The Dutch Vietnam

Management Supporter
Time + Energy:
your hidden profits
Net profit is what’s left after all bills have been paid— Prof. Loek Hopstaken

including, taxes. Ask a traditional Vietnamese Email:

entrepreneur how much profit he’ll make, chances are loek@hopstaken.com
Mobile:
he’ll say: “No idea. When the year is over, I’ll ask my 090 888 9450

accountant. We hope for the best.” This of course is a

5th year, no. 2
major problem, but one that a younger, better educated
Vietnamese entrepreneur will not really have. March 10, 2011
He’ll know how to manage his cashflow & bill
This magazine was first
payments, deal with his ratio’s, and uses accounting published in March 2007. It is
digitally distributed among
software to calculate or better: predict profit and loss. my Vietnamese and Dutch
Yet, when you ask any entrepreneur, whether their business & private associates.

company is efficient, they’ll have no straight answer. Purpose: to keep them

Many worry about spending too much money on informed about my activities
in Vietnam and overseas.
power, too many meetings or both, on handling a sudden
This amazingly attractive and
mess: an angry client, dysfunctional hardware, or the energetic country has rapidly
departure of a highly qualified employee. conquered my soul, and
become my home away
In this edition of the Supporter we’ll examine three from home.
sources of hidden profit: Loek Hopstaken
• Power (electricity; gas): p. 3
• Human Resources: p. 4 & 5
• People-at-work: p. 6 In this issue:
How come your competitor offers a lower price than you?
Your hidden profits 1
The answer may well be in his ability to handle time and Dear Reader 2
energy. Find out how to develop this ability!
Jacquet on energy 3
What is ROTI? 4
Advanced HRM@RBS 5

Success Breakthroughs 6
Cross-cultural Comm. 7
The Cat kicks off 8

comes in cans, Standing offer; list of

clients; mini catalog
9
10

not in cannots. Contact information

Resumé
11

It Don’t Mean A
Joel H. Weldon Thing If It Ain’t Got
That Swing
5th year, no. 2 2
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter
Dear Reader,
On a Wednesday evening in May on VTV1
Series 7 of the Key to Success show will start,
around 9.30 pm. In this program’s 5th year,
CEO’s take up the challenge to solve sometimes
unsolvable cases. The cases are taken from real-
life business situations. A short movie adds fla-
vour and juice to the case. “We the Jury” ask
questions & of course, we judge.
A Saigon entrepreneur promotes the program
as a free course for his managers. Besides
encouraging to watch the show, he shows them
programs from earlier years. After the case is
shown, he invites his managers to discuss it.
They come to a conclusion, and then continue
watching the program. As it’s all in Vietnamese,
he considers it to be a good way to develop strate-
gic and tactical thinking. To learn from mistakes,
including those made by the contestants.
Right: the contestants of Key to Success Series 8
with co-Jury Member Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam
(CEO Berjaya Vietnam) & me in the VTV studios
in Hanoi. The contestant-CEO’s all belong to the Left to right: Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam,
recently founded BNI Saigon Leader Chapter. Mr. To Hieu Thuan, Ms. Bui Thi Thuy Nga, LH,
Loek Hopstaken (loek@hopstaken.com) Ms. Dinh Thi Quynh Nhu, Mr. Nguyen Duy Doan

Get the new 2011 edition of Prof. Loek Hopstaken’s

Catalog. Send your request to
loek@hopstaken.com.
Right: March 4—in the Vietnam News
Agency 120 attended Royal Business
School’s CEO seminar on turning HRM into
a profit support center. 120 attended.
The topic is hot: many recognize the
problem of being unable to define let alone,
increase the return of investment in HRM
activities and training efforts.
On pages 4, 5 & 6 we take a closer look at
some ways to tackle this question, and gain
control of the energy & cost factor of HRM,
and more.
But saving energy is also taking responsi-
bility for using energy management.
Mr. Olivier Jacquet gave me permission to
use his words of advice. See page 3.

To have a dialogue, first ask, then listen.

