Issue 3: Public Sector Excellence UAE

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE

SHARING EXCELLENCE

EMPOWERING EXCELLENCE

p.34 p.16

p.22Dr Shaikha Mohammed Saeed Al Mulla, Director of the Child Development Centre, Ministry of Education shares her passion for education and development

Our second installment of the excellence en-ablers: Leadership

BenchmarksA look at some of the good practices in public education from around the globe

ISSUE 3 MARCH 2015

Visit: www.adu.ac.ae

Led by our vision for a better future for every generation, Abu Dhabi University was founded in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain to promote academic excellence through degree programs in various specialties. Our 23 bachelor’s degree, 8 master’s degree and doctorate degree programs are all accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. We at Abu Dhabi University proudly continue to pave the way forward to a new era, providing you with the finest learning environment and resources to empower your future.

Bachelor of Science in Civil EngineeringBachelor of Science in Computer EngineeringBachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

Apply today for tomorrow’s success.Toll Free: 800 ADYOU (23968) | Email: [email protected]

TODAY WE CREATETOMORROW’SSUCCESS

A DIVERSE CHOICE OFBACHELOR’S, MASTER’S ANDDOCTORATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

@ADU_Tweets

ADUCHANNEL

@AbuDhabiUni

College of Engineering Programs are Internationally Accredited by ABET*

*

About ADUAbu Dhabi University (ADU) was chartered as a private institution of higher learning in the year 2000 under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in the Western Region and President of Abu Dhabi

Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi and the other in Al Ain City. ADU has four Colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS); the College of Business Administration (COBA); the College of Engineering (COE); and the University College (UC); all of which is open to students from all nationalities and uses the American model of higher education.

Vision Abu Dhabi University is an internationally recognized for quality education and applied research that drives regional economic and social development in the region and beyond.

MissionThe mission of ADU is to produce highly qualified career-oriented graduates in alignment with regional and global needs through excellence in teaching, student learning, faculty scholarship and engagement in community development.

Undergraduate & Postgraduate Programs

Scientific Research and tailored to meet the dynamic demands of the regional industry.

College of Arts and Sciences• Bachelor of Arts in Arts, Culture and Heritage Management • Bachelor of Arts in English• Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication• Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health & Safety• Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science• Bachelor of Science in Public Health• Bachelor of Law (In Arabic)• Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication (In Arabic – O�ered in Fall 2015)• Professional Post-Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Al Ain)• Master of Law (In Arabic – O�ered in Fall 2015)

College of Business Administration• Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting• Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance• Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources Management • Bachelor of Business Administration in Management• Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing• Bachelor of Business Administration• Master of Business Administration Concentrations in: (Logistics & Supply Chain Management ; Project Management; Human Resource Management; Finance)• Master of Human Resources Management• Doctor of Business Administration

College of Engineering• Bachelor of Architecture• Bachelor of Science in Aviation• Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering• Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering• Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering• Bachelor of Science in Information Technology • Bachelor of Science in Interior Design • Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering • Master of Engineering Management• Master of Project Management • Master of Science in Civil Engineering Concentrations in: (Structural Engineering; Construction Engineering Management)• Master of Science in Information Technology

Visit: www.adu.ac.ae

Led by our vision for a better future for every generation, Abu Dhabi University was founded in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain to promote academic excellence through degree programs in various specialties. Our 23 bachelor’s degree, 8 master’s degree and doctorate degree programs are all accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. We at Abu Dhabi University proudly continue to pave the way forward to a new era, providing you with the finest learning environment and resources to empower your future.

Bachelor of Science in Civil EngineeringBachelor of Science in Computer EngineeringBachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

Apply today for tomorrow’s success.Toll Free: 800 ADYOU (23968) | Email: [email protected]

TODAY WE CREATETOMORROW’SSUCCESS

A DIVERSE CHOICE OFBACHELOR’S, MASTER’S ANDDOCTORATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

@ADU_Tweets

ADUCHANNEL

@AbuDhabiUni

College of Engineering Programs are Internationally Accredited by ABET*

*

About ADUAbu Dhabi University (ADU) was chartered as a private institution of higher learning in the year 2000 under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in the Western Region and President of Abu Dhabi

Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi and the other in Al Ain City. ADU has four Colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS); the College of Business Administration (COBA); the College of Engineering (COE); and the University College (UC); all of which is open to students from all nationalities and uses the American model of higher education.

Vision Abu Dhabi University is an internationally recognized for quality education and applied research that drives regional economic and social development in the region and beyond.

MissionThe mission of ADU is to produce highly qualified career-oriented graduates in alignment with regional and global needs through excellence in teaching, student learning, faculty scholarship and engagement in community development.

Undergraduate & Postgraduate Programs

Scientific Research and tailored to meet the dynamic demands of the regional industry.

College of Arts and Sciences• Bachelor of Arts in Arts, Culture and Heritage Management • Bachelor of Arts in English• Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication• Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health & Safety• Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science• Bachelor of Science in Public Health• Bachelor of Law (In Arabic)• Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication (In Arabic – O�ered in Fall 2015)• Professional Post-Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Al Ain)• Master of Law (In Arabic – O�ered in Fall 2015)

College of Business Administration• Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting• Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance• Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources Management • Bachelor of Business Administration in Management• Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing• Bachelor of Business Administration• Master of Business Administration Concentrations in: (Logistics & Supply Chain Management ; Project Management; Human Resource Management; Finance)• Master of Human Resources Management• Doctor of Business Administration

College of Engineering• Bachelor of Architecture• Bachelor of Science in Aviation• Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering• Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering• Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering• Bachelor of Science in Information Technology • Bachelor of Science in Interior Design • Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering • Master of Engineering Management• Master of Project Management • Master of Science in Civil Engineering Concentrations in: (Structural Engineering; Construction Engineering Management)• Master of Science in Information Technology

Issue 3 - march 2015

SHARING EXCELLENCE BENCHMARKS

A look at some of the good practices in public education from around the globe

H.E Salama Al Amimi, Executive Director of Organizational Development and Ex-cellence for Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), shares a glimpse of the future of Abu Dhabi’s education system.

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1630WORD FROM THE EDITOR

Denise Daane, Managing Editor at PSP introduces our third issue of PSE: The Education Edition

CURRENT NEWS AND AFFAIRSA summary of the latest public-sector news and current affairs across Abu Dhabi

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AT A GLANCEThis month, it’s time for action as we explore the project execution phase of project management

KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGEW. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, INSEAD Professors of Strategy and Co-Directors of the INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute summarize the four pillars of Blue Ocean Leadership

4


IN FOCUSAn in-depth look at the present and future state of Abu Dhabi’s education system

EMPOWERING EXCELLENCEOur second installment of the excellence en-ablers: Leadership

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38IDEA WATCH

An overview of the portfolio management approach to strategy implementation and strategic alignment

BUILD YOUR SOCIAL PROFILELearn how the public sector can utilise Twitter for effective public relations and marketing initiatives

OFF TOPICInformation on some of Abu Dhabi’s favorite residential communities

SHARING EXCELLENCEDr Shaikha Mohammed Saeed Al Mulla, Director of the Child Development Centre, Ministry of Education shares her passion for education and development

LOCAL ENTERPRISERashid Al Shamsi, Founder of Ixtel and Board Member of the Emirati Entrepreneur Association, shares his start up success story and offers valuable advice to aspiring local entrepreneurs

5


information centre

OUR UPCOMING ISSUES

How to Contact Public Sector Excellence

JUNE 2015MAY 2015april 2015

Stay updated with our upcoming issues. Every month we will take an in-depth look at the key Abu Dhabi public sector industries that are shaping the city today.

Discover how Oil & Gas has transformed Abu Dhabi and learn more about the new techniques being em-ployed in the field

Learn about the initiatives that are helping Abu Dha-bi improve the health and safety of citizens and resi-dents in our Health Edition

Explore Abu Dhabi’s rapid-ly expanding Tourism Indus-try and see what lies ahead in our Tourism Edition

Denise Daane [email protected] Cook [email protected] Southard [email protected]égis Sudo [email protected]

Khalid MohammedTel: +97150 3188891 [email protected] MushingtonTel: +97152 7297978 [email protected]

Please visit our websitewww.psemagazine.comfor more information and visit our Knowledge Centre for useful Project Management and Business Excellence Templates and Resources!

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WORD FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR

O UR THIRD EDITION is focused on one of the most important priorities of Abu Dhabi’s Vision 2030: Ed-ucation. In its efforts to transform Abu Dhabi and the UAE into a global leader and knowledge-based

economy, the UAE government has placed education in center stage. In this issue, we explore the remarkable transformation that has taken place in Abu Dhabi’s educational reforms and re-view some fine examples of good practices in public education from around the world.

In this issue of “Sharing Excellence”, PSE meets up with two shining stars of the education sector who share their wealth of experience with us as well as their outlook on the future of ed-ucation in the UAE: H.E. Salama Al Amimi, Executive Director at the Abu Dhabi Education Council, and Dr. Shaikha Mohammed Saeed Al Mulla, Director at the Child Development Center of the Ministry of Education.

In continuing with our series on Enablers, in the “Empower-ing Excellence” section this month, we delve into one of the most talked about management concepts today: Leadership. In “Knowledge Exchange”, W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, INSEAD Professors of Strategy, and Co-Directors of the INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute, contribute with their article, ti-tled “The Four Pillars of Blue Ocean Leadership”. In our ongoing series, “Project Management at a Glance”, we continue from where we left off in our last issue’s project planning article, and carry through into the project execution process.

In our “Local Enterprise”, PSE meets up with Rashid Al Shamsi, Founder of Ixtel and a Board Member of the Emirati Entrepre-neur Association, who shares his success story with us and pro-vides valuable advice for anyone thinking of establishing their own business in Abu Dhabi. We continue to provide you with the latest public sector news and affairs, as well as our month-ly “Idea Watch”, where we explore Portfolio Management for Strategy Execution; and our “Off Topic” article on a quick tour of some of Abu Dhabi’s favorite residential neighborhoods.

A word of thanks to our readers who have provided us with their comments and feedback; we appreciate your views and encourage you to continue sending us your reviews.

For additional articles, downloads, and professional resources please check out our website on: www.psemagazine.com

Best regards

Denise DaaneManaging Editor

A WORD OF THANKS TO OUR READERS WHO HAVE PROVIDED US WITH THEIR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK; WE APPRECIATE YOUR VIEWS AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE SENDING US YOUR REVIEWS. 7


PUBLIC SECTOR NEWS AND AFFAIRS

Abu Dhabi Current News and Affairs

INFRASTRUCTURE

EDUCATION

THIRD WORLD SUMMIT HOSTED BY ABU DHABI SYSTEMS AND INFORMATION CENTRE

ADSIC has announced the hosting of the third highly acclaimed World Summit Award on mobile content. The initiative aims to fa-cilitate local solutions and employ new tech-nologies to create sustainable and knowl-edge based economies.

LAWS REGARDING DRONESThe UAE is a global leader in terms of en-

dorsing drone laws for safe drone usage. The General Civil Aviation Authority has re-vealed in a recent statement that a draft of regulations concerning drone usage is in the process of being finalized, and the new roles for drones will soon become available.

NEW CATEGORY ADDED TO ABU DHABI EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Awareness sessions have been conducted by the Executive Council to Excellence Co-ordinators from more than 51 government entities to introduce them to the most im-portant developments in the Abu Dhabi Ex-

ABU DHABI GOVERNMENTcellence in Government Performance Award 2015, which is now in its fourth session.

The coordinators learned about the gen-eral goals and of the improvements that have been made – such as - the addition of categories for entities according to maturity (beginner, implementing, influenced). This classification aims at motivating entities and increasing their performance levels and honouring those with the highest remark-able performance levels, according to the new classification.

FIRST BACHELORS DEGREE IN METEOROLOGY

Abu Dhabi’s first undergraduate degree in meteorology was launched after Abu Dha-bi Polytechnic signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Center of Meteorology and Seismology. The meteo-rology degree is the first of its kind in the Arab region.

TEACHING AND LEARNING INTERNATIONAL SURVEY

Abu Dhabi’s participation in the Teach-ing and Learning International Survey has

been lauded as the UAE is now considered the first, and only Arab nation to contrib-ute in such an event.This is in line with the Emirate’s strategic plan to bring about globally renowned benchmark practices in the field of teaching and learning to all school and educational institutions.

STUDENTS FROM ABU DHABI, DUBAI, AND AL AIN EXPERIENCE SOLAR IMPULSE 2

André Borschberg, the Swiss co-founder, CEO, and pilot of Solar Impulse, along with Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany, Director of Sustainability at Masdar, welcomed Her Excellency Dr. Amal Al Qubaisi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) and students from across the UAE to the Solar Impulse hangar at Al Bateen Executive Airport.

During the event, which took place in mid-February, approximately 1000 students experienced an inspirational presentation and gathered beneath the wings of Solar Im-pulse 2; the first solar-powered plane with the ability to fly by day or night, without fuel.

ZAYED HOUSING PROGRAMAmid the rising demand for residential

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PUBLIC SECTOR NEWS AND AFFAIRS

TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT

POLICE AND DEFENSE

BANKING AND FINANCE

TRANSPORT AND PORTS

complexes, the Zayed Housing Program has announced its plans to issue around 7000 decrees on residential property in the emir-ate within the year 2015.

PROJECTS WORTH DH10B UNVEILED ACROSS UAE

The Ministry of Public Works has an-nounced a massive portfolio of projects worth more than Dh 10 billion across all of UAE. The portfolio is considered the most innovative and sustainable project to be completed by the ministry, and will only follow international standards and designs that will improve the efficient consumption of resources such as energy and water.

