Laura holds Master and postgraduate degrees in Organization Psychology and Labour, Personnel Management and Human Resource Management, Occupational Health and Safety (Occupational Safety, Health and Ergonomics Senior Technician), counseling and career development professional, Information Technologies and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Management and Planning training and distance.

She teaches at various institutions, with extensive additional training in teaching methodology, and participates in major training projects in the field of HR and Executive Coaching, working with university programs of entrepreneurship as SISCAPEM (Business Training System) in the first edition of his Masters in Executive Coaching Expert, foundations and CIVSEM (Centre for Research in Values), and confederations as CEA (C. Businessmen of Andalusia), while participating in several research groups in an international project European universities and professional meetings.

She is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Seville, where she is developing her thesis in Executive Coaching & Engagement.

English proficiency and knowledge of French and Italian.

He was Director of Information Systems and Management Control at Caixanova Business School, ICT Manager in the R & D Department of the Xunta de Galicia, and partner consultant at EOSA and SIMCE companies.

Since 2000 he has been responsible for the direction and execution of consulting projects for companies in different sectors and the public administration in Spain related to innovation and application of information technology, development and implementation of systems Information e-Government, Information Security and Protection of Personal Data, as well as training for managers and professionals on New Technologies and Security.

Álvaro Gómez holds a Ph.D. in Economics and Business Administration at UNED (2009), on economics of innovation with Extraordinary Doctorate Award. He graduated in Business Administration and Management from the UNED (2010) and graduated with honors in Telecommunication Engineering from the University of Vigo with major in Telecommunications and Diploma in Computer Management from UNED (2004-2006), with award for best academic record in the 2004-2005 academic year at the School of Engineering at the UNED.

He is also Executive MBA and Diploma in Business Administration from the Caixanova Business School, author of over 20 books and numerous articles on ICT, Information Systems and Technology Innovation.

In Bridgedworld Alvaro specializes in consulting on Innovation, ICT, Information Systems and Computer Security.

He has been Business Development Manager of Industry and Transport at Sun Microsystems SA (Global Sales Operations) until 2006, and previously COO of Sun Educational Services in the same company since 2000.

With an entrepreneurial spirit and product vision-oriented, Carlos founded Engineers Fractal in 1993 to create vertical clinical management software in Cardiology and Interventional Radiology. Out of this initiative arose Medivector brand, which covers the range of medical applications that are currently used in many hospitals in the country.

His experience in ICT is very diverse and deep, having learned firsthand the software development industry, the manufacture of computer hardware and professional consulting field of ICT and ICT training.

His entrepreneurial activity coexists with consultancy and combine the promotion of a new project in the health and e-Health with the participation in new initiatives to promote university technology based spin-offs and start-ups. He actively participates in programs such as Concept or Woman Company Undertakes of the University of Santiago.

Carlos holds a degree in Physics with specialization in Theoretical Physics from the Autonomous University of Madrid and Executive MBA at Caixanova Business School and currently works as an associate professor in the ICEMD-ESIC Business School, School of Business ESEUNE (Bilbao), the Novacaixagalicia Business School, UNED University, Colegio de Caminos Canales y Puertos, and several Chambers of Commerce.

In Bridgedworld, Carlos specializes in Strategic Consulting, Marketing, Information Systems and start-ups/spin-offs.

In 2001 the luxury sector group of Cartier offers him to move to France (Lyon) to implement and manage its European logistics platform for its perfume division.

After the experience of Cartier, he returned to Spain and founded in Barcelona Safiberica MTM, SL a consulting firm specializing in transportation and logistics.

After 5 years of activity in Barcelona and Asturias moved to open new lines of business related hospitality and ICT projects, interested in new collaborative environments, networking and new professional networking with its new online communication channels.

Javier is a graduate of the School of Commerce in Geneva (Switzerland) and graduated from the ASPQ 1998 in ISO 9000 Quality Systems.

In Bridgedworld brings experience in international transport and logistics areas and internationalization. Javier speaks 6 languages (Spanish, French, German, English, Galician, Catalan, Italian) and is currently studying Mandarin Chinese.

He has helped to establish joint ventures and develop new businesses in Latin America, Europe and North Africa, advising large industrial and services companies.

He brings to Bridgeworld his experience in setting strategy and developing new markets.

He is an industrial engineer from Tecnológico de Monterey (Mexico), holds an MSc in Information Management from Lancaster University (UK) and an MBA from IMD (Switzerland). He has carried out executive education programs: Commercial Experience Program at IMD and Strategic Negotiations Program at Harvard Business School.

The work is based on actual experience and the definition and implementation of techniques for development of complex membership-type organizations like clusters.

In a business network like the Spanish, the role of cooperation across clusters and regional and sector-based systems of innovation is a key factor for improving the competitiveness of these companies, who must learn to cooperate and compete simultaneously in a continuous changing environment. Tools like the Balanced Scorecard and Strategy Maps proved very useful in managing and aligning the strategic objectives of all components of a cluster.

