Tag: opportunity

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Business

Girls participation in Asia ecommerce is a $280 billion alternative

Women participation in Asia ecommerce is a $280 billion opportunity

Southeast Asia’s e-commerce market could grow by more than $280 billion by 2030 if major online shopping marketplaces do more to encourage and enable women entrepreneurs, a new report from the International Finance Corporation found.

The “anonymity” of e-commerce has reduced many of the barriers to entry traditionally faced by women and afforded them the opportunity to thrive in new sectors, Amy Luinstra, the IFC’s gender program manager for East Asia and Pacific, told CNBC Thursday.

Still, many of the inequalities faced by women in the traditional retail space “bleed into the online world,” she said, such as securing access to funding.

Luinstra called on big e-commerce players to do more to support women vendors and capture the market opportunity.

For platforms that have financing options, that is an excellent way to bring more women in and help them thrive.

Amy Luinstra

gender program manager (East Asia and Pacific), IFC

That includes extending financing for women, providing training, and encouraging them to participate in higher value sectors like electronics, she said.

“For platforms that have financing options, that is an excellent way to bring more women in and help them thrive by making sure they’re aware of the financing offers and they’re able to take advantage of them,” Luinstra told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia.”

A woman wears a protective face mask as she waits for customers inside her shop in Jakarta, Indonesia on Tuesday, March 31, 2020.

NurPhoto | Getty Images

Her comments come against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is said to have disproportionately put women at a disadvantage.

The IFC report, which drew on data collated from Southeast Asian e-commerce site Lazada, found that in 2019, women were on course to reach gender parity in e-commerce. But even with the surge in online retail in the past year, the additional caregiving duties and time constraints that women faced caused progress to take a step back.

“Prior to the pandemic, women were holding their own — in some cases outselling men and even … out participating men,” said Luinstra.

In the Philippines for instance, women previously accounted for 64% of sellers on Lazada’s site, but their sales dropped by 27% during the pandemic, the report found.

“That has changed under the pandemic and that’s how we’re starting to get the gap, and the opportunity for closing that gap, that adds up to the big number $280 billion,” she said, referring to the market opportunity referenced in the report.

Correction: This article has been updated to correctly reflect the report’s 2030 growth estimates.

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World News

Biden has a historic alternative within the Center East to foster progress

Biden has a historic opportunity in the Middle East to foster progress

President Biden’s long experience in the Senate and White House taught him that the Middle East could be quicksand for his ambitions as president.

So it was no accident that his goals in the Middle East were modest, aimed at avoiding resource-damaging distractions from his national ambitions and international priorities: recharging the US economy and recruiting European and Asian allies to deal with China.

The old logic was that US withdrawal from Middle Eastern affairs would leave a dangerous vacuum. The new thought was that by distancing you can promote greater independence.

What surprised Biden government officials is how quickly historical opportunities have emerged. A positive series of loosely related events in the region provides the best opportunity to allay tension, end conflict, build economic progress and advance Middle East integration.

Their combined effect should be to induce the Biden government to recalibrate their “do-no-harm” approach to the region and raise their ambitions. First, it should focus on the four leading indicators of change and examine how to build on them.

  • First, the region’s two bitterest opponents, Saudi Arabia and Iran, are holding secret talks to resolve the region’s arson conflict.
  • Second, this week Turkey added Egypt to its list of countries it seeks to ease tension with – including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Israel.
  • Third, the signatories of last year’s Abraham Accords continue to build on their historic normalization agreement. The United Arab Emirates and Israel will open free trade talks next month.
  • Finally, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq are holding trilateral talks to deepen their economic ties and highlight the potential for growth-enhancing regional integration.

To support all of this, it would not require the military engagement, endless commitments, or costly investments that have piqued Americans in the region.

What it takes is an increased level of diplomatic and economic creativity and the dusting of history books to examine how the US helped Europe end centuries of post-WWII conflict and build the institutions and cooperative habits that continue to exist today Have consisted.

The process should begin by examining the dynamics of what is unfolding, staying away from what is working well, and engaging where that would support fragile progress.

Given the financial and reputational cost of their disputes, countries that have long been at odds are speaking – Saudi Arabia with Iran, Turkey with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates with Qatar, and Israel with any number of Arab states, and other emerging combinations.

Warring parties in Libya and Yemen are looking for ways to de-escalate, even though they are far from solutions. Leaders have stepped up their efforts for economic growth and recognized the needs of a well-educated, emerging generation who understand global standards.

Most fascinatingly, Saudi Arabia and Iran have had secret talks since January, apparently without US involvement, and mediated by Iraq.

