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Over the course of our International Trade Competency Standards (ICS) Project, we’ve had many international trade experts talk about the skills that global trade professionals need to master, and why. Here are seven of the skills that came up most often.
Canada is a trading nation. Roughly 60% of our GDP is generated by international trade. It’s therefore important to get an accurate picture of international trade in this country to highlight trade stats which matter in a meaningful way. So when we’re talking about trade stats which matter, which of the international trade statistics available really matter and why?
Learning about other cultures before attempting a business relationship can make all the difference between success and failure in that venture, and help you avoid unexpected cultural differences.
While the traditional bottom line will always remain a crucial part of business, some companies are expanding their view and building their business to focus on the Triple bottom line (3BL/TPL): Profit, People and Planet.
Culture is complicated. Developing relationships and business across borders may be challenging, but developing relationships and business across cultures is where the real art lies.
As an avid runner, I see a lot of opportunities to equate efforts to expand into new global markets to running a marathon. Here are five lessons I’ve learned from my experiences in marathon running and managing the global business expansion of various entities.
Even though the majority of the yellow brick road is polished and smooth, the road has areas where many bricks are broken or have been uprooted from their foundation. When I look back on my own journey to a successful international career, the road that I followed looped by steep cliff edges, and was riddled with its share of missing bricks and potholes.
I have to admit it turns out that being told “You will have to do it!” was a blessing in disguise. It led me down the road to what turned out to be a truly great opportunity to tell stories about my global trade experiences in a recent international trade project.
Although a degree in commerce was definitely a good pick for me, I was mostly interested in the lesser-known international opportunities that were provided to gain new global business experiences.
For all the talk about Canada being a trading nation, we aren’t when it comes to small and medium sized enterprises. While SME’s account for roughly 95 percent of all companies in Canada, and create 65 percent of all jobs, Canadian SME export rates are at less than 2 percent.
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