AustinBiz Facts for Austin Texas

The whole world's a stage

No business leader interested in the challenge of globalization can not afford to ignore the work of Kenichi Ohmae, acclaimed management strategist known for his work on globalization and the borderless economy.

Nicknamed "Japan is the guru successful management "by the Financial Times, Ohmae is a man of many parts. It is a concert flutist reading, a nuclear physicist, an aspiring politician, former consultant McKinsey, a motor bike enthusiast and author of more than 100 pounds – just to name a few.

Although it is Japanese and lives in Tokyo, Ohmae is instinctively world. The dean of two schools that were closed in Tokyo – Isshinjuku, professor of public policy and striker Advantage, who teaches entrepreneurship – is also Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy, UCLA School of Public and Social Research in California. He lectures worldwide, advises companies and governments of all continents and written regularly for Western newspapers.

His work focuses on the forces that are dissolving national borders and the construction new regional economies, how companies should focus on technology and other new growth platforms, to run a big business and the role International governments play when nation-states no longer matters.

Ohmae's latest book, the next stage Global: Challenges and opportunities in our world without borders, is based on a sound of his earlier work and aims, he said, "to provide a script to help people pass through the vicissitudes of the global economy .

No border is the most important feature of the Global Economy, Ohmae believes. "In terms of communication, capital, businesses and consumers, who are four key factors of business life, the world has already reached without borders, "he said.

Explains the concepts of America, Semiconductor Inc. and Japan are now largely irrelevant, since electronic commerce knows no borders. When you receive an email that you have no indication of what country is, knowledge workers can and should work anywhere, financiers – and individuals – switch their investments to a country that produces best results, and so on.

He will argue that nation states are declining due to its attachment at the border does not correspond with transnational world today. The nation-state, he said, "has the potential to hinder human development through the artificial barriers between skills and markets. "However," States region, which was previously considered parochial and inward, becomes more important.

Region States emerging include places like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in China, Hyderabad and Mumbai in India and San Jose in California. However, Ohmae stresses the importance of "love rights" in a region to describe the effect as Michael Dell has had on the growth of Austin, Texas, the original site of his company as self-titled Computer "monumental."

The most important element of any successful region, "he says, is the opening of the outside world." The rest of world must be seen as a source of prosperity. All the concepts of the persistence of indigenous people against foreigners should be deleted, and the rules restricting investment foreign or foreign ownership of land or capital must be abolished. "

Ohmae judges the "Annus Domini" in the global economy for 1985, that Microsoft launched its Windows operating system, and use the tongue in cheek dating system BG and AG – ie before and after Gates Gates.

Success in the new global economy depends on good leadership, he said. "Given the uncertainty, leaders must be creative and pragmatic, refusing to be imprisoned for the past. Business leaders must have vision. They must embrace innovation and flexibility of the Court. They must also have full knowledge of values, a instinctive sympathy and total commitment to the global economy. "

The mind of the strategist, who did Ohmae's reputation 20 years ago, is still considered by many as the bible of the business strategy due to their good sense and clear advice. Its basic premise is that successful business strategies do not come from rigorous analysis, but a thought process that is creative and intuitive rather than rational.

A chapter of this book is an essential checklist for any running a business. Includes a list of things to avoid and concentrate. For example:

Avoid tunnel vision: more roads, rather than fixing in one.

Avoid the danger of perfectionism: sometimes it is better to do something that is almost straight, instead of waiting for the perfect solution and miss the strategic opportunity.

Focus on key factors and not be distracted by minor complications: all firms are simple, once you get to know them. Banking, example, it might seem complicated to foreigners, but it reduces the base, there is nothing more than raise money cheaply and lending as may be so expensive.

Always challenge the constraints and ask "What can we do?" Rather than "what can we do?" The strategy is the attitude more than numbers.

Ohmae's book contrasts the Japanese and American approaches to strategy. Japan's gaze as they think their customers want, if the company has competition to meet these demands, and if you can do so profitably in the face of competition. The American style at that time was to analyze the figures for the – what Ohmae calls make drawings of spreadsheets.

But the broader question of how scalable enterprise that really loves and will surely continue to do so, and is a source of concern to him that so many companies fail to take seriously.

"The world economy is reality, not theory," said. "It is increasingly high, it feeds its own forces, is irresistible. It is useless to complain that they want to leave. People should learn to live with."

Or, more accurately, one must learn to overcome this new "invisible continent" before the rules and the laws are too fixed and before you see other opportunities.

As pointed out what others see as the swamps of Florida, Disney successfully transformed into a gigantic theme park.

Previously published in the business magazine, management and impact http://www.onrec.com/newsstories/22623.asp

About the Author

I am currently a Director of Impact Executives which is a Global Interim Management provider (part of the Harvey Nash Group) and in this role I am at the frontline of dealing with senior clients and candidates across a wide range of change, HR and resourcing issues. I have extensive commercial experience gained through general management and board roles within both Plc’s and also through running my own businesses. I have over 18 years international experience of providing cross-functional resourcing solutions to both global businesses and start-ups. I specialise in the following sectors: Technology, Media, Telecommunications, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology, and Local Authorities. Visit my blog at http://www.impactexecutives.com/journal/clivesexton or the Impact Executives website at www.impactexecutives.com.

Otis Traction Elevators at the Bank of America Tower.