managementwww.mim.org.my PQPP/11505(938) W.MALAYSIARM10.00 E.MALAYSIARM12.00

VOL.49NO.4|2014

IS YOUR BRAND FAMOUS?

THE INSIDE GUIDE TO PROMOTING YOUR BRAND

8 STRATEGIES TO KILL COMPETITION

DATO’ FARSHILA EMRAN

THE AGENT OF CHANGE

THE IMPACT OF CHANGING HUMAN MINDSETSIS YOURS A

TRULY GLOBAL COMPANY?

DISRUPT OR BE DISRUPTED

DISCOVER THE IMPACT OF GRADUATE

MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

18C

ON

TEN

TS

10

In Touch with Tech

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Dato’ Farshila EmranThe Agent of Change

10 Dato’ Farshila EmranThe Agent of ChangeBold and dynamic, this CEO grabs bulls by the horn – and rattles a few feathers along the way – and whips all and sundry into shape to get things done efficiently and immediately!

18 In Touch with TechKeeping at the forefront of technology and its changing landscape have been key elements that have shaped the career of Lester Francis of M3 Technologies

22 Bugs AwayBeing a woman in the male-dominated field of science and entomology hasn’t stopped Dr. Wahizatul Afzan Azmi from staking a big claim

26 Carving a Legacy in FashionFind out how Carven Ong journeyed from his modest beginnings to become a top fashion designer, educator and entrepreneur in Malaysia and his principles of success

30 Does Photoshopping Bomb the Consumer’s Self Esteem?Photoshopping models in advertisements damages the self-esteem of teenage girls, even when a warning is given

35 Good Corporate Responsibility ReportingDiscover the guidelines to report with credibility and reliability

62 Protecting Your Intellectual PropertyWe speak to KASS International on design rights and ways to protect your Intellectual Property rights

66 8 Popular Strategies for Blowing Away CompetitionWant to bump off the competition? Here are 8 popular strategies that will do just that

MIM EVENT SPECIAL REPORT40 Analysing and Developing Your Social NetworkProfessor Martin Gargiulo discusses some of the strategies required to learn more about your social network and how you can turn it into an asset for your career

45 The Impact of Changing Human MindsetsWhat does it mean to be a truly global company? Fedrik Härén, renowned speaker and author discusses what it takes to be a truly global company

Carving a Legacy in Fashion

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76

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CONTENTS

Inspiration

Problem Solving for Innovation and Creativity: Getting the Best From Your Teams

Motoring

50 The Psychology of Social Capital: Managing Your TalentsHow to get the best balance and results in a team by Professor Ian Robertson

55 Problem Solving for Innovation and Creativity: Getting the Best From Your TeamsPicking the best team is not as easy as simply grouping top performers together. In fact, doing that could give you the opposite effect

EXECUTIVE DIGEST78 Brand FamousThe inside guide to promotingyour brand

81 Disrupt or Be DisruptedDiscover the impact of graduate management education

84 Innovation GovernanceWhy should we pay attention to innovation governance?

87 A Force for ChangeEffective leaders create change and are able to mobilise their followers to achieve such change. However, the act of leadership is morally neutral, as the changes can be good or bad

90 The CarpenterThe story about the greatest success strategies

93 Winning Global MarketsUnderstanding the economic power of global cities

BEST FOR SUCCESS70 Inspiration L’Oreal’s feisty and capable Head of Corporate Communications, Jean Loh shares just how she rules beyond lipsticks and hair colour!

72 IdeasFind out how to be productive at the workplace with some efficient tips – and tricks!

76 MotoringBMW has given its 520D a bit of a face-lift, not that it matters because it still is rather good

REGULAR6 Ceo Foreword8 Editor’s Note96 Chairman’s View

The Psychology of Social Capital: Managing Your Talents

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CEO’s

Sivanganam RajaretnanChief Executive OfficerMalaysian Institute of Management

Foreword

MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

HONORARY FELLOWSRoyal Professor Ungku A. AzizYABhg Tun Dr Mahathir MohamadYB Dato’ Seri Anwar IbrahimYABhg Tun Abdullah Ahmad BadawiYAB Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak

