How can small organizations, even with limited resources and IT know-how, gain easy access to bug bounty programs in order to effectively increase their IT security? Finding this out is the goal of a study launched by Bug Bounty Switzerland together with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW, which is supported by the Swiss innovation funding organization Innosuisse. In a preliminary project that recently got underway, the target group of SMEs and municipalities is first being investigated to understand what special needs these organizations have, where hurdles to ethical hacking lie, and how a suitable offering would have to be designed.

Ethical Hacking: The Bug Bounty Concept

The bug bounty concept, i.e. the search for vulnerabilities in IT infrastructures by ethical hackers who are rewarded for their finds, has now caught on in Switzerland - not least thanks to the pioneering work of Bug Bounty Switzerland. With its holistic service offering (from consulting to program set-up and customer support to assistance in closing security gaps) and its own platform hosted in Switzerland, the company has succeeded in making bug bounty programs accessible to more companies. Nevertheless, today it is primarily larger organizations such as the University Hospital Zurich, Ringier, Valiant Bank, the Baloise Group or BKW that run continuous programs with ethical hacking. With the joint research project with ZHAW, Bug Bounty Switzerland is now pursuing the goal of reducing the complexity of the method even further, so that small organizations can also gain access and be empowered to continuously improve their information security.

Given the often scarce financial IT resources in small organizations, the preliminary study is about finding out what alternative funding models are conceivable and what non-monetary incentives could be offered to ethical hackers. In addition, there is the question of providing the know-how needed to deal with the identified vulnerabilities. In particular, those external service providers who take care of the management of IT systems as outsourcing providers must also be involved. Finally, the researchers are also interested in the extent to which a community of bug bounty users could be useful for exchanging information among themselves and with the ethical hackers.

No digitization without IT security: "Digital Trust

IT security is relevant for everyone who relies on modern business models and processes as part of digitalization. After all, digital transformation can only succeed if users and customers have confidence in the processes and security of their data and these remain executable. In this context, one also speaks of "digital trust". However, this trust is at risk when new data leaks occur every week and security gaps can be exploited. Today, SMEs and municipalities are also increasingly falling into the clutches of cybercriminals.

"If the digital transformation in Switzerland as a whole is to succeed, we must not neglect SMEs - and also the public sector - in terms of security," says Peter Heinrich from the Process Management and Information Security Center at the ZHAW School of Management and Law. It is not enough to simply point out security gaps: "We have to create a real ability to act. Organizations must be given the means and know-how to properly assess their exposure and make sensible decisions. We therefore want to find out where they need help to help themselves."

A Swiss ecosystem for dealing with vulnerabilities

In a follow-up project, Bug Bounty Switzerland and the ZHAW want to work on the further development of Bug Bounty Switzerland's platform into a Swiss ecosystem for holistic vulnerability management. This should connect all stakeholders (in addition to ethical hackers, e.g., government agencies and suppliers) in a continuous information security process and also be accessible and affordable for SMEs, micro organizations and public administration. "We live in a networked world. We have to get a grip on protecting Switzerland as a business location on the global network together," explains Sandro Nafzger, CEO of Bug Bounty Switzerland. "As a Swiss bug bounty pioneer, we want to contribute to the security of the country and the success of the digital transformation: together for a secure Switzerland."

Source and further information: www.bugbounty.ch

As the leading trade fair for measurement technology, Control, the international trade fair for quality assurance (QA), has been an ideal forum for personal contact and business exchange for decades. "The high demand for personal trade fair participation has been unbroken for months on the part of the QA industry", confirms project manager Fabian Krüger from trade fair promoter P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG. "All over the world, the industry values Control as an indispensable platform, and is especially anticipating this year's live trade fair after a forced break of two years," says Krüger. "Particularly in these weeks and months, when uncertainty again prevails due to the pandemic, many companies see Control at the beginning of May as a must-attend event," says the project manager, recalling the successful, smooth execution of the attendance trade shows last fall.

QA has never been as important as it is at present

The need for expert discussion on new developments in the QA industry is huge. Many companies are currently introducing enhanced or entirely new QA systems - driven by increasing automation and digitization, more contactless processes, remote services, small batch sizes and zero-defect manufacturing. The need for quality verification of any process, including data analysis and end-to-end traceability, now affects almost all industries from both industrial and service environments. "QA solutions have never been as significant as they are at present," the Control project manager points out. Solutions and systems in measuring and testing technology, materials testing, analysis equipment, vision technology, image processing, sensor technology, and weighing and counting technology have undergone significant further development over the past two years and will find a highly interested trade audience at Control 2022.

High proportion of foreign exhibitors at Control 2022

And the trade public seems to be just waiting to finally be able to visit a trade show live again. Months before the trade fair date, visitors had already asked for tickets, says project manager Fabian Krüger. "Exhibitors and trade visitors finally want to meet in person to discuss QS innovations, because a lot has happened in the past few months." The fact that Control is still considered the world's leading trade show for QS is reflected in the high proportion of foreign exhibitors: around 35 percent come from outside Germany, including Switzerland. 

