Friday, March 6, 2009

How to Run an enterprise in SL - Sujeewa

By Sujeewa Kokawala,

This post originated from my comment to SanerComics's blog post on similar topic.

- Value your workforce: Employees are the best asset, and they should be well supported.

- Make it a win-win: Make sure that your employees are always given a chance to build career in their desired path while making that plan the best use of them for you.

- Balanced Team: Do not hire 25 freshers and 5 guys with 10 yr experience [especially if you are dealing with graduates]. The balance of the team and right hierarchy would work like an oiled machine

- Do not preach Americanism: Some who lived in west [and received third degree brain wash] try to make the company a territory under US law. You ought to support SL way of life. One of my bosses almost lost a valued employee as he once said "show your F**King document" in a public meeting. This is not America.

- Be profitable: Some run centers for tax cuts in west. Some run them to have a base to visit SL. But ppl who work will find it hard to accept. You have an obligation to have a genuine business that means profiting and benefiting employees.

- Do expand: As I mentioned above some companies do not have big strategy. Employees suffer most.

- Do business no charity: Some western investors think that they do a favor by bringing company to its employees. They think IT IS DUTY of SL to support them. WRONG. You ought to come and start a company to earn money, other objectives are secondary.

- Do not cry: Some expat investors complain regarding anything from mosquitoes to check points. They are right, SL is not the most perfect country. But what is the point? SL remains SL. If you open a cafe in Saudi Arabia, you can't complain for having to close it on Friday.

- Be objective, do not let minor hurdles to take you down: Running business in SL is tough as systems are not best. You may face issues in customs, power supply, municipal, taxation etc. But tackle them in SL way and do not let them take over your goal.

- Be strategic: Do not expect your SL employees to run it for you. Usually they look at you with a higher view and respect. Generally they expect your guidance.

- Don't block: Some business ppl try to block the progress of anyone in order to keep things at controllable level. Do not, you're the end looser not them. They can find another job.

Today, I think that the best support you can do for SL is to start a company on your own or bring some investor. It should be profitable and you ought to be money oriented.

6 comments:

  1. Thanks a lot for making my comment into another post. But now when I see it, whoops typos and many half written sentences. Pardon me all. I'm not queen's under-the-bed boy to posses best known English, but English I wrote there was below par to my crappy standards. It was late in the night. In any case sorry all.

    I posted the ideas with bit of modifications in LankaPatriots under the subject, "My two cent's for Expatriate Entrepreneurs".

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks a lot for making my comment into another post. But now when I see it, whoops typos and many half written sentences. Pardon me all. I'm not queen's under-the-bed boy to posses best known English, but English I wrote there was below par to my crappy standards. It was late in the night. In any case sorry all.

    I posted the ideas with bit of modifications in LankaPatriots under the subject, "My two cent's for Expatriate Entrepreneurs".

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sujeewa,

    Do you want me to take it offline!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. "- Do not preach Americanism: Some who lived in west [and received third degree brain wash] try to make the company a territory under US law. You ought to support SL way of life. One of my bosses almost lost a valued employee as he once said "show your F**King document" in a public meeting. This is not America."

    SK, what is wrong with the US way of running a company?

    US employees are going through the most fairness way of job screening. Your resume consists of only your credentials. No age, no sex, no religion or nothing that you can get discriminated on.

    People have been hired just by phone interviews and no connections are necessary. That kind of verbal assault in public is intolerable in USA. Sri Lankan bosses has to realize that verbal assault or demoralizing work force is counter productive. The happy worker is the most productive worker. Where I work now, no one is interested in when I come in when I leave or when I take vacations as long as I deliver what they want. I understand someone a graduate from USA can't expect the same treatment from Sri Lanka, however we shouldn't let Sri Lankan bosses get away from adapting best business practices from the world.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you for sharing information SK.... I think it is very valuable information which is put in a perspective…..in fact I found interesting concept called Blue Ocean strategy and the link for google book…..check it out I think its more relevant for the "Be Strategic" aspect….

    http://books.google.com.kw/books?id=fKTllv6_O74C&dq=blue+ocean+strategy&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=lMqjSbbFB9Kd_gbo2qmWBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPR7,M1

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey guys just want to inform the previous link to Google books is just a preview not the whole book of Blue Ocean Strategy....in case if you are wondering.....

    ReplyDelete