COURT OF EMERITUS FELLOWSPresidentYABhg Tun Mohammed Hanif bin Omar

Vice PresidentYBhg Datuk Dr Paddy Bowie

In accordance to date of admissionYBhg Tan Sri Osman S. CassimYM Tunku Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Ahmad Tunku YahyaYBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Azman HashimIr. George Lee Yau LungDr. Tarcisius Chin Nyet LeongMr. Robert Kuok Hock NienYAB Pehin Sri (Dr) Haji Abdul Taib bin MahmudProf. Liew Shou KongYBM Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh bin Tengku M HamzahThe Honourable Chief Justice (Rtd) Yong Pung HowYBhg Prof. Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Mohamed Rashdan bin Hj BabaYBhg Tan Sri Kamarul Ariffin Mohamed YassinYBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Paduka Sallehuddin MohamedYBhg Tan Sri Wan Azmi bin Wan HamzahYBhg Tan Sri Kishu TirathaiYBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Abdul Aziz Abdul RahmanYBhg Tan Sri Dato (Dr) R V NavaratnamMr. Niels John Madsen R, R1YBhg Datuk Haji Mohd Saufi bin Hj AbdullahYABhg Tun Dr Ahmad Sarji Abdul HamidYABhg Tun Musa HitamYBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Teh Hong PiowYBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Lin See YanYBhg Jen (B) Tan Seri Datuk Seri Mohd Zahidi bin Hj ZainuddinYAM Tunku Tan Sri Imran Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afarYBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Mohamed Munir Abdul MajidYBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Hassan MaricanYBhg Dato’ Ng Tieh ChuanYBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Tay Ah LekYBhg Datuk Seri Haji Mohamed Iqbal RawtherYBhg Tan Sri Datuk Yong Poh KonYBhg Prof Dato’ Wira Dr Hj Khairil Annas bin Jusoh YBhg Dato’ Sri Dr Ali bin HamsaYBhg Tan Sri Dato' Seri Siti Norma Yaakob

GENERAL COUNCIL 2013/2014ChairmanYBhg Datuk Seri Haji Mohamed Iqbal Rawther

Vice ChairmanYBhg Dato’ Ng Tieh Chuan

Court of Emeritus FellowsTan Sri Dato' (Dr) RV NavaratnamMr. Niels John Madsen, R, R1

FellowsProf. Dr. Khaliq Ahmad Mohd. Israil

Ordinary MembersMs. Rita KrishnanMr. Kamal Batcha DawoodMr. Christopher Chew

Associate MembersMr. Darul Abdullah

Group MembersDato’ Dr. Basant Singh SidhuMr. Joseph Rocky GomezPn. Rahima Beevi Mohd. Ibrahim

Inclusion in today’s world is often used in the context of creating opportunities for willing participants. The focus is on the internal behaviours and practices that allow all to feel included in the bigger scheme of things – the quest to create success.

With the war on talent to keep the brightest and the best, it is inherent to fully understand and explore how the power of inclusion can help support business success.

In MIM, we understand the need to promote not just the idea of inclusiveness but walk the talk and ensure that the walls of this esteemed establishment reverberates the calls for making inclusiveness an integral part of our management style.

Inclusiveness’ positive persona is one that shares ideas from all perspectives and one where people of different characteristics work together to achieve one common goal. It is a work culture that encourages the difference of opinions and thoughts, which are in turn, celebrated with enthusiasm here in MIM. It’s about giving everyone the opportunity to be challenged - and to challenge.

It’s not about creating the delusion that everyone will always get along. It’s not about agreeing for the sake of side stepping a conflict. It is also not about ignoring cultural and gender differences that may exist.

A cohesive team could result from this inclusiveness and the speed at which

an organisation’s goals are achieved, is accelerated. Ask yourself how contributing to the greater good of the organisation makes you feel? Doesn’t it make you beam with pride and want to go the extra mile knowing that your contribution has somewhat made a difference?

Inclusiveness has moved from being a corporate catchphrase that down the years would have lost its shine like a well-worn leather shoe. It’s one that has found its place on the mantel in every corner office, a reminder that inclusiveness is an intrinsic management trait that will move the organisation’s success and along the way overcome changes and motivate drive and focus.

In today’s corporate environment, people feel the need to be valued for their contributions most often through monetary benefits. It does not always have to be monetary. Allowing strong individuals who are emerging leaders to take on more responsibilities further illustrates a win/win inclusive environment. When your team members feel engaged in creating tangible results, there is a likelihood that they will stay on with the organisation.

Moving forward with MIM, with new movements and engagements within the fold, I look forward to a combination of fresh thinking and experience to form a powerful ammunition, an arsenal needed to progress as the country’s foremost voice of management and leadership.

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THE AGENT The feisty and passionate Managing Director of Pharmaniaga Berhad takes a breather and shares her inspirational tale of rising to the top with integrity.

