ialum issue#4 Feb/Mar 2015

B U S I N E S S M A G A Z I N E

ADVANCEMENT ANDALUMNI RELATIONS CENTRE

Issue # 4 - February/March 2015

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GlobalGoingMar ina Deo

. Witty . Risk Taker . Mindful

The Gro-Bal PerspectiveExporting Services from T&T 3 Pillars of Sourcing in China Global HR: a bunch of Globaloney?

Paula Singh - Adjunct Lecturer (COSTAATT),Head of Compliance Department (Massy Stores) and DBA Candidate (UWI-ALJGSB)Dennis Ramdeen - Founder (Pepper Advertising and Experiential Marketing) Donny Rogers - Managing Director (DAAN Properties and Caribbean Bird Barrier Systems)

PLUS CONTRIBUTIONS BY:

1

MARINA DEO:Funny . Risk-Taker . Mindful

Business GroupsTheir Role and Impact on EconomiesBy Paula Singh

The Gro-Bal PerspectiveBy Donny Rogers

Caribbean Economic IntegrationDeveloping business muscle for globalisationBy Latoya Richards

9. Clean your windows before you open them

10. National Competitiveness, Youth, Entrepreneurship and Culture

12. ICT in Mergers & Acquisitions

13. Building a strong Corporate Reputation via CSR

14.Correcting Sino Caribbean Misconceptions

16. Sourcing in CHINA… Finding the Right Supplier

17. Plan for Success

19. Service Exporting

20. Will The Evolution of Cloud Technologies Negate IT Departments?

23. Expanding your Business Globally

24. Engaged employees? Not without better communication

26. Finding Support for your Cause

28. Globalizing HR: Challenging Conventional HR and Presenting a Winning Roadmap for Today’s Practitioner

29. Leading from Behind

30. To Click or Not to Click How E-mail Culture can affect your Business

32. The Importance of a Foreign Language in Business

33. Photo Collage: Alumni Relations Centre Events

34. Photo Collage: Alumni Relations Centre Events

35. Photo Collage: School Events

BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Director of Advancementand Alumni RelationsMs. Fayola NicholasWelcome Message 2

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Message from the Director of Advancement and Alumni RelationsHappy New Year from the UWI-ALJGSB Family! We hope that the new year allows you to progress closer to your

dreams and goals for your family and career.

We welcome the most recent graduates from the January UWI-ALJGSB Graduation to the alumni community. Con-

gratulations on your most recent academic accomplishment and we look forward to meeting you at our alumni net-

working events in 2015. While we celebrate the new alumni, this time of year should also be a reminder to all alumni

that growth and development is a continuous process, and we invite you to learn more about the new Post- MBA,

which starts in February 2015.

This issue of the ialum business magazine is focused on Going Global. This is an area of great interest for the Busi-

ness School and many organisations in Trinidad and Tobago as we prepare for a changing economic climate locally

during the next year. Local and regional markets will no longer sustain us and this may force many local companies

to internationalise as a survival strategy. How will you fare in the next year?

We have collated a beautiful selection of articles from our Faculty, Alumni and other Business Partners that we hope

will assist you in your path to global growth. We also introduce you to one of our Master of Human Resource Manage-

ment Alumni who is flying the flag of Lok Jack GSB internationally.

Advancement and Alumni Relations will also embrace the global focus, and we commence activities this year to

include our alumni from our Guyana and Guatemala markets. I look forward to meeting each of you throughout the

year at our events and business mixers.

Finally, an immense thank you to everyone who made 2014 an outstanding year for AARC. Thank you to our maga-

zine advertisers, the sponsors for all our events and the companies that support our Career Fairs. Thank you to the

alumni who give back to the School as Feature Speakers, Mentors or financial contributors towards our programmes.

We look forward to great and exciting things in 2015!

Regards,

Fayola NicholasDirector of Advancement and Alumni RelationsArthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business

BUSINESS MAGAZINEBBBUSBUSBUSBBBB ININEINEINEINEIINN SS SSSSS SS SS MAMMAGMMAGMAGMAGMAAAGMAGGGGMMMM GGM GG ZAZIAZAZIAZIZIAZZZIIIZ NNENENENEN 33


Marina Deo has over 13 years’ experience in Total Rewards, Broad Based and Incen-tive Compensation Management. Her experience spans various industries including Aero-space and Defense, High Tech, Financial Services and Pharmaceuticals. Marina obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Management from the University of the West Indies, and a Masters in Human Resource Management from the University of the West Indies – Institute of Busi-ness (currently UWI-ALJGSB). She has several professional designations including Certi-fied Compensation Professional (CCP), Global Resource Professional (GRP), and Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR). She has held Management roles at Fortune 500 organizations and Multi-Nationals such as American Express, and Ricoh Corporation with strategic Global responsibilities in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Marina is currently the Total Rewards and Performance Management Leader for the Mis-sions Systems and Training (MST) line of business at the Lockheed Martin Corporation, one of the world’s largest and most admired Aerospace and Defense companies. In this role, she leads a function supporting a Global population of over 17,000 employees and a business segment of $8B in annual revenue. The MST business provides Integrated War-fare Systems & Sensors with a focus on Under Sea, Ship and Aviation Systems as well as advanced Training and Logistics Solutions for Aviation and Combat. Marina brings a com-mercial and innovative total rewards perspective to a traditionally Government focused or-ganization which is critical as the organization branches out into the commercial space and compete for the best and brightest Next Generation Engineering talent. Marina is based professionally in Washington DC and currently lives with her family in Northern Virginia. She loves all the outdoor fun and history that Northern Virginia has to offer but Trinidad &

Tobago will always be “home”.

What three - five words would you say describe you completely? - Witty- Risk Taker- Mindful (Living in the moment or at

least trying my best to do so)

What makes you different/ outstanding? I live in the context of my own life and chal-lenge my personal limits and shortcomings. I see personal failure as a necessity sometimes so I can truly determine the things that are important to me. While the measure of out-standing can mean different things to differ-ent people, I do not benchmark against tra-ditional standards such as wealth or prestige but rather the simple ones such as achieving happiness, living in the moment and being kind to people around me.

What is the first thing you do every morning when you wake up?I smiled at this question since I am quite a rebel against routine and daily rituals. For the most part I have an overall structure around my day but other than a good cup of coffee or tea, I take each day as it comes. Sometimes it’s quiet meditation, or getting flying start out of bed, or just lying around a few extra minutes. This is comfortable for me because it allows me to be very agile and responsive to anything that comes my way since I don’t have any undue attachment to useless ritu-als and no anxiety when something out of the

ordinary pops up.

What is a typical day like? BUSY! It starts with responsibilities at home getting kids off to school if I’m not travelling on business. Then, much of my professional day is spent on conference calls and meet-ings. There is an operational component of my job that involves interacting with others such as HR Business Partners, Legal, Fi-nance and Corporate to get the day to day tasks taken care off. Another chunk of my day is spent on Strategy for both my business area as well Organizational TR&PM Strategy since I also have matrixed responsibility into our corporate organization as well as direct responsibility into the business. Additionally, I have a geographically dispersed staff and we connect often during the day in order to maintain strong relationships in a virtual set-ting and collaborate on projects. Once my work responsibilities are over, I switch back to mommy mode and the kids and I debrief

on our day before they head to bed.

MARINA DEO: Social Entrepreneur

Witty . Risk-Taker. Mindful


What is a typical weekend like? I try to maximize my relaxation and family time by utilizing technology as much as I can dur-ing the week. I do as much shopping as I can online to avoid having to spend time at malls or the markets; thankfully e-commerce is ef-ficient and widely available in the US. That leaves weekends for visits with family and friends to parks, outdoor concerts, wineries and restaurants around my neighborhood. I am up for anything outdoors and thoroughly enjoy the warmer months of the year where I can be out all day!

What is your favourite quote?And Why? My favorite quote is from the Dalai Lama: “Do not let the actions of others destroy your in-ner peace”. It is a constant reminder that I am the only one who defines the way I feel in-side and out and if I live with compassion and not let negativity seep in, I will experience a peaceful existence.

Who is your hero/heroine? And Why? Not to sound cliché but my mom is undoubt-edly my heroine. She is the most kind, com-passionate, hardworking and unselfish per-son I know, and I give her credit for the person I am and what I have achieved. I believe that the compassion I learnt from my mom helps me with my everyday interaction and makes me a better leader in the workplace and a

better person overall.

What type of movies do you like?And Why?I love biographical movies and documenta-ries. I am fascinated by the human spirit and when it is captured well in a nicely made movie or documentary, it is something that often resonates with me for a long time. I am intrigued by the resilience, strength in person and ideology, and struggle of fellow humans whether good or bad, it is quite fascinating

to me.

What is your favourite type of music? And Why? My musical taste is pretty eclectic and de-pends on my mood but I do love my Carib-bean music. Soca and Reggae just reminds me of everything that is wonderful about life and growing up in the Caribbean. The beat and energy is so amazing, there is nothing a

good Soca fix can’t cure.

If you had to compare your life to a movie, which would it be? And Why? There are a few movies I wish were about me, but so far I don’t think I’ve seen any that truly reflect my life. I think that’s awesome since it means that I have a unique story that only belongs to me.

What is your pet peeve? My pet peeve is about people who perpetuate drama. It is just bad energy and I try as best

as possible to keep my distance from bad energy and the people who give it off.

When you were a child/teenager - how did you imaginespending your life? I had a lot of dreams as a child because I read extensively and had a very wild and vivid imagination. Some days I thought I would grow up and spend my life writing books in some remote beach or cabin in the woods. Other days I thought I would be doing humani-tarian work in some corner of the world or saving sea creatures. Everything felt like a pos-sibility. The one thing I have learnt though is life has really thrown me some unexpected surprises though I am all grown up and I’ll never feel like it’s too late to pursue my dreams.

