You did what??? The Solomon Islands and how working in a small economy accelerates understanding.
Imagine arriving to work each morning in tropical paradise. Consider that you had a beach for your boardroom, that the sound of crashing waves was the only call to the office and that your biggest workplace worry was the prospect of sand crabs mistaking your sun tanning body for a mid-afternoon snack.
Oh to dream… Unfortunately, this has not quite been my experience. Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands and my home for the past month, is a dusty town known for commerce and not cocktails.
At the end of this week I finish my engagement with the Asian Development Bank where I have been working to assess past and current Energy Sector projects in the Solomon Islands. Through this experience I have engaged with individuals at the highest levels of government, industry and the NFP sector. I have developed insights which would not have been possible in a larger market environment, particularly as a young professional.
Whilst these opportunities can be obscure and difficult to find, I strongly believe that seeking them out is worth the effort.
Not quite convinced? That is understandable of course. As you know, the professional services norm is very much to focus on accruing experience in large markets and financial centres. This type of experience is unquestionably central to launching a career in professional services but it is worthwhile to acknowledge the areas in which small market experience can bring critical advantages. Here are my top three (plus a bonus for travel aficionados):
- An Opportunity to Understand the Whole Market: Where else is there potential to be considered a market-expert within just a few months? A core benefit to working in a small (or tiny) economic environment is that there simply aren't that many moving parts. You are able to assess each piece of the puzzle, take a step back and understand how it all works together as one complete masterpiece. Less moving parts translates to less stakeholder relationships and less inconsistencies across the market. For example, in the Solomon Islands there is a single electricity provider (Solomon Power), only a handful of electricity generation sites and no time-variant tariffs. In short, the electricity market of the Solomon Islands is a highly simplified version of those which are found internationally. For young professionals this degree of insight allows for an understanding of the base framework upon which complex service delivery in other large markets is based.
- Learn How Members of the Top Brass Think: Where else can you hear about the future plans of a nation straight from those who are leading it? By the end of my second week in Honiara I had organised and attended collaborative 1:1 meetings with Mr. Pradip Verma, CEO of Solomon Power and Mr. Jeffrey Deve, the Permanent Secretary of Energy as well as Senior Energy Policy Coordinators at a number of development organisations. Over the following weeks I extended my market assessment, meeting with the CEO of Solomon Airlines, as well as Ministers and Permanent Secretaries across a number of relevant Government Ministries. Whilst these leaders certainly do not oversee operations of the same scale as some of their international counterparts, they do adopt similar management and planning approaches and often have to operate in the shadow of exceedingly difficult market conditions. The opportunity to spend even a short-time with leaders at this level is invaluable and fortunately the prospects for doing so are much higher in a small economy.
- The Opportunity to Make a Real Difference: In many small economies (let's exclude the Vatican for a moment) the opportunity to create genuine change is much more realistic. Since these countries operate from a low-base of development, small absolute changes can lead to significant relative changes. For example, in 2016, the commercial energy tariff in the Solomon Islands was USD 0.96/kWh, the highest in the world. By Q2 2018, that’s a time period of just 18 months, this had dropped to 0.82/kWh, a decrease of almost 15%! The individuals involved in prioritising renewable energy investment and reconfiguring existing electricity generation facilities have contributed to decreasing the living costs of families across the nation by a significant factor in a very short space of time. The same story is repeated time and again across industries ... and it is a great way for young people to get involved!
- Bonus for Travel Aficionados: Unique and off-the-beaten track experiences begin (literally) at your doorstep. If you are passionate about adventure travel, and you are able to find a “small market” opportunity of interest, you better be booking a plane ticket pronto!
I would love to hear your thoughts, opinions and stories of your own experiences! Let's continue this conversation in the comments below.
Acknowledgements: Special thanks to DFAT and their support of the New Colombo Plan Scholarship Program (2018) as well as to Amin Chabchoub who continues to provide immeasurable academic support (whilst dealing with my impossible WiFi).
PhD Researcher | UCL | Southampton Uni | Nonprofit Founder Helping Disadvantaged Students Access Education | LSE Alumni Association | Edtech Founder
1moThanks for sharing, Brian!
Corporate Affairs | Government Engagement | NQBP
6yThanks for the article. Very true - lots of people seem to think the bigger, more traditional markets (Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore) are the way to go. I had experience in both Japan & Papua New Guinea and found both experiences invaluable. I would say my internship in PNG gave me a lot more opportunities to go to different meetings and business trips which I never got the chance to in Tokyo!
Senior Manager, Corporate and Government Affairs, H&H Group (Swisse Wellness)
6yGreat read! Thanks for the share
Consultant at BCG
6yLove sprinkle of humour, makes for an entertaining read 😊. Never thought about this dynamic in small economies... What are your thoughts on management in a small economy in terms of approaches to growth? Is the priority more on getting smart or improving scale?
Senior Manager Project Controls | Bachelor of Engineering (Civil)
6yWould like to know your thoughts on, is there a disconnect between leaders in larger economies/businesses and their citizens/employees simply due to size? Question arises since smaller economy leaders would be involved in the grass roots work much more than their counterparts in a large economy. Hope you are having fun!