The Dutch Vietnam Management Supporter

Chc Mng Nm Mi!

12 years ago the New Millennium took off with a Dragon Year. The circle is round: we now enter a new Dragon Year. When you listen to economic forecasters most will tell you it will not just be a worrisome, but a disastrous year. Economists predict negative growth (!). When instead you choose to listen to some fearless entrepreneurs, you hear a different story: 2012 is a year of opportunities for those that recognize & then dare to grab them. They tell you that times of crisis are breeding grounds for great and sustainable ideas. Both are right. But of course, you and I have to make it GO right. Be a Dragon! The 2012 Dragon Year is HERE!
Prof. Loek Hopstaken Email: loek@hopstaken.com Mobile: 090 888 9450

6th year, no. 1 January 19, 2012

This magazine was first published in March 2007. It is digitally distributed among my Vietnamese and Dutch business & private associates. Purpose: to keep them informed about my activities overseas and in Vietnam. This amazingly attractive and energetic country has rapidly conquered my soul, and become my home away from home. Loek Hopstaken

In this issue:
Happy New Year! Dear Reader 1 2

Singapore: example? 3 4 Teachers Day 5 MBA: academic? Picture Gallery 2012 Royal courses Six Blind Men 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

The most beautiful people I know are those who have known defeat, suffering, known struggle and known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These people have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion and a deep loving concern. Roy Nichols, Historian (18961972)
The hands belong to a 90 year old lady from Tran Hung Dao, Quang Ninh Prov.

What are your KPIs? Forgetful Elephant Standing Offer Contact information

Quality means: fit for use Dr. Joe Juran

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Dear Reader,
The final months of the Year of the Cat are busy ones. Work! 14 flights in 7 weeks: Singapore, Hanoi, Hai Phong. Working as a teacher / trainer means lots of preparations & lots of post-delivery actions. Such as now, grading the 42 individual & 6 team MBA assignments of the Hai Phong MBA students. Squeezed in between, sightseeing in Singapore & Ha Long Bay. And: meeting inspiring people, like Dr. Richard W. Ferrin (left), President & CEO of World Education Group LLC (WEG). He also represents Penn Foster Career School, the largest e-learning course provider in the world. A man with a mission. He was in Vietnam to finalize the agreement & sign an MOU with Golden Alliance. This relationship will offer Vietnam unique US vocational training programs to Vietnamese students. Loek Hopstaken

Get the new 2012 edition of my Catalog (pdf). Send a request to loek@hopstaken.com.
There is an old railroad story of an expert being called in because a brand-new diesel locomotive would not start no matter what the engineers did. The expert arrived, studied the situation, and then gave the locomotive a light tap with a hammer. It started right up. When the railroad received the experts bill for $ 1,000, they asked him to itemize it. The reply came: 1. Hitting the locomotive with a hammer $ 10 2. Knowing where to hit it $ 990 The task of stimulating good cooperation is similar. The precise step you take at the end is a minor part of the cure. Source: Lateral Leadership, p.xii; through Mitra Poudel, Nepal

If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine. Its lethal.

Paolo Coelho

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Singapore: example or benchmark?

So close, so different: Singapore. Many have commented about its rapid rise to become the top economic hub in South East Asia. In November I spend two days in Singapore, admiring its infrastructure, architecture, and learn about its rise. Are there lessons Vietnam could learn from this all-Asian example? Many stress the many differencesgeography, ethnics & population, history, politicsas a reason for arguing that Singapore is just a stand alone and any comparison would be a mistake. However, when we take the viewpoint of benchmarking, some benchmarks may offer at least inspiration, and encouragement. Take the fact that Singapore scores the 5th position on the 2011 Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International. Vietnam is 112, after being at 116 the previous 2 years. Transparency means: openness. Nothing to hide. Non-transparency is perceived as: Something to hide. Example: under-the-table-money. In the perception of investors, nontransparency means: Be careful. Bribery culture. In their eyes Singapore is a safe place to do business. Doing business in Singapore is easyproviding you are willing to be transparent. While non-transparency is often seen as part of Asian business culture, Singapore proves it is possible to create a sustainable image of transparency in South East Asia. One of the many lessons of the financial crisis: economic forecasts are unreliable. Is Singapore robust enough to survive what many predict: The worst is yet to come? Or will its entrepreneurs grab the new opportunities?

