"Profesionalismo" - Un Valor Personal en Decadencia (Edwin Conrado Rivera)

Luego de buscar una serie de definiciones y descripciones de la palabra Profesionalismo enfocada en el sector empresarial, y lastimosamente llegar al fondo de la frustración, he decidido crear mi propio concepto de profesionalismo.

El profesionalismo es la conducta, objetivos o cualidades que caracterizan o marcan una profesión o persona profesional; que implica la calidad de los valores, actitudes y comportamientos para desarrollar una reputación profesional que marcará la diferencia entre el éxito y el fracaso.

El profesionalismo es todo sobre el desempeño, la influencia y finalmente el éxito; que demostrará una reputación de excelencia y respeto en todas las relaciones comerciales y empresariales.

En esta ocasión vamos a iniciar una serie de escritos sobre las Reglas de Oro para que una persona demuestre Profesionalismo.

Los temas de esta serie serán:

Excelencia y Seriedad	Confidencialidad
Compromiso y Puntualidad	Competente y Confiable
Responsabilidad y Humanismo	Congruente
Confianza	Cortes y Respetuoso
Honestidad y Decencia	Inteligencia Emocional
Honorable e Integro	Ética

Excelencia y Seriedad

Siempre luche por la excelencia asumiendo seriedad en el proceso: Estas son las primeras reglas para alcanzar la grandeza en cualquier esfuerzo que emprenda. Estas cualidades hacen que usted y su trabajo se separen de la mediocridad y lo lleven   a ser el jugador más valioso de su equipo. La excelencia es una cualidad de servicio  que es inusualmente bueno para superar las normas ordinarias y estándares en cualquier tarea que ejecute. Dando una buena impresión a sus colegas y superiores.

Mientras que la seriedad es primero respetarse a sí mismo con una calidad de desempeño superior a lo esperado para luego demostrar que usted es serio haciendo sus tareas y trabajo.

La excelencia se construye sobre la base de un mejoramiento continuo. Parte de sus ingredientes son: autoestima positiva, responsabilidad, cambiar un bien por un bien mejor, sólidos valores personales, pensar a largo plazo, la ética, una ambición natural (a diferencia de la codicia), compartir su conocimiento con los demás y buscar mejorarse cada día.   

Tener una saludable autoestima positiva es la base para desarrollar la excelencia. Esta tiene dos ingredientes característicos que son la dignidad y la capacidad de hacer las cosas de la mejor manera posible, desde la primera vez.

Un ser humano excelente es aquel que influye en los demás y que busca siempre el bien para él y para los demás, desarrollando la conciencia de ganar-ganar en todo lo que hace.

El saber comunicar es uno de los rasgos de la excelencia y sobre todo saber ser un buen oyente haciendo preguntas inteligentes. Además, posee entre otras cosas: Intuición y alegría, claridad en sus propósitos, originalidad, responsabilidad y libertad. Saber proteger sin asfixiar, saber guiar sin imponer, saber motivar a los demás y estar siempre enfocado en sus objetivos y metas.

Para construir una excelencia de calidad se tiene que implementar buenos principios y valores de convivencia que sean beneficiosos para todas sus relaciones humanas. Ayuda a construir a otros, soporta el rechazo, no se queja ni se frustra, está siempre en acción, le da un bien sentido a la vida, es equilibrado en su pasión y responde con la razón.

Dentro de sus cualidades más relevantes se encuentran la inventiva y la creatividad que hacen tener una fortaleza mental y un pensamiento inclinado a solucionar cualquier tipo de problema o situación.

Toda persona que tome conciencia de lo que es, siente, piensa, hace, desea y dice, que se ha dado cuenta de sí mismo y de lo que le rodea, se ha dado cuenta de que lo que importa es el ser y no el debe ser y está en el camino correcto para convertirse en una persona de excelencia.

