www.alexandraaubertin.nl

I think you IBMers really do change my life!

It was an immense pleasure receiving the following feedback from one of the student who work for us as interpreter during our assignment. She was in her last year at University studying English and it was the first time in her life she spoke to (and at fortiori work with) foreigners.

I think I've changed a lot after the CSC programs, you guys help me A LOT!
Seriously, at least I'm much more confident and eager to explore the unknown now. Thank you very much! I think you IBMers really do change my life!

L.W. - Chengdu (China) - 23 years old - interpreter for the China 1 team - June 2009

IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS

Today we received some feedback from the organizations we worked with and we are delighted to hear they are already implementing our recommendations:

Chengdu Feiyu Door and Window Co.Ltd: (CoC Sub-Team)
Mr. Chen Yi, General Manager

We have learnt IBMers’ professionalism. IBMers’ advice on financial management and HR management are in implementation by the company. Being the SME company, we’re very honored and moved to have this valuable chance for receiving the support from Global company IBM. Once again, we appreciate the contribution made to SME like our company by IBM CSC Program.

Chengdu Chamber of Commerce:（CoC Sub-Team)
Chairman Mr.Liu Zhanguo

IBMers has identified defects or problems relating to operational mechanism within the chamber hindering chamber’s development and business service for member , and provide advice, solution and action plan. IBMers’ service and report is deemed as Milestone in chamber’s history by and very significant to chamber’s system building and development. The Chamber commits to implement those advice and recommendations step by step.

The IBM CSR Report is published ! ;-)

Photos from Sichuan (via Photoshop)

SLIDESHOW - CSC TEAM IN CHENGDU

(a very qualitative slideshow made by IBM Corporate about our team in Chengdu!)

Assessing the impact of the Corporate Service Corps

The Harvard Business School recently studied the effects of the IBM Corporate Service Corps and found it has clearly had positive impacts on individual participants—personally and professionally—as well as on the communities served, as reported by the executive summary.

Harvard also surveyed 31 of the local "project hosts" to assess their satisfaction with the program. The vast majority cited improvements in their internal business processes and their ability to forge new and stronger partnerships with other private sector, NGO and governmental agencies in-country as a result of their work with the IBM Corporate Service Corps.

Visit Primary school

IBM supports this school for many years. This was the inauguration
of the deployment of www.readingcompanion.com in the school

In the "bus"

Photo Christie Johnston - www.christiejohnston.com

Interview Alexandra Aubertin - IBM Comms

New press release, once month after our return

A summary of the recommendations report made by the Logistic sub-group has been published this week in the Chengdu Daily, one month after our return, announcing as well the second team of IBM CSC volunteers arriving in August in Chengdu.

(1) (2) (3) Official meeting with Mme Bao - Governement official
(4) Our SME sub-team with Chamber of Commerce staff
(5) Official diner with the team, hosted by the CoC

Corporate Service Corps Returnees – Questionnaire

As CSC returnee, IBM Communications asked me to answer several questions on my assignment in China:

1. How has Corporate Service Corps changed your outlook or view as a Global Citizen?
This experience has really showed me how much we - as Global Citizen and IBMer - can provide support to emerging markets which are so eager to grow but are still working on developing some essential skills such as human resources management.

2. How does your Corporate Service Corps experience make you think differently about IBM, and how IBM operates as a Globally Integrated Enterprise (GIE)?
For the first time in my career, I can say I really experienced the concept of a high-performance team. No matter how long we knew each other, what were our background and culture, we immediately got to work very efficiently together as a TEAM: Together wE Achieve More. The very high motivation, common goals and right attitude of the team members, together with a diversity of backgrounds and skills were key to adapt very quickly to this new environment.

3. How will you apply this experience to your IBM business role upon returning to your daily role at IBM? How will you translate your CSC experience to deliver impact, benefit to the IBM business?
I want to try to recreate this high-performance environment in the projects I manager mainly by getting a high level of motivation in the teams and making sure we all work together towards a same goal.

4. Other topics/suggestions you would like to share that would be beneficial for IBM Communications to know?
I sincerely hope that such opportunity will be given to as many IBMers as possible as I believe the CSC program can really give a tremendous life-time experience to its participants on many different professional and personal aspects and can also boost greatly the motivation and satisfaction of IBM employees.

CHANGE the way you THINK

Our final presentation

Our entire team has been involved in the preparation and delivery of our final workshop about the Impact of the Financial Crisis in China Business in front of a group of 40 to 50 managers and CEO's of SME's and government officials.
Below, Chris and Jordan delivering the workshop and Irina during the interpretation in mandarin.

