Conferences

Promoting international growth

Since 2009, the Dialogues conference series and the video capsules have aimed to support Québec entrepreneurs in their development projects in international markets.

With discussions led by experts and networking between business leaders, Dialogues activities propose possible win-win solutions intended to develop your company.

Event schedule :  

Conference Dates for 2012:  

Saint-Georges-de-Beauce:  May 17
Registration and information :
Lise Talbot, Chambre de commerce de Saint-Georges
(418) 228-7879 reception@ccstgeorges.com

Longueuil:  May 29
Registration and information :
Isabelle Labrecque, Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de la Rive-Sud
(450) 463-2121 poste 240, ilabrecque@ccirs.qc.ca

Rivière-du-Loup:  May 31
Registration and information :
Myriam Létourneau or Firmine Fara, Chambre de commerce de la MRC de Rivière-du-Loup
(418) 862-5243, info@monreseaurdl.com

Laval:  June 14
Registration and information :Inscription et informations :
Roselyne Sauvé, Chambre de comemrce et d’industrie de Laval
(450) 682-5255 poste 229, rsauvé@ccilaval.qc.ca

News:
April 2012 - The Head Office: An Entity Central to the Company
March 2012 - Decentralize to Perform Better
December 2011 - The Crucial Role of the World-class Leader
November 2011 - How Would You Decribe Your Global Genetic Profile

A Leap into Globalization

Consult the results from the new study “THE TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION: Developing the DNA of a Global Player” and you will take a close look at 27 winning international corporations, one gene at a time!

This study will give you special access to the unique experience of a wide range of companies and their European and Québec leaders, who have generously agreed to share the steps they take to achieve success. The study will also provide you with examples of real cases and many anecdotes that will guide you in developing an effective international strategy.

To consult the full text of the study, download the PDF here (in French only) or send an email to colloquesdialogues@lacaisse.com to receive a copy.

Note that in 2012, we will be presenting this study as part of workshops offered in several regions across Québec. To find out the date and location of our future workshops, register for the Dialogues newsletter or join our LinkedIn group. Access our video capsules and other tools designed to support your international expansion projects.

April 2012 News

The Head Office: An Entity Central to the Company

Since they were first created, the main challenge facing head offices has been to maintain collaborative relationships with their national subsidiaries. To this end, the leaders at head office must prove highly adaptable in order to respond to the constant pressures imposed by operating in different markets. In addition to unifying and advising, head office must perform five key functions instrumental to corporate development: compliance, provision of services, support, consultancy and unification.

The compliance function encompasses all laws, rules and policies whose guardians are the leaders at head office. From management systems to operations, head office must implement standards defining the requirements with which the national subsidiaries must comply. These standards enable the company to preserve its image and reputation. However, the services offered by head office to the national subsidiaries are equally important. This strategic and operational support is an integral part of the provision of services put in place by head office in order to support subsidiaries.

Support is critical for maintaining lasting relationships between a head office and its national subsidiaries. In the series of interviews conducted with 27 European and Québec executives as part of this study, Dominic Deneault of TREBORA Conseil gathered a number of viewpoints on the subject. According to Olivier Caix, CEO of DIANA Ingredients, “[…] you have to give people the sense that they’re not alone, that there’s a group, a structure, colleagues who can help them if they run into problems.” This collaborative approach allows people to find solutions as a team and forge a relationship based on trust between staff in the subsidiaries and executives at head office. For example, Pascal Piriou, of Groupe Piriou, regularly travels to the company’s Nigerian subsidiary to assist his troops: “I go there often to show that I’m not afraid of being there, that it’s safe. […] such gestures reassure my expatriates’ immediate families.”

The head office can also leverage its experience to support its subsidiaries. Consultancy includes reviewing paperwork, training employees, and further developing the existing governance systems. The Keolis Group set up the Keolis Institute, which provides intercultural management courses to executives working in international business. Head office therefore provides employees with ongoing training and makes recommendations on bid preparation and decision making.

Finally, developing projects together is one form of unification that effectively conveys the company’s culture to its members. These initiatives bring the subsidiaries and head office closer together by getting them to set aside their differences. Then it is easier for them to join forces and achieve common goals, ensuring the company’s long-term growth.

March 2012 News

Decentralize to Perform Better

To succeed in today's globalized economy, multinational corporations are up against a number of organizational challenges. Should they centralize decision-making, or is it better to establish strongly autonomous national subsidiaries? Several factors influence the decisions of business leaders responsible for managing relations between head office and its national subsidiaries. The following insights should shed some light on the phenomenon.

First, it is essential to identify two types of pressure confronting companies with international operations. There are global pressures, like the presence of stiff competition, which can result in activities being centralized at a single location. And then there are local pressures, characterized by a country's laws or specific market features, which call for a more flexible approach, notably through greater autonomy of the national subsidiaries (decentralization).

