Business Ideas Centre

By Arshad Husain

 

Introduction

Forecasting changes in the international business environment is critical for the constituents in the policy, corporate, and academic communities. As the importance and impact of international business overall has increased, there is a commensurate need to identify, as early as possible, emerging issues and assess their potential contributions to change. While there are many individual broad visions as to the future business environment, a more specific way to engage in this activity is to get the business, policy and research communities to interact in the process of outlining possible scenarios and resulting actions. Since no one region or location can be the only origin of change, a diversity of opinion across geographies secures a more balanced portfolio of comments.

For all concerned, the possibility to identify, analyze, and debate changes allows for the timely preparation of strategies in response. While some of the issues presented may already be emerging, the ideal results identify early warning of outlying phenomena thereby allowing policy makers and business leaders to execute proactive responses. Similarly, academics can be prescriptive in their research rather than analyzing what may have already occurred.

Interestingly, most agree that international trends are more important than they were only a few years ago, yet action on these trends is lagging. In their survey of 1,136 executives, McKinsey and Co. (2008) found that relatively few companies act on the trends identified. In addition, the cross-over of information between the “silos” of disciplines is very limited. For example, top management publications show an insignificant share of articles focused on the international and policy dimensions. On the average only 5 percent of articles present an international focus (Werner & Brouthers, 2002). At the same time, only 11 percent of policy articles focus on international issues (Sprott & Miyazaki, 2002).

Method

This study used the Delphi technique, which has been called the cornerstone of future research. The method integrates the opinions of experts using multiple waves of data collection. The 50-year old method is used by leading corporations and organizations to develop strategic guidelines (Duboff, 2007). Results of the technique have been used to guide decisions into investing in new technologies and markets.

1.Terrorism

 A growing emphasis on national interests and local culture will increase terrorism and lead to higher security standards. There are likely to be growing policy-triggered restrictions in global transportation and corporate linkages. Firms and policy makers have a very clear understanding that terrorism is an ongoing phenomenon to be confronted. Combating terrorism was seen as a fact of life and history, resulting in a continuous job for push-back to be conducted multi-laterally and without compromise.

Counter-terrorism needs to preclude the failure of the will of the people and governments opposing the terrorists. The root causes of terrorism were identified as policies towards immigrants and the sometimes dividing roles taken on by advocates of specific religions, cultures, regions, or races. Approaches proposed to address these root causes were education, improved nourishment, and the ability to control one’s own destiny. But there will also be a growing emphasis on national interests accompanied by limited readiness for multilateral solutions. It will be a key task for governments to diffuse such desires rather than coddle to popular demands. Only with the collaboration of all parties concerned can local and regional protectionism and de-globalization be avoided. The greatest imperative will be to develop and maintain the power to execute peace.

2. Globalization

Key gains of globalization are achieved by consumers, intermediaries, and originators, since those participating in the supply chain can move to different locations to benefit for low costs or other advantages. The key issue is mobility. Workers are not necessarily able to take advantage of this since the cost of moving may be quite high due to different environments and cultures.

Education and training are crucial for better and more rewarding tasks for workers. When asked how countries can move up on the globalization chain, our panelists consistently rated education as the most important component, followed by competition and investment. A discussion forum with former Latin American presidents fully supported this perspective (Pino, 2007). However, there was a sharp divide between panelists when it came to the content of education. Some stressed the importance of keeping up with learning both quantitative and qualitative knowledge. Others believed that learning of difficult knowledge – say physics, mathematics, chemistry – could be outsourced to those who revel in such materials. Quality education time could then be dedicated to other pursuits, such as music, art, or poetry. Repeatedly, the question arose whether learning was to serve an inner spiritual desire or society and whether, for example, the implantation of a ‘knowledge chip’ would be better or worse than the stepwise acquisition of knowledge under difficult or even unpleasant conditions. A key point was: Are we really all dumb since the invention of the calculator?