ENHANCING THE SCHOOL TRANSPORT SYSTEM

A series of regulatory measures have been adopted by the Transport Executive Com-mittee to promote a safe and efficient trans-port system through mandatory school bus specifications. Examples of these measures include the installation of safety belts in school buses and mandatory medical exam-ination of school bus drivers.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT WINS “BEST M-APPLICATION” AWARD

Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport (DoT) was honored for its smart applica-tion “Darb”, which won the “Best m-Gov-ernment Service Award” in the transpor-tation and infrastructure category during the Government Summit 2015. H.E. Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of DoT, received the award from H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, at the Government Summit honor-ing ceremony.

LARGEST CAMPAIGN OF FIELD SURVEYS IN THE EMIRATE

The Department of Transport has an-nounced the launch of the largest cam-paign of field surveys which will study transport patterns and norms in all re-gions of Abu Dhabi. The survey will help to provide vital information on transporta-tion services and structural requirements, which would improve strategic processes for future requirements.

UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL OF CARGO HANDLED AT ABU DHABI PORTS

Abu Dhabi Ports have reported to have handled unprecedented levels of cargo in the previous year. According to the statis-tics, both the number of containers and volume of general and bulk cargo handled through all of Abu Dhabi Ports have signifi-cantly increased. Abu Dhabi Ports have the capacity and scalability to take advantage of the growing global trade opportunities, as only excellent facilities are offered to ensure highest levels of turnaround times.

11TH CORPORATE REGISTERS FORUMAbu Dhabi is set to host the 11th Cor-

porate Registers Forum from 9th to 15th March 2015. The event will be held in the Middle East for the first time since its incep-tion, and is organized by the Department of Economic Development in collaboration with the Corporate Registers Form.

SUDANESE PRESIDENT URGES EMIRATI BUSINESSMEN TO INCREASE INVESTMENTS IN SUDAN

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Beshir has invited Emirati businessmen to double their investments in the Sudanese markets, noting that the Sudanese Invest-ment Forum will be held in Abu Dhabi to highlight investment potential and opportu-nities in the Sudan.

INTERNATIONAL ROBOTICS CHALLENGE ANNOUNCED

Khalifa University has announced the first ever Mohamed Bin Zayed International Ro-botics Challenge. The international event will be held every two years, offering prizes worth up to a total of US$5 million. The first event will be held in the November 2016.

DUTY FREE REVENUES EXCEED DH1 BILLION

Abu Dhabi Airports have announced impressive sales for the year 2014, with duty free sales exceeding Dh1 billion. The increased revenue represents an increase of 10.5% compared to 2013, which experienced total sales worth Dh912.9 million.

12TH EDITION OF IDEX PROVES BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER

The 12th International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) was held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibi-tion Center from 22nd - 26th February 2015. Approximately 1,200 local and international companies showcased their latest defense and security products and merchandise over an area of 133,000 square meters that in-cludes both indoor and outdoor displays. In addition to the regular exhibitions, this year saw the introduction of the first Unmanned Systems Exhibition (UMEX).

This year’s successful event was attended by key local and international dignitaries, and high ranking military and government officials where billions of dollars’ worth of commercial agreements were concluded with local and international companies.

REDUCTION IN CRIME RATES14th Feb 2015 - Based on the statistics pub-

lished by the Abu Dhabi Police, the number of criminal cases handled by the Capital Po-lice has decreased by 18% in 2014, compared to cases handled in 2013. Furthermore, cases of bounced checks were reduced by 20% in comparison to 2013 figures.

UAE COMPANIES LAND DEFENSE CONTRACTS

Local exhibitors from Abu Dhabi; including Abu Dhabi Ship Building, Al Taif Technical Services, Nimr Automotives, Abu Dhabi Au-tonomous Systems Investments, and many others succeeded in acquiring large defense contracts at this year’s IDEX event, injecting billions of dirhams into the UAE economy.

ABU DHABI’S CREDIT RATING AMID OIL SLIDE

Standard & Poor’s (S & P) credit rating agency has announced Abu Dhabi’s credit rating, proving that the Emirate is in a strong financial position despite lower oil prices, and relatively undiversified economy. The credit rating agency has affirmed an AA rat-ing for short-term debt, and the Emirate’s financial status remains stable, which shows a healthy reduction of reliance on oil.

9


The Art of

I N OUR FIRST TWO INSTALL-MENTS of this series we fo-cused on the phases of project

initiation and planning. From the point of view of the project team, the Execution Phase is where the fun starts. It is in this phase that all of the work previously done—eval-uation of alternatives, decisions regarding practicability and afford-ability, resource planning, stake-holder identification, scope defini-tion, and other activities that went into the initiation and planning phases—comes to fruition. Work actually starts on the building the new program, the business re-engi-neering, or whatever the end result of the project is.

During the first two phases of a well-managed project, the project sponsor, manager, key team mem-bers, and stakeholders collect and analyze all relevant information to decide if the project is not only nec-essary, but, among all other alterna-tives, is the best use of financial and human resources. By the time we arrive at the Execution Phase, we can consider that the project pro-posal has been deemed worthwhile and the required steps of the previ-ous two project phases have been completed, including the all-import-ant documentation.

If this is indeed the case, you can consider yourself and your organi-zation in one of the elite, top-per-

forming project management or-ganizations on the planet. The sad fact is that there are as many ex-cuses for not adequately initiating and planning a project as there are organizations that run projects. It seems that, while there is frequent-ly insufficient time and resources to properly initiate and plan a project, somehow there is always time to re-think, re-plan, and re-do those parts that have gone sideways. Normally, the reason for the sideways move-ment is rooted in poor planning.

Now that we’ve made and re-made the case for proper initiation and planning, let’s take care of one important definition before we dive into Project Execution.

All project managers hear the con-stant refrain, “But we can’t do it that way here. That might work in other organizations, but we’re different.” As it stands, every organization is different, and that is precisely why, in all the sub-processes listed below, we include as an input Enterprise Environmental Factors.

Enterprise Environmental Factors are the culture, structure, political climate, current economic condi-tions, staff strengths and weakness-es, and all other factors that define and constrain each unique organiza-tion. They are internal and external and influence directly or indirectly every decision and activity of the

enterprise. Moreover, they not only determine the day-to-day opera-tions, but strongly influence how projects are managed. Considering Enterprise Environmental Factors is how we tailor the guidelines of any project management methodology to the specific organization.

Enterprise Environmental Factors are so important, and this is precise-ly why we go to such pains to identify all stakeholders of the project as they will bring to the initiation and plan-ning phases, all factors that need to be considered when defining, de-signing, and executing the project.

We will break the Project Execu-tion Phase into eight sub-sections for purposes of management. During the course of executing the project, these will overlap and are not to be taken as independent, stand-alone processes.

Direct and Manage Project Execution

In this group of work, the project manager will ensure that the tasks in the schedule are being executed. The schedule is part of the Project Plan, that grand document that in-cludes all the answers to not only when and who, contained in the schedule, but the what, how, and why of the project. If the project manager, (PM) was dealing with computers and entered the right

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AT A GLANCE

Project Execution

10



command, pressed enter, then the process would start and complete on schedule. However, this is not the case when you’re dealing with a project management team. In Proj-ect Execution, a PM spends much of the dealing with personnel chal-lenges, misunderstandings, change requests, and conflicting work re-quirements that inevitably arise in any organization. Therefore, a vital input to this process group is Or-ganizational Process Assets—those humans, machines, and systems that make the organization run.

In this part of the PM’s job, the ability to fully understand the relationships between all the tasks in the schedule and how all those team members fit into the project becomes vital. As an example, in a data processing system development project, a database subject matter expert may be called off the project for a time to manage a critical production problem. Decid-ing whether tasks can be rearranged and the schedule maintained, or if indeed the project will be delayed is part of the PM’s job. That decision will not be made solely based on the PM’s knowledge, but also in discuss-ing the issues involved with the proj-ect team’s subject matter experts.

Perform Quality Assurance

During the Planning Phase of the project, the team developed crite-ria concerning acceptable quality for the project and specifically how quality would be measured. The Quality Plan was designed to ensure that the end result of the project could fulfil the needs of the enter-prise in a cost effective manner. As they say in engineering, “Anyone can build a bridge that stands; it takes an engineer to build a bridge that barely stands.” In other words, we don’t want to over-design what-ever the output of the project is because that normally results in higher costs. We want the quality of the project and its output to meet the needs of the organization, but

nothing additional, as other proj-ects and needs of the organization are vying for those same scarce resources. Spending time, capital, and human resources unnecessarily means that some other vital project goes unfunded. By conforming to the quality plan, the project team ensures that the end result satisfies its objectives and adheres to bud-get. Auditing the project for quali-ty includes not only the product of the project, but the project’s man-agement, as this is where the work becomes valuable and practical. During Project Execution the PM, or in some cases, a separate Quali-ty Assurance group, will periodically review the deliverables and other outputs and compare them against acceptable standards, as defined by the planning team.

Acquire Project Team

During the planning process, a core team, being the key subject matter experts, was assembled for purposes of adequately planning what would be required to produce the desired output of the project. It is during the Project Execution phase that all of the personnel re-quired to complete the tasks of the project will actually be acquired, and when they will be required to perform work and complete de-liverables. Each organization has its own procedures for assigning people to tasks, and that is when Enterprise Environmental Factors come into play. The PM may have a great deal of involvement or even very little, in the assignment of in-dividuals to the project. Whatever the case, the PM must work with the company’s processes to ensure that the project team includes all skills necessary to complete the tasks, and that they are available for the required duration.

Project staff assignments and re-source calendars are extremely sig-nificant and of great consequence to the success of the project. (Did we

11



adequately express that you really need this information?) The more complex the project, and the more people involved, the greater the im-portance of documenting and pub-licizing exactly what personnel is re-quired and the period of time they would be required. A line manager who says, “Just let me know when you need someone and I’ll make sure I assign someone on my team when the time comes,” should be cause for alarm for the PM.

Develop Project Team

It’s not at all unusual for members of the project team to undergo ad-ditional training before the launch of the new product or process, since this is new to the organization; it may even be entirely new to the world! Project team members will frequent-ly be the lead personnel in running

the new product or will be key in a new process. The importance of ed-ucation and development is a nor-mal part of a project plan and should not be undervalued.

It may also be the case that peo-ple on project teams are not skilled in working on projects, and the PM should ensure that the project team understands the basics of whichever project methodology is being used, how they fit into the overall plan, and their role in the project’s success.

Manage Project Team

Once the team is assembled, the PM has the unenviable task of deal-ing with all the intricacies of human relations. The ability to manage project personnel is, to a great ex-tent, a function of the type and amount of authority the PM has to

directly resolve issues. That authori-ty is at least partially determined by the organizational structure the PM works within. With relation to proj-ects, organizational structure can be roughly defined as functional or projectized. Between these two ex-tremes lies the matrix organization which can be somewhere on a con-tinuum between weak and strong.

In a purely functional organiza-tion, where staff is organized under functional managers, where the project manager has a coordinating role external to the organizations from which the team members are drawn, the PM relies predominantly on force of personality and “tribal knowledge” of the organization to ensure that goals are accomplished. The organizations supplying the per-sonnel have their own day-to-day business to attend to, so this type

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of structure normally results in proj-ect human resource allocation as a low-priority issue. In a purely func-tional organization, planning can be difficult and maintaining a schedule can be virtually impossible.

On the other side of the scale is the projectized organization. In this type of structure, employees within the organization are either assigned to business maintenance or project work; an employee from one side of the house rarely works for the oth-er. In a projectized organization the PM has high, to almost complete control over assigned personnel during the period of the project. In this environment, the PM has bud-getary responsibility, is a full-time project manager with administra-tive staff, and considered part of the organization’s leadership.

There are intermediate structures between these two, called matrix organizations; defined as weak, bal-anced, and strong depending on the PM’s mix of project control, person-nel authority, and control over bud-get. Depending on where the orga-nization falls within that spectrum, the PM has more or less direct au-thority over his or her project team. Those whose talents lie in the realm of human relations work well in a strong matrix organization where they can work directly with the in-dividual members of the project team. Others who are less inclined to this particular section of project management might appreciate be-ing part of a weak matrix, or even a functional organization, where all interpersonal relationship challeng-es can be handed over to the line managers to whom the individual team members report.

Distribute Information

In the last installment of this se-ries, Project Planning, we stressed the importance of planning com-munication. Now it’s time to actu-ally put that plan into practice and

communicate the project progress to the project stakeholders. As with virtually every other sub-process within Project Execution, an input to this is the Project Management Plan because that’s where we’ve placed the Communication Plan. All project performance informa-tion that anyone might need will be contained somewhere in one of the reports to stakeholders. The “report” may be anything ranging from an email to a formal standup presentation, including the requi-site PowerPoint charts and graphs. The important point, though, is that the information and its format has been planned and accepted as adequate by the stakeholders in the previous project phase.

But don’t be alarmed. In fact, if you don’t find in the early stages of the project that someone was left off a report distribution list, better check again. It’s a very rare project plan that covers ALL the bases without error, and it’s for exactly this rea-son that an agenda item, in all ear-ly team meetings, and on occasion throughout the project, is a review

of stakeholders and of the Report Distribution Matrix. When the proj-ect team actually begins the work of the project, oversights in who needs to receive which communication will be noticed. Distribution lists of reports are easy to update—and the earlier the better.

