Spanish
In the current economic climate there is much talk of the need to break geographical barriers and expand horizons. In a globalized, hyper-connected world, it seems that the raison d’être of the company is in internationalization and the development of an awareness of the major global market is seen as a necessity. International expansion is needed not only to survive in a difficult economic scenario, if not improve it moving up a level. Going a step further, we can say that perhaps this is the natural state in a reality where everything is connected and borders blur.
Listening to members of the government, entrepreneurs and businessmen and experts in economics and management at the VI International Congress of Excellence organized by Madrid Excelente has allowed me to assess the issue of internationalizing companies and raise a question I think is important. What is the role of HR in this process?
At the Madrid Excelente conference, where key elements for internationalization were discussed, one idea stood out above all others and it was a common factor to most talks: international expansion brings competitiveness and excellence.
To embark on this process, companies must have a number of resources and meet a number of requirements, not just economic and business ones, but also human ones.
It is well known that the quality and management of human capital in the organization is crucial for working efficiently and improving productivity, but in a global market this takes on a new dimension. Building a team capable of working on the basis of excellence and competitiveness must be one of the goals of any organization planning to operate globally.
Only talent will give us a team capable of developing innovative products based on current demand. Being international isn’t just about possessing a product adapted to global needs and playing on a global stage; our resources must also go global and be innovation driven. We’re talking about an efficient and productive team that knows how to develop differentiated products that compete outside traditional boundaries, a team of specialists in their field and excellent workers.
But it is not always easy for organizations to find these specialists, “Critical new skills are scarce–and their uneven distribution around the world is forcing companies to develop innovative new ways to find people, develop capabilities, and share expertise.” (Bersin, Global Human Capital Trends 2014). Today more than ever there is much talk that for both finding and retaining the best talent, companies must be able to innovate and to live up to the expectations of these employees who are increasingly demanding more of their jobs.
We can thus say that talent, excellence, competitiveness, specialization and innovation are faces of the same prism. Being efficient and productive in global environments involves searching and promoting talent. Such talent will enable us to be experts in our field, while seeking innovative excellence to compete in a global environment already here to stay.
By Irene Giménez, Content Management Specialist