3. Corruption

Corruption is a major detractor from global welfare and local economic development. Its consequences are shoddily built roads, structures that collapse, clinics with equipment purchased at high prices or inappropriate specifications. In all such circumstances vast public expenditures do not achieve the envisioned use and local interest suffer.

Typical side payments are 10-15 percent of all major expenditures, with much higher levels in the developing world. “It is human nature to lubricate relationship with gratuity” was a typical statement, with more diversion attributed to high-context cultures (e.g., Latin America, Latin Europe, and Asia) and less to low-context ones (e.g., United States, Northern and Germanic Europe). Yet, the social acceptance of corruption was seen as a bigger danger because it protects the elite from domestic scrutiny and control. Therefore, the ongoing impact of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the OECD discussions were seen as instrumental in reducing or at least containing such misappropriations. More multilateral action is seen as necessary to ensure broad, continuous and relentless enforcement of measures against violators. Beneficiaries of excessive wealth from bribery will eventually be pursued globally to return their ill gotten gains.

4. Cultural adjustment

There is a strong belief that cultures around the globe will become more similar to each other, particularly in the area of macro issues such as accountability, performance expectations, freedom accorded within society, and product preferences. Such cultural assimilations were also seen to be profoundly influenced by the United States, threatening less-dominant cultures. At the same time, it will be more difficult to export overwhelmingly uniform ways of thinking due to an increase in regional and local sovereignty and calls for cultural protectionism even by multilateral organizations such as UNESCO. 

History indicates that cultures rise and fall over time, with conflict in the process, regardless of information flows, insights, and learning. Otherwise, the world would now be speaking Greek, Latin, Turkish, or Arabic. Already today, the use of English as a business language can create resentment and hostility. Companies are discovering that language also conveys cultural norms, which, in turn, reduce the creativity and local connections of their employees. It appears to be quite likely that firms will increasingly develop a norm stating ‘we did not hire you for your English’ which will introduce a new multi-polarity to global management.

5. Information

Even though a greater diversification of information sources may typically provide for better knowledge evolution, there is an expectation of fewer data sources offering increasingly larger quantities of data due to mergers and acquisitions, cost cutting, or limited user willingness to pay. Such developments are likely to affect accuracy and reliability making data use heavily trust-dependent. To a growing degree data users may demand more insights into the origin of information in order to gauge its validity. Just like butchers are expected to label the meat they sell with precise origins, information providers need to offer data locale and source of origin. Under such conditions, the locality of data can be systematically used to enhance credibility; e.g., through increased use of local debt-rating agencies.

Due to more transparent sourcing, there will be a decrease in the willingness of firms and people to offer information. Nebulous laws and restrictions may be increasing the threat of law suits. Also, the gains from free information that have greatly helped businesses and individuals in the past 10 years are likely to shrink.

 6. Location and source of growth

 In terms of geography, emerging market economies will continue to increase their impact on the global economy. The treat of polarization and an increase in regional and the local trade and finance relations will encourage an eventual completion of the Doha Round of trade negotiations. Countries will focus on those issues which are most relevant for their economies, thus leading to a differentiation of players which grow, make, create and coordinate things. Significant new opportunities will develop within emerging economies. At the same time, growing efficiency in these countries will also present them with new markets in developed countries. There will be more cooperation between there emerging nations, resulting in more integration among them, and perhaps more protectionism outside of their sphere. Developing nations will welcome more diversity of partners and will welcome increased competition among larger players. For some countries, this collaboration is also likely to introduce new global moral positions, raising the relative precedence of business, politics, human dignity and freedom. While efficiency will gain in importance, there will also be more incorporation of Eastern business practices into overall methods. Overall, economic power is likely to shift globally to Asia, both in terms of investment and output.

China will be the player to watch. For firm’s who are planning to enter the global market, China will become the new New York on the basis that “if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.” Due to domestic pressures fueled by weaknesses in the banking system, urban/rural imbalances, and regional political dissonance, top Chinese corporations are likely to expand significantly overseas. Multinational firms from third world countries will expand in general, and the Fortune 1,000 will soon include a significant number of China-headquartered companies. There will also be a significant increase in mergers and acquisitions lead by Chinese companies.

