Pareto Principle
Your time and resources are limited. Efficiency means learning to prioritize. The Pareto principle (also called the 80-20 rule) can help you identify the best way to use your time for maximum results.
Country Analysis Framework
Overseas expansion requires careful planning. The Country Analysis Framework can help you look beyond an industry-level analysis and reframe your view based on performance, strategy, and context. Try this short course to learn how it works.
SECI Model
The SECI model illustrates how knowledge is created and shared. Learn how to put it to use for best practices, and how the Japanese concept of “ba” fits in to broaden your perspective.
Johari Window Model
The Johari Window Model is a self-awareness framework that helps you better understand . . . you. Learn how its four quadrants can help you identify gaps between how you see yourself, and how others see you.
Sunk Costs
Wondering if you should continue an investment or look for something new? Sunk costs can have a powerful psychological impact on decision-making. Learn how to recognize them to ensure rational decisions.
CAGE Distance Framework
Want to expand overseas? The CAGE distance framework can help ensure you're constructing a solid global strategy in four areas: cultural, administrative, economic, and geographic. Learn how to leverage useful differences between countries, identify potential obstacles, and achieve global business success.
Groupthink
Groupthink refers to group pressure and the perception of consensus which together lead to ill-formed decisions—or even unnecessary risks. Learn to identify the warning signs of groupthink and apply countermeasures in this online course.
Deductive and Inductive Reasoning
Solving problems with the best results means using two types of thinking: deductive and inductive reasoning. In this online course, learn to form a broad premise, make observations, and form conclusions from different perspectives.
Critical Thinking: Hypothesis-Driven Thinking
Anyone can come up with a good idea. The real challenge is putting that idea into action. In this online course, explore how to form compelling, testable hypotheses and bring ideas to life in your own organization.
Critical Thinking: Structured Reasoning
Even a few simple techniques for logical decision making and persuasion can vastly improve your skills as a leader. Explore how critical thinking can help you evaluate complex business problems, reduce bias, and devise effective solutions.
Critical Thinking: Problem-Solving
Problem-solving is a central business skill, and yet it's the one many people struggle with most. This course will show you how to apply critical thinking techniques to common business examples, avoid misunderstandings, and get at the root of any problem.
How to Dream
Join globally renowned author and Columbia Business School professor Dr. Sheena Iyengar as she explains how to approach your dreams with a new perspective. Learn to reflect on what you long to accomplish and what stands in your way.
Logical Thinking
Logical thinking is at the heart of confident, persuasive decisions. This course will equip you with a five-point approach to more becoming a more logical thinker. Learn to classify ideas and distinguish fact from opinion.
Investing & Diversity: The Changing Faces of Venture Capitalists
Is the venture capital industry embracing diversity in investors? Watch global venture capitalists from around the world discuss the state of things and what needs to be done for a more inclusive future.
Servant Leadership
There's more to leadership than driving a team to profit. In fact, there's a word for looking beyond self-interest to prioritize individual growth: servant leadership. Try this course for a quick breakdown of what that is, how it works, and how it can lead to organizational success.
Organizational Behavior and Leadership
Ever wonder what makes a great leader? Whether your role requires leadership or not, understanding organizational behavior is useful for your career. This course from GLOBIS Unlimited can set you on your way.
Leadership vs. Management
Leadership and management are different skills, but today’s leaders must have both. Try out this course from GLOBIS Unlimited to understand the difference, as well as when and why each skill is necessary for motivation, communication, and value.
Strategy: Creating Value Inside Your Company
Have you ever wondered why certain companies are more successful than others? The answer is strategy: internal processes that control costs, allocate resources, and create value. This course from GLOBIS Unlimited can give you the tools you need for that strategic edge.
Strategy: Understanding the External Environment
To plan strategy on any level, you need to understand your company's external environment. In fact, your level of understanding can impact hiring, budgeting, marketing, or nearly any other part of the business world. Want to learn how to do all that? This course from GLOBIS Unlimited is the perfect first step!
Using Japanese Values to Thrive in Global Business
Japanese companies have unique cultural, communication, and operational challenges. But they also have values that have led to remarkable longevity. Check out this seminar to hear how these values help earn trust from overseas head offices and develop employees.
Turnaround Leadership: The Differences Between Japan and the West
What's the best way for leaders to communicate a shift in corporate strategy? How do you even know when it's time for such a change? This course explains how Japan might have one answer, Western companies another.
Conflict Management
Conflicts in the workplace are inevitable. But they can lead to positive outcomes if they’re managed well. Check out this online course for a two-step process that can help you manage conflict successfully.
