Approaching Korea – new interest for TOPIK and career’s opportunities

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We introduced korean language with our training programmes in Asian Studies Group just three years ago after long experience on teaching japanese and chinese.

I was pretty curious about Korea when I got opportunity to join a consulting board in behalf of american multinational company with branches in Italy and Austria, that has been involved on some troubles about management system and business culture with korean partners.

It was really useful  at that time my knowledge / experience about Japan and China  ‘cause I found a lot of connections in korean Jaybol-corporate system for exemple (that i needed to explain to groups of students / managers of the company)  with japanese keiretsu system up to the end of bubble economy as I considered really important the social function of confucianism in China, in particular when it started to characterize most of corporate’s dynamics due its influence about social relations (group’s dynamics, decision making etc)

Koreano Vol 1So when we decided to introduce Korea in Asian Studies Group it was for me like a “new love” that absolutely I wanted to discover and promote. The result was really impressive. We collected inquiries and requests to join our didactic programmes from dozens of different cities in Italy. That’s why we introduce also online classes with korean teachers because we couldn’t start with in-class activities everywhere in such short time.

After only one year we started to promote study travels in Seoul because everybody among our students shows us big intereste about going there and make their study more concrete and intensive, and actually we’ve already sent some groups of italian students in Korea.

Now we’re facing with new dimension of discovering Korea. There’s for sure a big portion of Korea-lovers that are more into pop culture (like pop music, drama, movies) and they represent a good target to introduce how Korean language is, as they always confirm with passion and happiness our study travel’s solution with great participation; but honestly the big challange for us (as Studies Centre and Consulting Firm) is represented by well framed target of university students and professionals whom are more into international certifications of korean language (TOPIK) and job placements in Korea.

There are also some italians whom already got personal professional experiences there with mixed results (somebody s enthusiastic, somebody else more embarassed for some businesses managed probably on bad way with korean partners that probably are not Key Opinion Leaders in their field or position).

As we started to build a service that could offer a concrete tool to prepare TOPIK and to join internship or master / bachelor courses in Korea we faced with too much disparate levels and programs (sometimes withouth specific didactic aim or  any well organized course for bachelor or master provided in our country).

At the same time when I tried to introduce some B2b solutions  to Chambers of Commerce in Italy in cooperation with organization in Korea (KOTRA is pretty interested and dynamic recently about promotion and introduction of opportunities of investments in Korea) I got again the perception that Korea as destination for business and international relations still needs social awarness about its identity and national profile etc.

chaebolAs I introduced to Consul Koh recently during the meeting I joined at Korean Consulate in Milan, now it’s really time to explain to european students and young professional what does Korea represent as destination for study, specialization, working opportunities and cross cultural integration and how we need them for mutual business and concrete joint-programmes for bilateral relations.

We’re really happy to offer some occasions of discussion, learning and cultural promotion in Asian Studies Group in Milan durin del Korea Culture Week from 23 of september. We’re going to provide some open – lessons of korean language, we’ll introduce our students and we’ll tal about study experiences in Korea and we’l be glad to introduce bachelor or specialization’s opportunities as offered by universities in Korea. We really like also to start official preparation’s course for TOPIK sessions in Italy as lot of our members asked us in Rome and Milan.

Probably not so many people remember that but some month ago the has been signed a new agreement for comemrcial bilateral relations between Europe and Korea – It represents really a new dymension for international cooperation and for business ventures between EU and Korea. But I absolutely think that institutional dynamics must be reinforced by social awarness. To boost korean culture and language could have a really important function about that.

New record for tourism in Japan – Pursue the common good, waiting for Olimpic Games 2020

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Japan shows to the world that beyond troubles and negative perspectives due the nuclear disaster in Fukushima and the tsunami of 2011 is really possible for a nation that invests on Tourism boost the economy as long as they continue to introduce their nation with fascinating promotion and high level’s facilities. A place where culture and well structured services system represent one of  best choices for tourists.

