BUSINESS GOLF VERSUS GOLF BUSINESS

Two terms those have become increasingly significant with the time. Golf is very trendy, that’s why also businessmen more frequently get their clubs out to play a round of golf either to relax from daily business or to get in touch with new business partners.

Studies in the U.S. reveal that 2/3 of all business exceeding $ 500.000 is initiated on the golf course. That shouldn’t be really surprising. An afternoon on the links presents a rare opportunity for uninterrupted and presumably relaxed conversation.

Where else do you get the chance to come to know you’re playing partners in such a versatile emotional way as with a game where success and defeat lie side by side so closely?

It was about 80 years ago that legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice offered this advice: „Eighteen holes of golf will teach you more about your foe or partner than will 18 years of dealing with him across a desk.“ The mutual experience whilst playing a round of golf also creates a feeling of trust and friendship – two characteristics that become more and more relevant in business life today.

On the other hand golf today registers growth rates other industries have been dreaming of for years. Thus golf sponsoring becomes increasingly popular as you’ll come across the most elaborate target groups in a golf tournament or event: 90% are either managing directors or in another high management position.

The golf course has always been a place of socially demanding gathering and cultured intercourse of people – ideally without any signs of arrogance or showing off. But golf also allows people from different backgrounds to appear on the same level.

Jane Blalock described it nicely as follows: „The ball doesn’t know or care about your title, bank account or salary and doesn’t even know your handicap.”


Press information:

MEDIA BUSINESS MAGAZINE INTERNATIONAL
http://mbm-global.blogspot.com/

ICAP Academy in Vienna

ICAP is the international branch of the Australian College of Applied Psychology. More than 4000 students from all over Australia, Asia and Europe have experienced the unique way of learning this college provides.

The College's curriculum is both practical and internationally applicable. The International College of Applied Psychology is a center of excellence for education and training in the field of applied psychology, both nationally and internationally.

Your Benefits

Both the curriculum and interactive learning environment provide the opportunity to discuss, apply, test, reflect, evaluate and acquire ‘hands on’ skills - skills that can be introduced immediately into your personal and professional life.

Recognition

Your Academy modules can give you advanced standing in case you enroll for further courses with ICAP. Enjoy the Academy, study online or even spend a semester or two in Sydney and experience the Australian lifestyle yourself.

Leading & Visioning

The skills, attributes and roles of leaders in business contexts are explored along with the impact that ethics, power and influence necessarily have on styles of leadership.

Students study the nature of visioning and leading in organisational contexts; how to develop and strategically implement an organisation’s vision, mission and operational plan; how to plan strategically; and how to manage people and organisations so as to instil a culture of co-operation, responsiveness, high performance, innovation and continual improvement.

Learning outcomes

* Identify organisational characteristics, attributes and individual, group and leader behaviours associated with organisational success
* Analyse, evaluate, modify and generate leader behaviours
* Demonstrate vision and strategic leadership behaviours
* Leading with a shared vision
* Responding to change and improving
* Maintaining equilibrium in dynamic environments


Managing in Ambiguity & Change

Students experience the impact of change and the resultant ambiguities that accompany such change: be they at the intra-personal, interpersonal or inter-organisational level.

The acquisition of skills to effectively manage change and ambiguity is a key feature of this module.

Learning outcomes

* Understand and describe a theory and model of organisations and environments grounded in complexity, uncertainty, ambiguity and change.
* Apply systems thinking in organisations to better understand and manage in environments of ambiguity, change and uncertainty.
* Apply systems thinking to clarify one's own role, decisions and behaviours, and to develop strategies to manage environments of ambiguity, change and uncertainty.

Application

Take advantage of this great opportunity to learn and grow, apply for the ICAP Academy Vienna: Phone 0664/ 433 03 86, E-mail: mbec@chello.at.

Press information:

MEDIA BUSINESS MAGAZINE INTERNATIONAL
http://mbm-global.blogspot.com/

AUSTRALIA MEETS AUSTRIA

LINKS BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND AUSTRIA

A speech of H.E. Deborah Stokes Australian Ambassador in Vienna:

The theme is expanding business links between Australia and Austria. It is precisely this task which is one of my main preoccupations as Australian Ambassador in Austria.

You may be aware that primary responsibility within the Australian government for export promotion and inward investment lies with Austrade and Invest Australia, both of which are based in Frankfurt.

Austrade & Invest Australia

At the Australian Embassy in Vienna we complement and reinforce Austrade's role by looking out for business opportunities, developing links with government and private sector contacts, undertaking targeted political and economic assessments and organising, in co-operation with Invest Australia, investment seminars.

Vienna, as one of the cultural capitals of Europe and of the world, acts as a magnet for Australian artists, particularly classical musicians. These cultural exchanges contribute to a rich bilateral relationship which is ultimately founded on people-to-people links.

In 2003, total two-way trade was worth over 700 million Australian dollars, with a trade surplus in favour of Austria of 624 million dollars. Principal Australian exports to Austria are gold coin, medicaments, alcoholic beverages and railway vehicles. Major Austrian exports into Australia are passenger motor vehicles, musical instruments and paper and paperboard. Australian investment in Austria remains small, while Austrian investment is relatively large in Australia.