In a dramatic change of tone, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman said: “We do not want the situation with Iran to be difficult. On the contrary, we want it to flourish and grow because we have Saudi interests in Iran, and they do also.” Iranian interests in Saudi Arabia designed to promote prosperity and growth in the region and around the world. “

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has many reasons to change course. Among them was the shock of a sophisticated Iranian attack on Saudi oil facilities in September 2019 that cost Riyadh around $ 2 billion.

Not only did the event uncover the kingdom’s vulnerability and Iran’s growing capabilities, but it also cast doubts about US security guarantees, even from a friend as close as President Donald Trump, who did not reciprocate Riyadh.

“The concern that Biden will be overly nice with Iran,” says Kirsten Fontenrose of the Atlantic Council, “while he is withdrawing from the region and de-prioritizing bilateral relations is currently of crucial importance to Saudi’s calculations.”

Turkey, which is economically and politically isolated, has also repaired fences with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Israel – who were aware of Istanbul’s support for the Muslim Brotherhood and other groups they consider extremist.

Building on last year’s historic Abraham Accords, a senior Middle East official says Israel and the UAE will begin talks next month on a free trade agreement, just one of many efforts to capitalize on the dynamic of normalized relations.

The UAE continued to function as an oversized regional elixir for economic modernization and political moderation, and this week liberalized its residency requirements to attract wealthy expats. They have set themselves the goal of doubling their GDP within the decade, particularly through technological investments.

Separated and inspired by the Abraham Accords, officials from Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Greece and Cyprus met against the backdrop of the Eastern Mediterranean in April to deepen their cooperation on everything from energy to fighting the pandemic.

Taken alone, these indicators may appear poor rather than transformative. Tie them together and build on them more methodically, and the Middle East could be the beginnings of such de-escalation of conflict, economic cooperation and institution-building that Europe enjoyed after World War II.

With security threats growing in the Horn of Africa and new uncertainties about the future of Afghanistan, the US wants to be able to invite more stable partners in the Middle East to better address growing uncertainties elsewhere in its wider neighborhood.

Nobody should expect the Middle East in the short term to have its own equivalent of the European Union, NATO or the CSCE, the Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe, where talks between rival Cold War factions take place.

Nor should the US be expected to play the galvanizing role it played when it had half of global GDP, much of Europe was in ruins, and the Soviet Union rose as an adversary.

Still, it would be wrong to underestimate the positive potential influence of the US.

The Trump administration’s support for the Abraham Accord helped fuel growing collaboration among its signatories: Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.

The government of Biden has approved the agreements, most recently in a conversation between President Biden and the Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed Bin Zayed. However, Biden administrators should invest more in building the agreements.

President Biden’s resumption of negotiation efforts with Iran, his focus on human rights issues and his reluctance to feed the divisions in the region will also play a positive role as long as negotiators do not set the bar too low to lift sanctions against Tehran.

What the Biden administration must avoid is hearing the false conclusion of some analysts that US withdrawal from the region would accelerate progress. What is needed instead is consistent support for the region’s growing modernization and moderation forces, which have won but are still a long way off.

Frederick Kempe is a best-selling author, award-winning journalist, and President and CEO of the Atlantic Council, one of America’s most influential think tanks on global affairs. He worked for the Wall Street Journal for more than 25 years as foreign correspondent, assistant editor-in-chief and senior editor for the European edition of the newspaper. His latest book – “Berlin 1961: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and the Most Dangerous Place in the World” – was a New York Times bestseller and has been published in more than a dozen languages. Follow him on Twitter @FredKempe and subscribe here to Inflection Points, his view every Saturday of the top stories and trends of the past week.

More information from CNBC staff can be found here @ CNBCOpinion on twitter.

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World News

Gender a significant work, alternative barrier for girls in Asia

Gender a major work, opportunity barrier for women in Asia

With another International Women’s Day just around the corner, companies have made bold pledges to empower their women workers and strive for equality. Still, in 2021, many women say that their gender is a major barrier to their professional development.

A full third of women in Asia Pacific report that their gender is a significant barrier to opportunity due to the lack of guidance, skills, and time they receive as women. This comes from LinkedIn’s Opportunity Index 2021.

As a result, two in five (41%) female professionals in the region believe they have fewer opportunities for professional development than men.

The report, polling 10,000 workers in Australia, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, shows the persistent barriers women face in their professional development and their impact on society.

10,000 hours | DigitalVision | Getty Images

While seven out of ten respondents said that gender equality is important for a fair society, four in ten said that this is not possible due to fundamental differences between men and women.