Compromiso y Puntualidad

Honre sus compromisos

Cada vez que haga una promesa a su jefe, colegas o clientes, o familia sea exigente con usted mismo y cúmplalo. Si parece que usted no será capaz de cumplir con un plazo o un compromiso, déjele saber a su jefe, al equipo o el cliente tan pronto como sea razonablemente posible. Sin embargo, haga todo lo posible para evitar terminar en esta situación! No hay excusas para el fracaso cuando usted se ha comprometido con hacer una tarea. No se comprometa en algo que usted sabe no va a poder cumplir.

Podríamos decir que el cumplimiento es la base del compromiso. Siendo el cumplimiento racional y el compromiso más emocional. Por ejemplo, si miramos un termómetro, la parte de abajo es el cumplimiento y la parte de arriba es el compromiso.

El compromiso nace de la libertad, no de la imposición. Para pasar del cumplimiento al  compromiso, las personas han de tomar la decisión de hacerlo, y los líderes han de manejar nuevas habilidades para influir en ello. La imposición no genera compromiso, la imposición genera resentimiento. La imposición lleva a las [personas a tomar tres actitudes: rebelarse, someterse o evadirse.

El compromiso se gestiona en la cercanía de las relaciones. Los líderes tienen la llave para ello. Es en la relación entre los miembros del equipo y el líder en donde se mantiene y desarrolla la llama del compromiso.

El compromiso sobre todo es emocional, se siente. Cuando las personas se comprometen en serio, se crea una profunda sensación para apoyar más allá de las circunstancias normales para completar una tarea.

El compromiso se basa en la congruencia y en la honestidad. Si los líderes no son congruentes entre lo que dicen y lo que hacen, inspirarán desconfianza en sus equipos, y por tanto no habrá compromiso. 

El compromiso comienza con uno mismo. Dar el ejemplo de compromiso primero, hara que su equipo comprometa también. Es como si hubieras contraído una enfermedad que se llama compromiso. Inevitablemente, iras contagiando a los de tu alrededor hasta que todos estén comprometidos con el proceso.

El compromiso más importante que debe desarrollar inmediatamente es el de la Puntualidad. El tiempo es oro. Cuando usted respeta el tiempo de los demás, los demás respetaran  su tiempo. Si la reunión es a las 9:00 a.m., llegue a las 8:45 a.m. como tarde para estar a tiempo.

  

¿Qué pasos debo hacer para desarrollar puntualidad?

1.      Una fuerte actitud positiva para ser puntual.

2.      Llevar una agenda de trabajo actualizada para saber cuáles son mis compromisos.

3.      Si va a manejar del punto A al punto B, conozca la ruta y el tiempo del viaje para evitar pérdida de tiempo en la carretera.

4.      Conozca las condiciones del tránsito de su ciudad para saber si hay demoras en las carreteras.

5.      Averigüé las condiciones del tiempo. Acuérdese que si llueve, el transito se demora. Observe, si en la ruta que ha escogido hay escuelas, que también demoran el transito.

6.      Haga un inventario de todo lo que necesita para la reunión para evitar que tenga que regresar a su oficina por algún documento importante o por su celular.

Responsabilidad y Humanismo

Sea responsable; Responsabilidad es el cumplimiento de las obligaciones, o el cuidado al tomar decisiones o realizar algo. La responsabilidad es también el hecho de ser responsable de alguien o de algo. Se utiliza, asimismo, para referirse a la obligación de responder ante un hecho. 

La responsabilidad se considera una cualidad y un valor del ser humano. Se trata de una característica positiva de las personas que son capaces de comprometerse y actuar de forma correcta.                            

En muchos casos, la responsabilidad viene dada por un cargo, un rol o una circunstancia, como un puesto de trabajo o la paternidad. En una sociedad, se espera que las personas actúen de forma responsable, ejerciendo sus derechos y desempeñando sus obligaciones como ciudadanos.  En muchos casos,                  la responsabilidad obedece a cuestiones éticas y morales.

Ejemplo de esto es guiar responsablemente. No es la primera vez que las entidades gubernamentales y privadas llevan el mensaje de no testear el celular cuando se va conduciendo.

·         Distribuir las ganancias equitativamente.

·         Tomar medidas en contra de las modificaciones climáticas.

·         Trabajar en contra de la corrupción.

·         Evitar la contaminación, la generación excesiva de residuos y hacer          un uso razonable de los recursos energéticos y naturales.