The PM must work within the organization’s preferred methods of communication. Whether it be emails, broadcast phone mes-sages, paper reports, PowerPoint presentations, or whatever, the project manager is responsible for being able to manage the medium properly and effectivelyThe PM is also responsible for ensuring that all communication needs are met, and if there is a gap in communi-cation channels, or if the preferred communication methods are inad-equate for the needs of the proj-ect, it is the PM’s responsibility to rectify this.

Manage Stakeholder Expectations

Sometimes this can be more diffi-

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cult than managing the work of one hundred team members over eigh-teen months with a thousand-line schedule. Earlier, in the Project Planning Phase, we stressed how important it is to firmly establish the project scope. This is not only a spe-cific statement of the exact output of the project, but what resources will be required to produce that output. These can both be pits of quicksand if not properly handled in the planning phase and are directly related to stakeholder expectations.

Resources—people, equipment, financing, etc.—will be required at specific times throughout the project life. If the concerned managers re-sponsible for these resources do not have these requirements in their or-ganization plans, the PM will experi-

ence some unexpected obstacles; this is why part of the PM’s role job is to secure the required resources, whilst reminding those responsible ahead of schedule that they will be needed.

Also useful in Managing Stake-holder Expectations is periodic re-views of the project scope. Change requests will normally affect the scope of the project, so whatever the outcome of a request, the scope of the project should be republished so that everyone interested in the project is reminded of exactly what they may expect from it.

Conduct Procurements

Last but not least, we get to buy things. This can be another pit of quicksand if not properly planned.

In many projects the purchase pro-cess has the longest lead time of any activity on the schedule. The in-puts to this sub-process are numer-ous and complex—procurement documents, source selection cri-teria, qualified vendor list, vendor proposals, make or buy decisions, teaming agreements, and more. If the project includes purchasing, this activity may have to begin before any other part of the project. In fact, as soon as the project and funding are approved, procurement should be high on the list of activities to be-gin immediately. Even if there is suf-ficient lead time in the schedule, a prudent project manager will make the purchase decisions as soon as possible. Anything the PM can do to ensure the equipment is on site and ready to use at the right time will benefit the project.

Working Miracles?

So, there we have the basic outline of Project Execution, with emphasis on “basic.” During this phase, a PM will be handling many duties that didn’t make it into the process defi-nitions. To compound the difficulty, many organizations don’t consider a project manager to be actually working until he or she has at least four or five projects on their plate. For someone who does the job well, the PM moniker actually stands for Performer of Miracles.

As has been stated many times, though the execution phase is greatly aided by proper initiation and planning, initially, it is the proj-ect sponsor’s, and subsequently the PM’s, to ensure that those two phases are completed before Proj-ect Execution begin commences. Without spending sufficient time and resources on the first two vital stages of any project, the Project Execution Phase can be unmanage-able even by the most experienced and knowledgeable PM and will tru-ly require more miracle worker than project manager.

Delivering Excellence in the following domains:

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Capability Building:Training and DevelopInternational Benchmarking 360 Degree Leadership AssessmentsTailored Training Solutions

ContactLevel 4Al Mamoura Building, Block BAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

PO BOX 46400Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

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Delivering Excellence in the following domains:

Our Expertise, Your Edge

Capability Building:Training and DevelopInternational Benchmarking 360 Degree Leadership AssessmentsTailored Training Solutions

ContactLevel 4Al Mamoura Building, Block BAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

PO BOX 46400Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

02-659 403002-659 4292

Management Services:Business Process ImprovementQuality Management and Excellence ConsultingKnowledge ManagementHR Consulting

Strategy and Marketing:Strategy Development and Implementation Corporate Performance ManagementMarketing and Corporate Branding

www.solidusmc.com | [email protected]


T ODAY’S EDUCATION SYS-TEM is based on a pattern of traditional instructions where values, beliefs,

knowledge and skills are transferred from one generation to the next. Teaching, or instructing, is accom-plished via explanation, rote mem-orization, directed research, story-telling, or discussion.

Formal education is normally di-vided into different stages based on current education levels, which roughly correspond with the stu-dent’s age: pre-school, primary and secondary school, followed by college or university, or a trade ap-prenticeship. Most of the world’s countries recognize an individual’s

Educational Reform:

Key Considerationsright to education. However, de-spite education being almost uni-versally compulsory up to a certain age, school attendance reflects a different and unfortunate reality.

Research indicates a positive cor-relation between education achieve-ment and economic prosperity. The empirical evidence shows that a na-tion’s level of economic progress and the general level of well-being are directly tied to the educational de-velopment of its citizens.

With that in mind, we take a look at some global best practices in educa-tion to see if there may be lessons to be learned from others in advancing education in the UAE.

In the attempt to support a greater degree of equity among students of various socio-economic backgrounds in Australia, the National Early Child-hood Development Strategy (2009) was drafted with the goal of building a more effective and better-coordinated system for early childhood develop-ment. The initiative covers children up to the age of eight years old.

The program prioritizes and con-centrates on sensitive areas that contribute to a positive and fruitful educational environment: support to

Education Policies and Reforms in

Australia16

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vulnerable children, creating aware-ness amongst parents about the importance of early development, improvement of the early child-hood environment, strengthening of childhood development and family

support services, and enhancement of ma-ternal, child, and family healthcare services.

The goal of the Aus-tralian government is to enhance the skills provided through the education sector for the rapidly changing econ-omy. The Advancing Quality in Higher Edu-cation Plan (2012-14) introduces various per-

formance measurements in support of the goal for improving the level of teaching, as well as learn-ing in higher education. The program also provides additional funding for students from disadvantaged back-grounds, providing finance for grants

and contingent loans.The state is also working to improve

the level of apprenticeships by offering incentives to employers as well as stu-dents. The Australian Apprenticeship Center is a centralized information and support center for employers, new en-trants to the workforce, and students.

The government has also developed a national program to raise teaching standards, Australian Professional Stan-dards for Teachers (2010). This program has designated four career stages in the field of education—Graduate, Pro-ficient, Highly Accomplished, and Lead Teacher. The National Partnership in Im-proving Quality (2009-2013), provides funding to attract the best gradates into the field of teaching in the attempt to entice top-quality talent and create a superior teaching force.

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NorwayA kindergarten reform was introduced

in 2004 with the objective of increasing accessibility to quality kindergartens by allotting land for school development, setting a limit on the maximum tuition fee, and increasing funding for public and private kindergartens. The initia-tive led to the increase of participation of one- to five-year olds from 72% to 90% between 2004 and 2012. Nation-al strategies for raising competence of staff (2007-2010) and for recruitment of kindergarten teachers (2007-2011) were also implemented to increase the number of qualified teachers.

In 2006, the Knowledge Promotion Reform was introduced for primary and secondary education. The reform increased focus on specific skills such as reading, oral expression, writing, nu-meracy and use of digital tools, and the promotion of knowledge.

In the attempt to curtail dropout rates, the New Possibilities-Ny GIV (2010 through 2013) was introduced.

The program is a national effort to in-crease the successful completion of up-per secondary education and training. It was successful in increasing the com-pletion rate from 69% to an estimated 75%. It offered students an alternative to dropping out of school by opting for a two-year training program instead of the four year secondary school model, allowing them to work, while at the same time, completing their basic ed-ucation.

To help facilitate a better environ-ment for learning, the Better Learning Environment Initiative (2009-2014) was introduced which includes various local school development projects and of-fers an evidence-based learning guide for participating students. To improve teaching standards, National Guide-

lines for Differentiated Primary and Lower Secondary Teacher Education Programs were introduced. The unified structure helped to raise the quality of teachers and improve accreditation and accountability amongst them.

GNIST (SPARK) teacher recruitment campaign (2009-2014) is a national partnership between the Ministry of Education and key stakeholders. The campaign effectively raised the status and prestige associated with the pro-fession, and simultaneously raised the quality standards for those in the pro-fession. Since the initiation of the cam-paign, the number of applicants to the teacher education program has risen by an unprecedented 60%. There has also been a 27% increase in applications for higher education programs.

Performance MetricsThrough the development of per-

formance metrics in the education sector, policy makers can gauge the relative success or failure of various facets of the system, allowing im-provements to be made precisely where needed. Performance met-rics point the way toward, and en-able the development of strategies and policies that directly address the root cause of problems. Mak-ing small, surgically precise mod-ifications then allows observers to evaluate the resulting change

through an improved or degraded data set of measurements.

Establishment of Centralized Apprenticeship Centers

Establishing apprenticeship centers would ease the transition for stu-dents from an academic environment to the work environment. Appren-ticeship programs would also allow recent graduates to acquire invalu-able experience in their respective industries, while at the same time enabling organizations to acquire af-fordable temporary workers to aid in

their operations, as well, providing a pool of promising future employees.

Autonomous Accreditations for a Career in Education

To improve the state of education, accreditation boards for educators may be established. For example, there might be an Association of Certified Educators, an autonomous body charged with the responsibility of regulating the qualification stan-dards for those in the education pro-fession. Various certifications may be offered for subject specializations

Key Considerations18

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GermanyEducation Policies and Reforms in The

German government has introduced a comprehensive secondary schooling system that offers a range of diverse qualifications and has simultaneously merged the two lower-level tiers into one. Most importantly, the system has been changed to allow students unre-

stricted access to secondary education courses regardless of the route previous-ly chosen—academic or trade. Further, the system facilitates transitions from one path to the other when desired.

The National Integration Plan (2007) was designed to achieve better recog-nition of alternative qualifications, such as vocational education. Other policies such as the BAföG and the Bildung-sprämie offer grants and loans to individ-uals for education and training. In order to support extra-curricular activities, the

Education Alliance (2012) was formed. The program supports students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It initially received 30 million EUR in funding which is to be increased to up to 50 million EUR in subsequent years. The program gives underprivileged students a chance to participate in activities such as school excursions, sports, and musical and cul-tural activities to increase their level of motivation and create a sense of belong-ing. To smooth the path between school and work, the ambitious JOBSTARTER program was initiated in 2006, which funds innovative projects to help create additional training and apprenticeship programs.

The federal government and the Lander agreed on the Quality Offen-sive in Teacher Training (2013). The program improves training standards for teachers and improves the recog-nition of such courses and certificates. The Qeudlinberger Resolution (2005) includes voluntary guidelines for the acceptance and accreditation of un-dergraduate and graduate programs in terms of teacher qualifications. Other-wise the First State Examination is con-sidered as the equivalent to a master’s degree for a career in education.

and levels of education. A recognized set of professional standards, in ad-dition to helping improve the quality of education, could provide a level of prestige based on achievement which would motivate those already in the field to greater accomplish-ment, and attract high-quality indi-viduals to the teaching profession.

Incorporating Digital Education into Student Curriculum

Our world has significantly evolved due to the rapid digitalization and new media. Part of a child’s edu-cation nowadays should include coaching in the proper and respon-sible use of media, which should be integrated into everyday education experience. Due to social media,

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South Korea

The government of South Korea intro-duced Service Teacher Training Institutes (1986), which were established at each provincial board of education to up-grade the quality of the teaching force. In the late 90s, the aging population of teachers became a concern. As tech-nological advancements induced rapid growth and a high demand for technical employment, the number of young peo-ple entering the teaching profession de-clined. To combat this situation, the min-istry of education took drastic measures and lowered the teacher retirement age from 65 to 62, increasing the desirabil-ity of teaching while at the same time creating many job opportunities for new teachers. This rejuvenated the teaching force and within two years, over 50,000 teachers were replaced as opposed to the average of 7,000 each year.

In 1995, major educational reforms took place under the name of 5.31 Edu-

cation Reform Proposals (ERP). Through ERP’s, the previously authoritarian and centralized system was replaced by market forces in the education sector. Through the ERP, three main policies were implemented. First was deregula-tion of the education sector along with the implementation of accountability measures such as performance-based funding. Then the curriculum was com-pletely reformed, allowing for diversifica-tion within teaching as well as learning. Lastly, information and communication technology was incorporated within the lifelong education system, expanding the educational opportunities for all.

In 2001, the education minister’s polit-ical status was upgraded to the Deputy Prime Minister level, allowing the minis-try to oversee and coordinate not only educational policies but also human re-source developmental policies.

Within the ERP initiative, the vocational

and technical education system was im-proved, which had started to lag behind since the adoption of capital intensive business practices. The most import-ant role was the integration of the vo-cational and technical curricula within high schools. Students were now able to devote one extra year of education to acquiring field experience. Further-more, ERP brought diversification to high schools by introducing two different types of schools: integrated and special-ized. This provided an efficient and spe-cialized workforce along with a greater number of career choices to students. The workforce of South Korea, given the country’s information economy, requires continual upgrading of skills and lifelong learning. The government has answered this call with vocational high schools and universities for continuing education.

The education system of South Ko-rea is considered to be one of the best in the world, fueled by social and economic demand. The choices the government made and the programs instituted, show that both access and equity can be achieved simultaneous-ly if the government and the populace are ready to address potential trade-offs and make difficult decisions from the planning stages through to imple-mentation.

the problem of bullying has migrat-ed into the virtual realm, making it even more difficult to manage. Young students should be taught the positive uses of platforms that offer incredible potential for learn-ing and growing. As children mature in a technologically advanced edu-cational environment, their inter-ests in the world hidden within the technology and the broader world around them, brought closer by that very technology, may encour-age them to seek higher and more advanced education. As we have already noted, research indicates a

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JapanEducation Policies and Reforms in

Practical evidence shows that the importance of establishing founda-tional cognitive and non-cognitive abilities well before the age of five is fundamental to the lifelong edu-cational and learning experience of an individual (Heckman and Master-ov, 2007). Taking this philosophy to heart, the government of Japan plac-es a great deal of emphasis on their early education policies. It expanded the capacity of licensed pre-primary education centers from 2.15 million in 2010 to 2.41 million in 2014, ef-fectively eliminating the problem of waiting lists. The government’s New Growth Strategy (2010) set out to in-tegrate childcare and kindergarten to eliminate categorization in early life education into kindergarten, child-care, and nursery schools.

