Shanghai nomination approved: soon new free trade zone – building up new china

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I think that is part of modern chinese DNA  to get everyday more addicted to new 改革 (gaige means reform). That’s because is important to show to chinese population and to investors from all the world that China can always go ahead into something of new without changing that we could define as social harmony (one of most important fundamentals of confucianism as for communism party and keeping business environment as one of most interesting to develop new ventures.

And in particular each gaige could be more interesting if driven with the same perspective that was used by Deng Xiao Ping in ’78 when he started the glorious 改革开放 – So the news about Shanghai City’s will to introduce Free Trade Zone in  municipal area completely match with chinese ambition to drive new area where chinese system can realize his awarness of being real business model and place of opportunities for trading and investments  of the same importance like New York or Hong Kong –

Yes, because HK even if is part of Chinese Nation still today represents concretely the perspective of “1 country 2 systems” that has been considered as fundamental to manage the re-entry of HK under chinese political asset and it still maintains one of most profitable condition of Free Trade Environment for goods and direct investments.

China MarketsFrom 2008 when Beijing has been protagonist of Olimpic Games, Shanghai has been indicated as new center of the world for economic attraction in particular when SH was choosen as host – city for one of most important EXPO’s editions in the history in 2010. I well remember the perception about being the top of the world when i was working in SH in 2006 – 2007 and then in 2009 – It was like the beginning of new era. But at the same time i remember that even if companies were investing in SH registering their representative office first (then officially with new wofes in particular from 2010 when regulamentation changed in behalf of wofes) HK represented always the best place to invest capital gains and where drive good IDEs and high profit’s financial ventures. Why? Chinese money are chinese.. investors said.. money in HK are our money. They probably were refering about easy access to investiments using fully convertible RMB…

Well according with recent news Shanghai’s request about start of procedure to become FTZ for investments and goods has been approved by State of Council (in particular the issue has been boosted after visit of premier Li Keqiang in the previous days at Pudong district) and it’ll represent an hypothetic step of testing how other municipal zones could in the future get the same condition boosting their operative assets of investment also in behalf. of businesses built in other regions in mainland. SH will start to compete with HK on this issue and the big internal market and the well framed facilities system already improved for Expo will make for sure the difference and it’ll be really important comparing with HK. We should also to remind that SH got more productive and industrial zones (Ningbo area and others) comparing with Hong Kong but for sure the general tax conditions in HK still represent a very good appeal for investors.

I’m sure that this condition will start new era for chinese investments environment and again it’ll show to the “old continent” how we have to work hard on promote good network and common system also for attraction of IDE in particular towards that fields that we would be proud of holding primacy.

Marketing Strategy on east Asia – contents of marketing course for Master in Internationalization of SME – NIBI new institute for international business Milano

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It started as professional collaboration 3 years ago and now it’s becoming an interesting opportunity for me to introduce specific contents about doing business in China and Japan, in particular focusing on marketing strategy’s tips for companies according with personal professional experience as advisor for such commercial dynamics.

For the next session that will start soon, I’m going to teach in Milan on 5 of October 2013 and I’ll provide to my students concrete tools to approach chinese market considering elements as follows

– now china represents a real business model that consist of specific and distinctive features (about target, IDE, regulamentations for specific fields, VAT , company lawa etc)  that must be considered on planning strategy (as model it means that way of doing business and promotion need particular attention on specific steps and as part of internationalization’s process)

– target’s control: we’re really sure to know well chinese market? we should remember that when we talk about china we’re approaching an highly framed market and also when we refear to “rich chinese as potential customers” we have to take care about several levels of richness (middle class, upper middle class, rich people etc)

– regional marketing in China needs probably the most demanding attention than any other market, that’s  first of all beacause it’s a very big country, then cause we’re approaching a multi ethnic – country and doing business locally needs local connections and specific awarness about elements that marks operators (suppliers) but also trading companies or final customers.

– during this lesson I’ll also specify some new elements that represent big change for China about e-commerce policies and doing business on the web

– then we’ll focus our attention on some cases and we’ll introduce some basic info about negotiation’s steps.

‘cause I’ve expertise about chinese language I’m used to introduce the above contents using some key-words in chinese and I’ll try to channel attention of students about specific Hanzi that will express the meanings i’m going to focus on –

If you wanna know more about NIBI’s faculty and didactic programmes check the link as follows. I’m proud to remind you that Asian Studies Group, the studies centre which I’ve founded is official partner of the Institute as Consulate of Republic of Korea in Milan and Confucius Institute.