Mangosteen

I was so glad to see my favorite exotic fruit was available in Chengdu! ;-)

Tina Tan and her three teachers ....

... as Tina called us after providing her a tailor-made training to improve her performance in her role of Vice-Director of the International Division of the Chamber of Commerce of Chengdu (we did the training through researches, procedure establishment, phone calls simulations, feedback's, etc). Well done Tina!

Short interruption

We would like to apologize to our loyal audience for the short interruption of this blog: www.blogspot.com became temporarily inaccessible from China in the last 2 weeks of the CSC program. I am going to post here very shortly the latest stories and photos.

"Are you gonna ask questions which are not on the list?"

This is the question we had when we delivered the list of questions required to prepare the consulting session ...

We are having a rap session

One other great challenge we are facing is working with people who do not speak English!
Or from an another angle, the challenge we are facing is that we do not speak Chinese!

So when we ask questions, they are translated, answered and translated back (include the the translation and answering steps the possibility of inter-cultural misinterpretations).
So this gives sometimes things like that:

"To operate trade activities together, such as rap session, salon, workshop and business negotiation." :-)

NB: We figured out that a rap session is a outdated slang word for "An informal discussion held especially by a group of people with similar concerns". None of our worldwide native speakers had even heard this expression ...

My first Aikido class in Chengdu

I am glad I could find a Dojo in Chengdu to practice Aikido
during my stay here and to meet new Aikido practitioners!
And next week the headmaster (Sensei) from Singapore will be coming!

(5) My friend Riana was visiting last week-end, here with Suresh and Lauren

(6) This is not the renovation of an old area of Chengdu... this is the construction of a new "look-alike" old area, since there are almost no old buildings remaining in Chengdu

(1) & (2)
Our photographer Christie, who came for 3 days from Hong Kong to cover the CSC program
(5) Morning briefing in front of a shop in Chengdu city center

Cultural aspects

As I told you at the beginning of this Blog, I was very curious to discover how similar the Chinese and the Vietnamese cultures were similar, providing that I have worked 6 months in Hanoi in 2005. None of you ignore the long history that links North Vietnam and China, so it may not surprised you too much if I tell you that I have found hundreds of similarities in both cultures! My work experience in Chengdu, for a not-for-profit organization funded by the government, reminds me a lot of my experience working for a Vietnamese NGO:

- the management structure is very similar, with for each department one young manager and one senior executive (who tends to be the decision maker);
- there is lots of official meetings where the whole department attends the meeting, while mainly only the manager speaks (it is not good to show off in front of the boss);
- there is an extreme respect of hierachy and discipline is the best compliment an employee can get from his/her superior;
- and also those special red banners created for each important meeting or workshop!

"Loosing face" or "gaining face" is the major preoccupation of most Chinese people, like it is for Vietnamese people. I think as Westerner we can understand that concept to a certain extend, but when people tend to "not say the truth" in order "not to loose face", that is where our cultural sensitivity sometimes gets stucked.

It is a very big challenge to do some consulting work in this context, when you need to gather information and facts and when your business partners do want help from you but at the same time and moreover do want to keep face so they will tend not to hide their weak points, and often embellish extensively their strenghts...

Chinese words

In the past 2 weeks, I figure out that despite the complexity of the Chinese language, certain words do not exist in mandarin:

• No .......................................often replaced by "maybe" or "later"
  
• Copyright...........................if it is nice and we like it, why not copying it?
  
• Misleading advertising ...Photoshop is such a great tool, why not embellishing a bit reality?
  

a CSC restaurant in Chengdu?

At the corner of the street ...

Our first workshop was a success !

Mun Yee Chow, giving a PR workshop to an audience of Executive women, assisted by Lauren, our talented interpreter.



















Chris and Alexandra, at the meeting with the IFC

What we are doing in our sub-team

There is actually lots to tell about what my colleagues Mun Yee, Chris and I are experiencing at the moment in our assignment.

Unfortunately, it is not something that i can disclose on this blog as there are many factors to take into account.

What is for sure, is that we are very much confronted with cultural differences challenges, which make our assignment extremely interesting but also sometimes ... frustrating!

(to be continued ...)

