Entries Tagged 'People' ↓

“HIV aids” is a threat to the world. The extent of the possible damage to humanity, up to now cannot be measured. Whilst the cure for the disease has not been found, medicine to control the affliction on the patients exists. Prevention of the spread of the disease requires enormous amount of resources which the under developed and developing countries’ governments cannot afford to bear the costs of and do not have the know-how and will to cope with. The Global Business Coalition has been instituted by Businesses to fight the “HIV Aids” and help to contain this world plague.

We have been talking and discussing about the social responsibility of businesses in our country. How many of our firms in Mauritius have social responsibility programmes? Of the Mauritian firms who are reaping in annual profits of over hundreds of millions of rupees how many have an allocated annual budget to its social responsibility?

Fortunately some firms do take the issue seriously. For what I can glean from the press, Beach Comber group allocates substantial resources through the “Fondation Espoir et development” to put to action their social responsibility targets. Barclays Bank has a full time person looking into its social actions. What about the other firms?

Some would argue that you can only be philanthropic after you have collected enough wealth. I am of opinion that all businesses have a duty to have a social responsibility program what ever the size of the enterprise.

Is it possible to have a concerted effort to have a higher impact on the priority issues? In Mauritius we could well have a business coalition, along the line of the Global Business Coalition, to fight off the plagues that are rotting our society such as drug addition and HIV aids. Where are the leaders who would take up this challenge?

Interestingly enough, it may inspire you to visit the website of “The Leaders” of which Nelson Mandela is one of the figure head.

The Aquatic Business Activities Bill has created waves in the Mauritian scene. Whilst La Ferme Marine de Mahebourg has been operating a fish Farm since 4-5 years under very stringent rules set up by the authorities, it would appear that the bill presented at the parliament is causing some war waged by Vassen Kaupaymoothoo. You may recall the blog I wrote earlier on the subject praising the initiative. You may want to refer back to the extract of the article published in Le Mauricien on the 14th July. Vassen Kaupaymoothoo, according to La Vie Catholique, is defending a civic and noble cause for the interest of the nation. The dance saga of Kalipso, which is the name of the organisation through which Vassen Kaupaymoothoo is crusading, has started. No doubt any development or change brings disturbance to the ecology. Did man displace forests to start cultivation many centuries ago? Did man removed vegetation and bushes to build roads? Does the gas produced by your car destroy the air you breathe? Will the setting up of a farm in the lagoons of Mauritius affect the ecology? The answers to all the questions are definitely affirmative. The relevant and pertinent question should be: “Against the other benefits sought by Aquatic Business, how much disturbances to the nature should be allowed?” Don’t you think that the tourism industry likewise bring in its load of pollution? What is required: is precisely to take advantage of nature without destroying it.

Building sustainable industry is the buzz word today. Non abuse of Nature is of essence. I do welcome the crusade of Vassen Kaupaymoothoo to protect nature. He might well be able to set up limits based on scientific studies which will not mar our ecology forever whilst making the most of it. Is waging against the bill the position to take? I would rather see that the ocean scholar proposing solutions and placing limits beyond which Mauritius should not go for fear of disrupting nature beyond repair. The role of Government is precisely to set up the rules.

All of us know the damage overfishing has done to our seas. Greed and abuse of nature in time always pop up. Does that mean we should then ban fishing? Should we fish just enough so that nature has the time to reproduce enough for man to consume and benefit of its gift? A mindful and just man has always a sense of balance. He balances short terms shortcomings against long term earnings and vice versa.