 

 

http://www.nibi-milano.it/Corsi_internazionalizzazione_impresa/Corsi_impresa/Far_East.kl

You have smart ideas for business? Make them reality! The opportunity comes from Hong Kong

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I’m not a dreamer you know. As business developer the first thing I’m used to take care is the feasibility of our entrepreneurship.  Sometimes I have to face with great concepts that cannot reach expected results as fixed on business plan, cause they’re lacking of co-investiments or connections to improve business appeal of the project.

It’s not just a problem with marketing strategy or general management (of course they must run well from the beginning of the venture), sometimes it’s because it’s not easy to approach the right network of experts, of operators and right developers that could play the difference for us.

For young people one of most difficult step is represented by introduction of own business – idea among personalities  who count for the field we’re going to invest.

Institutions seem also pretty far away than being present on supporting step by step our investiment (little or big whatever it’s gonna be) and usually we’ll finish to consider our “smart idea” like an illusion, and at the same time “doing business” will appear  really inconsistent or unreachable by common people.

So, that’s why i consider the project called “Start Me Up” introduced recently by Invest in Hong Kong as real opportunity for whom want to present smart projects still never actualized and get them on good selection (sometimes professional suggestions can help us on understanding the right way to direct our energies before being mistaken)

The proposal promoted by specialized office for foreign investments of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region consist of selection of 12 projects concerning innovative business solutions applied in HK or in other countries as introductory step of business (so they will also accept candidates with some ventures already ongoing but it’s important being at initial steps and not into high profits already).

The programme will check the details of each project considering the concept, the prototype (if necessary), then the early revenue and the breakeven and profit phases. It’s interesting cause the commission will not judge following common business criteria according with usual well detailed business plan, but they will also consider other important elements as basic fundamentals of planning a good venture as follows

Immagine

Finalists that are not based in Hong Kong will be provided with economy class travel (direct return flights to Hong Kong) and five nights’ accommodation. The also will pitch to potential business partners and investors in Hong Kong at the StartmeupHK Venture Forum on 5 December and a series of partnership matching sessions.

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council will provide a business matching service to Finalists who are looking for business partners e.g. product/service suppliers, manufacturers, agents/distributors, buyers, licensees/franchisees. For finalists in the ICT sector, Cyberport will provide a one-year basic service subscription to the Cyberport Collaboration Centre, which provides business support and facilitates partnerships and technology and talent transfer. The Hong Kong Productivity Council will offer technical consultancy advice.

Our Chamber of Commerce in Italy, following dispositions issude by regional institutions, often provide some funds or opportunity to oin some development’s programmes (even if usually we face only with vouchers for reimbursement for international exhibition), but as I’ve already said lot of times, i think that Ideas and Energies need specific knowledges to grow up on the right way and these contents and concrete orientation must be offered into projects that can place side by side experts and supporting staff with entrepreneurs and investors.

Start Me Up HK well represents congruent exemple of professional support for doing business and it reminds perfectly that who invest (time, money, dreams and energies) is precious resource for community…

So let’s stop thinking that being internationals means only to join to international exhibitions… such mentality will not guide into concrete environment that will be useful to make our ideas real business (really connected with professional network that counts)

For details please check the official link as follows

http://www.startmeup.hk/

Shanghai Jiaotong University was looking for new partners… Found good one in Australia! Milan Expo 2015 needs to boost relations on global frameworks

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Jiaotong Daxue is pretty famous in China among professionals working on education fields as for those are into business community in China.  A lot of white collars working for big companies in Shanghai got bachelor or master degree at Jiaotong Univ (university for technologies and communication studies)

I’ve been pretty sure that SJTU was looking for high level’s partners ‘cause universities in China (and also in most of eastern asia countries) are always really interested to strengthen own notoriety with agreements signed with foreign universities; the best for chinese university is represented by offering to their students opportuities of international exchanges, internship programmes and research activity boosted into specific twinning sessions with other centres or  countries.

The recent news talk about important agreement between Shanghai & Sydney for the joint programme that introduce technical partnership of SJTU and University of New South Wales. According with speakers in representation of the two universities, this partnership represents a real connection for the realization of that we could consider as Asian Century!