OF CHANGE

► F R O M T H E C O R N E R O F F I C E ◄

By SHARMINI M RETHINASAMYPhotography SEAN/31 SQUAREMake Up MECIA LOH

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phone call from her sister-in-law, Sharifah Fauziyah Syed Mohthar, lamenting on wanting

to quit her job and do something else, presented an entrepreneurial opportunity to Datuk Farshila Emran, now Managing Director of Pharmaniaga Berhad.

It was a long shot worth venturing into despite not having the finances. Understanding that the financial obstacles could be overcome between them, Datuk Farshila decided to grab the bull by the horns and move forward with their plans.

They opened a pharmaceutical retail business under the name Idaman and drew in a mere RM60 a day. “It was time to move in a different direction to garner more sales,” explained this MARA alumnus with a Diploma in Office Management. “One day, watching some kids go on pony rides, a business opportunity was triggered. Ponies take medication and so we decided to supply those and, eventually, branch out to supplying to canine units that also require antibiotics. From that point onwards, our daily income was incrementally positive.

MOVING ONTO BIGGER CHALLENGESThen came news that a plant up north was under receivership. “We thought we would acquire it despite not having the experience,” she laughed, reminiscing about the early days. “I became the “bulldozer” of sorts for the company, bulldozing my way through!”

So they decided to rope in some assistance and approached Tan Sri Datuk Seri Lodin Wok Kamaruddin of Boustead. As the synergy between Boustead Holdings and themselves came to fruition and despite the latter having

little expertise in the field, they made up for it with unrelenting enthusiasm.

“We did not have the know-how,” she divulged in all honesty. I believe that if your know-how is challenged, we should move onto the next plan of action – go to the know-who!” That’s exactly what she did. She sought the assistance of a friend, Datin Shamsinar Hj Shaari, who has had some 25-year’s experience working in a leading international pharmaceutical company. “She fell for our enthusiasm and hunger to succeed. Despite being the one who would sign the cheque for her consultation fees, I put up with some amount of ribbing from her but, given her seniority and experience, eating humble pie was all worth it.”

The return of investment was to be achieved in seven years, but Datuk Farshila managed to garner a return of investment within three and a half years. In the meantime, Pharmaniaga Berhad was looking to sell one of their plants in Sri Iskandar. With already having a synergistic partnership in place, acquiring the plant in Sri Iskandar seemed like a natural progression in the scheme of things.

The subsequent takeover of Pharmaniaga Berhad’s Sri Iskandar plant saw a return of investment, breaking the initial prediction!

Rumour had it that UEM wanted to divest off Pharmaniaga Berhad because it was not their core business. This mooted an idea for acquisition.

“I agreed to do the due diligence,” she explained. “I roped in the help of the very capable Datin Shamsinar and Sharifah Fauziyah to pull off this takeover bid.”

She remained unfazed bidding against big names because she was confident that her passion and drive would see her through. Going in with guns blazing, she helped clinch the deal. But her involvement did not stop there. Having had very little knowledge of running a public listed company, she was on the lookout to find someone to head the company. Despite the many CVs of hopeful candidates presented to her, she was requested to helm the company and form a credible team to take Pharmaniaga to the next level. “I brought in many capable

► F R O M T H E C O R N E R O F F I C E ◄

A

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOUR KNOW-HOW IS CHALLENGED, WE

SHOULD MOVE ONTO THE NEXT PLAN OF ACTION – GO TO THE

KNOW-WHO!

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By RICHARD AUGUSTINPhotography LEON

► L E A D E R S H I P ◄

IN TOUCH WITH TECHKeeping at the forefront of technology and its changing landscape have been key elements that have shaped the career of Lester Francis of M3 Technologies.

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ester Francis is a hard man to pin down. As the Executive Director and Group Chief Operations Officer of

M3 Technologies (M3 Tech), Lester keeps a busy schedule spearheading the company whilst keeping tabs on what’s trending in the highly-competitive technology industry. In fact, with M3 Tech rapidly expanding its presence in several Asian markets, Lester is constantly on the move, developing strategies and charting the growth of the company on a regional scale.

A quick glance and you can immediately gauge how successful M3 Tech has been since its inception in 1999. Priding itself on being Asia’s premiere mobile value added services (VAS) provider, the company has established itself in key markets such as Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, China, Indonesia and Pakistan. Although predominantly offering mobile content, M3 Tech has diversified its portfolio to include consumer electronics, multimedia products and services.

Being in the company since its start, Lester has been credited as one of the key people who have helped develop M3 Tech to what it is today. Throughout his 15-year tenure with the company, Lester has constantly been at the forefront of technology and has borne witness to the on-going evolution that has shaped the industry and the business, as he tells us during a recent chat.

