Forums

Resilience and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Philippine businesses

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

The COVID-19 pandemic caused downward economic activity for Filipino enterprises, such as lower sales, higher costs, and workers’ challenges such as reduced salaries and unemployment. Researchers from UP Mindanao’s School of Management (SOM) gathered data from 293 enterprises to identify the attributes that can make a Filipino enterprise survive the effects of the pandemic. The study aimed to make firms learn and become more resilient to disruptions that create an economic shock. These findings were presented by associate professor Glory Dee Romo on behalf of their team at the UP Mindanao-funded research webinar series, “Towards Creating Impact” on 20 April 2022.

The team used the Benchmark Resiliency Tool (BRT) developed by Resilient Organisations which has 13 organizational resilience indicators. The resilience indicators were grouped according to their three main attributes, namely, leadership and culture, networks, and readiness to change. Key officers of the participating enterprises from all over the Philippines filled in the survey through Google Forms.

The results revealed that enterprises with planning strategies ready and implemented during the disruption resulted in a reduction in the employee count (?) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, being ready for changes, especially during times of unexpected and unpredictable situations such as the pandemic, is a critical component of adaptation.

Crisis-stricken enterprises also reduce the number of employees as a strategy for recovery or, in some cases, for the survival of a business. However, employee-employer consultation can create empowered and participative labor actions when employees are appraised of the situation of the enterprise. Remuneration plans can instead be implemented to avoid the negative effects of unemployment on a worker’s household.

Moreover, the rise of online methods of selling can increase the sales potential of enterprises at a lower cost, especially when combined with conventional selling modes. Moreover, these same cost-saving modes can be applied to purchasing. Businesses should invest in online sales infrastructure to benefit from lower costs over the long term. Thus, businesses may adopt online buying and selling to survive economic shocks. The study recommended that businesses should adopt a number of these attributes to achieve organizational resilience.

The study team was composed of Associate professor Romo, Assistant Professors Jon Marx Sarmiento, Imee Marie Acopiado, and Thaddeus Acuña, lecturer Adonis Traje, and university research associates Francis Levi Durano and Geraliza Wahing.

Women as drivers of innovation in Philippine business

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

“Seventy-three percent of Philippine business firms are led by or have women occupying senior leadership positions, which implies that at least 50% of the owners are female. We found that Philippine firms led by women are more likely to adopt product and logistics innovations. Moreover, firms where women make up the majority in management, administration, and in sales, are more likely to adopt innovative methods of production, as well.”

These were among the results from "Women-led Firms and Innovation: Evidence from Philippine Enterprise Survey" presented by Assistant Professor Imee Marie Acopiado of the University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao School of Management in the online forum “Towards Creating Impact: UP Mindanao-funded Research” held on 20 April 2022.

As background, the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap 2021 report had showed that The Philippines’ Gender Gap Index of 0.784 ranked 17th in the world, and second in the Asia-Pacific region. This value, between 0 to 1, is based on measures in health, education, the economy, and politics, where 1 indicates full equality for women.

On the other hand, The Philippines ranked 50th in the global innovation index. Hence, leading the research team—composed of SOM faculty members Jon Marx Sarmiento, Thaddeus Acuña, Glory Dee Romo, and Acopiado—to explore the link between women-led firms and innovation.

The research team looked at 497 samples among the 1,335 firms that participated in the World Bank’s Philippine Enterprise Survey in 2015. The effects of women's participation, particularly in the manufacturing and services firms, were analyzed using four models of firm-level innovation: 1) products or services, 2) methods of production, 3) logistics, delivery and distribution, and 4) supporting services.

While women in leadership, sales, and management roles leads to more innovation, a high number of women involved in a firm’s supporting activities showed slow innovation growth. These support activities are the production lines, maintenance systems, purchasing, accounting and, computing operations. “Firms may need to focus on increasing the participation of women involved in support services in providing innovations,” Prof. Acopiado said.

