives. “Our research and tools seek to demonstrate how the TAC can advance the transition to zero emissions and, at the same time, improve its competitiveness and performance,” explained Gordon Wilmsmeier, project lead and director of the Kühne Chair of Logistics at the Universidad de los Andes Faculty of Administration. Specifically, the project aims to provide information on the costs and benefits of adopting new technologies and practices. It also hopes to help companies improve their data analysis processes to reduce their emissions. This year’s results have culminated in the launch of the GiroZero Toolbox, oering tools and simulators that are designed to facilitate decision-making processes. Another key output is the GiroZero Roadmap, which oers the TAC a path towards becoming a zero-emission sector. In addition, two policy briefs make recommendations for achieving Colombia’s goals in relation to its adoption of the Paris Agreement and those of the country’s own National Development Plan 2022-2026. Items on the agenda for the latter encompass incentives for using zero-emission technologies and a gradual increase to the country’s carbon tax. The need to modernise vehicle fleets is also a key topic, as project researcher and professor at the Universidad de los Andes Faculty of Administration Carlos Hernández highlighted. “Our research seeks to find financial instruments that can make this… more aordable for transporters and highlight the financial benefits that can be obtained by purchasing or leasing a low or zero-emission truck.” GiroZero is led by the Faculty of Administration and Faculty of Engineering at the Universidad de los Andes, together with Cardi University, and has funding from the Colombia-UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions). While its focus is on Colombia, it forms part of a network of collaboration and initiatives in the Americas. Universidad Andrés Bello in Chile, for example, is an academic partner and there are direct collaborations with similar projects in Chile and the US. TBD
CAUTION: FRAGILE MASCULINITY AT WORK COUNTRY: Canada SCHOOL: Schulich School of Business New research from York University’s Schulich School of Business reveals that men tend to respond to questions about their gender identity with a wide variety of harmful workplace behaviours. These include withholding help, mistreating co-workers, stealing company property and lying for personal gain. The authors of an article pertaining to the research conducted a series of studies with more than 500 employees based in the US and China that looked at the impact of various experiences. These include failing to live up to masculine or feminine stereotypes at work, being compared negatively to others with respect to masculine or feminine traits, holding a job traditionally viewed as masculine or feminine and – for men – reporting to a female supervisor. The researchers found that when men perceived these experiences as threats to their masculinity – which was often the case – they were more likely to engage in toxic workplace behaviours, including cheating, stealing, breaking rules and undermining colleagues. The pattern was not found among women when femininity was threatened. “Men need to be aware of this behaviour, and proactively embrace a healthier version of masculinity,” noted Luke Zhu, associate professor of organisation studies at the Schulich School of Business. “At the same time, managers and leaders can take steps to dismantle the structures that may be driving men to feel that their masculinity is being threatened in the first place.” He added: “If we can create a workplace culture in which everyone feels that their gender identities are valued, then we can begin reducing the destructive behaviour that often occurs when those identities are questioned or threatened.” The findings are contained in an article published recently in Harvard Business Review . The article was co-authored by Zhu, along with Keith Leavitt, the Betty S Henry Amundson faculty scholar in ethics and professor of management at Oregon State University. The other contributors were Maryam Kouchaki, professor of management and organisations at Kellogg School of Management and Anthony C Klotz, associate professor of management at University College London School of Management. CD
12 | Ambition APRIL 2023
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