All posts by ChinaJob

Lack of risk management awareness

CHINA’S chief executive officers are more concerned over finding qualified managers but they lack awareness about risk management compared with their global counterparts, an industry report said.

About 46 percent of CEOs who took part in the survey put “finding qualified managerial talents” and “acquiring and developing the right talent” as issues of greatest concern, the Conference Board and Ernst & Young said in a recent report.

In Europe and the United States where the talent market is more matured, CEOs there do not need to put “finding talents” as a major challenge.

In comparison, the pool of talent available in China is growing and evolving, making it one big headache for the bosses.

But a similarity exists in all top management globally, namely a focus for sustained and steady top-line growth and profit expansion.

“CEOs in China place the need for sustained and steady top-line growth and seizing opportunities for expansion and growth in China at the top of their list of challenges,” said the survey.

The top concern for CEOs worldwide is sustained and steady top-line growth, with 37.5 percent of those surveyed naming it their top challenge. In China, 53.8 percent put it as their top challenge, tied with seizing opportunities for growth in China.

Meanwhile, despite risk management being an increasingly predominant global business issue, it is still not regarded generally as one of the top challenges by CEOs in China.

“CEOs in China are now only beginning to examine, understand and implement risk management as a business tool,” said Eric Chia, an Ernst & Young partner. “This lack of focus on risk management can present challenges for many Chinese companies and we strongly advise CEOs to better prepare themselves.”

The China study is an extension of a survey of 658 global CEOs from 40 countries. The number of managers in China who took part was not given.

Breaking Down the Recruiter Bill of Rights

Change must be on our minds this week. In our last glimpse at Talent Force we explored the ever-changing job market and how it affects both companies and top talent. Today, we¡¯re going to look at the fourth right in our Recruiter Bill of Rights, which centers on a very different type of change:

4.Change: Candidates shall be willing to listen to advice given by the recruiter when advice is given in an honest attempt to help. Candidate will also be willing to make the changes necessary to make themselves a better candidate for the positions they¡¯re interested in obtaining.

We might have easily labeled it flexibility. It¡¯s about a candidates¡¯ willingness to take good advice and do the things necessary to make themselves as appealing as possible to the companies they¡¯re interested in:

¡±Faced with stiffer competition and tougher hiring requirements, companies of every sort are becoming single-minded about productivity and bottom-line performance. Consequently, competition for jobs is increasing as management seeks and hires only those persons who appear to have the most potential for helping to boost the company¡¯s profits.¡± (From Guerilla Job Hunting)

We know that candidates have their own unique skills and qualities to bring to the table, but we also know that great recruiters have insight into what else is needed to get the right candidates into the right positions. Career coaches and resume experts are quick to point out situations that most of us have faced at one time or another:

¡±You find a promising job listing online. Excited, you send a well-crafted cover letter and resume and wait for a response. Six weeks later, you¡¯re still waiting, your enthusiasm has waned, and you¡¯ve concluded your resume has fallen into a black hole.¡± (From ResumePower)

They often suggest tweaking your resume or committing more time to making quality contacts. Both of these steps can give you a leg up in your search, but there are times when it takes more than that. Recruiters can point out where skills and experience are lacking, and they can point candidates in the right direction to help rectify those weaknesses. However, the advice only works if candidates are willing to listen and willing to make changes when necessary. The task becomes easier for both recruiter and candidate when they can both look at a concrete breakdown of how the candidate stacks up against others who are vying for the same types of positions.

We know that change isn¡¯t easy and that not all advice is good advice, but top recruiters can help you transform into top talent if you¡¯re willing to listen and willing to use all of the tools at your and their disposal.

SAIC and GM plan to raise JV output

THE Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp and partner General Motors Corp plan to invest US$650 million in their Chinese joint venture to expand production and increase market competitiveness.

The capital injection is part of SAIC’s 9.2 billion yuan (US$1.15 billion) investment plan to introduce new models, add capacity in its joint ventures and boost research and development of its self-branded vehicles.

As part of the plan, SAIC and GM intend to spend a combined US$217 million to increase the registered capital of their equally owned Shanghai General Motors Automobile Co Ltd, according to a statement from Shanghai Automotive Co Ltd, the listed unit of SAIC.

General Motors Corp and SAIC will retain their existing shareholdings under the deal.