Other drivers of innovation in business firms include the share capital of the largest owner, having a foreign-owned licensed technology, the annual sales, the direct exports, material inputs of foreign origin, the number of non-production workers, the firm’s capacity utilization, and its hours of operation, the study concluded.

"Towards Creating Impacts: UPMin-funded Research"

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

The UP Mindanao Office of Research is proud to present the second installment of the webinar series “Towards Creating Impacts: UP Mindanao-funded Research.” The event will be held on 20 April 2022 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM via Zoom and Facebook Live.

Dr. Juma Novie Alviola, Dr. Glory Dee Romo, Asst. Prof. Imee Marie Acopiado, and Asst. Prof. Jon Marx Sarmiento will be delivering their lectures based on their research.

The event is free and open to the public. Interested participants may register through this link: https://bit.ly/3uuMkTd.

Highlights of March 2022

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

Prof. Lyre Anni E. Murao started her first day of office as the sixth chancellor of UP Mindanao on 01 March 2021. Chancellor Murao’s term is from 1 March 2022 to 28 February 2025. The office personnel held their first return to a face-to-face flag ceremony on 07 March 2022. Prof. Annabelle U. Novero was introduced as the vice-chancellor for academic affairs and Asst. Prof. Leo Manuel B. Estana was introduced as the vice-chancellor for administration. [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7134665663272640]

The UP Mindanao Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (TTBDO) held a Technology Readiness Level Webinar via Zoom on 02 March 2022. Chief Science Research Specialist Melvin S.Pasaporte, Ph.D. served as the resource person. https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=925077118210768

UP Alumni Association Davao held "Isang Libong Alumni, Isang Libong Kumustahan, Para Kay Oble (version 3.0)" on 05 March 2022 at Iko's Garden Restaurant, Davao City. Alumni also joined online. (UPAAD logo designed by Michaelangelo E. Dakudao)

The design concept for the proposed Balay Alumni may be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7171876342884905. The UPAA-Davao promotional video may be accessed through this link: https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7217215061684366

The campaign for applications for a UP Alumni email account was reiterated on UP Mindanao's online pages in March 2022. Ref: https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7153158911423315

UP Mindanao personnel had their first return to the face-to-face flag ceremony and the first with Chancellor Lyre Murao on 07 March 2022. https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7171971959542010

UP Mindanao welcomed National Women's Month in March 2022. Chancellor Murao delivered a message for UP's NWM opening ceremony (https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=311804260839650). UP Mindanao's Gender and Development Coordinator, Ms. Marilou Montiflor, also issued a message of support (https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7180263785379494). 

ACIAR featured UP Mindanao's women researchers on their website. [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7208792222526650]

A Ceremonial Launch was held for the SARS-COV-2 Genomics Biosurveillance Services in PGC Visayas and PGC Mindanao with the theme, "Drawing on Collective Strengths for Pandemic Preparedness." (https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7185414718197734). News reports were generated by the launch. [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7207906955948510]

The UP Office of Admissions issued a public announcement on 09 March 2022 about the UP College Admission (UPCA) 2022 to appeal for patience to the UPCA applicants, disclosing that more than 100,000 applications were going through processing. https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7177117325694140

Officials of the Commission on Higher Education visited UP Mindanao on 10 March 2022 to inspect the Davao City-UP Sports Complex for the return of sports events. https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7182647601807779

UP Mindanao was selected to host the Mindanao leg of the Pinoy Media Congress (PMC) Digital Caravan on 19 March 2022 organized by the ABS-CBN and the Philippine Association of Communication Educators (PACE). The roll-call showed 32 participating schools from Mindanao. [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7182683815137491][https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7221855467886992]

Pahinungod UP Mindanao director Michael Gatela and associate Marsh Canuday joined the Ugnayan ng Pahinungod Planning Workshop in Alabat, Quezon Province in the week of 11 March 2022 (https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7186069628132243).

UP Mindanao was mentioned in a news report on 12 March 2022 that buildings used as Davao City's Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities (TTMF) will end operations on 08 March. The UP Mindanao Multi-Purpose Gym and Staff Housing Building have been in service as TTMFs for 22 months since April 2021. (https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7191377714268101)

The UP Mindanao Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (TTBDO) held an Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Protection Webinar via Zoom on 15 March 2022. The resource persons were from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL).

