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http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/ Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:06:59 -0400 MyBB http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=44 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:44:33 -0400 http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=44
we are the best Industrial suppliers for customers because we are the easiest, simplest, and most efficient place to find and buy industrial supply products. We have almost every product in stock. All our products has online presence. Since more than 25 years we have served many customers in entire Europe as well as some parts of the world.

Masonry Nails, Fixing Plugs, Toggle Fixings, Rawlbolt, Hose Clamps, Insert Setting Tool, Eyelet Pliers ]]>
we are the best Industrial suppliers for customers because we are the easiest, simplest, and most efficient place to find and buy industrial supply products. We have almost every product in stock. All our products has online presence. Since more than 25 years we have served many customers in entire Europe as well as some parts of the world.

Masonry Nails, Fixing Plugs, Toggle Fixings, Rawlbolt, Hose Clamps, Insert Setting Tool, Eyelet Pliers ]]> http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=40 Mon, 26 Nov 2007 22:51:30 -0500 http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=40 Unit 2302 Benson Tower
74 Hung To Rd.
Kwun Tong, Kowloon Hong Kong
http://www.newvision-asia.com
sales@newvision-asia.com
Ph: (852) 2357-1409
Fax: (852) 2357-1184
Contact: Rebecca Cheung

Do these problems sound familiar?
Difficulty finding reliable suppliers.
Your supplier turns out to be a middleman.
Quality problems showing up on your receiving dock.
Language barriers impede mutual understanding.
Time zones and distance delays communication.
High costs and complex logistics of travel to Asia.

If you are experiencing any of these difficulties, then you need to know about: New Vision Asia (NVA). NVA is chartered to assist overseas clients in dealing with Asian suppliers. From NVA's headquarters in Hong Kong, and with representatives throughout the Pacific Rim, NVA is positioned to provide its clients with personal service and on site representation when it matters most. Services include product and factory sourcing, contract negotiation, due diligence investigation, pre-shipment quality control, shipping coordination and general Asian business consulting.]]> Unit 2302 Benson Tower
74 Hung To Rd.
Kwun Tong, Kowloon Hong Kong
http://www.newvision-asia.com
sales@newvision-asia.com
Ph: (852) 2357-1409
Fax: (852) 2357-1184
Contact: Rebecca Cheung

Do these problems sound familiar?
Difficulty finding reliable suppliers.
Your supplier turns out to be a middleman.
Quality problems showing up on your receiving dock.
Language barriers impede mutual understanding.
Time zones and distance delays communication.
High costs and complex logistics of travel to Asia.

If you are experiencing any of these difficulties, then you need to know about: New Vision Asia (NVA). NVA is chartered to assist overseas clients in dealing with Asian suppliers. From NVA's headquarters in Hong Kong, and with representatives throughout the Pacific Rim, NVA is positioned to provide its clients with personal service and on site representation when it matters most. Services include product and factory sourcing, contract negotiation, due diligence investigation, pre-shipment quality control, shipping coordination and general Asian business consulting.]]> http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=38 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 13:43:46 -0500 http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=38 www.creative-dragon-works.com]]> www.creative-dragon-works.com]]> http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=37 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:11:28 -0500 http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=37
Order from Creative Dragon Works]]>
Order from Creative Dragon Works]]> http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=36 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 06:21:13 -0500 http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=36
Germany-wide the BVMW represents more than 150,000 Small and Medium Sized Enterprises with a total of about 4.3 Million employees.

Full service and support to its members is provided through a nationwide. sound and well organized network of more than 200 subsidiaries.

The BVMW strongly supports international business relationships.

For contact visit www.bvmwonline.de

[attachment=2]]]>
Germany-wide the BVMW represents more than 150,000 Small and Medium Sized Enterprises with a total of about 4.3 Million employees.

Full service and support to its members is provided through a nationwide. sound and well organized network of more than 200 subsidiaries.

The BVMW strongly supports international business relationships.