Another important participant will be India. That country’s opening will rival the growth of China, due to its wide spread facility with the English language, its close alignment with the rule of law, a well developed commercial infrastructure and a democratic government. Companies are likely to see India as both a primary place for outsourcing and as an important market for their goods. In particular, Indian linkages in the communications and information sectors are likely to soar.

7. Environment, conservation and sustainability

China will demonstrate only limited concern towards the environment, even though environmental problems will have a major effect on its ability to compete as a global manufacturing center. Medical, environmental and other social costs will dramatically reduce the advantages of firms to manufacture in China – therefore leading to a move of FDI to other locations, including the U.S. and Europe.

One consequence of China’s and India’s rapid growth will be an ongoing depletion of natural resources. Aspirations for economic progress and better lifestyles will cause shortages in the natural resources. In consequence, the sourcing and controlling of important raw materials will be a key strategic issue, often leading to preferential bilateral agreements perhaps even in contradiction to multilateral arrangements. Governments will attempt to put more land into grain production and also use tools such as subsides and price controls. Scarcity will also drive up the price of consumer alcohol. Protection of materials within society from theft will become a key issue (e.g. cutting electrical wires to steal copper). Recycling and recovery will grow as vital business opportunities. Farming will become highly attractive and profitable again as fuel production from food accelerates. The global shortage of potable water will be re-discovered as a key issue and a key constraint on global advancement and wellbeing. There will be much higher government investments in desalination and reverse osmosis technologies and more emphasis on water conservation.

In light of public concern about climate change, there will be growing preference for energy saving technologies and a reduction and limit to energy use. A stream of scientific and non-scientific proof will be offered for global warming, with any unusual natural phenomenon being blames for global warming. Public impressions and perceptions will lead to changes in living patterns, – for example the population of dry arid and hot climate areas may well shift due to water shortages and, say, limits to the use of air conditioning technology. Such effects will occur even if it becomes generally accepted that global warming is only slightly dependent on human activities – given the overriding argument of: what can it hurt?

Africa may well emerge in the offering the most opportunities for green investments and the accumulation of carbon credits. However, is the transfer of resources resulting from carbon trading grows; such trading will become, in the eyes of governments, non-sustainable and therefore prohibitive. There is more likely to be an increase in international agreements (both multilateral and bilateral) which set a framework for corporations, promotion and subsidies for technologies and products which protect the environment. Rich countries will give more importance to this concern, and most internationally operating companies will take this concern seriously.

8. Demographics

The aging of populations of North America and Europe will be joined by those of Asia and Latin America. These older populations will become a growing customer segment for the financial-services sector as well as to providers of health care and appropriate household products. In particular, the lack of public support for the disabled and needy – often the result of cultural traditions – will create problems for generations caught in transition. At the same time, there will be major opportunities as older generations will expect more education, entertainment and involvement to enjoy their increased leisure time.

As baby-boomer societies experience waves of retirement, companies will shift to increase employee longevity and loyalty. New and substantial incentives will be designed to maintain expertise within and to reduce the need to find specialists outside the firm.

Conclusions and discussion

Three dimensions were seen to drive a future vision of globalization. These were first, the reduction of global inequality; second, new and widely enforced global rules which would provide stability and consistency of basic rights and obligations across borders; third was the support for individual freedom. There was an expectation that over time, nations, institutions, and individuals around the world will increasingly accept these dimensions as the foundation of the good life. In reciprocal causality, freedom is seen to cause and facilitate international marketing, while international marketing is a key pillar in support of the cause of freedom.

References

Adam, Karla, “Archbishop Defends Remarks on Islamic Law in Britain,” The

Washington Post, February 12, 2008,  

Akins, R.B., Tolson, H. & Cole, B.R. (2005). Stability of response characteristics of a Delphi panel: Application of bootstrap data expansion. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 5(3):1-12.

