Casual

Kiosks are #1 Priority in 2024 for QSR and Fast Casual Restaurants According to Survey that Reveals New Trends in Digital Channels, Self-service Options, Loyalty Frameworks, and AI

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 6, 2024

We expect this trend to continue into AI ordering over the next few years.

Key Points: 
  • We expect this trend to continue into AI ordering over the next few years.
  • More than three quarters of brands (77 percent) increased digital sales in 2023, and 87 percent expect it to grow again in 2024.
  • Half of fast casuals achieved 26-50 percent digital sales, while nearly half of QSRs had 11-25 percent digital sales.
  • Get your free copy of the complete Qu 2024 State of Digital Report here.

IFMA Releases Industry and Segment Forecast for Food-Away-From-Home

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 26, 2024

Buoyed by a stable, growing economy and low unemployment, IFMA projects that the FAFH industry will grow 0.9 percent, on a real basis, in 2024.

Key Points: 
  • Buoyed by a stable, growing economy and low unemployment, IFMA projects that the FAFH industry will grow 0.9 percent, on a real basis, in 2024.
  • The forecast models were created in conjunction with Datassential, a leading foodservice research firm, and validated by operators from the IFMA Foodservice Leadership Councils.
  • "It's important that decision-makers across our industry keep up-to-date on projected growth rates and segment data," said IFMA President & CEO Phil Kafarakis.
  • IFMA will update this forecast in early August 2024, in conjunction with its Virtual Marketing & Sales Conference.

Game7 Releases 2023 State of Web3 Gaming Report: APAC Hosts Most Web3 Game Development Teams; US Projects Dominate Funding

Retrieved on: 
Monday, November 13, 2023

ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands, Nov. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Game7, a community dedicated to accelerating the adoption of blockchain technology in gaming, today published its State of Web3 Gaming Report. The report was conducted independently to provide an objective, in-depth analysis of the burgeoning Web3 gaming sector, revealing essential data, trends, and insights for industry professionals.

Key Points: 
  • ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands, Nov. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Game7 , a community dedicated to accelerating the adoption of blockchain technology in gaming, today published its State of Web3 Gaming Report.
  • APAC Leads Web3 Game Development, USA Maintains Momentum
    APAC hosts the majority of Web3 game developers (40%), followed by North America (30%).
  • Web3 Gaming Investments Defy Post-Correction Slowdown:
    Investment in the Web3 gaming sector saw a massive surge in 2021 and stabilized in 2023, reminiscent of pre-bull market levels.
  • A full copy of Game7's 2023 State of Web3 Gaming Report is available here and will be live 13th November 2023.

LucidLink Panel for Adobe Premiere Pro Launches for General Download at Adobe MAX

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, October 10, 2023

The widespread availability of LucidLink's panel integration within Premiere Pro now enables creative editors to cache just the media needed in their edit directly within the Premiere Pro application, offering them a faster, more efficient, and seamless experience within Adobe Premiere Pro.

Key Points: 
  • The widespread availability of LucidLink's panel integration within Premiere Pro now enables creative editors to cache just the media needed in their edit directly within the Premiere Pro application, offering them a faster, more efficient, and seamless experience within Adobe Premiere Pro.
  • "Using the LucidLink Panel for Premiere Pro means we don't need to pin entire media folders, just the relevant content."
  • Showcased at IBC 2023 in Amsterdam, the LucidLink Panel for Premiere Pro has been beta tested by a number of creative professionals that rely on Adobe Premiere Pro for their creative process.
  • Using the LucidLink Panel for Premiere Pro means we don't need to pin entire media folders, just the relevant content needed in a specific timeline.

Playtika Holding Corp. Enters Definitive Agreement to Acquire Innplay Labs

Retrieved on: 
Friday, September 15, 2023

HERZLIYA, Israel, Sept. 15, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Playtika Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: PLTK), a mobile games pioneer and interactive entertainment leader, announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Innplay Labs, a mobile gaming studio based in Israel.

Key Points: 
  • HERZLIYA, Israel, Sept. 15, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Playtika Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: PLTK), a mobile games pioneer and interactive entertainment leader, announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Innplay Labs, a mobile gaming studio based in Israel.
  • This deal will have an upfront consideration of $80 million with a maximum consideration of $300 million.
  • We are excited to embark on this journey together and to rebrand Animals & Coins alongside Innplay.”
    “In 2019, Innplay Labs formed with the goal of shaping the next generation of mobile gaming.
  • “Looking ahead, we believe becoming a part of Playtika’s strong portfolio of Casual titles will take Innplay Labs to new heights.”
    "I couldn’t ask for a better outcome,” said Eitan Reisel, founder of vgames, one of Innplay Labs’ largest investors.

B.C. labour dispute: It's time for an industrial inquiry commission into ports and automation

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, August 2, 2023

A new tentative agreement was reached on July 30 between the two groups involved in a labour dispute affecting British Columbia ports with the help of the Industrial Relations Board.

Key Points: 
  • A new tentative agreement was reached on July 30 between the two groups involved in a labour dispute affecting British Columbia ports with the help of the Industrial Relations Board.
  • At the beginning of July, about 7,400 port workers went on strike for 13 days over issues including automation, outside contracting and the increasing cost of living.
  • This new deal — between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU) and the B.C.

