News
Globalisation seen in 1936
September 2017
Globalisation is not a new phenomenon.
Text taken from Ralph Linton’s (1893 - 1953) De l’Homme -
« After his meal, the American citizen prepares to have a smoke, a custom of the American Indians, by burning a plant grown in Brazil, either in a Virginian Indian pipe or a cigarette from Mexico. If he is tough enough he may even try a cigar, which came to us from the West Indies via Spain.
Whilst smoking, he reads the day’s news printed in characters invented by the ancient Semites on a material invented in China by a process invented in Germany.
Whilst devouring reports of foreign troubles, if he is a good conservative citizen, he will thank a Hebrew God, in an Indo-European language, for making him one hundred percent American. »
Expatriation or local staff in China
April 2017
Expatriation is a costly business and China is still lacking sufficient skilled labour force.
China is asking the world for supplies of oil, steel and whatever else it takes to feed its ever-expanding economy, but the last thing you would expect the country to need is more people.
Think again, say human resource managers at multinational companies. ln the world's most populous country, good engineers and qualified senior managers are in such short supply that their salaries are increasing at double-digit rates every year.
China provides the world with television sets, mobile phones and sneakers, but the factories where they are produced continue to be run by Japanese, Americans, Europeans, Taiwanese and Singaporeans, among others. One survey conducted in 2004 found that 35 percent of managers at foreign-owned companies in China were expatriates. This compares with 10 percent in Thailand, 19 percent in Singapore and 7 percent in South Korea.
"It is easy to hire a local professional, China has a lot of them" said dozen personnel executives from different companies. "The problem we have is that they have not reached the level where we can rely on them. Their skill competences are not at satisfactory levels."
The interesting thing here is not so much the tens of thousands of expatriates working in China - this has been the case for years - but that foreign companies are finding it so difficult to wean themselves from expensive expatriate staffing.
Nearly 40 percent of multinational companies operating in China are planning to increase the number of expatriates they send to the mainland during the next two years, according to a study conducted in September by Worldwide ERC. The other 60 percent plan on keeping expatriate levels steady, according to ERC, which surveyed 49 companies.
Why can't foreign companies transfer management skills to local staff, as they have in other countries in the region?
For one, China's past still haunts its present: companies have trouble finding managers aged 45 to 55, a generation that grew up during the Cultural Revolution, when smart, promising students were sent to toil on farms instead of studying in universities.
Another reason is the reluctance of expatriate managers to train their Chinese successors. When factories moved to China from other parts of the world, the managers often came along to ensure a smooth transition. Now they face an uncertain future. "How do you expect a manager to train his replacement and then be told he no longer has a job?" said Edmond Ang, a human resources manager for Philips Electronics, which moved many of its operations to China in the 1990s. "These activities are going to China for good."
The bigger picture for foreign companies is cost. Expatriates receive allowances for housing, intercultural and language training, living expenses, education for their children and other amenities. This can add up to hundreds of thousands of euros for each senior staff member based in China.
Personnel managers say their companies are asking them to be "creative" in reducing staffing costs. Some companies are requiring their expatriates to localize - give up their expat status - if they want to stay longer than a few years.
Others are sending executives or managers to China on two-month assignments, calling it a business trip and avoiding paying expatriate benefits.
But cutting back on benefits can backfire. The shortage of senior managers gives staff great incentive to look for better offers.
Here is really matter for reflection and “creativity”.
Convention MONDISSIMO - PARIS
April 2014
SAM International will be present April 7 - 8, 2014 - Palais Brogniat - PARIS - Stand C2.
We will present to you our services regarding Intercultural Intelligence in the daily international business and will help you identify your needs in the context of Globalisation.
Looking forward to meeting you.
» MONDISSIMO website
What are the 14 crosscultural dimensions ?
January 2013
What you need to know about intercultural hard facts that impact all your processes in international cooperations. Marion de Vriès explains the fourteen intercultural dimensions (NIP - National Intercultural Profile) and the key factors to make your international business successful.
» Youtube
HANNOVER EXHIBITION
January 2011
SAM International will be present April 4 - 8, 2011 - Hall 13 Stand E12/2.
We will present to you our services regarding Intercultural Intelligence in the daily international business and will help you identify your needs in the context of Globalisation.
Looking forward to meeting you.
Please contact us to obtain free admission.
» Logo Hannover Exhibition
» Hannover Exhibition Website
European Communication Summit
March 2009
The EACD, European Association of Communication Directors, is organising its
European Communication Summit on 2nd 3rd July 2009
SAM International will lend its expertise in the form of Marion de Vriès who will talk on the fascinating subject of: Intercultural Communication
Contact EACD
Conference on Internal Branding
June 2008
The EACD, European Association of Communication Directors, is organising its first Regional Debate in Brussels on 1st October 2008 on the topic:
The Changing Face of European Communications
SAM International will lend its expertise in the form of Marion de Vriès who will talk on the fascinating subject of:
Internal Branding for Multi-National, Multi-Cultural Communications Teams
This event will take place at KBC - Havenlaan 2 - 1080 Brussels.
Contact EACD for registration