1. Lesions Learned from Managing Projects in 40+ Countries
Mark Hehl
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

2. Amusing Confessions of an International Consultant
The How and Why
Cultural Issues
On The Lighter Side - Amusing Experiences
Interesting Facilities - To Say The Least
Some are hard to believe
Successful Projects
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

3. (c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved
Cultural Faux Pas
“It Is Not Right Or Wrong, Good Or Bad,
Is Just Different”
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

4. Not Engaging The Culture = Company Failure
Asian customer – Chinese Supplier
No understanding or engagement of Chinese culture
Constant conflict
World recession – late 2008
Material prices dropped significantly
Refusal to lower kit price
Reason – Cultural Difficulties
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

5. The day the lights went out in China
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

6. No Christmas Deliveries
This company lost $5 MILLION in sales
Supplier orders placed late
No pushback from Chinese suppliers
Late supplier deliveries
Missed Christmas sales
Management personnel forced out
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

7. (c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved
On The Lighter Side
JUST AMUSING EXPERIENCES
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

8. “But I Do Not Know How To Drive
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

9. Eating Breakfast With A Famous Actor

10. Do Fire Extinguishers Need To Work?
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

11. No Scrambled Eggs For Me
This cook just could not do it!
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

12. Left Handed Chopsticks
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

13. Interesting Situations –To Say The Least!
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

14. (c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved
Why Does He Care?
Assembly plant in China
Noted foul smell
Caution - do not breathe vapor or allow to come in contact with skin
Operators could not read label
No protection
Management reaction????????
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

15. The Employees Were Eating Lunch On The Floor
Assembly plant in Asia (not China)
Driving into facility
Dark inspection final area
No table for employees to eat on
Mobile phone use while product was moving on conveyor
Supplier visit disaster
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

16. Paying To Make A Bad Situation Worse
Large US multinational corporation
Data base defect reduction
Six Sigma project
Team composition
Constant changes in individuals
Management personnel
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

17. This one almost killed me
Taiwan owned facility located in China
Air shower – back door open
Quality manager availability
Measurements – computer
Dirty table
Replacement parts - warranty
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

18. This one almost killed me
No direct phone lines, phone or fax
File folders
Inventory control
Hotel bathroom
Taxi drivers
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

19. There Were Many Positive Outcomes
Most projects were successful
$11 million annual savings
Two lean projects at a Far East location
$4 million annual savings
Inadvertent result of a process mapping exercise in the USA
40% production volume increase with no increase in cost
Lean project in Latin America
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

20. (c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved
Closing Remarks
Learn and apply the culture
Opportunities still exist in low cost regions
Avoid being infatuated by a low price alone
Look carefully before you leap
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

21. (c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved
Closing Remarks
Engage a competent professional to evaluate your prospective business partner
Identify and consider hidden costs
Identify risks
Time on the ground
Learn and apply the culture
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved

22. (c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved
Questions
I thank you for allowing me to be of service
Mark Hehl
(c) 2017, Mark Hehl, all rights reserved