Canada Labour Code

    • After the initial deal between the union and the employer’s association was rejected, Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board whether a negotiated resolution was still possible, and to impose a new collective agreement or binding arbitration if it was not.
    • Despite many people demanding back-to-work legislation, O'Regan followed the Canada Labour Code, which encourages free collective bargaining and advocates for the constructive settlement of disputes.

Dockworkers and new technologies

    • To understand the current dispute, we need to overturn the myth that west coast unionized dockworkers have refused to accept new cargo handling technologies.
    • Since the 1960s, ports on the west coast of North America have benefited enormously from mechanization and modernization agreements, now enshrined in various collective agreements.
    • ports is a full union member: roughly two-fifths are members, one-fifth are casuals with benefits and two-fifths are casuals without benefits.

Commissions have helped before

    • Industrial commissions have helped management and union find a path out of an impasse before — even if not everyone likes what they recommend.
    • One of the original clauses in the 1963 Mechanization and Modernization Agreement stated that Vancouver-bound containers had to be filled and emptied by ILWU members.

Industrial inquiry commission

    • A commission on port automation can share information, promote understanding and make recommendations.
    • It would examine trends in container terminal automation, as well as technology trends in non-containerized and commodity-exporting terminals.
    • An industrial inquiry commission might help tackle this challenge.

We need more than a definition change to fix Australia's culture of permanent 'casual' work

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, July 30, 2023

The surprising thing about the Albanese government’s announced reforms to

Key Points: 
  • The surprising thing about the Albanese government’s announced reforms to
    “casual” employment is not that they’re happening.
  • It’s that employer advocates are getting so excited about them, despite the small number of people they will affect and the small impact they will have.

What is the ‘casual problem’?

    • The premise for hiring them is that the work is intermittent, short-term and unpredictable.
    • But, as you can see from the chart, the last time the ABS collected these data, a majority of “casuals” worked regular hours.
    • Even now, some “casuals” have been doing the same “casual” work for over 20 years.

Permanent ‘casuals’

    • They should more accurately be called “permanently insecure”.
    • The one thing “casuals” have in common is they’re not entitled to sick leave or annual leave, and they are in a precarious employment situation.
    • On average, low-paid “casuals” get less pay than equivalent permanent workers, despite the loading.

Changing legal definitions

    • But when they did a few years ago, Australia’s courts agreed permanent casual work was nonsensical.
    • To be a “casual worker”, there had to be no promise of ongoing employment.
    • A court would judge this not just by what was in the formal contract of employment but also by what the employer actually did.
    • Later that year the High Court overturned the Federal Court decisions, ruling it was the written employment contract that mattered.

What will the legislation change?

    • It will again be possible to judge whether an employee is “casual” based on employer behaviour.
    • The twist: until they demanded “permanency” they won’t be entitled to any leave.
    • You might not have a job tomorrow.” And indeed, now that you’ve asked, maybe you won’t have a job.
    • It will depend critically on the protections offered to workers who ask to convert, and how credible they are to workers.
    • So, it will just work for a small number or workers – though it’s likely to be very important to them.

More needs to be done

    • In short, this is a good step but more needs to be done.
    • In most other wealthy countries all workers – including temporary workers – are entitled to annual leave.
    • Sure, there needs to be a loading where work is unpredictable, and hence so short-term that leave entitlements would not be practical.

Politics with Michelle Grattan: ACCI Head Andrew McKellar on industrial relations and boosting Australia's productivity

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, July 27, 2023

Business is particularly critical of the Government’s industrial relations changes those already made and those to come.

Key Points: 
  • Business is particularly critical of the Government’s industrial relations changes those already made and those to come.
  • In this weeks podcast, our guest is Andrew McKellar, the chief executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).
  • He joins us to give a business take on the economy, issues concerning business and relations with the Albanese Government.
  • ACCI describes itself as Australia’s largest and most representative business network, saying it covers businesses “of all shapes and sizes”.

Employers will resist, but the changes for casual workers are about accepting reality

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, July 25, 2023

The Albanese government’s plan to improve the pathway to permanency for casual workers has employers worried, fearful their ability to employ casual workers will be restricted.

Key Points: 
  • The Albanese government’s plan to improve the pathway to permanency for casual workers has employers worried, fearful their ability to employ casual workers will be restricted.
  • The counterargument is that entrenched casualisation doesn’t make the status quo right, and that the government’s proposed reforms will give greater recognition to reality.
  • That is, if a worker is effectively working as permanent employee, they have the right to be treated as such.
  • Close to 60% of Australia’s casual workers have been with their employer for more than a year, and 45% to 60% report regular hours and pay.

Every worker is entitled to be safe at work, but casual workers can fall through the cracks

Retrieved on: 
Monday, July 24, 2023

The convention is significant because it effectively covers the growing number of casual and gig workers who may not be covered by existing laws.

Key Points: 
  • The convention is significant because it effectively covers the growing number of casual and gig workers who may not be covered by existing laws.
  • According to the convention, everyone has the right to work free of violence and harassment.
  • But the increasing casualisation of work over the past two decades have exposed some workers to greater risk of harm.
  • These changes include a shift away from full-time permanent roles to increasing numbers of contractual and self-employed and those with ambiguous contractual status including gig and platform workers.
  • In Australia there are about 2.7 million casual workers and 1.1 million contractual workers.
  • It is harder for these workers, who are more vulnerable to the risk of violence and harassment, to report these incidents than it is for permanent workers.