Articles

Last 25 years professional life has changed. An era of market economy, open economy, consumerism and so on. Its competitiveness. Survival of the fittest .Recession is in our minds. Recession because of vacum created between demand of the transformed situation and the inability to meet it or a gap of incompetency. What is required is to anticipate the new developments, upgrade competencies to be able meet the challenges of the emerging new situation proactively.

We are in an era of speed. Not perfection, but excellence.  Not just efficiency, but effectiveness. Dynamic and transformation is swift While Values are talked about and are desired; ethics is what everyone says he is , finally bottom line is the most important determinant for growth and development.

Time scale growth in career is now a part of the professional history. Tangible contribution takes greater credence.

Until recently the road to the top was well marked. Surveys of chief executives consistently reported that more than three quarters had finance, manufacturing or marketing backgrounds. As the post World War II period of growing markets and domestic only competition fades, however, so too does the narrow one company one industry chief executive. In the new millennium increasing international competition, the globalization of companies’ technology, demographic shifts, and the speed of overall change will govern the choice of company leaders. It will be difficult for a single discipline individual to reach the top in the future.

The executive recently picked to head Procter & Gamble’s US operations is a good example of the effect of globalization on businesses and the importance of experience, whether in Japan, Europe or elsewhere. The head of all P&G US business was born in the Netherlands received an MBA from Rotterdam’s Eramus University then rose through P&G’s marketing ranks in Holland ,the USA and Austria. After proving himself in Japan, he moved to P&G’s Cincinnati Ohio, head quarters to direct its push into East Asia, and then to his present position. If he succeeds in the USA, he is likely to head P&G, next.

The companies now are not limiting their search to their own countries but looking for capable people from all over the world; within the organization or outside the organization. Examples: Coco-Cola’s former CEO, who reached the top in Cuba, his native place and the former IBM vice chairman a Swiss national who proved himself in Europe before taking over the top job in IBM. Companies such a Colgate –Palmolive believe that it is important to have international exposure early in a person’s career and make international training as an integral part of the entry level development programs. Colgate recruits its future managers from the world’s best colleges and businesses schools. Preferences given to persons who can speak at least one language other than English, who have some amount of International exposure and persons with proven Leadership Skills. A typical recruit might be a US citizen who has spent a year studying in another country, or a national of another country who was educated in the United States.

Trainees begin their careers in a two year entry level, total immersion program that consists of stints in the finance, manufacturing and marketing departments and an in depth exposure to the company’s marketing system. There is again the trainees are rotated through the firm’s Advertising Agency, Marketing Research and Product Management units. Finally they are made to work as Sales person in the field. There is scheduled training programme for the trainee in the form of visiting their foreign subsidiary at least once in two years along with their seniors. The Objective is to develop international Managers who take up positions globally a nywhere as when required.

Companies whose foreign receipts make up a substantial portion of their earnings and who see themselves as global companies rather than as domestic companies doing business in foreign markets are the most active in making the foreign experience an integrated part of a successful corporate career.

For a successful corporate career international exposure is now essential. Apart from the person has consciously developed in himself high caliber leadership skills and communication skills. Global Manager today is an all-round personality.