What is your greatest work related challenge?I have had many work related challenges but I think the biggest one I face on a daily basis is how to constantly think outside the box in terms of Total Rewards. We live in a world where the best and brightest isn’t motivated by a traditional rewards system. There is a huge challenge in attracting and retaining the next generation of critical talent within the confines of traditional brick and mortar organizations such as American Express and Lockheed Martin Corporation when competing with the non-traditional organizations such as Google, Apple, and Amazon. There are also huge generational differences in the work-force which makes it difficult to deliver a one size fits all approach to rewards so constant innovation is key and making small strides toward big changes is critical when operating

in a more bureaucratic environment.

What is your greatest personal challenge & How You Cope/ Learn to Improve? Raising my two daughters is my biggest personal challenge and will continue to be. It is both a joy and a challenge and I love them more than anything. I want to do the right things to ensure they are good people and that I am a good role model. Unfortunately we still live in a society where you start off at a disadvantage simply because you are a girl and I want them to know they can accomplish anything they set out too, however big or small this is with personal contentment as the ultimate goal.

What are some of your Recreational Activities / Passions, And Why? I love practicing yoga particularly a practice that gives a strong mind-body connection and help me tune into the present. It amazes me that after a long day I can do a 90 minute yoga practice and feel refreshed again. I also love to spend time with my friends who have become my family in my home away from home. Getting together often with these folks and sharing a good laugh and some great food is always a fun thing.

How would you say that you LIVE (work/personal) the Purpose of theUWI-ALJGSB?I am always challenging the status quo of human development especially when it comes to fitting into the stereotypical mould of what a woman should be. I have been fighting the stereotypes while trying to be unapologetic about the qualities that make me a woman, qualities of which I am very proud off. I lead with compassion, thoughtfulness and humour and believe that this is the best way to keep a happy and motivated workforce whether or not this is a widely accepted practice is irrelevant since I need to feel like I have done right at the end of the day.


Business GroupsTheir Role and Impact on Economies

Business Groups (BGs) dominate their economies, trading in all busi-ness sectors, diversified and industry-centred. BGs are family owned or con-trolled, owned by

diversified shareholders, both private and publicly listed. The Oxford Handbook of Business Groups lists fifteen definitions for BGs; one definition notes that the BG “is a set of firms which, though legally independ-ent, are bound together by a constellation of formal and informal ties and are accus-tomed to taking coordinated action.”

BGs are formed through diversification, whereby the parent or the holding company acquires, merges, or forms joint ventures to create new businesses. Diversification can take place with domestic, regional and in-ternational firms. Caribbean BGs diversify due to declining industries and they grow and retain market share, gain knowledge, develop new business, globalise and create synergies.

BGs support their economies in various ways. One example is in South Korea and China where they were formed to aid or speed up industrialisation; the BGs in Japan act as a buffer against global competition, protecting the domestic market.

Cross shareholding, close relationships with government and interlocking directorates are common in BGs. Global top BGs such as Hyundai, Samsung, Toyota and Tata are family owned or family controlled. In the Caribbean, Ansa McAl Limited is fam-ily owned whereas Massy Holdings Limited (formerly Neal and Massy Holdings Limited), GraceKennedy Limited, Goddard Enterpris-es Limited, Guardian Holdings Limited and One Caribbean Media Limited are owned by shareholders. Interlocking directorates are common in these companies as directors of the firms usually sit on various boards in the group.

BGs benefit through economies of scope and scale, sharing supply chains and prod-uct markets; filling institution gaps by pro-viding internal capital markets for inter-firm funding. In the Caribbean GraceKennedy Limited, Ansa McAl Limited, Goddard En-terprises Limited and Massy Holdings Lim-ited all own finance and logistics companies which are used to provide support and co-ordinate key activities within these groups.

Caribbean BGs are important to the econo-mies of their countries. In Trinidad and To-bago the energy sector contributes 80% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP); leaving 20% to other sectors. In 2013 three large, publicly traded Caribbean BGs (Ansa McAl Limited, Neal and Massy Holdings Limited and One Caribbean Media Limited) contrib-uted approximately 8.42% to Trinidad and Tobago’s GDP. Caribbean BGs seek and encourage Foreign Direct Investment (FDI); an example is the joint venture of Massy Holdings Limited with Japanese firm Mit-subishi to construct a Methanol Plant in La

Brea, Trinidad.

From a socioeconomic perspective, BGs significantly invest in education and training, sharing knowledge and resources through-out firms in the group and this is also evi-dent with Caribbean BGs.

Globally, there is a growing interest in the study of BGs amongst Strategic Manage-ment and Organisational scholars such as Granovetter, Krishna and Palepu, Khanna and Rivkin; and Ghemawat and Khanna who all published articles on this phenom-enon. Their theories hypothesise that BGs may have a positive or negative economic impact; that there is a ‘dark’ side to BGs.

Review of the literature indicates that BGs can block FDI, expropriate funds from mi-nority shareholders and that their activities are so extensive they may become difficult to monitor. This research, though the sub-ject of various researchers, remains incon-clusive. Whether these findings exist in the Caribbean, warrants research

Paula Raghunath-Singh is currently a Doc-toral Candidate at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business; her research is based on Caribbean Business Groups. She is an Internal Audit Manager at Massy Stores and also a part-time lecturer with COSTAATT.

“The In Trinidad and

Tobago the energy

sector contributes 80%

to the Gross Domestic

Product (GDP); leaving

20% to other sectors.”

By Paula Singh


The Gro-Bal Perspective. G l o b a l i s a t i o n can be viewed from various pe rspec t i ves - positive or nega-tive. Globalisa-tion will affect everyone in both their business and personal

lives and as a phenomenon it is here to stay. For businesses to stay competitive and cur-rent in today’s market, the Business De-velopment function of any organization will have to be fortified- since the way we ap-proached developmental initiatives before has lost its relevance to securing maximum yields and engaging business on the global arena. In some cases, business owners are unable to identify, by means of empirical data, returns on investment and the busi-ness development initiatives undertaken.

Having examined and researched not only the methods of business development from a global perspective, but the key perfor-mance factors which requisite as tools in this process, the following matrix was de-veloped to be used in business develop-ment initiatives, serving as a ‘Process Map’. The ISENA Matrix, shown below, will not only provide realistic expectations to every-one involved but it will be specific to require-ments and resources needed, the scope of personal involvement and most importantly, a timeline when real financial benefits can

be realised.In the global arena, expanding your busi-ness via inorganic means i.e.: acquiring new product lines, is done within a specific and detailed structure- and a cessation to the informal approach encompassed in the engagement of prospective Suppliers, JV Partners or Manufacturers to negotiate and expand their product lines and market share with a structured approach, is needed

The ISENA Matrix is explained:1. Identify – this phase includes intended

product lines, new products, range of products, possible suppliers, pricing, your internal capacity etc. A SWOT Analysis may be useful in this phase.

2. Strategize – this phase identifies how your initiative will be executed, the re-sponsibilities of each team member, etc. By the end of this phase, an over-view of a market entry strategy should also be identified herein. This may also hinge on the 4th stage where in the event of a JV, a market entry strategy will be jointly negotiated. A working business plan should be in existence at this phase.

3. Engage – this phase defines the meth-ods of engagements to be employed, the persons responsible for each, their scope, the results to be derived etc.

4. Negotiate – as the name suggests and as many are cognizant, there are many methods and means of negotiations and this will vary in relation to industry, product etc.

5. Acquire – this phase, the final in the developmental initiative, will include the actual procurement of product, its logistics etc. At this phase, you may also consider a Value Chain Analysis to be done.

Once these steps have been successfully attained, and in the case of a developmen-tal initiative a new brand is acquired, the for-mal Brand Management will be brought to effect toward the end of this phase thereby marking the initiation of financial returns.Growing your business comes as a result of a necessity to stay competitive or as a re-sult of organic reasons. Either way, you will compete with global market forces, global thinking and global experience. This matrix, in its simplicity, is a practical but structured management tool which can be adapted for use in any industry for any developmental initiative.Generally, the Caribbean business environ-ment’s small and medium enterprises lack the formal tools and measures adopted in the larger arena. This matrix will equip busi-ness development teams to compete suc-cessfully with counterparts globally, in a structured and defined manner thereby in-creasing our international competitiveness by promoting proper planning, allocation of resources, effective use of resources, iden-tification of realistic expectations and spe-cific timelines prescribed for functions.

Donny Rogers is the Managing Director of DAAN Properties and Caribbean Bird Bar-rier Systems. He has over fifteen years of global experience in Business Development & Commercial Negotiations and is currently on a scholarship at the ALJGSB reading to-wards his MSc Degree in Small & Medium Enterprise Management.

By Donny Rogers


CaribbeanEconomic IntegrationDeveloping business muscle for globalisation

There are many who argue that Caribbean eco-nomic integration has reached the furthest that it would ever and that this integra-tion would be manifested in

the Caribbean under the guidance of CARI-COM. Economic integration which involves intra-regional liberalization prepares the economies of the Caribbean to open up to the outside world and enables the full em-brace of globalization while simultaneously protecting against some of its deadly con-sequences.

The role of the government is among other things to provide a macro-economic envi-ronment which enables competitiveness, productivity and opportunities for its relevant sectors to grow towards the target of eco-nomic development. Caribbean businesses would benefit from a properly implemented model of economic integration resultant of the stimulation of economic growth and trade as well as the enhancement of foreign

direct investment. These benefits translate into reduced costs of production, improved efficiency and productivity, access to higher quality materials, larger markets and an im-proved supply chain and are all key factors to establish and strengthen competitive ad-vantage.

The benefits of economic integration are particularly important to businesses in the Caribbean due to the constraints faced by small island states. These constraints in-clude vulnerabilities to exogenous shocks, small domestic markets and insufficiently diversified economies. Economic develop-ment in these circumstances needs to be driven by export-oriented growth with an outward looking perspective.

The many benefits of Caribbean economic integration can be elucidated yet the great-est emphasis looking forward ought to be on its contribution to Caribbean businesses in the much larger picture of globalisation and extension into Latin American markets and beyond. The increase in rivalry that would be generated across Caribbean mar-kets (in comparison to domestic markets) would serve to strengthen efficiency and the overall competitiveness of local busi-nesses. Lack of competitiveness is the key reason globalisation has had such a nega-tive impact in so many countries, resulting in the destruction of local industries that have not developed the muscle to withstand the onslaught of multinationals and international companies.