Quote from la Vie Catholique

Portrait Vassen Kaupaymoothoo L’homme en croisade Sorti de nulle part, comme un héros de bandes dessinées, Vassen Kaupaymoothoo livre une guerre sans merci contre les partisans de l’Aquatic Business Activities Bill. Océanologue de formation, il connaît la mer comme sa poche et ne cesse de clamer à qui veut l’entendre que la mer est du domaine public et que cette loi viendra non seulement priver la population d’un droit légitime, mais conduira à la mort de milliers de vies marines. Sa quête est apolitique, se défend-il, étant «surtout un acte civique». Chemise bleue, pantalon beige, coupe de cheveux impeccable, Vassen Kaupaymoothoo fait à la fois père de famille respectable et professionnel digne de confiance. Et son français impeccable ¬ probablement dû au fait que sa mère est française et qu’il a fait ses études en France – ne fait qu’ajouter plus de crédit au personnage. Voilà quelques semaines à peine depuis que Vassen Kaupaymoothoo est arrivé sur la scène publique et déjà sa notoriété est en pleine croissance. Dans l’affaire de l’Aquatic Business Activities Bill, il est l’homme à abattre. Car, au sein de son association Kalipso, qui a vu le jour le 4 juin dernier, l’homme milite pour que ce projet de loi ne se concrétise jamais. Rien de positif De l’Aquatic Business Activities Bill, Vassen Kaupaymoothoo n’en retient absolument rien de positif. Des malheurs liés à cette loi, il en cite à la pelle. D’abord, «dans l’aquaculture, les poissons seront nourris à la farine animale. Ils seront donc vulnérables à des maladies et on risque d’avoir des cas comme celui de la vache folle. Puis, une forte concentration de poissons résultera en une grande concentration de déjection, chose préjudiciable à l’équilibre marin. Ensuite, les prédateurs, tels que les requins, seront attirés. Puis, les odeurs. Ensuite, l’inesthétique, Enfin, le risque de voir un envahissement de poissons génétiquement modifiés dans le lagon,…».«L’aquaculture, affirme-t-ilinlassablement, est contraire au développement touristique.» Faisant fi des pressions, des propos dissuasifs, Vassen Kaupaymoothoo semble bien déterminé à mener son action à terme. L’homme ne pourra être comblé et dormir sur ses deux oreilles que si ce projet de loi finissait par être relégué aux oubliettes. En donnant vie à Kalipso, il avait d’ailleurs trois objectifs: a) Parler de ce problème au niveau national et sensibiliser le public ; b) Atteindre l’Etat ; et, c) Faire que ce projet de loi soit retiré. «J’ai atteint les deux premiers objectifs. Le public est au courant et nous avons rencontré le ministre. Le troisième reste à venir.» Accusé par certains d’être antipatriote et de vouloir faire barrière au développement du pays, suspecté par d’autres d’avoir un hidden agenda, l’océanologue essaie de ne pas en faire grand cas, mais avoue que ce sont des coups durs pour «une personne qui fait son devoir de citoyen». Un simple citoyen Vassen Kaupaymoothoo refuse qu’on parle de lui comme d’un militant, mais préfère se définir comme un simple citoyen touché par ce qui se passe. «Si je ne fais rien, j’aurai un gros problème de conscience vis-à-vis de mes enfants, de la population – car je n’aurais pas fait ce qu’il fallait, quand il le fallait. L’avenir est entre nos mains. Nous avons des responsabilités en tant que citoyens mauriciens. Personnellement, je ne pourrais pas vivre avec un cas de conscience pour n’avoir rien fait pour sauver notre patrimoine et celui de nos enfants.» Conscience citoyenne, patriotisme… ce sont quelque part ces convictions qui poussèrent Vassen Kaupaymoothoo à revenir au pays, il y a de cela une douzaine d’année. Ses études terminées (en France et au Canada) et après avoir parcouru plusieurs régions du globe (l’Europe, le pôle Nord, le Japon…) et travaillé pour diverses organisations, dont le Programme des Nations unies pour le développement (Pnud), le jeune homme rentre à Maurice pour travailler comme consultant, à son propre compte. «Je me suis dit que le futur du pays dépendait des gens qui travailleraient ici. J’ai refusé d’être égoïste. Et comme il n’y avait pas d’océanologue dans l’île…» La détermination Si notre interlocuteur dit n’avoir jamais regretté son choix, il avoue toutefois avoir souvent eu à l’assumer. «Les gens qui vous demandent qu’est ce que vous êtes venu faire ici, le refus de reconnaître vos compétences…» Qu’à cela ne tienne. S’il y a bien un mot que Vassen Kaupaymoothoo a fait sien, c’est détermination. Détermination dans son travail à Maurice. Détermination concernant la croisade qu’il mène au sein de Kalipso. «Je suis convaincu de ce que je fais. Je souffrirai beaucoup plus si je ne pouvais pas aller jusqu’au bout. Ma conviction est totale et désintéressée. Je continuerai à me battre jusqu’à ce que ce projet de loi soit retiré.» La Vie Catholique

On the news of Radio Canada last night, I was much surprised to hear that of the Industrial world countries Canada tops the list in consumption of cannabis. I would have thought that Holland where smoking Cannabis in not a legal offense, would have come up first. Is it the proof that changing the law to make users not prosecuted for possession of small quantity of soft drug does not promote the usage of the drug?