Communications officials did not provide details on the capacity expansion. But a company source said the investment would be used to upgrade existing assembly lines for future products rather than build new plants.

GM said earlier that the company plans to launch production of a hybrid vehicle that uses gas and electricity next year at Shanghai GM.

Shanghai GM is also expected to roll out a new version of the Buick Regal and other models under the Chevrolet brand.

SAIC also announced a series of investments in auto parts makers as well as a research and development institution to support the development of Shanghai GM and its self-branded models.

SAIC, the Chinese partner of GM and Volkswagen AG, ranked first among Chinese car makers in sales last year.

Baidu gains partner as EMI chases ad revenue

EMI Group Plc, which lost a copyright lawsuit against Baidu.com, has agreed to work with the Chinese search engine to distribute streaming samples of its music online and share advertising revenue from the service under a “strategic partnership.”

The two companies will also explore advertising-supported music download services that will be free of charge for all users of Baidu, the world’s fourth most visited site and whose MP3 search function already contributes to 14 percent of its online traffic.

“It’s a landmark revenue-sharing arrangement between an Internet search engine and an international music company in China,” said a joint statement by the two companies yesterday.

Beijing-based Baidu will set up a special EMI Music Zone in its music search channel that will stream all of EMI Music’s Chinese language music. While users listen to the music for free, they will be exposed to online ads.

“It provides an efficient digital distribution platform to reach Chinese consumers, allowing fans to listen to EMI’s latest quality music immediately on the Internet,” said Norman Cheng, chairman of EMI Music Asia in the statement.

Sales of search engines in China last year rose by nearly 50 percent from a year ago to 157 million yuan (US$20 million), at a much greater growth pace than Web portals.

Based on ratings of the commercial users that paid for advertising on the search engines, Baidu.com topped the market with a 39 percent share of the China market, followed by Google Inc’s 20 percent and Yahoo’s 12.6 percent.

Meanwhile, sales of online advertising excluding ads revenue by search engines in the past year in China also soared by 51 percent to nearly five billion yuan.

EMI was one of seven record companies that filed an infringement lawsuit against Baidu in September 2005, claiming the Website violated copyright by providing links to illegal music on non-affiliated sites. A Beijing court ruled in Baidu’s favor.

Quality Assurance Manager

Company introduction: Our client is a famous American company distributes replacement parts, supplies, and accessories for recreational vehicles (RV) and boats in North America. It offers a line of RV, supplies, and accessories that include antennae, vents, electrical items, towing equipment, and hitches; appliances, such as air conditioners, refrigerators, ranges and generators, LP gas equipment, portable toilets and plumbing parts, and hardware and tools; specialized recreational vehicle housewares; chemicals and supplies; and various accessories, such as ladders, jacks, fans, load stabilizers, mirrors, and compressors. The company also provides boating and marine products, such as boat covers, stainless steel hardware, depth sounders, anchors, life jackets, and other marine safety equipment and fishing equipment. In addition, they offer various other products, including trailer hitches, plastic wastewater tanks, vent lids, stabilizing jacks, and battery boxes. Their customers include RV and boat dealers, RV and boating parts¡¯ supply stores, and service centers, who resell the products at retail to consumers that own or use RVs and boats. It operates 13 regional distribution centers in 12 states in the United States and 4 regional distribution centers in Canada. They have offices in Mexico City Mexico, Tinan, Taiwan, Wuxi and Hangzhou China.

Location: Hangzhou

Responsibilities:
1.Direct daily the QC on site.
2.Communicate with US HQ ongoing basis on product issues concerning quality, engineering and other production related issues.
3.Resolve technical issues with the suppliers to ensure the product quality is meeting or exceeding the company requirements and consumer¡¯s expectations.
4.Monitor the quality inspection process and actively create solutions to problems.
5.Responsible for new project development, planning and management.
6.Work with existing and potential suppliers located in other areas of the China for new and on going projects.
7.Provide training to office staff, suppliers and quality inspectors on demand.
8.Plan and handle other projects as required.
9.Perform on-site physical inspection of the products at every production stage to ensure the final product quality.
10.Identify product defects during inspection and report the defects to the supervisor.
11.Study and analyze defect modes and assist in effort to resolve the issues.
12.Identify defect pattern and provide feedback to the supervisor.
13.Monitor the process to ensure only qualified products are accepted and shipped.
14.Monitor QC supervisor on other assignments as needed.