Advances in automation, digitization, contactless processes, remote services and end-to-end traceability are affecting all industries, now including service sectors. Test technology users use diverse QA solutions inline in networked processes - even contactless. This will be explored in greater depth at the special show "Contactless Metrology" organized by the Fraunhofer Vision Alliance, which will be held for the 17th time at Control 2022. In Hall 6, it will present a cross-section of innovative technologies from the field of non-contact measurement and testing technology.

Further information: https://www.control-messe.de/

If the cross-sections in the lines of injection molds are reduced as a result of contamination, it is no longer possible to dissipate sufficient heat. This makes regular cleaning of cooling channels on injection molding equipment necessary. Previous chemical methods for cleaning often have to be carried out manually, with contact with the aggressive cleaning substances posing an increased health and safety risk for employees. Therefore, wattec GmbH offers the Dreyproper, a fully automatic, mobile cleaning aid that removes such deposits quickly and safely. Now the fourth generation of the cleaning device has been revised once again in terms of cleaning performance and user-friendliness.

Optimized cleaning of cooling channels

The new Dreyproper 4.1 version removes all deposits in an injection mold by simply connecting the device to its cooling channels. This avoids direct contact of personnel with cleaning agents, as is common with conventional manual methods. Subsequently, the first thing that activates is the drinking water flooding, then the circulation pump is switched on and fresh water is pumped through the channels to determine if there is a leak in the mold. If no leakage was found, the unit begins to introduce the cleaning chemical and starts the actual cleaning process. "To ensure that even layers of sludge that have sometimes formed on lime or rust in the pipes are not only loosened but also removed, the so-called rampling process complements chemical cleaning," explains Joachim Rohmann, managing director of wattec GmbH. "In this mechanical cleaning method, air bubbles of different sizes act as air brushes and loosen the deposits and incrustations from the sewer wall." Throughout the process, various sensors monitor and document the flow rate as well as the cleaning performance. This can be viewed via touch screen; likewise, the control of the automatic cleaning is carried out via this console.

Double number of cleaning channels reduces process time

During the revision of the Dreyproper to variant 4.1, the focus was on improved cleaning economy. An optimized geometry now allows the connection of eight instead of four cooling channels for flow-monitored rinsing. At the same time, more cleaning liquid can be pumped through. This is fed into the channels via a multistage, frequency-controlled centrifugal pump that can generate high pressure. A compressed air connection is mounted behind it, which is used to inject air bubbles into the volume flow of cleaning agent. "Via a fully automatic change in pressure, the air bubbles are alternately enlarged and reduced," Rohmann explains. "The resulting flow swirls the air bubbles and causes them to bounce against the deposits again and again. In this way, even stubborn incrustations are detached and entrained." In this way, the inner surface of the cooling channels can be brushed over a large area, so that both insulating sludge layers and the deposits underneath are removed.

Following the entire cleaning process, the chemical is neutralized with a second solution and then rinsed out with fresh water. This procedure ensures that all chemical residues are removed from the injection mold. An additional heat exchanger rapidly dissipates the heat generated. As a result, the cleaning cycle can be started up to 45 minutes faster. "To further reduce system downtimes, the channels can be automatically blown out via the compressed air connection at the end of cleaning," says Rohmann. "This removes any remaining liquid from the injection mold that would otherwise have to be removed via an additional work step. It is immediately clean and dry." After that, all connections of the Dreyproper are dismantled from the respective injection mold and the cleaning device, which now contains the neutralized solution, is removed. The injection mold is immediately ready for use.

Test phase and on-site consultation

To convince themselves of the efficiency and simple operation of the Dreyproper 4.1, users can also rent the device on a trial basis. The cleaning experts from wattec will be happy to provide advice, for example to help optimize the cooling water. "These appointments are also extremely valuable for ourselves, as we receive feedback directly from the field," adds Rohmann. "The experience gained is naturally incorporated into the continuous improvement of the cleaning programs and their operation, which is reflected in the current variant." With these personal contacts, the manufacturer ensures that the injection molds are always optimally cleaned and the Dreyproper is always state of the art.

Further information on the Internet at: www.wattec.de

The achievements of the industrial revolutions have led to enormous efficiency in production - but not to Sustainable Productivity: everyday products from the fields of electronics, consumption and transport are produced so cheaply that they can be made available to the entire population. A prosperity that at the same time makes it possible to afford a sometimes shockingly low level of utilization of the objects used. For example, the average utilization rate of a private car is just four percent. A large proportion of consumer and electronic goods are disposed of after a short period of use - efficient production makes this possible.

A long way from Sustainable Productivity

The continuous pursuit of cost optimization and increased efficiency has led to a capital- and resource-intensive productivity mindset. This is evident in the increased CO2 emissions, which have almost doubled since 1990. The social and ecological effects of this development have become increasingly obvious in recent years. In particular, the worsening climate crisis has caused capital- and resource-intensive productivity thinking to differ from the future image of a more ecologically aware society. As one of the polluters, the manufacturing industry bears a great responsibility in this regard. German-speaking industry must initiate a sustainable production turnaround - and do so immediately!