CONSTANTLY EVOLVE “When M3 Tech started back in 1999, we were primarily a SMS content services provider,” reveals Lester. “We offered the whole range of SMS content like ringtones, downloadable logos and other forms of content like sports results. We had banks using

L our mobile SMS services to communicate with their customers and we also signed unprecedented agreements with Maxis, Celcom and DIGI as a third party provider.”

Business boomed in the next few years and the company soon expanded into Singapore, China and Indonesia replicating the same business module that spurred its success in Malaysia. It was at this point that M3 Tech began to expand its portfolio to offer services like reverse charging but soon the market began to change, which prompted M3 Tech to relook its business module.

“Five years ago, we realised that the mobile business would not be able to sustain us. So we decided to diversify our business,” explains Lester. “We went into the GPS business where we developed an app for tracking and location based services and we partnered with PapaGo to become their exclusive distributor for their devices in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia,” he added.

Today, M3 Tech’s portfolio has expanded into LED lighting called Way LED and online retail. They’ve also created new and exciting products such as the i3Display, an android-based electronic display and the i3D Selfie, which allows users to snap selfies and instantly share them on social media platforms. The company has also developed SpeakEZ, a voice recognition app that teaches its user the correct pronunciation of English and Mandarin words.

“I feel that it is necessary to constantly diversify the business and evolve the product offerings in accordance to the development of technology as well as what the consumer wants,” explains Lester. “In our case, we’re a technology company and if we don’t evolve with the technology that comes out then we’ll get left behind,” he elaborates. “We have to constantly be at the forefront of technology to see and understand what’s going on.”

UNDERSTAND YOUR MARKETS“Every business has a saturation point and in order to overcome that, it’s important to understand what the customer wants,” Lester

EVERY BUSINESS HAS A SATURATION POINT AND IN ORDER TO OVERCOME THAT, IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND

WHAT THE CUSTOMER WANTS.

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By Suloshini Jahanath

► R E S E A R C H & D E V E L O P M E N T ◄

BUG’S AWAYBeing a woman in the male-dominated field of science and entomology hasn’t stopped Dr. Wahizatul Afzan Azmi from staking a big claim.

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r. Wahizatul Afzan Azmi, a Senior Lecturer in Entomology, at the School of Marine Science &

Environment, Universiti Malaysia, Terengganu (UMT), didn’t really envision winning an award when she chose to go into the sciences. In fact, it was all about the bugs for her – researching insects, insect pests and disease management, and environmental biology. In other words, bugs don’t bug her.

Yet, this wife and mother of three didn’t take into account the recognition she would gain with her hard work in developing a new pest control strategy for palm trees.

“I felt honoured by the submission alone,” she says. “The impact it had on me was a feeling of being respected and recognised.”

THE RESEARCHDr. Wahizatul is developing a new pest control strategy for palm trees using entomopathogenic fungi (EPF), which is a form of biological control rather than a synthetic insecticide.

She has been researching Rhynchophorus Ferrugineus, or the Red Palm Weevil (RPW), a species that is the most destructive insect pest of major cultivated palms. According to the study, the RPW is described as a pest of no less than 26 palm species belonging to 16 different genera.

The RPW isn’t limited to just one place; in fact it has spread from its native Southeast Asian region to the rest of the continent including China and India, Northern Africa and the Middle East, the Caribbean (Aruba and Curacao) Europe and Oceania (including Australia and Papua New Guinea).

It was captured in the south of Spain and other European countries in 1994 and listed on the A2 list of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) as a serious pest.

The research further suggests that in the Middle East, the RPW is the most destructive insect pest of the date palm, and this is

D especially true for Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman and Egypt. The RPW is considered a serious pest of the coconut palm and oil palm in India and Sri Lanka, especially as it can completely destroy these plants.

In Malaysia, an unidentified cryptic RPW was first reported in some small land holdings in Rhu Tapai, Setiu, Terengganu in early 2007. While the origins of this cryptic RPW were unknown, the theory was that it could have been accidentally transported in dates which were imported from the Middle East. The study notes that this species of weevil is probably Rhynchophorus Ferrugineus as it is one of the most destructive pests of coconut palms in the Southeast Asian region.

“This invasive pest is likely the most aggressive pest that will threaten the coconut industry and the survival of oil palms, which represent the backbone of Malaysia’s commodities market,” Dr. Wahizatul says. Malaysia is home to about four million hectares of oil palm, a stable income source to many small holders and the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) settlers in this country. She points out that urgent action is needed in order to prevent significant economic yield losses.

