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Articles by Peter O'Connor
Cutting regulations should be more than an empty slogan
It’s election season, and therefore time for certain candidates for state office to trot out the well-worn campaign promise to “cut regulations.” This sounds like a great idea — in general — but seldom if ever describes anything more specific. It’s not much different than promises to “cut taxes,” or “cut spending.” A goal so ill-defined is not a serious political or governing principle. It’s an empty slogan.
Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded | The Day
Traffic and parking have been an issue in downtown Mystic for decades. On the one hand, we can be proud to be the premier tourist destination in Connecticut, celebrate the thriving businesses and cultural institutions that help make it that, and appreciate the historic downtown for its walkability, scale and historic charm. On the other hand, those of us who live in Mystic, or in the region, would like to be able to enjoy it without sitting in traffic, or driving around looking for parking.
People Spotlight: Meet Peter O’Connor
Our People Spotlight series gives you an inside look at our technical experts around the world. This week, we are highlighting our Environmental Impact Assessment Lead for Ireland and providing you insight into his inspiration and work. Peter O’Connor has over two decades of experience spanning the energy, power, minerals and waste sectors, having worked on a diverse range of projects across Europe throughout his career.
Let's make modest homes legal again
There is a bill currently being considered by the Connecticut General Assembly that aims to make the type of home I grew up in legal again. Senate Bill 151 would once again allow home builders to construct the kinds of houses that are a historic part of our Connecticut towns and villages.
CT still needs a regional approach to housing
One year ago I predicted that, in the 2025 legislative session, our General Assembly would fail to address the ongoing housing crisis in any significant way: A bill was passed by the legislature (HB 5002), and then the governor vetoed it. In a special session over the summer, the legislature passed another housing bill, (HB 8002) which the governor signed and is now law.
Unpacking risk aversion and uncertainty avoidance: an analysis from a tourists’personality traits and information search perspective
Ayuda Buscar en la ayuda Buscar en la ayuda Unpacking risk aversion and uncertainty avoidance: an analysis from a tourists’personality traits and information search perspective Rongbin Yang [1] ; Peter O Connor [2] ; Santoso Wibowo [3] [1] Kaplan Business School, Adelaide, Australia; [2] UniSA Business, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia; [3] School of Engineering Technology, CQUniversity, Melbourne, Australia Localización: Tourism recreation research, ISSN 0250-8281, Vol. 50, Nº.
Resilience for Hospitality and Tourism Enterprises: a Review and Directions for Future Research
Ayuda Buscar en la ayuda Buscar en la ayuda Resilience for Hospitality and Tourism Enterprises: a Review and Directions for Future Research O´Connor, Peter [1] ; Esfandiar, Kourosh [2] ; Hallak, Rob [1] [1] University of South Australia [2] Edith Cowan University Localización: Tourism analysis, ISSN 1083-5423, Vol. 30, Nº. 1, 2025, págs.
Connecticut needs a regional approach to housing
Connecticut’s housing crisis and, in particular its affordable housing crisis, is among the many pressing issues the Connecticut General Assembly will take up during its 2025-2026 legislative session. But if history is any guide on this topic, this session will be like all its predecessors – the same proposals will be reintroduced, and mostly defeated. The arguments between housing advocates on the one hand, and “local control” champions on the other will follow a familiar script.
Monetary Policy Shifts: Gaining Market Visibility, Identifying Opportunities and Monitoring Exposures
The recent Bank of Japan rate hike on July 31st, 2024, had a major impact on the USD-JPY “carry trade,” a long-established arbitrage strategy where funds are financed in JPY and invested in USD, capitalizing on respective interest rate differences. In fact, the rising yen has sparked speculation about the end of the carry trade all together.
Comment: Combining tech with people – Mortgage Strategy
First-time buyers (FTBs) are getting older, with the average age now 34 and some people being in their fifties when they get on the housing ladder. The number of FTBs is also declining as it becomes ever harder to raise a deposit. Yorkshire Building Society reports that, in 2023, the number of new FTBs with a mortgage fell to the lowest level in a decade. The worry is that many people think mortgages are inaccessible.