For contact visit www.bvmwonline.de

[attachment=2]]]> http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=27 Sun, 30 Sep 2007 15:47:41 -0400 http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=27
The vision behind this Forum is to be a platform for broad knowledge exchange in management and business matters. It shall be a forum where the ambitious and eager student can learn and ask, where the Human Resources Manager or the Headhunter can conduct his networking and perhaps observe candidates in discussion before approaching them.

A Job Market is available for both sides, the job seeker and the one who has to fill a position.

The active manager may look for information on legal frameworks and business environmental factors in a foreign country where he wants to invest. Ask your question and perhaps we have a member from the relevant country who can help.

Sales and Product Managers are encouraged to advertise their products and services to the Forum Members.
The more advertising is placed, the more interesting the Forum will be become for Purchasers as a sourcing place.

Technical issues are allowed to be addressed, shared or asked.
If wanted, contact the administration and a relevant subforum will be created.

The Forum offers all the necessary online capabilities. How good it will become depends on your active membership and how you will use this platform.

As a start and only here, you will find the brand new book named "Management Letters", written by Mr. Wolfgang Siemers.
Hints on how to setting up a company in Hong Kong and China are going to be provided.

All this is included in the annual membership fee and there will be no extra cost, which makes this Forum also the lowest cost advertising media known so far.

If your are not a member yet, please feel free and browse the Forum. Most of the subforums can only be opened by members. However, we have some sample readings accessible for every one.

To become a member just click on "Register" and follow the procedures.

In each case please feel welcome to the Creative Business Forum.

Yours

Henning Wiekhorst]]>
The vision behind this Forum is to be a platform for broad knowledge exchange in management and business matters. It shall be a forum where the ambitious and eager student can learn and ask, where the Human Resources Manager or the Headhunter can conduct his networking and perhaps observe candidates in discussion before approaching them.

A Job Market is available for both sides, the job seeker and the one who has to fill a position.

The active manager may look for information on legal frameworks and business environmental factors in a foreign country where he wants to invest. Ask your question and perhaps we have a member from the relevant country who can help.

Sales and Product Managers are encouraged to advertise their products and services to the Forum Members.
The more advertising is placed, the more interesting the Forum will be become for Purchasers as a sourcing place.

Technical issues are allowed to be addressed, shared or asked.
If wanted, contact the administration and a relevant subforum will be created.

The Forum offers all the necessary online capabilities. How good it will become depends on your active membership and how you will use this platform.

As a start and only here, you will find the brand new book named "Management Letters", written by Mr. Wolfgang Siemers.
Hints on how to setting up a company in Hong Kong and China are going to be provided.

All this is included in the annual membership fee and there will be no extra cost, which makes this Forum also the lowest cost advertising media known so far.

If your are not a member yet, please feel free and browse the Forum. Most of the subforums can only be opened by members. However, we have some sample readings accessible for every one.

To become a member just click on "Register" and follow the procedures.

In each case please feel welcome to the Creative Business Forum.

Yours

Henning Wiekhorst]]> http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=15 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 05:19:37 -0400 http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=15
The word management has a bad ring about it these days. Never before has the reputation of management been so bad. Scandals, corruption, affairs, spectacular ruins of old, venerable companies, machinations of all kinds. The population is losing more and more trust in those “up there”. Yet, what goes on in the upper echelons of management is probably no worse than in the past – it just seems to be exposed more today. And stirred by the press, a whole profession is brought into disrepute, almost as if there is a progression from: criminal to dangerous criminal to manager.

And yet, strictly speaking, management is one of the most commonplace professions in the world. Management does not start only in the upper ranks of the hierarchy. Anyone who has to supervise even a few employees is a manager and the basic tasks of the owner of a three-man-shop are exactly the same as those of the head of a worldwide operating company or the head of government. They all have to plan, set targets, lead, motivate, control, etc., etc. Of course, the consequences of a mistake at the top are more far-reaching and momentous than those of the little shop on the corner. But unfortunately there is a second, grave difference: If a top manager runs a company aground, he does not have to worry about his future. The “golden handshake” (usually millions of Euros) or another high position in another company is assured. The owner of the little shop on the corner however is faced with utter ruin and may have to live on unemployment benefits,if any at all.