IBM CSC China Team 1 in the Press

(2009 April 27, Chengdu) The world famous information technology and service company IBM (NYSE: IBM) launched its global Corporate Service Corps program in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

Mr. Kenny Guo, GM, IBM Western China,said IBM corporation selected 9 volunteers worldwide as the first team to Chengdu Sichuan province in 2009(three teams in total), with science and technology power and their own specialty and experience, they will assist the rebuilding work after disaster. This program will provide consulting service and suggestions on economic development and industrial upgrading, according to the local industry and development priority, Nine IBM volunteers are separately from the United States, Irish, German, Dutch, Australia, India and Malaysia with abundant managerial expertise and experience in engineering, business consulting, IT project and financial management. Before coming to Chengdu, volunteers they have already learned about the background of China, Sichuan province and Chengdu, formulated the work content of the coming month for three months, they will fulfill their task by discussing, researching, questionnaire, visiting, training and consulting to their partners in Chengdu, the focus will mainly on three fields: the electronic information technology/service outsourcing, modern logistics construction and developing small and medium-sized enterprise in skill and capacity.

It is reported that, IBM global Corporate Service Corps will be divided into three groups,which will work for Chengdu bureau of business affairs, Chengdu logistics office, Chengdu information office and relevant high-tech enterprises, logistics office, SMEs etc. They will provide research report and optimum suggestion to help enterprises solve the development problem and help local economy development.

Media: Chengdu Daily

Date 2009-04-28

Headline: IBM Corporate Service Corps Project Kicks off in Sichuan

Yesterday, the world famous information technology and service company IBM (NYSE: IBM) launched its global Corporate Service Corps program in Chengdu, Sichuan province. After the launching ceremony, Municipal party committee member, minister of the United Front Work Department and Bao Hui, member of CCP Standing Committee of Chengdu met the project representative.

In the interview, BaoHui represent Chengdu welcome IBM global volunteer service enterprises to Chengdu, the expert guidance to them and introduced the basic situation of the city. BaoHui said in the face of the post-disaster reconstruction and the impact of financial crisis situations, that this program made a good combination of experienced talents and the need of developing area. For the local industry and enterprise development work well, and finally achieve win-win results. She hopes the IBM experts in rong more about Chengdu, during the harvest, local departments and enterprises will cooperate fully with the project implementation.

Kenny Guo, GM, IBM Western China, introduced the situation. Corporate Service Corps program formally started in 2008. Chengdu is the first city in China to receive this program. In the coming month, IBM CSC program will key responsibilities fall into three areas: IT technology/service outsourcing, modern logistics and capacity-building of SMEs. After that, IBM will dispatch more CSC groups to other cities of China.

Media: Chengdu Daily

Date 2009-04-28

Headline: IBM CSC Give Suggestion for Chengdu’s Economy

9 volunteers from transnational enterprise will provide professional suggestion on IT, physical distribution and SMEs’ development in one month. Yesterday, the world famous information technology and service company IBM (NYSE: IBM) launched its global Corporate Service Corps program in Chengdu, Sichuan province. IBM corporation selected 9 volunteers worldwide as the first team to Chengdu Sichuan province in 2009(three teams in total), with science and technology power and their own specialty and experience, they will assist the rebuilding work after disaster, it is the first city that Chengdu launching this program in China. This program will provide consulting service and suggestions on economic development and industrial upgrading, according to the local industry and development priority. It’s reported that Chengdu is the first city of IBM CSC program in Asia. In the further, IBM will dispatch more CSC volunteer groups to other cities of China.

Basing on the cooperation memorandum, IBM’s volunteer will mainly focus on three fields: the electronic information technology/service outsourcing, modern logistics construction and developing small and medium-sized enterprise in skill and capacity. Frank Shi, chief representative of Canada digital opportunity trust(DOT) in western China, said IBM global Corporate Service Corps will be divided into three groups ,which will respectively cooperate with Chengdu commerce and industry association (Chengdu chamber of commerce), Chengdu bureau of business affairs, Chengdu logistics office, Chengdu information office Chengdu high-tech district, Chengdu software association, Chengdu service outsourcing association and relevant high-tech enterprises, logistics enterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises, institutions, etc. learning about Chengdu’s plan of industry priority, investment environment and opportunity, advantages, enterprises’ running mode, the developing direction, and help the relevant departments and enterprises provide optimized proposals, so that Chengdu will do a better job in its way of economic development and reconstruction after disaster. When finishing cooperative research and investigation, the three groups will return their own country and submit an investigation and suggestion report about Chengdu within a month, providing professional advice on electronic information/service outsourcing industry, modern logistics industry and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.

It’s reported that there were some SMEs will involve in this program in Chengdu, including Maipu Group, Kanghong, Sofmit and Chuanhua Group.

One of volunteer from IBM Malaysia said that thought I know a lot about Chengdu, this is different from my image. Chengdu is an amazing city.

