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There is an art to working remotely.  The Society for Human Resources Management has some tips and techniques for working remotely that can be useful as you organize different modes of communications with your workforce.  I thought these to be the most important…

Consider what telework means for your organization. May employees work from somewhere other than home? May they use their own electronic devices? What form will meetings take—online, by video or phone? If using video, make sure your Internet speed is fast enough to accommodate such a call.

Limit security risks. One option is to create cloud-based “application gateways” that limit corporate network access to the select needs of employees. This creates a secure, behind-the-firewall access to on-premise applications.

Overcommunicate using e-mail, Slack or a similar tool and document everything. “When people are remote it’s easier for messages to get lost,” said Rachel Ernst, vice president of employee success at Reflektive, a San Francisco-based performance-management platform. Documenting everything helps make work shareable so colleagues can more easily be informed of co-workers’ projects.

For more tips from SHRM read the full article here:

https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-news/Pages/Coronavirus-and-Teleworking-Tips-for-Preparing-Your-Workforce.aspx

Birchtree Global, LLC, Manhattanville College, and the University of Denver are conducting research on the links between learning and company financial performance.  We invite you to join in the research by taking this two minute, survey.  We will share the research results with you.  You can see how well your perspective matches with the results.  Thanks!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2S5V6MW

Richard Garriott, my Explorers Club colleague. Richard was kind enough to stop and talk to Birchtree’s first NYC “Eat and Greet” at the
Explorers Club and share his perspective on being an astronaut and gaming. We were all in awe of his experience. Here’s his story from the BBC.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50757073

#virtualreality #gamers #computergames #gaming #birchtreeglobal #spacetravel #globalbusiness #bbcnews

Dear Globalizers,

Are you curious about the most dynamic market in the world right now? Are you familiar with the newest Chinese policies, opportunities, and risks of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)? As we are stepping into a new decade, here are some information and changes I sorted out that can help you make a wiser decision when considering entering the Chinese market.

• Higher Credibility: In March 2019, Italy joined the One Belt One Road project, marking the first ever supporting nation of the initiative from the Group of Seven. BRI no longer equals to “developing countries.” Because of the newly gain higher credibility, more and more advanced economies are eyeing on the project.
• Promoting High-Quality Projects: Moving towards the new era, the Chinese government published a new document in November 2019, aiming to promote the high-quality development of trade. The new emphasis on quality requires smarter strategies for foreign businesses to enter the market.
• Expanding Geographic Scope: Since the original initiative in 2013, the geographic scope has expanded from Europe, Asia, Africa to Latin America. Now, there are already 19 countries/regions signed up to the project. New opportunities also opened up for Latin American businesses in China.
• Cross-Boarder E-Commerce (CBEC): CBEC is and will continue to be one of the fastest growing industry under the influence of BRI. The market for CBEC is maturing with the increasing variety of products, higher frequency of transaction, and expanding geographic scope. Transaction volume between China and One Belt One Road cooperating countries is increasing at a rate of 20%.
• Alternative Destinations for Investment: If Chinese economy’s slowdown or the rapid growth of CBEC, media, and technology industries are signs of risk to you, try thinking of other potential alternative destination for investment. There might be surprising opportunities in the One Belt One Road cooperating countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Do you find any of the information interesting? Share it with your colleagues and friends through Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, WeChat, or Twitter.

Please contact me with any questions.

January, 2019

Best regards,

Katherine(Shangyan) Pan

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-shangyan-pan-139011180/

Bucknell University 2022, Mathematical Economics + Linguistics Major

Sources:

1. China’s Belt and Road Initiative. (2019, August 15). Retrieved January 8, 2020, from https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/economy/asia-pacific/china-belt-and-road-initiative-update.html.
2. “一带一路”经贸合作，新方向，跨境电商. (2019, August 15). Retrieved January 8, 2020, from http://www.sohu.com/a/333902085_120225867.
3. 电商平台助力 京东发布《2019“一带一路”跨境电商消费报告》. (2019, April 22). Retrieved January 8, 2020, from https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1631504600716281615&wfr=spider&for=pc.
4. 中国与”一带一路”相关国家的跨境电商交易额增速超20%. (2019, December 25). Retrieved January 8, 2020, from http://news.ifeng.com/c/7sgqKstS0kC.
5. 中共中央 国务院关于推进贸易高质量发展的指导意见. (2019, November 29). Retrieved January 8, 2020, from http://tradeinservices.mofcom.gov.cn/article/zhengce/flfg/201911/95061.html.
6. 已同中国签订共建“一带一路”合作文件的国家一览. (2019, April 12). Retrieved January 8, 2020, from https://www.yidaiyilu.gov.cn/gbjg/gbgk/77073.htm.
7. “一带一路”与拉美十国调研报告. (2019, October 19). Retrieved January 8, 2020, from https://www.yidaiyilu.gov.cn/xwzx/gnxw/106783.htm.

As a small business, sometimes you need specialized help and support and a community of business people with whom to brainstorm. Consider the benefits of engaging with an “innovation center”. Innovation Centers are communities of best practice where business people can incubate their growing and evolving companies.