The government implemented the Global 30 Project (2008) to interna-tionalize the Japanese educational sec-tor, which is expected to include 300 thousand foreign students by 2020. The project encompasses 30 universi-ties with a total budget of 3 billion yen. Another project was launched in part-nership with South Korea, dubbed Cam-pus Asia (2010). Its goal is to promote student exchange programs and attract

high-achieving foreign students.To improve the academic standard

at the tertiary level, the government has suggested improving efficiencies through economies of scale. Since 2002, 29 national universities have merged into only 14. However, the average size of Japanese national universities still remains very small compared with some other countries. This suggests that it may be possible to consolidate the education sector even further to promote institutional excellence.

The Japanese education sector is renowned for promoting innovation through learning and education. The

amount of spending on research and development in Japan is among the highest in the world. The Third Sci-ence and Technology Basic Plan 2006 further increased the role of tertiary education in innovation by strength-ening ties between universities, in-dustries, and the government. Fur-thermore, the University Intellectual Property Headquarters and Technol-ogy Licensing Organizations increas-ingly promote innovation within ed-ucational institutions. Over twelve percent of all research and develop-ment was performed in universities, with research funds in universities soaring to 41 billion yen.

positive correlation between edu-cation achievement, and economic prosperity. Advancing the cause of education at all levels can only be a positive development for the UAE.

Promoting Research and Development in Educational Institutions

Encouragement of corporations by government to fund research and development projects within univer-sities not only promotes innovation, but also provides an environment where students experience that

environment on a daily basis. The Abu Dhabi government has already taken the initiative in facilitating in-novation. With the input of private corporations funding research and development in universities, fund-ing levels will significantly increase, and innovative leaders of the future will be discovered.

Internationalizing Local Education

Abu Dhabi has made significant progress in establishing its presence in the international market through

various global initiatives such as the Drones for Good Award. The ulti-mate goal for any education sector is to export their services to the international market. The current trend among students worldwide is towards the preference for a for-eign education which many feel will provide them with increased career opportunities. Abu Dhabi can lever-age this trend and attract students to the Emirate for quality education, a strategy that is bound to increase global recognition of local educa-tional institutions and facilities.

Let’s Benchmark!

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Leading an Organization to Excellence

The Leadership Enabler C REATING AND SUSTAINING a

culture of excellence can only start from the top down. An

organization’s leaders are the only persons who can effectively moti-vate and inspire employees towards a vision of organizational excellence. Of all the excellence enablers, the leadership criterion is probably the most important in enabling excel-lence in an organization. Leadership has and continues to be one of the most frequently discussed business management topics, with count-less books, frameworks, and examples that have proven effective for various practi-tioners. The Abu Dhabi Excellence Awards,

based on the European Foundation Quality Model (EFQM) is among the most practical and well-structured guides for leadership excellence and is the basis of this article.

An organization needs strong leadership, one that guides and molds the workforce and unites them under a common set of goals, defining a clear strategy that translates into efficient man-agement of resources and stake-holders, as well as the develop-

ment of efficient processes to develop and produce prod-

ucts and services that de-light customers. In oth-

er words, without

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sound leadership, there will be no way to integrate and reconcile all the different criteria to meet the needs of the stakeholders.

So what exactly can leaders do to implement an effective manage-ment system and foster a culture of excellence?

Develop a Shared Vision, Mission and Values

The first thing that should be on any excellent leader’s agenda is to define a clear purpose for his/her organization. A corporate vision and mission needs to be clearly stated, reiterated and communicated to all stakeholders involved in an orga-nization’s business. The vision and mission can be used to unite an or-ganization’s employees under one common all-encompassing goal that gives them a clear direction. This helps secure an organization’s future by defining all its aims and the activities required to get there.

Shaping an organization’s culture and character is a key component to developing a shared vision, whereby leaders should define a set of corporate values that that guide how employees behave and make decisions. These set of values help define an organization’s business cli-mate, and determines how an orga-nization approaches their work and associated problems. These core values must be devised in a man-ner that will allow the employees to work together and set common goals for efficient work flow. There

should be trust, openness, and accountability, so that all em-

ployees can work towards the company’s interests,

much as the company does for them.

Leaders should also make sure their people

understand and live by eth-ical codes of conduct by con-

tinuously emphasizing the impor-

tance integrity and loyalty. Common values create harmony in the work-force by guiding an organization’s internal conduct as well as its rela-tionship with its customers, part-ners, and shareholders.

Act as Role Models

Much like a child would do as his/her parents do, rather than what they tell them to, so will employ-ees take directive from a leader’s behavior and actions, rather than verbal instructions and directives. A leader must embrace the quali-ties he wishes to foster in his peo-ple, and the best way to engrain the company mission, vision, and values is to live by them yourself.

To be a true leader, one must lead his/her people by example and maintain a work attitude that will inspire them and propel them into action. If a leader displays the integ-rity and the sense of social respon-sibility that they wish to see in their people, he will create a workforce that is dedicated and loyal and thus respects and looks up to him/her. Honesty is key in both internal and external dealings of a firm, and this is something a leader must reflect in his/her actions because as Lewis Cass said, “People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.”

Improve Management and Performance

Constant improvement is of par-amount importance in the pursuit of excellence. A good leader per-sistently devises new tools to re-view methods and strategies so that they can be improved in any way possible. A leader must estab-lish cause and effect relationships, to establish which actions lead to certain results. That way, desired re-sults can be reinforced and the rest can be discarded.

The ways a company’s affairs are

managed also needs to be assessed by monitoring the results that are achieved. Sustained excellence must be achieved, and so manage-ment techniques must be revised regularly to keep them up-to-date in the world’s current state of fast-paced business and environmental changes.

Organizational processes must be carefully designed to adapt and stay ahead of the latest business and economic trends. A good lead-er always has current information available, and can apply this infor-mation within the context of his/her organization, ensuring that a competitive edge is always main-tained. Decision-making leaders should be well informed and en-sure that business decisions are based on facts before taking action and driving change. When such considerations are made, resulting actions and processes are often more reliable, and it becomes easi-er to base future predictions on the results achieved.

Excellent leaders must also be transparent with their stakeholders about their performance. Stake-holders should be kept abreast about how the business is doing and what steps the leaders are tak-ing to ensure good performance. Good leaders understand that they are accountable to their stakehold-ers and therefore act accordingly. It is this feeling of responsibility that drives exceptional leaders to go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that his/her people, pro-cesses, and systems are aligned to achieve excellent results. Sharing information and being transparent with stakeholders is a key factor in maintaining their support. Not only do good leaders share good news, but they also share bad news and discuss risky business decisions as well. This way, leaders can garner the support of their stakeholders when times are good, but also when times are tough.

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Engage with external stakeholders

Excellent organizations are always looking for new innovations, and the best leaders know how to work with different groups that are in-volved in the company’s interests to fish for new ways to improve products and productivity. At a ba-sic level, organizations essentially strives to align its goals with those of its stakeholders, and excellent organizations have leaders that can identify who these various benefi-ciaries are, where they lie on the power and interest map, and how to best serve their needs and ex-ceed their expectations.

Good leadership is an organiza-tion’s driving force behind figuring out how to best engage its part-ners, customers and the society at large in new and creative ways to enhance the organization’s reputa-tion and that of its processes, prod-ucts and/or services. A good leader takes the time to know the people and groups his/her organization in-teracts with, and knows how to a brand that attracts and keeps hap-py customers and partners.

In order to develop and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with other organizations such as suppliers and distributors, a lead-er needs to have the sense of how their strengths will complement their own, and how they can best serve the firm’s strategic goals. Once these factors are established, the relationship must be handled with openness, mutual trust and transparency.

Reinforce a Culture of Excellence

Excellent leadership entails foster-ing a business environment where the organization’s people are en-gaged and involved in the ongoing processes and activities of the firm. Employees of excellent organiza-tions feel empowered, and have a sense of ownership and account-ability towards their objectives. In order to create this sense of belong-ing, employees must be made to feel that they are valued and are an important part of the organization. Only then will they feel motivated to put their hearts and souls into reaching the organization’s goals. There should be no feeling of de-

tachment or isolation; they need to feel like the company’s interests are their own and they must be inspired to treat their work as their passion, not just a sum of hours they need to clock in to get a pay cheque.

The organizational ambiance should encourage innovation, creativity, and out-of-the-box thinking that can set the organization apart from compet-itors and benchmark organizations. Excellent leaders set the pace for this kind of innovation and constantly en-courage and reward innovative solu-tions and improvements in products, services, and processes. It is import-ant for excellent organizations to dis-rupt and reinvent the field they are in, and they can only do this with a confident, creative and passionate workforce, which can only be nur-tured by excellent leaders. Employ-ees should not be afraid to break rules and take calculated risks, and must be encouraged to venture out of their comfort zone in order to dis-cover the new and unknown. They must also be supported and guid-ed, and their efforts should be well organized so that they can achieve these innovative goals and targets in a timely manner.

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Leaders should also ensure that they promote equal opportunities and diversity in the organization. This not only keeps all employees motivated, but also attracts diverse range of innovative solutions and ideas to the firm and improves the organization’s overall image.

An excellent leader fosters an envi-ronment where people love to work, and are loyal to the firm’s agenda, finding a safe environment to be cre-ative and move ahead, and strive for excellence in everything they do.

Ensure flexibility and the ability to manage change effectively

In order to manage change effec-tively, a leader must first under-stand which factors drive change, and how these factors function. This understanding can help them anticipate when the tide is about to turn, and to come out on top when the dust settles.

When making decisions, a leader must be able to use previous expe-riences to guide them along with

the information available to them, to take timely actions. A quick re-sponse reflex is an excellent lead-er’s forte, and he/she should be able to understand the intricate and multi-faceted impacts that his/her responses will have on the firm and on stakeholders when making such quick responses. They should be flexible enough to adapt to new situations, and to tweak their strat-egies to align with these newly arisen circumstances in a way that will positively affect the firm, while keeping the trust of all stakehold-ers involved.

Times are always changing and the business world in particular is rapidly evolving. New concepts and processes are constantly de-veloped, and in order to achieve sustained excellence in this world, it is important to change with it. To this end, a good leader must demonstrate the ability to learn and act quickly, and keep coming up with new ways of solving stra-tegic issues that can improve their effectiveness and increase efficien-cy. Short-term gains can only take a company so far, and an excellent leader always thinks long-term.

Staying competitive is also a quality a leader must have, which can keep their methods current and up-to-date in order to be able to stay in the race towards excellence.

This comprehensive set of leader-ship attributes and skills are an em-bodiment of excellence in leader-ship that every organization needs to have in order to succeed in a competitive and fast faced world. It allows a leader to make sure all the other Enabler criteria, strategy, peo-ple, processes, products and ser-vices, and partnership and resourc-es, are well-organized, adequately managed and are working to their fullest potential.

The Abu Dhabi Excellence Award for Government Performance uses this model criterion to seek out the firms worthy of this honor, and through it the government en-courages its organizations to strive for excellence. Leaders in the Abu Dhabi public sector contending to be part of this program can look within for these qualities, and try and incorporate the ones that are missing so they can lead their orga-nizations to excellence.

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MOST LEADERSHIP pro-grammes are gener-ally designed to hone the cognitive and be-

havioural skills of leaders with the implicit assumption that this would ultimately translate into high per-formance. Leaders are according-ly called on to develop traits like

self-awareness, self-regulation, and empathy, for example, all of which require deep self-reflection and in-trospection to assimilate into a per-son’s being. While cultivating such values are important, when we asked people to look back on these programmes, most reported not seeing a marked change in leader-

ship caliber. As one executive put it, “Without years of dedicated efforts, how can you transform a person’s character or behavioural traits? And can you really measure and assess if leaders are embracing and internalis-ing these personal traits and styles? In theory yes, but in reality it’s hard at best.” In the end, millions of dol-

KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, INSEAD Professors of Strategy and Co-Directors of the INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute

Blue Ocean Leadership

To unleash employees’ untapped talent and energy, leaders need a strong repertoire of actions, not just better awareness and empathy.

27


lars were often spent, excitement was initially generated, but real lead-ership change did not set in.

Pillar One: Focus on acts and activities.

Blue ocean leadership, in contrast, is action-based, just as strategy is. It focuses on what acts and activities leaders need to do to provide a leap in motivation and business results driven by people, not on who they need to be. It’s the difference be-tween being asked to be motivating versus being asked to provide those you lead with real-time feedback and best practice lessons that inter-nally motivate and guide those you lead to up their game while feeling valued. The summation of these acts and activities is the leadership equivalent of a company’s strate-gic profile only here the aim is the development of a compelling lead-ership profile grounded in actions that are easy to observe, measure, and are directly linked to perfor-mance. This difference in emphasis has an important consequence for the time and resources needed to bring about a change for high per-formance. It is markedly easier to change a person’s acts and activi-ties, than their values, qualities, or behaviours.

Of course, changing a leader’s activ-ities is not a complete solution, and having the right values, behaviours, and qualities is important. But chang-ing acts and activities is something that any individual can do, given the right feedback and guidance.

Pillar Two: Connect leadership to market realities by engaging people who confront them.

We observed that the leadership approaches employed by organisa-tions are often generic and detached from what firms stand for in the eyes of customers and the market

results employees are expected to achieve. At one insurance company, for example, call center personnel were tasked with fulfilling custom-er claims rapidly, while their front-line leaders maintained a hands-off approach to getting the claims de-partment to cut checks rapidly. Call center personnel rightly felt set up to fail, hugely demotivated, and let down by their leaders.