Evernote Founder: How Tech Startups Can Break through in Japan
Can startup models from Hollywood and Silicon Valley succeed anywhere? Phil Libin, cofounder and CEO of startup incubator All Turtles, explains how AI can solve everyday problems to bring products to market.
Women Empowerment: Lessons from Cartier
How can women overcome gender inequality and reach their leadership goals? Cartier Japan CEO June Miyachi shares her secret in this special course from GLOBIS Unlimited.
Marketing: Reaching Your Target
Every company works hard to get its products into the hands of customers. Are you doing everything you can to compete? In this course, you’ll find a winning formula to turn a product idea into real sales. Follow along through the fundamentals of the marketing mix and see how companies successfully bring products to market.
Marketing Mix
Seeing good products into the hands of customers is no easy task. The marketing mix can help. It's a collection of strategies and tactics companies utilize to get customers to purchase their products or services, and is an essential part of the overall marketing process.
The Principles of Negotiation
With the proper skills and attitude, anyone can become a successful negotiator. But first, you'll need to learn the basics to prepare for, assess, and respond to offers for the best results. GLOBIS Unlimited can help.
Negotiation: Creating Value
Want to create more shared value between yourself and your negotiation opponent? Discover how cognitive bias affects the judgment of others. Try this course from GLOBIS Unlimited to master the value of negotiation.
Finding Your Life Purpose with Ikigai
Ikigai can guide you in your quest for self-discovery. Listen to Japanese brain scientist Ken Mogi explain why and how.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Want to leverage Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs as a leader? Try this short course to see how the theory can be applied in practical work scenarios.
Confirmation Bias
We all subconsciously collect information that reinforces our preconceptions. It's natural . . . but it does lead to a kind of flawed decision-making called confirmation bias. To become more objective and impartial, check out this course from GLOBIS Unlimited!
An Investor's Lesson to Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs have the power to transform societies for the better. But how do you attract investors to start or grow a business? Or to sell one? Check out this seminar for the answers to these and more, straight from a master venture capitalist!
Managerial Accounting
Managerial accounting is a powerful way to measure progress, identify problems, and meet your goals. Check out this course to learn how data-backed decisions can help you run your business.
Finance Basics: 1
For a healthy mix of quantitative planning, evaluation, and management, you need solid decision-making. And finance is the secret sauce! Get the essentials of finance in this two-part course from GLOBIS Unlimited.
Basic Accounting: Financial Analysis
Want to compare your performance vs. a competitor? Or evaluate a potential vendor? Then you'll need to conduct a financial analysis. This course will teach you how to use three financial statements and evaluate financial performance in terms of profitability, efficiency, soundness, growth, and overall strength.
Career Anchors
What drives you to be good at your job?
Career anchors are based on your values, desires, motivations, and abilities. They are the immovable parts of your professional self-image that guide you throughout your career journey.
Try this short GLOBIS Unlimited course to identify which of the eight career anchors is yours!
Digital Marketing Psychology to Transform Your Business
How does digital marketing really differ from traditional marketing? How is social media changing things really? And what's going on in Asia?
Pyramid Structure
Having the pyramid structure in your communication toolkit can not only help you approach a problem, but convince others that your solution is valid. Break away from linear thinking and test your logical thinking with this course from GLOBIS Unlimited!
Leadership with Passion through Kokorozashi
The key ingredient to success? Passion.
Finding your kokorozashi will unify your passions and skills to create positive change in society. This GLOBIS Unlimited course will help you develop the values and lifelong goals you need to become a strong, passion-driven leader.
AI First Companies – Implementation and Impact
AI is changing the way companies operate. How do you structure teams to increase efficiency?
Technovate in the Era of Industry 4.0
Is Industry 4.0 is the next step of human evolution human civilization? Dr. Jorge Calvo seems to think so. Join him to learn how the past can help you set goals for an exciting future of digital innovation.
Technovate Thinking
Business leaders of tomorrow need to harness the power of technology and innovation. That means understanding algorithms and how they drive business results. Discover opportunities to make technology work for your competitive edge.
Product Life Cycle
Every product takes a natural course through the market—there's a how, when, and why customers adopt products at different stages. Check out this course from GLOBIS Unlimited to find out how a product you use every day is part of this cycle.
Logic Tree
Logical thinking is the most valuable asset any business professional can have. That's why logic trees are such a valuable tool—they can help you identify a problem, break it down, and build it back up to a solution.
