Table Of ContentOCT 0 91
Volume 13, number 5
September/October 1992
CORPORATE NEWS
Semi-annual meetings confirm move toward
service/quality improvement processes
While the Alberta Research Council was, Total Quality Management (TQM) (OHS&H) have agreed to provide support
and may still be, close to a financial In addition to restating his personal and to the QuaUty Council). Systems are also
"precipice" Dr. Brian Barge, president, corporate commitment to implementing being developed to identify and improve
says the organization is already taking ineffective internal processes. Some areas
service/quality improvement processes at
steps to move in a more positive direction. slated for immediate attention include the
the Alberta Research Council, Brian out-
During semi-annual staff meetings, held contracting process, corporate decision
lined ap lan of action for getting the proc-
September 15 in Calgary and September ess started. making, cash flow management, human
17 in Edmonton, Brian also reiterated his This includes the internal recruitment of resources practices and customer/client re-
commitment to Total Quality Management sponse and feedback systems.
a TQM Coordinator, coincident with the
(TQM) and lifelong learning - two steps "Quality improvement processes can
formation and education of a 'Quality
management believes will ensure ongoing lead to a 30 per cent improvement in oper-
success. Council'. (Since the staff presentations,
Brian Young (ETC) and Janis Koehler ating performance, a hassle-free environ-
ment, characterized by high job
satisfaction. And boy, do we need that!"
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Lifelong Learning
"I believe the Research Council owes
every staff member the right to know
We're just a phone call away where we are going, as well as the oppor-
The Alberta Research Council has the peo- the senior-level business audience and to tunity to a cquire the knowledge that will
ple, the expertise and the technology in- generate qualified leads for the corpora- make one effective when the future ar-
dustry needs to develop innovative new tion. The effectiveness of the campaign rives. The key is to develop close Unks
products and services. That's the message will be determined by monitoring calls to between our future program intentions and
of the corporation's new print advertising, the Technology Line, and analyzing sub- the knowledge base of our staff. Our hu-
now appearing in business, in-flight and sequent impact on departments.
news magazines across Canada. The ad will run through October and continued on page two
Media placement is designed to reach November. □
AT A GLANCE
1 ^ Staff meeting highlights
Hanil With Technology Development?
Advertising preview
No. Don't count them. We couldn't fit all 500 people who work at the
Alberta Research Council into this photograph.
^ Why call the ARC?
^ United Way
But you get the picture: we have the people, expertise and technology to
1 help you develop innovative new products and services. Our expertise
embraces such diverse areas as advanced computing, electronics testing, ^ Supervision course changes
energy, geology, environmental engineering and forestry products.
4^ Marketing seminar
Ask us about how we have helped many companies gain a c ompetitive
^ Technology review update
edge. We're just a p hone call away:
^ Meet Bob Erkamp
Technalogji line
How About Contributing writers:
Toll Free: 1-800-661-2000 « , d cota Leslie Black
(403) 450-5000 outside Alberta RESEARCH Wolf Gut
1000! COUNCIL Gordon Sustrik
Newsline is a bi-montlily publication Please send all submissions
for the employees of the Alberta and direct all questions to
Research Council. Carmen Forster, Editor ALBERTA
Alberta Research Council RESEARCH
PO Box 8330, Postal Station F
COUNCIL
Edmonton, Alberta
T6H 5X2
CORPORATE NEWS
{continued from page one)
Why do people call the Research Council?
man resources development plan must be-
come an i ntegral component of our strate- by Leslie Black, Technology Line passed through the Alberta Research
When Albertans think of the Alberta Re- Council. Years after work has been com-
gic program plan."
The first step toward making this vision search Council - and, judging by the num- pleted, as urprising number of people re-
a reality is a survey of current corporate ber of calls coming in, they do - what member that "something" was developed
learning habits. At the same time, the prompts them to dial our number? Why do or tested in our laboratories.
Grant Investment Process (GIP) will estab- they call? The Research Council is seen as pos-
As everyone knows it can be a long, sessing aw ide range of scientific equip-
lish in m ore detail what the organization's
future program and competencies wiU be. torturous voyage of discovery between the ment. Callers often specify a particular
The Research Council will then be in a initial question and real reason for calling. make and model number and require spe-
much stronger position to decide its long- So, as a base Une study. Technology Line cific attachments. They are surprised if we
term approach and investments in learning. staff analyzed calls over a six-month pe- don't have these attachments. On the
riod to J une 1992. This summary shows bright side, someone here can usually tell
Financial situation
WHY people thought of the Research them what other research establishment
"We were, and may still be close to a f inan- Council. has such equipment.
cial precipice. My sense is that our per- One thing is clear, the Research Council All of the above confirms that out there,
formance is m oving us away from the
is perceived as a primary source for all beyond our gates, the impression exists
precipice, and if our current performance
scientific information. This includes infor- that the Alberta Research Council is a great
continues, we will probably be okay. What
mation on s cientific subjects (such as hori- place for scientific information. □
does okay mean? It means that if we con- zontal completions and ethanol plants),
tinue to p erform as well as we have in the
testing and analysis (everything from de-
past six months, our financial crisis will be Call distribution
termining what test to use, to explaining
behind us. Based upon information that all External referral 20 per cent
the test, to performing the test), advice on 45 per
departments have provided me, the re- where to obtain scientific equipment or Handled by Tech Line staff cent
Referred internally
search departments are on track in either 10 per
supplies, information on other research es- cent
exceeding contract revenues or bringing tablishments and s cientific conferences Operations Division
Industrial Technology Advisors 15 per cceenntt
their departments in on budget at year's (local, national and international). 10 per
Require follow-up by researcher
end." Any new product that has been devel- cent
Management also has plans to improve Result in revenue to corporation
oped in A lberta is perceived as having
its position with regard to its fixed assets 5 per
(10 per cent of total expenditure by 1995)
and working capital.