Blue ocean leadership, in contrast, focuses on what makes effective leaders, not in a vacuum but in light of the market realities their organ-isations confront and their direct reports must deliver on. Blue ocean leadership does not subscribe to a generic approach of common leader-ship acts and activities much as strat-egy does not subscribe to the same strategic profile across organisations. Instead people who face market re-alities are asked for their direct input regarding what acts and activities their leaders do that hold them back and what they need from their lead-ers but aren’t currently receiving to be their best and effectively serve customers and key stakeholders. When people are asked to help de-fine the leadership acts and activities that will make them thrive and are connected to the market realities against which they need to perform, people get the type of leadership they and their organisation need and are highly motivated to share their energy and perform to the best of their abilities. As one employee put it, “I am under constant pressure to produce market results. I need the decisions and actions of my boss to support me to succeed in achieving market results. Currently there is a disconnect here.”

Pillar Three: Distribute leadership across different management levels.

While the market realities that or-ganisations face today demand that there should be leaders at every

level, the majority of leadership pro-grammes we observed still remained largely focused on the top. But the key to a successful organisation is having empowered leaders at every level. It’s an illusion to expect or rely on top management on its own to deliver high performance especially as outstanding service all too often comes down to the motivation and actions of frontline leaders who are often in closest contact with the market. Executives need to push re-sponsibility down in the organisation so that people on the frontline can deliver world-class service. Organ-isations need to develop effective leaders deep in their organisation by distributing leadership across differ-ent management levels, but that was often not the case.

Blue ocean leadership addresses this need by focusing on distributed leadership, not top leadership. By distributed leadership we refer to leadership distributed at the senior, middle, and frontline levels. Blue ocean leadership sees leadership as needed at all three levels to un-lock the ocean of unemployed tal-ent and energy that stretches deep into organisations. It also under-stands that these three levels are different enough from one another. Each requires a different leadership profile to be effective since each has a different positional power, task environment as well as focus on and interaction with the exter-nal environment. The factors that define good leadership are derived by the acts and activities leaders need to take at each level to create a leap in value for both employees and customers. In this way, blue ocean leadership, like blue ocean strategy, is about creating a nonze-ro-sum, win-win outcome. As we’ve heard repeatedly, “Almost everyone leads someone, not just the top. But when it comes to leadership, we fo-cus on the top. The truth is 90% of our people don’t even have contact with them so how is their greatness supposed to transform our organ-

KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

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KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

isation? We need effective leaders at every level.”

Pillar Four: Pursue high impact leadership acts and activities at low cost.

Leadership practices are all too of-ten seen and treated as something added on to people’s regular work. But with secretaries and administra-tive staff in most organisations al-

ready cut back to the bare minimum and the market reality intense, most leaders’ plates are already full. Find-ing the time to do one’s regular job is tough enough, let alone attempt-ing to up one’s game. So a step-change in leadership strength rarely occurs. Time is just not enough.

Blue ocean leadership recognises this. It breaks the trade-off between impact and cost by focusing as much on what acts and activities leaders

need to eliminate and reduce in what they do as on what they need to raise and create to unlock the ocean of unemployed talent and energy to drive high performance. In the context of leadership, high impact refers to achieving high mo-tivation and engagement of people to drive business results while low cost refers to a lower investment of time by leaders, which is their most expensive and limited resource.

Focus on the values, qualities and behavioural styles that make for good leadership under the assumption that these ultimately translate into high performance.

Focus on what acts and activities leaders need to un-dertake to boost their teams’ motivation and business

results, not on who leaders need to be.

Conventional Leadership Development Appoaches

Blue Ocean Leadership

Our research has found that many of the acts and activities that take up leaders’ time actually work against them being effective and can even be resented by those be-low them, not appreciated by those above them, and are an energy sapper for the leaders themselves. By expressly eliminating and reduc-ing these acts and activities, lead-ers’ time is freed to focus on new acts and activities that make a real impact on leading and producing

business results driven by people. Without freeing up leaders’ time in this way, it is often no more than wishful thinking that leaders will have the time to up their game.

To put blue ocean leadership in action, we adapt the analytic tools and frameworks of blue ocean strategy to the leadership context. The result is the Leadership Canvas, the Leadership Profile and the Blue Ocean Leadership Grid all of which

are grounded in acts and activities, easy to understand and communi-cate and that engage more people in an organization. The tools and methodology point is very import-ant. Without that it is very hard for research to do more than inform but practically address the chal-lenges of leadership development for high performance. The coming articles explore how to apply these tools and frameworks to put blue ocean leadership into practice.

Tend to be quite generic and are often detached from what organizations stand for in the eyes of their customers and the market results their people are expected to achieve.

Focus mostly on the executive and senior levels of organizations.

Invest extra time for leadership practices added on to people’s regular work.

Connect leaders’ actions closely to market realities by having the people who face market realities define

what leadership practices hold them back and what leadership actions would enable them to thrive and

best serve customers and other key stakeholders.

Distribute leadership across all three management levels because outstanding organizational perfor-mance often comes down to the motivation and

actions of middle and frontline leaders who are in closer contact with the market.

Pursue high impact leadership acts and activities at low cost by focusing as much on what leaders need to eliminate and reduce in what they do as on what they

need to raise and create. 29


H.E Salama Al AmimiExecutive Director of

Organizational Development and Excellence

Sharing Excellence

H .E. SALAMA AL AMIMI is Executive Director of Or-ganizational Development and Excellence for Abu

Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), working on projects that will have a dramatic impact on the youth of Abu Dhabi for generations to come.

H.E Ms Al Amimi is currently fo-cused on what she says has been the most significant project of her career so far: to recruit more Emi-ratis to teach in schools. This morn-ing, she has good reason to hail this a success: “The lady who works in Emiratisation, which comes under my office, was so excited to come and tell me the good news just now, that we’ve hired 677 teachers in this campaign!

“Emiratis have tended to disregard the teaching occupation, because they believe it’s a lot of pressure dealing with students for a small amount of money. So we built beau-tiful schools, came up with a new pay-scale for teachers, new work-ing structures, and it’s now making teaching more appealing to them.”

The 38 year-old Emirati started her career in Al Ain, working in re-cruitment for Tawam Hospital. She recalls the American General Man-ager of the hospital at that time: “I had a wonderful boss who saw

Interview Date: 28/09/2014

the potential in me—he felt I was someone who could learn quickly. He never stopped advising me to put pressure on myself, because he believed that would make me a bet-ter professional. Now, I myself am a manager. I try to do that with my own staff because you never fully realise your capabilities until you’re under heavy pressure.”

Four years later, having been pro-moted to head of recruitment for Al Ain Medical City, H.E Ms Al Amimi received a phone call from the Gen-eral Secretariat of the Executive Council (GSEC), asking her to work for them as an HR Manager.

“When I received that phone call, I knew it would be a big step forward in my career, but to be honest with you, as a Bedouin lady it was difficult to think about shifting from Al Ain to Abu Dhabi with my young daugh-ter, even though it’s only a two hour drive away, because I had to leave the family. But I decided to do it.”

Three years later, H.E Ms Al Amimi was promoted to Executive Direc-tor of Support Services, where she was the only female executive in a team of four men, which present-ed its own challenges. “They were supportive, but—it’s strange, as a female, you have to be cautious of every single word that you state.

Men can be very sensitive when something is spoken by a female to a male. So I had to be careful with my statements. But sometimes I used to think ‘Do you hear your-selves when you talk to each other? Why don’t you get as sensitive to-wards each other?”

H.E Ms Al Amimi worked at GSEC from 2006 and 2009, during a time of great changes in the central gov-ernment, and seized the opportuni-ty to learn what she could. “It was a very exciting time to be involved in this line of work. Although I was sup-port services director, I was always working on the business develop-ment side more than support ser-vices. I was someone sitting at the table, listening and trying to contrib-ute.” One of H.E Al Amimi’s roles was to develop the structure and func-tion of ADEC, so moving on to work for them seemed a natural next step, where she started as an Organization Capability Adviser. Then the Office of Organisational Development and Excellence was created, with Ms Al Amimi at the helm. “They created the office with that name because everybody believed in that man-date. We are reforming the entire system—it’s an office of transforma-tion,” she explains.

One reason for a perceived need for reforming the system was the

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Sharing Excellence

THEY CREATED THE OFFICE WITH THAT NAME

BECAUSE EVERYBODY BELIEVED IN THAT

MANDATE. WE ARE REFORMING THE ENTIRE

SYSTEM—IT’S AN OFFICE OF TRANSFORMATION

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Sharing Excellence

growing gap in expectations between the school education system and the higher education system in Abu Dhabi. Ninety-three percent of Emi-ratis, after they left school, were not equipped to begin their degree cours-es, and instead had to embark on a bridging ‘foundations programme’ to raise them to an acceptable standard. There are plans that these university foundation programmes will soon be scrapped, as schools step up to plug the learning gap.

“School students were not meet-ing the required levels, and there was enough evidence of a pressing need for the system to be changed,” explains H.E Al Amimi. “There’s also a big misalignment between what the market requires graduates to study, and what the students them-selves are specializing in—a lot of young Emiratis are unemployed be-cause they’re studying the wrong disciplines. They never had prop-er career counseling to help them choose the right career. Mostly, they’re focused on ICT and Busi-ness Administration, while actually you also need people who are engi-neers, science technicians, and even experts in literature. So it’s about di-versifying our workforce.”

H.E Ms Al Amimi has been involved in ADEC’s ambitious changes in the curriculums of public schools, such as changing to a bilingual En-glish-Arabic model, and moving from rote-learning to interactive-learning. “The bilingual model was introduced gradually, starting with the young-est students, who are now in grade eight. So we have four years to go to finalise the entire system.

“We’re half way through our jour-ney, and I strongly believe we’re on the right path, but it’s difficult to judge right now. We need people who started in grade one to pass through the new system and gradu-ate from high school, and then we’ll be able to tell if it’s worked. There are signs of success.”

H.E Ms Al Amimi says her de-partment has learnt lessons from observing successful educational models operating in other countries such as Finland, Singapore, and Chi-na. But ADEC doesn’t believe in try-ing to imitate foreign systems.

“We look at their best practices to enlighten us to make better deci-sions, but we also have to custom-ize what we learn to our own needs.

We have to remember our own unique culture.

For example, because of our hot summer desert environment, it would be very difficult to extend the school term into the summer, as in certain other countries. Some people think we have a lot of school breaks, but those breaks are need-ed. Looking at our families and how close we are to each other, you can’t keep a student at school until 4.00pm. The family is an important factor in their growth.”

And in H.E Ms Al Amimi’s own family, it’s her 13 year-old daughter who she says inspires her in her life the most. “Being a mother helps me to try to understand other people’s points of view, because I have to lis-ten to her and try to understand her perspective, rather than just think-ing about what I want.

“What really motivates me is my contribution to the future gener-ation of my country. Even if it’s a small contribution, it gives me such satisfaction. I have challenges ev-ery day, but I try to pause and see the bigger picture, and that’s what keeps me going.”

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7140 Fareeha Collection Press Ad 205mm x 275mm.pdf 1 12/4/14 6:34 PM


S PEAK TO any parent and they will quickly confirm the age-old cliché; having a child changes your life

forever! For Shaikha Mohammed Saeed Al Mulla however, the turbu-lent transition to ‘motherhood’ was all-encompassing.

An accountant by profession, the UAE National immersed herself in the fairly predictable world of facts, figures and fractions on com-pletion of her studies and higher education. It wasn’t until the birth of her first child, that a new and un-discovered passion for education, in particular, early childhood devel-opment, was ignited.

Hand-picked by Dubai’s Ministry of Education for the position of Direc-tor at the Dubai Child Development Centre, a position which Dr Shaikha has held for the past 18 years, this ambitious 51-year old UAE national has greatly contributed towards the future of education in the UAE. “In all honesty, something that started out as more of a fascination has shaped my career,” she tells me from a sofa in her homely-looking office. “When

Director of the Child Development Centre

DR SHAIKHA MOHAMMED SAEED AL MULLA

Sharing Excellence

Ministry of EducationBy Kelly Ann Crane

the children came along, I was gripped by the stages of their devel-opment. I know our own children impress us as parents – just because they are ours – but this was differ-ent. I found myself asking why they did certain things, and looked for ways to turn negative into positive. I wanted to understand what made them act and react in situations. It was intrigue and nothing more but it shifted my focus completely.”

Within years, Dr Al Mulla, moth-er-of-four, and grandmother to six, achieved a Bachelor degree in Early Childhood Education and Learning from Al Ain University before head-ing to Cairo to study for a Masters in Children with ADHD. A PhD with specialist emphasis on children with dyslexia completed an impressive portfolio of formal qualifications – for now. “Learning is second nature to me and I suppose that’s what makes so much sense in the role I’m now in,” says Al Mulla, who is also a Ministry of Education school inspec-tor. “When we were small my father would take us to Lebanon for months in the summer but not for a holiday like other children. My siblings and I

would go to boarding school in the holiday months and continue our education. I didn’t realise the ben-efit at the time, but now I know it’s because he wanted us to have every opportunity available.”

