SingaporeCompany Report

Anna SmithAngela ScioliTammy NyugenPaige PerryDevon DyerChandler CruseSandy Tang

History of Corporate Singapore

• 1819- Early prosperity was based on a free trade policy, put in place when Sir Stamford Raffles first established it as a British trading post • 1970s- Became a leader in global financing and

trading due to the government changing its strategic focus to skill and technology• 1980s-International and financial services

accounts for nearly 25% of the country’s GDP

History of Corporate Singapore

• Boasts the world's second busiest port after Rotterdam, minimal unemployment, and a super efficient infrastructure• 2001- Worldwide downturn in demand for

electronics• 2008/09- The global financial crisis had a large

impact on Singapore's trade-oriented economy• 2010- Economy grew 14.5% , the second-highest

rate in the world that year

Hewlett Packard (HP) History

• 1939- Founded by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard with an initial capital investment of $538• HP200A was the first company offering• 1968- HP 9100A introduced, the first mass-

produced personal computer• 1970s- HP 2640 introduced forms-based

interface and screen labeled function keys

HP History

• 1984- HP expanded into the computer accessory market• 1986- Registered the HP.com domain name,

making it the ninth .com domain ever to be registered• 2002- HP merged with Compaq• 2009- HP acquired 3Com for $2.7 billion • 2010- HP acquired Palm, Inc. for $1.2 billion

Expatriate InterviewBrent Breedlove Sr.

• Tell me about your last overseas assignment, from the time when you first learned about the possibility of going to Singapore.• I was nervous to tell my family because I had only been back in the

states full time for about a year and a half. Before I had been back home I was gone for two years. But, at the same time I've always enjoyed working in Singapore and have created several business relationships.

• What did you think when you first heard you were going to Singapore?• I understood that the opportunity to work in Singapore would be

much more lucrative, however, thought first about missing my youngest sons senior year Soccer season.

• What were the first few days like?• The first days were full of jet lag, of course. I was very tired. The

transition period between life in the states and in Singapore is exhausting because I was constantly making an effort to get out of my daily habits of family life.

• Were there things that surprised you about the way people thought or worked?• I had forgotten how nice and accommodating the Singaporeans

were. I also realized quickly that I hadn't studied up on the language and I felt slightly unprepared. The best way to learn a language, in my opinion, is to experience it first hand.

• What was your first big "aha" about the culture?• I felt very rushed. Due to the release of another manager from

the company, I was thrown into a project to finish where he left off. I would get off work and go straight back to my hotel where I’d work some more. It was definitely a struggle to stay on top of my work at first. I never want my subordinates to know more about the project than I do, so I had to work around the clock to feel like the most effective leader possible.

• How would you sum up your first six months?• The first time I went to Singapore, our international HR staff held

a two-week "training" course for all of us that would be relocating. We went through meeting etiquette, dinner, and daily life differences. Although this was nice, I found it to be less rewarding once I actually arrived in Singapore. The training session was definitely taught from an outsiders perspective. This became evident when I realized Singaporeans could tell.

• Did you have someone who could explain the local culture to you and that you could confide in? Who were they and how did they help you?• I was very lucky to have been relocated with a great group of

people. There were about 14 of us who all worked in the same office back home and were relocated at the same time. Some that I knew fairly well and some that we're just familiar faces.

• Can you describe your relationship with your co-workers?• I would say it was the same as any corporate relationships I have

encountered in the United States. I always try to maintain a friendly relationship, but also want my subordinates not to be surprised when I have to exert authority.

• What did you think about your job?• I was really proud of my team. I was working with a group of

fairly young managers and they significantly exceeded my expectations.

• Can you describe your relationship with your home organization?• During my first stint in Singapore I had very little contact with

those in my home office, but during my second experience overseas I would actually videoconference with my at-home boss almost daily. With that being said, I had been promoted before my second trip.

• What was the most important thing you learned in those first six months?• The importance of respecting the vast cultural differences that

we encounter globally. I loved learning how others lived and using that learning to help grow as a person. It taught me to even respect our American culture more because you often take our daily conveniences for granted.

• Whom did you mainly socialize with (people from your own culture, third -country expatriates or host-country nationals)?• When I wasn’t working, I had a group of three men that I

regularly attended social events with (dinner, entertainment, etc.).

• How would you describe your living situation?• I lived in an apartment building that was also occupied by many

of my co-workers.

• Did you feel you changed as a result of working abroad? If so, how?• Yes and No. I have benefitted from my time around by growing as

a person and respecting other cultures. At the same time, I still feel that I am the same person as I was before I left, and others haven’t made me aware of any personality differences.

• What was it like to come home (if the person has been repatriated)?• After my first trip to Singapore, I immediately just tried to enjoy

every minute I could with my boys. I hated everyday that I was away from them, and knowing that I missed them growing into young men.

• Do you get to use the skills you acquired abroad in your current job?• I feel that I grow from every project I have worked on, whether it

by abroad or not. Experience is my most valuable asset and I try to use it on a daily basis.

• Would you go abroad to work again? Why?• I would, but I would want my family to be able to come with me. Being

away has put a great strain on my family and I wouldn’t want to place this burden on them again.

• If you had to select people to work abroad, what characteristics would you look for?• Focused & out-going. These are two qualities that I have seen people

lack and have their trips abroad not go as well. • What advice would you give to a friend who was on his or her

way to a foreign assignment?• Before you leave, study about the new culture/country before you leave,

and once you get there always keep in mind the company you represent and never forget that that you are a guest in your “host country.”