This Brookings Institute Research on the benefits to business and the community of innovation centers aligns with our experience. Birchtree Global leaders are frequent speakers and supporters of innovation centers, domestically and globally. Here is the Innovation Center in Santiago, Chile: https://lnkd.in/d3JePBt

The case for growth centers: How to spread tech innovation across America https://brook.gs/2OORaWm via @BrookingsInst

Enjoyed an excellent lunch and discussion last week with John Emerson (former US Ambassador to Germany, Vice Chairman of the Capital Group International, Chair of the American Council on Germany, and Board member of the German Marshall Fund, Pacific Council on International Policy).  The lunch was hosted by my ACG colleague Kathy Nalywajko, Senior Vice President the Capital Group (President, Board of Directors Ukrainian Institute of America, Association for Corporate Growth Board) last week.  John had returned from recent high-level discussions with country leaders on 2020 global business trends, and Kathy just returned from meetings with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky.  Takeaways from the discussion included the following thoughts:

1. There is trend toward greater burden sharing of global problems, rather that the US always leading efforts.
2. Weaponization of tariffs and more aggressive global trade is becoming more common.
3. While lower level production jobs may not be coming back to the US, there is a greater focus on people left behind with skills that are not in demand. Retraining and upskilling will be the result.
4. The consequences of the US exiting multiple treaties (IMF Agreement, NAFTA, Iran Nuclear Agreement, Climate Change, TPP, etc.) will have longer lasting consequences for future presidents. As one country president said, “How can we be sure the US will honor its commitments a from administration to administration?”
5. The current state of affairs in Cuba is primarily a political issue specifically of interest to Florida and New Jersey. However, the lack of engagement from the US gives another opportunity for Russia and China to develop strong relationships with Cuba and a continued presence 90 miles from Miami. The issue with the economic collapse of Venezuela offers Russia and China additional opportunities.
6. Changes to Nafta and the rules regarding percentage of origin in products from 62.5% to 75% as well as the 45% minimum wage requirements on products sold abroad may have the effect of limiting immigration to the US, long term.
7. China is receiving US agricultural products despite tariffs. Products are being sold to Brazil and in South America then shipped to China.
8. China is making significant investment in global projects designed to increase trade to China such as the “Belt and Road” initiatives.
9. Europe is likely to be the next target of US trade tariffs as soon as the Chinese tariff issues are settled.
10. The general thought re the upcoming US presidential election is the Democratic representative will come from the moderate leaning Democrats (Bloomberg, Biden, Buttigieg) vs. more left leaning candidates (Warren, Sanders).
11. As the US retreats from leadership positions in global programs, issues such as ethical implications in artificial intelligence (remember the Chinese scientists who reportedly cloned a baby) remain without a strong global leader.

Birchtree Global is pleased to partner with LinkedIn to present HRCI and SHRM certified retraining content.  In December we will be bringing you a well-researched webinar on the future of recruiting.  The webinar will highlight the results from the Future of Recruiting Report and help you identify actions you need to take now to strengthen your recruiting processes.  Participants will receive 1 HRCI and SHRM SCP credit for participating.

Speakers:

Host: Amy Schultz (Product Recruiting, LinkedIn)

Co-host: Rebecca White (People Analytics, LinkedIn)

Co-host: Jen Phillips Kirkwood (VP, The Edge – Future of Work, ADP)

Abstract: The future of recruiting is coming. To help your team prepare, Amy Schultz, Product Recruiting LinkedIn, Rebecca White, Director People Analytics, LinkedIn, and Jen Phillips Kirkwood, VP THE EDGE-Future of Work, ADP will show you the latest trends in recruiting.  The results from the Future of Recruiting Report will be shared with participants and the key metrics, strategies, and skills will be highlighted.  These three hiring experts from LinkedIn and ADP will break down some of the key insights and trends specifically to help your team get ahead—and gain a seat at the table.

In this webinar, you’ll learn:

1. Why quality of hire is the most impactful metric, even though it’s not the most used
   2. How to elevate your tactical hiring role and become a strategic business advisor
   3. The engaging, analyzing, and advising skills that you’ll need over the next 5 years to competitively find, engage, and hire people
   4. Tips for identifying transferable skills and experiences to find your next recruiting head

Dates and Times:

North America: December 4, 2019; 11 am PT/2 pm EThttps://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/webinars/19/12/live-event-the-future-of-recruiting

Asia Pacific: December 10, 2019; 9:30 am IST   https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/webinars/19/11/live-event-the-future-of-recruiting-apac

Europe and Middle East: December 10, 2019; 11 am GMT  https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/webinars/19/11/live-event-the-future-of-recruiting-emea

Birchtree Global has been working in China for 20 years, ever since we were founded.  Our leadership team has worked in China for the last
30 years, so we are keenly interested in reading well-researched information.  Here is a terrific article from the Brookings Institution to which
we’d like to direct your attention.  As you plan for 2020, this might be exceptionally valuable.

https://www.brookings.edu/interactives/global-china/?utm_campaign=Brookings%20Brief&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=77488322