In 2005 the UK government’s For-eign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) sponsored Dr Al Mulla to study for a degree at the Universi-ty College London on how involved women are in the corridors of power. A management member of the Women’s Society Council, and member of the General Women’s Union in the UAE, Dr Al Mulla was the first person from the UAE to be selected for a Chevening Fellow-ship, named after the official resi-dence of Britain’s Foreign Secretary. “I found my passion in learning and education,” but I have my children to thank for it.” Shaikha Al Mulla has two sons studying Urban Design at Oxford University, UK; a daugh-ter with her own company and her youngest son works in the financial sector in Geneva, Switzerland. “In the beginning I couldn’t find a prop-er school for them and it was very frustrating. Dubai was not the place

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it is today, and 30 years ago it was tough to find a good school, in my opinion,” she explains. “I found my-self interfering all the time in their school and studies, and never real-ly felt comfortable with the teach-ing. I remember sending the nanny to check up – I was not a popular mother. But I knew things could be better and I was determined to help make that happen.”

Having a conversation with Al Mul-la is akin to chatting with your own, probably slightly-less concerned, mother. Kind, sincere eyes draw you in, and a genuine interest in your own choices, are soon at the top of her agenda, whether you are friend, family or stranger. She attributes her incessant drive to give everyone the best to her own children, and the success they have achieved. “It starts when they are small and this is what people miss sometimes. The local education system has improved leaps and bounds, but still has a long way to go. My biggest wish would be for the officials to realise the im-portance of early childhood develop-ment and learning. Education starts before they can walk.”

Using her own son Saeed, current-ly living in Geneva, as an example, Dr Al Mulla’s passion is undeniable as she recalls: “He could speak four languages before he could do much else. When you witness what a lit-tle child can master at such a young age it doesn’t take a genius to real-ise the influence a solid foundation can have at the age of two, three, or four.” Unfortunately, Dr Al Mulla be-lieves too much emphasis is placed on children at the higher education level, rather than at kindergarten age. “You’ve lost some of them by then,” she says.

The Kindergarten Development Centre was established in 1992 by the Ministry of Education in part-nership with the Arab Gulf Program for United Nations Development (AGFUND), and the United Na-tions Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The Centre immediately adopted and developed a curriculum based on self-learning principles in a bid to improve and promote kindergarten education in the UAE.

It is also a training establishment for UAE national curriculum teach-

ers and trains more than 180 staff each year. Dr Al Mulla’s strong commitment for education rapidly propelled her to the position of di-rector following just a few success-ful years as a primary educator in Dubai. “There were no teachers to help children with special learning capabilities. It has taken time but I wanted a place where teachers could train to better themselves, and better understand the children they were teaching; it’s knowing the signs, and what to look for.”

Following the Child Rights con-vention of 1996, the Ministry of Education introduced a standard curriculum for teaching and educa-tion across the board for the UAE. Dr Al Mulla relished the challenge to implement the syllabus and was further granted clearance to add three modules in the creative and art design fields. “After the Gulf War I sensed a change in our chil-dren,” and explains why; “I was in a government kindergarten in Satwa and there was a kind of tension I couldn’t explain. “They seemed an-gry, upset, and more hyperactive. It made me realise that children are

35


affected by these world events no matter where they are in the world and they must be educated to deal with them.” Part of Dr Al Mulla’s ac-tion plan was to allow children to express a more creative side. “We needed to move away from the idea that the only way to learn is with books; reading and writing is not al-ways the answer.”

So what does Dr Al Mulla see for the future of UAE education?

“We live in a special place when it comes to education,” she says, full of praise for the Ministry of Educa-tion. “If you live in the UK your child has a UK curriculum; in the US, an American syllabus, and here, our children have access to whatever curriculum the parent chooses, and that is pretty unique. Even if you want your child to follow a Japanese education plan, it is possible here.” A mother before all else, Dr Al Mulla believes that cultural education – a given in the UAE – is by far one of the most important for youngsters.

“Every child will crawl, stand, walk, say “baba” and “mama” – the stag-es of development are the same; it doesn’t matter the colour of skin or what language will eventually be the mother-tongue, it’s about a child being a child. Our children are very lucky.” she proudly admits.

With Expo 2020 on the horizon, education is just one of many gov-ernment sectors due for expansion and improvement over the coming years. “If I could have just one wish it would be this,” says Dr Shaikha. “We need to educate the educa-

tors and remember to start at the bottom. The tiny children of this country will eventually be leaders. Children can learn languages from as young as six months old, and this should be enough to help people see that these children are the fu-ture, and investment should know no bounds.” Finally, she sits back and breathes in a deep breath be-fore softly saying: “Give them the tools and they will build a nation.”

If Dr Shaikha has her way she would be digging the foundations with them all.

CHILDREN CAN LEARN LANGUAGES FROM AS YOUNG AS SIX MONTHS OLD, AND THIS SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO HELP PEOPLE SEE THAT THESE CHILDREN ARE THE FUTURE, AND INVESTMENT SHOULD KNOW NO BOUNDS.

Sharing Excellence

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IN FOCUS

EDUCATION IN ABU DHABI has gone through a period of major growth over the last few decades. What started out as a small-scale

state education system has now grown into a world-class education system having large numbers of public and private schools, as well as world class Universities and ter-tiary institutions.

The Abu Dhabi Government has identified education as its number one priority. It has further recog-nized the role of education in achiev-ing long-term social and economic transformation in Abu Dhabi. This shows the importance that is placed on education and further illustrates

the important role that the Abu Dha-bi Education Council (ADEC) has in fulfilling this strategic priority.

Under the visionary leadership of H.H Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Na-hyan, Founder and late President of the UAE, public education in Abu Dhabi and the UAE as a whole saw rapid transformation through poli-cies, agendas, and frameworks set by the Ministry of Education.

His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the current pre-mier of UAE and Abu Dhabi, contin-ues to stress the need to further de-velop the education system in Abu Dhabi according to international standards. In order to achieve that

goal, ADEC was established in 2005 to improve the quality of the pub-lic education system in Abu Dha-bi. The Chairman of ADEC is H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dha-bi and Deputy Supreme Command-er of the UAE Armed Forces. The Vice-Chairman is H.H Sheikh Man-sour Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs. The Director General of ADEC, H.E Dr. Mugheer al Khalili, has administered ADEC since 2005.

ADEC has pledged an unwavering resolve to transform Abu Dhabi into a knowledge-based society and has charted progressive, sustainable plans to carry this out by way of the

ABU DHABI’S

Education Sector 38


IN FOCUS

Education 2020 Plan, launched by the Ministry of Education and Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.

Overview of Abu Dhabi’s Education System

When the UAE was established in 1971, there were very few education-al institutes in Abu Dhabi. In 1962, Abu Dhabi had less than 20 public schools with an enrollment of about 4,000 students, most of them boys. There were no higher education in-stitutes in Abu Dhabi. Citizens who wanted to study beyond secondary school had to go abroad to complete their studies. Today, that number has grown to 490 schools—185 private and 305 public. In addition, Abu Dha-bi has 18 higher education institutes and universities of which 12 are pub-lic and six are private.

ADEC’s role is to develop and man-age public educational institutes within Abu Dhabi. It also offers support and assistance to private

schools and universities and imple-ments policies to improve the stan-dard of education in Abu Dhabi in accordance with the highest inter-national standards.

ADEC implements its own curricu-lum in public schools in Abu Dhabi where students are given examina-tions based on the federal Minis-try of Education’s requirements. In January 2008, ADEC became the supervising body of the Abu Dha-bi Educational Zone (ADEZ), taking over the role from the UAE Ministry of Education.

At present, ADEC manages 305 public schools and 12 public HEI (Higher Education Institutes). Pub-lic education is free for male and female citizens through university level. Expatriate students can also attend government schools for a nominal fee. Public institutes and schools in Abu Dhabi have one of the lowest student-to-teacher ra-tios (28:1) in the world, enabling the

average student to receive more at-tention from his or her teacher.

Thousands of teachers from around the world have been recruit-ed over the last few years in an ef-fort to further transform the public education system in Abu Dhabi to meet some of the best international benchmarks available. In addition to teaching at the public schools, these recruits are tasked with supporting local educators in developing the best teaching techniques and meth-odologies in addition to supporting them with the development of long-term professional development plans. At the end of 2014, ADEC an-nounced that approximately 1,500 Emirati school leaders, teachers, and administrators had been re-cruited across Abu Dhabi’s public schools as part of ADEC’s strategy to Emiratize school based jobs. In ad-dition to their new positions, Emi-rati school leaders will be offered various professional development opportunities that will help empow-er them in the field. Some of these opportunities include a scholar-ship program especially tailored for school leaders, the Nibras Program, the Florida Program to help assess and develop their performance, and the Vanderbilt University Program which will offer developmental and career guidance support.

The stated mission of ADEC is to produce world-class learners who embody a strong sense of culture and heritage and are prepared to meet global challenges. In order to achieve this goal, the role of the Council was expanded further. It now coordinates with the Ministry of Education to plan education strat-egies within the framework of the UAE’s general education policy, pro-vide technical and material support to public educational institutions as well as staffs, implement innovative educational development policies, and support research-based tech-niques to increase student per-formance and learning. ADEC also

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IN FOCUS

conducts studies and makes sugges-tions to develop education and vo-cational training, initiates plans and programs to improve the education system in Abu Dhabi, and supports relations between public education-al institutions and the private sector.

In addition to the roles and re-sponsibilities stated above, ADEC issues licenses to and monitors private schools in the Emirate. In February 2014, ADEC released an inspections report for 146 private schools in the Emirate to support parents and teachers in the selec-tion of private schools. Inspection teams from the council have been rating private schools for over four years but made their findings public for the first time last year.

ADEC seeks to put students first and create a modern and innova-tive school system for all citizens and residents of Abu Dhabi. It en-deavors to develop educated and responsible citizens that will shape the future of Abu Dhabi. This com-mitment has been made evident by the numerous initiatives and trans-formation projects that ADEC has championed since inception.

Strategic Goals and Priorities of Abu Dhabi’s Educational Reform

ADEC targets both fundamental long-term transformation and im-mediate improvements of the ed-ucation sector. The reform plans announced by ADEC are aligned with the federal education strate-gy aimed at enhancing quality and competitiveness of education in the region. Its vision is to build an oasis of knowledge and research in Abu Dhabi, strongly connected to the global society and economy, and yet deeply rooted in the culture and heritage of the Emirate.

In 2008, ADEC created the Abu Dhabi Education Policy Agenda. The educational agenda was created in coordination with over 44 world ex-perts on education. The goal of the agenda was to create a framework of guiding principles, objectives, and a vision for improving the quali-ty of Abu Dhabi’s education system.

Most of ADEC’s initiatives not only identify policy priorities but also make policies that are unique to the region. For instance, the new school model program described above focuses on the student, the teach-er, and the learning environment rather than focusing specifically on books.

The policies of ADEC aim to op-timize geographic distribution of

schools for improved accessibility by the residents of local communi-ties. Further, its goal is to provide access to high quality education to everyone in Abu Dhabi—education that is on par with the highest inter-national standards. The standard of Emirate’s education plays a defining role in successful implementation of Abu Dhabi’s policies, agendas, and framework.

As mentioned previously, Abu Dha-bi currently has more than 200,000 students studying at 185 private and 305 public schools across the city. One of the key goals of ADEC that is in line with Abu Dhabi Edu-cation Vision 2020 is to build –sixty to seventy new schools in the next five years.

By 2020, the number of students in private schools is expected to grow to around 280,000. The new schools that will be set up under the guidance of ADEC will effectively meet the growing demand for edu-cational institutes in Abu Dhabi.

Apart from increasing the number of schools in the city, other key pri-orities of the Council include staying abreast of global trends in education delivery, upgrading existing infor-mation system infrastructure and backend support systems, and intro-

40


ducing new ideas and technologies to meet the needs of the learner community. In addition, ADEC is also keen on enabling advanced informa-tion dissemination, harnessing stu-dents’ technological prowess, and improving stakeholder communica-tions through the use of various cut-ting-edge channels and technology.

In an attempt to push technolo-gy-based learning at school level, ADEC announced the distribution of 11,000 digital devices (such as tab-lets, computers, electronic white-boards, video conferencing mate-rials, etc.) among public schools in Abu Dhabi during the academic year 2012-2013. Meanwhile, the government, in alliance with its na-tional telecom company, has facili-tated wired and wireless high speed internet connectivity linking over 268 public schools in Abu Dhabi at a cost of US$ 90 million.

Investing in the Future: Challenges and Concerns

ADEC’s vision is to offer a world-class education system to sup-port the development of a knowl-edge-based society that will fully participate and contribute to Abu Dhabi’s current and future economy. The Council wants to enhance the quality of education imparted to the students by utilizing state of the art, 21st century learning materials. In an effort to encourage participation and transparency in seeking solutions to Abu Dhabi’s education sector chal-lenges, ADEC has recently hosted a forum titled “Shaping the Future” where over 1,200 public school ed-ucators discussed various challenges and successes in the education sec-tor. Teachers and staff brainstormed ideas and solutions related to 30 dif-ferent topics from education reform to strategy development and project plans that affect public education to-day and in the future.

One of the known challenges to building a modern, world class edu-

cation system is physical plant infra-structure. Some of the older public school infrastructure needs to be up-graded to provide high quality educa-tion using cutting edge technologies. However, an aggressive timeline and the complexity associated with de-ploying new infrastructure may pose a challenge to ADEC in upgrading fa-cilities of public institutions so that they are on par with international standards. Major challenges to in-corporate new technologies in public education institutes may include the deployment of education solutions for developing world-class learners, ensuring the connection and collab-oration of 305 public schools to the data center, the Internet, and each other, and successful Implementa-tion of solutions by all parties in a timely manner.

In order to solve these challenges, ADEC has partnered with leading IT firms to deploy innovative technol-ogies in public institutions in Abu Dhabi. For example, it has deployed the new borderless network archi-tecture that supports voice, data, and multimedia services that can be scaled to support future growth.