Gandia as cannabis is commonly called in Mauritius were in the past almost openly available. I recalled in my school days we used to know the places where the famous pot were sold for a little as .50 cents. Today with the crack down this business went underground and the prices have become very high. The gandia business has become a very lucrative for big drug barons who are upgrading to harder drugs. Should we in Mauritius adopt the Dutch Drug Policy (DDP)? The question is “does smoking of tobacco or taking soft drug promote usage of harder drug?” Do we have to consider the drug addicts as patients suffering from a disease or a criminal to be jailed? We know today in Mauritius, that HIV propagation is mainly through exchange of needles by the drug addicts. There again will the Dutch Drug Policy be studied as a possible solution for us?

Pils, the organization defending HIV patients, has been campaigning in the direction of the DDP. Looks like Rama Valayden our Minister of Justice is for the amendment of the law. Yet nothing is happening. Is it time for a national debate on the subject and the start of solving one of plague of our society?

In Canada 1in 6 persons have tried pot smoking. Luckily I had only 4 brothers & 1 sister in Canada! But today with their children’ number aggregated with my own children living in Canada, the numbers are playing against by my folks!

C for Cannabis in Canada. M for Mass in Mauritius

I spent an hour or so watching a seminar given to Microsoft staff at the academy given by Kathryn Cramer on Asset Based thinking. The download was good enough as I did not have many interruptions or lag delay on account of internet communications. Should be able to afford the time, I recommend you to watch it and become a better person :an asset based thinker instead of a deficit based thinker.

Description:
Dr. Kathryn Cramer, founder of The Cramer Institute, has developed and brought to life a revolutionary (and refreshingly simple) concept called Asset-Based Thinking – a practical approach to taking the positive side of life?s ledger and using it to full advantage in everything you do. Asset-Based Thinking calls for small shifts in the way people absorb, perceive, filter, and interpret information. It changes the way we see everything, leading to dramatic improvements in the way we live and work. Asset-Based Thinking zeros in on what?s working rather than what?s not (Deficit-Based Thinking) and favors inspiration and aspiration over desperation?and it is infectious. Through Asset-Based Thinking anyone can lead more productive and personally fulfilling lives. Throughout this talk, Kathy will teach the audience members how to tap the power of Asset-Based Thinking and apply it to their personal and professional lives. This program is divided into three parts: Change the way you see yourself Change the way you see others Change the way you see situations Within each part, Kathy provides practical advice, case studies, and exercises that help participants modify their management, leadership, communication skills, performance, and satisfaction, and take them to the next level.

Speaker(s):
Kathryn D. Cramer, Ph.D., licensed psychologist and founder, The Cramer Institute

My “Confucius” back ground in which at a very early age I was lucky to have been raised place “learning” as the top of my life priority. Thanks to my grand father who used to say that after having satisfied your physical needs of survival, a human immediate need should be learning. Living for him means growing and going forward. Growth can only be achieved by learning. More so, in this fast changing world of today, it has become even more important and pressing to focus our effort to acquire new skills through learning.

Most people find it natural to learn when one is young and attending school. How many stop learning once they strike the working life? Is it because of the sloth of people or their unconscious mind, that the need to create the learning organisation came in the work place environment? I have not stop learning and will not ever to do.Learning is natural to me. I choose to think that Peter Senge and his team coined “the learning organisation” more so for the methodology of learning in a work environment rather than the necessity to motivate the human to keep on learning.

In the final years to my working career, I had the chance to reconvert myself into a coach and got very interested in learning about learning. Very much in the line of my dear friend Penny Vingoe an accomplished teacher who is now running the coaching organisation “learn to learn”.

