A TOTAL of twenty-two typhoons this year along with the more recent 7.2-magnitude earthquake in the Philippines serves a timely reminder to Filipinos to be prepared for all and any eventualities.
Typhoons (or hurricanes as they known in the Western hemisphere) are, of course, nothing new – in any one year the Philippines can expect to be battered by up to 25 extreme weather events, methodically counted off on the letters of the alphabet through successive male or female names.
(Macho man-named typhoons are usually stronger and predictable in terms of impact and route; what their female counterparts lack in strength they more than make up for with their unpredictability.)
Sitting on the infamous Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’, the Philippines is also used to its fair share of earthquakes, few as large as that which recently rocked the tourist haven island of Bohol.
Historically, these events would likely have resulted in casualties measured in their hundreds or thousands, massive impact to basic infrastructure and public services and temporary economic paralysis.
In more recent years, significant investment by public and private sectors working together, has raised disaster preparedness to new and unprecedented levels – casualties are now measured in low double-digit figures, response is rapid and recovery quick. Disaster has given way to inconvenience.
The investment impetus has been largely driven by humanitarian need but the Government has been quick to realize it is also an essential economic necessity.
As the Philippines continues to attract improving investment ratings from ratings agencies and international Governments (as well as the funding to support economic growth) the benefit of being prepared is self-evident.
In business, the value of being prepared and in managing risk is no less important – there are any number of external events beyond the business leader’s control that can de-rail a company if it is caught by surprise.
Even good news, like winning a major new client, carries with it risk if a company is over-stretching to accommodate it.
Fortunately, the rapidly expanding global marketplace, emerging technology and ever-faster and more reliable Internet, means business leaders have more tools in their toolbox now than ever before for effectively managing risk.
Chief among these is offshore outsourcing – contracting with a partner or supplier on the other side of the world to take up the business slack, drive down cost or provide contingency (or all three together) and all without any reduction in the quality of output.
Once the prerogative only of Big Business with Deep Pockets, outsourcing is now accessible even to the One Man Band with offshoring making it both financially feasible and – this is the important bit – probably profitable.
It is, of course, a big decision but it can’t hurt to gather the facts, analyse the numbers and build a case. Certainly, outsourcing is not something you should rule out and offshoring to the Philippines should be a serious consideration.
After all, we’ve been weathering the storms for decades.
For help or advice on outsourcing in the Philippines, contact StraightArrow here.
About the author:
A former award-winning journalist, Martin Shearsmith's two-career story has gone full circle as he returns to his roots as a writer, blogger and digital marketer. In between he traveled the world for business as a pioneer advocate of offshore outsourcing wearing, at different times, the client, supplier and consultancy hats before finally settling in the Philippines.
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