16_UNSW SJTU_Dinner

That’s how Australia seems feeling like more asian country recently… in occasion of development of that they have definied “Asian Century”.  (sure the history of immigration in Australia well identify the presence of chinese in the history of population boom of the country)

The partnership will include research and development’s activities for the implementation of adoption  of Easy Access IP,   that represents an innovative alternative adopted by UNSW comparing with usual US-centric model of patenting and research commercialisation. The twinning programme represented also the righ oportunity to create common fund to invest mutually in  materials engineering, computer science and biotechnology.

Now, I think that our academies in Italy have already a lot to share concerning technology transfers, researches and IT tools and in the last decades we reached lot of improvement on this field (in particular biotechnology also and material egineering), but as we ‘re getting great results, at the same time we’re keeping high skepticism about chinese conduct on respecting our “discoveries”.

I think that everybody is working with chinese well knows that if you leave your counterpart free to get preminence ‘cause you don’t show any interest on cultivating the relation (in particular taking on it with formal and institutional approach) probably you’ll lose not only your face and credibility but also you’ll allow them to manage situations and contents on autocratic way.

Now, Milan Expo 2015 represents the prosecution of Shanghai Expo 2010..  so I don’t feel really comfortable with reading several news about joint – programmes (not only about academies but also for that concerns industries, funds, banking etc) signed between Shanghai and some new entries in the “chinese network” when we can assume something like a reasonable priority to show our potentiality and appeal in such issues.  Sure it’s not a problem of City of Milan, but political systems and whole institutions should consider that their presence in direct confrontation with chinese partners is fundamental to get accepted according with well known rules of doing business in China…

Please I don’t want to introduce “guanxi” ‘s meanings anymore… right? I think that business relations between China and Italy are well structured and chinese community in our country is investing a lot also attending to our universities before going back to motherland and introduce such expertins on chinese market as well.. We should follow the australian way probably, where China is the biggest two-way trading partner due to its proximity as migrants from China jumped a fifth to nearly 30,000 out of Australia’s total annual intake of 168,685. They are skilled immigrants whom can deliver significant benefits as the Chinese immigrants contribute to economic growth and their relative youth offsets some of the impacts of an ageing labour force in Australia

Well done Sydney! We should imitate your vigorous approach on taking care such dynamics.

So.. Let’s start thinking widely and globally… or EXPO probably will lose the real function to aggregate skills and opportunities on making these skills concrete start for international relations

Biz Bushido – Business Japanese, training for start working in japanese companies

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biz nihongoAs consultant specialized on oriental languages and cross cultural communication I well know how it’s important for professionals to manage good level about foreign language, in particular when it allows us get beyond common contents showing personal ability on handling specific argumentations whenever we need.

But I’m also aware that common studies and courses, even if you’ve attended good universities or well known specilized centres for language studies, sometimes could’t make you well trained on advanced steps, in particular for business matters, and that’s more true if we’re considering a such complicate language like japanese.

It’s not just a problem of being familiar with specific words that must be used according with professional fields (that’s for sure important for anybody wants to get specific expertise) but that’s really hard part that involves practice and natural perception about keeping the right “harmony” towards speakers (whom you will have for sure to negotiate or propose something..), how to show respect  ( in japan business must follow always specific known background of symbols and situations and it’s important to respect mutual positions in this game) and in particular awareness about own role inside the dialogue / relation  (according with confucian wave in Asia, then through more concrete “bushi – education” that influenced  japanese business world, everybody got specific role in the world, being humble and aware about own position can help to introduce with communication needs and get benefits from interlocutors).

Now can you imagine how it’ll be difficult reach so deep / particular skills during regular academic course? in my case i’ve studied japanese at university for 5 years – passed always exams with best marks or pretty high scores and i’ve been in Japan with scholarships first and  joining intensive improvement courses around 3 times during my university preparation (in Japan also)  and i’ve never faced up with such contents that now I well recognize as fundamentals to get  successful access to business community in Japan. Sure I learned  in the past some key -words in keigo (or sonkeigo and kenjogo) that any student must manage during university training (お疲れ様です、畏まりました、致します、イタリアから参ります、お願い致します、待たせて下さいませんでしょうか etc) but it wasn’t really clear how it would go beyond mnemonic usage.