Czinkota, M.R. (1986). International trade and business in the late 1980s: An integrated U.S. perspective. Journal of International Business Studies, 17(1): 127-134.

Czinkota, M.R. & Ronkainen I.A. (1992). Global Marketing 2000: A marketing survival guide. Marketing Management, January/February: 37-44.

Czinkota, M.R. & Ronkainen I.A. (1997). International business and trade in the next decade: Report from a Delphi study. Journal of International Business Studies, 28(4): 827-844.

Czinkota, M.R. & Ronkainen I.A. (2005). A forecast of globalization, international business and trade: Report from a Delphi study. Journal of World Business, 40(2): 111

Following the set pattern for doing business is the professional approach, which is applied by the businessmen keeping number of things to achieve maximum level of profit. There may be difference in the offshore outsourcing models according to size and strategies of the company. In the modern times of business, maximum companies of various sizes, outsource their work to reduce the cost according to their specific needs.

Deciding the suitable model before taking any decision is critical because wrong model can cause future losses for the business instead of profit or lowering the cost to business. Taking decision of outsourcing involves various important factors such as selection of suitable country, economic conditions plus government policies of the country, international business strategies, suitable outsourcing strategy and reliable company. As outsourcing is continued by the developed nations for the last many years, so there are different models of outsourcing can be seen, types of these models have been developed according to specific business needs of the different companies respectively. Commonly there are few models , which are followed by the outsourcers for extending their work to offshore companies (web development companies in case of IT & software development) such as Outsourcing to services providing company, Joint venture (JV) offshore outsource model, Build Operate Transfer (BOT) offshore outsource model, opening subsidiary in offshore country.

Usually, outsourcing company uses to select reputed offshore service provider from the decided country after considering all factors affecting the business, under this small & big projects come, which can be continued for a long time. Another type is also project basis but the scope of the work is fixed & defined perfectly, small web development companies & free lancers are hired from offshore country.

Joint venture model refers to establishment of business relations between both companies (outsourcing firm and local firm) in order to take advantages of each other on certain conditions, aim of these kinds of ventures helps both countries to learn & gain from each other and ultimately development of both sides. In the build operate transfer (BOT) type outsourcing, there are two stages of the business, in first stage business can be operated by the local company as similar conditions of joint ventures and in second condition local firm can own the business on certain conditions and can show the ownership according to contract.

Simply, to understand the main basic models followed by both the parties such as outsourcer and offshore service provider are Joint ventures, project basis (commonly seen in web development and IT oriented work) and opening wholly owned subsidiaries in local country, which turns later on to local ownership after certain period of time & conditions.

Smuggling Impact on International Business

 

Currency is also smuggled from Pakistan to other countries. It happened because of the political situation and some other aspects. Some dealers were getting one dollar at Rs80 from the central bank and selling at Rs82-83 in the Peshawar market. A huge number of Pakistani and Afghan currency dealers are buying dollars in large quantity from Peshawar market and are smuggling it into Afghanistan. Almost 4-5 million dollars per day are being smuggled to Afghanistan. Rising demand of the dollar has further increased its value against other currencies. Because of this, the State Bank had stopped the distribution of the dollar to the trading companies.

 

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has already arrested owners of many major exchange companies, as well as the market leader, Khanani & Kalia, on smuggling of millions of dollars in a foreign country.

 

Truck tyres are also smuggled on Pak Afghan border because of the difference between the cost to the import tyre and smuggled tyres. Smugglers get Rs3000 to 5000 a large incentive to import this item through illegal channel.

 

The price variation between a smuggled truck tyre and imported one is Rs3000 to 5000. Smugglers bear an expenditure of around Rs1000 per tyre that covers traveling cost and bribe they pay for secure entry.