Antonio Machado
5th year, no. 2
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter
Mr. Olivier Jacquet on saving energy
Schneider Electric has been in Vietnam for
20 years. The company has been involved
in bringing electricity to the Vietnamese
people. Right now, 97% of them have access
to electric power. Schneider Electric builds
Energy Management Systems: “the sys-
tem between electricity entering the build-
ing, and users.” Schneider Electric provided
the Energy Management System for Bitex-
co Financial Tower—the famous iconic sky-
scraper which has redefined Ho Chi Minh
City’s skyline. But that’s not all. Schneider
Electric’s website provides entry to free e-
learning: Energy University. Besides, the
company helps poor people in remote areas
(the 3%) to have electricity (Bip Bop).
If the current price of energy would be doubled to guarantee continuity without being forced
to use generators, foreign companies would be willing to pay this price.
3
Mr. Olivier Jacquet is Country President
Vietnam—Cambodia of Schneider Electric, and Vice
Chairman of Eurocham. Recently he was inter-
viewed by FBNC. I was impressed by his statements
about the energy problem in Vietnam.
In his office in the E-Town 1 Building (HCMC) he
handed me a video copy of the interview.
A summary of Mr. Jacquet’s replies (see also p.6):
On increasing Vietnam’s competitiveness by
saving energy, and achieving sustainable
development:
“When you ask a Vietnamese CEO, “What is the
costs of your IT?”, he’ll come up with an exact num-
ber. But when you ask: “What are your energy
costs?”, he’ll have no clue. We need to raise aware-
ness and understanding of the issue of energy
saving. Just turning off aircons and lights in hotels
and offices will greatly help reducing energy costs.
In addition, the investment in our Energy Manage-
ment System will be earned back in 2-3 years.”
On continuity and cost:
“Eurocham asked its 750 members: “What if the
price of energy would be raised 2x, but your continu-
ity would be guaranteed?” A great majority agreed:
continuity comes first. For example, a steel factory
depends on continuity. It takes half a day to get it
started again.” And: “I live in An Phu. In the dry
season EVN shuts off electricity one day a week.
Electricity costs US$ 0,05 per kwh. A generator
costs US$ 0,50 per kwh. This means I pay on
average US$ 0.10 in the dry season. Think of it!”
On “Bip Bop” (Business Investment in
People—Bottom of Pyramid)
“2,5 Vietnamese in remote areas have no electricity.
Schneider Electric runs a non-profit program called
Bip Bop to help remedy this. In Quang Binh
(bordering Laos) 150 villagers and 100 soldiers now
have electricity using solar power. Result: the villag-
ers can now improve their living standards, develop
a local economy, and their children can study.”
5th year, no. 2 4
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter

What is “ROTI”? Why should I know?

The Return On Training Investment (ROTI)
Progress is marked by change. It is better to be at the controls of change, than to react to it. One way
to be at the controls is to get trained. This is true not only for job-related tasks (know-how, or hard
skills), but also for people-related tasks (soft, or people skills). Successful companies never stop train-
ing their personnel, as they know this is the way to keep their organization qualified. And not only
because they want to be and remain at the controls, but also to keep their qualified people. ROTI is
not a simple calculation. To calculate or estimate a ROTI you need to 1. understand a work process
and what it takes to master it, and 2. fully answer the question: what happens if we don’t train.
What would it cost you …
A. … to replace a qualified, productive and responsible employee?
Consider recruitment and the non-productive period for a new employee. Also, consider why the em-
ployee left. Was it because of money? A misbehaving manager? Lack of career opportunities? No
training possibilities? Insufficient communication or information? A ‘gossipy’ workplace?
A tough question: What will happen when you keep losing qualified and productive employees?
Did you know: As a rule of thumb, replacing a qualified and productive employee may, depending
on the job market, cost you 3-6 salary months. Top guns may take up to a full salary year. Replace-
ment is not just getting a new one. It means: taking time to qualify and make him fully productive.
NOTE: a disappointed employee may post his negative experience online. Causing your company rep-
utational damage, and making it harder to find a suitable and qualified successor.
B. … to win back a dissatisfied client?
Consider the extra effort and possible financial sacrifice. Also, consider why the client left. Was it be-
cause of bad service? Late delivery? Repeatedly slow, sloppy, rude or just no communication?
What will happen when you keep losing valuable clients due to untrained, unqualified personnel?
Did you know: A dissatisfied client often tells his friends why he is dissatisfied. Until 5 years ago
this multiplier effect was x5—10. In 2011 this may go up to x100 or more! The reputational and
hence, commercial damage can be enormous. Social networking now dominates your and my world.
ROTI has two sides: the money made as a result of a better performance, and the money you
save as a result of having qualified, productive, loyal and responsible personnel. Yes: it is
possible to turn your HRM into a Profit Support Center!