The opportunity to understand more about this matter, came around 6 years ago, during my first working experience in Tokyo in behalf of big multinational company that was doing research and recruiting on japanese market in occasion of the estabilishment of its japanese branch. I was chief manager for this project and I was really proud to work for some months in JETRO Tokyo for this company.

My japanese colleagues and staff from Japan External Trade Org after few weeks of reports and emails thought finally to win japanese embarassment suggesting me to that way to communicate on business matters (they said.. your japanese is totally correct.. and you don’t have any trouble about grammar but.. these reports and emails. are 作文 that means “compositions” and not business documents..) – That was the real  rebirth for my skills and for my career… I got quick intensive and good training as japanese people are also used to get after university when they got employed in  a common japanese company..

Business4.32495947_stdWell, when I founded Asian Studies Group I really wanted to do something of different about didactic services.. a group  first of all must be an opportunity of meeting to learn something of useful and concrete sharing skills (experience should be teaching for others… following the manner of good sensei) … so I tought why don’t get benefit for all our students through personal working experience got in the past? and That born our programme focused on concrete contents about Business Japanese –  it’s not only about what do you have to study but in particular how to apply it and  how to become independent on recognize / reply  in different business situations, managing the contents as survival’s key – features that will be part of your professional tools for real.

‘Cause learning these tips will have not any importance without trying to make them concrete, we include in our programmes also 6 weeks of internships in Japan, (free accomodation offered by our centre and japanese partners) and we’ll make you as our executive assistant for projects that partnered companies are managing in Japan with us.

i manage with my japanese colleague teacher 1 month of intensive classes in Milan (and soon in Rome) – everyday you’ll have lessons and we’ll discuss (in japanese) also not only about business compositions (依頼状　詫び状　見積書　稟議書etc) but we’ll analyze also specific situations that maybe you’ll have to manage directly as professional involved on marketing / commercial issues with japanese partners or clients in japan (corporate systems in jp, contractual matters, types of contracts etc)

Interested in such programme?  I hope to See you at level check days and remember that we’ll provide three sessions yearly (sept + october / jan + feb / may + june) – internship start around 3 weeks later the end of the programme in Italy

SAVE THE DATE for Next Session –  Level check on 26 / 27 of September –

Location: Asian Studies Group – Milan

Classes will start on 2 october and final test will be on 30 october 2013 (daily classes 36 hours)

For inquiries contact also info@asianstudiesgroup.net

and check link as follows

http://www.asianstudiesgroup.net/it/italiano/corso-di-specializzazione-business-japanese-e-stage

positions available also for foreign students from Eurozone with certified skills in japanese language (send cv before reserve you attndance for level check day)

Fare Impresa Digitale – Doing Business Digital 2013 – Milano

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The notice for the financial support in behalf of small and medium enterprises about ventures on doing business with digital solutions has been confirmed in June 2013 –

An amount of 3 million of euro has been approved from the department for productive policies of City of Milan and has been released to Chamber of Commerce of Milan that will select projects of business development on digital sector presented by SME (the deadline to present the proposals is on 20 of september 2013)

One of the programmes that have been financed  includes special training  provided by Chamber of Commerce of Milan.

The training consist of 5 appointments – 20 companies will join it.

Contents will follow the topics as follows

– Strategy for internationalization’s of companies involved on digital field.

– contracts and international matters concerning property rights

– soft skills: negotiation, cross cultural dynamics, selling online, social networks

– Focus on 2 target market: China & Canada

I will handle three series of contents during my lesson on 28 of september

1) Macro- economic analysis

2) Business Culture (in particular chinese way of communicate “good selling” online)

3) Opportunities for sme in China (new reforms for e-business)

china_iphone

If you are an italian SME and you’re interested to know more about the financed programme in support of doing business on digital field and you’re operative in the City of Milan you can find more info on the following link

http://www.lavoroeformazioneincomune.it/index.php/da-comune-e-camera-di-commercio-3-milioni-per-le-imprese-che-investono-sullinnovazione-digitale-3/

see you on 28 of September, i’m sure we’re going to spend nice 4 hours together!