I enjoyed the article of Vaughan Waller of the topic of learning which I would like to share with you. Much emphasis and effort is now placed in training programmes. I would rather come back to basics and place the focus on learning programmes. Mauritians enterprises are spending so much in training these days. HRDC or the competent authorities would be failing to their tasks if they are not ensuring the quality of the design of the training given by the numerous mushroom grown training institutes in Mauritius.

In the Shoes of the Learner

By Vaughan Waller

The available methodologies to deliver learning in the workplace are now more plentiful than ever and most organizations now realize, that not offering learning opportunities to their staff is potentially more costly than doing so. Enabling staff to develop their skills or acquire new ones is an important way of keeping companies fresh, adaptable to change and thereby remain competitive. So there appears to be very little argument against making learning an integral part of our daily working lives, in the same way that e-mail is currently, to most of us. But, as always, this is easier said than done. In my experience making the time for learning (since that is what managers invariably tell their team to do) only means that something else is not done or not done as well. Learning in the workplace, usually because of the small amount of available time, has to be delivered in a way that will enable learners to integrate it into their day – and this process is the responsibility of the learning designer.

Every learning programme designer wants the project to succeed in its objectives and to be used, enjoyed and talked about in a positive sense from then on. The factors that cause learning programmes to be unsuccessful are many and various : –

• Learning styles
• Personality preferences
• Peer pressure in a classroom environment
• Dislike of learning via a computer
• Learners’ minds on other things
• Using of the wrong training medium
• Poor course design
• Not enough time to do it properly
• Lack of motivation
• Level of computer literacy
• Ability of the learner to self study
• Etc etc.

Therefore, it is one thing to design a programme of instruction but also ensuring that it is succeeds for a variety of learner types is a critical part of the overall process. So how do you ensure that learners will learn what they need to learn?

Unfortunately, the answer to the latter question is often difficult to find. There is a plethora of educational psychological data on how humans learn. There is plenty on pedagogy and the processes whereby information in one person’s head is transferred into the head of the learner. But ask most people in what way they like to learn or in what circumstances they learn best and it is likely that they will call to mind either a good or a poor learning experience. Most people will remember a learning experience in which they were having fun. If someone has had a really successful golfing lesson which produces results, then that person will remember the lesson because they were enjoying themselves. Conversely, we can all remember a crushingly boring training course where the tutor did not connect with the learners, the course was badly designed and perhaps, as a consequence, very little was learnt. Delve further however and ask what is your learning style preference and what is their Myers Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) assessment and you will be met by blank looks. The learners would have to go on a course just to answer these questions!

More to the point, if you did have the answers to these questions and they can be found using a variety of means, how do you design or adapt the learning programme to suit what will almost certainly be a mix of these preferences? It is near impossible to make a programme of instruction that will appeal equally to every learning style and all personality preferences. Furthermore, at the present time it is required that all learning programmes must also be accessible to everyone regardless of any learning or physical impairment too.

The popular answer that is always trotted out is “blended learning”, a combination of learning media, an “e-learning sandwich” or a “bit of this and a bit of that”. Blended learning is one of those terms that most people connected with training within an organization, will profess to know at least something about. Yet it is nothing new and is one of those things which have become caught up with e-learning and other learning activities which has made some think that it is a new 21st century buzzword.

But in my opinion this is no answer to the learning designer who wants easy and straightforward answers to the question “Which way, or mix of ways is best to deliver this learning effectively?”. The answers to the question become a lot easier if they are answered from the perspective of the learner. That may seem obvious but it has to be said that in reality few people in an organization’s learning or training department do or perhaps we should say can design learning from the learners’ perspective. In an organization there are time pressures, budgetary pressures, lack of resources or even perhaps in some cases knowledge. It is easy to write down here that you should do this or do that when in realty that is not always realistic. But in the analysis, design and development stages of the most well known instructional design model, it is possible to consider learners at every point of the way.

This may sound like difficult work but it should not be shirked. And in the way of things that are not particularly fun to do the timescale for all this should not be rushed either. It has been seen repeatedly, ever since computers were first used in learning that trying to rush the boring bits to get to the “nicer” parts of the process, normally spells disaster.