HRM 2011:
focus on its
profit support
potential, by
integrating
HRM-
know-how.
How?
See next page.
5th year, no. 2 5
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter

Don’t miss this opportunity:

Do the Advanced HRM program
After a successful start of the Royal Business School HRM program in 2010, ask-
ing for and listening carefully to the participants’ feedback, we have refined the
program.
To support you in making & saving money as far as your human resources are con-
cerned, Royal Business School offers you a course package that will – when the
know-how is integrated and correctly applied – bring you both a quick and a long
term ROTI (Return on Training Investment, see page 4).
The Advanced Human Resource Management Program consists of seven courses:

The 4 mandatory courses:

1. HR Strategy and Planning: 14 – 18 March, Prof. Mary Anne Brady,
University of San Francisco, USA
2. Career Planning and Training: 25 – 29 April, Prof. Loek Hopstaken,
Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
3. Recruitment and Career Start: 23 – 27 May, Prof. Loek Hopstaken,
Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
4. Performance Management: 14 – 18 November, Prof. Jeffrey Mueller,
National University, California, USA
The 3 optional courses:
1. Organizational Development & Change: 9 – 13 May, Prof. Jeffrey
Mueller, National University, California, USA
2. Interpersonal Relations: 8 – 12 August, Prof. Loek Hopstaken,
Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
3. Teambuilding: 26 – 30 September, Prof. Ronald Ainsbury, Cranfield
University, UK (note: this course will be in the morning, as some
activities are outdoors)

Your investment in people

The tuition fee for one single course is $355. However, the 4 mandatory courses together cost $950.
When you register for the mandatory courses you will get a 50% discount on any of the 3 optional
courses. Each course takes 5 evenings, except Teambuilding (mornings).
Contact phong@royal.vn for more information and booking.
Royal Business School: 186 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai—D.3—Ho Chi Minh City

Investment in knowledge always pays the highest interest.

Benjamin Franklin
5th year, no. 2 6
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter

Breakthroughs in Office Efficiency &

Time Management
Many business leaders feel there is unused profit potential inside their or-
ganization. They just don’t know how to turn organizational waste into profit.
Why do others make more profit than you?
A. They know how to play the game of demand and supply.
B. They know how to handle financial matters.
C. They know how to handle their human resources (see p. 4 & 5)
D. These companies are in control of their use of Time and Energy.
Time + Energy = Money
Of course we have an energy problem in Vietnam. The dry season is on its way. According to
Mr. Olivier Jacquet, Country President of Schneider Electric Vietnam & Cambodia, we can all reduce
on energy simply by turning off our lights and aircons when we don’t use them. In a recent interview
on FBNC (see page 3) Mr. Jacquet stated that the current power shortage of 15% is the result of elec-
tric energy waste. This shortage is ‘solved’ by power cuts. As continuity is vital, companies turn on
generators. These cost 5x the usual price of energy. Do you want to reduce your power bill? Turn off
lights & airco’s—when and where it is not needed. But it’ll only work if we all take responsibility.
Energy is more than electricity. There is a lot more energy waste. Some is caused by external
factors, such as bureaucracy: too many rules, too many forms to fill in—and too often. The govern-
ment is working on it, so I’d say: keep complaining. But jobs are at stake, so this won’t change fast.
I’ve personally witnessed efficiency drives in The Netherlands in bureaucratic organizations like gov-
ernment departments and banks. It takes years. The hardest part? People taking responsibility.
So where can you save energy? Simply put, by eliminating the causes why personnel are wasting
time and materials. Time spent on pointless meetings, time lost as a result of double (or triple) work,
lack of communication or information, or 60 (sixty) other possible causes of lost energy. Causes of
‘costs of failure’, as it was aptly labeled by a multinational accountancy firm.

