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Tips for your first day at work
UK mining company challenges Indonesia
How Learning English Can Expand Your Career Option
Latest list of Indonesia’s richest people released
Indonesia to host ASEAN entrepreneur summit
Blackberry maker chooses Malaysia over Indonesia
He’s the man with the private helicopter, the seven or eight figure salary, and the huge office. People shiver with fear as he strides past them on his way to yet another meeting or golf trip. He doesn’t know your name but you slave away every day to make him richer. He’s the CEO; the boss; the big cheese, and it’s in everyone’s interests to keep him happy.
How’s your calculus? Do you know how to factor a trinomial with a leading 1 coefficient? If 3x = 17.5, what’s the value of x? If questions like these cause your eyes to glaze over, there may be help at hand, via the internet, for free. Pilot your browser to the Khan Academy website and let a genial, patient young man named Salman Khan show you the way.
It’s tough to land a job at the moment. Large parts of the world are slowly edging their way of out of a crippling recession. Many people are graduating from university, only to face a period of unemployment. Let’s assume though that you are one of the lucky ones: your resume was tight, focused and impressive, you nailed the job interview, and you were hired. The struggle doesn’t end here however: it’s vital to make a good first impression on your first day at your new job. The early days are when your boss and co-workers form the most lasting opinions of you – what sort of person you are, and whether they can rely on you. Read on for tips on how to get it right, impress your colleagues and supervisors, and start on the best possible footing.
Churchill Mining, a coal mining company based in London, is threatening to take Indonesia to international arbitration. Churchill claims that its legitimate claims to a multibillion dollar coal discovery in Kalimantan have been unlawfully taken away by a rival company, supported by the local government and the courts. Churchill has written to the Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, asking him to intervene but in the absence of an ‘amicable resolution’ are determined to take the matter further. The dispute offers a cautionary tale to companies looking to invest in Indonesia’s booming commodity sector and may affect the country’s drive to lure more foreign direct investment.
‘Designed in California.’ That’s what it says on the back of your iPhone or iPad. These gleaming, sleek totems of our consumer culture aren’t built in the Golden State however. They’re manufactured far, far away – in the sprawling industrial cities of China. Western companies have long outsourced much of their production to China and other countries to take advantage of cheaper labor costs. Some of the unsavory aspects of life in these factories were revealed in 2010, with a series of suicides among workers at Foxconn, a company which manufactures products for Apple.
It seems like a simple principle: don’t spend more than you earn. However, many individuals, companies, and even governments routinely ignore this basic financial rule. The end result is debt, which if allowed to grow too large, can cause enormous problems in the future. One of the best ways to avoid the slippery slope of debt is to create, and stick to, a personal budget.
One of the most important decisions facing a prospective business owner relates to which form of legal structure the company will take. This will impact on taxes, legal liability and the company’s ability to raise finance.
Outsourcing is when one company hires another company or an individual to perform a certain task. This may involve making a specialized product, providing technical expertise, or performing a service such as consulting or information technology. In the past, outsourcing typically took place in manufacturing industries because it was unfeasible, both practically and economically for one company to produce the specialized components needed for its products. For example, car manufacturers would hire other companies to make air-conditioning systems and in-car radios. In the last few decades however, service outsourcing has grown rapidly. Many companies outsource services such as human resource management, IT support, food and beverage provision, security, building maintenance, and advertising.
‘One forgets words as one forgets names. One’s vocabulary needs constant fertilizing or it will die.’ Evelyn Waugh, novelist and journalist. In the 19th century in the UK, people, especially in polite society, were often quite reluctant to talk about the human body. It was considered highly embarrassing, for women in particular, to tell the (male) doctor what was wrong with them. Over time, anything below the waist became referred to as the ‘leg’ and in some cases, women who were experiencing complications with their pregnancy could only tell the doctor that they had ‘stomach pain’. As you can imagine, the doctor could give the correct diagnosis with such vague descriptions. Thankfully, attitudes have changed nowadays but this anecdote goes to show that words matter. Or more specifically, the right words matter!
Despite the heavy traffic, high levels of pollution, and rampant corruption, Jakarta is a popular destination for English language teachers. Why? One reason is probably the warm, friendly locals who have a genuine curiosity about foreigners. Expatriates working in Jakarta generally get a lot of attention, mostly involving basic questions: “Where are you from?” or “What do you think of Indonesia?”