The production turnaround is both a necessity and an opportunity

In the course of this, the concept of productivity must be fundamentally rethought to include a holistic view of sustainability. This is where the study "Sustainable Productivity" by the Chair of Production Systems at the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering WZL at RWTH Aachen University comes in. The aim of the study was to develop the new understanding of the concept of productivity necessary to initiate the production turnaround. Whereas financial targets have been the main focus so far, these have to be complemented by environmental, social and regulatory targets. These novel goals have implications for the design of products in the phases of product development, production and use. This new type of design is made possible by digitization and, in particular, by the "Internet of Production," which provides the transparency needed to holistically increase sustainability.

In addition to the necessity associated with responsibility, the production turnaround also means an enormous opportunity for a sustainable orientation of the German-speaking industry. On the one hand, this includes the socially perceived as well as the real shaping of the holistic change by the German-speaking manufacturing industry. On the other hand, it creates a clear competitive advantage over competing locations. In the interaction of these two factors, a monetizable added value is achieved.

This study provides companies with concrete recommendations on how to shape their production in the direction of sustainable production. In addition to key figures for evaluating the current situation and progress, existing success stories of manufacturing companies are presented.

Source and further information: WZL

Test and measurement expert Hottinger Brüel & Kjaer (HBK) has been honored for its 50 years of membership in one of the most important German quality organizations, the German Society for Quality (DGQ). The award, or the corresponding certificate, was presented on September 14, 2021, at HBK's Darmstadt site and recognizes the company's long-standing commitment to high-quality solutions in the interest of its customers.

HBK's German headquarters was the first company of its kind to receive ISO 9001 certification in 1986. The registration number of HBK's certification also reflects this: DQS-000001 for ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management), ISO 50001 (energy management). Thanks to these standards, HBK's customers can be sure to receive products and services of the highest quality. This is particularly crucial for customers in the military sector or for sensitive projects, for example in the aerospace industry.

The DGQ (German Society for Quality) is a central, national quality organization in Germany. It acts primarily as the first point of contact as well as moderator and mediator in quality issues. The umbrella organization is a registered association and can draw on a unique network of experts.

HBK - Hottinger, Brüel & Kjaer - offers a complete portfolio of solutions across the test and measurement product lifecycle, bringing together the physical world of sensors, tests and measurements with the digital world of simulation, modeling software and analysis. By creating a scalable and open system for data acquisition hardware, software and simulation, product developers can reduce time-to-market, drive innovation and lead the way in a competitive global market.

Further information: https://www.hbkworld.com/en/about/quality-management

Manufacturers have spent the last few years looking at their data and adopting IoT sensors, architectures and applications to better understand their processes and optimize them for efficiency. But the focus on efficiency has left some manufacturing companies unable to see the forest for the trees when it comes to digital transformation. A study by McKinsey found that 70 % of digital transformation initiatives fail to achieve their goals. However, pioneers in the industry are already looking beyond efficiency. The 2020s will be the decade when more mature, accurate approaches to digital transformation in the manufacturing sector evolve. Manufacturers will become more effective and strategically leverage cloud technology to drive better business outcomes.

Data nourish new models

In the past, a sale was seen as the end of the sales process. A customer decides to buy, receives the product, and when satisfied with it, the manufacturer's involvement is over. However, manufacturers increasingly view ongoing maintenance and other services as a profitable part of the sales process.

We are now seeing new approaches move beyond a single transactional interaction with customers and use data to merge sales and services. The result is a move to a pay-for-use model, and then to a pay-for-outcome model based on the provision of a service - for example, connectivity as a service. Based on customer usage, manufacturers can offer personalized services. IoT thus enables maintenance to be predicted and automated, creating effective and sustainable value.

These models should be supported by cloud platforms that enable manufacturers to connect their operations, manage data, and introduce machine learning, AI, and analytics solutions. A suite of cloud applications also enables them to continuously innovate and develop new capabilities. Manufacturers can also gain a unified view of their customers with cloud technology or solutions, which is essential for ongoing service-based relationships.

Circular economy is the future

I also believe that the circular economy will play a central role in the new models that are being introduced. At present, the global economy is circular only to 8.6 %while 100 billion tons of materials are produced each year. This linear approach to products means that we will produce 65 billion tons of greenhouse gases in 2030. Manufacturers will play a key role in completing the circular economy, reducing both waste and emissions.

For manufacturers, circular economy can be anything from aftermarket services throughout the lifecycle of a machine to apparel lines that use recycled fiber and resale platforms to reduce waste in the fashion industry. Once the entire lifecycle of a product is a manufacturer's responsibility, they need the analytical tools to determine when and how to service or reuse it.

Thanks to cloud technology: manufacturers can flourish

Switzerland, its emerging technology and political as well as economic stability offer global companies a safe place to develop their digital manufacturing and supply chain processes. The FM Global Resilience Index 2020, which provides insights for companies that need to make plant choices, expand supply chains or enter new markets, has ranked Switzerland second as one of the most resilient economies in the world. However, manufacturers are under increasing pressure, and cost reductions and efficiency improvements are a priority.