What are your costs of failure?

Suppose your average employee costs 5 US$ per hour, but wastes one hour per day:
one hour x one employee = 5 US$ loss per day
5 x loss per day = 25 US$ loss per week
50 x loss per week = 2,500 US$ loss per year
Number of employees x loss per year = gross annual loss = ….. US$
With 20 employees, your costs of inefficiency amounts to a US$ 50,000 loss per year!
Now, make your own calculation. Done? Now, suppose you can reduce your company’s
inefficiency with 50%, you turn your hidden profit potential into real profit!

The solution to wastes of time and energy

To control the waste of time and energy, get yourself trained in locating the true sources of costs of
failure, and how to eliminate the causes of waste. The course Breakthroughs in Office Efficiency and
Time Management offers the toolbox to locate & delete the wastes, so you can increase your profit.
Course days: April 24—28, 8.30-12.00 am. Register now: phong@royal.vn.
Royal Business School: 186 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai—D.3—Ho Chi Minh City
5th year, no. 2 7
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter

Saving energy by cross-cultural communication

The Culture Gap: the no. 1 barrier to successful
international cooperation
No so long ago people communicated primarily with those who
lived close by. Anyone who didn’t live close by, was a foreigner.
Foreigners are different: they not only speak with a funny
accent, or worse, a different language, they also display unfamil-
iar manners. For the past few centuries communication between
representatives of different cultures was limited to a few.
The past few decades this has changed. The past few years
this change has intensified. Global supply chains now form the
backbone of international business.
Those who are unable to communicate across borders,
remain national. Those who are able, succeed interna-
tionally. The solution: cross-cultural communication.
Get the 2011 edition of the Face to Face training guide.

Re-energizing physically disabled children

Dutch charity: no words but action
Mr. Jo Koster (right) is a remarkable man:
“I founded and run the relative small but effective
Dutch charity foundation “CHILD SURGERY -
Viet Nam”. Since 2005 I got glued to support for
physically disabled children in Vietnam. Together with Dong Van
An we set up complementary organizations. He is founder and di-
rector of the local Vietnamese NGO “Center II - Direct Support For
Disabled Children”. What we started 2005 in tight cooperation be-
came fairly successful. I do invite everyone who is seriously interest-
ed to connect with me.” (Source: Mr. Jo’s LinkedIn profile)
Child Surgery Vietnam’s purpose is to effectively operate Vietnamese physically disabled
children, especially in remote areas, to enable them to lead a better life. A second purpose is to
educate and train Vietnamese doctors and surgeons to perform specialized operations.
As the Child Surgery Vietnam website addresses Dutch people, it’s in Dutch:
http://www.childsurgery-vietnam.org. However, on this site under ‘Fotogalerie—Jos Koster’ you
see pictures of patients, surgeons at work & on the road. On YouTube you can also find a series of
photos of their work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAbGTcks09U.
Want to help? Contact Mr. Jo Koster: jo.koster@childsurgery-vietnam.org.

An explanation of cause is not a justification by

reason.
C.S. Lewis
5th year, no. 2 8
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter

The Year of the Cat kicks off

Some pictures tell stories all
by themselves. Other pictures
need a little story.
Right: Bitexco Financial Tow-
er is open to the public, even
though the facilities are not yet
ready. You go by elevator to the
49th floor, below the helideck, to
enjoy the awesome 360° pano-
ramic view of Saigon.
Below left: First day of Tet, two
Dutch friends were our first visi-
tors in the New Lunar Year.
Below right: Dutchman Robert
Jan Bruggeman (r) organized a
delightful day trip visiting 3 Viet-
namese Buddhist monasteries.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc, Director of

Fresh Green Earth (FGE), discovered how
to dramatically reduce the amount of
water—H2O = energy!—needed to grow
vegetables and flowers. As it offers a real
solution to fresh water shortage problems,
I help promote Mr. Ngoc’s invention.
This Year of the Cat will mark FGE’s
breakthrough.