It is no surprise to many that English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. When people know more than one language, chances are one of those languages is English. English is more or less the international language of business, and it is a very useful one for people who want to advance in both business or academic fields, and in most any professional manner. It is beneficial to know English for almost every field of work, and some employers even pay for their staff to take English lessons or include it in their job benefits and perks.
The business magazine Globe Asia has released its 2011 list of the richest individuals in Indonesia and there’s a new name at the top. Eka Tjipta Widjaja, 88 year-old founder of the Sinar Mas Group, is worth a reported $12 billion; an amount tripled from this time last year. He overtook Budi Hartono, CEO of the Djarum cigarette company, whose fortune is estimated at $11.5 billion.
One of the key goals of business strategy is growth. There are many ways in which a company can grow but one of the most effective and rapid methods is through mergers and acquisitions (often abbreviated as M&A). M&A is a general term used to refer to the consolidation of companies. Specifically, an acquisition is the purchase of one company by another, and a merger is when companies combine to form a new company. M&A also refers to the department of a financial institution that sets up and brokers such deals.
Consider this scenario. A HR manager or recruitment agent, tired from a long week at work, sits in a small office with a broken air-conditioning unit. The manager is trying to fill a vacant position in her company. On the desk is a tall pile of resumes. The manager would like nothing more than to finish work and relax for the weekend but she must prepare a shortlist of suitable candidates before she can leave. She turns her attention to the stack. Most of the resumes represent people with similar qualifications and experience. How will she make her decision? Which resumes will stand out from the crowd?
In 2006, Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank received the Nobel Peace Prize for ‘their attempts to advance economic and social opportunities for the poor, particularly women’. The focus of the Grameen Bank was to use microcredit as a means of fighting poverty and giving some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people a chance to improve their lives.
The pristine sands, swaying palms and landscaped mega-hotels of Bali’s Nusa Dua, favoured by honeymooners and well-heeled sun-seekers, will in July welcome a different kind of visitor. Movers and shakers from around the region will descend on the Grand Hyatt hotel for the ASEAN Regional Entrepreneurship Summit. Business leaders from ASEAN countries, India, China and Japan are expected to attend to soak up the sun, enjoy a touch of Balinese hospitality and hear speeches from the likes of Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, and the chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt.
What do McDonald’s, 7-Eleven, Kumon, and Baskin-Robbins have in common? They are all globally-renowned brands, market leaders in their respective fields, and post billions of dollars in annual profits. They are also all examples of businesses that rely heavily on the franchise model of business organization and growth.
A job interview can be a stressful and nerve-wracking experience for anyone. However, spare a thought for Guy Goma. In 2006, Goma went to the BBC Television Centre in West London to interview for a position as a computer technician. After waiting in the reception area, Goma was approached by an employee who asked for ‘Guy Kewney’ and mentioned the word ‘interview’. Mr Goma is originally from the Republic of Congo and is a native French speaker. He heard his first name so stood up and followed the member of staff to the television studio of BBC News 24, where he was put into make-up, wired with a microphone and put in front of the cameras. Goma was perturbed by this unusual job interview but was determined to do his best. However, when the cameras started rolling and he was introduced by BBC reporter Karen Bowerman as computer expert Guy Kewney, he realized something had gone horribly wrong. The real Guy Kewney was waiting in reception, preparing for a live interview on a recent court ruling regarding Apple Computers and the Beatles’ Apple record label. Not wanting to cause a disturbance on live television, Guy Goma did his best to answer the interviewer’s questions. The incident can be viewed on YouTube and despite the look of panic on his face at the beginning demonstrates his coolness under pressure which should have placed him in good stead in the eyes of a potential employer. Unfortunately, however, after his appearance on BBC News, Goma attended his real job interview and was not offered the position.
Life is treating Tony Fernandes pretty well at the moment. His award-winning airline AirAsia is on track to become the world’s largest low-cost carrier, the referees in the Barclays Premiership take the field with sponsorship from his hotel group Tune, he owns a F1 team, his personal fortune is estimated at $330 million, and he has been the recipient of numerous awards including a Legion D’Honneur order from France, and a CBE from the British government. In addition to widespread success both personally and for his companies, Fernandes has been instrumental in promoting regional inter-governmental cooperation, and opening up air travel to the masses in South-East Asia. His success has been achieved in part by his ‘hands-on’ management style, including frequent time spent working with the ground or cabin crew, and a commitment to the welfare and happiness of his employees.