CORPORATE NEWS
Progress to date
Positive steps already being taken include
an improved abiUty to articulate our suc- Support the United Way!
cesses in e asily understandable terms and The 1992 United Way campaign is now Don Scafe, Cindy Sieben, Rudy Strobl,
improved business practices. For instance, under way and is expected to continue Dr. Li-Ping Yuan, Alberta Geological
we have increased the attention given to through to mid-October. Survey; Tina Benin, Arlene Merling,
measures of performance, financial issues, In Edmonton, employees raised $440 Calgary Operations; Mary Ann Soro-
strategic planning and technology man- through a k ick off bake sale and raffle, held chan. Coal and Hydrocarbon Processing;
agement. in conjunction with the annual barbecue. Michelle Limoges, Corporate Affairs;
Members of the Research Committee Calgary staff tentatively scheduled an in- John Newton, Electronics Test Centre;
also recognize the need to improve mutual ternational lunch for October 7 and plan to Dr. Lawrence Cheng, Environmental Re-
respect and trust within the corporation. A hold weekly muffin sales. Treasure Chest search and Engineering; Barb Julien, Ex-
great deal of discussion has already been coupon books will also be sold to generate ecutive Offices; Helen Power, Facilities
donations.
devoted to how this group might improve Services; Diane Wasylyk, Financial Serv-
its own communication and performance. ices; Lee Card well. Forestry; Sharon
Special thanks to this year's volunteers:
Chairman, Dr. Raj Rajan, Oil Sands and Thomson, Information Systems; Holly
The whole story
Hydrocarbon Recovery; Treasurer, Maja Dale, Cindy Jensen, Jim Laidler, Arlene
These are just a few of the highlights of
Hoeing, Human Resources; canvassers Norrish, Manufacturing Technologies;
Brian's presentation. Anyone interested in Shelley Mica, Maureen Weeks, Adminis- Janis Koehler, Occupational Health,
obtaining a complete transcript can do so
trative Services; Chantal D.-Preston, Safety and Hygiene; Dr. Ronald
by contacting Tiera Kureluk at 450-5201 Brian Schack, Illce Tan, Advanced Com- Sawatzky, Oil Sands and Hydrocarbon
(SATURN::Kureluk). □ Recovery. □
puting and Engineering; Dennis Chao, Dr.
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
Newsline, September/October 1 992, Page 2 UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA Alberta Research Council
HUMAN RESOUR CES
The changing scene in supervision training
by Wolf Gut, Human Resources employee/supervisory relationships to a ing together effectively. The second seg-
In June 1992, the Human Resources De- greater degree. ment reviews how people are motivated,
partment piloted a prospective replace- The new course is offered in three dis- different leadership styles and the applica-
ment for its current in-house supervision tinct, one-day segments - as opposed to tion of w in-win thinking to achieving per-
formance. Both of these sessions apply to
course, titled Working Effectively To- seven, one-half-day sessions in each of
gether. three separate modules. all employees.
While staff and management continue Covered in the first segment is the Of immediate benefit to team leaders,
to support delivery of the existing course, changing role of the employee, the role of the third segment covers group facihtation
offered since 1986, suggestions for im- supervisor and/or manager, personal skills in the areas of idea generation, im-
provement indicated a need to update ma- power and influence, corporate mission plementing change and resolving con-
terial and address the cooperative aspect of and values and basic principles for work- flicts.
Staff who have not completed the super-
vision course are encouraged to enroll in
the second and/or third segments to obtain
their certificate.
As a means of ensuring these segments
meet with current department needs, man-
agers wiU be asked to review course con-
tent before Human Resources proceeds
further with the changes. At the same time,
other programs are under consideration. □
UPDATE
Technology
A group of Calgary staff were the first to take the new course. Pictured are: kneeling, left Management Project
to right, Julia Driver, Advanced Computing and Engineering; Arlene Merling, Tina In the last issue of Newsline, we an-
Bonin, Calgary Operations; standing, left to right, Cindy Jensen, Arlene Norrish, nounced the s econdment of Gordon Sus-
Manufacturing Technologies; Jeff White, Advanced Computing and Engineering; trik, Emery Jamieson, by Development
Robert Faulder, Manufacturing Technologies; Terrie Tarn, Advanced Computing and and Planning to review the Research
Engineering; Wolf Gut, course instructor Council's technology management prac-
tices. Following is Gordon's summary of
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
progress to date.
