EDITOR’S LETTER
All in a day’s WORK
EDITORIAL Head of editorial Colette Doyle c.doyle@amba-bga.com Content editor Tim Banerjee Dhoul t.dhoul@amba-bga.com
ducation is at the heart of everything we do at AMBA, so it’s natural for us to dedicate the pages of Ambition magazine to an in-depth examination of the latest pedagogical techniques and learning strategies. Inside this issue, however, we take a ‘bigger picture’ approach and delve into various enthralling aspects of the world of work. Our cover feature dissects some fascinating research on the gig economy and discovers that, far from ‘being their own boss’, such workers are mercilessly monitored by technologies that serve the interests of online platforms and which are controlled by rigid and demanding algorithms fed by user ratings. A group of academics at Cork University Business School deconstruct the prevailing narrative to explain the complex power dynamics at play. In our article by John McMackin and David Collings, based at DCU and Trinity business schools respectively, we hear how companies are increasingly recognising the value of skills-first HR practices, which can enable not only enhanced strategic agility and improved organisational performance, but also positively impact employee perceptions of empowerment and promote diversity, equity and inclusion. The Dublin-based faculty members elaborate on how skills-first HR can be a counterpoint to traditional, relatively rigid approaches to staff management; it focuses instead on those individual skills required to complete key work projects and aims to break down established boundaries. Meanwhile, the rapid rise of generative algorithms is what concerns contributors Pierre Casse and Elnura Irmatova from Iedc-Bled School of Management in Slovenia, who share their ideas for future-proof management strategies. There is no right or wrong decision to be reached, they assure us; however, the choices that a leader makes must be based on acknowledging the power of artificial intelligence and being ready to reinvent their organisation and their own leadership style whatever challenging scenario may present itself. Enjoy the issue; we’ll be back in December with an overview of our recent conference for schools in the Latin America region, an interview with an Audencia MBA graduate who has become a hugely successful entrepreneur and a feature on the surprising benefits of outdoors learning. Exploring the challenges of the gig economy, the bene its of skills- irst HR and strategies for adopting AI E
Art editor Sam Price Sub-editor Heather Ford
Insight, content and PR manager Ellen Buchan e.buchan@amba-bga.com CORPORATE Commercial relations director Max Braithwaite m.braithwaite@amba-bga.com
Head of marketing and communications Leonora Clement
Senior marketing executive Edward Holmes
Head of IT and data management Jack Villanueva
Head of events Carolyn Armsby
HR and employer relations manager Aarti Bhasin Finance and commercial director Catherine Walker
Colette Doyle , Editor, Ambition
THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS
Chief executive o cer Andrew Main Wilson
Executive assistant to the CEO Amy Youngs a.youngs@amba-bga.com ACCREDITATION ENQUIRIES accreditation@amba-bga.com
RONAN CARBERY
PIERRE CASSE
SOUMYADEB CHOWDHURY
DAVID COLLINGS
CAMERON GUTHRIE
ELNURA IRMATOVA
JOHN MCMACKIN
SALLY PERCY
LAURA SIVULA
NAGA VENKATESH DEVAGUPTAPU
Copyright 2023 by Association of MBAs and Business Graduates Association ISSN 2631-6382 All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. While we take care to ensure that editorial is independent, accurate, objective and relevant for our readers, AMBA accepts no responsibility for reader dissatisfaction rising from the content of this publication. The opinions expressed and advice given are the views of individual commentators and do not necessarily represent the views of AMBA. Whenever an article in this publication is placed with the financial support of an advertiser, partner or sponsor, it will be marked as such. AMBA makes every opportunity to credit photographers but we cannot guarantee every published use of an image will have the contributor’s name. If you believe we have omitted a credit for your image, please email the editor.
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Ambition NOVEMBER 2023 | 7
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