This is also why they are turning to cloud technology to improve the efficiency of their operations. In 2021, McKinsey found that 64 % of industrial companies actively using the cloud, although 50 % see cloud technology as more complex than originally expected. Rather than trying to "bring the ocean to a boil" by taking on a daunting challenge all at once, it would be most effective for manufacturers to use the cloud to quickly test new solutions and services and then expand them as needed.

Siemens, for example, is working with Oracle on a high-performance processing solution that will help utilities better manage large-scale data processing requirements. This will use Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) to retrieve and process readings from smart meters at 30-minute intervals in homes and small, non-domestic locations to facilitate the transition to the smart grid. To date, volume and performance tests have been successfully conducted with 1.5 million meters. However, the Siemens application and OCI can scale far beyond that as the industry moves to an event-driven architecture.

Swiss steel wheel manufacturer Alcar Ruote is another example, as it needed to rely on technology to continue producing with Swiss quality while remaining competitive in the global market. The company chose Oracle Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing and Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP applications to manage its planning, procurement, manufacturing, and distribution, while improving visibility into these areas.

Training for the digital transformation

However, we must not forget that in addition to the introduction of new technologies, the digital capabilities of companies depend on the right skills. Vendors need to ensure that their employees are trained in how to use the new solutions most effectively, and support them with retraining where necessary. To ensure that the full benefits of cloud technology are realized, this should be done across the enterprise.

Digital solutions are also at the heart of this employee training process. The Venice Digital Capability Center, a joint venture between McKinsey and Confindustria that uses Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications, was recently established to give manufacturers hands-on experience with operational transformation. Through realistic simulations, trainees can explore rapid prototyping and test modular solutions to gain hands-on experience. In this way, employees learn how digital capabilities can increase productivity and collaboration and improve factory and back-office safety.

Cloud technology: efficiency and more

Manufacturers have the opportunity to not only incrementally improve the efficiency of their operations, but also change their operating models. In this way, they can achieve long-term positive results for their customers while bringing much-needed circular economy and resource productivity to their approach.

To achieve this goal, they must acquire the necessary tools to quickly test, iterate and scale new solutions. Likewise, they must support their employees on this digital transformation journey with the latest training solutions. If they do it right, the result will be an improvement in effectiveness and efficiency.

Author:
Billy Kneubühl is Country Manager Oracle Switzerland

The virtual trade fair ConSense EXPO of the software provider ConSense GmbH presents software solutions and services around management systems including all novelties. The program offers varied live conferences, the presentation of the 4th ConSense ScientificAward and many opportunities for networking. Registration for the visit is now open at www.consense-gmbh.de/expo possible. Here you can also find the entire conference program as well as the registration for the conferences.

Virtual trade fair with comprehensive product information

At the ConSense EXPO digital trade show, experts from ConSense will be available for personal discussions at various topic booths, e.g. about QM software and to solutions for IMS - regardless of whether it consists of a QM system, data protection, occupational health and safety, environmental protection management or other management areas. The trade fair also offers helpful information material on GxP-compliant QM solutions as well as measures, training and risk management. It will also present in detail the end-device-independent, web-based management system solution ConSense PORTALwhich provides user-friendly access to the entire digital documentation from any location and at any time. The ConSense Hosting Services take care of provisioning, backup, maintenance, monitoring and the installation of updates on request.

Live conferences, keynote, networking and more.

The highlights of the ConSense EXPO include a diverse conference and event program that is in no way inferior to a presence trade fair. The Live Conferences deal with current topics from the QM world. They are presented by experts for management systems from well-known companies and by ConSense GmbH. For example, the accredited DAkkS calibration laboratory Eumetron GmbH will describe how it can use the Integrated Management System to quickly and transparently demonstrate compliance with standard specifications. For safe ship operation with mandatory documentation in digital form and intelligent form management, see the example of BBC Chartering GmbH & Co. KG. Another conference will demonstrate how the QM methods of the Automotive Core Tools from the automotive industry can also ensure systematically good quality in other industries. Following the various technical presentations, the speakers will be available for discussion. Networking and exchange of experiences will take place in the digital Coffee Lounge. Visitors can also deepen their knowledge in on-demand webinars. Existing customers of ConSense GmbH will have access to extra slots for consulting sessions, additional live conferences and the keynote speech by Dr. Alexander Künzer from the management of ConSense GmbH via an exclusive area.

Presentation of the ConSense ScientificAward

For the first time, visitors can also be present live at the presentation of the 4th ConSense ScientificAward. With this interdisciplinary scientific award, ConSense GmbH honors final theses with innovative ideas for living management systems. The independent expert jury, consisting of Prof. Dr. Mendling (Humboldt University of Berlin and Chairman of the Society for Process Management), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rosenbaum (Dresden University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering) and Dr.-Ing. Sommerhoff (Head of Innovation and Transformation at the German Society for Quality), will evaluate the submitted theses. Following the announcement and the award ceremony, the award winner will present his or her award-winning work in a lecture.