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Teachers Day with Dr. Khoa

According to some, this was the first-ever MBA class in Hai Phong. Dr. Khoa, my interpreter & teaching assistant and himself a teacher, helped me deliver a four-day course: the New HRM. New? Yes: no copy & paste from American sources, but adapted to Vietnamese situations & needs. In other words: use what applies, localize & modify where needed, and ignore what doesnt fit. This requires interaction with students: all experienced people, from specialists to CEOs. November 20: Teachers Day, a (North) Vietnamese initiative from the late 50ies. Normally, teachers have a day off. Not in Hai Phong. Dr. Khoa & I started the day with a delicious crab noodle soup. Teaching from 8.30 am till 5 pm. The Hai Phong students showed great interest, and made sure their city was well-represented. After class we were treated to a rich dinner with, among others, Mr. Tuan, the Vice Chairman of the Peoples Committee of Hai Phongs central district (2nd from right). Mr. Tan (far right) & his staff made sure our two weekends ran smoothly.

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MBA: academic or vocational?

On the skydeck of Singapores Marina Bay Sands you feel on top of the world. Many young people dream about belonging to the top, and having a majestic income. Paradise = wealth and status. Many believe MBA is the key to this Paradise. The reality: an MBA certificate doesnt guarantee a quick & easy ride to the top. Unless you have one from the famous MBA institutions, like Harvard Business School. But for the vast majority of MBA graduatesright now there must be at least a million around the worldthe road to the Corporate Suite is long and arduous. Many complain their MBA education was too theoretical, unrelated to current developments in the business world, or too USAoriented. Why do some MBAs appear to be unable to make a company successful, while Gates, Zuckerberg & Jobs proved you dont need an MBA or university degree. Important questions! In fact, there are many questions surrounding MBA. In the next few issues of this newsletter Ill try to answer some of the most frequently asked. Here comes the first: Q. Master of Business Administration is an academic title. Does this mean an MBA Graduate is a kind of business scientist? A. MBA is an academic title, but an MBA program is primarily a high-end vocational training. Its purpose: to translate scientific research into practical uses for businesses. Lecturers from both the scientific and the business world (industry experts; not necessarily PhD) teach MBA. Academic refers to scientific research. This is not part of the MBA curriculum. Harvard Business School delivers MBA. Harvard University deals with scientific research. MBA trains leadership skills, not how to conduct experiments. Students are business professionals, interested in a business careernot in an academic career. Hence the confusion: with its academic image, MBA is in fact a vocational training program, that for content leans heavily on scientific theories andlike in Vietnam on business cases and examples that are unrelated to the local practice. However, a good MBA program produces graduates who have a wide range of know-how & skills that fit both their daily and future needs to add value to their organizations. Which introduces the next question: How do I know if an MBA program is worth the investment? See the next DVMS no. 21 (March).

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Picture Gallery: Hanoi-Hai Phong-Ha Long

Ha Long Bay Ha Long City (Bai Chay)

With Trung & Lan at Vincom Center, Hanoi

Hanoi University of Science & Technology Maritime College, Hai Phong

Ha Long City (Tran Hung Dao) The Wise see knowledge and wisdom as one. Baghavad Gita

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Royal Business School 2012

The Human Resources Management Program As training in Human Resource Management is hard-to-find in Vietnam, Royal Business School fills a need. In Vietnamese and Asian multi-national corporations, HRM is nearly always limited to recruitment and (legal) administration. Sometimes extra duties are added. Result: the top of these organizations lack knowledge & know-how in the field of managing people. For the third year in a row, Royal presents its HRM program: a range of courses to train not only HR staff, but also managers and CEOs. These courses are designed & run by a variety of professors. This is the HRM program for 2012:

HRM Strategy & PlanningProf. Jeffrey Mueller Recruitment & Career StartProf. Loek Hopstaken Career Planning & TrainingProf. Loek Hopstaken To complement this program, the following courses are recommended: Interpersonal RelationsProf. Loek Hopstaken Team BuildingProf. Ronald Ainsbury Performance ManagementProf. Jeffrey Mueller Organizational Culture, Design & DevelopmentProf. Loek

March 1923 April 1620 May 2125 August 13-17 August 2731 October 1519 Nov. 1923

The Marketing & Public Relations Program Marketing and Public Relations are two different fields. Marketing focuses on exploring markets, to promote & sell a companys products & services. It builds a client base, makes sure clients buy and feel good about their purchases. Public Relations is directed at improving a companys image & reputation, by establishing and intensifying active communications with all groups & individuals that surround the organization. From media to suppliers, from shareholders to staff, from government agencies to ... customers. As customers usually prefer to do business with companies that have a well-established, positive reputation, PR paves the way for Marketing. Where Marketing works hand in glove with PR, companies score best. Also in Vietnam! This is the Marketing & PR program:

Marketing Impact of Modern MediaProf. Ronald Ainsbury March 59 Modern Marketing ManagementProf. James Cross May 28June 1 Franchising & BtB MarketingProf. James Cross May 28June 1 The Real Public RelationsProf. Loek Hopstaken July 913 Sales ManagementProf. David Snyder July 2327 Marketing Planning & StrategyProf. David Snyder July 2327 Effective Advertising & Promotion StrategyProf. Ronald Ainsbury August 2731 Presentation & Persuasion Skills for Leaders & ManagersProf. Loek Dec. 3-7 Courses are constantly being updated by the professors. Royal provides powerpoint printouts & handouts in both English & Vietnamese. Note: the courses are delivered either mornings, afternoons or evenings. In 2012 Royal Business School will start its MBA program, in collaboration with Da Nang University & St. John International University (based in USA & Italy). For information about the schedule, visit www.royal.vn and www.mba.org.vn.

Royal Business School186 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3, HCMC

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The Blind Men & The Elephant John G. Saxe

It was six men of Indostan, To learning much inclined, Who went to see the elephant, (Though all of them were blind,) That each by observation Might satisfy his mind. The first approached the elephant, And, happening to fall Against his broad and sturdy side, At once began to bawl God bless me! but the elephant Is very like a wall! The second, feeling of the tusk, Cried: Ho! what have we here. So very round, and smooth, and sharp? To me tis very clear, This wonder of an elephant Is very like a spear! The third approached the animal, And, happening to take The squirming trunk within his hands, Thus boldly up he spoke: I see, quoth he, the elephant Is very like a snake! The fourth reached out his eager hand, And felt about the knee: What most this wondrous beast is like Is very plain, quoth he; Tis clear enough the elephant Is very like a tree! The fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said: Een the blindest man Can tell what this resembles most: Deny the fact who can, This marvel of an elephant Is very like a fan! The sixth no sooner had begun About the beast to grope, Than, seizing on the swinging tail That fell within his scope, I see, quoth he, the elephant Is very like a rope! And so these men of Indostan Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion Exceeding stiff and strong, Though each was partly in the right And all were in the wrong!

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When the weak are in power, out of fear of losing it they always do what they can to disempower the strong. Anonymus

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What are YOUR KPIs?

Towards the end of the year there is an increasing demand for lectures & workshops focusing on KPIs. Key Performance Indicators: the elements in someones work that enable his/her manager to objectively establish the results of his or her work in terms of quantity & quality. Sounds easy, but in organizations its not always easy to locate them. So, how do you find them? And when you find them, how do you name them? For a start, its not an activity. Not behavior. Not a goal. It is measurable. Which often means its related to results. When you visit your doctor to have a medical check up, the program will contain blood pressure, heart rate, body mass index: things that tell a story about your physical condition. When you want to sell your company or take over another, due diligence will be your KPI-toolbox to guide you & know whether or not the outcome will be worth the effort.