Economic integration in the Caribbean, especially of capital markets, provides the room to increase the speed and efficiency of the movement of capital in the region and this can translate into greater investments in Caribbean businesses. Capital Markets in-tegration can also strengthen the domestic financial sectors across the region which is essential for Caribbean countries as Trini-dad and Tobago who have identified the

financial sector as one of its growth poles in aid of diversifying the economy. An inte-grated financial sector can result in greater competitiveness with external financial mar-kets, more innovative financial products and service and improved macroeconomic performance with the possibility of greater inward investment.

Economic integration provides opportuni-ties for the development of many support industries as governments seek to provide the necessary support and infrastructure for the regional expansion of businesses. Thus economic integration can enhance and strengthen support systems and create platforms for Caribbean businesses to uti-lize as they venture out to take on the world.

Latoya Richards is an attorney at law, the recipient of the De La Rue Scholarship (Finance) 2014 and is a student of the International Master of Business Admin-istration programme at UWI-ALJGSB.

By Latoya Richards

“Thus economic integration can enhance and strengthen support systems and create platforms for Caribbean businesses to utilise as they prepare themselves to take on the world. .”


Clean your windowsbefore you open them

In Trinidad and Tobago retail brands have a huge opportu-nity to differenti-ate themselves based on ser-vice- and they can receive the benefits that

accompany such differentiation. My eight years of experience at KFC has shown me that people’s decision to return to your store is hugely influenced by the manner in which they are treated. In fact, according to stud-ies conducted by KFC, the service elements are a bigger influence on the return of cus-tomers than the food and value attributes combined. Based on my observation, it seems that most companies have relegated the effort to improve their customers’ expe-rience. They are of the conviction that it is a sufficient challenge to get a worker- any worker- to stand in front of the cash register.

Therefore, their focus continues to be driv-ing people into their stores through ad-vertising and the flavour of the decade, Facebook. Nevertheless, when we adopt this approach, it is akin to inviting people into our home when we are not sufficiently prepared to host them. We rely on the low expectations of service on the part of our customers as well as the assumption we share that we are on equal footing with our competitiors to conclude that the playing field is even. Yet, this kind of thinking is a ticket to mediocrity and ultimately, to the demise of business.

I have read many times that the most effec-tive form of advertising, bar none, is word of mouth. Some people think the latter is slow but the internet is changing that in this land of “accept anything” we call sweet T&T. Yet, we remain transfixed on the me-dia schedule and other marketing drivers as the main means of maximising awareness, getting traffic and transactions and building relationships with persons. Then, there is that other side of the internet- the internet as shop front. It’s anecdotal information, but everybody and their cousin seems to be purchasing something online, including groceries.

How many retail brands in T&T are doing mystery shopping? How many measure their customers’ experiences? How many have identified a list of attributes deemed important to their customers? How many have told their staff the game plan and what they want to achieve? The simple truth is that this is hard work. It’s much easier to call your ad agency, whip out the cheque book and grip ourselves into customers’ hearts.Furthermore, because we have valued ad-vertising agencies more than training and measuring agencies, guess which one is more developed in T&T? Simply, enough people do not pursue service improvement related businesses. We develop the skill sets that we reward and as a country we need to build the infrastructure for service delivery inside and outside organisations.

Clearly, this is not ‘either or’ - advertising and promotions versus service training. These domains complement and need the other. However, the imbalance needs to be remedied and this remedy needs to come fast. It starts with an acknowledgement that customer service could be the next defining battleground for marketers. Why? Because it might be the only thing left for brands to have a sustainable edge. Price, product, place and promotion advantages have be-come harder to hold on to for long. All furni

ture and appliance stores sell, more or less, the same fridges and stoves, on the same price terms, close enough for their custom-ers whom they all reach through print and electronic media.

Making this change to position service on the front burner calls for an unlearning and detoxification of the “same ol’, same ol” way of doing business. It requires a revolution and it starts with the CEO. If he or she does not believe in this, game over.

If we are serious about winning our market-ing battles, developing great brands, driving sales and making more money, we cannot continue as if treating customers well were an optional brand feature.

Dennis Ramdeen is the Founder and Chief Inspirer at Pepper, a full service agency operating mainly in T&T. Before starting Pepper, he has provided market-ing leadership for brands including Coca Cola, Heineken, KFC, Pizza Hut, Carib and Stag serving as Marketing Direc-tor with regional responsibility and has also worked with KFC and Pizza Hut in Canada. He is passionate about brands and what makes them irreplaceable. He knows how to use media, the web and events to bring people closer to brands in ways that are authentic and sustainable. His mantra is that a brand should “own one thing”.

By Dennis Ramdeen


National Competitiveness, Youth, Entrepreneurshipand Culture

The ability to diversify the economy and enhance global competitiveness hinges on the entrepreneurial culture of the people within the nation. Us-

ing that statement as a basis for analysis, suggested approaches for developing en-trepreneurship within a nation must not only include creating a conducive environment for the interested, but also stimulating inter-est and knowledge within the nation.

It must be clearly iterated that I am in no way stating that the creation of an enabling environment for supporting budding entre-preneurs should not be undertaken, but rather that emphasis must also be placed on convincing others within the society, in a very practical way, that entrepreneurship is the mainstay of our future economy. It is my belief that the main target of this stimulation initiative should be the youth of the nation.

In an attempt to illustrate this submission, I will relate a story of my childhood when I lived next to the Joseph family. Mr Joseph, a Trinidadian, was a Spanish teacher that was born and bred in San Juan while Mrs Joseph was a chef/caterer from Maracaibo, Venezuela. Even though the family resided in Trinidad and Tobago, their children, Juan-ita and Ricardo, were, from a tender age,

exposed to the cultures and languages of both nations. The ability to speak two lan-guages, mix and match cultures, seemed utterly instinctual for them. It was fascinat-ing to see Ricardo, at age seven, speak to me in plain insouciant Trinbagonian dialect and in a split second turn and speak to his mother in Latin American Spanish.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph, at that time, under-stood that in order for the Venezuelan cul-ture to become part of the norm/culture within their children’s lives, it was necessary for the language and norms of Venezuela to be lived by their children from infancy. This was not only supported by their activi-ties at home but also by their frequent visits to Venezuela where they were submerged into the Venezuelan culture. The Venezue-lan culture justifiably became part of who

they were. Could you imagine how almost unnecessary it was for them to learn con-versational Español in secondary school among the Trinidadian youth who struggled to learn how to roll their “Rs”?

In further support of my conjecture, I refer to the paper entitled Entrepreneurs Suc-cess Factors and Escalation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Malaysia by Raduan Che Rose et al (2006). In this study, University students in northern Malaysia were asked whether they looked at entre-preneurship as a preferred career option. In this research we discovered that mainly the students who came from homes or an environment where entrepreneurship was considered the norm, seriously considered entrepreneurship/new business creation as the preferred career choice. It seemed natural to them.

“The ability to diversify the economy and enhance global competitiveness hinges on the entrepreneurial culture of the people within the nation.”

By Lincoln Bobb


In reviewing Entrepreneurship Develop-mental Programs (EDP), not only in Trini-dad and Tobago, but around the world, it has been evident that most entrepreneurial programmes tend to focus more on creat-ing enabling environments through activities such as:• The availability of finance,• Training persons in dire need of im-

proving their income and • Even providing low rental units for

high valued real estate so that new business owners can conduct busi-ness.

The research highlighted above and the observation of Juanita and Ricardo sup-port the idea that the development of an entrepreneurial culture requires activities that imbue the minds of the toddler, teen-ager and young adult. Using parents and teachers and multiple media as channels, young minds can be influenced to develop business ideas and start simple businesses, and can be taught the idiosyncrasies of our

economy through a comprehensive pro-gram that facilitates learning both theoreti-cally and practically.

Students should be encouraged to com-pete within simulated industrial conditions and be guided through decision making processes which, will in turn, enhance their possibilities of success in the business world of the future. It is believed that the implementation of such a program would ensure that the nation produces more driv-en entrepreneurs who will in turn maximise the resources provided for them by the EDP program which focuses on the development of an enabling environment. Without these programs, sustainable growth in entrepre-neurship and diversification will be slow and increase in national competitiveness will be difficult to attain.

Lincoln Errol Bobb is currently the holder of a Bachelor of Science in Agri-Business Management, a Masters of Science in Marketing and is due to complete a Doc-torate in Business Administration (DBA) in 2014 that focuses on the development of an entrepreneurial culture within the Trini-dad and Tobago context.


I n f o r m a t i o n Technology has always been part of a busi-ness. Moreover, when a business needs to expand whether within its own local bound-aries, regionally

or internationally, Integrated Communica-tion Technology (ICT) plays a pivotal role in forming a link between a company’s head-quarters and local and international offices.

In the setting up new offices, the ICT infra-structure of the parent company will simply roll into these new operations. This expan-sion creates fewer logistical issues, apart from sourcing and shipping new equipment for critical areas; the core platform will re-main the same throughout.

The real involvement of ICT occurs when a company in one country, acquires the as-sets and operations of a target company in another country. ICT becomes the bridge between the different systems upon com-pletion of the acquisition process. This is a whole new ball game and a proper due dili-

gence exercise must be conducted on the target company’s systems to understand current infrastructure architecture and se-curity risks.

In order to provide an assessment of the target’s operations and present relevant recommendations, it is imperative that ICT be included as part of the due diligence team of a proposed acquisition of a target company. With early involvement, the ac-quiring company will have good insight into risks that arise during the acquisition pro-cess. Most companies will hire a consultant with experience in ICT Mergers & Acquisi-tions who can work alongside the parent company’s ICT professionals in developing the assessment and reviewing the recom-mendations.

These are some good guiding documents that are publicly available on the involve-ment of ICT in Mergers & Acquisitions as:

SANS Institute Security Considerations in the Merg-ers & Acquisition process:http://www.sans.org

ISACA Merger and Acquisition: Effec-tive Information Security Depends on Strategic Security Metrics:http://www.isaca.org

Pricewaterhouse CoopersInformation Technology Integration Putting IT to work in driving deal suc-cess:http://www.pwc.com

Adesh Rampat has twenty five years’ experience in the IT Industry and is cur-rently Manager, IT Security at a financial institution.