“My study is crucial in exploring and developing the potential of indigenous EPF that could be pre-adapted to the tropical climate of Malaysia, where factors such as temperature and humidity are critical when using biological rather than chemical control methods,” she adds. “EPF is cost effective and works against more than 200 insect pest species. It is safe, non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Application is also not labour intensive; in fact, it is less time consuming, which is more practical for small holders in Malaysia, thus, improving the lives of people that rely on agriculture for a livelihood in Malaysia.”

When asked what prompted her to get behind this very specific research, she attributes her interest to retired UMT Professor Abdul Rahman Abdul Razak, who is also her research mentor. “He inspired me to be a successful scientist,” she explains. “He is such a good friend, an enthusiastic mentor and a supportive co-researcher.”

IT’S DEFINITELY A CHALLENGE BEING A WOMAN SCIENTIST.

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CARVEN ONG CARVING HIS LEGACY IN THE MALAYSIAN FASHION INDUSTRY

By Edlyn Khoo

Find out how Carven Ong journeyed from his modest beginnings to become a top fashion designer, educator and entrepreneur in Malaysia; and, his principles of success.

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I

► E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P ◄

met Carven Ong on a rainy Saturday afternoon at his boutique at Prince Hotel Kuala Lumpur. He was slightly late,

being stranded across the road at Pavilion Shopping Mall by the rain and having to borrow an umbrella to get back. Apologising profusely, he immediately got us settled in at a discussion table, offered me some water and amiably declared, “Let’s start!” Humble, professional, resourceful, friendly and sincere… Looking back on those first few minutes of our encounter, I realised it summed up the essence of who Ong is.

Ong is one of Malaysia’s most renowned fashion designers and his brand “Carven Ong” is synonymous with feminine, classic elegance. As the proud owner of a fashion academy, several fashion counters in leading department stores, a couture boutique specialising in wedding and evening gowns, as well as a wedding-planning company, he has certainly come a long way from his humble beginnings.

THE BIRTH OF A DREAMOng grew up in a small village in Taiping, Perak; the youngest of seven siblings. Ever since he could remember, Ong loved drawing. By the time he was 13 years old, he had dreams of becoming an artist. However, it was his elder sisters who eventually inspired him to be a fashion designer. He was fascinated by how they sketched, designed, sewed and modelled their own fashionable clothes; and he quickly learned the basics from them.

After finishing secondary school, Ong announced his desire to study fashion and design. Unfortunately, his parents were not supportive, insisting that there was no “future”

in fashion. If Ong insisted on going ahead, he would have to support himself. Taking that as his parents’ blessing, Ong found a job in KL as a salesman with a direct-sales company and started saving up to study fashion. After half a year and the passing of his father, Ong realised that he wasn’t doing very well at his job and he was nowhere close to realising his fashion dreams. His sister(s) encouraged him to pursue his passion and agreed to support his studies.

Ong wasted no time in enrolling at the nearest and most affordable fashion academy he could find. Thanks to his innate talent and grasp of the basic skills, Ong was able to complete his three-year course within only one year. It was also then that Ong took part in a fashion design competition and won the first prize; a scholarship to study in KL. Recognising his talent, the fashion institute also offered him a position as a part-time fashion lecturer.

Ong’s first real job was as a senior designer with a fashion wholesaler. Ong was given the freedom to design clothes, in particular, party dresses, for sale to boutiques all over Malaysia. After work, he also taught part-time. What started out as a tutoring gig at home to one student soon expanded to 10 students.

AN EDUCATOR AT HEARTBy then, it was 1991 and Ong was 23 years old. With a capital of only RM10,000, Ong decided to take the risk and focus full-time on his academy. He quit his job and rented a 600 square foot shop lot to hold his classes. This was the birth of his first business venture, the Carven Academy of Fashion. Today, after 23 years, the academy has expanded to occupy a three-storey shop lot and accepts 60 students per intake. He has achieved this by consistently reinvesting to expand and upgrade the academy’s premises and teaching facilities. What’s impressive is that he has never invested in marketing, all the while relying solely on the power of his students’ referrals!

The academy occupies a special place in Ong’s heart, as it is his sincere wish to help

THE MALAYSIAN MARKET IS GEARED MORE TOWARDS READY-TO-WEAR;

AND IN BUSINESS, VOLUME IS WHERE THE MONEY IS.

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I

► A D V E R T I S I N G & P R O M O T I O N S ◄

n France, the world capital of fashion and luxury, lawmakers in Parliament recently voted in favour of a new ruling asking that

advertisements should include a warning to inform consumers that certain models had been modified by computer. This proposed law, which although in the end was not adopted, clearly reflects a growing preoccupation with the use of enhanced photos in advertising.