 

The cost of per unit tyres also increased in the overall market and the 5 per cent duty also rose and, the decline in the value of Pakistani currency added more different duties on tyres that included import duty, withholding tax, and, sales tax.

 

Only way out of this impasse is to cut import duty on truck tyres and government should continue to charge sales tax. because of this truck tyre would die down by Rs1,000.

 

90 per cent of car tyres are also smuggled into the country because the import tariff on tyres is 35 per cent plus withholding tax and sales tax.

 

The regional manufacturer does not have the ability to fulfill even 25 per cent car tyre demand of the country. The duty protection is simply encouraging smuggling.

 

LPG smuggling from Iran is also hurting the local industry of Pakistan.Local industry is being deprived almost 30 percent share of their business because of the smuggling of LPG from Iran. That is also depriving the national exchequer from billions of rupees in term of taxes.

 

OGRA (oil and gas regulation authority) should take the serious action to stop the smuggling of LPG from Iran. Because unabated smuggling of LPG is also creating hurdles in the development of the market and it also effect the direct foreign investment sector.

 

 

With the rapid success in the field of information and technology and drastic changes in the philosophy of doing business of different nations of the world have changed the whole scenario of the international business. Adaptability of the internet and Innovations in the IT sector have made the world a single platform for the business and given birth to new form of international business called offshore outsourcing.

Using the web and it’s latest technologies for the business and social interaction between companies as well as common people lead to flow of the cross boundary interactions, changing growth strategies, introduction of social media are few reasons for the success of information & technology. In the recent years these factors have initiated the small & medium as well as large companies of developed nations to outsource their work to the developing nations and gradually various trends of outsourcing the work comes forward like: Multi sourcing or Globalization, Mergers and acquisitions, Person to person (P to P), Green IT and virtual world.

Big companies of the world have started outsourcing their work to more than one country and in this run India is big hub with knowledge base community and next is China. There are other nations which are emerging for rendering services such as Russia & Ukraine from Eastern Europe, so multi sourcing is the new trend in the global business environment. MNCs of the world are acquiring the small level companies, Person to person (P to P) consist of entrepreneurs to individuals in form of online tutorials, Editorial and Writing Services, IT services, sales & marketing services, etc. Big players of the business world have started situating their offices in the different parts of the world for expansion of business and which helps in performing direct meetings and dealings between companies.

Green IT is the latest concept for the protection of the environment, which makes the companies to change the demands from their suppliers.

The outsourcing concept helps in reducing cost of production and enhancing quality of the production. Outsourcing of web related jobs from big companies as well as medium sized companies has increased in recent years and there are thousands of offshore web development companies providing customized services. The most popular web services are website design & development, eCommerce solutions, software development, etc.

Hence, Offshore Outsourcing Trends are creating new avenues of success for the global business environment.

 

You may be surprised to learn how many business deals have gone awry, or just never got off the ground due to misunderstandings during negotiations. Deals are reached when each party can clearly understand what the other wants and expects, and they are able to establish a meeting of the minds. This can be very complicated if there is a language barrier.
Would you trust your entire deal to your translator? Sometimes translators are not able to convey a message in the way that was intended because there is simply no direct translation between languages. Learning English can help you to better understand the expectations and desires on the other side of the table in a business meeting, and also to convey your own needs and positions.
Learning English will help reduce unnecessary time between contract re-writes and re-negotiations due to misunderstandings that can take place in a meeting. You might be surprised at how often this happens during international business dealings. Learning English will help you to reduce or even eliminate these awkward situations, and will also enable you to improve your business practices in general.
You should also be aware that once you have mastered English, you will be able open up your business to entirely new, untapped markets; markets that you would have never been able to reach had you not learned the language. There is a great deal of money to be made in many English-speaking countries, no matter what the industry.
Learning English using software may be the best way to jump headfirst into the language. Using software gives you the opportunity to learn the language from the most qualified experts and professionals in the industry, and also allows you to learn at home at your own pace.
While there are hundreds of languages in the world, there’s no doubt that English continues to be the most common medium for international communication. If you want to get a great piece of written work to as many people as possible, chances are you’ll have to translate it into English to reach the widest possible audience.
When translating into English for an international crowd, it pays to bear in mind that your piece will be read by non-native speakers, many of whom may not understand the nuances that someone well-versed in it may take for granted. Whether you use a language translation software to generate a first draft or write it out manually, keeping a few simple things in mind can help make your version the valuable piece of work it deserves to be.
Write Clearly
More than having spotless grammar and a vocabulary that will make your high school English teacher blush, your writing needs to be clear. Drill down words, phrases and ideas to the their simplest form to allow everyone to get a good grasp of the text. Use basic constructions to avoid confusing readers. Always ask yourself if there is a way to make each sentence clearer. If the answer is “yes,” don’t hesitate to change it.
Cultural Differences
If you’re hoping that your piece will be read by a large number of people, it pays to take into account that many of them will have widely different beliefs, behaviors and practices compared to you. As such, avoid generalizations – nothing can turn a readers faster than writers who make assumptions about a culture they clearly know little about.