“The real involve-ment of ICT occurs when a company in one country, ac-quires the assets and operations of a target company in another country.”

ICT in Mergers& Acquisitions

By Adesh Rampat


It is almost a truism to state that within recent times, in spite of the c o n s i s t e n t evolution and shifts taking place in the b u s i n e s s

environment, organisations still gravitate towards traditional modes of operation. These factors force and create new paradigms and it is evident that organisations’ business strategies have been customised to a certain extent, with a few exceptions to the norm. Organisations have a great responsibility to all stakeholders involved; both non-profit and more importantly profit-driven. Business leaders are now required to do things differently and abandon the more traditional and conventional strategic options in practice.

Therefore, a greater adaptation of the out of the box approach is needed, one being; the strategic option of building and leveraging the Corporate Reputation via the extension of their corporate social responsibility, to create social equity. Organisations cannot discount the value, both tangible and intangible, of a strong corporate reputation and its relevance and ability to gain for an organisation a sustainable competitive advantage. However, this option must be pursued by focusing holistically on the triple bottom line of “people, planet and profits.”

There are significant business benefits to be gained, through investing in the human persons internally to build Human Capital and through the external development of current, potential and future stakeholders in the communities of your business. This

approach can create added value and leads to a genuine strategic differentiation in the market place. Business success is not only defined by the financial bottom line, but more importantly by the perception of your stakeholders regarding your corporate brand, corporate reputation and your contribution to society. Are your business relationships based on trust, commitment and ethical decision-making? What about your corporate governance policies?

Organisations must recognise both sides of the coin; one which highlights profit from the market, and the other side which considers giving back to the wider society. Building and enhancing communities is in the best interest of stakeholders for the assurance of their continued support.

Primax is one example of an organisation that went beyond the bounds and established the HER (Health Enables Returns) program which centres on raising awareness of and delivering health care education to female workers in the countries of their suppliers. This proved to significantly boost the corporate brand and corporate reputation of Primax.

Initiatives that extend Corporate Social Responsibility are required and all organisations that pride themselves as future thinking should get onboard and make a difference, not merely for their financial benefit but to create synergistic relationships with their stakeholders while simultaneously enhancing the well-being of others.

The value of a strong corporate brand and corporate reputation must not be underestimated. This importance is underscored in the consideration of the consequences on both the business relationships and the financial bottom line if such considerations were eroded. Therefore, business leaders should be vigilant and proactive through the pursuit of more Social Equity initiatives and strategically managing their corporate reputation.

Erica Banfield Moore has over sixteen years’ experience in senior management in the areas of Strategic Marketing, Re-tail Channel Management and Business Transformation. Erica’s vast knowledge base can be attributed to her tenure with international and regional companies such as Courts Trinidad Limited in the capac-ity of Regional Trainer, Digicel Trinidad Limited as a Retail Channel Executive from the inception of organisation where she assisted in the negotiations with key stakeholders and was a founding member of the team to establish the local dealer franchise. Most recently, at the local Ansa McAl Group as Retail Channel Manager, Penta Paints Caribbean Limited she was also a member of the group process im-provement team. Erica Banfield Moore holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Busi-ness Administration and a MBA from Henley University of Reading, United King-dom. Currently she is a dynamic business professional and entrepreneur

Building a strongCorporate Reputation via CSR

“A greater adaptation of out of the box approach-es is needed, one be-ing; the strategic option of building and leverag-ing the Corporate Repu-tation via the extension of their corporate social responsibility to creating social equity.”

By Erica Banfield Moore


A persistent mis-reading of Chi-na’s goals in the Caribbean and Latin Americas has skewed the way we view and formulate policy in relation to the People’s Republic

of China, henceforth, PRC. Most of what is written in the West narrowly focuses on energy acquisition, trade expansion and po-litical isolation of Taiwan.

These three pillars of Western discourse have served to bracket not only our Eastern view but consequently our Far East over-tures. This article seeks to give more useful viewpoints by looking at common flaws in three (3) significant areas

OriginsEvery nation, great or small, has its tradi-tions, values and heroes. The image above is of a young Chinese General, YueFei, pre-paring to defend his people and carve his way into legend.

Before he sets off his mother tattoos the words that would forever define his path (shown in image below); jìn zhóng bào guó; literally: “serve the country with the utmost loyalty”

The Chinese people have tremendous pride in their history and like us have emerged from the human shame of colonialism and imperialism. This China has far more in common with us than most literature readily recognizes and accepts.

Geo Political Asymmetry

MYTH #1. We are too small to make any significant impact in the China-Latin Amer-ica and the Caribbean, henceforth, LAC, relationship.While there is clear disparity between the two regions, the automatic notion of supe-rior and inferior rests on a wrong conception of what truly constitutes modern power.In the last few decades influence has come to be defined by soft power, smart power and comprehensive power, all of which have less to do with economic and military assets and more with cultural attractiveness and voluntary support of another’s position.These types of power utilize very different resources. A difference in size therefore does not necessarily equate to the LAC having to be at the losing end of any en-gagement (e.g. trade, negotiations etc.) if we train and equip ourselves with the tools of modern power.

Cultural Incoherence

MYTH #2. The culture of China (PRC) has no relevance to the LAC region.The notion of an Eastern culture that is at variance with Western norms is mistaken. The same principles that drive the celebra-tion and marking of days for remembering accomplishments, points to a deeper and more universal appreciation of culture out-

side of traditional confines.Culture may sound trivial, but when one considers that China has invested billions to promote its culture around the world, this points to a pivotal reality: the next stage of Sino-LAC relationship will involve a robust push for cultural melding.

This is similar to the export of US culture which currently has shaped music, mov-ies and fashion to name a few, all over the world. The culture of American democracy is exported as much as any good or service. We should expect this to become more prominent if China is to assume a more central role in the geopolitics of the future.

MYTH #3. China is the new ImperialistMuch has been written to suggest that the rise of the PRC is synonymous with a rise in an ominous new form of Asian dominance. If anything China has shown a tendency to be more concerned with enforcing sover-eignty, namely its right to self-determination.

This is the core of their policy on non-inter-ference in the affairs of others, namely the desire to simultaneously show and demand respect.

Unfortunately much of our history in the LAC region with great powers has fallen un-der the dominance structures of the North/

Correcting SinoCaribbean Misconceptions

By Kirt St. Bernard


South model. From slavery to colonialism to imperialism to structural imperialism our experience has been one of command and control.

China is differentChina is all at once and in equal measures a southern power with influence to rival that of the north, an eastern power with western capitalist traits and a developed power with developing country structures.

China will have issues to grapple with going forward that will impact its ‘good neighbor’ footprint. Among these are climate change, human rights, labor reform and a host of so-phisticated internal issues.

A key consideration for example peculiar to the PRC’s rapidly modernizing population is how to manage the social fallout of a new technological generation with no interest in agrarian pursuits.

These internal issues co-exist alongside China’s growing multilateralism (seen in their increasing involvement in international organizations and associations) and greater inclusion in the internal decision making

processes of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

In the last five years alone, the PRC took the decision to impose term limits for its lead-ers, formally imposing an executive leader-ship configuration, long cherished by the West.

In conclusion, it is worthwhile to remember that while the PRC is hugely successful, it is also impossibly burdened with developing country issues as well.

The unequal effects of globalization can be seen all across China from modern cities to sprawling slums. Debilitating levels of pov-erty comfortably rest side by side with rich and opulent lifestyles. In this, they are simi-lar to almost every country on the planet.

Given China’s scale, we must begin by iden-tifying these gaps in our perception of what China is. This places us at the beginning of a journey towards unravelling our reflex-ive submission to large powers. This in turn conditions our interactions and emboldens us to demand reciprocity.

A final necessary step at the entry level is to assess our own capacity in the new ar-eas of influence and power. In my research over the years conducted in various parts of China I measured thirteen (13) areas of influ-ence exercised in LAC by China. There are close to sixty-six (66) indices used by China’s top Universities to measure its Comprehensive National Power, hence-forth, CNP.

By analyzing our own CNP we are ultimately equipping ourselves for the task of restruc-turing the global terms of engagement.These preparatory steps pave the way for asymmetrical parity (equality regardless of dissimilarities) and will ultimately reinforce our position in the International Political Economy (IPE).

Kirt St. Bernard is a Lecturer and Pro-gram Director of the Executive MBA at the UWI/ Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business. He recently completed his doctoral thesis on “The Geopolitics of Asymmetrical Parity: Agency and Plurality in Sino-Caribbean Transnationalism” and travels regularly to the Far East to con-duct training and research.


China is known as the factory of the world and has emerged as a major sourc-ing hub supply-ing corporations worldwide with products across all industrial are-as. China’s moni-

ker is owed to a number of factors including the availability of raw materials, advanced production technology and the low cost of production for goods. Today, many savvy business owners have stopped using online wholesalers such as Alibaba.com and Tao-bao.com and are now sourcing their prod-ucts directly from factories in China.

Sourcing directly from China provides a number of benefits including more profits because purchasing is done directly from factories at a lower rate; provides value for money; higher quality products are manu-factured and is customised based on buy-er specifications; raw materials are availa-ble locally and the low cost of labour results in highly affordable products.

Despite all its numerous advantages, there are several risks in sourcing quality goods from China. To receive what you order and to mitigate risks requires experience doing business in China, knowledge of the Chi-nese culture and language, and use of your guanxi (network in Chinese). Buyers may need a professional sourcing firm to part-ner with them to successfully source from China. This idea should not be discounted especially for firms that have never done business in Asia.

Finding the right supplierLocating the right supplier is considered the single most important factor in determining the success or failure of a buyer’s sourcing agenda. The buyer/manufacturer must un-

dertake supplier identification research en-suring that they have distinctive attributes for defining and measuring their ideal sup-plier.

Defining the right supplier is specific to each buyer, as the relative weight placed on the price, quality and lead time (if the product is manufactured) and other attributes differ from project to project.