“As far as we know, there are no exact statistics on the number of images of models in advertising that have been enhanced by computer, but some reckon that all photos appearing in fashion or women’s magazines, or even those aimed at teenagers, are enhanced by photo editing software,” said Adilson Borges, Faculty Director at the NEOMA Business School in France and author of a recent study, The Effects of Digitally Enhanced Photos on Product Evaluation and Young Girls’ Self-Esteem.

Moreover, the media often presents models that have been enhanced by computer, with a final result that is incompatible with certain normal characteristics of the human body

DOES PHOTOSHOPPING BOMB CONSUMER’S SELF-ESTEEM? Photoshopping models in advertisements damages the self-esteem of teenage girls, even when a warning is given. By JASON ZHAO

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► O P E R AT I O N S & S T R AT E G I E S ◄

GOOD CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY REPORTINGThe guidelines to report with credibility and reliability.By Paul N C Tiong PhD CPA (Aust.) and Choon-Yin Sam PhD Associate Lecturers, The University of Wollongong, Australia

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C orporate responsibility reporting (also referred to as corporate sustainability reporting and

triple bottom line reporting) is the reporting of a company’s financial (economic), environmental and social performance. Traditionally, the primary focus of corporate reporting has been on the company’s financial performance. However, today, the reporting of the three aspects of a company’s performance (financial, environmental and social performance) has become a widely adopted business practice.

According to The KPMG Survey of Corporate Responsibility Reporting 2013, 71 per cent of the largest 100 companies by revenue in 41 countries (N100) prepared corporate responsibility reports. Among the top 250 companies listed in the Fortune Global 500 (G250) ranking, the reporting rate is around 93 per cent. In countries in the Asia-Pacific, the reporting rate among the largest 100 companies is as follows: Australia (82 per cent), China (including Hong Kong) (75 per cent), India (73 per cent), Indonesia (95 per cent), Japan (98 per cent), Kazakhstan (25 per cent), New Zealand (47 per cent), Singapore (80 per cent), South Korea (49 per cent) and Taiwan (56 per cent). In Malaysia, the reporting rate of the largest 100 companies is 98 per cent. The key drivers for corporate responsibility reporting in Malaysia are the government’s The Green Book (Enhancing Board Effectiveness) and The Silver Book (Achieving Value Through Social Responsibility), Bursa

Malaysia’s Listing Requirements (Item 29, Part A, Appendix 9C of the Main Market Listing Requirements and Item 30, Appendix 9C of the ACE Market Listing Requirements) and Securities Commission Malaysia’s Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance.

In preparing corporate responsibility reports, due to an absence of legislative requirements that specify the contents of the reports, many companies refer to various voluntary reporting guidelines. Examples of these guidelines include the following: Equator Principles’ Risk Management Framework, Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, International Chamber of Commerce’s Business Charter for Sustainable Development, International Labour Organisation’s Core Conventions, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, Reverend Leon Sullivan’s Global Sullivan Principles, United Nations’ Global Compact’s Ten Principles and United Nations’ The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Among these guidelines, the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Reporting Guidelines are the most widely used. The KPMG Survey found that 78 per cent of the N100 companies and 82 per cent of the G250 companies refer to these guidelines.

The external assurance of corporate responsibility reports, which is voluntary in most countries, has also become more widespread. According to the KPMG Survey, the rate of assurance for the N100 companies and G250 companies is 38 per cent and 59 per cent respectively. The previous KPMG Survey – conducted in 2011 – reported the percentage of companies that undertake assurance of their corporate responsibility reports by country. The rates of assurance for countries in the Asia-Pacific region are as follows: Australia (51 per cent), China (37 per cent), Japan (23 per cent), India (80 per cent), New Zealand (19 per cent), Singapore (7 per cent), South Korea (75 per cent) and Taiwan (43 per cent). There was no data for Malaysia because it was not included in the last survey. The motivations for the assurance

TODAY, THE REPORTING OF THE THREE ASPECTS OF A COMPANY’S

PERFORMANCE (FINANCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL

PERFORMANCE) HAS BECOME A WIDELY ADOPTED BUSINESS PRACTICE.

► O P E R AT I O N S & S T R AT E G I E S ◄

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► M I M S P E C I A L E V E N T R E P O R T ◄

ANALYSING AND DEVELOPING YOUR SOCIAL NETWORKProfessor Martin Gargiulo, a Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD Singapore, discusses some of the strategies required to learn more about your social network and how you can turn it into an asset for your career. By Karan Dhillon

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they arise, whether it is to meet new people, forge closer relationships with acquaintances or nurture already close relationships.

THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR NETWORKThe structure of your network is a reflection of how the people in your network are connected to each other. Garguilo believes that this is almost always a result of circumstances than personality, but by understanding the characteristics of your particular structure, you can be better prepared how to nurture your social capital.

There are three tiers of network structure – a sparse network, a centralised network and a dense network.

In a sparse network, nobody or very few of the people that you know actually know each other. For example, they could be from different countries or different organisations and therefore do not get the chance to intersect.

People with these social networks often suffer from a lack of group support that a centralised or a dense network may provide.

In a centralised network, everybody is connected through one central contact. Therefore, you will realise that there is somebody who is very important to your social network because everyone is connected to him.

The obvious downfall of this is that if your relationship with that person goes wrong, your network unravels. Knowing this, you can either start to diversify your network i.e. meet people or nurture relationships with people that you already know who are not connected with this central person.

In a dense network, everybody is connected to each other and everybody

knows everybody and potentially – everybody hates everybody. This network offers a great support group, but there is also group pressure to conform and group inertia – a likeliness to stick in a herd.

It is also important to know how much you depend on a particular person and how this person relates to the rest of your network. If, for example, you realise that the person you most depend on is also the person that is central to your network, then the situation is brittle, because your entire livelihood depends on your relationship with this person, so you need to nurture the relationship as much as possible.

However, this person could leave the country, retire or even pass away, so diversifying is important.

BUILDING AND NURTURING YOUR NETWORKREDUCING HOMOGENEITYIf your network is homogenous in terms of the nationality of your contacts, then you may have difficulty conducting business with an international team because you are unaware of the differences in cultures and customs, which could lead to misunderstandings.

If a Malaysian man, on typical Malaysian time, shows up late to a meeting with a Japanese man, it would be seen as a sign of great disrespect by the Japanese, and it is likely the relationship will fall apart. This could have been avoided if the Malaysian had had previous contacts that were Japanese and was exposed to that culture.

If your goal is to increase the national diversity of your network i.e. meet people from different countries, then you can start to identify initiatives or projects that would put you in contact with these people. You could even approach your boss to request such an opportunity.

BIRDS IN A NETWORK FLOCK TOGETHER – BUT THEY SHOULDN’TThe last time you went to a conference or business dinner, did you spend most of your

A LACK OF DIVERSITY IN A PARTICULAR DIMENSION OF YOUR NETWORK CAN HOLD YOU BACK IN YOUR LIFE, CAREER

OR ORGANISATION.

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► M I M S P E C I A L E V E N T R E P O R T ◄

THE IMPACT OF CHANGING HUMAN MINDSETSWhat does it mean to be a truly global company? Fedrik Härén, renowned speaker on Business Creativity and author of nine books, including The Idea Book that was included in “The 100 Best Business Books of All Time”, discusses what it takes to be a truly global company and how you can change your mindset to get there. By Karan Dhillon

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THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SOCIAL CAPITAL: MANAGING YOUR TALENTSDoes teamwork always give you better results? How can you harness the desire for power? What are the leadership differences between men and women? How can you get the best balance and results in a team? Professor Ian Robertson addresses these and other insightful ponderings during his talk entitled The Psychology of Social Capital at the MIM Asian Management Conference & Exhibition 2014. By Karan Dhillon

► M I M S P E C I A L E V E N T R E P O R T ◄

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► M I M S P E C I A L E V E N T R E P O R T ◄

D uring his MIM Asian Management Conference & Exhibition 2014 workshop, Ian Robertson, Author

and Professor of Psychology at Trinity College, Dublin, discusses some of the key characteristics of an effective team and some practical strategies one can take to increase the overall performance of a team. Below are three of the key salient points taken from the session, along with some real life examples.

WHAT IS GROUP IQ AND HOW DO YOU ASSESS THE GROUP IQ OF A TEAM?Although it is tempting to think that the best teams are made up of the smartest people,

PROBLEM SOLVING FOR INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY: GETTING THE BEST FROM YOUR TEAMS

Picking the best team is not as easy as simply grouping top performers together. In fact, doing that could give you the opposite effect. By Karan Dhillon

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► M I M S P E C I A L E V E N T R E P O R T ◄

AN INAUGURAL FEAT IN MANAGEMENT

T he Malaysian Institute of Management (MIM) hosted the inaugural Asian Management

Conference and Exhibition 2014 (AMCE 2014) on October 13 and 14 at the Royal Chulan Hotel.