The aim has been announced: improve number of tourists reaching more than 10 millions for the 2013 expecting more than 30 millions until 2020. Purpose that i think  it will be for sure realized ‘cause Japan shows to the international community  they can develop one of most important resources for modern country: cooperation among institutions, people and industry.

I like to define such skill as “practical harmony of japanese society”. I think that sometimes for japanese people could seem really hard to try do focus on personal / individual perspective or interests, cause their education and the way which they get trained about every part of their daily life represent concrete aspects of community’s life.

They well know that each goal is part of common structure and they prefer to follow an invisible hand (reminding Smith’s definition for modern economy) that goes on opposite direction… Pursuing common good you can realize yourself and will be always safe.  This perception even if  it could be something of heavy that make you go slowly in some moments when  indeed you need to be ready for quick decisions for important aspects of your life, it’s  traditional and effective mood wich japanese society prefers to go ahead.

olimpic games tokyo

As european advisor pretty involved for my profession in frequent consulting activities for corporates that operate on japanese market and continuously  busy on high – risk decisions for ventures that must be managed balancing rush and patience between european needs and japanese analysis I suffer the condition of somebody wants to speed up projects and get concrete results quickly but at the same time I know that i’ve to face with system of people that are connected in common vision built in function of mutual respect, mutual effort, mutual involvement and mutual risk.

fSh1y.AuSt.55Now, the success of Tokyo as official city that will host Olimpic Games of 2020 is something that Japan was  really planning from decades… Then everybody there, 2 generations or more were getting ready for such perspection and for the big commitment they’re going to manage and I’m pretty sure that they will be able to show to the whole world that the common good as final goal must be pursued with daily and firm conviction.

That’s why I cannot stop myself from smiling when I ear somebody who put forward the proposal of considering Rome as next nomination for future edition of the Olimpic Games: first of all we need to focus on social needs as firm and concrete priority of our politic system.

We should create new awarness useful to build up network of players that can represent a new way of managing trasures of our country.. and we need for sure to start “thinking global” if we wanna to create a solid base for boost interests.

Japan keeps conservative and traditional vision for the values of their social system but they show continuously curiosity and great dynamism toward diversity and external incentives. I think that such perception could be the perfect way to educate generations on waiting for new opportunities for our country.

On business side the news of Tokyo as capital of Olimpic Games for 2020 has immediately shocked in positive way the international community of investors and companies that never stopped on buliding concrete relations on this market are now preparing new business plan that will be reinforced for sure from japanese counterpart. That’s why I’m already planning some business missions on key sectors which we’re going to introduce companies from Europe to important players in Japan – B2b negotiations should start 4 / 5 years before cause everybody works on japanese market well knows that usually from first meeting till conclusion of the deal we needs something like 3 years of intensive communications and planning activities..

So we’re already busy on improving details in behalf of business projects that concern:

– Tourism  (we’ve japanese tour operators branches in Europe and in Italy which we’re already working with)

– International communication and Marketing (worldwide event needs operators highly specialized on boosting sponsors activity)

– Urban facilities and transports (JR and private railways companies are supplied for equipments and high technology solutions by europea companies)

– Food  (as italian professional I well know as we’ve done for Beijing Olimpic Games, how much food and design and in general made n italy could be developed in occasion of such events not only about restaurants and entertainment but also for new distributions and as new occasion to introduce innovative products that thanking of such opportunity will become well known products for daily consumption after the event)

– Design & Luxury (Hotels and facilities will invest a lot on this aspects)

– IDE and new investment’s opportunities for re-establishment of businesses in Japan

As Italian based in Milan with my studio I’m proud of EXPO for sure… but recently I’m feeling more confortable on follow concrete and safe roads for my business and investments that will find the real successfull conclusion for well planned businesses… and with this awarness I warmly reccomend to start thinking of opportunities that we can already analyze in behalf of japanese olimpic games!

For further inquiries please contact me