• What advice would you have for HR departments about handling expatriates?• To try to use us during their training of future abroad workers. I believe

that we have unique information that we could pass on as advice.

Repatriate InterviewDonald Dyer

• Where did your last international assignment take place?• Singapore and Asia Pacific

• How long were you there? • From 2003-2006

• What was your position? • General Manager – Vice President Sales

• Was your position more technical (engineer, programmer, etc.), more managerial/administrative (HR, dept. manager, project coordinator, etc.), or both (equally technical and managerial). • Managerial

• Why did the company select you for the assignment? • Broad knowledge of Company processes and experience in field

of expertise. Knowledge of legal contracting and business joint ventures and partnerships

• What was the company's reason for sending an expatriate to do this job? • Needed someone to extend the product line to new markets and

to maintain consistency in the development and delivery of the software technology. Further to ensure that expansion was done in a way that supported the company culture. Culture is important in the Software industry.

• What kind of knowledge did you acquire during your expatriate assignment? • Extensive appreciation for cultural differences, the impact of

different cultures on the way that business is conducted. Appreciation for the decision process as it is carried out in different cultures. The ability to listen intensely. This acquired skill was needed as dialects and various versions of proper English required me to listen closely, cue in on non-verbal communication and many learned English speakers are timid and quiet in meetings. This skill is quite useful now.

• Please think about your return home. How long have you been back? • Six years

• What was it like to come back to your/this country? • You gain an incredible appreciation for what Americans have in

respect to individual possessions and access to infrastructure. Also, the enormous size of our Economy and ability to produce and consume. Additionally, problems in business are put in a completely different perspective as now I relate to solutions impact on not only this market but also how certain solutions may or may not have impact on others outside of the United States.

• What was it like to return to your workplace?• Again, you can now share your experience with others and many

are interested to understand how others think, make decisions and the environments in which they work and live.

• Did you return to the same work unit? (For example, the same department)• Yes

• Was the assignment you were given upon reentry a natural follow-up in terms of Capitalizing on what you experienced and learned in the international assignment?• Yes

• If so, in what way? • I was promoted to Worldwide Sales VP and ran Sales for Software

Company. Leaning various business channels of distribution and sales.

• Can you think of a specific decision or situation in your work unit where you have made an important impact that was primarily a result of a capability/perspective you gained during your international experience? If yes, what happened? • Yes, in many occasions I have been able to assist customers

understand the impact of “outsourcing” IT projects. I can share the ways in which decisions are made in various countries and provide insight into the skills, process and priorities of various Asian Cultures. In most cases IT out sourcing is driven into Asia, first India, then China and now Philippines and parts of Malaysia

• Do you try to share the knowledge you acquired overseas with your work unit?• It depends

• Why? • Yes, software acceptance and use can be similar in many ways

regardless of culture. Most infrastructure software such as networks and Database only differ in language and localization. However, application software is dependent on organizational differences and process. This knowledge can assist our development and sales of applications. For example, things as simple as address are vastly different in Japan and The United States.

• Based on your observations of other repatriates, what obstacles prevent repatriates in general from attempting to transfer overseas knowledge to their work unit? • In most cases Americans have difficulty in understanding the

need to respect other differences. In one way this is a statement of the “great experiment” at work. America is the land of the melting pot of cultures. Therefore we have the challenge of appreciation. Generations have passed from most of our family’s immigration. The negatives happen as Americans have all they need within our own boundaries and don’t want or need to expand. Finally, the size of our own Nation means that people can travel vast distances and still be in the same country. In Europe travel of six hours could take people through three countries.

• What suggestions do you have for companies to facilitate repatriate knowledge transfer? • Smaller companies typically build their organizations by using

individuals to initiate the organizational growth, and then build the organization as business and revenues substantiate the growth. Infrastructure investment is minimized and in some cases organizations might employee companies in country that have specific talent and facilities to handle this type of growth. As revenues and customers grow and expand the organizational investments expand to meet the need.

• What suggestions do you have for repatriates about transferring their knowledge?• Constantly share your experiences and stories. I find that people are

curious about the mundane as well as the complex. While sharing stories of complex deal structures it was not uncommon for people to be curious about the size of housing or the nature of the roads or infrastructure. Humans are the same around the world. We all desire safety, we all want the acceptance and nurture of our families and many around the world simply want the same freedoms that we as Americans take for granted. It is my belief that world harmony can be achieved through open and fair markets. Global commerce and individual wealth and success can lead to peace. While the path may be bumpy the end goal can be achieved. Capitalism is the great equalizer and those who succeed will do so with hard work, determination and minimal government intervention.

Works Cited• A Brief History of Singapore. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://

www.guidemesingapore.com/relocation/introduction/brief -history-of-singapore

• Singapore expats. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.singaporeexpats.com/about-singapore/about-singapore.htm

• Economy of singapore. (2011, December 10). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Singapore

• Us department of state. (2011, December 02). Retrieved from http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2798.htm

• Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2012, January 13). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hewlett-Packard

• Measure. (1970, April). Retrieved from http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/abouthp/histnfacts/publications/mea sure/pdf/1970_04.pdf

• Hp history. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www8.hp.com/us/en/hp-information/about-hp/history/history.html