Media: 成都商报

Date 2009-4-28

Headline: 9 IBM Volunteers Support Chengdu

9 IBM middle-level managers arrive at Chengdu. As the volunteers of IBM global corporate service corps, they will work with Chengdu chamber of commerce, Logistics office and so on, and provide professional suggestion in one month.

Alexandra, Hollander, project manager. Mum Yee Chow, Malaysian, International Public Relations Association manager. Chris Potts, Australian, finance director. The 3 people are the staff of Chengdu chamber of commerce. The others will work for Chengdu hi-tech district and Logistics office

It’s reported that Chengdu is the first city of IBM CSC program in China. IBM will dispatch 3 groups to Chengdu.

Media: China Business Times

Date 2009-04-28

Headline: IBM Corporate Service Corps Project Kicks off in Sichuan

(April 27, Chengdu) This afternoon, the world famous information technology and service company IBM launched its global Corporate Service Corps program in Chengdu.

IBM will provide reconstruction assistance with S&T capability as well as their expertise and experience. Chengdu is the first city in China to receive IBM global volunteer service program.

IBM will dispatch 3 groups of volunteer to China this year. The 9 volunteers are from Unites States, Ireland, Germany, Holland, Australia, India and Malaysia, with rich experience in project management, IT engineering, business consulting, public affairs and financial management. In the coming month, the three groups will work together with Chengdu Federation of Industry & Commerce, Commerce Bureau of Chengdu Municipality, Information Office of Chengdu Municipality, Logistics office of Chengdu Municipality, hi-tech park, Chengdu Software Association, Chengdu Service Outsourcing Association, hi-tech enterprises, logistic companies, scholars from universities and other institutions and SMEs. After joint research, the three groups will go back to their former duty stations and submit research and proposal report within one month, offering their professional suggestion on Chengdu’s IT technology/ service outsourcing, modern logistics and SME development.

It is reported that Corporate Service Corps is part of the Global Citizen's Portfolio announced by Samuel J. Palmisano, CEO of IBM. Its purpose is to foster staff’s management capability while helping emerging market to resolve social and economic challenges.

Media: People.COM

Date 2009-04-29

Headline: New Opportunities Come after Disaster Technology Helps Sichuanese to rebuild Their Homeland

http://it.people.com.cn/GB/42891/42898/9213586.html

(2009 April 27, Chengdu) Today, the world famous information technology and service company IBM (NYSE: IBM) launched its global Corporate Service Corps program in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Mr.Liu Zhanguo, secretary of Chengdu industry and commerce association, Mr. Guo RenSheng, general manager of IBM corporation in western China,Mr.Shi Feng, chief representative of Canada digital opportunity trust (DOT) in western China, and volunteers from IBM corporation participating in this program attended the launching ceremony.

IBM corporation selected 9 volunteers worldwide as the first team to Chengdu Sichuan province in 2009(three teams in total), with science and technology power and their own specialty and experience, they will assist the rebuilding work after disaster, it is the first city that Chengdu launching this program in China. This program will provide consulting service and suggestions on economic development and industrial upgrading, according to the local industry and development priority,. Nine IBM volunteers are separately from the United States, Irish, German, Dutch, Australia, India and Malaysia with abundant managerial expertise and experience in engineering, business consulting, IT project and financial management. Before coming to Chengdu, volunteers they have already learned about the background of China, Sichuan province and Chengdu, formulated the work content of the coming month for three months, they will fulfill their task by discussing, researching, questionnaire, visiting, training and consulting to their partners in Chengdu, the focus will mainly on three fields: the electronic information technology/service outsourcing, modern logistics construction and developing small and medium-sized enterprise in skill and capacity.

IBM global Corporate Service Corps will be divided into three groups ,which will respectively cooperate with Chengdu commerce and industry association (Chengdu chamber of commerce), Chengdu bureau of business affairs, Chengdu logistics office, Chengdu information office Chengdu high-tech district, Chengdu software association, Chengdu service outsourcing association and relevant high-tech enterprises, logistics enterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises, institutions, etc. learning about Chengdu’s plan of industry priority, investment environment and opportunity, advantages, enterprises’ running mode, the developing direction, and help the relevant departments and enterprises provide optimized proposals, so that Chengdu will do a better job in its way of economic development and reconstruction after disaster. When finishing cooperative research and investigation, the three groups will return their own country and submit an investigation and suggestion report about Chengdu within a month, providing professional advice on electronic information/service outsourcing industry, modern logistics industry and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.

