Globalisation challenges for local corporates

In a global environment, small independant countries like Mauritius will surely need foreign expatriate experts to help emerging sectors such as ICT and Finance grow.

But to what extent are we ready to accept changes in mindset, in management style, in methodology and procedures etc.. from such foreigners ?

We grew up in a society which still believe that 'imported' goods and services (especially from Western societies) are better that local ones. However when local companies are managed by foreigners at Top Management level, we sometimes tend to resist to change and this can create internal conflits and tensions.

Sometimes, this kind of attitude can be justified because maybe local factors such as cultural habits, beliefs and values are not being taken into consideration by these foreigners when they try to implement new polices and practices.

However, if a local enterprise aspire to become a global player, management and staff will probably need to adapt rapidly to such changes.

Alain Fok

How much do you love animals ?

Some people don't like animals.

Some people are even ready to kill them just for pleasure or money.

Some people love only domestic animals such as dogs and cats which they consider as 'pets'.

And there are those people who accept animals as they are whether they are domestic or wild.

These people will always fight for animal rights and animal protection because they strongly believe that every living creature deserve to be well treated and get the chance to emancipate in their natural environment.

But how many people are ready to become animal protection activists in our today's society ?


To which of the above categories do you belong to ?

Alain Fok

Happy Birthday my friend !!!

Do you remember the first letter I sent you 23 years ago. I got your address through PENPAL. We were still so young and so innocent at that time...

After some years, I met you for the first time in Hong Kong and you also came to Mauritius some years after.

As technology changes, we stopped writing letters and corresponded by email and sms. We could also keep in touch through Internet chat softwares or social Internet network softwares but I don't often use these platforms.

You are now married and have a small family to take care of and I have my own life too.

Yes we do not keep in touch very often now.

Yes we might have different characters, tastes and lifestyle.

Yes we might have different thoughts and attitudes concerning some issues.

But one thing for sure is that we share many common principles and values and our friendship is an everlasting one.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY my friend Louise !!!

Love from Alain

xxx

A memorable moment...

I had the privilege to interact with of the most successful business woman leader in the Network Marketing industry during her recent visit in Mauritius.

Despite her high social and business status, I was really amazed by her accessibility, her humility, her integrity, her sense of ethics, her charisma, her passion, her smile and her strong desire to serve others.

Such woman is an inspiration not only to all women who have a strong desire to succeed in life
but also to men.


Alain Fok

My cat 'Boulli'

Yesterday, I brought my cat called 'Boulli' to a public 'animal hospital' because he was sick since Monday and my niece and nephew were sad and anxious about his health.

The veterinary in service diagnosed him first. He then made an injection and prescribed some medicines.

He feels better today and everbody at home is happy because 'Boulli' is their favourite cat.
I realised that I spent a 'small fortune' for the well being of our cat. That is okbecause there is no price for love and health.

However what about those people who cannot afford to pay ? We already have a 'free' public hospital for peopleand this is an excellent thing.

But what about animals ? Don't you think they also deserve 'free' care and medicines if needed ?

Alain Fok

The Nobel Peace Prize 2007

The Nobel Peace Prize 2007 was attributed both to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and to Mr Al Gore (Jr) which was the former vice president of the United States of America
"for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change".

For those who are still sceptical about the DISASTROUS consequences of global warming for our planet in the long term, I invite you to watch the following films on climate change :-
"An Iconvenient Truth", by Mr Al Gore
"Climate Change and the need for Adaptation" , by GIEC (Georgia Industry Environmental Coalition).

Alain Fok

Ecological Walk

I used to go to my new office premises by car but last Monday morning I sent my car for servicing and so I decided to walk.

When I arrived there, I felt so good and so fit to start a new week.

This journey from home to the office by foot took me almost 1 hour instead of 15 minutes car drive but on the other hand, I not only exercise my body which is excellent for my health but also save fossil fuel energy and avoid polluting the atmosphere with CO2 emission.

I think I will repeat this exercise more often if time and the weather allow me to do so...

Alain Fok

A free carbon dioxide city

At a time where environmental issues are being discussed at the current G8 summit in Japan, just imagine a metropol such as New York, Rio, London, Beijing, Dubai or Johannesburg and... Port Louis city where people walk, use bicycles or electric motorbikes to go to work/ to school, where vehicles and industries use renewable energy ressources to operate, where households use solar or wind energy for their domestic electricity consumption, where domestic and industrial wastes are recycled in a ecological way etc....

Would you like to live in such an ecolo friendly environment ?

Alain Fok

'Big Brother' again ?