Sticking to an instructional design process will determine the best way to get the learning to the learners in a way that will overcome as many of the problems listed above as possible. Nothing should be ruled out within reason. If you do define e-learning as learning delivered digitally with additional support and services then this can cover a host of options. You could choose from dozens of possible methods many of which are as valid now as they have ever been including : –

• Web based learning content – to be accessed in whatever way is most effective for the learner
• Learning simulations – enabling learners to experience what they have to learn
• Virtual learning – virtual classrooms, conference telephone calls, video conferencing etc enabling learners to work as far as possible with others
• Easy access to reference material such as websites, intranet pages, books and videos
• Informal learning – access to “someone who knows what you need to know”
• Coaches, tutors and mentors – as part of the programme not just when the learner needs help
• Instructor-led “conventional” training – not just the ubiquitous “e-learning sandwich” but as part of the programme

Another possible way to make the choice easier is to use an adaptation of the four-stage process often used in marketing which is : –

• Where are we now?
• Where do we want to be?
• How will we get there?
• How can we ensure arrival?

This can be adapted for this purpose to : –

• What training need do we need to address?
• What will be the specific objectives we want to achieve?
• What delivery method will work best from the learners’ perspective?
• How can I measure its effectiveness simply?

The third question of course is the important one here but if you put yourself in the shoes of the learner consider these questions : –

• Would I enjoy doing it this way?
• What’s in it for me – what is the reward to me by doing it?
• Will it challenge me or bore me brainless?
• What will motivate me to do it?

After all if you consider e-learning, it is meant to be learner-centric – that is allowing learners to pull learning to them rather than having it pushed at them. Except in those organizations where everyone designs their own personal development plans learning is something that employees are asked to do or perhaps told to do and this makes all the difference. Those taking an Open University course do so because they are personally motivated to complete the course but in other situations the motivation has to come from elsewhere.

One of the big challenges of a using a variety of learning methods in one programme is to integrate the various platforms together in one seamless package. This is always tricky but consider as you go along the limitations of each delivery method. It should be remembered that learning on a computer is at its best when used to transfer facts and concepts. The real thinking and analysis type of learning has to be done away from the computer screen. That is why in most cases the computer part is used in a pretest or assessment role to ensure that when the students come to the next part they are all, more or less at the same level of knowledge on the subject.

In this article I have tried to avoid as much as possible the term blended learning since learning has been blended for many decades now. Learning doesn’t need to be “designed using a blended learning approach” since good instructional design would do this anyway. As long as the learning designer puts himself or herself “in the learners’ shoes” then most of the time the outcomes will be successful.

Last week with great pomp Hong Kong celebrated the 10th year of the reunification of Hong Kong to mainland China. I eagerly watched the celebration ceremonies on both CCTV9 and the BBC during the past weekend. A few days ago, on the French radio, I heard an interview of the director of Alliance Francaise in Hong Kong giving his views on the one country 2 systems as lived in the (SAR) Special Administration Region.

On the one hand, I am still in admiration of Deng Xiao Ping’s idea of creating the one Country 2 systems in the SAR, on the other hand have to admit that it is not an ideal situation whilst democracy is flouted on and off by the central government. I do accept that it is a transitional period signed for 50 years with the SAR communities that has brought economic expansion to Hong Kong and the relative peace to all concerned.

Of course, the situation, as in most compromises, does not bring complete happiness to either side. Not quite a Win-Win situation which brings satisfaction albeit bliss on each side.

Political Democracy

The democratic party of Hong Kong, whose aim is to reach full democratic representation with an independent government, continues to press the central government to reduce the number of nominees in the SAR’s government. SAR’s residents enjoy freedoms which are far greater than their fellow citizens of the main land. Depending on one’s lieu of abode though being in the same country one would enjoy differentiated fundamental freedom rights and be subjected to another set of constitutional(basic) law.

Freedom of Speech

They have a freedom of expression and views, unacceptable on the main land, yet not as extensive as a full western democratic country would allow. China Government does not allow any opposing view to their policy and will suppress any attempt to any criticism.

Freedom of Religion

In opposition to the main land rule, SAR’s residents are free to adhere to any religious denominations. Hong Kong’s Catholic Cardinal Zen is allowed to voice out and comment on China’s action. He has been subjected to high pressure from the central government but still allowed to perform his duty. In China the Patriotic Catholic Church is under the government’s control and the Roman Catholic Church with allegiance to the Vatican is officially not recognised.

