Companies in Asia are concentrating on retaining talent and upgrading skills, according to a survey by BTI Consultants, the executive search division for Kelly Services India.
"In the current global scenario, business leaders across are bounded with uncertainties and concerns ranging from economic conditions to staffing problems and government regulations. A challenging time like this calls for executives to be both watchful and agile in sidestepping the pitfalls," said James Agrawal, consulting director & head, BTI Consultants India.
The Asian Business Outlook 2012 survey explained that as the industries moved up the value chain, human capital has become crucial for companies. "The prevailing view is that it is important to maintain liquidity and to consolidate around known business activities, avoiding expansions into high risk ventures. It is also a time to manage human capital with an eye to preserving talent and upgrading key skills," the survey said.
A prevailing sentiment from the business leaders surveyed highlighted that the Asian region is doing better than most of the other parts of the world. However, business leaders across the Asia are not being complacent according to the survey. It said that the most farsighted and prudent enterprises recognise that economic conditions could suddenly deteriorate, and that the pace of Asian economy will also suffer.
The study canvassed the views of business leaders and senior executives across Asian economies like China, India, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore and Indonesia from a wide range of industries like financial services, IT, construction, manufacturing, consumer electronics, retail, agribusiness, entertainment and healthcare.