There is a well known Internet company which currently provides a feature to enable Internet get a satellite view of any city/region in the world. If you magnify to a certain scale, you can even have a top view of your building or house.

Well, today I learned that this same company is planning to install video cameras in some places to even enable Internet users watch pedestrian movements in well known streets.

Looks fantastic, isn't it ? Techically speaking, I would say yes. But what about privacy protection ? If you are walking with your boyfriend or girlfriend in Oxford street London for example, would you like millions of Internet users watch your step by step movements LIVE without your permission ?

Alain Fok

When plastic waste becomes fuel

This morning, I saw a tv report on BBC about the possibility to convert domestic plastic waste (bags, packaging etc...) through a 'revolutionary machine' into refined oil which can be used to run motor vehicles.

What an interesting solution to not only reduce our dependency on imported fuel whose prices have increased tremendously but also to get rid of our daily pile of domestic used plastics in an ecological way.

Alain Fok

Freedom fighters recognition

Le Morne mountain, a symbolic area in Mauritius which has just been selected by the UNESCO to become one of the World Heritage sites.

What a recognition for those people who were treated as 'slaves', during the dark days of slavery and who, according to the mauritian history, chose to die for their freedom.

They climbed that steep mountain with much difficulty and had enough 'guts' to jump from the peak.

These people strongly believe that a man is born to be free and they chose to die as a free man.

Centuries after, can we affirm in 2008 that 'slavery' has completely disappeared in our modern societies ?

Are people nowadays 'free' to think, to speak, to write and to act, whatever the society he/she belongs to ?

Alain Fok

Raphael Nadal, an example to follow

I'm not a great fan of tennis but this guy is really incredible. He is already a confirmed champion of 'clay surface' with his numerous victories at Rolland Garros Tennis Tournament but never won at Wimbledon because the soft grass surface is not his cup of tea.

But this young guy challenged himself that one day he will win the Wimbledon Cup. He tried and failed several times BUT this year was his year.

Being inspired by his large victory on Roger Federer (the current world tennis champion)recently in Rolland Garros final and may be also by the victory of hiscountry Spain at the European Football Cup (after 44 years), Raphael Nadal gave 200 % in the final against the same Roger Federer (the master and unbeatable Wimbledon champion for the past 5 years).

After more than 4 hours of intense battle, his perseverence and persistence finally paid up. Raphael Nadal won the game in 'extra time' in one of the best tennis final we have ever seen and thus accomplished his 'dreams'...

What an inspiration for all of us...

Alain Fok

How much do you love your country Mauritius ?

Today I would like to share again one of the additional comments that I wrote following my first article about mauritianism (Proud to be a mauritian/Fier d'etre mauricien, article on March 2008), just in case some people have not yet read it. Your comments are most welcome.

Alain Fok

<<

Marc Twain said that god created Mauritius before creating paradise. Well, if we consider paradise as a place where everything is perfect (the people, the environment, etc…), then Mauritius is not a paradise and will probably never become a paradise.

But don’t you agree that we have the chance to live in a multi-cultural, multi-religious and stable democratic society where every Mauritian of different origins and background is trying to live in harmony and respect among each other, since our independence in 1968 ?

Let us try to imagine in what situation we would have been in 2008 if our country was still governed by colonial powers… Would it have been better or worse ? Of course we might sometimes tend to prejudge people who are different from us (see my article dated 28 March 2008 on Prejudge) because this is human nature. And we could have the perception that communalism is expanding in our society (maybe encouraged sometimes by some politicians and cultural associations with vested interests) and that our current electoral system might encourage that increase in communalism, favoritism and division in our society especially during electoral campaigns.

But I believe that the Mauritian citizen is an intelligent person, especially those who got the opportunity to get a convenient education (not necessarily academic), and he/she will not accept to be easily ‘manipulated’ by people who have the power in our society to change things for better or worse.

Many Mauritian citizens, especially the young generations, might have lost confidence in the country’s ability to face the new challenges of globalization and either do not want to return back in their homeland after their studies overseas or simply want to emigrate abroad with the hope that grass will be greener elsewhere. They might also believe that our society is becoming more and more violent, that there are much more social injustice, that their purchasing power is declining year after year etc…. They might have lost confidence in the government bodies, in the political system, in the judiciary system, in the educational system etc…

I understand them and they should not be blamed for that because every citizen has his/her own aspirations, ambitions… in life. In my opinion, mauricianism is a state of mind.

Can we accept the fact that we are blessed to be born in such a wonderful island and many foreigners envy us for that.

Can we accept the fact that grass is not always greener elsewhere.

Can we accept the fact that imported products/services are not always of better quality than local ones.