Paolo

a seguire informazioni desunte dal sito del Comune di Milano

Sono state approvate oggi dalla Giunta le linee guida per la definizione del bando “Fare Impresa Digitale” promosso da Comune e Camera di Commercio di Milano per l’incentivazione dell’impresa e degli investimenti nel settore delle tecnologie digitali, strumento indispensabile per la competitività delle micro, piccole e medie imprese milanesi. A disposizione di singoli e imprese contributi per 3.000.000 euro, di cui 1,6 milioni a carico delle Camera di Commercio di Milano e 1,4 milioni a carico del Comune di Milano, esplicitamente rivolti alle imprese con sede legale sul territorio cittadino.

Le risorse disponibili saranno così erogate: 615mila euro per gli interventi di innovazione tecnologica sostenute da Start-up; 900mila euro a favore di micro, piccole e medie imprese e 1.500mila euro a favore di imprese specificatamente collocate nel settore ITC. Gli interventi di innovazione finanziabili sono quelli per la promozione e la vendita on line di prodotti e servizi, il cloud computing, soluzioni di energy management, creazione di applicazioni a supporto dello sviluppo turistico e culturale del territorio, smart mobility nonché tutti i servizi digitali innovativi basati sull’internet of things (internet delle cose per migliorare la vita degli individui).
Al bando potranno partecipare imprese e reti di imprese con personalità giuridica che, al momento della presentazione della domanda, rientrino nella definizione di micro, piccola e media impresa (MPMI). Spazio anche alle Start-up sotto forma societaria (società di persone e società di capitali) e alle imprese individuali che devono risultare iscritte al Registro Imprese da più di 18 mesi alla data di presentazione della domanda di contributo.
I contributi, a fondo perduto, saranno concessi sino al 50% dell’investimento sostenuto dall’impresa sino ad un massimo di 15mila euro per le start-up; 25mila euro per le MPMI e 30mila euro per le imprese del settore dell’ICT.

Le domande di partecipazione potranno essere presentate a partire dalle ore 12.00 di martedì 2 luglio e fino alle ore 12.00 di venerdì 20 settembre 2013 esclusivamente in forma telematica accedendo al portale http://servizionline.mi.camcom.it/ e compilando l’apposito modulo.

Crossing Cultures – the balance between business aims and cultural differences

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Save the date from 17 to 23 of september 2013: ADM-EA Business School in cooperation with Asian Studies Group

Location: Malta – St Julians

Contents: Business english + business culture and coaching + networking

I will manage 2 lessons about business culture in Asia (China and Japan): differences and common points of dealing in these markets. In particular the workshop will be focused on

1) corporate system   2) negotiation  3) social evolution and contemporary trends  4) direct consultancy and business tips.

The programme will include also business english classes (one to one) for professionals managed by partnered centre in Malta

well detailed contents at following link

http://adm-ea.com/business-school-for-professionals-and-practical-business-coaching/

business coaching malta sept 2013

 

Welcome on my new personal desk… shared for you

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2012-10-18 09.07.05

Buongiorno a tutti! Today is national holiday in Italy and also in several countries in europe and in asia.. and while everybody is looking for nice swim  or relaxing during summer holiday, ‘cause I’ve got terrible cold due the air conditioning system which are provided the maltese “crazy” buses, I’m starting this website (for me it’s also a great part of my relax here !) and I’d like to consider it as my  lovely desk shared with you.. (check the pic of my studio in Milan at the beginning of this post), a place useful to introduce not only my professional profile but also to create new opportunities to share opinions and project’s proposals concerning Europe & Asia. two different worlds.. my passions and  part of my life

I think that many users and friends on FB well know wordpress and will be happy to blogging with me on this space. If you’re not so familiar with WP i suggest you to open an account, it’s free, very quick and it’ll bring you connected with lot of people who love to communicate, to share contents and also some business tips!

Even if I’m proudly italian, (for those things which we always should be proud of being Italians!) i’m more familiar with english on online communication’s issue.. of course I know that professionals and colleagues can follow totally contents in english but sometimes I’m used to introduce some posts to friend or relatives that still have some problems with “the language of global community” so I think I’m going to proceede with double language posting.

Please give me time to make this blog updated, in particular I’d like to introduce to you some training programmes that I will manage for some corporates involved on internationalization’s dynamics on eastern asia markets – I’m going to post calendar about next month’s activities soon!

That’s all for now! you’re really welcome and as usual, feel free to comment and join our discussione on these pages.

Paolo