Corporations and governments have fought against this narrative. After all, the economy speaks for itself: Higher employment rates for women could increase the gross domestic product of the OECD countries by 6 trillion US dollars.

Gender equality is still not a top 10 priority for 70% of businesses, according to IBM’s new Women, Leadership and Missed Opportunities report. In fact, it turns out that the number of women in management positions has barely changed in the past two years and there are fewer women in the pipeline to fill management positions today than in 2019.

The pandemic has only exacerbated these shortcomings.

PwC’s 2021 Women in Work Index found that progress among women could be back to 2017 levels by the end of the year, as women are said to be harder hit by the pandemic. This is in large part due to the disproportionate burden on childcare by women. Mothers currently spend an average of 31 hours a week on caring tasks – almost equivalent to doing another full-time job.

Still, there are important steps businesses and individuals can take to alleviate this burden.

What women can do to overcome career barriers

Feon Ang, vice president of talent and learning solutions at LinkedIn, advised women to be clear about their ambitions and the professional goals they want to achieve.

“Understanding your personal strengths and your passions is really important,” she told CNBC Make It.

For Ang, that was “the connection between what is happening externally and how it affects your career”. When she realized “everyone was talking about YK2” in 1997 (the year 2000), she began a career in engineering. Seeing the hype surrounding social media in 2013, she joined LinkedIn.

Feon Ang, LinkedIn Vice President, Talent and Learning Solutions for Asia Pacific.

LinkedIn

After identifying these goals, women should be open to them and make it clear to business leaders where they want to go, she said. An attorney or sponsor can help and act as a representative or supporter among other high-ranking figures.

“More than just mentoring, you will find people to sponsor, someone who will be committed to helping you move forward,” Ang said.

“Of course, you have to do a good job because no leader will stand up for you, if not. You also have to show your ability to grow and be open-minded. This constant retraining is important for everyone, be it men or women.” added.

What bosses can do to bridge the gender gap

In a blog post, Ang also outlined specific steps bosses and organizations can take to achieve greater equality in the workplace.

  1. Have conversations about diversity and inclusion – According to LinkedIn, less than a quarter (23%) of Asia Pacific professionals strongly agree that gender diversity is a priority for their organization. Organizations and managers can change this narrative by running workshops on diversity, equity and inclusion and taking advantage of free online training.
  2. Increase the number of women in leadership positions – In Asia Pacific organizations, women make up an average of only 39% of the workforce. For female executives, this figure is even lower at 30% and below. Companies can reduce this inequality by introducing female management quotas and leadership pipelines for promising young talent.
  3. Establish family-friendly policies and flexibility programs – Nearly half (45%) of women in Asia Pacific said that managing family responsibilities often impedes their professional development. Organizations can reduce this burden by implementing supportive policies to give parents and carers additional time and flexibility when needed.
  4. Start mentoring programs and community groups – A lack of career guidance and support is one of the top three hurdles facing working women in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the LinkedIn study. Professional networking groups and mentoring programs can help fill this gap and enable problem sharing and resolution in supportive circles.
  5. Help women learn new skills and look for opportunities – Women need access to relevant knowledge and experience in order to progress, but lack of skills is seen as one of the main obstacles holding women back. Businesses can help fill this gap by investing in regular learning and development programs to help women stay up to date on their career path.

“There is strength in numbers,” Ang said. “As more organizations come together, we can do more to achieve equitable recovery for all. It always starts with a small step – from promoting open conversation about diversity and equality to advocate practical initiatives from flexible working hours to mentoring programs. “

Don’t Miss: Women need better control over their personal finances. Here is how

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Business

Hershey sees enterprise alternative in household film nights, tight budgets

Hershey sees business opportunity in family movie nights, tight budgets

Hershey saw a strange pattern emerge in early spring. Sales of Hershey’s milk chocolate six-packs soared online and in stores well before Memorial Day, the typical prelude to summer camping trips and backyard gatherings.

The S’more season started early and lasted for months, said Kristen Riggs, chief growth officer, Thursday at a virtual conference hosted by the National Retail Federation.

“It’s been the biggest S’Mores season we’ve ever had,” she said.

Families made the goodies in the back yard to break up the monotony during the pandemic. In parts of the country with higher Covid-19 rates, Hershey saw sales of these milk chocolate packs increase by 40% to 50% compared to other regions.

The S’Mores surge is an example of the growth opportunity the snack and confectionery company sees as consumers spend more time at home trying to create occasion during the global health crisis. Riggs said it wants to participate in new traditions like family movie nights, suggest recipes of candy, and serve customers who want a tasty but affordable treat.