Pilots need objective & accurate, present-time information. The cockpit of an Airbus A350 is filled with dozens of small screens & meters. Each one of them tells the pilots how the plane is doing & the flight is progressing. From take-off to landing everything is being monitored. When one of these KPI-readers doesnt function, the plane will not take off. Im not suggesting to start measuring the performance of each of your staff in minute detail. But wouldnt it be nice to know how to locate & name the KPIs in your organization? Tailormade Performance Management Review, incl. KPIs & implementation When you want to improve your Performance Management system, start early in the year. I can help you & your staff locate & define those KPIs. Also, help you review & improve your current Performance Management system. This package consists of a one-day workshop, followed by 6 hours consultancy. Fee: VND 40M (ex. VAT).

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The Dutch Vietnam Management Supporter

Inspired by the Forgetful Elephant

Jake was travelling in India, absorbing all the exotic sights and sounds of a new land. He loved the food, the culture and the wildlife. When it came to animals, none impressed him more than the elephants. He watched how the mahouts handled them as they worked. He was in awe at the way an animal weighing 4 tons and able to shift huge loads could also move so delicately. When it walked, it placed each hind foot exactly where the front foot had been. When it was time for the elephant to stop work, it was tied to a small tree or a handy fence post. Jake was intrigued surely the elephant could easily uproot these and wander off. He asked one of the mahouts about it. He was told that the elephant had been tethered like this ever since it was young. Back then it didnt have the strength to get away and, as we all know, an elephant never forgets. It still believed that it could not free itself. An elephant has the biggest brain of all land animals and typically lives to about 70 years old, a coincidentally similar life-span to humans. Yet through most of its life, it forfeits its freedom because of a mistaken belief. This can be a warning for all of us. We can be tethered by out-dated beliefs. Conditioning that we inherited years ago can still limit our achievements. We can be shackled by a misguided sense of consistency that dictates we must behave the same way as in the past. To liberate ourselves to get out of the rut we need to forget the stake we are tied to. We have the power to break free. Freedom is only a single thought away. When you switch your attention to what you can do your full repertoire of strengths and talents you will find exciting new possibilities where previously there had been only impossibilities. If you had that freedom, what would you do? Trevor HillNovember 2011 (http://www.inspiration-at-work.co.uk) Used with kind permission of the author. Photos taken at Prenn Falls, Lam Dong Province. FIXED IDEAS are unrecognized fake realities that can turn otherwise intelligent people into stubborn believers in nonsense blindfold us, so our minds are closed to (1) reality, (2) new ideas & (3) solutions, and (4) feelings inhibit creativity, innovation, & progress are at the root of every conflict

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Standing Offer + Client List + Mini Catalog

Standing Offer
It happens that a company wants to get a taste of my style before we start a cooperation. One way of getting this experience is to invite me to deliver a FREE LECTURE (11,5 hours) in your company. You choose the topic (see mini-catalog). 3 conditions: 1. the participants (max. 40) should be able to understand English 2. in case the distance from my home to your location or venue is >10 km, you take care of transportation 3. your company provides a lecture space, projector & screen. Interested? Drop me an email. Name the topic & the period in which it will be feasible for you & your team to attend the lecture. Then we can schedule. For contact information: see page 12.

MINI CATALOG
Overview of Prof. Loeks services WORKSHOPS A workshop is a 2-4 day group activity with a defined purpose, where theory, practical exercise and exchange of experiences are the main ingredients. Areas: HRM, PR, Communication, and Management.