Mastering FX Derivatives and Hedging Interest Rate Risk in Turbulent Times
Benchmark rate reform has led to structural changes in the financial and capital markets, particularly in the OTC derivatives segment. The direct impact of the reform has been a shift from using LIBOR (interbank term rate) referencing to RFR (risk-free overnight rate) referencing derivative instruments.
Amtrak doesn't make it easy for its customers
I’M NOT EXACTLY “Amtrak Joe” Biden, but I’ve been riding the Northeast Corridor for many years – long enough to remember when the stretch from New Haven to Boston still ran on diesel locomotives. And, in so many important ways, things have improved in that time: the courtesy and professionalism of the on-board crews, the real time information available about delays, the condition and cleanliness of the trains, and many of the stations.
Step inside the controversial homes of India's 'King of Good Times'
Allegedly modelled after the White House in Washington, DC, the mansion has two elevators that provide private access. In fact, according to Coldwell Banker, the penthouse is entirely separate from the other units in the tower, so Mallya can come and go undetected. The realtors also suggest that the property set the businessman back a cool $20 million (£15.6m) – a fact that has proved extremely controversial, considering Mallya's companies are said to be in serious amounts of debt.
Waterford Crystal Mall needs a logical redevelopment plan
It has been painfully obvious for many years that Waterford’s Crystal Mall is one of the hundreds of “dying malls” now dotting the landscape of America. Creative redevelopments of some of these older mall sites are occurring across the country.
We deserve better than Auckland's art vandal
Many have used terms like vandal and lout. These terms are perhaps more apt, as they describe someone who deliberately damages things of value rather than someone incapable of understanding the preciousness of the arts. Friends in South Auckland settle on the term patronising when they read that he thinks galleries and the arts aren’t important to them. The arts are soft targets for right-wing politicians like Brown who have a sense that value can only be measured in financial terms.
The Rise of the Customer Service Avatar
The debate about how to best serve customers is often misguided. We obsess over which modality is best, or the merits of a new text channel. But the real issue is quite different: ‘What’s it going to take to scale self-service?’ is today’s priority. If we didn’t know before, lockdown reconfirmed the need to reserve live assistance for the emotive, complex, and urgent.
HNtv INSIDERS: Hotel technology, loyalty and the guest experience
Peter O'Connor (Professor of Strategy at the University of South Australia) and Martin Soler (Managing Partner at Soler & Associates) discuss current trends and development in hotel distribution, marketing, technology and loyalty and their effect on the guest experience.
Lessons from New Zealand: How to beat the trauma of school transition
by Michael Anderson and Peter O'Connor On the Monday post lockdown, schools again reverberated with the sounds of all their kids in the playground. In this pandemic much has changed but perhaps none more than schools and the work of teachers. For many parents, teachers and students there will be justifiable anxiety about what students have missed out on.
Abolishing BPDA should not be first priority - CommonWealth Magazine
I SUPPORT Boston mayoral candidate Michelle Wu’s good government impulse to “fix Boston’s broken development system,” but worry that her plan to abolish the Boston Planning and Development Agency may very well be neither necessary nor helpful in accomplishing that goal. And as a legal matter, or even an administrative task, the “abolishing” part may not be as easy as it sounds – and focusing too closely on it may only distract from the “fixing” part.
HNtv INSIDERS: Discussing drivers of lasting change in hotel distribution
Dr. Peter O'Connor, Professor of Strategic Management at University of South Australia Business School, and Lennert de Jong, Commercial Director at citizenM, met online to exchange their thoughts and vision on how hotels will emerge from the COVID crisis. In this conversation, Peter & Lennert discuss how corporate and business travel will be going through a profound process of change.
Why financial services companies must fully embrace cloud platforms
Amid the widespread disruptions caused by the global pandemic, financial services firms have had to make some rapid and fundamental changes to their operations. comments Blogs | 07 June 2021 | Peter O'Connor < Blogs | 07 June 2021 By: Peter O'Connor — 3 minute read — 3 minute read Staff had to be sent to work remotely while customer demands needed to shift from face to face to virtual channels.