Cardinal Zen has long been known as the “new conscience of Hong Kong” for his unflinching defence of human rights, political freedom, and religious liberty in the face of criticism from China’s communist government. He has bluntly said that the Chinese crackdown on pro-democracy protestors in Tiananmen Square was “a big mistake,” and called on the government to “tell the truth” about those events. He was also a leading opponent of Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23, a since-shelved national security bill, which in 2003 prompted an anti-government protest by half a million people. Zen is a vocal proponent of a push for universal suffrage in Hong Kong, telling his flock in a 2005 homily that “a path will appear when enough people walk on it.” He has publicly called on officials in Hong Kong to support the aspirations of the people, rather than functioning as spokespersons for the central government in Beijing. At a personal level, he is described by John L. Allen Jr., a Vatican watcher, as “a gracious, humble man, a moderate on most issues. (Extracted from Wikipedia)

Freedom of Entreprise

It would appear that Hong Kong has made its mark as the premium location for Finance and services. Hong Kong financial services’ platform is reckoned to have channelled 60% of FDI of China. At some stage, Hong Kong feared that it would have been superseded by the power and large invested in Shanghai. By the way, let us not forget the ever existing rivalry that has always existed between the north and south population.

So far so good for SAR Hong Kong.

One French commenter said that “You would have thought that main land China with its will and power would have souped up tiny Hong Kong, on the contrary Hong Kong is influencing China to move to greater freedom. With its economic success coupled with the ingenuity, flexibility, efficiency and swiftness the people Hong Kong have become a model for the whole country.”

Who knows may be one day Hong Kong might lead the main land to a new form of Democracy? The Moon Festival,a Chinese traditional has not reentered the Chinese Culture in China from Hong Kong after having been banned by the communist China for decades.

This morning I had the time to scan through the world demography web page which published the July 07 estimates. Whilst Mauritius birth rate is given as 15.26 per 1000 population, it is worth to note that the top score is held by Niger at 50.16 per 1000 population, i.e over three times that of our country whilst Hong Kong trails at 7.34 per 1000 population i.e.half of our rate.

 

The world population stands at 6,602,224,175 with a growth of 1.167%. The sex ration figures are telling.

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.064 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.781 male(s)/female
total population: 1.014 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

These are some of the some indicators that interested me.

Religions

Christians 33.03% (of which Roman Catholics 17.33%, Protestants 5.8%, Orthodox 3.42%, Anglicans 1.23%), Muslims 20.12%, Hindus 13.34%, Buddhists 5.89%, Sikhs 0.39%, Jews 0.23%, other religions 12.61%, non-religious 12.03%, atheists 2.36% (2004 est.)

Languages

Mandarin Chinese 13.69%, Spanish 5.05%, English 4.84%, Hindi 2.82%, Portuguese 2.77%, Bengali 2.68%, Russian 2.27%, Japanese 1.99%, Standard German 1.49%, Wu Chinese 1.21% (2004 est.)
note: percents are for “first language” speakers only and therefore do not add to 100%

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82%
male: 87%
female: 77%
note: over two-thirds of the world’s 785 million illiterate adults are found in only eight countries (India, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Egypt); of all the illiterate adults in the world, two-thirds are women; extremely low literacy rates are concentrated in three regions, South and West Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Arab states, where around one-third of the men and half of all women are illiterate (2005 est.)

Your true feeling of success will only come from what you give to the world through your work and love. Entertainment is based on what you can get from the world.

That explains why people who don’t worry about what they’re going to get are the ones who always seem to get the good stuff. And those who come to get something wonder why they can’t obtain it. They wonder why life always feels so unfair.

The hands-off manager models, inspires and nurtures this giving approach. He or she mentors contribution. When you take your hands off people’s lives and let them give what they’ve got, you’ll be allowing them to succeed. They will look to see what’s inside them and they will look to see how they can give that to the world.

I like the idea of Giving creating Success. Most sensible humans will be glad to help you out when asked. Would you open your purse when an appeal is made to you for a noble cause? I certainly will. Steve Chandler & Duane Black in ‘The Hands-off Manager‘ drive this idea. “We can allow the results to emerge in the world outside of us if we take care of this world inside. And there’s so much less stress”

Creating Results: The Benefits of Hands-Off Management