World Trade - October 2008 - (Page 42)

SMALL AND MEDIUM-SCALE ENTERPRISE be more difﬁcult to change the way in which a given ﬁrm is perceived. In foreign markets, no one has established that sway.” Acquistions are often transacted for the sake of entering new geographical markets. At Lenovo, the Chinabased enterprise that acquired IBM’s PC business in 2000, Reid Thompson, head of Global Provider Management for Lenovo US, says, “We look to use smaller ﬁrms in niche markets; we look at a provider’s capability regardless of their size.” But can smaller U.S. companies handle the logistics of off-shoring? At CEVA Logistics, Chris Monica offers counsel. “For even the smallest company that leverages what exists outside of North America, there are experts like me who will take that information and at no commitment or investment on the part of the customer, offer options.” He added some advice on transportation services to the new world trader. “If you’re a small- to medium-sized business, you’ve got choices. Parcel choices; common carrier choices; there is ﬁerce competition all over the world. The advice I would give a small business person is: don’t feel pressured to make a decision quickly. Whatever an individual company tells you, sleep on it.” Author Jeffrey Graham, quoted above, concurs on the importance of seeking expert advice from seasoned service providers. For more small- and medium-sized companies, the changes wrought by globalization “mean that their business environment has become more complex. In too many companies, however, it is almost impossible to assess the impact of these changes because too many business executives are still in denial about these changes and have not rethought their business strategy accordingly.” The key, Graham emphasizes, is for individual company leadership to realize that going global means more than ﬁnding customers or suppliers in new lands, it also requires opening its capacity to learn and taking risks. Before moving outside, that is, look inside. And, carry through. Dagmar Recklies, managing director of the Frankfurt-based Recklies Management Project, says managers need the vision and commitment “to be convinced that this is a strategically important step for the businesses long-term development. Only then, they will be able to overcome the numerous risks and problems, which accompany internationalization of a business. Without real commitment of the leadership team, the organization will probably cancel their international activities as soon as the ﬁrst problems arise—long before the beneﬁts will show up.” And, there is one lesson that goes back to the experience of Tacoma’s Zawacki. Presents aren’t the only thing you can ﬁnd under the tree; if your behavior is up to requirements, you can also ﬁnd lumps of coal. WT Contributing Editor Mark Bernstein writes on a wide range of global trade subjects. For reprints of this article, please contact Cindy Williams at williamsc@bnpmedia. com or 610-436-4220 ext. 8516. 42 WORLD TRADE OCTOBER 2008 WTM08084PRIN.indd 1 7/16/08 9:35:00 AM http://www.rupertport.com http://www.rupertport.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of World Trade - October 2008

World Trade - October 2008 Contents Tune Up Your Supply Chain Globalization: The Real Competitive Threat Supply Chain Watch Tradewinds Shippers and Providers Collaborate to Take on a Challenging Economy Tweaking the Supply Chain to Optimize Value and Minimize Cost Supply Chain Software Morphs Into Enterprise Management Can Warehousing Really, Truly Be Strategic? Everybody is Global Between the Devil and the Deep The Hidden Costs of ‘Free’ Translation Blowing Smoke

World Trade - October 2008

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