A lot is going wrong in management, not only at the level of top-management. How can it be, some may ask? The answer is amazingly simple: because hardly any manager is properly prepared for the tasks of management. How does anyone become a manager? Let us leave aside favouritism, vitamin C (connections) and similar shortcuts and take the ideal case: someone has done an excellent job in his field of specialisation. And so, to reward him and also to multiply the good results, the company appoints him to be the head of a small group of people – the first step on the career-ladder is taken!

What does the new manager now have to do? Because a manager he is! If a manager could do everything himself, he would not need employees - hence he would not be a manager. The newly appointed man (or women) must no longer do the specialist work which originally brought him his promotion and for which he spent years of studies and preparation – which is probably the focal point of his interest and vocation – he must delegate it! Instead he must now plan the work of others, set goals for the group, control and evaluate the work of others, he must motivate people of different personality and character, etc., etc. – all tasks that (with a few exceptions) he never learned to do and which he may not even like. Now, you may say: “yes, but he can learn”. Of course he can – but is it that simple?

Literature on management fills whole libraries and courses are also offered en masse. But both the books and also the training courses usually refer to one or a few specific aspects of this extensive subject called management. Or else, they offer models. But there is no management model that one could buy “off the shelf”. Every single model must be adapted to the peculiarities and specific aspects of each company. And that´s where the difficulty lies! Even if management finds an excellent consultant, this expert can only point out weaknesses and suggest ways of improvement. The implementation of any remedial measure lies squarely with management and despite excellent proposals, the implementation often fails because top-management underestimates the expense, the patience needed, the resistance of the “old hands” who reject change. The boss says:”We have a new model – as of Monday everything goes the new way!” It ain´t that easy!

But let us stay for the time being with our management-novice. He hesitates naturally to admit his ignorance. He believes or pretends that his very promotion is, so to speak, proof of his management capability and any knowledge he may lack he can absorb as if by osmosis or learn by doing. Of course the human being is capable of learning until old age and consequently he can slowly learn all that his task involves and represents.But the many small and big mistakes along the road could be at least partially avoided and diminished, had he been properly prepared for his role of manager.

Even if his boss sees that his new manager has more problems with his new tasks than expected, in most cases he will not interfere. Either he recognizes many of the mistakes he himself committed in his career and which he does not want to admit in front of his subordinate because it could damage his prestige. Or else he concentrates (and expects his staff to concentrate) on the one task that he considers his prime responsibility, namely to increase profit, even if this goes at the expense of staff – according to the principle “as long as the profit is there, everything else is unimportant.” In addition we find a phenomenon which I call “management altitude sickness”. In mountaineering the air gets thinner and thinner in the upper regions and blocks clear thinking, so managers seem to lose their capacity to reason as they climb the career-ladder. Arrogance befuddles the brain – and the fear to be excluded from the illustrous circles of the powerful drives them on – more success, no matter how!

Globalization has given medium and even small companies unexpected possibilities to free themselves from a narrow national market und to become active internationally, to play in the “Premier League”. Which company is still really “national” these days, does not import merchandise or raw material from other countries, sell products across borders or employ people of different nationalities? But globalization has a pernicious peculiarity and dynamic. Managers for a long time past have stopped being the ones that take the lead in research, production, trade, etc. They no longer drive, they are driven, helplessly at the mercy of the suction effect of globalization, which they cannot resist, even if they wanted. Driven, hunted, trying to maintain or increase profit, to fight competition, be it at the expense of staff, relocation of production, fusion with other companies, or something else.

This means the break down of any managerial responsibility beyond the increase of profit. Milton Friedmann, the American economist who in 1974 got the Nobel Prize for economics, even justifies this attitude by saying something like “the only responsibility of a manager is to increase profit”. This thesis does not lack a certain logic. In most cases a manager does not work with his own money, but with that of shareholders who expect to make a profit. He has neither the knowledge nor the authorization to decide how to use any profit – paying it out, investing or perhaps building a school in a developing country. But at the same time this view absolves industry from any responsibility for the consequences of its actions – and that cannot be right!