MECE Principle
Using the MECE principle can help ensure you categorize without gaps or overlaps. Check out this course from GLOBIS Unlimited for a practical demonstration of how it works!
How does a company based in the West adapt to emerging markets halfway around the world? How can it overcome fundamental differences in lifestyles and social challenges?
Unilever, a multinational company based in the Netherlands and the UK, faced this challenge as it worked to tailor its wares to South Asian markets. Sandeep Kohli, Vice President of South East Asia and Australasia Marketing Operations for Unilever, shares his insights.
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Steps to Emerging Market Adaptation: Unilever’s 4 Ps
Insights: What is the first step to adapting to emerging markets?
Kohli: It almost goes without saying that the first step is social awareness. Unilever aims to embody the creative capitalism that Bill Gates presented at the 2008 World Economic Forum. That is, improving the lives of people around the world through collaboration with innovators, companies, and governments.
Societal evaluation is a key element of Unilever’s corporate objectives—CSR is, in itself, our business model. Some of the questions we asked as we moved into South Asia included, “How can we lower the bacterial infection mortality rate of children in Myanmar?” and “How has the mortality rate of children under five decreased?”
Insights: So what comes after social awareness?
Kohli: That would be motivated resources. The more unstable the market, the more crucial it is to have capable organizers in charge. The key is to think beyond the company and instead approach the whole country as a project.
Doing business in emerging countries can actually be like creating societies. As you might expect, partners in such places are often limited. The decision to assign skilled resources from home or rely on a local presence could itself determine success or failure.
Then there’s the balance of skill and motivation to consider—this is extremely important. For example, with the Japanese market shrinking, many skilled people are eager to seek out work in the growing Asian market. However, the desire to simply find work will inevitably prove insufficient to succeed under the challenges of an emerging market.
Insights: We understand that 50% of Unilever’s revenue comes from emerging economies. What’s your secret?
Kohli: We approach emerging countries as emerging countries. Meaning, the way we operate at home (in the Netherlands and the UK) simply doesn’t apply to undeveloped markets. Having said that, Unilever has its own methodology for these emerging markets, which we call the four Ps:
- People: consumers in the target country. Naturally, we want to understand their lives.
- Partnership: vendors and distribution networks. We are constantly aiming to support our partners’ human resource development and system investment for mutual benefit.
- Purpose: In my opinion, this is particularly important in emerging countries. How many companies can clearly outline what they’re doing in Myanmar, and for what purpose? In order to create a successful new market and involve people, you must establish your objectives and achieve empathy.
- People: our employees. We have high standards for our employees in all locations and are committed to human resource investment. Whether we’re in Myanmar, the UK, or somewhere else, we want the best talent globally.
Putting Purpose Front and Center
Insights: So you think the third P—purpose—is really key. Can you tell us why?
Kohli: Sure. Take children’s health. In emerging countries, the mortality rate of children under the age of five is in the tens of millions, all because of unsanitary conditions and lack of public health. Therefore, when we started selling soap, our goal wasn’t really to sell soap, but to improve hygiene by educating children and their parents about how to wash their hands.
These kinds of things aren’t business activities or CSR—they’re business itself. Showing that we have these values at Unilever is an important part of our DNA, and we are very proud that students in Indonesia, Brazil, and other places rank us as the most desirable place to work.
This is all because we face consumers and communities with love and respect.
Insights: Some emerging markets have to be more challenging than others. How do you approach the tougher ones?
Kohli: Once you have chosen a market, commit to it completely and really show that commitment. The president of Unilever actually visits Myanmar several times a year. This is a top executive whose company offers products to two billion people every day across 180 countries. Why do it? Because it’s important for the people at the top to see.
And remember, an emerging market may be small, but sending inexperienced or young people is a clear mistake that many companies make. To communicate and organize best practices requires a lot of effort and skill. Emerging countries should benefit from the best talent available.
Insights: What is important for you, personally, when you work in in emerging countries?
Kohli: Most of what I do is to prepare the heart for the work involved. In many cases, it’s easy to make mistakes based on perceived common sense. Sometimes, it’s better to just forget what you think you know and sympathize with people when you talk to them. When you rely only on your head to make decisions, you tend to rule things out too quickly, which prevents you from seeing the market with fresh eyes.
Relying on your heart to make decisions, you can break down existing perceptions and find new ideas. I practice mindfulness to increase my sympathy. This not only helps me accept new environments and ways of thinking, but also promotes creativity in emerging markets.
Note: The above was adapted from two articles (1, 2) published on GLOBIS Chikenroku, written in Japanese by Toru Takahashi.
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