The high importance of Digital Employee Experience (DEX) has arrived in the mechanical and plant engineering and industrial production sectors. This is shown by a survey conducted by Nexthink among 300 IT experts from six industries in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The study was conducted in May 2021 by the independent market research company Sapio Research. For the majority (industrial production 81%, mechanical and plant engineering 70%), the topic of DEX plays an important role and is to be driven forward with a team or employees specifically responsible for it (industrial production 76%, mechanical and plant engineering 66%). The main focus is on measures against IT disruptions.

Systematically and with a high level of automation, resolve IT faults more quickly

Manufacturing companies in particular are planning comprehensive measures for disruption-free digital work environments. 87 percent (average 81%, mechanical and plant engineering 75%) will use systematic processes and tools with a high degree of automation to accelerate troubleshooting in digital workplaces.

To measure the quality of digital workplaces, metrics and key performance indicators are on the agenda at 85 percent of manufacturing companies, according to the Nexthink study (average 76%, mechanical and plant engineering 72%). The picture is similar for the plan to use a central management platform for the IT help desk that covers everything from ticketing and user communication to reporting, analysis and troubleshooting guidance.

Predict and prevent IT disruptions with predictive analytics

What are the causes of IT disruptions? To find answers to these questions, 85 percent of the manufacturing companies surveyed (average 75%, mechanical and plant engineering 68%) plan to use an integrated system that correlates data from the IT back end with the service desk management platform.
Predictive analytics technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning are also high on the industrial production agenda at 81 percent to predict or prevent potential disruptions (average 76%, machinery and equipment 75%).

Majority lives with compromises in the digital workplace

The measures are a logical consequence of the fact that companies have so far tended to wait passively for IT disruptions instead of avoiding them proactively and with a high level of automation from the outset. A critical aspect here is that the majority of the companies surveyed live with many compromises in the digital workplace (industrial production 70%, mechanical and plant engineering 62%). In addition, many faults occur repeatedly (industrial production 46%, mechanical and plant engineering 55%) and usually take a long time to rectify (industrial production 57%, mechanical and plant engineering 58%).

In the event of IT disruptions, the situation of users is unnecessarily complicated

The situation is also made unnecessarily difficult for users. They are often left in the dark as to how long a disruption will last (Industrial Production 70%, Mechanical and Plant Engineering 66%) and the IT self-service portal often proves not to be very helpful (Industrial Production 48%, Mechanical and Plant Engineering 62%). In addition, users are inadequately informed about major or planned impairments to the digital workplace (Industrial Production 85%, Mechanical and Plant Engineering 77%). Frustrating from the user's perspective is that although employee feedback is obtained, this usually does not lead to improvements (Industrial production 54%, Mechanical and plant engineering 70%).

Often abandonment of new applications due to possible additional problems

The existing shortcomings in the IT experience of employees are particularly evident with regard to the introduction of new applications. A full 91 percent of respondents from manufacturing companies believe that more or better assistance should be made available for new applications (Machinery and Plant Engineering 81%). To make matters worse, end users avoid calling the ticket hotline when they have problems with new applications (industrial manufacturing 57%, mechanical and plant engineering 72%). The result: as few new applications as possible are introduced to avoid problems, as confirmed by 59 percent of respondents from industrial production and a full 75 percent from mechanical and plant engineering.

DEX and the user perspective gain importance

The results of the Nexthink study show that the dynamic development of digitization is also bringing the topic of digital employee experience to the fore among companies. 81 percent from industrial production and 83 percent from mechanical and plant engineering say that this topic will have high priority in their company. And the manufacturing companies (80%) in particular want to take greater account of the user's perspective - an aspect that is significantly less in focus in the mechanical and plant engineering sector at 55 percent.

How to create value in a digital world - Value is no longer synonymous with value creation or shareholder value. Value also includes new customer perceptions of value, creating value thanks to new technologies, thanks to "beautiful" products with high value and, of course, new digital platform business models. At first glance, platforms and super apps from leading technology companies such as Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon, WeChat and Co. appear to be a threat because they are penetrating various industries. In fact, various banks, insurance companies, retailers, media houses and numerous start-ups have already discovered the great potential of platform business models in Switzerland as well. Typical offerings are mortgage marketplaces, mobility offers, comparison and e-commerce platforms - the race for market leadership has begun. And with it, the race for the right talent.

What makes digital ecosystems so successful?

The focus is not on technology, but on the consistent integration of the participants in an ecosystem. The focus is on customers, suppliers and even the company's own competitors. The primary goal is to jointly create real innovation and added value for all participants across companies and industries - in the form of a Digital Ecosystem. "New technologies such as Cloud, APIs, Big Data and Analytics are just enablers that help to implement new data-centric business models in a fast, scalable and standardized way. Central to successful implementation are the consistent reconfiguration of the business model and the design of the ecosystem. Only a few companies have the necessary enterprise capabilities and expertise in this area. This is reflected, among other things, in the large number of job offers and new job profiles in the field of ecosystems," says Ralph Hutter, head of the new CAS Digital Product Lead HWZ and CAS Platforms & Ecosystems HWZ programs.