If your organization is engaged in international business and has or plan to acquire subsidiaries in South America, Asia or Europe, and you are currently in research on future ERP for the whole corporation, we recommend you several aspects to consider.  This small publication is intended to IT managers as well as decision makers from your accounting and finance departments:

Importance of a website in International Business

With business horizons expanding by every hour, it has become imperative for every single business to get themselves organized and face the challenges that are posed by the ever increasing world of business and economics.

Till few years ago, business was conducted through various means of communication like personal meetings, telephones, faxes and emails. There has been addition to all this mediums in the form of a website. Every business has to grow in order to survive, and each business will have to reach out to new places & countries for the growth of business. Getting business from the world over is the latest sucess mantra.

Aiding you in your international business will be your website. If you have designed your website from a professional web designer than you can take complete benefit of the full spectrum of beneficial options that your recently designed website will provide to you. There are numerous benefits which your website can provide for you in international business, but we will just list few ones below;

1. Forget that Catalog [Hard Copy]Businesses all over the world used hard copy of catalog to showcase their products. Now, you can showcase your products on your website. You can get your website designed to showcase your products in entirety, with all the details and even various animation or eye catching effects can be added. This can be published on your website and you can ask you customers to acces the same if any product information is required. Even, you can keepa link so that the catalog can be downloaded by potential customers. You have less or almost no restrictions on place to be used. Your website design will accomodate and present your catalog in a very effective manner.

2. Reach out to the world.With your website designed and launched, you can now reach the world audience, you can target to get customers from over the world. Why would you want to restrict yourself and your business to geographical boundaries when your website designer can make you a website that will reach millions of potential customers.

3. Integrate Payment Gatewayses, you can receive money for your products through your website. You can integrate a payment gateway on your website and start selling on the internet, there are various services for this like Paypal. It is not secret today, that if you have good web designer to design your website you can seel anything from books to motor bikes on the internet.

4. Publishing news, prices, updates etc.If there are news about your company, any updates in the industry or special promotional pricing, then you can use your website to communicate the same with your existing and potential customers. You do not need send out hundreds of mailers to keep your customers informed about anything new happening at your company.

5. It’s all about sending & coming.Yes, this one is fantastic and worth a thought. While by sending a hard copy catalog it will eventually seem that you are soliciting a business and hence it’s your need, but the case is different when you have a website, where people come on their own and hence it will be their need and not yours.

6. Online ChatYour website designer can install an Online Chat system for your website, wherein you will be able to see the numbers of visitors on your website, track all of them, initiate a chat with any of them and much more. Basically, you can be present on your website when a visitor visits and assist in getting the required information or probbaly guide him into buying something from your website. You will always be available for your customers on your website.