In fact, a multinational must adapt its operations to the particular conditions of local environments and develop a strategy that takes into account overall corporate development. This means analyzing each operational activity to determine which of the two approaches (global integration, local flexibility) proves more relevant. Then it needs to focus on the market and choose one of three main forms of decentralization: deconcentration, delegation and devolution.

Deconcentration

This form of decentralization involves allocating activities geographically between employees at the central head office and those at the regional subsidiaries. However, geographic dispersion of one activity is not always synonymous with pronounced decentralization. Rather, it affords senior managers at head office a better overview of operations.

Delegation

Head office practices delegation when it transfers the decision-making process to national subsidiaries and divisions in charge of certain activities for specific markets. Despite their decision-making power, these units remain closely controlled by head office. Their managerial authority is therefore limited.

Devolution

In a system decentralized by devolution, head office transfers all decision-making powers and managerial authority to subsidiaries. The leaders of these independent units have specific and legally recognized geographic boundaries to their authority. This is the strongest form of decentralization because full authority is transferred to local leaders.

In conclusion, the pace at which markets are developing requires that companies regularly review global and local sources of pressure. This analysis allows business leaders to manage more effectively, provided that they invest resources in the right areas and, above all, maintain business relationships based on cooperation.

December 2011 News

The Crucial Role of the World-class Leader

World-class leaders must constantly adapt their management methods to their potential clients. The cultural differences to which they are exposed are unavoidable in matters of international trade. In addition to reconciling their cultural baggage with that of others, leaders must detect the decision-making mechanisms and understand the negotiating methods that enable them to be successful in the international arena.

To better understand the path leading to an effective governance style, let's summarize some of the key multicultural qualities in leaders who develop business globally:

Open-mindedness will always remain an essential quality in a manager. Attraction to what is new, backed by intellectual curiosity, becomes very instrumental when rising to new challenges. Furthermore, an appetite to learn and be open to the world are some of the forces driving leaders to develop new markets.

Introspection and cultural awareness are triggered by the experience of travel. Through this observation of the world, it is possible to better understand one's own reality while learning to recognize and respect cultural and individual differences. Discovering contrasts between our culture and that of another country enables us to better understand ourselves and appreciate diversity. The same reality applies in business, and many will say that they have learned as much about their own company as they have about the companies of their clients based outside the country.

Adaptability involves decoding people through the filter of their culture and becoming familiar with their habits and customs. Adapting to the hierarchy and nature of interactions allows us to identify these differences to better meet the expectations of foreign executives. However, we need to be wary of sweeping generalizations and consider the diversity of behaviour within the same country because social relationships maintained in business communities have distinctive features. For example, respecting protocols is one way of forging long-term relationships with international clients.

Some will consider these qualities easy to apply. However, they must be put into practice at the same time to broaden one's network globally. World-class leaders are, above all, individuals who inspire people to succeed, rather than seeking to assert their authority. They know how to integrate cultures and use their sense of observation to forge lasting and profitable business relationship.

November 2011 News

How Would You Describe Your Global Genetic Profile?

When a corporation considers the possibility of setting up operations in a foreign country, it must address the reasons motivating this choice. These reasons allow us to detect the corporation’s "genetic profile", laying the groundwork for possibilities of foreign direct investment (FDI). Whether it’s to develop new markets or enhance its competitiveness, it is critical to detect the presence of specific genes and understand how they can be combined.

The main challenge faced by the company exploring new markets is to ensure that each national entity makes a profitable contribution to the growth of the company as a whole. For this reason, it is important to detect the corporation’s profile using four main genes:

• The market gene
• The efficiency gene
• The resource gene
• The innovation gene

The most common gene, the market gene, represents a way of achieving economies of scale, remaining at the forefront of emerging trends and supporting its clients in international activities.

The efficiency gene goes beyond the scope of sales and exporting activities. In fact, it is a strategy intended to develop new supply sources and reduce manufacturing costs with the objective of increasing its competitiveness in new markets.

The resource gene is very topical. Struck by the scarcity and rising price of natural resources, companies must enter a real race to secure resources. Access to raw materials becomes a major challenge in development.

The role of the innovation gene is to accelerate its mastery of a technology. Whether it is a matter of developing new techniques or investing in research and development, innovation represents a strength for any corporation intent on positioning itself in the international marketplace.

Finally, combining these four genes allows various initiatives to be established and the corporation to grow internationally. Based on their sectors and targeted countries, corporations must develop pairing strategies to maximize their expansion into different markets. This combination of genes will allow the company to define its "global genetic profile" and effectively adapt to the specific challenges presented by each territory covered.

For more information on the genes and pairing strategies, attend the presentation of the results of the new study "THE TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION: Developing the DNA of a Global Player" as part of the Dialogues conference series.