Product development transforms radically

Product development is changing fundamentally: At its core is an increased customer and design orientation. The speed of innovation and technical complexity have increased substantially in recent years. To accommodate this change, new software development methods and management approaches such as Agile, Lean Startup, etc. are being widely used.

The role of the product manager is also changing radically due to the increasing importance of data and the use of new technologies. The new interfaces such as AR, VR, IoT, voice, blockchain and gaming engines are worth mentioning. The next generation Internet, Web 3.0, is already emerging today. Digital extensions via smart devices such as watches, glasses, and new immersive user experiences with VR headsets in and around metaverse worlds are enabling novel services, innovative business models, and new touchpoints with targeted customers. The Digital Product Lead is the new and emerging role designation for the lead product manager in startups and international companies.

Digital Product Management is the key competence for transferring existing products and services to the next generation of the Internet, Web 3.0, and the emerging metaverse, or for launching completely new digital offerings based on new technologies.

How to create value in a digital world?

Innovative digital products with the latest technology create real added value for customers and lay the foundation for digital ecosystems in which new digital business models can be developed. That is true "digital value creation.

The Institute for Digital Business at the HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft Zürich offers continuing education in this area. The newly launched CAS Platforms & Ecosystems HWZ and CAS Digital Product Lead HWZ, led by Ralph Hutter, strengthen the understanding of this cultural change and offer a methodological toolbox in dealing with the challenges of new types of platform business models and the development of digital products and services. If desired, the two CAS can be combined with another elective module to create a Master's degree with a specialization in "Digital Value Creation" (Master of Advanced Studies in Digital Business, Major Digital Value Creation). With this offer, graduates are prepared in a practice-oriented way for a career step in the new job profiles in the field of ecosystem and digital product management.

Source and information: HWZ

Because of the pandemic, many of us have had to move our jobs to the home office. While burnout has always been an issue to take note of and counteract, the pandemic has significantly blurred the lines between work and personal life. This has led to many of us working extra hours, either to make up for perceived shortcomings or delays at work, or even unknowingly.

When employee engagement wanes

According to a British study 70 % of employees report that they suffer from burnout symptoms. Lack of free time and high workload are the main contributing factors among those who feel such effects. This is of great concern to managers and companies, as employee engagement is directly related to business results. Hogan Assessments, a leading provider of personality assessments and leadership consulting, highlights three areas that employers can scrutinize and address to ensure their employees are satisfied, engaged and well-supervised, thereby avoiding the burden of burnout.

Personality is the key when it comes to work and burnout

Hogan's research suggests that the pandemic did not change people's personalities themselves, but only reinforced certain pre-existing traits. For example, if someone is an extrovert and finds pleasure in the more social aspects of an office environment, his or her priorities have not changed. The isolation that comes with working from home could be detrimental to his or her work. In contrast, a more introverted person, might thrive in a home office atmosphere and find that more tasks can be completed if not for the added distractions associated with working in a shared space.

To prevent burnout and avoid placing unnecessary stress on employees when they return to work, employers need to work with team leaders. Encouraging an open dialogue between managers and team members will help build a more flexible hybrid system that leads to maximum productivity among busy employees. Employees who choose to continue working from home may feel they have to push themselves harder or work more hours because they are not constantly monitored - so it is important to keep this especially in mind and remind these employees through regular communications that their regular workload is more than sufficient. Setting up a system that allows and encourages open and honest conversations between employees and managers will make employees feel that they are seen and heard and that their needs are being considered.

To mitigate the effects of burnout, stress management is critical

Often, burnout can be triggered by an excess of stress. Covid-19 has led to employees feeling increased pressure to mask any difficulties they may have in coping with stresses from both work and the pandemic. In doing so, according to a Lime Group survey only one in six employees feel that psychological needs are sufficiently taken into account by the employer and in the workplace.

A person's burnout experience can often be determined by how well they handle stress. To get a better idea of how individual employees handle stress, a development survey developed for this purpose can be used. After all, those people who internalize stress are more likely to feel the effects of burnout. Conducting tests can help companies make better decisions that allow employees to better manage their time and workload and avoid stress. They also contribute to smarter strategy and decision-making within the company's management structures to prevent the effects of burnout. In addition, they help those individuals who are already suffering from it to recover better from it. An important tool in the fight against burnout is to remind employees of all the mental health and support systems available to them in their company. This encourages them to contact HR if they want or need to make use of them.

The company's values are directly linked to the commitment of its employees

Burnout is less likely to occur if people are hired whose personal values are most in line with those of the company. However, a company must also set a good example at all times. If management does not model the values it wants to see in its employees, it runs the risk of being the driving force behind unhealthy work practices. The key to combating burnout is to prioritize making work compatible with personal life. Acknowledging that employees work overtime and reassuring them that it is not a standard that is always expected of them is key. Allowing employees to sign off at the end of their workday may not seem like a revolutionary concept, but it is important because this fact was forgotten or pushed aside by many workers during the pandemic.