·         Perseguir la continuidad de la empresa.

·         Chequear las condiciones de salud y laborales de los trabajadores.

·         Implementar formas de colaboración y asociación de empresas

El humanismo, en el sentido amplio, significa valorar al ser humano y la condición humana. En este sentido, está relacionado con la generosidad, la compasión y la preocupación por la valoración de los atributos y las relaciones humanas. La palabra, como tal, se compone de la palabra humānus, que significa ‘humano’, e -ισμός (-ismós), raíz griega que hace referencia a doctrinas, sistemas, escuelas o movimientos.

Para hacer más fácil el entender el concepto de humanismo, lo voy a desarrollar en una base sobre las relaciones humanas entre las personas y grupos de trabajo.

Reglas para demostrar humanismo:

1.      Ningún ser humano tiene el derecho ni la autoridad de quitarle la vida a otro ser humano. Obviamente hay casos de seres que no se adaptan a las reglas de las sociedades modernas y las entidades de seguridad los eliminan del sistema.

2.      El respeto por las diferencias en conocimiento se resuelven mediante una comunicación efectiva.

3.      Para tratar a los demás seres humanos con respeto, debemos ponernos en sus zapatos para entender la diferencia de ideas y conceptos.

4.      Cuando usted está en relaciones conflictivas con otros, y no existen posibilidades de mejoras en las relaciones, usted tiene el derecho, la decisión y la libertad de cambiar de relación y de lugar.

5.      Cada persona nace libre. Por tanto, nadie es dueño de nadie.

Deseo que esta información le sirva para sí y para ayudar a los que día a día comparten su vida tanto personal como profesional.

 El Maestro Edwin Conrado Rivera, MPH tiene una Maestría en Salud Pública,    Autor del libro: “La Diabetes: El Árbol de las Enfermedades”, además es Auditor, & “International Trainer & Coach”.  

Para conocer sus servicios, comuníquese con él  en: EdwinConradoRivera@gmail.com

Lyft Is Gaining on Uber as It Spends Big for Growth

The ride-hailing company, known for its pink mustaches, is successfully luring customers and drivers in a costly land grab with its bigger rival.

Visit many of America’s top landmarks, and amid the crowds of tourists, you’ll find hip, young people in pink, mustache T-shirts. This small army, spread across 20 of the largest U.S. cities, has been out in full force since late last year, handing out $50 Lyft ride vouchers to anyone passing by. For those who happen to miss the street teams, Lyft Inc. has been running giant billboards in Times Square and on bus stops around the country. Once a customer signs up, the company keeps them coming back by offering half-off fares on weekdays in Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, and other cities.

All these promotions are not cheap. In January, Lyft said it raised $1 billion, which is helping fuel the spending spree and steal market share from Uber Technologies Inc. To keep costs in check, Lyft has promised investors to cap its losses at no more than $50 million a month, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because the plans are private.

Meanwhile, Uber has been working to fulfill its own promise to shareholders and employees that it would achieve profitability in North America by the second quarter of 2016, a milestone it says it has now reached in the U.S. and Canada. In February, Uber earned an average of 19¢ per ride in the U.S., according to previously undisclosed financial documents. Uber takes about a 25 percent cut of a typical fare, most of which goes to antifraud efforts, credit-card processing, customer support, marketing, and software development, the documents show. Not included in Uber’s profitability calculations are interest, taxes, or equity-based compensation for employees.

Uber Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick’s commitment to profitability has left an opening for Lyft, and the smaller upstart’s free-spending strategy is starting to pay off. While each company offers differing market-share numbers, they agree that Lyft is expanding in major U.S. cities. “Because it’s a two-sided market, it’s really important that these firms build up substantial market share,” says Evan Rawley, a business school professor at Columbia University. “It’s a good strategy for Lyft. I think it makes a lot of sense.”

A Lyft ad above the taxi line at the McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. 