But all this we will discuss more in detail in the verious chapters of this book. So – let´s start!]]>
The word management has a bad ring about it these days. Never before has the reputation of management been so bad. Scandals, corruption, affairs, spectacular ruins of old, venerable companies, machinations of all kinds. The population is losing more and more trust in those “up there”. Yet, what goes on in the upper echelons of management is probably no worse than in the past – it just seems to be exposed more today. And stirred by the press, a whole profession is brought into disrepute, almost as if there is a progression from: criminal to dangerous criminal to manager.

And yet, strictly speaking, management is one of the most commonplace professions in the world. Management does not start only in the upper ranks of the hierarchy. Anyone who has to supervise even a few employees is a manager and the basic tasks of the owner of a three-man-shop are exactly the same as those of the head of a worldwide operating company or the head of government. They all have to plan, set targets, lead, motivate, control, etc., etc. Of course, the consequences of a mistake at the top are more far-reaching and momentous than those of the little shop on the corner. But unfortunately there is a second, grave difference: If a top manager runs a company aground, he does not have to worry about his future. The “golden handshake” (usually millions of Euros) or another high position in another company is assured. The owner of the little shop on the corner however is faced with utter ruin and may have to live on unemployment benefits,if any at all.

A lot is going wrong in management, not only at the level of top-management. How can it be, some may ask? The answer is amazingly simple: because hardly any manager is properly prepared for the tasks of management. How does anyone become a manager? Let us leave aside favouritism, vitamin C (connections) and similar shortcuts and take the ideal case: someone has done an excellent job in his field of specialisation. And so, to reward him and also to multiply the good results, the company appoints him to be the head of a small group of people – the first step on the career-ladder is taken!

What does the new manager now have to do? Because a manager he is! If a manager could do everything himself, he would not need employees - hence he would not be a manager. The newly appointed man (or women) must no longer do the specialist work which originally brought him his promotion and for which he spent years of studies and preparation – which is probably the focal point of his interest and vocation – he must delegate it! Instead he must now plan the work of others, set goals for the group, control and evaluate the work of others, he must motivate people of different personality and character, etc., etc. – all tasks that (with a few exceptions) he never learned to do and which he may not even like. Now, you may say: “yes, but he can learn”. Of course he can – but is it that simple?

Literature on management fills whole libraries and courses are also offered en masse. But both the books and also the training courses usually refer to one or a few specific aspects of this extensive subject called management. Or else, they offer models. But there is no management model that one could buy “off the shelf”. Every single model must be adapted to the peculiarities and specific aspects of each company. And that´s where the difficulty lies! Even if management finds an excellent consultant, this expert can only point out weaknesses and suggest ways of improvement. The implementation of any remedial measure lies squarely with management and despite excellent proposals, the implementation often fails because top-management underestimates the expense, the patience needed, the resistance of the “old hands” who reject change. The boss says:”We have a new model – as of Monday everything goes the new way!” It ain´t that easy!

But let us stay for the time being with our management-novice. He hesitates naturally to admit his ignorance. He believes or pretends that his very promotion is, so to speak, proof of his management capability and any knowledge he may lack he can absorb as if by osmosis or learn by doing. Of course the human being is capable of learning until old age and consequently he can slowly learn all that his task involves and represents.But the many small and big mistakes along the road could be at least partially avoided and diminished, had he been properly prepared for his role of manager.

Even if his boss sees that his new manager has more problems with his new tasks than expected, in most cases he will not interfere. Either he recognizes many of the mistakes he himself committed in his career and which he does not want to admit in front of his subordinate because it could damage his prestige. Or else he concentrates (and expects his staff to concentrate) on the one task that he considers his prime responsibility, namely to increase profit, even if this goes at the expense of staff – according to the principle “as long as the profit is there, everything else is unimportant.” In addition we find a phenomenon which I call “management altitude sickness”. In mountaineering the air gets thinner and thinner in the upper regions and blocks clear thinking, so managers seem to lose their capacity to reason as they climb the career-ladder. Arrogance befuddles the brain – and the fear to be excluded from the illustrous circles of the powerful drives them on – more success, no matter how!