Five ways Australian businesses can boost data security and improve corporate governance in 2021
GUEST OPINION by Peter O’Connor, Vice President Asia Pacific, Snowflake: With an increasing proportion of daily activity shifting into the digital realm, Australian businesses are finding themselves awash with data. From communication with customers and suppliers to operational planning and financial reporting, the volume of data needing to be managed and stored is rising by the day. Many are seeking ways to streamline these tasks while also ensuring all data remains secure at all times.
How data analytics will shape the manufacturing sector in 2021
Article by Peter O'Connor, Vice President Sales Asia Pacific, Snowflake As Australia’s manufacturing firms plan for the uncertain year ahead, many are realising the vital role that data will play within their operations. Everything from supply chain records and customer orders to machinery maintenance schedules and capital spending plans will become important assets that support ongoing business growth.
To Get Ahead As An Introvert, Act Like An Extravert. It's Not As Hard As You Think
Shutterstock Leadership is a human universal. It can even be seen in other species, which suggests it may be an evolutionarily ancient process. A common personality trait of “natural” leaders is a higher than average level of extraversion. Research consistently shows extraverts, compared with introverts, are more likely to be regarded as leaders by others, and more likely to obtain leadership roles.
Whether you have leadership potential comes down to one personality trait
Leadership is a human universal. It can even be seen in other species, which suggests it may be an evolutionarily ancient process. A common personality trait of “natural” leaders is a higher than average level of extraversion. Research consistently shows extraverts, compared with introverts, are more likely to be regarded as leaders by others, and more likely to obtain leadership roles.
To get ahead as an introvert, act like an extravert. It's not as hard as you think
Leadership is a human universal. It can even be seen in other species, which suggests it may be an evolutionarily ancient process. A common personality trait of “natural” leaders is a higher than average level of extraversion. Research consistently shows extraverts, compared with introverts, are more likely to be regarded as leaders by others, and more likely to obtain leadership roles.
To get ahead as an introvert, act like an extravert-it's not as hard as you think
Credit: Shutterstock Leadership is a human universal. It can even be seen in other species, which suggests it may be an evolutionarily ancient process. A common personality trait of "natural" leaders is a higher than average level of extraversion. Research consistently shows extraverts, compared with introverts, are more likely to be regarded as leaders by others, and more likely to obtain leadership roles.
To get ahead as an introvert, act like an extravert. It's not as hard as you think
Leadership is a human universal. It can even be seen in other species, which suggests it may be an evolutionarily ancient process. A common personality trait of “natural” leaders is a higher than average level of extraversion. Research consistently shows extraverts, compared with introverts, are more likely to be regarded as leaders by others, and more likely to obtain leadership roles.
The six critical factors for a successful data science project Original
Article by Snowflake vice president of sales for APAC, Peter O'Connor. Keen to find ways to stay a step ahead of their competitors, growing numbers of organisations are embarking on new data science projects. Properly designed and implemented, such projects can provide valuable insights into everything from market sentiment and mood to the performance of manufacturing facilities and supply chains.
Options for Rural Hotels to Provide Alcohol
The following are terms of a legal agreement ("Agreement") between you and HotelExecutive. By accessing, browsing and/or otherwise using this web site, HotelExecutive, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agreed to be bound by these terms and conditions, and to comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. export and re-export control laws and regulations. If you do not agree to all of these terms and conditions, you may not access, browse and/or use HotelExecutive.
The six critical factors for a successful data science project
GUEST OPINION by Peter O’Connor, Vice President Sales Asia Pacific, Snowflake: Keen to find ways to stay a step ahead of their competitors, growing numbers of organisations are embarking on new data science projects. Properly designed and implemented, such projects can provide valuable insights into everything from market sentiment and mood to the performance of manufacturing facilities and supply chains.