Left: Mr. Ngoc’s vegetables in Agri HiTech

Park, Cu Chi. Right: the Tet Tulips he
surprised me with as a Tet gift. His inven-
tion is of course inside the box and pot!
5th year, no. 2 9
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter

Saving energy by synergy

Any Saigon student will be able to explain to you the meaning of synergy. Like “1 + 1 =
3”: two people often can accomplish remarkably more than their sum.
In Saigon I see it at work in traffic. Try to cross the street when you’re on your own.
It takes a real effort, and it’s not without danger. Then try to cross it with five people. The
road opens for you, and you can cross safely.
In business, try to run a one-man-company. You wear all the hats: from marketing
research to production planning, from sales to finance. Per tradition, entrepreneurs
quickly find out they can sell a lot more when they work with a team of specilized people.
The daring ones discover the advantages of co-makership (supplier + client cooperate
during product development) and strategic alliance (companies closely cooperating with
suppliers, customers, etc.). Synergy saves energy, and as a bonus, generates creativity.
A specific form of strategic alliance is what Alliance ITC is now developing in Hoang
Khang Center, 353-355 An Duong Vuong (D.5) in Saigon. It combines under its own
management three activities that can exist on their own, but could very well generate a
synergetic effect. Yes: 1 + 1 + 1 = ... 5+. The three activities are:
A. Business Center—offering a fully equipped, state-of-the-art office space to com-
panies who need a start-up office in Saigon.
B. Job Search Center—offering a job market for job seekers and ‘head hunters’ .
C. Training Center—offering 3 types of business training programs and workshops:
1. employability (both for job seekers and employees of all levels. Specifically, the
Soft Skills and Cross-Cultural Programs)
2. management (for anyone who manages people or whose career wish is to do so.
Specifically, the Allround Manager Programs)
3. Preparatory Program for Study Abroad (for anyone who wishes to study
overseas, particularly in English-speaking countries; PPSA)

Each activity has its own floor. The first 5

of 10 floors are being renovated, and the
furniture is on its way. The Center will
have a fully equipped restaurant and
auditorium. There we plan to hold regular
business seminars. Hoang Khang
Training & Trade Center has the
potential to become a place where visitors
will discover the power of synergy: office
space-recruitment-training, under one roof.
The opening event will be either early
or late April. It will mark the start of a
truly synergetic project.

Goals provide the energy source that powers our lives. One of the best ways to get
the most from the energy we have is to focus it. That is what goals can do for us;
concentrate our energy. Denis Waitley
5th year, no. 2 10
The Dutch Vietnam Management Supporter

Standing Offer + Client List + Mini Catalog

Standing Offer for New Clients MINI CATALOG
Overview of Prof. Loek’s services
A training serves its purpose when it deepens your understanding,
WORKSHOPS
but also increases your practical skills. There is one way to get to know
A workshop is a 2-4 day group
my training style: by experiencing it. activity with a defined purpose,
One way of getting this experience is to invite me to deliver a where theory, practical exercise
FREE LECTURE (1—1,5 hours) in your company. You choose the topic. and exchange of experiences are the
For ideas, see the mini-catalog (right). Three conditions: main ingredients. Areas: HRM, PR,
Communication, and Management.
1. the participants (max. 40) should be able to understand English,
• Team Engineering
2. in case the distance from my home to your location or venue is
• Communication
>15 km, you take care of transportation
• Commercial Communication
3. your company provides a lecture space, projector & screen.
• Public Relations
Interested? Drop me an email or sms. Name the topic & the period in
• Effective Meetings
which it will be feasible for you & your team to attend the lecture. Then
• Organizational Design
we can start scheduling.
For contact information, see page 10. • Cross-cultural Communication
• Time Management / Efficiency
•
List of Hopstaken Clients Personnel Selection