Requirements:
1.Strong hands on mechanical background
2.Good analytical skills to resolve problems
3.Strong understanding of welding, bending and powder coating
4.Good communications skills

* Please send us your complete resume (both in Chinese and in English) to:
‘topjob_eo074hz#dacare.com'(Please replace “#” with “@”)
* In the email subject MUST you plus the position name (in either En or Ch)

Scheme Manager

Company introduction: It is a leading business services provider to organizations worldwide.The Group has branches in 86 countries, providing: 1) independent certification of management systems and products; 2) product testing services; 3) the development of private, national and international standards; 4) management systems training and 5) information on standards and international trade.

Job Description:
Location: Shanghai or Eastern China
1.Analysis business requirements and propose with the senior management of client companies in understanding their business problems and providing solutions to meet business needs
2.Advocate company¡¯s business improvement solution, technology and services to targeted clients.
3.Build and maintain professional business relationships with clients
4.Develop necessary user documentation and coordinate or conduct user training
5.Promote or create company¡¯s capabilities in the marketplace

Job Requirements:
1.At least 4 years experiences in advisory, consulting or training areas; sales or marketing management experience in bank, telecom, logistic and electronic industry are preferred.
2.6 sigma, risk management, business process management or second assessment experience are preferred
3.Candidate must be a fast learner with clear logical mind
4.Candidate must be comfortable in a strong service environment, with excellent interpersonal and written and general communication skills
5.Strong advisory skills and ability to deal with senior executives of MNCs
6.Strong facilitation & presentation skills are required
7.Self-motivated, independent with effective execution power
8.Good business acumen
9.Excellent communication skills including in written and spoken English and Chinese
10.Strong capabilities in MS power point, excel and word are mandatory
11.Willing to travel and work outside office hours

* Please send us your complete resume (both in Chinese and in English) to:
‘topjob_mkt163sh#dacare.com'(Please replace “#” with “@”)
* In the email subject MUST you plus the position name (in either En or Ch)

China recruiting U.S. IT grads

China’s rapid economic expansion has allowed Beijing to fund a recruitment drive targeting some of the best and brightest IT graduates from U.S. universities, according to Chinese sources.

In turn, this brain trust is being used by China both as a control on its own Internet revolution and as a potential resource for North Korea’ cyberwar program.

South Korean defense ministry said North Korean hackers are targeting the most tightly-guarded systems of that country’s main foes to extract intelligence information and to spread viruses capable of wiping out material or, at least, slowing down computers.

North Korean students learn how to use computers at an elite school in Pyongyang. AFP

Defense officials said privately that North Korea, with no great pool of computer whizzes from which to select, is relying on Chinese aid and advice to train some 600 qualified hackers in five years.
One Hong Kong-based specialist said China has a budget for hiring the best IT graduates from U.S. universities to monitor and control Internet news reporting, and useage within its own borders as well as for a national security resource. “They’ve got the money, and they are spending it,” he said.

In North Korea, the campaign ranks as a priority for Kim Jong-Il, who whetted his appetite for computer skullduggery during visits to China and Russia several years ago. Kim made a point of visiting computer labs in both countries and decided that all North Koreans should somehow become adept at operating computers even though Internet access is forbidden except for the highly privileged elites.

Those having access include Kim Jong-Il closest relatives, friends and allies, notably from the armed forces, as well as extremely well-trained technicians who had to pass strenuous tests of loyalty before being accepted into the elite computer course.

Students are studying in China and also at an academy that South Korean officials say has been educating a cadre of elite technicians for more than 20 years in a remote mountainous region.

China, ASEAN sign trade agreement

CEBU, The Philippines: China and the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) signed an agreement on trade in services here yesterday – a major step toward establishing a free trade area (FTA) in the region by 2010.

The deal, which was inked in the presence of Premier Wen Jiabao and 10 ASEAN leaders, will help firms from the Southeast Asian economic bloc gain improved market access to multi-billion dollar service sectors including banking, information technology and tourism.

The agreement “marks a key step forward in building the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area and lays the foundation for its full and scheduled completion,” Wen said in a keynote speech yesterday at the 10th ASEAN-China Summit.

Trade between China and the ASEAN states has been booming in the past 15 years it grew more than 20 per cent a year, reaching $160 billion last year. The two sides are each other’s fourth-largest trading partners.