Normally, supplier identification research can take approximately four to six weeks. This process generates an initial list of po-tential suppliers using web directories e.g. www.GlobalSources.com and industry/trade show directories.

If the buyer chooses to manufacture goods in China instead of purchasing from whole-salers, it is advisable that focus is placed on factories that clearly demonstrate produc-tion experience with the buyer’s product and/or production method. Information on the size of the supplier’s operation, equip-ment, staffing and international compliance certifications are necessary. The potential suppliers’ brochures and websites are re-viewed against the established attributes for the buyer’s ideal supplier and this results in the narrowing of the list to a smaller number of potentials.

With this new short list of potential suppli-ers, the next step is to make contact via email requesting product specific informa-tion i.e. samples, minimum order quantity, and production lead time.Additionally, information on the actual pro-duction location and a request for factory ownership papers should be made espe-cially by manufacturers. The supplier should be told that the factory location may be au-dited.

At this juncture, the research should narrow the field down to possibly three to five highly qualified suppliers. Buyers/manufacturers

should verify if the supplier has a sufficient quality control system in place to make the desired product. If this is not to the satisfac-tion of the buyer, a third party quality audi-tor should be engaged to conduct a quality assessment of the factory. Due diligence should be carried out to ascertain whether the supplier has a good reputation, no legal problems and is financially sound.

Based on the results of the factory visits, the next stage is sampling, trial order or even purchase order placement with the top ven-dor or two.

It is clear that undertaking a thorough due diligence investigation of suppliers and manufacturers prior to engaging in a trade transaction can minimise risk and avoid problems when sourcing in China.

Michelle Low Chew Tung, MBA, BA (Hons) U.K. is the C.E.O/Principal Con-sultant of LCT Consulting & Associates Limited.

Sourcing in CHINA…Finding the Right Supplier

ByMichelle Low Chew Tung


Plan for SuccessThere is a say-ing, that “Com-mon sense is not so common”. The older I get, the more this truth seems to become self-ev-ident. That said, in business, there

are certain fundamentals that hold true, ir-respective of time and location. One such notion is that of preparation. Before under-taking any new global task, project, job or venture, it is absolutely critical to prepare properly.

Size MattersThere is this prevailing ideology in the busi-ness world that bigger is always better; that the more you can sell of a product and the wider your consumer base, the better it is for your business. The underlying premise is that more sales equals higher profits. However, to state an old adage that is quite often true in the context of business - more money also equals more problems.

So, before considering if your product has global potential, the actual first step is to consider what going global would mean for your company and if you as an entrepreneur are willing to pay the personal price and if the transformational effect it takes upon your organization is the type of company you would like to lead. Indeed, there are many products and services that have glob-al potential, but are run by entrepreneurs who simply did not anticipate the toll that such growth would have upon their busi-ness and personal life, causing the compa-ny to ultimately fail, be sold or be overtaken by a competitor.

Ask, And You Shall ReceiveAssuming that you understand and accept the cost of global expansion, the next facet is to see how your product or service will in-

teract with different markets. If it is apparel: What is the cultural meaning of your primary colors? Are there any shapes or colors that can be misinterpreted? If a dating applica-tion: How do local dating rituals and tradi-tions affect the usage of your application? If a financial product: How does the local reg-ulatory environment affect how your prod-uct is used and even marketed and sold? How will political relations between Trinidad and the target country affect the penetra-tion of your product? What about trade re-lations? If it is an IT or technology product: How will local vendor relationships or even corruption levels affect your ability to finally sell your product?

The list of scenarios and questions is as endless as the matrix of possible products and target markets. The variables, in many cases, are often as unpredictable as they are complex. So, the way to avoid some very fundamental market entry errors that could save millions of dollars is to sim-ply ask the market.

Ten years ago, “asking the market” would have meant to hire a market research com-pany to do an extensive and costly analy-sis and case study (which many small and medium sized companies cannot afford). However, with the rise of both the Internet and the proliferation of mobile technology, social media and networking sites, compa-

nies in the Caribbean now have the ability to reach out directly to target customers/con-sumers, business partners, regulators and even potential competitors and get pointed mission- critical information at a fraction of the cost and often, only at the cost of time/effort. Moreover, this generic “market entry research” will often yield not only a wealth of information, but also key business partners.

The Secret SauceAlthough gaining market insight is abso-lutely essential, so is protecting one’s as-sets. By assets, in this case, I am referring to: Proprietary business models; Market en-try plans (i.e. that you are even planning to enter the market could provoke a response from the market); Market entry strategies and Proprietary product information.

There is a delicate balance between re-searching a target market and disclosing confidential information. One relatively sim-ple way to protect one’s assets is to prepare a basic non-disclosure agreement (NDA) requiring that all information discussed be kept confidential. Granted, this assumes a certain level of local rule of law, which varies from one country to the next. Also, being requested to sign an NDA will possibly deter many sources from providing information who would otherwise be happy to assist.

Indeed, opening up new markets is a fairly complicated undertaking. However, with the right preparation, expanding your business to global markets will be not only a profit-able venture, but also one that sharpens and enhances your business and product or service offering.

Cecil John Howell is a successful en-trepreneur with an Executive MBA from Chapman University. He has over nine-teen years of international experience, in-cluding eleven years in Asia and running a successful market entry and staffing firm.

By Cecil Howell


Service Exporting Once an organi-

sation offers a service across a national border it is considered ex-port, whether by means of send-ing representa-tives physically to the foreign

country, by establishing operations in the foreign country or through virtual means of exchange. The use of a service within a country by a foreign national is also consid-ered service export.

There has been a challenge both locally and globally in tracking service export activ-ity because of its intangible nature as well as due to the fact that much of the service exchange that takes place may never be picked up on the “radar.” For instance, the statistics may never show the consultant who offers his/her services outside of Trini-dad and Tobago via email or video confer-ence, unless perhaps payments are tracked from a foreign source into the consultant’s local bank account.

The most recent statistics on Trinidad and Tobago from ExporTT reveal that the major-ity of service exports are derived from the Commercial services sector, while services in the Computing, Financial and Construc-tion industries show very little export activ-ity.

There are obvious challenges associated with moving a service out of Trinidad and Tobago. For example:

1. Lack of experience in exporting ser-vices, leading to apprehension.

2. Lack of familiarity with foreign mar-kets and culture – an issue that affects global marketing of goods as well but may present unique circumstances for services since the sale of services often

requires personal relationship with and intimate understanding of the market.

3. Little brand visibility for local service companies thus making it more difficult to network and procure business.

4. The challenge of having to comply with certain standards and requirements in foreign markets, for instance, legal or architectural service providers may not be able to operate in another country automatically without complying with certain regulations.

5. Little support or strategy from incuba-tor programs or trade support institu-tions.

Despite the challenges, there have been strides in certain areas that show promise for service companies. In 2013, CARICOM launched the Caribbean Community Re-gional Aid-for-Trade (AfT) Strategy that out-lined objectives for areas such as develop-ment of the production and export capacity for service sub-sectors in the Caribbean and the establishment of methods for ser-vices data collection, compilation, analysis and dissemination.

In addition, there has been growing popu-larity in the use of online marketplaces such as guru.com and elance.com. These mar-

ketplaces provide a forum for service pro-viders such as consultants, accountants, advertisers and web programmers to bid for projects with companies in many countries. There has been a move within the region by both service providers and companies look-ing to source service providers towards us-ing these forums.

On a closing note, there seems to be scope for exploring the use of services within the borders of Trinidad and Tobago by for-eign nationals. We often tend to think of thismainly in the context of tourism and hospitality,but there is potential on a larger scale for attracting foreign companies to our country to head hunt various profes-sional and other services. There is an abun-dance of skilled service providers here who would benefit from initiatives that help to create such linkages.

Sources: ITC, UNCTAD, WTO joint dataset, provided by ExporTT.GOMEZ, D. (2013) “Overcoming Trade Challenges Faced by Caribbean Services Exporters – Caribbean Export’s Framework for Engagement”

Kristi Sankar Dunlop is an adjunct lec-turer in the area of Marketing as well as Business Director at What If Ltd.

By Kristi Sankar

“The most recent statistics on Trinidad and Tobago from ExporTT show that the majority of service exports come from the Commercial services sector. .. ”


I sat perplexed during my Man-agement Infor-mation System lecture when my professor ut-tered, “The shift to Cloud Com-puting demostr-

ates the impending extinction of the IT Department!” Admit-tedly, I was engulfed in a horde of mixed emotions as the comment hit home and I found myself staring at my chosen profes-sion with a sense of hopelessness. Howev-er, upon examining my experiences, I saw that the emergence of Cloud Technologies has now understated the value of a compe-tent IT Department. Cloud computing quite simply is the allowance of access to data and applications via the Internet. Data is stored in remote server farms therefore its actual location is unbeknownst to the end user hence giving “Cloud” its name. Com-monly used examples of Cloud Technolo-gies would be Dropbox and Google Drive. Cloud Computing in its many forms has been a trailblazer within the IT community allowing organisations to curtail expenditure and resources by subscribing to virtualized services and outsourcing its data/storage intensive applications.

“Will the evolution of the technol-ogy make the profession redundant or worse, extinct?” I will seek to refute this claim.

Virtualisation of applications is a subset of Cloud Computing and organisations spread across multiple geographic locations are currently implementing it. Upgrades, ease of use and reduced maintenance are all ob-vious advantages. Sounds simple, right? However, the execution of such a service is quite intensive in terms of system design and architecture, preparation, implemen-tation, vendor SLA’s, risk analysis, techni-cal documentation, training and continued support. The new functionalities now fall on the doorsteps of IT Departments and they are embracing these opportunities by re-training their staff thereby creating en-hanced operational competencies and spe-cialty functionalities. The evolution of cloud computing has now created a more efficient dynamic IT Professional. A direct effect of this evolution has allowed IT Servicemen to further an organisation’s business lines by

developing new initiatives instead of sub-scribing to the status quo.