Offering comprehensive insights of the latest challenges facing all industries, the event saw some 500 participants from the region in attendance.

Themed “Social Capital: Leading in a Networked World”, the event focused on managing social capital and use the power of social networks to drive business growth. The event was officiated by Dato’ Sri Rohani Abdul

Karim, Minister for the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.

The two-day event will consisted of a conference, workshop, gala and awards dinner as well as an exhibition.

MIM Chairman Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal Rawther said MIM’s inaugural annual event was designed to facilitate sharing of resources, knowledge and regional information in support of today’s interconnected management.

“Utilising the networks of the 15 member countries, the objective of this flagship event is to create a common platform that leverages the networks within the Asia-Pacific region to

Registration of participants comprising of both MIM members and members of the public.

Dato' Sri Rohani Abdul Karim officiating the event.

A sponsor's booth draws an interested participant. The Minister looking at books.

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We speak to KASS International on the different faces of design and ways to protect your Intellectual Property. By Suloshini Jahanath

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PROTECTING YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

e often hear or read about legal battles where one party attests

that their intellectual property has been stolen by the other party. Take for example the Apple vs Samsung legal battle of nearly four years, which looks like it will be going on for at least another three! And all because Apple believes that some of Samsung’s phones and tablets infringe on Apple’s patents.

Intellectual property is a tricky thing. You create something, and it’s something that you believe is new, and unique, but before you even blink, there’s something exactly like it at a shop just down the street from you. So what’s going on? What exactly is intellectual property, and how can you protect your intellectual property rights?

According to KASS International, “Any application of the mind or intellect to creatively generate something new or original can be considered intellectual property. The legal protection of intellectual property – be it for inventions, brands, trademarks, designs, art works, written works or any artistic creation

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By Lori Bassett

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► S T R AT E G I E S & O P E R AT I O N S ◄

very small business owner has to learn to deal effectively with competition. The business environment is growing

more and more aggressively competitive every day. Bigger companies have the reach and the means to grab more of the market for themselves, while the online shopping revolution continues to rip apart old traditions. Gaining a competitive edge requires creative thinking and quick action, whether your most threatening competitor is a small-scale enterprise similar to your own, a large company, an online business with less overhead, or even an entire industry.

The fantasy goal for a small enterprise is to blow the competition away by being so much better in so many ways that as far as customers are concerned, there is really no contest -- yours is the one they like best. This can happen if you make becoming “better” your top priority. But first you have to define what that means.

How do you describe “better” in concrete, specific terms, and how would you quantify it from the customer perspective? How much

POPULAR STRATEGIES FOR BLOWING AWAY YOUR COMPETITION Want to bump off the competition? Here are 8 popular strategies that will do just that!

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HOW DID YOU COME TO BE THE HEAD OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AT L’OREAL MALAYSIA SDN BHD?I was recruited by a headhunter who made a cold call to my previous employer looking for the person who organised the Breast Cancer Awareness Charity event. Next thing I know, I met the Managing Director of L’Oréal Malaysia and subscribed to his vision and joined a month later. WHAT ABOUT YOUR WORK MOST EXCITES YOU?I get satisfaction from seeing positive changes in the organisation. One of my main missions is to make L’Oréal Malaysia a great place to work internally and externally. Being able to influence policies, and introducing programs that benefit employees, which in turn leads to greater job satisfaction, makes

BEST FORSUCCESSPERSONALITY

JEAN LOH She’s beauty bound for most parts of her life and it doesn’t seem to be coming to a stop anytime soon. L’Oreal’s feisty and capable Head of Corporate Communications shares just how she rules beyond lipsticks and haircolour!Compiled By Sharmini M.rethinasamyPhotography By Leon

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s companies move abroad, they decide which nation or nations to produce and

sell in and choose specific locations where they intend to carry out their administration, production, distribution and sales work. If a company chooses to sell in China, where does it locate its headquarters for China? Will it be Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong or any of a dozen other cities? And in each Chinese city where it plans to operate, the company needs to develop specfic presences and locations. Choosing a pattern of locations around the

WINNING GLOBAL MARKETSUnderstanding the Economic Power of Global Cities.

world is a gigantic task that can make a major difference in the company’s success.

Every nation contains a set of cities that differ in their importance and national and global reach. Some of the world’s cities are bigger than many nations. The 2007 Greater Tokyo metropolitan region of 13,500km had 35 million residents. It was roughly equal to the population of Canada and larger than that of Malaysia, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia. Other megacity regions include Shanghai, Beijing, Mumbai, Delhi, New York City, Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, São

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