Lyft says it has captured 45 percent of trips in Austin, Texas, and Los Angeles and 43 percent in San Francisco, where both companies are based. Uber says it had 55 percent of ride-hailing sales in Austin, 75 percent in Los Angeles, and 66 percent in San Francisco, citing third-party credit card data from the first two weeks of March. Uber says Lyft has shaken loose only a few percentage points. “From everything I’m looking at, we’re gaining share in all top 20 markets, which is where 80 percent to 90 percent of rides happen,” says Lyft President John Zimmer. “This continues to prove what we said all along, which is once you hit a certain level of scale, it’s a natural duopoly.”

Outside of big cities, though, it’s still Uber country. Of 169 million trips booked through Uber worldwide in March, the company says 50 million of those were in the U.S. Lyft says it did 11 million U.S. rides that month, up from 7 million in October.

Lyft continues to devise new—and often expensive—ways to expand in the U.S., the only country in which it operates. When a Lyft driver refers someone to sign up as a new driver, both get a $750 bonus in some cities. And Lyft has the capacity to keep spending. Zimmer says the company still has “by far the majority” of the $2 billion it’s raised from investors. “This allows us to control our own destiny. We do not need to raise any additional capital, and it’s just a fantastic position to be in.”

Whether Lyft’s gains will stick remains to be seen. Uber says customers lured away by subsidies are the most likely to return if Lyft’s prices go up. “It’s easy enough to buy trips with heavy subsidies for drivers and discounts for riders,” Jill Hazelbaker, a spokeswoman for Uber, wrote in an e-mail. “But to build a successful, long-term business, you need a path to profitability—which Uber has always had.”

Uber isn’t limited by a lack of funds, either. The company is sitting on at least $6 billion in capital, along with a $2 billion credit line, according to people familiar with the matter. But Uber had said it would spend at least $1 billion in China last year and plans to drop another $1 billion there this year. In the first three-quarters of 2015, the companylost $1.7 billion on $1.2 billion in revenue globally, Bloomberg reported in January.

Uber needs to show investors, who have given the company a valuation of $62.5 billion, that it’s capable of turning a profit at home if it intends to sink more money into Asia, says Arun Sundararajan, a New York University business school professor. “The expectations on when Uber will hit profitability have a shorter clock on them because Uber’s valuation is so high,” he says. “Lyft has a little more runway.”

Uber lost money for years in the U.S. and has only just started to turn a profit. That hasn’t stopped the company’s backers from grumbling about its rival spending aggressively on growth. Bill Gurley, an Uber board member, says Lyft’s price war is bad for business. “As long as private companies are allowed to recklessly burn massive amounts of capital, we’ll simply have no idea how sustainable their businesses are,” he says. Gurley then made his views official with a tweet on Tuesday: “Excess capital is really bad for founders. Leads to excessive competition and poor returns.”

Ayer es un cheque cancelado (Ricardo Tribin)

E  N      M I     O  P  I  N  I  O  N

Efectivamente y bien dicho el afirmar que el ayer es un cheque cancelado; mañana un pagare; y el hoy , dinero en efectivo, puesto que ello nos saca de la errónea tendencia de pensar sin necesidad en pajaritos de oro y por el contrario enfocarnos en el mejor de los días, cual es el de hoy.

  

Hace poco me preguntaron  y que vas a hacer? Mi respuesta fue “Vivir dentro del mejor de los días, el de hoy”, razonado ello en que, si vivo emocionalmente en el presente, esto es en el aquí y el ahora,  podré  cumplir fielmente y con dedicación a vivenciar y deambular lo que quiero, en este día, al cual catalogo como el mejor del resto de mi vida. 

  

Lo anterior se alinea perfectamente con el antiguo proverbio sánscrito que expresa “Cuidad éste día, porque es vida. La verdadera vida de la vida. En su libre curso se hallan todas las realidades y verdades de la existencia; La bienaventuranza de la perfección, el resplandor de la acción, la gloria de la fortaleza, porque el ayer no es más que un sueño y el mañana tan sólo una visión, pero el hoy, bien vivido hace de cada ayer un sueño de felicidad y cada mañana una visión de esperanza, cuidadlo bien; por tanto, prestemos a atención este día, el día de hoy”.

http://ricardotribin.blogspot.com 

Miami, Abril 13 de 2016

Fast-Food Eaters Have More Industrial Chemicals in Their Bodies (BW)

Would you like phthalates with that?