Australia's economic strengths

Austria can also form part of a wider European strategy for Australian companies, including as a springboard into Central Europe. An Australian parliamentary committee looking into opportunities for Australian businesses in Central Europe noted in its report in September 2003 that Australia's economic strengths placed it well to assist Central Europe with its transition to modern liberal economies.

The committee noted that the main stumbling block at the moment for greater commercial links between Australia and Central Europe was a lack of market knowledge of each other.

Strong productivity growth

Strong productivity growth has been a hallmark of the Australian economy over the past decade. Our productivity performance has even outstripped that of the United States. This has been achieved in part through improved flexibility in the labour market - unemployment fell to 5.8 per cent in August 2003, its lowest level in 13 years. Inflation also remains low.

The government is also currently reviewing Australia's international tax rules, including to improve Australia’s attractiveness as a location for internationally-focused companies to operate global and regional businesses. Aside from these fundamentals, Australia has a modern industrial economy - the fourteenth largest in the world - with a strong basis in the manufacturing and services sectors. In fact, Australia has been ranked by the OECD as one of the world's six fastest-growing 'new' economies. In addition, the economist intelligence unit ranked Australia second only to the United States in its 2001 e-readiness survey.

Distinct advantages for foreign business partners

These features of the Australian economy also mean that Australia has distinct advantages for foreign business partners. These include a stable political and economic environment; sophisticated financial markets; transparent rules-based commercial system; highly developed industrial and service sectors; advanced telecommunications and IT-systems; world-class infrastructure; and a well-educated workforce.

Exciting prospects for growth

Australia's multicultural society is also an asset, with immigrants from over 160 countries, many of which come from Asia. More than 800,000 people speak Asian languages. With Australia's modern, global financial and commercial systems, companies can operate in a business environment that is familiar to anyone who does business in Western Europe, with employees who feel at home both in Asia and in the West. For all these reasons, Australia is particularly attractive for firms that are looking for a location for a regional headquarters in the Asia-Pacific. More than 470 international firms have established regional headquarters in Australia.

Australia is a sophisticated and diverse economy with exciting prospects for growth in the most dynamic region in the world. Europe is an important partner for the Asia-Pacific, both economically and politically.

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MEDIA BUSINESS MAGAZINE INTERNATIONAL
http://mbm-global.blogspot.com

LET'S GO AUSTRALIA

Interview with Mag. Rauch, official representative of Austrian chamber in Sydney

Mr. Rauch, you are the official representative of Austrian chamber of commerce in Sydney, Australia. How do you see the actual chances and possibilities in present and future for Austrian Companies – especially SME’s – in the Australian market?

Austria’s exports to Australia have grown by fourth time in the past 10 years and in 2003 have been significantly bigger than those to some EU-countries e.g. Portugal or Ireland! In the last decade Australia’s economy on average has grown by 3,8% per year; This makes Australia one of the most successful countries of the OECD members.

The economical circumstances in Australia are excellent (budget, willingness of companies to invest, profit development, consumers trust, inflation etc.), the mid-term expectations are positive and the Australian dollar has strengthened towards the EURO in the past two years.

Given that Australia for the last years has a real “ball” as far as economical growth and development is concerned, every Austrian company – regardless of its size – which DOES NOT LOOK closely into this thriving market acts rather careless.

According to you, which products and branches would have great potential in this market?

Highly developed semi-finished products (paper, steel etc.),
Passenger motor vehicles (luxury cars, supply goods)
Pharmaceutical products (especially for animals)
Biotechnology (especially co-operation partners)
Machinery and plants (metal, mining, logistics etc.)
Medical tools
Products for police and army forces

In your opinion what is the most important issue to be considered, when you decide to conquer the Australian market with products or services?

The strategic decision of the company’s management to “really work” the Australian market – with all immanent consequences (e.g. 24-support hotline, so Australian customers can solve occurring problems during their working hours). Half hearted tries usually go wrong and companies learn the hard way by wasting a lot of money.

What is important to Australian companies when dealing with exporters from Europe?

The personal relationship is for Australians business people still very important. Australians hate to be considered customers “on the other end” of the world.

The Austrian exporter has to be prepared to fly to Australia even during the acquisition period. This might sound old fashioned in times of the internet. However, the exporter willing to endure a 20-hours flight from Vienna to Australia shows his potential Australian client, that he/she is serious about the business. And that will pay off!

In our experience most Austrian business men and women are surprised, what high market potential they encounter when arriving in Australia, how easy it is to get to talk to top-level executives of Australian firms etc.

Even when you have established good business relations you should consider regular visits to your clients and partners in Australia, as the personal contact is fundamental for Australian business people.

For professional reasons you live in one of the most beautiful countries of this earth. What do you personally like about Australia?

The friendliness, openness and easy going of most Australians in either business or private. The spectacular environment and nature I unfortunately have little time for. The outdoors-lifestyle – here in Sydney you will only have about 5 days a year where you want or need to stay home.

Anything you miss being so far from home?

Nothing much. I only am seeing my family and friends in Austria just once a year on average could count as a downside.

Press Information provided by:

MEDIA BUSINESS MAGAZINE INTERNATIONAL
http://mbm-global.blogspot.com/