ADEC has also planned migration of outdated public school curriculum to a new school model with a new

curriculum and assessment scheme. ADEC has proposed short and long-term strategies to upgrade the cur-riculum in stages within the next two years that will start with kindergar-ten and go up to P-12 in Abu Dhabi.

The government believes that a poor grasp of English is one of the main employment barriers for UAE nationals. In order to solve this problem ADEC intends to introduce an English syllabus in most of its uni-versities. It also intends to recruit more western teachers in public institutions to help improve the En-glish language skills of the students.

Furthermore, ADEC has secured funding of about AED 4.9 billion that will be pumped into research and development by 2018 under a new strategic plan for higher education.

Education in Abu Dhabi has grown significantly over the past ten years due to the initiatives of the Ministry of Education and ADEC. With the in-tention of establishing sixty to seven-ty new schools by 2020, as well as an agenda of improving the quality of education in Abu Dhabi on par with world-class international standards, ADEC endeavors to make Abu Dhabi one the leading destinations of qual-ity education in the world.

IN FOCUS

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LocalEnterprise

T ECHNOLOGY and tele-communications have long been Rashid’s forte, and establishing an enter-

prise IT Services Company was a natural progression in his academ-ic and professional journey. Rashid received his Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications Engineering from the Khalifa University of Sci-ence in 2000. Soon after, he head-ed straight into the telecom world, accepting the position of Senior Data Services Engineer at Etisalat, the UAE’s leading telecommunica-tions operator, where he spent the next seven years learning the trade. During this period, Rashid made profitable use of his extra time and completed his Executive Master’s in Business Administration degree at Zayed University in 2005. He has won many accolades in his academ-ic career and notably, the Sheikh Rashid Award for Academic Excel-lence in 2006.

In 2008, Rashid took on a new op-portunity as a Professional Services Manager with Du Telecommunica-tion, the second largest telecom-munications provider in the UAE. By April 2011, he was heading up the Advanced Services business, where he played a critical role in helping define and lead service provider strategy for aligning company re-sources to deliver unique business and technology solutions. Once more, Rashid made the best of his spare time during his tenure at Du by developing his own business plan. Ixtel was formally established in October 2010 after a strong busi-

Rashid Al ShamsiBoard Member at Emirati Entrepreneurs

Association and Founder of IXTEL

ness plan was funded by Abu Dha-bi’s Khalifa Fund for Enterprise De-velopment and supported by Dubai SME, a branch of the Department of Economic Development. “I am very proud to be a member of Khalifa Fund and I would like to thank all of our great leaders for their vision,

direction, and leadership in helping to create such institutions.” He says. When asked what motivated him to start his own business, Rashid re-sponds by saying, “An entrepreneur is one who plays a significant role in the economic development of a country. With my 15 years of con-

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LocalEnterprise

sulting experience in IT and com-munications, I would like to take this knowledge and help contrib-ute to the vision our great leaders have of developing a strong knowl-edge-based economy.”

When asked where Rashid got his business idea from, he explains; “I noticed that the services on of-fer from service providers failed to address the core needs of custom-ers. They also lacked transparency and consistency, and often failed to provide a differentiated service and great customer experience that customers were yearning for. To ad-dress this, I’ve pulled together an expert team with deep local and in-

ternational knowledge to help serve our customers with a passionate commitment to delivering superior customer experience. At Ixtel, we provide the next generation of IT services that are tailored to individ-ual customers’ needs.”

Today, Ixtel furnishes solutions to enterprises of all sizes, including in-ternational businesses and telecom service providers. The company has positioned itself as the only UAE-based IT business of its kind with a global reach. Ixtel is an acronym that stands for Information (I) and (X) Telecommunication (TEL). The company’s vision is “To be the world leader in the provision and manage-

ment of IT infrastructure service” and its mission, “To be the IT ser-vice provider of choice for the GCC’s (Gulf Cooperation Council) leading organisations.” Rashid claims that, “Our strength lies in our ethos of: Doing more. Guaranteed.”

With offices in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Ixtel offers a cloud-based service delivery platform that al-lows companies to transform ser-vice delivery, enhance customer experience, and generate new rev-enues through support automation. Rashid has partnered with various leading and upcoming technology firms from around the world in his goal to deliver the best solutions

45


and to position his company as the knowledge leader in the region.

Today, Rashid’s business employs 35 people. As of last year, it has started to report positive cash flow through the delivery of valuable and innovative IT services to about 1,000 private and government customers across the UAE. Ixtel’s service portfolio has expanded to include consulting services (in ar-chitecture and design, enterprise computing, and internetworking), system integration services (cloud computing and utility services, infrastructure, virtualization, and network and security), in addition to, infrastructure management services. After establishing his company locally, he is now work-ing on expanding across the Gulf region and beyond.

When asked about the challeng-es he faced in establishing his own business, Rashid says. “The biggest challenges that I have faced have been raising capital, assembling a team, finding the right location, finding the right employees, over-coming competition, keeping up with industry changes and trends, and exiting the business. Every busi-ness and leadership role encounters obstacles. It is how we learn, over-come, and ultimately transform such obstacles into opportunities of a lifetime that matters!”

We went on to ask Rashid how he obtains a healthy work-life bal-ance with the stresses that come with starting a business, to which he responded; “Starting your own business can be a long, stressful, and arduous process. Despite the rewards and fulfilling benefits, the pressures of being an entrepre-neur will definitely put a strain on your life. It always feels like there are a million things to do and the clock is against you. It is easy to neglect your health and your fami-ly life as you spend your time deal-ing with emergencies.”

In discussing his coping mecha-nisms, Rashid has some simple yet highly effective principles: “Time is the most valuable commodity in life; it is the one thing you cannot buy more of. So, don’t waste time. Focus on what really matters.” He also adds to this by saying, “I don’t bring my mobile phone to the dinner table. When I am on vacation, I am on va-cation. I don’t carry my tablet to the beach. I pace my life. There are times when I need to throttle up and there are times when I need to throttle down. Self-awareness is crucial.”

We asked Rashid if he feels Abu Dhabi is a good place to start a busi-ness today, and if so, what environ-mental factors contribute to it. “Ab-solutely!” he exclaims. “The Abu Dhabi government has launched a number of new initiatives to sup-port and strengthen the entrepre-

neurship culture among young UAE nationals in the capital.” Rashid is currently a board member at the Emirati Entrepreneurs Association, a group that aims to attract and en-courage more Emirati youths to es-tablish quality businesses that serve the national economy across differ-ent industries.

We enquired about what he thought the main factors are that hold Emiratis back from starting up their own businesses. He explained, “I believe that the new generation lacks the required focus and they do not readily take the initiative. Find-ing the motivation to set up a busi-ness might be another factor that holds them back, and finally, I also believe that the new generation of youth has unrealistic expectations of quick returns. They want things their way, and they want it now.”

LocalEnterprise

46


Idea Watch

A PORTFOLIO is defined as a collection of projects, programs, and operations that are grouped together

for the sake of better management. These components that make up a portfolio may or may not be inter-related or interdependent but are managed together regardless, to meet strategic objectives of the organization.

What is Portfolio Management?

Portfolio manage-ment refers to the cen-tralized management of one or more portfo-lios. It is the art and sci-ence of making important decisions about investment policy, asset allocations for individuals and institutions, balancing risk against per-formance and matching in-vestments to objectives. It is all about identifying strengths, weak-nesses, opportunities, and threats in prioritizing, managing, and con-trolling projects to achieve strategic business goals.

How is Portfolio Management Different from Project Management?

Portfolio and Project Manage-

Strategy Execution

The Portfolio Management Way

ment can often be mistakenly viewed as interchangeable. The confusion usually stems from the fact that Portfolio Managers are higher up in the organizational hi-erarchy and is enough for stake-

the right projects and programs, prioritizing and providing the nec-essary resources to do the work. It is a process that clearly distin-guishes and balances conflicting demands between individual proj-ects, programs and objectives, considering both, risk and reward.

A portfolio manager answers three of the most important questions asked when con-

sidering the up-take of a new task. These ques-

tions are regarding:

• Interest – does it garner interest from the organizational

point of view?

• Practicality- is there any common project possibil-ities? Is the organization capable of completing the

project? Are all the neces-sary resources and technical

skills available?

• Worth – while a number of projects may be viable and generate interest, actual ex-ecution of a project depends on detailed analysis of the proposals worth to the organization.

Project management on the other hand, develops plans and imple-

holders to misunderstand and mis-use the terms.

Portfolio management aligns or-ganizational strategies by selecting

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Idea Watch

ments them to achieve a signifi-cantly specific scope driven by the objectives of the program and man-agerial strategy. It is largely con-cerned with the delivery of specific capabilities or the achievement of deliverables. Project management is strategy-driven but does not al-ways a strategy initiative. Rather it takes inputs, develops and executes a tactical plan.

The Importance of Portfolio Management

Portfolio management is the high-est level of organizational hierarchy. It is essential for the organization to centralize and prioritize proj-ects to ensure appropriate support to achieve set strategic targets. A portfolio manager strategizes and defines all priority areas and com-municates them. The governing methodology of any organization is communication. A portfolio man-ager is the source of communica-tion that analyses, determines and communicates the impact of any of the changes made in any project detailing or programs during the course of said projects.

Today, success often lies in the elu-sive balance between risk and op-portunity. In a fast-paced business world where every little thing be-comes seemingly more complex as scope, number and budgets of proj-ects increase, organizations are rec-ognizing that the way to ensure that projects and programs deliver their expected values is through effective and formal portfolio management. It is choosing the right projects at the right time for corporate strate-gy. Successful project management is the effective consolidation of a group of unrelated projects to allow business executives to get to the pulse of a portfolio’s worth, align-ment with company strategy, and return to investment without look-ing at each individual proposal as an isolated event.

For business owners, it is more than just theory. Smart executives have realized that current opera-tions represent what their organi-zations are today and where they stand, while portfolios of projects and their effective analysis deter-mines and represents where they will in the future. In a time where companies are still trying to shake-off the lingering after-effects of one of the world economic crisis, invest-ing in a portfolio manager is a wise business decision for any organi-zation. Prudent portfolio manage-ment pays off in a tough market.

The process of developing a portfo-lio to deliver an organisation’s or de-partment’s strategy will need to take into account operational priorities as well as strategic priorities. In defining the portfolio, existing policy, opera-tional programmes or projects that are not aligned to the strategy may have to be realigned or terminated. Operational programmes or proj-ects may also be put on hold while higher-priority projects supporting the strategy are delivered. There will only be a finite amount of resource available to deliver both strategic and operational change so there will need to be a balance to ensure re-sources are deployed to best effect.

Adopting the right Portfolio Management Tool

As project managers and business owners realize the need to improve in a competitive, cost-conscious risky environment the need for the right tools that allow them to bet-ter manage their ventures arises too. Success now requires doing the right projects, not just doing the projects right.

Tools for effective portfolio man-agement are evolving rapidly, with development companies rushing to offer newer, better options avail-able. Programs and templates, paid applications and software’s to free websites, the list is endless. A port-

folio management tool is important for all the advantages it provides:

• Effective monitoring of projects and portfolios by the investor or organization.

• Reduced investment of time and effort by the management

• Ensuring key capabilities are in order, the areas of a project that need to be analyzed and evaluated

• Keeping projects and portfolios on task to ensure achievement of set strategic goals on both operational and financial level.

Oracle’s Primavera Portfolio Man-agement solution focuses on the value of each live or proposed project and as such can provide a greater understanding of what projects or programs are over or under budget. It has out of the box integrations to Primavera P6 Project Management and Microsoft Proj-ect Server including consolidation across multiple servers. It provides a set of integration tools with other systems to exchange data and the import process establishes auto-matically, the mapping to maintain ongoing synchronisation.

Clarizen is an online portfolio and project management tool, and of those available, is the best one. As a cloud project management ap-plication it is hosted online and re-quires little more of your IT resourc-es than an internet connection. It is a recognized leader of portfolio management tools that harness-es the effectiveness of social me-dia into organizing your team. It is cross-platform functional and sup-ports multiple languages and cur-rencies. It combines work manage-ment and team collaboration with real-time business execution by allowing stockholders input as well.

Another top of the line tool is the

49


PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

BENEFITS

Return on Investment

Enhanced prioritization and allocation of capital investment fundsthrough careful selection and

Increased collaboration between projects and project managers

projects.

Ensure quicker decision cycles through consistent appraisal and approval processes.

Provide an overall change in strategy to make departments cost

Provide a greater focus on the on-going alignment of use ofallocated capital with actual project execution.

Better envision how projects and portfolios correlate with set policies, objectives, and agendas.

CollaborationEfficiency

Strategic Alignment

Idea Watch

Genius Project. Also an online port-folio management tool, it supports a variety of deployment options, making it flexible enough to fit the needs to almost any organization. It can generate up to 500 hundred reports, has traditional workflows and also incorporates modern en-terprise social media tools. The best thing about this particular tool is that it keep the learning curve short without sacrificing functionality.

While an endless list of portfo-lio management tools is available, there is no one portfolio manage-ment tool that is best for every sin-gle organization or company. Avail-able tools differ largely in what they do and how well they do it – the right tool depends on the investor or the organization itself, their busi-ness practices, needs and the na-

ture of projects they manage.

Portfolio Management in the Public Sector

Today, local and central govern-ment worldwide face challenges like never before. Increased ser-vices to citizens, financial pres-sures, alignment with political commitments all require a more ef-ficient and transparent governance procedure. While prioritization and portfolio management in the gov-ernment and the public sector is a daunting and complex task, it is becoming essential to implement good portfolio management and governance practices to stay on track and deliver the best value for money public services.