With a population of around 25 million people, Jakarta and its surrounding satellites make up one of the largest urban areas in the world. The Indonesian economy is enjoying healthy growth rates and one of the fruits of the boom is an increased demand for air-travel, particularly from the growing middle class, fueled by the expansion of low-cost carriers in the region. Unfortunately, Jakarta’s airport has failed to keep up with the increase in numbers, lacks adequate facilities, and has become a time-consuming and frustrating entry or exit point. However, the Indonesian government has just granted the state airport operator Angkasa Pura II permission to expand the capital’s airport, with construction scheduled to begin next year.
Consider the famous phrase. ‘It’s not what you know but who you know.’ This idea is considered by many to be the secret to finding and securing a great job and building a successful career. The concept of using our business and social networks to advance our lives and careers is age-old but is increasingly relevant today as the business environment is increasingly dominated by information technology which offers new networking tools.
Indra Nooyi is one of the most powerful businesswomen in the world. As the CEO of PepsiCo, she controls the world’s second largest food and beverage business - a company with 2010 revenues of almost $58 billion - and presides over a global workforce of 300,000 employees. Her company makes a wide variety of snack foods and beverages including Pepsi, Lay’s and Mountain Dew, but under her leadership plans to focus on healthier products, use renewable energy, and campaign against obesity, recognizing that ‘people these days are bringing principles to their purchasing’. Nooyi placed 6th in the 2010 Forbes list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women, and has received numerous other awards. In addition to her undoubted business skills, strategic vision and ambition, Nooyi has a reputation as a caring boss who relates well with her employees, understands the needs of the global market, and still performs karaoke at company functions.
Research in Motion (RIM), the Canadian-based company behind the Blackberry smartphone has decided to open a factory manufacturing the device in Malaysia rather than Indonesia; a decision that has annoyed some Indonesian officials and business leaders and could prompt retaliatory tactics from the Indonesian government.
Robin Li is China’s richest man, worth an estimated $9.4 billion. His company Baidu is taking advantage of certain distinctly Chinese circumstances to build an internet search engine with a distinctly Chinese character, leaving rivals, most notably Google, spluttering in the dust.
It could be a plot from a taught political thriller. There’s an increasingly bitter and dirty campaign being fought in Indonesia against the environmental NGO Greenpeace which is facing increasingly stiff opposition to its battle against deforestation from certain elements within the Indonesian government allegedly prompted by shadowy business interests. On October 13th John Sauven, the Executive Director of Greenpeace UK was denied entry to Indonesia at Soekarno-Hatta airport in Jakarta despite having previously secured a visa from the Indonesian embassy in London. A week later, a second activist, Andy Tait was deported by immigration authorities leading Greenpeace to denounce the Indonesian government as looking to ‘undermine its work in stopping deforestation’.
Do you remember buying airline tickets in those dark pre-Internet days? It was a time-consuming, inefficient process. If you knew which airlines flew to your chosen destination, you could call the airline to find out the prices and schedule. If you wanted to compare prices, you had to call a different number, do some calculations on a piece of paper and then call back your chosen airline. If you didn’t know which airline to call, you could call or visit a travel agent and wait patiently while a tired, over-worked employee told you about the various options, prices and packages, with no guarantee that they would remember to inform you it would be cheaper with a layover in Timbuktu! Nowadays, logging on to a website like Expedia, the traveller can compare rates and dates from all available airlines, choose a hotel, arrange a hire car or airport pick-up, and book tickets for tourist attractions, and pay for all of it with a credit card. This is e-commerce and it’s changing the way we buy and sell.
London City Institute is a premier English language training provider in Jakarta specialiing in business English, London City Institute offers in-company custom made courses to suit your company's individual needs.
"After trying several language institutions to improve my English, I was very surprised at the speed my English progressed with London City Institute. I think the thing that helped me most was looking forward to my next lesson. London City Institute gave me the motivation to learn that other institutes could not provide."
Haryo Fazui
"I really enjoyed my business course with London City Institute, all the staff were very professional and the teachers were excellent. I have already recommended London City Institute to my friends and cannot speak highly enough of the service and quality of the institute."
Yossie Lebang
"My course at London City Institute really gave me a new understanding of how grammar is used in real world situations. I have learned grammar from many other language institutes, but I never really understood how to relate it to my work, which is the reason I'm learning English. With London City Institute we had lots of practice and now I'm confident using English with my international clients. Thanks London City Institute!"
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