Can we accept the fact that a better knowledge of the culture, the religion, the lifestyle, the way of thinking of people different from us is an enrichment and will definitely help in consolidating our social harmony and improve our quest in building a real Mauritian nation.

And as a responsible mauritian citizen, we should perhaps start thinking how we could contribute to make our country a better place to live for our current and future generations and not always complain and wait for our decision makers to improve things…

Alain Fok

>>

Do you like 'Shortcuts' ?

Imagine yourself waiting for some time in a long queue :-

to pay your telephone/electicity/water bills
in supermarkets
at the bus station
to drive in the capital at peak time
to get a permit

etc...

or competing with others :-

to obtain a business contract
to be promoted to a higher position
to get elected
etc...

How would you feel if somebody who come after you in the waiting list
managed to 'get served' before you or obtain something that you strongly believe you deserve it most ?

Is the person smarter than you ?

This is the true reality that we have to face in our daily life. We are living in a modern jungle
and some people think that because of their position and status, of their power, of their contacts etc..., they deserve to always be among the first to be served and at any cost.

Patience is a quality that even the richest or the most powerful man cannot buy.

I believe that people who choose non ethical 'shortcuts' at any cost to become successful in any aspect of his/her life (education, business, job, relationship, wealth etc...) might
be 'admired' but will certainly not gain 'respect' from the society.


Alain Fok

Wrong belief, false perceptions end in gossips...

A famous newspaper published a front page article about some acts of violence in a specific area of a well known city between two groups of people. According to that article, the cause of these fights between 'gangs' was due to drug dealings because that area was famous for that.

Some days later, a rectification was made (but this time not in the front page) concerning the cause of these fights. It was in fact not related at all to a drug affair and the area is not even a drug dealer's place. However the author of that article did not even appologise for publishing this 'wrong source of information'.

Can you imagine how people who live in that area felt when learning that they lived in a place where drug dealings are common ?

Today, I will not focus on whether this kind of press reporting was ethical or not. But I will concentrate on 'us', the 'consumers' of information.

When we watch tv, listen to radio, read newspapers or magazines, surf on Internet etc..., maybe we shall always try to keep an open mind on news or piece of information which raised our attention.

Perhaps things we learned (positive or negative) are not always true and we need to verify our belief.

Because wrong belief, false perceptions etc.. tend to end in gossips...

Alain Fok

Food Crisis Threat, an opportunity to change our food habits

I'm sure we are all aware that basic commodities such as rice and flour are becoming more and more scarce world wide due to various factors such as an increase in consumption and a reduced land surface for plantation.

Countries like Mauritius are big consumers of rice and flour and unfortunately need to import these commodities because our climate and soil is not convenient to cultivate such stuffs.

During the Second World War, Mauritius suffered a lot from a shortage of imported rice, flour and potatoes. The population at that time (ask our parents and grandparents..) had to eat maize, yam 'Fruit a Pain', cassava 'manioc' and 'arouille' instead of rice and flour, everyday, day and night, for almost six years.

I spent some time in mainland Africa for work and I can tell you that african people are already used to eat such substitutes to rice and flour.

Since the end of the Second World war (1945), Mauritius is now self-sufficient in potato production but is still dependant on imported rice and flour.

Nowadays, we live in a consumer society where everything is 'ready to use' and easily available in supermarkets. We have such a variety of branded imported food at competitive prices that we tend to 'reject' locally produced food which we believe might be of 'inferior' quality.

For example, how many of us will buy locally produced biscuits such as the centenary and unique 'biscuit manioc' (excellent with tea) especially at a time where customs duties have been reduced on imported biscuits ?

People might laugh at me especially the new generation if I recommend them to start 'diversifying' theirfood habits by eating more food which can easily be produced locally.

I am optimist by nature. Nevertheless don't you think it's time for us to think about this serious issue and slowly but gradually change our food habits and get prepared for the worst just in case...

Alain Fok

Positive Positive Positive

Think POSITIVE


Talk POSITIVE


Act POSITIVE


Our ACTS must be in harmony with our WORDS



Our WORDS must follow our THOUGHTS



Our ACTS must be in harmony with our WORDS and our THOUGHTS


We must be POSITIVE, POSITIVE and POSITIVE always !!!




How many times have we read or been taught that adopting a POSITIVE attitude in our daily life contributes to our wellness and improves our relations with others.


Do you think that POSITIVE thoughts always pop up in our mind ?

Do you think that it's easy to be POSITIVE all the time and in every situations ?


Looks so challenging, isn't it ?


Good luck and keep it up always...




Yours 'Positively'

Alain Fok