There are detractors to Cloud Technolo-gies and a prevalent question that remains, “How secure is my data and who are the gate-keepers?” The thought of it is often chilling to a Risk Analyst/Systems Analyst. Security of Cloud Networks came under scrutiny as recent as August 2014 when Apple’s own Cloud network was exploited exposing sensitive celebrity photographs. Organisations depending on their appetite for divergence of their information and for risk remain skeptical about third-party infor-mation operators. Some prefer to keep their information in-house at the behest of their clientele. To bolster this inefficiency Cloud Enterprise Services are now introducing bustier security and encryption solutions, which are now diffusing to other technolo-gies and application platforms.

“Cloud computing quite simply is the allowance of access to data and applications via the Internet.”

By Andre Bates

Will The Evolution ofCloud Technologies Negate IT Departments?


With every evolution of technology, desk-tops to tablet PCs, cellular phones to smart-phones, there was the promise to make technology more hands-on. However, it has added an additional tier of complexity thus creating surplus occupations to support burgeoning environments. Cloud Comput-ing is no exception. The IT Profession is not endangered but is on the cusp of an evo-lution seeing its benefactors subscribing to new methodologies. Should the emergence of cloud computing make IT Departments irrelevant; it won’t be for several iterations of the technology when it has fully matured to the point of self- automation.

Andre Bates is a young IT professional whose experience has afforded him the ability to touch on all angles of the profes-sion. He hopes to blur the line between IT support and integration during his career. He enjoys challenging new projects, system integration and building vendor relation-ships and hopes to see the Caribbean de-velop its technical capacity and infrastruc-ture to complete globally.


Check the Trinidad & Tobago Newsday every Monday and Thursday to get started on your dream career.


it knocks twice!

• PORT OF SPAIN: 23A Chacon St. • EL SOCORRO: Patraj Trace • TACARIGUA: FLOW compound • CHAGUANAS: Centre City Mall. • SOUTH: 1st Floor, Room 12, Cathay House, Carlton Centre San Fernando • TOBAGO: 1st Floor, E&M Bldg., 31 Wilson Road, Scarborough.




it knocks twice!

• PORT OF SPAIN: 23A Chacon St. • EL SOCORRO: Patraj Trace • TACARIGUA: FLOW compound • CHAGUANAS: Centre City Mall. • SOUTH: 1st Floor, Room 12, Cathay House, Carlton Centre San Fernando • TOBAGO: 1st Floor, E&M Bldg., 31 Wilson Road, Scarborough.

Expanding yourbusiness globally

IntroductionA person plan-ning to do busi-ness globally must first be cog-nizant of work-able structures, suitable systems, dependable pro-cesses and the

right fit of human resources needed to be successful. In a local setting, the tradition-al approaches can be followed, but when operating globally there is need for the sensitive handling of people in light of the country’s culture, values and belief systems. Having the relevant skills are also essential for competently overcoming the challenges encountered. These considerations are all necessary for the overall strategic direction of a company.

Strategies for SuccessImporting and exporting are the fundamen-tal approaches for small manufacturers who wish to enter global markets. Other approaches are to venture early into under-exploited regions to gain market dominance and to build factories in foreign markets. Some companies make less costly moves at first: arranging joint ventures, forming partnerships and undertaking licensing agreements before venturing into more prominent business undertakings.

Benefits of GlobalisationA foreign presence can increase sales and give companies access to new technolo-

gies and marketing ideas, particularly for smaller companies looking to faster-grow-ing overseas markets. Countries that share similar free trade agreements can engage in trade which leads to the reduction of their operative overhead costs. Savings are also affected when companies employ a work-force in countries where the cost of living is lower. When companies experience finan-cial crises they can salvage what remains of the company by reassessing their budget and moving overseas.

Challenges of GlobalisationTo expand the range of goods and services offered, a company needs suitable tech-nologies and communication infrastructure to reliably source equipment, utilities and other resources when required. Countries with insufficient resources and the inabil-ity to deliver support services are less at-tractive to prospective countries desirous of expansion. Knowledge of business law, best practices, foreign trade, international exchange rates, politics, cultural barriers, beliefs and values, and demographic trends of intended trading countries are essential. Global organisations employ people of dif-ferent religions, cultural practices and racial composition to underscore the importance of diversity. Organisations must therefore encourage multiculturalism to promote fair treatment and equality among employees and customers. This can prevent the type of business failure that stems from high turno-vers, low morale and the threat of lawsuits and walkouts.

ConclusionBusinesses go global primarily to expand their operations in the pursuit of higher prof-its through the provision of a wider array of goods and services. A close analysis of the suitability of countries must be made to en-sure entrance into those countries that can render maximum benefits. It is imperative for foreign operators to understand deeply the most suitable manner to relate to em-

ployees and customers in addition to the best practices to pursue and how to resolve

issues that arise. Today, many services are available to support the globalization of companies; consultants offer a range of specialised services and funding can be ob-tained from import-export banks, the latter of which also provide insurance services. Global business is facilitated by technologi-cal breakthroughs in electronic mail, social networking and air travel, enabling busi-nessmen to operate from remote locations.

Reference: http://www.quickma.com/strat-egy/

Jessie Thom, a Guyanese by birth, is a former member of the military services. She has worked in both the private and public sectors including working in com-panies involved in gold, bauxite and man-ganese mining. Presently she is pursuing the International Master in Business Ad-ministration, majoring in energy manage-ment.

By Jessie Thom

“Organisations must therefore encourage multiculturalism to enable employees and customers to feel they are being fairly treated.”


Companies the world over are hell-bent on “en-gaging” their em-ployees.

Engaged em-ployees, it seems, are now gold. Enthusias-

tic and highly motivated, the engaged em-ployee is on the job not only in body, but in heart and mind as well.

Clearly, such employees represent a pow-erful source of competitive advantage, so it’s not surprising that businesses now want them. The problem is, you can’t merely go out and buy them. Nor can you transform existing employees, simply by promising to pay them more if they produce specific re-sults.

Why not? Because employees become engaged largely due to the way they are treated and managed – by the way they are stimulated to work, not simply by the way they are compensated.

For example, benefit plans, pay-for-perfor-mance schemes and annual bonuses have been around for years. Yet, many compa-nies in the Caribbean are still plagued with

lack of commitment on the part of employ-ees, lack of trust, strained industrial rela-tions and poor business literacy.

It is pretty clear that we if want engaged employees it’s our management style that needs fixing.To be recognized and valued are human needs, same as air and water. Moreover, since we spend the better part of our lives on the job, and since, what we do hugely influences how we measure our worth, rec-ognition for what we contribute ranks high indeed.

It is degrading – and demoralising– to have such worth expressed solely in terms of dol-lars and cents, and to receive no other form of acknowledgement for work well done. How engaging is that?

One of the most powerful ways in which corporate leaders can reward, respect and thereby engage employees is by communi-cating with them candidly and consistently – sharing what corporate communicators call “the big picture”.

Most employees are genuinely interested in the issues that affect the success of their company. They want to know where the business is going, how it plans to get there and how they can help. They want to be able to connect their workplace with the marketplace. They want to feel connected to the business and to contribute their ide-as.

Starved for relevant information, employ-ees are forced to seek sustenance from the company grapevine, which is always fast but oftentimes inaccurate. Alternatively, they must make do with a Vision and Mis-sion Statement tacked on to the wall above the receptionist’s head.

Sadly, this situation applies not only to rank and file employees, but to middle manag-

ers and supervisors as well. How absurd is this? These people are the most powerful communication agents available to corpo-rate leaders.

It has been universally established by study after study that face-to-face communica-tion is the most preferred method among employees for receiving information. Fur-thermore, the face they are most likely to see day in day out is that of their immediate supervisor or manager, not a senior execu-tive. Face-to-face creates opportunities for dialogue: to ask questions, to seek clarifica-tion and even to offer suggestions on how to solve a pressing problem. It sounds a lot like engagement to me.

However, it can’t work if middle manage-ment is left out of the information loop and have not been taught the communication skills needed to recognise, reward and motivate people. When a manager can’t answer employees’ questions and has to say, “I’m just as much in the dark as you”, corporate leaders are not doing their jobs. Communication is leadership.

Due to its exclusive approach to information, and the importance it attaches to hierarchy, command and control style management stifles effective corporate communication. In addition, it’s easy to tell the companies where it is still in force.

For a start, business strategies falter for lack of understanding and support. Restructur-

“It’s pretty clear that we if want engaged employees it’s our management style that needs fixing.”

By Richard Thomas

Engaged employees?Not without better communication


ing and organizational changes are often more threatening than needed. Mutual trust is lacking and management frustration is high while employee morale is low. Good employee communication is not the only in-gredient in the recipe for engaged employ-ees. However, without it, you are not likely to succeed.

To turn employees on, you must first plug them in.

Richard Thomas is Principal of Clarity Com-munication, a corporate communication practice established in Barbados in 1999.

This article was first published in the online version of Business Barbados in 2012.

Richard Thomas is the Principal of Clarity Communication, a Barbados-based cor-porate communication practice.

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Finding Supportfor your Cause

For a young non-pro f i t / fo r-purpose organi-sation, scholar who cannot af-ford to pursue his/her study programme of choice, or for an individual facing

medical expenses (and many others), fun-draising is a necessity. However, in this en-gagement, you can quickly exhaust the re-sources and patience of your personal and professional network without meeting your target. How do you obtain support beyond your immediate network, and even beyond the boundaries of your homeland?

Technology makes it easier for persons to make monetary contributions irrespective of location. Internet and mobile banking fa-cilitate the convenient transfer of funds be-tween bank accounts while crowd-sourcing platforms like IndieGoGo enables users to set up online campaigns and supporters can make donations via credit card and PayPal. The inherent convenience means that people with a willingness to support will more likely convert that intention to ac-tion. The question then lingers: How do you attract supporters who do not immediately identify with your cause?

Luckily, neither your cause nor your organi-sation needs to be relatable. Obviously, it would be beneficial, but it is not essential. This is what the recent success of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge demonstrates. How many participants were aware that this initiative centered on ALS? How many par-ticipants were familiar with ALS? How many participants shared a deep concern for ALS patients and research? All? This is highly unlikely. People were attracted to the chal-lenge, not necessarily to the cause. People were encouraged by friends not the ALS Association to participate. The campaign thrived, for the same reasons social media platforms thrive; people live for ‘likes.’ Now, you may ask, “How does this apply to you?”