7. Track your website visitorsWith a fantastic web design, you can integrate a tracking system, which will track all the visitors on your website and provide relevant information like the keyword used, originating country, number pages viewed, time spent on your website etc. You can be sure of how many people are coming to your website from which country. This will also help you in channelising your marketing efforts and direct your advertisements to a particular country.

8. AdvertisingInternet is a beautiful medium of communicating with your customers. If you have a website than you can advertise anywhere on the internet and get more business through the same.

Web Design Temple, a web designing company located in Bombay, India is a professional team of web developers who design websites covering the abovepoints and help you promote your business internationally.

Singapore has become a high flyer on the international higher education scene. Many highly acclaimed international business schools are offering MBA in Singapore for experienced as well as aspiring managers. In addition to the local universities, such as the National University of Singapore and the Nanyang Technological University, many of the world’s leading foreign universities have also established their presence in Singapore. These leading foreign universities have either set up a physical campus (institutes of higher learning) or have joint collaborations/programmes with local universities (local tie-ups).They mould outstanding graduates with internationally recognised degrees. Research and scholarship opportunities are also available to post-graduate students. Some of the more prominent ones includeUniversity of Chicago Booth School of Management has produced leaders in the world of business. The Asia campus of the Chicago Booth is located at House of Tan Yeok Nee, at the junction of Clemenceau Avenue, which is regarded as the heart of Singapore’s business and government district. This campus is famous for pertaining International Executive MBA in Singapore. In the first ever ranking of open enrollment executive educational programs, The Economist magazine has ranked Chicago as “excellent” giving 4.5 in a scale of 1-5. Its full time MBA program was ranked number one by Business Week in 2008. Six of the faculties have won Nobel Prize, which speaks volume of the standard of faculties. Students of Chicago Booth have access to the latest business concepts. For full time MBA in Singapore in 2008-09, estimated cost for nine months was $78,972. The cost included tuition, health service, health insurance, books, rents and utilities, food, and transportation. In addition, there is $2,000 non-refundable security deposit. For further details:International Executive MBA Program at Singapore101 Penang RoadSingapore 238 46665.6835.64.82asia.inquiries@chicagobooth.eduINSEAD is regarded as one of the best business schools in the world. A close tie with business communities, synergy between training and research has developed its integrative general management approach. INSEAD offers full time MBA, part time Executive MBA programme and executive development courses. The full time MBA is a 10-month programme that has been divided into five study periods, each of eight weeks. During the first three periods 14 core business subjects are covered and in the final two, students tailor their degree by choosing among 80 elective courses. The selection process is very competitive. Candidates are expected to have excellent academic qualifications, diverse range of experience, and management and leadership potential. Each campus of INSEAD has two intakes per year, one in January and the other in September. Students over 70 nationalities in two campuses of Europe and Asia also have the opportunity to take elective courses at Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia. Asia Campus of INSEAD is located at:1, Ayer Rajah Avenue138676 SingaporeTel- (65) 6799 5388Asia campus offers EMBA (Executive MBA), to download the EMBA brochure 2009/2010visit:http//www.insead.edu/emba/documents/GEMBABrochure20092010_000.pdf or http://www.insead.edu/emba/index.cfmTuition fees for September 2009 and January 2010 entries amount to $51,000. There are other education related costs such as books and council fees. Business foundation programme, language course fees and laptop are optional. The estimated monthly expenses other than cost of study include accommodation, meals, transport, telephone insurance and transport that may vary from $2,000 – $3,000 per month.The City University of New York (CUNY) Baruch College is the largest AACSB accredited business school of America that offers various MBA programmes in collaboration with Aventis School of Management. The Baruch campus at Singapore currently offers the following Executive programs:Executive Master of Science in FinanceExecutive Master of Science in MarketingExecutive Master of Science in Management of HR and Global LeadershipFor further details contact:Aventis School of ManagementBaruch College, The City University of New YorkASEAN Representative Office100 Orchard Road, Concorde Hotel Hotel # 03-08Singapore 238840Office: 65 6720 3333To download brochures and other details, visit: www.cuny.edu.sgSingapore is regarded in the business world as the gateway to Asia. Highly advanced infrastructure, close economic ties with India, China and comparatively low cost of MBA programmes from international business schools have made MBA in Singapore a highly sought after career option in Singapore.

