By Dr Tarcisius Chin                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
FOR too long Malaysians have been too inward-looking,                                                                                                 
preferring the certainty and comfort of seeking employment in                                                                                         
the local labour market. This mind-set is reinforced by the                                                                                           
country's favourable employment market.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
But as we pursue business opportuties overseas and                                                                                                    
increasingly contribute to our role as an international                                                                                               
pokesnation, it is important for us to have more Malaysians                                                                                           
serving overseas in highly respected and influential                                                                                                  
positions.                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
Pax Britannica was facilitated by the large number of British                                                                                         
personnel serving in outposts spread across the globe in the                                                                                          
Victorian era; nowadays Japan Inc not only is visible for                                                                                             
electronic products but also for the number of Japanese                                                                                               
expatriates in the international marketplace. There is no                                                                                             
economic power operating in the global economy which is not                                                                                           
strongly supported by a vigorous expatriate community.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Historically, Malaysia's economic success has been                                                                                                    
attributable to international trade, beginning with primary                                                                                           
commodities and new, more significantly, with manufactured                                                                                            
goods.  With the World Trade Organisation and increasing                                                                                              
global competitiveness, the key to future prosperity lies key                                                                                         
our ability to trade in intellectual property and in products                                                                                         
and services fashioned by human creativity.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
The historical relocation of businesses to Malaysia from                                                                                              
Japan, United States and elsewhere to benefit from low labour                                                                                         
cost is no longer defensible as our neighbours are already                                                                                            
much lower-cost locations. More recently, we have been moving                                                                                         
offshore to China, Vietnam, Myanmar and further away into                                                                                             
South Africa and Argentina, doing business and becoming                                                                                               
ourselves an overseas investor.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
This new dimension opens a window of opportunity for                                                                                                  
Malaysians to work overseas and become expatriates.  There can                                                                                        
be no better learning experience for-a manager than to have to                                                                                        
deal with a set of different assumptions about workers'                                                                                               
behaviour, government regulations, and living conditions. It                                                                                          
will be a rude awakening for many to realise that management                                                                                          
practice is culture bound.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
The precursor to the Malaysian expatriate is the international                                                                                        
civil servant comprising members of our foreign service plus a                                                                                        
small band of professionals who serve in international                                                                                                
agencies such as the World Bank in Washington and the Asian                                                                                           
Development Bank in Manila, and academics attached to overseas                                                                                        
universities. They have done well and Malaysia is richer by                                                                                           
their experience and by their influence and contribution.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
One institution that has attracted some of our brightest                                                                                              
peoples is the World Bank—Andrew Cheng from Bank Negara,                                                                                         
Robless from EPU, Cheong Kee Cheok from Universiti Malaya, Joe                                                                                        
Manikavasagam from Tractors, and several others.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
But Malaysia is still under-represented and the bank is now                                                                                           
seeking the services of economists and professionals with                                                                                             
experience in privatisation, energy, environment and social                                                                                           
science and the service-oriented sectors to contribute                                                                                                
particularly to work with the Eastern European countries.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
Service with the bank for a few years should do wonders to a                                                                                          
candidate's CV and should broaden his view of the world.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
Besides obvious professional qualifications, a good command of                                                                                        
the English language is required, both for oral presentations                                                                                         
and for writing reports.  Knowledge of other languages may be                                                                                         
required depending on countries of assignment.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
There are, of course, other opportunities elsewhere and                                                                                               
Malaysians should consider committing a few years to                                                                                                  
international service. The experience gained, the network                                                                                             
established and the confidence developed should add to our                                                                                            
national inventory of human talent to take on the                                                                                                     
international marketplace.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
There is also the educational route to gaining international                                                                                          
understanding.  Several universities, for example, have                                                                                               
introduced MBA degree qualifications designed to develop the                                                                                          
international manager, including offshore placements of                                                                                               
students. One educational opportunity for Malaysian executives                                                                                        
is the MBA in international Management organised by RMIT of                                                                                           
Australia in co-operation with the Asian Association of                                                                                               
Management Organisations (AAMO), a regional body with a                                                                                               
membership of 13 national management organisations, with                                                                                              
Malaysia represented by the Malaysian Institute of Management.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
The future is the global economy with little or no barriers.                                                                                          
Much has been said of Asia driving the global economy. But                                                                                            
much of Asian prosperity has been derived front corporate                                                                                             
deals and diversification.  In time to come the                                                                                                       
entrepreneurial aspect of will help sustain growth continuing                                                                                         
development.                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
Michael Porter of the harvard business School has; on the lack                                                                                        
of strategic focus of Asian business. The experience of many                                                                                          
US corporations tells a tale of diversification only to be                                                                                            
followed subsequently by divestment to concentrate on                                                                                                 
businesses where the firm has clear competitive advantage.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
As Malaysia progresses, it is important that we assess our                                                                                            
competitive strengths and strategically move into businesses                                                                                          
in which we can be the pacesetters. To do this effectively we                                                                                         
need competent managers who have a sense of where and how we                                                                                          
can profit from the global economy and to excel in our chosen                                                                                         
fields of endeavour.                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
We need thinkers and we need managers who know, through direct                                                                                        
experience, how to exploit the international marketplace.  We                                                                                         
need more Malaysians who are street-smart in international                                                                                            
business.