When trying to attract global support, incor-porate elements that make your campaign universally appealing- even if your cause is not. Lessons from the Ice Bucket Chal-lenge:

1. Content must be fun (ideally safe) and easy to produce, share and consume. The ubiquity of smart phones, internet access and popularity of social me-dia platforms makes this achievable. Ice poured onto a person’s head ar-guably lacks “fun” but the videos for many have some entertainment value. People like posting content that others will like, even more so if their moment of spotlight shows them involved in something greater than themselves.

2. The call to action must include support for your cause and a means for encour-aging others to participate. The param-eters of the Ice Bucket Challenge var-ied according to each participant, but generally, donation and nomination (public call out) were involved. People are more likely to heed a call-to-action from someone they know.

3. Give a short deadline. The Ice Bucket Challenge gave nominees 24 hours to respond. People tend to act right away or not at all, if not prompted.

Virality is not easily replicated so be realistic in your expectations. Be thoughtful. Some people found the water wastage insensitive given that access to clean water is a strug-gle for many in developing countries. You do not desire a call-to-action insensitive or offensive in nature. Be creative and with a little luck you can take your cause global.

Sharda Beharry is co-founder of Project for Educational Excellence, an educator and IT professional.

By Sharda Beharry

“Content must be fun (ideally safe) and easy to produce, share and consume. The ubiquity of smart phones, Internet access and popularity of social media platforms makes this achievable.”



Globalizing HR: Challenging Conventional HR andPresenting a Winning Roadmapfor Today’s Practitioner

Believe it or not, the term ‘globalo-ney’ was coined by global strate-gist and Harvard professor, Pankaj Ghemawat. He asserts, that the notion of a bor-derless, global

village is over-rated; it’s ‘globaloney.’ In-stead, he advises that our focus must be a realistic, semi-global one, since diversity issues face us on local and regional levels. With practitioners believing that global HR means booking a flight for a hired expat, then are we too guilty of practicing ‘balo-ney?’

Listed below are two quick win global HR approaches:

HRDeliverable

Conventional

PracticeGlobal

Practice

Acquisition Strategy

Preservation,

Assimilation

and Integration

Transformation

Strategy

Talent

Managment

Hiring of

Expats

TalentSupply Chain Management via Corp U

Strategy:HR usually adopts one of the following strategies, during a company acquisition:• Preservation: little culture change oc-

curs; both the home company and ac-quired companies retain their cultural identities. HR’s role: maintain the sta-tus quo in each entity

• Assimilation: Acquired company un-dergoes a high degree of change since it must now adopt the culture of the home company. HR’s role as change agent is to ensure that new norms, val-ues and practices mirror that of the ac-quirer and only the acquirer. The Way

We Do Things is Head Office’s Way. • Integration – A more inclusive approach

in which change occurs to both the ac-quirer and acquired. It involves taking the best of both entities, so that the company’s overall culture is a reflection of what existed before in both. HR’s role therefore involves a deep rooted understanding of what worked best in both environments and why, transpos-ing these internal best practices across organisational borders and attaining buy-in for these to be adopted.

Fortunately, I’ve engaged in culture change due to acquisitions and can attest that each strategy comes with both its merits and drawbacks. But even the aforementioned can be taken one step further – Transforma-tion. This involves three steps: 1. Like in-tegration, you incorporate the best of both worlds by transferring internal best prac-tices between companies. 2. Then, adopt an ‘outside-looking-in’ approach and also introduce current, external best practices and 3. finally introduce new ways of organ-ising work, people and processes. In other words, borrow from the best, but make it your own. This is transformation at its truest – best of the old and the new.

People Management:HR continues to lose the talent war when focusing mainly on recruitment. If you can’t

buy your talent locally or abroad, then build it! Several global companies are gaining traction from this approach, especially via the Corporate University (Corp U) stream. McDonalds, for instance, certifies its em-ployees through a McPassport Programme, so that they can work in any store world-wide with the competencies taught. For the fourth year in a row, Going Global Survey, 2012 has proffered that the four compe-tencies critical to working in a global envi-ronment remain: Global Mindset, Cultural Intelligence, Strategic Thinking and Adapt-able Change. Why not invest in a Corporate University and build your talent? Hence, change the way you engage in talent supply chain management by teaching global com-petencies to your global resources.

Colleagues, I attempted to challenge two conventional approaches to global HR, with the hopes that alternative strategies can be employed. For us to truly succeed in this semi-global arena, we must balance the need for global intricacies with that of local necessities.

Stacy Homer is a proud graduate of Lok Jack GSB and is currently a Director of Human Capital at a leading multinational Retail Company. Her experience in this field spans Corporate HR, Lecturing and Consultancy. Additionally, she is a guest speaker on a local morning show to con-verse on such topics as HR Technolo-gies, Dealing with Difficult Employees etc. When Stacy is not hard at work, she is also hard at play at what she calls her “real, full-time job” – that of being a mom.

By Stacy Homer


Leading from BehindWhether you are Achilles, Alex-ander or Tsun Tzu, the leader in your home or the person who gets things done that others are not capable of achieving; you

possess leadership qualities. These quali-ties are neither learnt nor taught but are in-herent in certain individuals (Drucker, 1955). Kent (2011) also advises, “Leading is an influence relationship” and this relationship usually results in lasting change. While the practice of leadership may differ according to environment and personality, the comple-tion of the tasks is the significant measure of a person’s character. Former President Nelson Mandela maintained that “it is bet-ter to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate vic-tory.” His statement encourages leaders to pass the buck when praise or success is expectant and not as a result of negative situations. Often as an HR Professional, I am asked almost daily: “How am I to achieve expe-rience if I am not given the opportunity?” “Supervisory or leadership is not on my job description you say?” Those of us en route to senior positions are challenged to make use of this technique and be an amazing follower. The art of making your leader stand out as the best is not done for your benefit, but for the revolving door of suc-cessful leadership that will be transferred to you later. This is the masterful way of lead-ing from behind. Over the past year I have been challenged to not lead from the fore-front as a supervisor, manager or executive, but from behind. I unknowingly made use of the concepts espoused by Hill, 2010. They are as follows:

1. Expectations – An atmosphere where there was positive expectation of what I would accomplish next and what unusual duty will be successfully com-pleted. Now, more than ever, candi-dates for employment need to high-

light their experiences suitable to the position and demonstrate the ability to work without consistent supervision. Their ability to think outside of the box is in great demand.

2. nnovation - In the book “Jobs”, Blu-

menthal shared that employees were regularly asked to create and do more than the usual or norm. The iPhone and iPad are the result of those inno-vations, and more significantly dem-onstrate a strategy of being competi-tively advantageous. I have received complaints from employees that what I asked for from them was not contained in the job description, but as more and more persons became involved in the process, more tasks got accomplished through the team effort.

3. Change - Lewin (1950) advises that the

steps of change include: unfreezing, transformation and then refreezing. No one is advocating the breaking of policies or procedures, but we are pro-moting an open mindset with respect to accepting the fact that amazing ide-as can come from almost anywhere in the organisational structure, even from those of us who ask for more than the box.

I am not promoting leaders avoiding their re-sponsibility, but rather encouraging manag-ers to accept the fact that leaders get things done through other people, according to Follet, even when the leader is not an of-ficial one. Overall, if you allow persons who are not sanctioned by their job description to complete tasks which they are passion-ate about but the tasks are completed well; then you should allow them. If you have a team member who may not be qualified, but the quality of their managerial concepts are superior, then allow them. You are leading from behind if you engaged in the following:

• You are interested in understanding people firstly as human beings, but also to align people based on strengths and talents.

• Motivation has been mastered. • The flaws in a person are not highlight-

ed as a weakness, but as useful in task assignments

• Strengths in the team are identified and honed

• You stare at the vision for very long, with parallel thoughts of the team and how it can be successful

• Developer of tactics and strategies • Master of Mouth Management Skills,

Duncan (2014)

I have had a manager once tell me that if I were not pregnant she would say some things, and one can only guess what that means. However, the point is whether you are an official appointed leader or not, according to Apostle Duncan you need to manage what you release out of your mouth. In closing, as an employee you can be af-forded the opportunity to complete tasks which are seemingly outside of your sphere, and you can accomplish vast amount while maintaining the portfolio of a junior. While managers, executives, and directors are en-couraged to step back like Steve Jobs and allow change, allow leaders who may not be organization-structure or job-description sanctioned leaders. Achieving much is possible and probable if you are open to leading from behind.

Bibliography:Blumenthal, Karen. Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different. 2012. Square Fish. United States of America. Daft, Richard. Management. 1997. Dyrden Press. Duncan, Vivian. School of Prophets Level II. Hill, Linda. Leading from Behind. 2010. Harvard Business Review. Accessed on September 10, 2014. Mullins, Laurie J. 2010. Management and Organizational Behaviour. 9th Edition. Prentice Hall. England

Malika McLeish is a Human Resource Analyst at the Court, Human Resource Management Unit of the Judiciary of Trin-idad and Tobago.

By Malika McLeish


To Click or Not to ClickHow E-mail Culture can affect your Business

Business op-portunities are no longer solely around the cor-ner- at some point you or your staff will have to c o m m u n i c a t e with someone from across the

globe: an Amazon representative in USA, a website developer in India, or even an im-porter in Italy. More and more people are exchanging ideas, products and services interculturally. E-mail is one of the most prevalent ways of conducting such busi-ness. However, when different cultures in-teract there will be differences, and as any-one who works with different nationalities can attest: communication is not always as simple as usinge-mail technology itself.

These cultural differences can be anything from meeting style, culture, etiquette and language. As a result, choosing the best way to communicate and understand the receiver of the message is key. Here are three important steps when communicating using e-mail across borders.