People who reported eating fast food in the last 24 hours had elevated levels of some industrial chemicals in their bodies, according to a new analysis of data from federal nutrition surveys.

The study is the first broad look at how fast food may expose the public to certain chemicals, called phthalates, that are used to make plastics more flexible and durable. The chemicals, which don’t occur in nature, are common in cosmetics, soap, food packaging, flooring, window blinds, and other consumer products. The Centers for Disease Control says "phthalate exposure is widespread in the U.S. population."

Though the health consequences of encountering these substances aren’t fully known, scientists have increasingly focused on their effects on health and development, particularly for pregnant women and children. Research in rats has shown that they can disrupt the male reproductive system, and there’s evidence for similar effects in humans.

The latest research suggests that fast food is a significant source of the chemicals, which may leach into food from machinery used in processing or packaging, or from gloves worn by workers.

"Right now there are few choices for individuals who are interested in reducing their exposure, and there’s also not very much regulation” of phthalates, said Ami Zota, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. In the U.S., "research happens once they’ve been introduced in commerce, rather than before,” she said.

Zota and colleagues from GW analyzed data from almost 9,000 people who participated in federal nutrition surveys between 2003 and 2010. Participants answered detailed questions about what they ate in the last 24 hours and gave urine samples that were analyzed for byproducts that indicated the presence of three chemicals. The study was published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, which is supported by the National Institutes of Health.

For two of the three substances Zota examined—phthalates designated as DEHP and DiNP—there was a significant relationship between fast-food intake and exposure. People who ate more fast food had more evidence of phthalates in their urine. The third chemical they measured was Bisphenol A, or BPA, which is commonly used to line aluminum cans. That wasn't significantly correlated with fast-food intake.

It’s difficult to determine what the health risks of phthalates are. The American Chemistry Council says that they’ve been thoroughly studied and “phthalates used in commercial products do not pose a risk to human health at typical exposure levels.” The Environmental Protection Agency, in a 2012 Phthalates Action Plan, notes that it is "concerned about phthalates because of their toxicity and the evidence of pervasive human and environmental exposure to them."

Japan banned vinyl gloves in food preparation over concerns about DEHP, and the European Union has limited the use of the chemicals in food products and toys. Some phthalates, including DEHP, were restricted in children’s toys in the U.S. by a 2008 law.

The latest study is based on snapshot surveys, rather than following people over time. So it can’t establish that eating fast food caused people to have elevated levels of phthalates, but the association is strong. It also doesn’t tell us anything about the health effects of potential exposure to the chemicals from eating fast food.

The cost of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, a group that includes phthalates, in the EU is estimated to be €163 billion annually, or 1.28 percent of the EU’s gross domestic product, according to a recent paper by Leo Trasande, associate professor of pediatrics, environmental medicine, and population health at NYU School of Medicine. He said the study out today "adds further data to support the notion that people should avoid eating highly processed or highly packaged foods.” That doesn't mean just junk food, he notes. Canned vegetables or organic milk that’s been piped through plastic tubing could carry the same chemical risks. “It’s not fair to say, ‘Oh, these exposures only happen if you eat unhealthy foods.' "

Zota said that for people interested in reducing their exposure, “common-sense approaches will take you a long way. Eat organic when you can. If you can’t still, try to eat fresh vegetables,” she said. "Try to eat low on the food chain."

Yahoo Changes Employee-Severance Plan Ahead of Possible Sale

Yahoo! Inc. is altering the way a change of ownership would affect employee severance plans, another signal the Web portal may be preparing to divest all or part of its operations as it awaits first-round bids on April 18.

The company modified the definition of a change of control as it relates to employee severance plans. Now a change in control would be triggered by a sale of “all or substantially all of the company’s operating business,” Yahoo said in a regulatory filing. Under the old plans, the severance kicked in with a change affecting ownership of the entire company -- something that could be more difficult with so much of Yahoo’s value tied to its multibillion-dollar stakes in Asian companies.