Don’t fall into the first cross cultural communication minefield of not thoroughly identifying the right person you need to negotiate with.

International business negotiations are not easy to navigate. Sometimes even the simplest of assumptions right at the beginning can lead you astray.

It’s true, wasting your time negotiating with the wrong person does not happen often. But when it does, it can lead to a fiasco. You waste a lot of your time and increase your foreign lead costs. But you might even jeopardise your future business relationship.

Do not automatically assume you know whether you are speaking with the right person or not, especially if this is your first international business negotiation or if you are dealing with a culture extremely different from yours on several levels. You don’t want to everyone around you to see you on a wild goose chase.

Cultural differences can complicate simple communication. It is not always obvious to understand how a foreign company’s management is structured.

And in some cross cultural communication it can take both parties some time in understanding who should be speaking to who.

This is one of the advantages of teamwork in international sales. Two people see more than one person. Often one person is specifically assigned to picking up cross cultural communication signals.

Remember to verify whether you are indeed negotiating with the right person early in your communications.

Some people may take offense if asked outright. Most people will even accept a straightforward question if it is early in your communication. But there are always more polite ways of verifying. And you can include a short follow-up cross verification in any of your correspondence in writing shortly afterwards.

Good cross cultural communication skills are all about clarity and trust. Establishing the right negotiation partner is the first part of the international sales process.

Are you committed to speeding up your international sales cycles?

Learn how to combine cross-cultural marketing tools and international sales strategies for faster sales.

Join us on the International Sales Road Map

Would you like to develop your international business? Are you a beginner at international sales and marketing? Read the Beginners Guide Discover Your International Business

Do you have an international business opportunity venture that you want to introduce to other entrepreneurs? Then you’ll need to follow some specific steps in order to successfully advertise your organization. Here, we’ll look at the most popular ways that owners of companies have used to advertise their international business opportunities to investors around the planet.
Online Advertisements
Although pop up and banner ads get a lot of negative press, the truth is that they work. Let’s face it, too; they can end up being seen by millions of people if you advertise your international business opportunity in the right places.
Though “pay per click” (PPC) options are a better deal for you as an advertiser, don’t rule out other online advertisement options. Just make sure, though, that your pop up or banner ad has a professional tone; it’s tough to sell others on your international business opportunity if it seems amateurish.
Print Media
Print media (such as that which is found in magazines and newspapers) may seem old-fashioned or even “quaint”, but it absolutely can help you find investors and/or franchisees for your international business opportunity! And you don’t have to take out a 4-color, full-page spread to profit, either.
Many international business opportunity sellers advertise their organizations in the classified section of large papers (or papers with diverse global audiences) or magazines. Though these ads might be small in format, they can bring in decent amounts of income if placed in the right print product.
Email Messages
Everyone dreads spam, but LEGITIMATE email advertising can be incredibly profitable, especially when you want to spread the word about an international business opportunity!
The key is to make sure that you use email lists of prospective customers that are actually going to work for you. Many vendors now sell such lists for a fee (the exact amount will vary depending on usage limitations). Typically, if you buy them elsewhere, you’ll want to receive verification that the emails have been scrubbed and that you won’t spend eternity cleaning returned messages from your in-box.
Press Releases
There are actually some online sites that accept press releases from companies such as yours. So if you have an international business opportunity, you may want to formulate a press release to send to national sites. You can even go so far as to send it to business magazines and newspapers, though they are rather “hit or miss,” especially if your international business opportunity is just getting off the ground.
Remember – if you have an international business opportunity to trumpet to people around the earth, there are plenty of ways to get noticed. Just make sure that all the ones you use are targeted, creative, and on the up-and-up, and you’ll start to see results in no time.