1. Language: English -without a doubt- is the main language of the modern world. Most e-mails are written in Eng-lish and it is the universally accepted language. However, within an intercul-tural context, English may not be eas-ily understood if it is not the first lan-guage of the speaker. This can result in poor grammar, misspelt words, mis-use of tense and the invention of new words. When writing e-mails, avoid using slangs, swear words or idioms. In a recent TIME’s article, CEO David Bailey learnt French in seventeen days. One of his techniques was to learn common words and phrases used in French, which helped built his confi-dence, and in turn, made the person receptive to the conversation. Be open to learning about the country’s culture and customs. Keep your words simple, familiar and relevant.

2. Culture: You can never go wrong if you are using a person’s surname. In Japan, for instance, if you were to call a person by their first name, this may be deemed disrespectful. As a result, it is best to ask the person with whom

you are speaking, how to address them, since preferences vary. Addition-ally, they too may be trying to address you by your cultural norms. Accord-ing to a report by Deloitte on cultural issues in mergers and acquisitions, given that culture will seldom stop a proposed transaction, it becomes the responsibility of the people managing the deal to stop culture from under-mining their desired goals. The most widely practiced approach to manag-ing the cultural issues is to define a set of desirable cultural attributes (a typical set being: customer-focused, innova-tive, entrepreneurial, decisive, team-oriented, respectful of others) and then to exhort employees to adopt these at-tributes in their daily behaviour.

3. Business Etiquette: The inability to see gestures and expressions that are ab-sent when sending an e-mail may re-sult in a break in communication or ba-sic understanding. So, e-mail should never replace conversation. Constant Contact, a leading team providing e-mail marketing services, calls their cus-tomers wherever they are in the world, to identify if their needs have been met and if they need assistance in under-standing the information provided by e-mail. Developing an e-mail code of

By Lisa Jessamy

“More and more people are exchanging ideas, products and services interculturally. E-mail is one of the most prevalent ways of conducting such business.”


conduct is one of the most ignored steps when using e-mail in a business environment. Having an e-mail code of conduct is the most effective way to ensure the corporate messages are consistent and complies with the best business practices. Set up some ground rules and then learn how to tai-lor them according to the situation.

E-mail is a powerful tool used to empower businesses transactions and grow custom-er relationships. Therefore, before you de-cide to click, pay attention to your receiver’s language limitations, use standard business etiquette, and have a deeper understand-ing of culture as it relates to the business at hand.

Lisa Jessamy is the CEO of Andalise Con-sulting Group and Manager of Prestige Business Publications. She holds over seventeen years’ combined experience and qualifications in the areas of Gen-eral Management, Journalism and Public Relations, Human Resources, Marketing and Communications. She was a former Associate Editor of Guardian Media (Spe-cial Publications) and Manager at Client Services of HRC Associates Manage-ment Consultants.


The Importanceof a Foreign Languagein Business

Parlez vous f r a n c a i s ? S p r e c h e n s i e deutsch? Hab-la espanol?

Gone are the days when learn-ing a foreign lan

guage seemed likea foreign concept (excuse the pun). In to-day’s fast-moving, consumer-driven, glo-balised environment where indeed the world has become a smaller place – it is now a ne-cessity to speak a foreign language. It often gives you the edge on a competitor and a competitive advantage in many situations. It builds a level of trust with the focal country and often opens doors to the foreigner (aka ‘you’) who appears humble enough to treat his/her host with a more refined level of cus-tomer service.

Learn the Basics1. Know your learning style: are you a

visual, auditive or kinesthetic learner?2. Learn pronunciation: otherwise you will

sound like the English policeman in ‘Al-loAllo’ – and rather than listen to you, people will laugh at you;

3. Pay attention to the grammar: every language usually has varying conju-gations: believe it or not English is still considered the most difficult language to learn (even by native speakers);

4. Memorise thirty words and phrases each day – this will go a long way to-wards retention of the material;

5. Practice the alphabet;

Practise the Language6. Listening – The most difficult part of

learning any foreign language is (in ascending order of difficulty): reading, writing, and then speaking. Let’s face it, even in our own native language, the jargon, enunciations and dialects often make it difficult to understand the speaker;

7. Read in the chosen language;8. Speak with native speakers;

9. And of course, practise…practise…practise…remember Celine Dion learned to speak English in 3 months – you can too!

Within the world of international business, it is imperative to remain globally competitive. Being multilingual (or a polyglot) can pro-cure the following (competitive) advantages (this list is not exhaustive):1. Many foreign firms prefer to work with

partners who have some level of flu-ency with the local language (and/or speak more than one language). It makes ‘doing’ business easier;

2. Aids in relationship-development/building with ground staff in the focal firm including distributors, sales reps, head office support staff, etc;

3. Contract negotiations are often easier since less is ‘lost in translation’;

4. Being able to communicate with peo-ple in their language also demonstrates that you have some knowledge regard-ing the culture (to truly understand a culture, you have to know what the people are talking about) and the re-spective rituals of those people;

5. Aids with marketing strategies and slo-gans. For example, NOVA means ‘it does not go’ in Spanish – to market a motor vehicle with that logo would be a colossal and costly error;

6. Helps when you are travelling - to read signs, ordering at a restaurant, general movements;

7. Demonstrates your humility, and will-ingness to put the customer first;

8. Creates new experiences;9. Facilitates meeting new people and

(potential) business partners – re-member, not all deals are made in the boardroom;

10. Learning a foreign language improves your mental acuity.

Children often learn a foreign language very quickly, mainly because they are unafraid of failure and completely immerse them-selves- and this is the fastest way. There-fore, go ahead, be brave, pick up a Rosetta

Stone CD, go online for free language ses-sions, check out UWI’s Centre for Language Learning (CLL), and conquer your fears…it will be one of the best decisions you ever made.And don’t forget…have fun!

Recommended LanguagesSpanish – it is the second most spoken language in the United States, and given that most companies work with the US, it is more than likely that a contributor will be Spanish-speaking. The similar situation ex-ists for French in Canada.

Mandarin - it is predicted that China’s economy will overtake the US economy in the very near future. While learning Manda-rin is quite the challenge, knowing the lan-guage will certainly provide some valuable benefits since many major deals are closed, in restaurants, the golf course, etc.

Hindi and Russian – these are major trad-ing blocks and represent a huge source of labour within the global economy.

Japanese - Japan is the world’s third larg-est economy and remains cutting-edge in business. It is a solid country for long-term investments, resilient and is able to respond to change. It remains a unique player in the Asia-Pacific, possessing an important role in building regional prosperity and security. It is also safe, relatively deregulated, con-sistent, profitable and enjoyable

Natalie David is currently the Manager - Financial Information Systems at TSTT. She is a Certified Accountant (FCCA) with a Masters of Science in Marketing (with a specialization in Business Process Re-En-gineering, Market Research with Logistics & Export Marketing) from ALJGSB as well as a certified Project Management Profes-sional (PMP) with sound Purchasing and IT functional experience. She has commenced her second semester with ALJGSB in the Masters of Small and Medium Enterprise Management programme. Natalie speaks five languages and is eager to learn more.

By Natalie David

Energetic participants!

The UWI-ALJGSB launched its new networking event BUSINESS MIXER on December 4th 2014 at its Mount Hope Campus. This event is designed to help mid-senior professionals and entrepreneurs to grow and refine their network. Over 175 persons attended this event. The next Business Mixer is carded forFebruary 2015.

Profile of one groupat the Business Mixer.

Eagerly awaiting the next group trivia question.

Our Partners

KAZYA EVENTORSRentals & More Ltd

Crafting the little steps for your

giant m

oments

Financial & Corporate Services Limited

Robert Mohammed, Marketing Manager at ANSAChemicals and Lok Jack GSB IMBA Alum celebrating a group

Open networking session to buildrelationships outside of set groups.

Festive wear at theDecember Business Mixer.

Representative of Unicomer Caribbbean Limited(one of the sponsors) engaging attendees.

The conversations extended into the carpark.

School Events

The Panel at the launch of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor for Trinidad & Tobago

One on one with with top leaders at theLeadership Dialogues on November 25th 2014

The Inaugural launch of the GlobalEntrepreneurship Monitor Report for Suriname

The UWI-ALJGSB team, the Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC)and the Export Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM), at the launch of the

export-accelerator programme called “Hidden Champions.”

The esteemed panel at the Global is Local Event on November 27th 2014

From left: Professor Gour Saha, Dr. Zaffar Khan, Professor Miguel Carrillo, Dr. Kamla Mungal, Jaidath Maharaj,Nirmala Maharaj of the UWI-ALJGSB with the awards won at the ACTT Quality in Tertiary Education Awards Ceremony

JOIN the LOK JACK GSBALUMNI Community

JOIN the LOK JACK GSBALUMNI Community

As Alum, you can look forward to opportunities to:

• Stay Connected to Professional & Social Networks With a network of over 5,000 professionals and leaders, Lok Jack GSB offers unparalleled networking opportunities

• Grow Your Career Receive career advice and be part of the exclusive alumni pool for employers seeking quali�ed, experienced managers

• Expand Your Knowledge Stay ahead of the pack with opportunities for Continuous Education

• Special Interest Events & Programmes o Business Showcase

o CEOs Back to School Series

o Annual Reunions

o Distinguished Alumni Series

o Annual Alumni Travel Programme

• Volunteer & Contribute o Volunteer as Assessors or Event Co-ordinators

o Become a Mentor

o Join our Charitable initatives

• Where are our Graduates?

As Alum, you can look forward to opportunities to:

• Stay Connected to Professional & Social Networks With a network of over 5,000 professionals and leaders, Lok Jack GSB offers unparalleled networking opportunities

• Grow Your Career Receive career advice and be part of the exclusive alumni pool for employers seeking quali�ed, experienced managers

• Expand Your Knowledge Stay ahead of the pack with opportunities for Continuous Education

• Special Interest Events & Programmes o Business Showcase

o CEOs Back to School Series

o Annual Reunions

o Distinguished Alumni Series

o Annual Alumni Travel Programme

• Volunteer & Contribute o Volunteer as Assessors or Event Co-ordinators

o Become a Mentor

o Join our Charitable initatives

• Where are our Graduates?

Join us on Facebook:www.facebook.com/LokJackAlumni

Connect with us on Linkedin:Lok Jack GSB Alumni Relations Centre

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