Donald Trump notoriously sends out his tweets early in the mornings and reports on sleeping for only 3-4 hours at night. Naturally, Trump is not the only one, as plenty of success stories about ‘short sleepers’ can be found. What is the message of these stories? Or, to put it differently, are these stories telling […]
Not Eager to Go on a Business Trip? How about Bleisure Travel?
What comes to your mind, when you think about business travel or business trips? If you are a novice in this, I assume you would feel excitement. Business travel may sound like a great opportunity to get out of your daily routine, visit new places, meet with new colleagues and do some sightseeing, all of […]
Startup Mindset
In today’s volatile global market, it is quite challenging to sit back and enjoy stability, as rapid changes are increasingly part and parcel of doing business and being flexible and agile is essential to keep up with the flow. For companies these ever-changing business conditions mean both risks and opportunities, in terms of moving operations […]
More Thoughts on Globalization
In January I wrote about the era of protectionism and populism, which we seem to have entered. As discussed, these trends seem to indicate a globalization backlash, voiced by Brexit and Trump supporters, who probably haven’t felt the benefits of a globalized market. As one Financial Times article puts it, the current socio-political climate is […]
The Era of Protectionism and Populism is Upon Us
As the left-leaning media keeps saying, ‘it has really happened’; last Friday Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States. How does it feel? I believe the best word to describe the current state, both in the US and around the world, is uncertainty… it feels uncertain. First there was Brexit, […]
Leadership Talent: How to Spot It if It Is Hidden?
I haven’t written about talent for a while here, yet this is not an indication of reduced importance of the topic in any way. Indeed, the Talent Shortage Survey by ManpowerGroup indicates that in 2016 employers globally reported the highest talent shortage since 2007. Based on the survey data it seems that employers struggle foremost […]
New Year, New Outlooks, New Utopias?
So, here we are. It is the first week of the new year, the holidays have ended and everyone is slowly getting back to their busy working mode…after all several resolutions have been written down and new goals have been set, right?! J I am also settling back into my work routines, catching up with […]
My Christmas Wish List
As the year comes to an end, it is about time to make Christmas wishes. I will certainly make my personal ones, but I would also like to provide some on behalf of the world of global business and global mobility – topics I work on and write so much about. Looking back at the […]
Globalization, Robots and a Future Scenario
We all understand globalization as the free movement of goods, ideas and people. Buying Chinese products in European stores, working together with foreign colleagues, and taking an online-course from a physically distant university are all results of globalization. Richard Baldwin, a Geneva-based economist, sees all these results as a consequence of a series of waves […]
When Global Businesses Can Provide Global Hope
Last week I wrote about global warming and the importance of acting upon it. I also mentioned the U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, who throughout his campaign denied the issue and planned to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement on a global climate deal. While Trump seems to be slightly pivoting on the matter, much […]
Still Denying Climate Change?
Some people deny it and say it is a ‘Chinese hoax’, others believe it is one of the main global issues and the single greatest threat facing the planet. I would say that the first approach is an ill-informed opinion, while the second seems to be a fact-based judgment about climate change. Indeed, a recent […]
How Do You Get Global Mobility to Demonstrate Its Strategic Value?
Why do I spend much of my time at the bottom looking up? This is a question I pose at the beginning of a white paper that Santa Fe Relocation Services commissioned me to write. I find the question to be quite relevant and illustrative of the shift that HR and global mobility professionals are […]
Are We Bound to Feel Lonely in the Globalized World?
As social animals we have survived because we used to form bonds and be members of tribes. Several interesting studies show that we are wired to be social on such a deep level that social isolation is actually processed similarly to physical pain by our mind. Plenty of research shows that loneliness is bad for […]
‘Diversity’: Are We Talking About it AGAIN?!
Diversity is a decent word, isn’t it? It implies the notion of valuing differences, inclusiveness and equality. It stands against prejudices, discrimination and unfair treatment. We talk about Diversity in our effort to make all racial and cultural backgrounds equally matter, to provide women with fair opportunities, and to allow any other minorities feel safe […]
Corporate Volunteering: Better for the World (OR) AND for the Business?
Volunteering. What kind of ideas does this word evoke? I suggest the majority of us would think about local NGOs, student gap years and volunteering activities during retirement. Moreover, when thinking about international volunteering, wouldn’t we associate this quite naturally with lower-skilled activities, such as construction, farming or gardening, childcare and language teaching? In other […]
Moving Abroad? But Where to?
Have you ever considered moving abroad? If not, prepare yourself for a lot of deliberations (in case you will someday). If you already have, you probably ‘know the pain’… Indeed, relocating abroad, either permanently or temporarily, is a big decision in one’s life and there is a ton of details one needs to consider and […]
