Interview with Julio Gonzalez

Citation

Vera, E. (2012), "Interview with Julio Gonzalez", Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, Vol. 19 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ccm.2012.13619daa.001

Interview with Julio Gonzalez

Article Type: Executive corner From: Cross Cultural Management, Volume 19, Issue 4

(interviewed by Elio Vera: Executive Corner Editor)

Julio GonzalezHuman Resources Director Asia Pacific for TENARIS, covering the units of the group in Japan, South Korea, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, India, Vietnam. Born in Mexico City, he lives and works in Italy since 1984. He has held various positions in the Human Resources Department of multinational groups such as Pirelli, Kraft, Autogrill and currently in Tenaris. He has alternated roles both at the headquarters offices and at their operating companies. He holds a Degree in Psychology and a Master in Organizational Development. His schooling has taken place in Mexico, Canada and the USA. He has developed his professional experience in contexts of intensive organizational change and in international environments, making him an expert on issues of human resource management with a cross cultural focus. He has designed policies and human resource management tools aimed at global deployment. He has often been involved in the processes of mergers and acquisitions, followed by activities leading to the integration of different organizational cultures. In his professional activity he has followed organizational projects and worked in Italy as well as in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. He has published several articles on issues on Human Resources Management in international contexts. Has co authored two books on Cross Cultural Management issues. The first: Travelling Managers: New Nomads in Globalization on how to make more efficient the role of business international managers. The second book: China: Managing People and Organizations in the Biggest Market in the World, a text that offers a key to operational and practical guide for all aspects that imply HR management in China. Julio has been a member of the Executive Committee of the European Training and Development Federation and is currently a member of the Board of the Italian Association of Personnel Development (AIDP) in Lombardy.

Being Head of HR in a vast geographical region, you spend a lot of your time travelling and meeting your team wherever they are. What is the rational behind?

In my personal view, our globalised economy is conditioning and stimulating the need for integration responses from all stakeholders: governments, institutions, business communities, people (whether they travel abroad or remain within their own frontiers). It is imposing a greater rate of cultural interaction and is setting the basis for a new and unique cultural output. People are stimulated to transcend their original cultural codes in order to function and integrate with one another, as employees, as citizens, as consumers.

Companies are aware that in this scenario their success relies on people working together and sharing common ways of functioning and interacting. With the purpose to disseminate organizational practices, monitoring their implementation, promoting efficiency and integration among teams cross borders, companies have their personnel travel around the different units not only on long term international assignments which in today’s economy are less and less promoted. The work of the short term business traveller, what I call the travelling managers, is a unique integration mechanism for companies aiming to run operations in different locations around the world. Business travelling today involves more people than ever before (managers, technicians, supervisors of any sort, consultants, etc.) of different ages and nationalities; time zones and distances have a new meaning since the most distant places are reachable in a limited time.

What is the ideal profile of a travelling manager?

The effective travelling manager profile requires a mix of technical and linguistic competences, along with a high level of adaptation. As opposed to the classical expatriate employee, this manager does not have to manage the same worries that expatriates usually have (i.e. the pressure exerted by the difficulties encountered by their families in the new surrounding). Being usually on his own and for a limited time, the travelling manager has the chance to focus on business exchanges, learn from the issues that need to be addressed and solved and above all, coach the local teams to achieve greater efficiency and efficacy. She or he may furthermore share these findings with other colleagues and exchange best practices for enhancing and building a new organizational culture. In other words international travel is a way to build and disseminate organizational culture built on cross border’s best practices.

The glamorous idea of international travelling managers depicts them as individuals staying in luxury hotels, visiting exotic places, sipping cocktails with colleagues, earning airline travel mileage and […] working. Real life indicates that the routine of an international travelling manager is primarily working at different offices or at any other place that may provide a room or a space to work. This manager often works while waiting for connecting flights in places such as restaurants, cyber cafés or airport lounges. He mainly stays at hotels near the airports. He strives to stay healthy, and constantly learning how to avoid needless danger. Of course, there is the obvious need to knowing different foreign languages if possible and manage jet lag effects in the best way possible.

Your area of work is Asia Pacific: can you describe the region?

