Future-proofing Papua New Guinea’s national airline, the first beneficiary of the Bougainville Referendum, and planning workspaces to help increase productivity. Readings from around the world on business, leadership and management.

Bye bye Airbus 380

Ground operations. Credit: Airbus

Clearly, future-proofing the national airline’s fleet is going to be a challenge.

As Air Niugini deliberates between the Embraer E2 and Airbus A220 as the replacement for the four ill-fated 737 MAX aircraft it had on order from Boeing, it’s worth noting the demise of the Airbus A380.

Presented as the epitome of long-haul technology when it first flew commercially in October 2007, the world’s largest passenger aircraft will cease production in 2021. This month, the first A380 to be decommissioned was scrapped, just ten years old.

One of the factors in the A380’s decline, and also one of the key criteria in Air Niugini’s decision, is fuel efficiency.

This isn’t just a matter of keeping on top of the cost of jet fuel, but also of meeting the International Air Transport Association’s goal of a 50 per cent reduction in net aviation CO2 emissions by 2050.

Bougainville Copper Limited’s shares trading high

The abandoned Panguna copper mine. Credit: SMH

We wish everyone well with the Bougainville Referendum. With any luck, we will know the result by 20 December.

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The event has already attracted considerable coverage in the international press, from Al Jazeera to the South China Morning Post, Straits Times and France 24.

There’s already one beneficiary of the referendum and that’s the share price of Bougainville Copper Limited (BOC).

After years spent languishing unloved on the ASX, its share price has surged in the past few days, possibly the result of the international interest in the autonomous region.

Having hit a low of AUD$0.092 (or 21 toea) earlier this year, shares were trading as high as AUD$0.50 (K1.15) yesterday. It’s the highest the shares have been since 2014.

Given the Autonomous Bougainville Government and the PNG State both own 36.5 per cent of BOC, some might be thinking this is a good time to sell.

Happy workplaces

Nambawan Plaza under construction in downtown Port Moresby.

With so much office space under construction in Port Moresby, including the Noble Center and the forthcoming Harbourside South, there’s no better time to think about what makes a productive work space.

People spend so much time in the workplace that more and more businesses are putting a lot of effort in making their office spaces friendlier.

Anthony Dickens, Senior Associate at Hassell, an international design practice, said in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald that bosses need to know what they want to achieve when upgrading or creating a new office space.

Growing the business, technological changes, talent attraction and better customer engagement are some of the things that management needs to consider to provide a space that is conducive to collaboration and productivity.

Dickens suggests your employees should be the first people to consult with.

‘Your current staff will understand all the challenges and pain points but also be able to highlight opportunities that may improve the way they work … [They can suggest] technology or spaces they think may improve productivity and general cultural improvements. If people are happy and enjoy work, they work better and are more efficient.’