Depoliticizing the development process in Boston - CommonWealth Magazine
CALLS TO ABOLISH the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) go back almost to its creation. City Councilor Michelle Wu is the latest to take up the quest to rid the city of one of its most hated bureaucracies (which many know by its former name, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, or BRA).
Marketing and the Millennial Chef
The following are terms of a legal agreement ("Agreement") between you and HotelExecutive. By accessing, browsing and/or otherwise using this web site, HotelExecutive, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agreed to be bound by these terms and conditions, and to comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. export and re-export control laws and regulations. If you do not agree to all of these terms and conditions, you may not access, browse and/or use HotelExecutive.
Yes Ita, younger workers might actually be less resilient. But all workers should be thanked
Young workers lack resilience and “need hugging”, according to eminent Australian Ita Buttrose. This week the 78-year old ABC chair told a forum of the Australia-United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce: They’re very keen on being thanked and they almost need hugging. That’s before COVID of course, we can’t hug any more. But they almost need hugging […] they seem to lack the resilience that I remember from my younger days. Not surprisingly, many young people have been by her comments.
Yes Ita, younger workers might actually be less resilient. But all workers should be thanked
Young workers lack resilience and “need hugging”, according to eminent Australian Ita Buttrose. This week the 78-year old ABC chair told a forum of the Australia-United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce: They’re very keen on being thanked and they almost need hugging. That’s before COVID of course, we can’t hug any more. But they almost need hugging […] they seem to lack the resilience that I remember from my younger days. Not surprisingly, many young people have been by her comments.
What Drives Panic Buying During A Pandemic?
Panic buying has returned to Australia in the wake of its second-biggest city experiencing a spike in COVID-19. The Victorian government has reimposed stay-at-home restrictions on 36 of Melbourne’s 321 suburbs in response. Once again supermarket stores are being emptied of toilet paper and other consumables. But this panic buying isn’t just in affected areas. It’s not even limited to Victoria.
What makes shoppers stockpile
Panic-buying has returned to Australia in the wake of its second-biggest city experiencing a spike in COVID-19. The Victorian government has reimposed stay-at-home restrictions on 36 of Melbourne’s 321 suburbs in response. Once again supermarket stores are being emptied of toilet paper and other consumables. Related: Fresh produce limits as Coles faces shortages But this panic-buying isn’t just in affected areas. It’s not even limited to Victoria.
Disagreeability, neuroticism and stress: What drives panic buying during the COVID-19 pandemic
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Panic buying has returned to Australia in the wake of its second-biggest city experiencing a spike in COVID-19. The Victorian government has reimposed stay-at-home restrictions on 36 of Melbourne's 321 suburbs in response. Once again supermarket stores are being emptied of toilet paper and other consumables. But this panic buying isn't just in affected areas. It's not even limited to Victoria.
Disagreeability, neuroticism and stress: what drives panic buying during the COVID-19 pandemic
Panic buying has returned to Australia in the wake of its second-biggest city experiencing a spike in COVID-19. The Victorian government has reimposed stay-at-home restrictions on 36 of Melbourne’s 321 suburbs in response. Once again supermarket stores are being emptied of toilet paper and other consumables. Read more: Grattan on Friday: Scott Morrison undeterred on COVID re-opening despite rise in toilet paper index But this panic buying isn’t just in affected areas.
How to understand and harness your workplace rage
As you’re sitting there, about to throw an office chair, your temperature and heart rate rising, know that it isn’t all in vain. Getting angry in your office does actually have a positive side. For example, anger can motivate you to respond to perceived injustice[1]. It can also be useful in negotiations, with research showing[2] angry negotiators tend to have better outcomes.
Is it the end or the beginning for cities? - CommonWealth Magazine
WITH TIME ON OUR HANDS, we’re all contemplating how our lives will be different in the future, once the COVID-19 pandemic subsides. At this point, almost every news source has run a piece declaring that the virus will somehow spell “the end of the city.” Most of these essays are hyperbolic, but it is nevertheless valid to ask how the ways we live, work, learn, recreate, and move around will change in response to the things we’ve learned in the past few months.