"Employer response to burnout can no longer be retroactive. Employers need to start addressing burnout preventatively, even before it occurs. Companies need to pay attention to employee engagement data to see who in their organization is most at risk of burnout," adds Ryne Sherman, Ph.D., chief science officer at Hogan Assessments, "For those suffering from burnout, consider setting up weekly individual check-ins with team members so managers can be informed of their workload and any overtime or additional measures that may need to be taken to
Are in the picture. By providing better structure in this way, you help set expectations and assure your team that they can get the support they need."

Source: Hogan Assessments

Complex, often outdated and heterogeneous IT and technology as well as a lack of security strategy make hospitals, for example, a lucrative and blackmailable target for hackers. After all, system failure is not an option here. The data loot is just as coveted: depending on how complete the information is, medical records can cost up to $1,000 on the darknet. Only U.S. passports are even more expensive, with a unit price of $1,000 to $2,000.

Lack of cyber security: consequences of cost pressure

In addition, most victims in the healthcare sector are often completely unprepared. In addition to the lack of money, the main reason here is the lack of personnel, when, for example, in Germany, two employees are sometimes responsible for the entire IT administration of three different hospitals and have hardly any budget. Cost pressure is likely to increase

In addition, the demands on IT are increasing in a healthcare system that is being digitized. The current crisis and danger situation in particular show that hospitals are increasingly being treated as critical infrastructure. In administration, the increasing requirements in terms of data protection are raising the hurdles for data security. Compliance rules must increasingly be adhered to - from the DSGVO and ISO certifications to radio guidelines for technical devices.

Symptoms

Healthcare cybersecurity still suffers from the following symptoms:

1. Ransomware: Hospitals in particular cannot sit out extortionist attacks that encrypt data or block systems if they want to continue to care for patients. Attackers will be even more aggressive in the future: On the one hand, through automated attacks on unprepared IT and, on the other, through more targeted Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) attacks launched with social engineering on decision-makers in HR, administration and accounting.
2. Risks of networked devices: In healthcare, the number of networked medical IoT and OT devices is growing by leaps and bounds. However, this attack vector is still often neglected and networked devices are integrated into networks without the appropriate care. Hackers also know the specific risks of this hardware: they know how to find out the hard-coded passwords of most devices - and can use them to penetrate the network. It is often not even possible to prevent unauthorized users from accessing the devices. Surprisingly often, devices are used that are only poorly certified. Systems with outdated, no longer supported operating systems also create new risks over time.
3. Lack of visibility of hardware: Many organizations do not have IT in its entirety in mind. For example, the encryption of the servers at Lukaskrankenhaus in Neuss (this cyberattack from 2016, which became public throughout Europe, resulted in damage of 900,000 euros; editor's note) was only possible because an old, invisible client had administrator rights and thus enabled the malware to spread further. In the case of IoT and OT, this danger is even more fundamental because most of these devices are not subject to access by internal IT organizations.
4. Zero-day security vulnerabilities continue to grow: Log4j has shown that zero-day vulnerabilities can still cause great damage and threaten countless organizations. The healthcare industry is more susceptible to such vulnerabilities, and lack of attention can lead to increased exploitation of these gaps.

Therapy suggestions for more cyber security

If you want to ensure the safety of the systems and the health of the patients, you should and can turn several screws:

• Protection of all devices: An extended detection and response (XDR) solution protects not only ordinary endpoints, but also devices on which - as in the case of IoT - there is no way to install agents or they are beyond the control of IT managers.
• Continuously manage and assess security vulnerabilities: Due diligence checks and vulnerability assessment and management are key elements in discovering and closing potential and existing gaps before attackers exploit them.
• Isolation of network segments: This makes it possible to limit the damage. For example, if you quickly separate network areas, you can prevent ransomware from spreading further.
• Identity Management: This can reduce the risk of employee misconduct. This is particularly important given the size of many facilities and the number of employees who are often not particularly experienced or security-conscious in IT security.
• Penetration Testing: They test the responsiveness of an organization's own IT defenses and help identify vulnerable parts of the organization or employees and areas where incident response can improve. (More information on penetration testing shows this - chargeable - article; editor's note)

Prescribe to external expertise

Not only are healthcare IT administrators overworked, they also often lack the necessary expertise or the time to develop such expertise. They often do not even get to deal with cyber security and respond to specific incidents. Analyzing anomalies in the behavior of endpoints is usually even more impossible for them.