As of September 21, 1992, the current
issues list has been assembled and circu-
Make the most of your marketing dollar
lated for v alidation. The technology /intel-
. . . a ttend the Advertising and Trade Show Economic Development and Trade, will lectual property inventory is also complete
and has been circulated for review.
Selling seminar Thursday, October 29, tell participants how to get the most from
1992. these marketing tools. Topics to be cov- The main report on technology manage-
Properly planned and executed, adver- ered include the importance of good de- ment policies, procedures, roles and re-
tising isa c ost-effective means by which to sign and positioning, pre-show planning, sponsibilities isi n the formative stages.
increase awareness of your products booth draws, trade show evaluation and We have decided that it should be pre-
and/or service and to promote trial usage follow up and measures of success. ceded by a discussion paper, which is to be
among potential clients. Jointly sponsored by Corporate Affairs ready for the Research Committee meet-
Likewise, attendance at well-targeted and Development and Planning, the semi- ing October 13, 1992.
trade shows can increase your profile in nar will be held in the Mill Woods audito- Our thanks to everyone for their coop-
the marketplace, provide you with a quali- rium from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A eration and assistance. We know you have
fied prospect list and increase your knowl- course fee of $50.00 includes a sandwich many other demands on your time and
edge of c lient expectations. lunch and informal information exchange. appreciate your efforts. If you have sug-
Seminar leaders Derek Coke-Kerr, Registration forms are available from gestions, comments or questions, please
let us know. Call Gordon Sustrik, Rob
president of Derek Coke- Kerr and Associ- Mary Schmidtke (450-5144), Corporate
ates, and Don Chinski, associate director. Affairs. □ McDonald or Ted Yoo at Emery Jamieson,
426-5220. □
Trade Show Promotion Branch, Alberta
Newsline, September/October 1992, Page 3 Alberta Research Council
PEOPLE
Bob Erkamp
Title/department: Information Systems
Responsibilities: Help Desk/
User support
Length of service: 13 years
Education: Computer Sciences,
University of Alberta
Computer Systems,
Northern Alberta
Institute of Technology
Current projects: User support for the
EAN Mail System
Favorite movie: Almost anything by
Woody Allen
Favorite TV show:
"Northern Exposure"
Hometown: Camrose, Alberta
ChUdhood
ambition: To be a pilot
Family/pets: Two cats - Wylie and Tessa
Hobbies: Reading, music, movies and computer games
Other: Enjoy a good meal and a bottle of wine (especially Italian red) □
ON THE MOVE
Employee's efforts
Professional accomplishment noted recognized
Robert Growcock, Electronics Test Cen- general manager of the ETC, Don Byers, Doug Boisvert, Alberta Geological Sur-
vey, was named volunteer of the month in
tre, has been reclassified as a Registered
CET, says, "This new membership classifi- September by the Edmonton Federation of
Engineering Technologist (RET) by the cation has b een provided for within regula-
Community Leagues (EFCL). President of
Alberta Society of Engineering Technolo- tions pursuant to the Engineering, the Mayfield Community League, Doug
gists (ASET). In a letter to Brian Young, Geological and Geophysical Professions
began volunteering with the league in 1988
Act of Alberta. Registration as a RET is
as the baseball director. In addition to
granted by the Joint Registration Board
Employee changes (JRB), made up of experienced engineers, coaching three baseball teams this sum-
We welcome those employees who mer, Doug is the baseball chairman for the
technologists and ASET staff.
have joined the Alberta Research Coun- EFCL and a d irector with Baseball Alberta.
"The JRB is confident that these mem-
cil since July: Douglas Busse, Leigh
bers will provide valuable service to all Doug's achievements were featured in
Falkenberg, Biotechnology; Yvonne the September 4th issue of the Edmonton
Uzebnan, Oil Sands and Hydrocarbon concerned and have ensured that your em- Examiner. □
Recovery (ALIS). ployee has met the high academic and ex-
perience standards called for in legislation.
We wish the following well in their
A rigorous process of evaluation is used to
future endeavors: Keith Andrews, LETTER
grant RET status and both members and
Mark Brinsmead, Advanced Comput-
their employers can be justifiably proud of In a letter to Mr. Fred Bradley, chairman
ing and Engineering; Cong Jiang,
of the Board of the Alberta Research
Biotechnology. □ their accomplishments." □
Council and MLA, Pincher Creek/Crows-
nest, Betty Hewes, MLA, Edmonton Gold
STAFF NOTES Bar, expressed her appreciation for infor-
mation on t he Alberta Research Council's
Technology Line.
Department wins award for graphic excellence
"... I commend the Alberta Research
A three-icon graphic 35mm sUde, devel- the Autographix Presentation Group Users Council for continuing to provide this
oped by s taff from Advanced Computing annual convention in Chicago. There were valuable service for Albertans with techni-
and Engineering and Corporate Affairs to only three winners from Canada. The sUde
market the research department, recently was produced by West 1 1th Communica- cal problems." □
won the "Best of the Besf award in the tions Inc. in Calgary. □
charts and business graphics category at
Newsline, September/October 1992, Page 4 Alberta Research Council