Yahoo -- grappling with rising competition and investor scrutiny -- has set a deadline for Monday for the first round of bids for its Web operations, according to a person familiar with the matter. The company said in February it would consider strategic options, and has drawn interest from potential buyers including Verizon Communications Inc.

The amendments to the severance plans were made earlier this month, according to the filing.

Four Companies Agree to Stop Falsely Promoting “100% Natural” products

Four Companies Agree to Stop Falsely Promoting Their Personal-Care Products as “All Natural” or “100% Natural”; Fifth is Charged in Commission Complaint Products Contain Artificial Ingredients Such as Dimethicone and Phenoxyethanol Four companies that market skin care products, shampoos, and sunscreens online have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they falsely claimed that their products are “all natural” or “100% natural,” despite the fact that they contain synthetic ingredients. The Commission has issued a complaint against a fifth company for making similar claims. Under the proposed settlements, each of the four companies is barred from making similar misrepresentations in the future and must have competent and reliable evidence to substantiate any ingredient-related, environmental, or health claims it makes. “‘All natural’ or ‘100 percent natural’ means just that -- no artificial ingredients or chemicals,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Companies should take a lesson from these cases.” According to the FTC, each of the following companies made the all-natural claim in online ads: Trans-India Products, Inc., doing business as ShiKai, based in Santa Rosa, California, markets “All Natural Hand and Body Lotion” and “All Natural Moisturizing Gel” both directly and through third-party websites including walgreens.com and vitacoast.com. The lotion contains Dimethicone, Ethyhexyl Glycerin, and Phenoxyethanol. The gel contains Phenoxyethanol. Erickson Marketing Group, doing business as Rocky Mountain Sunscreen, based in Aravada, Colorado, uses its website to promote “all natural” products such as the “Natural Face Stick,” which contains Dimethicone, Polyethylene, and other synthetic ingredients. ABS Consumer Products, LLC, doing business as EDEN BodyWorks, based in Memphis, Tennessee, markets haircare products on its own websites and at Walmart.com. It makes “all natural” claims for products including “Coconut Shea All Natural Styling Elixer” and “Jojoba Monoi All Natural Shampoo.” In reality, the products contain a range of synthetic ingredients such as Polyquaternium-37, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, and Polyquaternium-7. Beyond Coastal, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, uses its website to sell its “Natural Sunscreen SPF 30,” describing it as “100% natural.” However, it also contains Dimethicone. California Naturel, Inc., located in Sausalito, California, sells supposedly “all natural sunscreen” on its website, though the product contains Dimethicone. The Commission has issued a complaint alleging that California Naturel has made deceptive “all natural” claims in violation of Sections 5 and 12 of the FTC Act. The proposed consent orders bar the four settling respondents from misrepresenting the following when advertising, promoting, or selling a product: 1) whether the product is all natural or 100 percent natural; 2) the extent to which the product contains any natural or synthetic components; 3) the ingredients or composition of a product; and 4) the environmental or health benefits of a product. The orders require the respondents to have and rely on competent and reliable evidence to support any product claims they make. Some claims require scientific evidence, which is defined as tests, analyses, research, or studies that have been conducted and evaluated objectively by qualified individuals using procedures generally accepted in the profession to yield accurate and reliable results. The Commission’s complaint against California Naturel seeks relief very similar to that found in the four proposed consent orders. The Commission vote to issue each administrative complaint and to accept the four proposed consent agreements was 3-0. The FTC will publish a description of the consent agreement packages in the Federal Register shortly. The agreements will be subject to public comment for 30 days, beginning today and continuing through May 12, 2016, after which the Commission will decide whether to make the proposed consent orders final. Interested parties can submit comments electronically by following the instructions in the “Invitation To Comment” part of the “Supplementary Information” section. Comments case can also be submitted by clicking on the following links: Trans-India Products, Inc.; Erickson Marketing Group; ABS Consumer Products, LLC; and Beyond Coastal. NOTE: The Commission issues an administrative complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is being violated, and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. When the Commission issues a consent order on a final basis, it carries the force of law with respect to future actions. Each violation of such an order may result in a civil penalty of up to $16,000. The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about consumer topics and file a consumer complaint online or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357). Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, read our blogs and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources. Contact Information MEDIA CONTACT: Mitchell J. Katz Office of Public Affairs 202-326-2161 STAFF CONTACT: Robert Frisby Bureau of Consumer Protection 202-326-2098 Related Cases California Naturel, In the Matter of Trans-India Products, Inc., In the Matter of Beyond Coastal, In the Matter of The Erickson Marketing Group Inc., In the Matter of ABS Consumer Products, In the Matter of For Consumers Blog: Super (un)natural product claims Healthy Living For Businesses Blog: Are your “all natural” claims all accurate?  Advertising and Marketing