• Partner selection: Help can therefore only come from partners with the appropriate IT security and industry knowledge. For example, when changing providers. Many IT departments do not know how completely the old system was uninstalled and how many clients still have to be reconfigured manually. This is because newly created rule sets can have unpleasant effects for everyone involved in live operation, the causes of which then have to be analyzed and remedied in a time-consuming manner. This is where partners can contribute their expertise and provide intensive support for roll-out processes in order to keep this rework to a minimum and be able to react promptly. A value-added reseller plays an important role here and can be shown separately in the accounts as a service item in the budget.
• Security analysts: Managed detection and response (MDR) services are equally important. Larger hospitals in particular with highly complex systems that would need a SIEM or ISMS (Security Information and Event Management or Information Security Management System) for compliance reasons, for example, can rent the necessary technologies and resources cost-effectively with an external Security Operation Center as part of an MDR service. This is always more cost-effective and at the same time more efficient than purchasing and operating this technology yourself. And what's more, MDR offers the expertise, advice and active support of security analysts.

Author:
Jörg von der Heydt is Regional Director DACH at Bitdefender

The business plan has more potential than just enabling a start-up idea to be thought through in detail. It can also be used to calculate in advance for new projects which opportunities and risks a company can expect and whether sufficient resources are available to achieve the set goals. A business plan is advantageous for all projects that go beyond the daily routine, such as a product launch, the establishment of a new sales channel or an expansion and other changes in the structures of a company. As a guideline for controlling, it effectively supports corporate management. Even more: a carefully prepared business plan is the basis and best preparation for goal-oriented controlling.

Business plan immediately reveals bottlenecks at every level

Since companies collect figures on sales, earnings, costs and order situation, market status and the necessary investments for the business plan, they have a framework that they can then also use in controlling to ensure that the company's goals are achieved. In general, it is advisable to work with scenarios in the context of any planning. If entrepreneurs have different options for action up their sleeve, they can react effectively to various developments and are also prepared for unpleasant situations. Another positive side effect of working with scenarios: If the focus shifts away from achieving fixed targets, individual departments are encouraged to work more agilely on the company's goals.

Through forward-looking planning, bottlenecks at all levels - personnel, financial or other resources such as time - can be identified at an early stage and the management can initiate appropriate measures quickly and effectively. A business plan with correspondingly sustainable financial planning ensures conceptual clarity and enables a valid assessment of the further development of a company.

Respond to changes in real time

The business plan can do much more than just convince financing partners: Clean planning and the controlling that builds on it strengthen managers in actively managing the development of their company in a permanent and targeted manner by reacting to changing market situations in real time. It also provides an effective tool for identifying means of increasing value creation and profitability. Also, because planning provides a clear picture of a company's current and future liquidity situation, an accurate approach ensures success and economic efficiency.

Nevertheless, many companies still fail to take advantage of the positive effect of the business plan after the start-up phase: But even then, as a management and controlling instrument, it makes management aware of inconsistencies in strategic planning and deviations from targeted goals, which is important for monitoring success. Therefore, regardless of their size, companies are well advised to work permanently on their business plan and to adapt it to the current situation. As a result, the effectiveness of each planned measure can be optimized with this procedure.

Look in all directions

By relating the key figures obtained in this way to one another, and by observing and interpreting their development as well as the general trends in controlling, managers and controllers are always clear as to whether the company is still on track for success and can react immediately to possible areas of tension. In recent years, it has become increasingly important in controlling not only to look backwards, but to add a current view (forecasting) and thus to increasingly include future developments and react in an agile manner. Recent developments in the pandemic have impressively demonstrated how elementarily important it is to adapt plans in the shortest possible time in order to ensure a rapid response capability. In order to be prepared for all eventualities, companies are well advised to support thinking, planning and working in scenarios by means of software that makes it possible to map or calculate several future possibilities.

Influence impact force in a targeted manner

In order to assess the company's ability to act, it has proven useful to compare the actual and target status at regular intervals. A target/actual comparison and precise variance analyses create security at various levels. By comparing the target figures set in the plan with the actual results achieved, companies are on the safe side, have a consistent view of the effectiveness of their company and can influence it if necessary. By taking stock of the situation, managers are able to recognize exactly how goals and measures need to be adjusted. In the event of deviations, they can then intervene in good time before any possible negative consequences occur.

Counteract errors in good time

Management benefits from the ability to plan future developments, can validly assess the effects of external factors and internal measures in advance, and always has a clear picture of the company's profitability. Not only does a business plan provide certainty in advance about the feasibility of the respective goals and strategies, but the key figures on sales or profitability, for example, also enable companies to better assess their options. And this is permanent: Even after a company has set out on its journey, the assumptions from the plan serve as an instrument for fine-tuning. The knowledge contained in the business plan about the respective target group and developments in the specific market segment has strong potential to make it easier to interpret the results from the analysis of the key figures correctly.

Conclusion: Plan success with business plan too

With careful planning, which begins with the business plan at the time of founding and is constantly updated during business operations, entrepreneurs lay a foundation for long-term successful business. The key figures that are collected and calculated for the business plan - at the beginning of the business activity or for new projects - also support targeted controlling. In order to collect, evaluate and provide the really relevant information, every company is generally well advised to use a modern planning and strategy tool, so that optimal controlling is guaranteed at all times.

Author:
Bernd S. Kirschner is Managing Director of Denzhorn Geschäftsführungs-Systeme GmbH in Ulm (Germany). www.denzhorn.de