Many public sector organizations

have an inadequate grasp of the strategic nature of portfolio man-agement versus the day to day con-cerns or projects. A strong portfolio management practice can help align governmental strategic visions with portfolio decisions. Every addition, accomplishment, or failure changes and shifts the delicate and elusive balance between risk and oppor-tunity. To maintain control and suc-ceed, organizations need to organize struggling projects and align busi-ness strategies with organizational policies, business owners, investors, stakeholders, executives and govern-mental bodies. This complex task requires effective portfolio manage-ment that, in turbulent times, not only delivers required critical edge but also allows them to improve, identify, and derive greater values from project investments.

50


Build Your Social Profile

A S THE BUSINESS SECTOR has adopted the use of social media, the use of Twitter has escalated ex-

ponentially. Organizations are now realizing the importance of staying connected via social media networks in order to maintain a firm foothold in the market. Private, public, and semi-government organizations are using Twitter more frequently to-day for various purposes. From the benign to earth-shattering, shar-ing views and opinions to making significant public announcements; Twitter’s uses are many, as are its benefits.

According to research conducted in 2013 by Q4 Web Systems, a com-pany that specializes in analyzing best practices in social media, of over 800 companies included in the survey, 96% have Twitter presence. This represents an increase of 9% over the previous year. The research reported Technology and Natural Resources sectors as being the most avid users of Twitter. A region-wide analysis showed that North Amer-ican companies are the most avid users of Twitter, closely followed by their European counterparts.

Twitter and the Public SectorThese trends show just how im-

portant it has become for public and private organizations to have a

presence on Twitter and make their presence known. Around the world, organizations are making extensive use of Twitter for various public rela-tions and marketing purposes. Some of the most practical and beneficial uses of this technology today are:

• Emergency and Crisis Manage-ment: Twitter is a very beneficial platform for keeping the public informed and updated in real time during an emergency or cri-sis situations. Public sector enti-ties can use Twitter to share vital information requiring immedi-ate citizen action or mobilization during such circumstances.

• Reaching Out to Customers: Twitter is the most common so-cial media tool to connect with customers, and is a very suc-cessful and fast growing mar-keting and public relations tool. Organizations use this means to inform customers of their latest products, policies, changes, and public announcements far more effectively than traditional me-dia. More importantly is the fact that Twitter easily facilitates the collection and feedback of information which client-driv-en organizations thrive on as the technology enables greater customer contact, which in turn fuels the desire and need for

a more imaginative use of the technology.

• Discussions and Commentary: Twitter has increasingly become a platform for providing analysis on current business and market trends, as well as public poli-cies and agendas, and more fre-quently for sharing commentary and opinions on important busi-ness issues and policy decisions. This in turn has provided orga-nizations with a better under-standing of customer opinions and in anticipating trends and gauging people’s reactions to various business developments.

• Marketing and Brand Aware-ness: Twitter has become a very popular promotional tool being utilised by companies to create awareness about their brands and products, and muster brand loyalty. It is an inexpensive method of promoting products, marketing brands, and address-ing customer complaints.

• Opinion Polls and Surveys: Twit-ter is probably the fastest and easiest way for organizations to run quick surveys and opinion polls to all followers (respon-dents) by posting a question with a set of response options, and having followers or partici-pants reply with their answers or opinions. Such techniques allow

Public Sector Usageof Twitter inAbu Dhabi

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Build Your Social Profile

organizations to gauge public opinion and/or customer senti-ments towards a particular poli-cy, product, service, or issue.

Measuring Your Twitter ROIFor government entities that

choose to monitor the effective-ness of social media and digital strategies and campaigns, there are a multitude of paid and free tools that can be used to this end. Most tools allow users to search by hashtags, social media account names, or general keywords. Gen-erally, these tools can list all the re-cent mentions of the search item, as well as sentiments (positive, negative, neutral), the top related keywords used in social media up-dates, and the most frequent users for search items. Some tools also in-clude dashboards that display how many Twitter accounts have been reached by the organization, how much exposure is generated by cal-culating the number of retweets, the most retweeted content, and similar statistics.

As with any other public sector investment, it is important for en-tities to measure the return on in-vestment (ROI) of social media and digital strategies and campaigns. PR and Marketing Managers can use a variety of tools and outsourced services to manage digital content, analyze and measure results, and improve results of their efforts.

As an introduction to the possibil-ities of the technology, Twitter has created a page that allows media professionals to learn all the tricks of the trade. By visiting https://me-dia.twitter.com you can learn and explore Twitter best practices and success stories with an option to filter by industry, including govern-ment, for ideas and tips for success-ful Twitter campaigns.

Abu Dhabi’s Public Sector and Twitter

Although Twitter does not form as integral a part of social com-

Twitter in Abu Dhabi & the UAE

(as of January 15, 2015)

Twitter Penetration

Best time to tweet1PM - 3PM

(Day)10PM - 1AM

Night

Abu DhabiTOTAL TWITTER USERS

96,333

UAE

481,664

2,453,096 9,200,000

3.93% 5.24%

TWITTER PENETRATION

TOTAL POPULATION TOTAL POPULATION

TWITTER PENETRATION

TOTAL TWITTER USERS

Powered by

53

Followers

Abu Dhabi Police

Etihad

Masdar

Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation

287,305

SEHA

TwoFour54

Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council

Abu Dhabi Education Council

Abu Dhabi E-Government Portal

183,092

36,751

29,182

25,581

22,840

21,523

20,373

18,996

17,500

Some of the most followed Abu Dhabi Government

Twitter Accounts

Abu Dhabi Judicial Department

Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority

Emirates Foundation

Abu Dhabi Municipality

15,562

15,034

11,489

11,307

department of municipal affairs


munication in Abu Dhabi as it does elsewhere in the world, there are several public and private organi-zations that have been making the best of it. The twitter penetration rate in Abu Dhabi is still under 5% of the total population, with an estimated 96,000 users from Abu Dhabi and approximately 480,000 users across the UAE. Nonethe-less, Abu Dhabi government en-tities have begun to make their debut on Twitter over the last few years with some public sector ac-counts now boasting over 100,000 followers. These users typically use Twitter to stay in touch with local residents and citizens by posting information, news articles, public service announcements and changes, as well as market-ing events and public campaigns. Some government entities have also been able to use their Twit-ter accounts to post questions and conduct quick polls to gain feedback and public opinion on important social and economic matters with measurable success.

The infographic below includes some of the most followed Abu Dhabi government twitter accounts:

Good Global Twitter Practices & Ideas

The growing, yet still limited use of Twitter in the Arab world, versus its widespread usage elsewhere, emphasizes the fact that there are still many lessons to be learned Abu Dhabi’s the public sector. Some best practices that might give local com-panies something to ponder are dis-cussed below:

• Idea Street: The Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) UK created its own internal crowdsourcing platform, Idea Street, which is helping to revolutionize the way the De-partment and the Government interacts with its staff and the public. The account was creat-ed to encourage staff not only to crowdsource new ideas, but

also to work together to drive those ideas forward to imple-mentation.

• UN tweets its National Assem-bly: Public Sector organiza-tions have been using Twitter to keep followers updated live from events, council meetings, and forums. The UN recently received much praise for using Twitter to keep people in the loop on what was taking place during the UN General Assem-bly. The @UN Twitter account provided an enormous amount of information throughout the course of the general debate session.

• Live Q&A Twitter sessions: Government agencies and politicians including Barack Obama @White House and UK Council Members have been increasingly staging live question and answer sessions to raise awareness of the council’s role, and encourage participation. Residents and partner agencies are asked to tweet questions that are answered by government of-ficials and cabinet members during a specified time period. Discussions and debates take place on a variety of topics, in-cluding policies, reforms, and local challenges and issues.

• Weather and Emergency Man-agement: Met Office UK has been using Twitter as the fast-est method for updating the public on weather news. Met Office is the world leader in weather news, and is able to maintain this reputation by us-ing Twitter mainly for sharing news and keeping followers updated on weather chang-es. Through Twitter, it is able to send out alerts on serious weather conditions and dan-gers that may exist for imme-diate action and avoidance. As of 8th February 2015, its Twit-ter page had 267,000 follow-ers from around the world.

Followers

Abu Dhabi Police

Etihad

Masdar

Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation

287,305

SEHA

TwoFour54

Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council

Abu Dhabi Education Council

Abu Dhabi E-Government Portal

183,092

36,751

29,182

25,581

22,840

21,523

20,373

18,996

17,500

Some of the most followed Abu Dhabi Government

Twitter Accounts

Abu Dhabi Judicial Department

Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority

Emirates Foundation

Abu Dhabi Municipality

15,562

15,034

11,489

11,307

department of municipal affairs

55


off topic

Golf Gardens

A Few of Abu Dhabi’s Favorite Residential

CommunitiesA residential community in any given area can be a nightmare for someone while it can be a heaven on earth

for another. Many factors can make a community great or average. In this article we have handpicked some of the finest residential properties in Abu Dhabi by most standards. The factors we considered were distance from city center, availability of leisure and recreational facilities, and the distance from shopping centers or malls and schools. This list of residential communities in Abu Dhabi is to help you make a selection based on your require-ments and preferences.

These luxurious homes styled as town houses or villas are located in the Abu Dha-bi Golf Club gated community. The three and four bedroom town houses and four to six bedroom villas are perfect for a family home. With opulent gardens, clean streets, and a general sense of peace and quiet, the Golf Gardens is definitely among Abu Dha-bi’s favourite and most sought after residen-tial communities.

It is the perfect commu-nity to live in luxury with easy access to sports and recreational activities, shops, and entertainment venues which are all available within the gated com-munity. The Gold Gardens are located near Al Raha beach with easy access to main roads that connect to Abu Dhabi city center and a 45 minute drive away from Dubai.

Al Raha Beach Area (Al Bandar, Al Zeina, Al

Manara)

The Al Raha Beach devel-opment with various residential

options is perfect for families of all sizes that prefer a gated community. Al Bandar is a location preferred for family outings on the beach. With a stretch of golden beach accessible from the residences, the range

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off topic

Al Khalidiya

Al Reem Island Area

One of the first localities anyone in Abu Dhabi will mention when asked for a suggestion of residential community. The purpose built khalidiya area is a very popular community in Abu Dhabi, with love-ly high rise buildings spoiling residents with luxury apartments, amenities, and beautiful views of the Corniche and/or central Abu Dhabi. It is popular among expats and Emiratis alike who find home in this area that has all the basic amenities, parks and several activ-ities in close vicinity.

Although traffic and parking can be an issue at peak hours, many supermarkets are easy to access for residents. SPAR, Spin-neys, and Abela supermarkets together with Khalidiya mall and Jones the Grocer are located in close quarters in the area. Kha-lidiya is also home to many of Abu Dhabi’s favorite local restau-rants and coffee shops, making this neighborhood always bus-tling with activity.

Sun and Sky Towers are exceptional for families that like high rise apartments. Sky tower at 74

floors is the taller of the two and has 37 floors of commercial space while Sun tower has 65 floors and

it is dedicated to residential apartments.

The connected podium of the two buildings offers a range of facilities such as a mall, three pools, children playing area, tennis and squash courts, etc. The road connectivity is great and the area is served by the Waitrose supermarket and retail, café and restaurants.

of options includes luxury residential apart-ments, townhouses and villas. They offer in-credible views of the Al Raha Beach and the surrounding island.

It is close to the Abu Dhabi Golf Club and around a 10 minute drive from the Abu Dha-bi international airport. Built on a master plan, the Al Raha beach area is future proof and transforming into the gateway of Abu Dhabi.

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off topic

Set just outside Abu Dhabi island and close to the International Airport, Al Reef is a cluster of four villages themed after four different styles namely Mediterra-nean, Arabian, Desert and Contemporary. Each village shares a swimming pool, gym-nasium and a community play area. There is also the Al Reef Downtown consisting of 46 apartment buildings offering studio, one, two, and three-bedroom options.

The Al Reef Villas is fast becoming the option of choice for families who don’t

Saadiyat Island

Al Reef Villas

Khalifa City ‘A’ and ‘B’

The Saadiyat beach residences and the St. Regis Saadiyat Island resort offer all the modern amenities expected from a luxurious beachside community. Facilities range from intimate studio apart-ments to lavish 4 bedroom villas.

Saadiyat district is close to everything important in Abu Dhabi. It is

Khalifa City ‘A’ and ‘B’ are residential communities that offer val-ue for money with a peaceful and quite residential area setting. Primarily standalone villas, they are about 30 km away from the Abu Dhabi city center but make up for the distance with space and independence.

Compared to other localities, it also offers a community feeling in the true sense due to the way it is set up. It is also a favorite among families that love pets as there are no restrictions. The traditional interior layouts, spacious plots with gardens and private entrances seem to attract expats as well as Emiratis.

connected by two main highways to the mainland and residences in the two communities offer true luxury. With several leisure and shop-ping facilities in close vicinity it is a preferred location for those who like everything close to home. The villas are designed in Arabian, con-temporary and Mediterranean style to suit locals as well as expats.

mind a 20-30 minute commute to the city center in exchange for a tranquil and family friendly residential community at an affordable price. As amenities such as

restaurants, supermarkets, and other fa-cilities become available, we are sure to see more and more families continue to flock here.58

Whether you choose to stroll amongst the cafés of the Corniche, or savour the

hustle and bustle of the Central Market, a serene oasis awaits your return.

You will be captivated by Arabic splendour and tones and textures as warm as the

welcome you will receive.

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Issue 3: Public Sector Excellence UAE

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