I speak of course on my behalf and according to my direct experience. Asia is a series of sub continents, impossible to imagine as one single block. Whoever approaches Asia should be ready to have an encounter with true and diversified contexts. It would be indeed difficult to draw an opinion about this part of the world that includes technology driven Japan, the skyscrapers of Shanghai and Singapore, the historical heritage of China and India, the cultural richness of South East Asia, the opportunities of Australia. With almost three billion people, Asia is a series of differences in laws and practices regarding almost any possible aspect of HR management from health and safety to environment, hiring and compensation practices. Therefore, whatever you have learned in doing business in one country may very well not be valid or applicable in another.

Asia is continent of relationships, not only of countries, cities and laws. The ability to establish personal networks, relationships and then have a professional agenda is key in Asia. In practical terms, in Asia you must build a relationship before talking about any work aspect or deadline. This practice has questioned sometimes the use of performance management system that is not based on a one to one relationship. While programming activities, remember that specific national holidays are an important element of culture to respect and celebrate.

It is important to remember that almost everywhere in Asia, there is a developing force that makes its inhabitants have a unique set of work opportunities, which translates also on a very high turnover. For some professional families, it is not uncommon to identify also double digit turnover. It is not an exception to have in many of these developing countries turnover of 25 per cent for sales people, 15 per cent for managers, 12 per cent for general staff. Asia is a world where individuals are surrounded by opportunities.

In general terms, you are faced with a population that looks constantly for new learning experiences as to foster their professional growth. Best hiring and retention practices are indicating that continuous training and coaching may have a positive impact on the Asian work force, allowing, hopefully, a possibility to work on fidelity and assure somehow the continuity of the operations.

Decisions are to be taken by the supervisors who are expected to address and give the final word in a process. Hierarchy cannot lose face by not addressing their responsibilities and subordinates cannot make lose face any of their bosses without waiting for their answers. The mutual respect of each other’s role is at the bottom of the internal harmony of relationships which is always fostered.

It is complicated to explain that skills shortages is an issue in Asia, especially if you are talking about Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc. The big issue is that there is of course a lot of talent, but there is just not enough. Most companies are looking for the same set of competencies: first of all foreign languages knowledge, people who have experience in Western multinational work methods and in some cases looking for people who have a work experience abroad. The continent is running big efforts to address this issue but the request of qualifications is sometimes higher than the supply.

How do you address topics related to HR management in Asia?

Based on my personal experience, all I can say is that this is one topic that is coming across constantly. However, there are personal differences that make people act in a unique way and often far from the stereotypes. In searching for a key to understanding the behaviour of people in any part of the world, it is important to know what are the contexts in which one has to work, knowing the history of the country, the traditions and the major steps on their economic and social development. For example, a common feature in almost all of the Asian countries is the role of the group’s interest versus the individual’s and of course the respect of hierarchy. These elements are key to understand whenever you try to create change. This knowledge increases your chances to be understood and meaningful when you speak.

Looking at the differences among each country, what are the special features that characterize the management of motivation?

I’d answer in a general way, knowing that I must simplify and what I say, is based on my personal experience. I would comment only on some countries.

Japan is a country that has been in the center of economic situations of uncertainty for more than 15 years by now. Recent events such as the earthquake and the tsunami, have put the country in a stronger stressful situation. In this specific context, we have seen prevailing the concept of group welfare as opposed to the one of the individual. And the role of the management is more important than ever In general terms, people are open to companies that are committed to resolving issues that have an impact in the community. Japan, one year after the tsunami, sees a community that is coming out, built on a national project of reconstruction.

In China formal and informal working relationships within the organization are key, as well as socialisation. In the midst of the great economic development, China is experiencing growing social change that leads some times to uncertainty. In this context, the management of organizations are expected to be a guide. Managers (whether they are aware or not) are often perceived also as likely counsellors. Companies themselves are seen as sources of services for employees. At the same time, the opportunity to continue learning and have opportunities for development and growth within an organization keeps on being seen as crucial.

South East Asian countries are an archipelago of different traditions and ethnic groups. In line with the Asian tradition, formal and informal working relationships within the organization are essential. Management has a key role as a guide. In line with the possibilities of growth, there is a lot of attention not only to the salaries but also on the benefits that the company can offer to both the worker himself, and his family. Community impacts are also important on the role of a company. In this reality, it is also essential to ensure the learning and development opportunities and growth.

Singapore is a different setting, But here too management has an essential role, not to mention the safety and quality of life. There is also a need to ensure the opportunity for development and growth.