1. Can Central and Eastern European Management Compete?
How good are Romanian Managers?
Dr. Klemens Wersonig, CEO TARGET Executive Search

2. Can Romanian managers compete?
Answer from a headhunter:
YES
Romania is much better than you think!

3. Headhunting across CEE

4. TARGET Expat Study 2009 & 2015 1000+ answers across CEE SK – CZ – HU – RO – PL - BG
Lokale: 271
Fragen: 44
2015
1. Poland
2. Slovakia
3. Czech Republic
4. Romania
5. Hungary
6. Bulgaria RO
889 CZ
219 HU SK 47 BG
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5. 2. I enjoy working here

6. 3. Bureaucracy is not a serious problem here

7. 5. The business environment here is very active and dynamic

8. 8. Deadlines are taken seriously here

9. 10. It is important here to form friendships with colleagues and customers

10. 23. Managers here prefer to work in a planned manner

11. 34. Managers in this country tend to be excellent at selling

12. 38. Local managers are good at dealing with overseas customers and colleagues

13. 47. Local managers are experienced in working together with foreigners

14. 37. Most local managers speak at least one foreign language

15. 26. Ambitious managers are admired

16. 41. Corruption is not a significant problem in doing business here

17. 11. It is easy to find well-trained managers in this country

18. 12. We could recruit better managers if we could pay them more

19. 9. Humour is important in working relationships in this country

20. 6. In this country business and commerce are strongly customer service oriented

21. 42. On the whole women in CEE tend to be more effective managers than men

22. Quotes…RO
“The culture here is haunted by the ghosts of the communist past. This manifests itself not only in the unwillingness to take risks or find creative solutions, but also in the corruption that is prevalent in the culture here.” [American Expat, ROM]

23. Quotes…RO
“Romania is full of young talented managers. The political class and its instability are the main limits to the growth of this country.” [Italian Expat, ROM]
“Romania ... much better than you think!” [Belgian Expat, ROM]

24. Quotes…RO
“Romanian Managers are very talented and ambitious. They are creative and find alternative solutions. This might be also a reason why reliability and organization is not their major strength. Exceptions are always in both directions. Anyhow I like very much their dynamism and optimism.” [German Expat, ROM]

25. CEE summary - the good news
CEE managers work very hard and are ambitious
Foreigners clearly enjoy living and working in CEE countries
Strong interpersonal skills of managers are highly valued
Good personal relationships are essential to good business in CEE
Women are more effective managers than men
Managers in the CEE region do place much value on the company they work for
In most CEE countries, managers prefer working in a planned, structured manner

26. CEE summary – the bad news
Bureaucracy and corruption seriously hinder good business performance in CEE
Businesses and their managers are not customer-oriented resulting in very poor customer service
Hierarchies here tend to be formal
Managers do not like to take the initiative in preventing and solving problems
CEE managers do not like to take a wider, strategic view

27. Romanian summary Excellent in interpersonal skills best in sales
Best with language skills and international mind
Worst in bureaucracy and corruption (with Bulgaria)
Most ambitious
Bad with deadlines
Good humor
Women are better managers

28. My personal conclusions Klemens Wersonig
Surprisingly little change during 6 years, even though different expats were asked ( expats in total)
Women in CEE are better managers
Main topics are bureaucracy, corruption, customer service
Romania is much better than you think!