Why Are All These Superyachts Catching on Fire? (BW)

From St. Thomas to Abu Dhabi, tens of millions in luxury yachts have recently gone up in flames.

It started with a puff of smoke, seeping slowly into the clear and sunny St. Thomas air on a mid-March afternoon. “I went into a meeting, and when I came out, it was very on fire,” recalled Ryan Nichols, who witnessed Positive Energy, a reportedly $2.5 million yacht, go up in flames.

The now-ironically named yacht was hauled off to sea to avoid damaging other vessels, which was the case when two multimillion-dollar yachts caught fire in the Abu Dhabi Marina Yacht Club in early March, taking six boats with them. Two months earlier, a fire damaged two superyachts at a marina in Marmaris, Turkey, and another superyacht, the 95-foot Queen Anna, burned in Fethiye, Turkey.

“Almost always, when a boat catches fire and it's in a marina, and there are numerous boats downwind from it, the fire spreads pretty rapidly,” explained Al Golden, president of the Grasonville, Md.-based International Marine Insurance Services, which insures around 14,000 boats. Cynthia Sailor from the Florida Yacht Brokers Association put it more bluntly: “One cow kicking over a candle, and the whole city goes up.”

The string of yacht fires raises the question: Is there something about these multimillion-dollar investments that makes them susceptible to fire?

The short answer: No, not really, well, probably not. Experts consulted by Bloomberg agreed that despite the vessels' length and height, the size of the boats aren't to blame. This appears to be a conflagration of coincidence.

It's the older and smaller boats that are typically more at risk, says Joe F. Foggia, a yacht sales broker at Northrop & Johnson in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “As wires get older and they chafe on the metal structure, any of that kind of stuff can create a fire.” Much as in land-bound houses, electrical fires are most commonly to blame on yachts, from faulty connections to docks, wiring damage from salt water, and amateur captains trying to make repairs while out at sea. Issues in the fuel system and galley fires are also concerns. 

If anything, extravagant superyachts (commonly defined as longer than 78 feet) are built to higher standards and tend to be packed to the brim with the latest in flame-resistant construction technology, including automatic steel doors to seal off the ignited area and widespread smoke detecting and fire suppression systems. They must meet rigorous requirements set by international classification societies and appease insurers who are risking multimillion-dollar policies.

What they do need more of, though, is upkeep.

Constant Maintenance

“Typically, however the boat is classed, with whatever regulatory society, you have to do an annual [inspection] with them,” Foggia said. The ship’s crew, which can run several engineers deep on a superyacht, also has to maintain certificates to prove they can keep the vessel seaworthy.

This doesn't come cheap: The U.S. Superyacht Association estimated the annual cost for operating a 180-foot yacht to be $4.75 million, or roughly an annual expense of about 10 percent of the yacht’s original cost. More space means more equipment, which means more crew, not just while the boat is in use, but also year round. In addition, every 10 years yachts require significant maintenance, according to Richard Merhige, the president of Advanced Mechanical Enterprises, a certified marine engineering firm based in Fort Lauderdale. If a superyacht is not maintained at an expert level, the sheer size and complexity of the vessel lends itself to more problems that can pose a danger the longer they are ignored. 

“We once had to do an emergency repair on a yacht—it had a commitment with guests coming for a charter in Tahiti,” Merhige recalled. “We had to fly our technician halfway around the world. It was quite a logistical challenge. There are a lot of areas that are not as well equipped as Fort Lauderdale.” 