She said the company is moving faster to identify and respond to changes in consumer behavior. When it discovered the s’more trend, she said it had ramped up milk chocolate bar production and inventory in stores. Marketing has been adjusted to portray s’mores as the ideal treat for a more intimate gathering in the back yard rather than a large social event.

“By reading these consumer and retail signals quickly, we were able to seize the opportunity,” she said.

At the start of the pandemic, she said Hershey had been delivering boxes of all of its snacks to a focus group of customers. They were asked how they use the products when they spend more time at home – whether they are placed in candy bowls, added to a baking recipe, or used as a snack during the work day. These findings were used to inform the business strategy.

Hershey’s portfolio includes well-known confectionery brands, like Reese’s, Almond Joy, KitKat, Twizzlers and Bubble Yum as well as SkinnyPop and Pirate’s Booty. It’s one of the consumer goods companies that has noticed trends in staying at home. Net sales rose 4% in the third quarter of the fiscal year as customers indulged themselves with Halloween candy early. Sales of baked goods such as peanut butter, cocoa and French fries, as well as salty snacks, rose by double digits compared to the same period of the previous year.

However, the chocolate company has to adjust to new consumer behavior. Instead of rummaging the aisles of grocery stores, shoppers quickly get in and out of stores. They celebrate holidays differently, which could change the amount of candy they buy. And the rise of online grocery shopping could reduce the chances of a consumer discovering a new product, seeing a Christmas display, or tossing an impulse buy like a candy bar into their shopping cart.

Earlier this month, Bank of America upgraded Hershey’s stock to buy, raising its price target to $ 168, an increase of nearly 13% from its current trading price. The analysts said the company has strong momentum and could benefit from it in the coming months as the introduction of vaccines improves sales outside of home and in emerging markets.

The company’s shares are down nearly 3% over the past year. The market capitalization is $ 31 billion.

Riggs said in an interview that the company is getting smarter when it comes to online product placement. She said it could place an ad for chocolate syrup near the ice cream range on a retailer’s app or website – something that is harder to do in the grocery store. In the digital world, this could lead to shopping during the holiday season by placing ads for sweets or baked goods near goods such as Christmas decorations. It can enable a customer to purchase a collection of recipe ingredients with one click.

It also used to put Christmas candy on shelves and websites, which it does again for Valentine’s Day as people see the seasons as a distraction.

“There is something special about these seasonal traditions and occasions that makes the apartment feel better,” she said.

If Halloween and Christmas are a guide, expect plenty of candy bowls for Valentine’s Day and extended celebrations.

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Business

Actual property presents ‘lots of alternative’ as pandemic hurts property

Real estate presents 'a lot of opportunity' as pandemic hurts assets

A view of East London from the air. As the sun goes down, its glow is captured on the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf – London’s second business district.

Ray Wise | Moment | Getty Images

According to one of the leading real estate investors in London, there are numerous opportunities for investors to use distressed real estate after the coronavirus pandemic.

Thomas Balashev, founder and CEO of Montague Real Estate, said real estate was overly hammered during the downturn, giving buyers the opportunity to make profits when the economy recovered.

“I think it goes without saying that there will be many options,” Balashev told CNBC’s Squawk Box Asia on Tuesday.

Another kind of crisis

Unlike the 2008 financial crisis, which was directly linked to the US housing market and gave some people the opportunity to “move forward,” the current economic crisis took the market by surprise and hurt otherwise solid assets, Balashev said.

“When you look at the way the pandemic has been dealt with, both politically and economically devastating, it has taken a lot of people by surprise,” he said. “So assets that really shouldn’t be in need, that didn’t suffer such a significant loss in value, suddenly hit the market.”

The global real estate market has been hit hard this year by dwindling demand for commercial properties such as offices and retail space and the shift in demand for residential real estate as homeowners move cities to the suburbs.

Still, there are deals around the world, stressed Balashev, who recently joined a Luxembourg-based fund focused on buying distressed properties in Europe, Asia and the UK

If you’re a liquid buyer with deep pockets, your options are a multitude of options.

Thomas Balashev

CEO, Montague Real Estate

“If you are a liquid buyer with deep pockets, there will be a multitude of options, and not just on one continent,” he said. “I think this is a great time for real estate worldwide.”

Indeed, London-based Montague Real Estate, which primarily deals with off-market deals in the prime and super-prime real estate markets, has seen a surge in inquiries from investors this year, Balashev said. This includes an increase of 200% to 300% year over year in inquiries from Asian investors interested in the UK

“We have to see this as a positive sign that people in international markets still see London as a safe haven,” he said.