PATROKLOS offers you the following services:

Since 1988, the partners have been engaged in a fascinating journey around the globe. Based on their cross-cultural master degrees of history and foreign languages, they are fascinated by creating constructive relationships between different cultures.

In 1988 the international adventure started with Alex's MBA study and Ann's job as program assistant of the executive business seminars at the Kenan-Flagler business school of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Interesting but challenging episodes followed in Colombia (1993-2001), Venezuela (1994-1995), Chile (1999-2001), China (2007-2009) and the United States (2009-2014).

Two examples of their international experiences and realisations:

In 2007 China, and more specifically Shanghai was the engine of the world economy. The city population (a.o. employees) was mainly interested in gathering material wealth. On the other hand, the company Alex represented was going through a cost cutting and working capital reduction drive. Managing a Chinese organization, while walking on the thin rope between cost efficiency goals and unlimited local growth, proved to be a real challenge. The situation became even more complex when the geographic scope of the operations expanded to the entire far-eastern region, where the cultural differences are enormous.

Having lived and worked in four different continents (Europe, North and South America and Asia), Ann and Alex have a very strong knowledge of cultural differences. Ann will assist you in assessing the cultural elements one need to take into account when engaging in business in a different and new geographic area.

An organization will grow and survive if it expands its market and operations from a national to an international scope. Patroklos Belgium assists you in preparing your operations and processes for international expansion. It is not only a matter of copying local best practices into other countries or cultures, it is rather a matter of cultural sensitivity and gently tweaking foreign organizational cultures without giving up your home culture and values.