A Fire in Antarctica

Another potential challenge: location. With a newer, younger wave of ultra-high-net-worth owners setting course for more unusual, remote locations—think Antarctica, notAntigua—insurance can become a challenge. Superyacht owners who don’t disclose their locations in advance could find themselves footing the bill if something goes wrong in a destination not secured in their insurance contract. (Same as if you brought your car to Mexico or Canada, for instance.)

If a yacht valued at $10 million is based in Fort Lauderdale and travels regularly around the Caribbean, Nancy Sprigg, yacht department manager of the Gowrie Group, estimates the insurance would be $75,000 to $100,000 annually, though it “could be higher, depending on where they go and how many crew they have.” If the yacht suffers a total loss at a previously approved location, the insurance firm typically foots the bill. “But on a partial loss, the deductible is usually a percent of the hull value,” Sprigg said. That’s $100,000 for the $10 million yacht.

Yacht brokers widely agreed that most yacht owners, including superyacht owners, typically purchase extensive insurance packages, including coverage on everything from vicious waves to total destruction by a giant squid. While not as rare as squid attacks, fires also aren’t the bulk of Sprigg’s concern.

“There are years we don’t have any fire claims,” she said of the Gowrie Group, where she’s dealt with around 25 such claims over the past 40 years. Collisions are the most frequent issue. “When it comes to fire, arson is an exclusion. If there is a fire on a boat, they have to do their due diligence and find out the cause of origin. It has to be investigated by the fire marshal.” That means investigators, surveyors, repairmen, marina owners, and local authorities, depending on the circumstances.

“I’ve seen a fire that occurred because of a construction worker nailing down planking on a dock,” Joe Lobley, a Maine-based marine surveyor, recalled. “One of the nails went through and hit a wire. There’s a lot of variables there.”

As for arson, superyacht owners aren’t likely suspects.

“Its highly unlikely that somebody would torch it just to get the insurance money,” Sailor said. “I’m sure crazier things have happened, but its not as easy as that.”

After Worst Year Ever, PC Sales Off to Another Bad Start in 2016

Global shipments of personal computers, once a major backbone of both consumer and corporate IT spending, started the new year with another decline in the first quarter, according to data from the research firm Gartner, out today.

Vendors like Lenovo, HP Inc. and Dell shipped a combined 64.8 million units in the period ended March 31, down from 71.7 million in the same period a year ago. HP saw the worst decline, as its unit sales fell 9 percent, followed by Lenovo — the world’s market leader — whose shipments fell by more than 7 percent. Shipments by privately held Dell fell the least, by only 0.4 percent. Apple and Asus both increased their shipments, by 1.5 percent and 1 percent, respectively.

HP also had a rough time in the U.S. market, where its shipments fell to 3.1 million units, or 17 percent, from the same period in 2015. Dell overtook HP in the U.S. with a 26 percent share of the market, and grew its shipments by 3 percent. Lenovo was third, and grew its shipments by more than 14 percent. Shipments of Apple’s Mac declined slightly, Gartner said. Overall shipments in the U.S. market declined by more than 6 percent, to 13.1 million, from more than 14 million last year.

The latest decline comes on the heels of the biggest year-on-year decline in the history of the PC industry, as annual unit shipments fell below 300 million for the first time since 2008. The decline is also occurring despite a multi-million dollar joint marketing campaign by PC vendors and Microsoft.

Update: Figures from IDC, another research firm, are out today too, and they show a similar drop — but with some differences likely due to its figures’ inclusion of Chromebooks. (Gartner doesn’t consider a Chromebook to be a PC.)

IDC counted a smaller 60.6 million PC shipments worldwide, but that amounted to higher decline of 11.5 percent from nearly 68 million in the first quarter of 2015. IDC put Apple in fourth place globally ahead of Asus, while Gartner ranked them the other way around.

In the U.S. market IDC observed the same resurgence by Dell in overtaking HP. It also credited Apple with boosting its shipments of Macs by more than 5 percent. We’ll get a clearer picture after Apple and HP report quarterly sales in the coming weeks.