As a right-hand man of the Party and government to manage and coordinate the non-public economy, Chengdu industry and commerce association cares about the enterprises’ development and demands, assisting in solving problems and promoting the healthy development of the enterprise. As the main partner of this program, Chengdu industry and commerce association coordinated and contacted the local departments, institutions and enterprises, in order to serve enterprises and develop economy. Mr.Liu Zhanguo, secretary of Chengdu industry and commerce association said that the volunteers from IBM showed their wills and enthusiasm of the post-disaster reconstruction in Chengdu. The event itself is a support and encouragement for the local development. He believes that the volunteers who have different professional background and international experience will provide suggestions and plan from a new perspective of view, which will strongly assist the local companies for further exploration and development. Through this program, Chengdu industry and commerce association expect to bring new elements of development to member enterprises and related fields by sharing IBM’s internationally advanced experiences, and provide more practical services, while promoting the cooperation with the relevant organizations. Chengdu foreign affairs business office, business affairs bureau, logistics office, information office and the high-tech district make significant contributions to the implementation of this program.

Mr.Guo RenSheng, general manager of IBM corporation in western China, said that IBM global Corporate Service Corps commencing in Chengdu, which is the first city in China to host this program, fully demonstrated IMB staffs’ aspiration to do something for stricken area ,it is a great opportunity for them to achieve their expectation. Stricken area do not only need to rebuild, but to plan appropriately for further development. People need a wiser city with industrial transformation and upgrading of a higher level .So joint efforts should be made by the whole community, as a member of Chinese enterprise circle, IBM should shoulder the responsibility.

Global Corporate Service Corps program is a part of global citizens’ package, which is raised by IBM CEO Sam Palmisano, with the purpose of cultivating employees’ leadership skills, while helping solve the social and economic problems emerging in the market.

This program started in the year 2008. Last year, IBM sent 11 groups 100 employees in total, they went to Ghana, Tanzania, Romania, the Philippines and Vietnam, participating in the project concerning economic development and the information technology. IBM holds the opinion that the most successful leader should be a so-called global citizen in current situation of global economic integration, because he or she can understand people of different backgrounds and viewpoints and cooperate with them effectively, this will help countries, regions, organizations and enterprises have an intellectual cooperation and coordination to deal with the global economic crisis. This is a special design for Global Corporate Service Corps program.

IBM volunteer representative Tom Maguire from Ireland, senior manager of customer support, emphasized its significance for volunteers in the launching ceremony. For one thing, it provides a stage for them to make contribution to different countries and regions with their own ability. For another, they broadened their vision, not only learned culture different regions, bur realized their social value profoundly.

In this Global Corporate Service Corps program, IBM does not just act as a service provider through its own company, but cooperate with nongovernmental organizations. These nongovernmental partners turn out to be the key to success. They help to find the appropriate project and local organizations ,which makes the new leader of IBM give full play of their current skills.

Canada Digital Opportunity Trust (breviated as DOT) is among the global partners of IBM CSC program, with its worldwide experience in executing corporate project of social responsibility and good relationship Chengdu and Sichuan government, together with Chengdu industry and commerce association and local partner, they formulated the contents and destinations of this program conforming to both Chengdu government and IBM Global Corporate Service Corps, which lay a good foundation to the implementation of this program in Chengdu. DOT is a non-profit organization, whose mission is to create opportunities for education, business and employment in developing countries by effective utilization of information technology. DOT is the executive partner of IBM Global Corporate Service Corps in Turkey and Egypt as well.

Frank Shi,chief representative of Canada digital opportunity trust(DOT) in western China, said IBM enjoyed global perspective of view, paid attention to the healthy development of emerging economies; the success of this program in Chengdu will help the electronic information industry, modern logistics, small and medium-sized enterprise to develop, optimizing the development plan and promoting international cooperation.

After the launching ceremony, representatives concerned went to Chengdu municipal government, met Mr. Bao Hui, a member of Chengdu municipal CPC committee, chairman of the general labor union. Mr. Bao Hui pointed out that this program made a good combination of experienced talents and the need of developing area. To Provide professional opinion, and help enterprises solve developing problems when they suffering hardships fully shows a high-tech multinational companies’ support to China’s regional economy. At the same time, IBM staffs will not just make a further understanding of Chinese culture and our way of working during this process, but learn how to make international cooperation in the regional market of China, it is a win-win situation. It is learned that IBM Global Corporate Service Corps will send volunteers to other cities in China besides Chengdu of Sichuan province.

Chengdu, fast changing city

Chengdu - 10 years ago


















Chengdu today