Trade volume will continue to grow by about 20 per cent this year although the possible outbreak of bird flu, natural disasters, regional security and global financial risks could slow the increase, Lu Jianren, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, predicted.

An agreement on merchandise trade took effect in July, 2005, following an early harvest scheme of initial tariff cuts on meat, fish, dairy products, vegetables, fruits and nuts. The services agreement was one of the remaining key items to be finalized in addition to an investment agreement.

Speaking at the summit, Wen called for the acceleration of talks on the investment agreement so as to complete setting up of the FTA by 2010 as planned.

When completed, the China-ASEAN FTA will be the world’s largest, encompassing around 1.7 billion consumers and with total trade estimated at $1.2 trillion. Related comment: ASEAN comes of age
Southeast Asia is moving, though very slowly, towards economic integration. Once established, the region will be the largest trading bloc in the world.

To promote the building of the FTA, China is ready to speed up discussions and sign a memorandum of understanding on establishing the China-ASEAN Trade, Investment and Tourism Promotion Center, Wen said.

China also proposes ASEAN transport collaboration be strengthened in the next 10 to 15 years to facilitate development of regional transportation and communication.

Wen noted China would enhance cooperation in combating transnational crime, maritime security, disaster reduction and relief, prevention and control of communicable diseases and environmental protection.

Wen was in Cebu to attend a series of East Asian summits that include the 10th ASEAN-China Summit, the 10th ASEAN Plus China, Japan and Republic of Korea (ROK) Summit (“10+3” Summit) and the 2nd East Asia Summit. He also chaired the 7th Chinese, Japanese and ROK Leaders’ Meeting yesterday.

Seven Major Job Trends for 2007

Is finding a new job on your list of New Year’s resolutions? The market may be in your favor.

Recent reports from the U.S. Labor Department indicate that while the expansion of the U.S. economy is slowing, it is doing so at a reasonable pace, and inflation has steadied. A moderated, yet stable, job market is expected to carry over into 2007 with gains that will remain strong enough to keep the unemployment rate in check.

University of Michigan economists predict the United States will create 1.5 million jobs in the next 12 months. According to CareerBuilder.com’s annual job forecast, 40 percent of hiring managers and human resource professionals operating in the private sector report they will increase their number of full-time, permanent employees in 2007, compared to 2006. Eight percent expect to decrease headcount while 40 percent expect no change. Twelve percent are unsure.

Employers are expected to become more competitive in their recruitment and retention efforts in the New Year as the pool of skilled labor shrinks and productivity growth plateaus. Forty percent of employers report they currently have job openings for which they can’t find qualified candidates.

This bodes well for workers who are likely to benefit from more generous job offers, more promotions, more flexible work cultures and other major trends identified for 2007:

No. 1: Bigger Paychecks
To motivate top performers to join or stay with their organizations, employers plan to offer better compensation packages. Eighty-one percent of employers report their companies will increase salaries for existing employees.

Sixty-five percent will raise compensation levels by 3 percent or more while nearly one-in-five will raise compensation levels by 5 percent or more.

Nearly half of employers (49 percent) expect to increase salaries on initial offers to new employees.

Thirty-five percent will raise compensation levels by 3 percent or more while 17 percent will raise compensation levels by 5 percent or more.

No. 2: Diversity Recruitment — Hispanics Workers in Demand
Understanding the positive influence workforce diversity has on overall business performance, employers remain committed to expanding the demographics of their staffs. With the Hispanic population accounting for half of U.S. population growth since 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and buying power growing 8 percent annually, one-in-ten employers report they will be targeting Hispanic job candidates most aggressively of all diverse segments. Nine percent plan to step up diversity recruiting for African American job candidates while 8 percent will target female job candidates.

Half of employers recruiting bilingual employees say English/Spanish-speaking candidates are most in demand in their organizations.

No. 3: More Flexible Work Arrangements
Work/life balance is a major buzzword among U.S. employers as employees struggle to balance heavy workloads and long hours with personal commitments.

Nineteen percent of employers say they are very or extremely willing to provide more flexible work arrangements for employees such as job sharing and alternate schedules. Thirty-one percent are fairly willing.

No. 4: Rehiring Retirees
Employers continue to express concern over the loss of intellectual capital as Baby Boomers retire and smaller generations of replacement workers fall short of labor quotas.