As work gets more ambiguous, younger generations may be less equipped for it
We work in a world of increasing ambiguity. Over the past few decades technological change and globalisation have fundamentally changed the nature of the “average” job. There is greater competition and higher expectations. We face more situations, projects, tasks or objectives that are new, different, unclear or inexact. To investigate whether Australian workers are equipped to handle this growing ambiguity at work, we studied[1] attitudes towards ambiguity in a sample of more than 800 people.
Arts: Healing balms for a sick world
Professor Peter O’Connor has long been an advocate of art's importance in healing after trauma. Here, he gives his views on the role the arts may step into post-COVID-19. Image: Shutterstock Professor Peter O'Connor Monday 20 April, 2020 It All Starts with Arts Even before we start to walk, we dance. We sing even as we attempt to talk. The first sounds we make are shaped into words through playful repetition, and all the world is a drum for us to hear the rhythm of the planet.
Putting An End to End-to-End: Gradient-Isolated Learning of Representations
Authors:Sindy Löwe, Peter O'Connor, Bastiaan S. Veeling (Submitted on 28 May 2019 (v1), last revised 27 Jan 2020 (this version, v3)) Abstract: We propose a novel deep learning method for local self-supervised representation learning that does not require labels nor end-to-end backpropagation but exploits the natural order in data instead.
Yes Ita, younger workers might actually be less resilient. But all workers should be thanked
Young workers lack resilience[1] and “need hugging”, according to eminent Australian Ita Buttrose. This week the 78-year old ABC chair told a forum of the Australia-United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce: They’re very keen on being thanked and they almost need hugging. That’s before COVID of course, we can’t hug any more. But they almost need hugging […] they seem to lack the resilience that I remember from my younger days. Not surprisingly, many young people have been [2] by her comments.
The Multiple Strengths of Introverts Make Them Good Leaders
Introverts often don’t think they will enjoy leadership roles and so are less likely to go for the top job, new research finds. In fact, introverts in our study thought they would be worried and distressed in leadership situations. Whether or not someone is an introvert is usually measured by how much they exhibit the personality trait called “extraversion” — being outgoing and social. Compared to extraverts, introverts tend to be relatively passive, quiet, and reserved.
Businesses are pushing for better protection of their digital footprints
Credit: ID 77440682 © Profitimage | Dreamstime.com As consumers, we’re becoming more aware of the trail of data we leave behind as we go about out our daily lives. From social media sites to online shopping services, records of interactions are constantly being generated. It’s a similar case for a modern business. As transactions with partners and suppliers are increasingly conducted digitally, the pool of associated data continues to grow.
'OK Google, find me a nice hotel for my weekend break in Berlin.' | By Peter O'Connor – Hospitality Net
Opinion Article28 May 2019 By Peter O’Connor, Director of the MBA in Hospitality Management at ESSEC Business School Comments One of the biggest factors that drive the adoption of any technology is whether it reduces friction, i.e. does it make things easier for a customer to do business with a company? As Peter O’Connor of Essec explains, communicating with our computers and devices using our own voices will do just that. But are we ready for this new disruption?
Keeping sensitive information secure starts with a plan: why every business needs to have a data policy
Credit: ID 107524234 © Stepanenko Oksana | Dreamstime.com Does your business have a well-defined data governance regimen? If not, you may be one of the sizeable contingent of Australian enterprises which are playing Russian roulette with information security – and potentially creating a major risk for their company’s viability. It’s been more than a year since the federal government introduced tough new privacy regulations, in the form of the Australian Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.
Rising to the challenge of securing a multi-cloud environment
First it was cloud, now it’s multi-cloud. As Australian companies ramp up their investment in as-a-service everything – Gartner predicts the annual spend will rise to $7 billion in 2021, up from $4.6 billion in 2018 – the trend of using multiple cloud computing and storage services continues to gather speed. Some of Australia’s largest enterprises have endorsed the model.
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