List of Hopstaken Clients & Associates

In Vietnam: a.o. business field Tan Thuan IPC (HCMC) Industrial development HCMC University of Technology Master of BA program RMIT (HCMC campus) B. of Commun. program Royal Business School (public courses) Courses & seminars Vietnam Airlines (RBS; ISM) International airline Vietnam Singapore I.P. (SPECTRA) Industrial park Petronas Vung Tau (SPECTRA) Chemical factory Nike (Tae Kwang Vina) (SPECTRA) Shoe factory Le & Associates Training & consultancy NutriWay Vietnam Animal food Training House Vietnam (Sacombank) Training & consultancy Ministry of L.I.S.A. (RBS) Civil Servants SONY Vietnam (RBS) Consumer electronics CapitaLand Vietnam (SPECTRA) Real estate PACE Education / IPL Seminars & courses Dalat Hasfarm (Agrivina) Pot plants, cut flowers Hoanggia Media Group Key to Success TV Show Fresh Green Earth Hi-tech agriculture Unique Design Interior Design ERC Institute Vietnam Vocational training Golden Alliance Vocational training Schoeller Bleckmann Vietnam Oilfield Equipment De Heus Vietnam Animal food Centre for Tropical MedicineOxford Uni. Clinical research Khue Van Academy Courses & Seminars Training House Vietnam Courses & seminars In The Netherlands, a.o. ING Bank Philips Heineken Yamaha Voerman International Damen Shipyards Wittenborg University of Applied Sc. Financial services Electronics Brewery Musical instruments International relocations Ship repair wharfs IBABBA, MBA

Team Engineering Interpersonal Communication Commercial Communication Public Relations Presentation Skills Organizational Design Cross-cultural Communication Time Management / Efficiency Recruitment Skills

CONSULTING Consulting is any specified expert activity to help solve a defined problem. This can take the form of coaching, but also, conducting a research. By definition, it is tailor made. Areas: HRM, Strategy, PR.

Personal Coach Business Coach Moderator Mediation Executive Selection In- & External Surveys (360 Feedback)

SEMINARS A seminar is a 3-4 hour interactive transference of core know-how, including practical assignments.

People Management Emotions in the Workplace Strategic Thinking Business Ethics The Allround Manager The Allround Communicator The Soft Skills Program

Investments (ex. 10% VAT / 25% PIT) Workshops: US$ 1,200 per team / day. Consulting / Coaching: US$ 100 / hour. Seminars: US$ 550 850 per seminar (except the Allround programs). Lecture: US$ 250 per lecture. Train the Trainer: US$ 1,200 per day. Prices may change due to inflation. Contact me for longterm agreements: loek@hopstaken.com

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The DVM Supporter is published by Loek Hopstaken. Email: loek@hopstaken.com or loek.hopstaken@gmail.com Mobile: 090 888 9450 Assistant: Ms. Vo Ngoc Lien Huong Email: jane.hopstaken@gmail.com Mobile: 090 888 9451 Website: www.hopstaken.com Loek Hopstakens company in The Netherlands: Hopstaken Bedrijfsadvies Gouden Leeuw 628 1103 KN Amsterdam ZO. Website: www.hopstaken.com
Late December 2011: at the gate of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids & Social Affairs in Hanoi.

Who is Loek Hopstaken?

1951: born in Haarlem, The Netherlands 1971-1972: travels: Europe & Asia 1972-1975: Amsterdam City University 1976-1977: travels: North & South America 1977-1993: career in banking: NCB, Postgiro, Postbank, NMB Postbank Group, ING Group, ING Bank 1979-1982: Business Administr. studies 1983-1988: Project Manager privatization process Postgiro to Postbank (field: P&O / HRM) 1989: Project Manager formation NMB Postbank Group & ING Group 1989-1993: PM PR; TQM 1991: founding Hopstaken Bedrijfsadvies 1991-present time: career in training and consultancy, coaching & mediation 1993: left ING Bank 1996-2000: Dutch business club MC 2003-present time: combining training & consultancy with teaching at international business schools (BBAMBA) 2005 + 2007: Professor appointments 2007-2008: visits to Vietnam: lecturing, consulting, surveying, delivering courses, workshops & seminars at universities November 2008: establishment in HCMC 2008-present time: delivering lectures, seminars, coaching, workshops & training courses, mediation; overseas business trips 2010: Examiner VTV1 Key to Success Show 2011: Chairman Advisory Board ERC Inst. http://www.linkedin.com/in/loekhopstaken

For many of us the Year of the Cat has been an eventful year. Time for the Cat to retire. Welcome to the newborn Dragon, wholl dominate our Lunar Year from January 23. But: a cat leaves paw prints in our heart.

Full CV: mail loek@hopstaken.com