Globalization has given medium and even small companies unexpected possibilities to free themselves from a narrow national market und to become active internationally, to play in the “Premier League”. Which company is still really “national” these days, does not import merchandise or raw material from other countries, sell products across borders or employ people of different nationalities? But globalization has a pernicious peculiarity and dynamic. Managers for a long time past have stopped being the ones that take the lead in research, production, trade, etc. They no longer drive, they are driven, helplessly at the mercy of the suction effect of globalization, which they cannot resist, even if they wanted. Driven, hunted, trying to maintain or increase profit, to fight competition, be it at the expense of staff, relocation of production, fusion with other companies, or something else.

This means the break down of any managerial responsibility beyond the increase of profit. Milton Friedmann, the American economist who in 1974 got the Nobel Prize for economics, even justifies this attitude by saying something like “the only responsibility of a manager is to increase profit”. This thesis does not lack a certain logic. In most cases a manager does not work with his own money, but with that of shareholders who expect to make a profit. He has neither the knowledge nor the authorization to decide how to use any profit – paying it out, investing or perhaps building a school in a developing country. But at the same time this view absolves industry from any responsibility for the consequences of its actions – and that cannot be right!

But all this we will discuss more in detail in the verious chapters of this book. So – let´s start!]]> http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=14 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 05:16:59 -0400 http://www.creative-business-forum.com/Forum/showthread.php?tid=14
- How this book came to be written

- Introduction

- First letter: Management and leadership
The manager and his environment – the institutionalised Peter-principle – management definitions – management systems and models.

- Second letter: The management cycle
From planning to control – management levels – staff and line functions – thorougness and its limits – priorities – the perfect management world.

- Third letter: Company strategy – planning
Company credo – mission and goal – vision –– systematic planning – situation analysis - goal-setting – strategic and operational planning – implementing the plan – control - crisis management.

- Fourth letter: Organization – coordination – delegation
Organigrams – span of control - power and authority - organizational diseases – delegation – duties, responsibility, authority, accountability - delegate or drown.

- Fifth letter: Problem analysis – decision making
Problem definition – analythical thinking – preparing the decision – problems in decision taking – loyalty.

- Sixt letter: Communication
Anthropological considerations – speech – the word – body language - exchange of information – the balance between conciseness and redundancy – silence – rhetoric – presentation techniques – written communication.

- Seventh letter: Motivation and assessment
Bad climate – difficult types – the pursuit of meaningful work – needs and their satisfaction – motivation theories – motivation problems – the assessment interview – self-criticism – “cut out the bullshit!”.

- Eight letter: Career planning – training
Career-planning is life-planning – social pressure – career counseling – career policy -
Training and development policies – systematic development – ong term effect.

- Ninth letter: Selection of staff
Job descriptions – applications - the recruitment interview – the right candidate -mistakes made – specialized knowledge and team spirit – mediocracy – mobility.

- Tenth letter: Negotiations technique and conflict solution
Preparation and goal-setting – flexibility and readiness to compromise – facts and
assumptions – negotiation strategies and tactics – objectivity – conflicts – conflict or
solution? – the role of the mediator.

- Eleventh letter: Teamwork
The team-life-cycle – team development – characteristics of team work - team roles – advantages and disadvantages of team-work.

- Twelfth letter: International, intercultural management
How international are you and your company – what makes a manager international – foreign assignments – what is needed for successful international management – cultural differences – global business, global responsibility – progress, civilization, culture.


How this book came to be written

During an advertising campaign at universities I met Richard S., a young electronics student. He was aiming at a career in the space industry. We remained in occasional contact. He added informatics to his studies, graduated and got a job with a company working on space programmes. After some years Richard wrote me a letter, saying that, some time ago, he had been promoted to section head. He was not very happy. He felt he was too inexperienced as a manager and had problems with many aspects of his new role. He agreed that some of the ground rules of management were quite correct – but applying them in the rush to meet deadlines seemed unrealistic and even impossible. He was ready to throw in the towel.

