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Happy New Year or Good Luck?

Montreal, 09 January 2012

We used to casually wish Happy New Year to friends and acquaintances as if the good times would keep rolling on.  Not anymore.   We are well established into a new economic cycle driven by technology and low costs.  Both are tremendous factors that feed the off shoring of jobs to Asia.  The rise of Asia was also the rise of Wal-Mart and dollar stores, to the delight of the middle classes.   But the rise of Asia is also bearing a constant pressure for cost restructurings in western companies, whether in the office or in the sales force.  Even some white collar jobs are insidiously being shifted to emerging markets through  the covergence of telecoms and IT.  Low growth will see to that.  For many professionals, good luck wishes will be more appropriate for the forthcoming years.  Good luck wishes mean we have to adapt to the new conditions before hell strikes. 

Thus happy new year to the mining sector, growth companies in high technology, and all those in governments.  Good luck to traditional manufacturing, which must combine global fluency and a predisposition to innovate.   They need the best managers but might not be able to attract them.  Good luck to those who have yet to set a single foot in China.  Good luck to owners if your niche is stagnating, and if you pay more attention to your boat.  Happy new year to youngsters, masters of the digital revolution.  Good luck to those still outside the social medias, at home and in the office.   Happy new year to employees in services that require close relationships, and face-to-face contacts.  Good luck if your services are impersonal.   Good luck if you are above 45 and have not renewed your executive skills on international strategy, innovation, managing teams and in reading people.  How to manage productivity AND innovation is now one of the biggest challenges for organisations.  On which side of the equation are you going to be?  Happy new year if you have a smart mentor, acting as a flash light for you.    Good luck if your bank or credit card company calls you.   If you are not sure, happy new year anyway. 

André Du Sault.

Posted in CFO & treasury.


2 Responses

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  1. Jailen says

    You get a lot of respect from me for writing these helpful arctiles.

  2. Daniel says

    Well said and well written. Changes galore!



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