Internationalization experience in Central EuropeThe case of the Balkans

(Abstract)

Summary

ü How do you know what you think to know about the Balkans?

ü Ten mistakes, examples and proposals when you invest in the Balkans

ü How local lilliputians compete with international goliaths

ü Only a place for cheap labor force?

ü Q&A

What do you know about the Balkans?

Ten mistakes not to make when you invest in the Balkans

1. Where to find the right information?

Wrong assumptions based on wrong evaluations or partial data taken from:

ü Personal persuasionsü Previous experiences in other countriesü Lead generation websitesü Personal contacts or acquaintancesü Online statistical databases (E.g.:

Statista) ü Official National Statistical databaseü International Institutions databases and

reports (WB, IMF, WEF, ...)

Are these data useful for our purposes?

4. Mentality gap

“I don’t need a language interpreter but a mentality interpreter” a client

ü No sensitivity and no will to understand the different backgrounds, social norms and gender roles, not only between the investor’s culture and the local culture but also toward the different backgrounds of different stakeholders in the same country.

ü Prejudices about behaviours and social habits

ü Different values, perceptions, misconceptions and calendars on the workplace

9. Internationalization not considered as change management

ü Every new investment abroad implies small or big changes of organizational model and value delivery model

ü Hiring professionals abroad means acquiring new ways to work and to view the industry

ü Sales and production are always the first sector to be affected

ü It’s an occasion to overcome the «one-man-band» model of many SMEs

Progression of foreign investments in ICT

ITES

Call center(inbound & outbound)

Help desk

Back office activities

BPO

Knowledge Process Outsourcing

Rich media contents

Pen-test

ITO

Software Testing

SW Project management

Development&ReseaarchInfrastructure as a Service

Business Process as a Service

Nearshoring strategies in the Balkans

Help deskData entryInbound-outbound call centers (focused on Italian market)

software dev/ITOKPOMultilingual help deskBack office services

ITO

software dev and researchIaaSITOMultilingual help desk

software dev/ITOICT/HostingKPOMultilingual help deskBack office services

Makedonska, 30/6 Belgrade - Republic of Serbia

Biagio Carranobiagio@eastcom.it