One-in-five employers plan to rehire retirees from other companies or provide incentives for workers approaching retirement age to stay on with the company longer.

No. 5: More Promotions
With the perceived lack of upper mobility within an organization being a major driver for employee turnover, employers are carving out clearer career paths.

Thirty-five percent of employers plan to provide more promotions and career advancement opportunities to their existing staff in the New Year.

No. 6: Better Training
In light of the shortage of skilled workers within their own industries, the vast majority of employers — 86 percent — report they are willing to recruit workers who don’t have experience in their particular industry or field, but have transferable skills.

Seventy-eight percent report they are willing to recruit workers who don’t have experience in their particular industry or field and provide training/certifications needed.

No. 7: Hiring Overseas
Companies continue to drive growth by entering or strengthening their presence in global markets. Thirteen percent of employers report they will expand operations and hire employees in other countries in 2007. Nine percent are considering it.

With China’s economy expanding at 10 percent annually and India’s at 8 percent, these two countries are particularly attractive to U.S. companies.

Twenty-three percent of employers recruiting overseas report they will hire the most workers in China and 22 percent will hire the most in India.

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 2,627 hiring managers and human resource professionals (employed full-time; not self employed; with at least significant involvement in hiring decisions), ages 18 and over within the United States between November 17 and December 11, 2006. Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.

With a pure probability sample of 2,627, one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 2 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies. However that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

Matt Ferguson is CEO of CareerBuilder.com. He is an expert in recruitment trends and tactics, job seeker behavior and workplace issues.

SOHO China said to list in Hong Kong

SOHO China Ltd, a Beijing-based property developer, hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc and HSBC Holdings Plc to revive a Hong Kong initial public offering, people with direct knowledge of the transaction said.

SOHO China may raise US$400 million by June to finance new projects, Bloomberg quoted the people, who declined to be identified before a public announcement. Company spokeswoman Wang Chunlei declined to comment.

Mainland developers are tapping the Hong Kong stock market to fund new properties as the government tries to limit bank lending to the industry. China has restricted land supply, curbed loans to real estate companies and imposed new taxes to slow a surge in property prices and investment.

“Traditionally, developers have relied on bank loans,” said Jason Yang, a senior manager at the professional services department of property agency Colliers International in Beijing.

“They are now either launching public share sales or real estate trust offerings to cope with the funding crunch as a result of the tightening measures.”

Chinese developers aren’t allowed to use bank loans to buy land sites, said Wayne Zane, a director of research at Colliers in Shanghai. The government in 2004 raised the amount of cash developers have to come up with on their own to 35 percent of total development costs from 20 percent.

SOHO China in 2002 delayed a US$250 million IPO in Hong Kong and the US because of disagreement between arranger Goldman Sachs and other advisers involved in the sale over its profit outlook, bankers involved said at the time.

The company in January 2003 scrapped the sale, citing unfavorable market conditions in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. SOHO’s Website contains no information on its earnings.

SOHO was co-founded by former oil ministry employee Pan Shiyi and his wife, former Goldman Sachs analyst Zhang Xin, in 1995. The couple ranked 237th on Forbes magazine’s list of Chinese mainland’s 400 richest people last year.

Beijing’s average real estate prices increased 16.7 percent to 8,792 yuan (US$1,128) per square meter last year, Xinhua news agency reported on Jan. 8, citing a report released during an industry conference.

As much as 200.1 billion yuan worth of apartments, houses, office buildings and shops were sold in the Chinese capital last year, Xinhua said without giving a comparative figure for 2005.

SOHO China has focused on buying sites in the Central Business District in eastern Beijing, where it built residential and office properties under the SOHO brand, catering to the city’s newly rich.

“It has shown a track record of acquiring prime sites,” Yang of Colliers said. “Its property sales have been brisk.”

The company has developed 1.58 million square meters of properties, about a fifth of the Central district’s total area, according to its Web site. Projects include Jianwai SOHO, a residential and commercial complex opposite the China World Hotel.

Some Chinese property stocks traded in Hong Kong have rallied in the past year, triggering a rush to raise more money selling stock. Hopson Development Holdings Ltd. which invests in Chinese properties, saw its shares jump 132 percent in 2006. The company raised US$126 million in a Hong Kong stock sale in November.

Guangzhou R&F Properties Co Ltd, which raised US$208 million selling shares in September, soared 149 percent last year.