????在變革的大潮中，為何連經驗豐富的高管也大多在新興市場敗走麥城？

????首先，（不管國內國外），CEO總認為安全問題只是IT部門的責任，但我在信息安全方面得到的最大教訓就是：它不是僅僅靠硬件和軟件就能解決的問題。安全水平取決于人的行為，他們可以保護這些系統，也可以破壞這些系統。作為中情局官員，我曾通過能連接系統的內部人員的幫助攻破敵人的信息系統。CEO必須以身作則，忽視信息安全或者僅僅將其指派給某個職能部門就是失職，因為信息安全關乎整個組織的所有人。

????其次，CEO常常低估了技術帶來的復雜性，影響到了他們對當地獨特的文化及社會因素的認知。高管需要承認，“無知領域不斷擴大”，個人的大腦早就無法掌握所有的知識，而且兩者之間的差距還在繼續擴大。

????為尋找改進理解及決策的新方法，高管需要謙卑、對知識的渴望以及不松懈的相互合作。沒有誰能掌握所有的答案。每一天都有越來越多可以影響決策的信息，而很多CEO并不知道如何應對這樣的數據爆炸。我們建議客戶首先決定什么是其目標的相關信息，然后明確定義其商業情報需求。

????收集和分析關于外界情報的方式不盡相同，取決于行業、地理位置以及戰略目標。但情報總有些不變的特質：有用、精確、及時，并可作為行動依據。情報必須為決策提供信息。CEO應該做出這樣的要求，因為它是不斷變換的全球市場提出的要求。

????最后，不僅僅是在新興市場，高管在全球所有市場都要認識到公司將無可避免地受到突發事件的沖擊。CEO必須建立應急方案，從在任何國家保障員工健康和安全的基本系統，到為建立堅強而有韌性、經受得住考驗的盟友而投資。

????“有韌性的盟友”是指什么？

????從根本上來說，有些CEO只從公司內部來源獲取外界商業情報，固守僵化的等級制度，并將盈利視為最高目標。這樣會把公司引入危險的境地，甚至可能導致生存危機。在當前的環境中，這種短視的做法絕不可行。

????需要真誠地去了解當地的社區，與他們合作，那就是你的盟友網絡，通過他們去了解如何在當地運營，如何接洽和尊重社區，這樣才能讓公司在短期和長期都獲益匪淺。就像前面提到的技術安全問題，“企業社會責任”不僅僅是某個職能部門的責任，而是貫穿整個公司的新興市場運營方針的組成部分，不可或缺。

????我在非洲呆過10年，目睹了數10億美元的援助計劃因為未能注意到融入當地社區的重要性而被白白浪費。作為能夠建立互信的有效措施的例證，精明的公司對將派駐海外的員工進行基本技能教育，這不僅僅為公司的投資帶來無可估量的價值，也是公司在整體上融入社區的有形展示。其它公司在運營地區為社區提供離網發電，電力能夠提升安全，增進交流，促進教育，最終都對公司有益。

????賦予女性權力是另外一個基本和有效的企業責任元素，女性在長期社會發展和創造繁榮的中產階級市場中承擔的角色至關重要。

????我在各行各業都目睹過因為無法融入當地社區而導致的商業失敗。讓人哭笑不得的是，某些新型社交媒體的CEO號稱了解網絡，甚至在幾個月的時間內實現全球擴展，但卻沒能認識到對當地知識的需求。在帕洛阿爾托（加州灣區城市——譯注）可行的做法不見得適用于盧薩卡（贊比亞首都——譯注）。

????In these shifts, how do even experienced executives in emerging markets most often fail?

????Firstly, CEOs (both at home and abroad) often think that security issues are the problem of the IT department, but the biggest lesson that I learned in terms of information security is that it is not just the hardware and software. People determine the degrees of security and people protect or compromise these systems. As a CIA operations officer, I breached adversary's information systems with the help of those with access to these systems. CEOs have a responsibility to lead their people by example and ignoring or delegating information security to some functional silo, when it is about people across the organization, is a failure of leadership.

????Secondly, CEOs often underestimate the complexity technology has introduced to their understanding of the unique cultural and societal differences on the ground. Executives need to acknowledge what I call an "expanding universe of ignorance" -- our individual brains long ago lost the race to know it all, and the gap is growing.

????To find new ways to improve their understanding and decision-making executives require a mix of humility, intellectual hunger, and unrelenting networked collaboration. No one entity has all the answers. Each day there is more and more information that can impact decisions, but not all CEOs know how to deal with this growing tsunami of data. We advise our clients to first determine what information is relevant to their objectives, and then sharply define their business intelligence requirements.

????How they collect and analyze this intelligence of external variables depends on their industry, geography, and strategic objectives. But there are some characteristics that always apply: the intelligence must be relevant, accurate, timely, and actionable. Intelligence should be able to inform decisions. CEOs should demand this. Evolving global markets require it.

????Finally, executives in all global markets – not just emerging ones – need to acknowledge that there will be inevitable shocks to the business, which means CEOs must build in contingency planning, from basic systems that support the health/security of employees in any country to investments that build strong, resilient alliances that endure during times of stress.

????What do you mean by "resilient alliances?"

????At the most basic level, the CEOs who seek external business intelligence only from internal company sources, embrace hard-line and inflexible hierarchies, and place profit above all else – their path will be even more perilous, perhaps leading to existential crisis. It is short term and really untenable in today's environments.

????Genuine commitment to understanding and working with the communities on the ground – networks of alliances not only on how to do business, but to engage and be respectful to the communities there – makes all the difference in both the short and long runs. Like technology security, "corporate social responsibility" is not some functional office, but a necessary part of engagement in emerging countries throughout ones' organization.

????Having lived in Africa for 10 years, I witnessed billions of dollars wasted of aid programs that never appreciated the importance of such engagement. As an example of what works and builds a sense of mutual trust, smart companies build basic skills education for prospective employees; this is not only invaluable to their investments but is a tangible manifestation of their commitment to the community at large. Other companies have provided off-grid energy generation for communities in areas of operation; this can improve security, increase communication, and boost education – all which also help the company.

????Another essential and effective element of social responsibility rests in the empowerment of women whose role in long-term social development cannot be understated and will, in turn, create thriving middle class markets.

????I've seen the failure to engage in the local communities cause business failure across every industry. Paradoxically, some of the new social media CEOs who understand networks and have grown global, some in the matter of months, often do not recognize the need for local knowledge. What works in Palo Alto may not work in Lusaka.