It took some persuasion to stop him from taking a hasty decision. We decided to correspond and to review together the responsibilities of a manager and how to manage in a real working environment. So I reiterated the ground rules of management in a series of letters, pointing out difficulties in applying them day-to-day at work and tried to give, as much as possible, some guidance on how to avoid and correct mistakes.

The views that I present are purely personal, based however on long experience in international management. Yet I have taken into account viewpoints and practical experience from colleagues whose comments I considered useful for a management-novice. The book may appear very “basic”, it limits itself to the practical aspects of a manager’s job. All the while I realize fully that it is a dangerous undertaking to try to bring such a complex function down to simple rules and advice. Too simple? Well, we shall see!]]>
- How this book came to be written

- Introduction

- First letter: Management and leadership
The manager and his environment – the institutionalised Peter-principle – management definitions – management systems and models.

- Second letter: The management cycle
From planning to control – management levels – staff and line functions – thorougness and its limits – priorities – the perfect management world.

- Third letter: Company strategy – planning
Company credo – mission and goal – vision –– systematic planning – situation analysis - goal-setting – strategic and operational planning – implementing the plan – control - crisis management.

- Fourth letter: Organization – coordination – delegation
Organigrams – span of control - power and authority - organizational diseases – delegation – duties, responsibility, authority, accountability - delegate or drown.

- Fifth letter: Problem analysis – decision making
Problem definition – analythical thinking – preparing the decision – problems in decision taking – loyalty.

- Sixt letter: Communication
Anthropological considerations – speech – the word – body language - exchange of information – the balance between conciseness and redundancy – silence – rhetoric – presentation techniques – written communication.

- Seventh letter: Motivation and assessment
Bad climate – difficult types – the pursuit of meaningful work – needs and their satisfaction – motivation theories – motivation problems – the assessment interview – self-criticism – “cut out the bullshit!”.

- Eight letter: Career planning – training
Career-planning is life-planning – social pressure – career counseling – career policy -
Training and development policies – systematic development – ong term effect.

- Ninth letter: Selection of staff
Job descriptions – applications - the recruitment interview – the right candidate -mistakes made – specialized knowledge and team spirit – mediocracy – mobility.

- Tenth letter: Negotiations technique and conflict solution
Preparation and goal-setting – flexibility and readiness to compromise – facts and
assumptions – negotiation strategies and tactics – objectivity – conflicts – conflict or
solution? – the role of the mediator.

- Eleventh letter: Teamwork
The team-life-cycle – team development – characteristics of team work - team roles – advantages and disadvantages of team-work.

- Twelfth letter: International, intercultural management
How international are you and your company – what makes a manager international – foreign assignments – what is needed for successful international management – cultural differences – global business, global responsibility – progress, civilization, culture.


How this book came to be written

During an advertising campaign at universities I met Richard S., a young electronics student. He was aiming at a career in the space industry. We remained in occasional contact. He added informatics to his studies, graduated and got a job with a company working on space programmes. After some years Richard wrote me a letter, saying that, some time ago, he had been promoted to section head. He was not very happy. He felt he was too inexperienced as a manager and had problems with many aspects of his new role. He agreed that some of the ground rules of management were quite correct – but applying them in the rush to meet deadlines seemed unrealistic and even impossible. He was ready to throw in the towel.

It took some persuasion to stop him from taking a hasty decision. We decided to correspond and to review together the responsibilities of a manager and how to manage in a real working environment. So I reiterated the ground rules of management in a series of letters, pointing out difficulties in applying them day-to-day at work and tried to give, as much as possible, some guidance on how to avoid and correct mistakes.

The views that I present are purely personal, based however on long experience in international management. Yet I have taken into account viewpoints and practical experience from colleagues whose comments I considered useful for a management-novice. The book may appear very “basic”, it limits itself to the practical aspects of a manager’s job. All the while I realize fully that it is a dangerous undertaking to try to bring such a complex function down to simple rules and advice. Too simple? Well, we shall see!]]>