CONSULTING
in Vietnam: a.o. business field Consulting is any specified expert
• Tan Thuan IPC (HCMC) Industrial development activity to help solve a defined
• HCMC University of Technology Master of BA program problem. This can take the form of
coaching, but also, conducting a
• RMIT (HCMC campus) Bach. of Comm. program
research. By definition, it is tailor
• Royal Business School (public courses) Courses & seminars made. Areas: HRM, Strategy, PR.
• Vietnam Airlines (RBS) Airline • Management Coach
• Vietnam Singapore I.P. (SPECTRA) Industrial park • Corporate Strategy
• Petronas Vung Tau (SPECTRA) Chemical factory • Personal Coach
• Nike Shoe factory • Mediation
• Le & Associates Training & consultancy • Executive Selection
• NutriWay Vietnam Animal food • In- & External Surveys (360°
• Training House Vietnam (Sacombank) Training & consultancy Feedback)
• Ministry of Labour, I. & S.A. (RBS) Civil Servants
SEMINARS
• SONY Vietnam (RBS) Consumer electronics A seminar is a 3-4 hour interactive
• CapitaLand (SPECTRA) Real estate transference of core know-how,
• PACE Education (public courses) Seminars & courses including practical assignments.
• Alliance ITC Training programs • People Management
• Hoanggia Media Group Key to Success TV Show • Emotions in the Workplace
• Fresh Green Earth Hi-tech agriculture • Strategic Thinking
• Unique Design Interior Design • Business Ethics
• ERC Institute Vietnam Management education • The Allround Manager™
• The Allround
in The Netherlands, a.o. Communicator™
• ING Bank Financial services • The Soft Skills Program
• Philips Electronics
Investments (ex. 10% VAT / 25% PIT)
• Heineken Brewery
Workshops: US$ 1,000 per team/day.
• Yamaha Musical instruments Consulting / Coaching: US$ 90-125 per
• Voerman International International relocations hour.
• Campagne Communicatie Advertising, promotion Seminars: US$ 550 –850 per seminar
(except the ‘Allround’ programs).
• Damen Shipyards Ship repair wharfs Lecture: US$ 250 per lecture.
• Wittenborg University IBA—BBA, MBA Train the Trainer: US$ 1,200 per day.
• AFAS ERP Financial software Contact me for longterm conditions:
• Royal Van Zanten Pot plants, cut flowers loek@hopstaken.com
5th year, no. 2 11
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter

The DVM Supporter is published by Loek Hopstaken.

Email: loek@hopstaken.com or
loek.hopstaken@gmail.com
Mobile: 090 888 9450
Assistant: Ms. Vo Ngoc Lien Huong
Email: jane.hopstaken@gmail.com
Mobile: 090 888 9451
Website: www.hopstaken.com
Loek Hopstaken’s company in The Netherlands:
Hopstaken Bedrijfsadvies Gouden Leeuw 628
1103 KN Amsterdam ZO. Website: www.hopstaken.com

Who is Loek Hopstaken?

Electricity is just 1951: born in Haarlem, The Netherlands
1971-1972: travels: Europe & Asia

organized lightning. 1972-1975: Amsterdam City University

George Carlin
Opening soon: Hoang Khang Training &
Trade Center. 353-355 An Duong Vuong,
D.5, HCMC. On the 4th floor we will de-
liver our services. See article on page 9.
1976-1977: travels: North & South America
1977-1993: career in banking: NCB,
Postgiro, Postbank, NMB Postbank Group,
ING Group, ING Bank
1979-1982: Business Administr. studies
1983-1988: Project Manager
privatization process Postgiro to
Postbank (field: P&O / HRM)
1989-1993: Project Manager formation
NMB Postbank Group & ING Group
(fields: PR and TQM)
1991: founding Hopstaken Bedrijfsadvies
1991-present time: career in training and
consultancy, coaching and mediation
1993: left ING Bank
1996-2000: Dutch business club MC
2003-2008: combining training &
consultancy with teaching at international
business schools (IBA—MBA)
2005 + 2007: Professor appointments
2007-2008: visits to Vietnam: lecturing,
consulting, surveying, delivering courses,
workshops & seminars at universities
November 2008: establishment in HCMC
2009-2011: delivering lectures, seminars,
coaching, workshops & training courses,
mediation; business visits abroad
2010: Examiner VTV1 Key to Success Show
2011: Chairman Advisory Board ERC Inst.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/loekhopstaken

Full CV: mail loek@hopstaken.com