A committee of peers chaired by Lord Grenfell has said that the expansion of the European Union in 2004, that saw 10 eastern European countries join the EU, has boosted the UK economy. The UK’s ‘open door’ policy on immigration from these countries has put it in a strong position to cope with growing globalization.
The policy has lead to an influx of a skilled, low-cost workforce that enables the UK to compete with emerging low cost labour markets.
The arrival of cheap labour from within Europe and from outside of it, is certainly something the UK meetings and events industry has benefited from. Many of our venues employ a healthy variety of individuals from many different countries.
Whilst this approach is good for both business and the immigrants in the short term, it may have a negative affect in the longer term. The flow of immigrants cannot continue indefinitely, and those that are here already, will not work long hours for low wages forever. At some point we could find the cheap labour we have become so reliant on is no longer so cheap or in such abundance, with the knock on affect being that we are no longer so competitive.
What should we be doing to make sure we don’t take advantage of our immigrant workers and to ensure we build a mutually beneficial working environment so they don’t go elsewhere?
Jane Evans
Chief Executive, MIA
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Future of the Net
On 30th October, the Internet Governance Forum, a body set up by the United Nations, met to discuss the future of the internet. It’s interesting to consider that as we all begin to take the web for granted, it is still quietly evolving and adapting. Discussions at the forum suggest the web will permeate our lives more and more through networked devices over the next decade.
The common form of the internet that we are all familiar with is currently just over 10 years old; it’s still in its infancy. Consider other world-changing technologies when they were in their infancy and look at them now, the telephone, television, motor car and airplane are shining examples. Clearly, there’s a lot more to come from the internet, experts believe we’ve barely scratched the service. The future of the net is predicted to be the convergence of mobile technology with the internet and virtual reality.
So what does this mean for meetings? What does it mean for our industry? Should we be thinking 5, 10 or even 20 years down the line? Many of us will still be working then (but that’s another issue).
In the shorter term there are changes in the way we communicate taking place everyday. The way we receive our news, entertainment and information is changing with trends like citizen journalism, blogs and online media. What does this mean for marketing our services, running our businesses and communicating with clients; are enough of us thinking beyond the now traditional company home page?
Jane Evans
Chief Executive MIA
The common form of the internet that we are all familiar with is currently just over 10 years old; it’s still in its infancy. Consider other world-changing technologies when they were in their infancy and look at them now, the telephone, television, motor car and airplane are shining examples. Clearly, there’s a lot more to come from the internet, experts believe we’ve barely scratched the service. The future of the net is predicted to be the convergence of mobile technology with the internet and virtual reality.
So what does this mean for meetings? What does it mean for our industry? Should we be thinking 5, 10 or even 20 years down the line? Many of us will still be working then (but that’s another issue).
In the shorter term there are changes in the way we communicate taking place everyday. The way we receive our news, entertainment and information is changing with trends like citizen journalism, blogs and online media. What does this mean for marketing our services, running our businesses and communicating with clients; are enough of us thinking beyond the now traditional company home page?
Jane Evans
Chief Executive MIA
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Climate Change: Opportunity or Burden?
I believe we’ll look back on 2006 and say one of two things. “That was the year we began to change things for the better” or “The catalyst for change was there, but we did too little and failed”. I’m referring to our responsibility towards the environment. I’ve noticed more and more that climate change is on the news agenda and is being debated in a more realistic way than it has before.
Pardon the pun, but there is a climate of change, big business has begun to shift its position and is showing signs that it is starting to take carbon emission reduction seriously. I’m beginning to believe that action to avoid severe climate change will happen, as long as we don’t allow this new enthusiastic and proactive approach to wither out.
As an industry we have a moral obligation to continually examine our effect on the environment, and aim to reduce it. View it as a burden and you’ll get nowhere, I prefer to think of it as an opportunity.
I don’t believe a sound economic policy is something that should be used as a basis for competitive advantage by individual organisations; that’s a short term strategy and unethical. The opportunity is for us to pool our resources and share our ideas, working together to progress our industry. And the MIA is the perfect medium from which to do so.
It’s a core part of the MIA’s corporate social responsibility, and the reason the MIA was a keen supporter of this year’s National Meetings Week, with its Green Agenda.
Being socially responsible to our communities and making headway into the reduction of our carbon emissions is a great way to raise the industry’s profile. Let’s continue the debate started by NMW and demonstrate how the meetings industry is prepared to act together to ensure a sustainable future.
So, what do you think? How are we going to achieve environmental stability for the meetings industry? Are you already making a difference? Post your thoughts and ideas here.
Please use this BLOG to share your ideas on how to achieve environmental stability for the meetings industry.
Jane Evans
Chief Executive MIA
Pardon the pun, but there is a climate of change, big business has begun to shift its position and is showing signs that it is starting to take carbon emission reduction seriously. I’m beginning to believe that action to avoid severe climate change will happen, as long as we don’t allow this new enthusiastic and proactive approach to wither out.
As an industry we have a moral obligation to continually examine our effect on the environment, and aim to reduce it. View it as a burden and you’ll get nowhere, I prefer to think of it as an opportunity.
I don’t believe a sound economic policy is something that should be used as a basis for competitive advantage by individual organisations; that’s a short term strategy and unethical. The opportunity is for us to pool our resources and share our ideas, working together to progress our industry. And the MIA is the perfect medium from which to do so.
It’s a core part of the MIA’s corporate social responsibility, and the reason the MIA was a keen supporter of this year’s National Meetings Week, with its Green Agenda.
Being socially responsible to our communities and making headway into the reduction of our carbon emissions is a great way to raise the industry’s profile. Let’s continue the debate started by NMW and demonstrate how the meetings industry is prepared to act together to ensure a sustainable future.
So, what do you think? How are we going to achieve environmental stability for the meetings industry? Are you already making a difference? Post your thoughts and ideas here.
Please use this BLOG to share your ideas on how to achieve environmental stability for the meetings industry.
Jane Evans
Chief Executive MIA
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