As part of the NWM celebration, the Gender and Development and the UP Madayaw Multi-Purpose Cooperative organized learning sessions on 21 March 2022, on-site and online. The resource persons and topics were: Prof. Kriza Faye Calumba on "Probiotics, [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/videos/543957107314077]" Engr. Helen Aliponga-Corton on "Common household plumbing problems, [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/videos/1183911245715814]" Ms. Maria Mae Aborde on "Kimchi and Siomai-making, [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/videos/270037338664436]" and Mx. Miguel Rodriguez, "Make-up for everyday use. [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/videos/687850062525673]

Secretary Luzverfeda Pascual and Undersecretary Orville Ballitoc of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office visited UP Mindanao on 18 March 2022 to generate initiatives in support of Republic Act 115471, "An Act Declaring Davao City as the Chocolate Capital of the Philippines and the entire Davao Region as the Cacao Capital of the Philippines." [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7220037988068740]

The DMPCS webinar series continued with "Deep Learning and Imaging Para Sa Saging" delivered by Asst. Prof. Armacheska Mesa-Satina on 21 March 2022. [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7227186274020578]

Regarding the proposed hospital on campus, Sun Star Davao newspaper reported in a news article dated 20 March 2022 that "During her State of the City Address on March 17, Duterte-Carpio shared that the initial budget will be used for the land development of the hospital, which will be located in Mintal inside the grounds of the University of the Philippines Mindanao." [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7226199207452618]

The Davao del Norte State College published an article on its website stating that "A team from the University of the Philippines Mindanao, under their Applied Biodiversity Research for Holistic Advancements in Mindanao (ABRAHAM) Program and FishDive Project, paid a visit to Davao del Norte State College, last February 24, 2022, to discuss a Memorandum of Agreement for future collaborations, specifically on documenting marine species diversity in the Sulu-Celebes Seas biogeographic regions and the creation of its database." [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7226375424101663]

The Communication for Development Network (C4DNet) held its general assembly on 17 March 2022, online. UP Mindanao was elected to one of three seats on the Board of Directors representing the state colleges and universities (SUC) sector. [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7226367177435821]

BS Architecture student Bryan Steven Borja was mentioned in a news report as a member of the United Architects of the Philippines Student Auxiliary (UAPSA) team to the 2021 Architects' Regional Council Asia (Arcasia) Student Jamboree held via Zoom from October 29 to 31, 2021. [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7216761658396373]

Master of Management alumnus Atty. Erwin Enad was named a commissioner of the Professional Regulation Commission according to a news report accessed on 18 March 2022. [https://www.facebook.com/UPMindanao/posts/7216799635059242] 

Mindanao Cattle R&D update, 2022

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

Dr. Antonio R. Obsioma and Dr. Virginia P. Obsioma presented research outputs of the Mindanao Cattle Research and Development Project (MCRDP) to Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for Livestock William Medrano and Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Director Reildren Morales on 09 March 2022 at the National Beef Cattle Research & Development Center (NBCRDC) in Dalwangan, Malaybalay City. Also with them in this meeting were DA-XI Regional Executive Director Abel James Monteagudo and NBCRDC Chief Luisito Avante. Chief Avante is a research partner who is working on the preservation of the semen of the F1 bulls. The MCRDP is being conducted by the University of the Philippines Mindanao and funded by the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office (DA-RFO XI). Phase 1 of this project started in 2013 and will be completed by the end of March 2022. Phase 2 of the project is underway and will be conducted by the Department of Agriculture RXI. The team proceeded to visit the project site on 11 March 2022 where the DA officials saw the crossbred cattle produced since 2013. The crossbreds were shorter compared to native cattle but were found to have better dressing and lean yields and good meat quality characteristics. One of these was an F1 bull named “Red” which delighted the visitors (in photo, above).

Forums

More Articles...