Authors: Alvaro Gomez Vieites, Carlos Otero Barros and Ignacio Prieto
Harvard Deusto Business Review, ISSN 0210-900X, N º 202, 2011, pp. 58-71
Eg, “New principles for the management of strategic capabilities”

He has extensive teaching experience in areas related to Management Skills and Team Building. Leading social and higher education institutions such as the Autonomous University of Madrid, UNED, the European University in Madrid, ESADE, the Catholic University of Lima and Ibercaja have all placed their trust in him.

During the course of his career, he has successfully led the launch of new companies, business expansion projects, mergers and the penetration of new markets. Manu’s experience on the international scene has provided him with an excellent business background.

An ESADE graduate in Talent Management, he also holds a Coaching qualification awarded by Watterson & Associate and the NATO Certificate. He is currently an expert for Aenor’s 14 Group and a member of ICA (Advisers-Managers’ Institute). He speaks Spanish and English.

Competitive key factors as the capacity to innovate, the degree of internationalization, financial strength, skilled human resources and professional management, etc. are directly linked to the size of the company as shown by empiric analysis.

However, only 10% of Spanish entrepreneurs have included growth plans into their short and medium term strategies.

When looking at foreign trade data, less than 40,000 SMEs are regular exporters and a minuscule 0.2% has deployed subsidiaries outside its country. Reasons vary but 81.3% argued domestic market demand was big enough to cover their sales target.

Business consortia have been signaled as a way of overcoming an excessive industry fragmentation.

But entering foreign markets is a demanding and somehow costly journey. Business consortia are legal entities that may facilitate this process.

An Export Consortium is an independent and formal entity, formed by a number of companies, manufacturing or providing products or services, aimed to enter into foreign markets by sharing the costs, generating synergies and creating value for its customers without giving up control on their respective business.

The Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX), has supported 212 projects out of a total of 330 during the period 1985-2001.

Most of consortia are promoted by SMEs. In Italy – the world leader in fostering this type of alliances – 80% have less than 50 employees.

Consortia target many different goals. A typical consortium is set up by SMEs from the same industry sector, to sell – more than to promote – non-competing products that can be sold independently, established in their origin and with a finite life time.

But it could also prove a good tool for those small companies, already too busy to devote time to manage their own business that, by grouping with similar enterprises, may not only get to markets beyond their individual limits but accessing to professional management personnel.

Most of consortia are considered a time limited entity but many SMEs will find the new company as a permanent way of accessing and operating in foreign markets.

As we noted before, just a very few Spanish companies have gone through an internationalization process. There is quite a difference between exporting and internationalizing.

Typically, an exporter takes a passive attitude towards the destination market, thus a very limited knowledge and capacity to answer to the fast changing needs. And this as opposed to a proactive oriented internationalized company that will achieve a far better position to seize business opportunities.

Most entrepreneurs are looking into foreign markets more than ever before. The reason comes from a general opinion that our economies are going through a structural change – not cyclical – with long term consequences.

But companies need to understand that going international modifies the overall strategy as it changes the own conception of the company and should only be undertaken with the right attitude, a medium term horizon and built to last.

Many times, companies turn their eyes to foreign markets as a way to diversify risks, increase sales volume or get rid of second quality or production surplus. While all these will be some of the outcomes of this process, it should never be the reason to start it. Companies need to internationalize to get better, not bigger.

Some of the advantages provided to the partners by an Export Consortium are:

1. Come and sell to new customers.

2. Increase distribution control.

3. Early detection of new trends and business opportunities.

4. Anticipate risks (cyclical and structural market changes, new competitors, substituting products, disruptive innovations, etc.).

5. Enhance visibility and build brand.

6. Convey a sense of strength and reliability.

7. Improve competitiveness by deploying professional management techniques.

8. Implement safe operation practices due to a surge of market knowledge and specifically about legislation and regulatory requirements.

9. Economies of scale that allow them to use tools to promote greater breadth and depth, procurement savings, increased investments in R&D and high-profile human resources.

10. Implement structured and consistent quality and service processes.

11. Derive synergies from its partners.

12. Learn from best practices in other markets and experiences.

13. Advanced knowledge management inside the organization.

14. Save on the internationalization process costs by sharing with the rest of associates and applying to financial aids.

Before going international, companies should asses their reality and find out whether they hold distinctive characteristics on their products or services – whether or not they have advantages in costs, product differentiation or specialization – that will bring value to the new prospects.

Companies under financial distress should be well aware that internationalizing will not offer results in the short term. More on the contrary, during the first two or three years, sizeable cash allocations will be required to finance the operations.

Those failing to meet the above requirements should probably refrain from entering into an internationalization process that might eventually draw their attention away from their current business causing serious troubles.

Should we go international? Companies need to be realistic to answer this question. They should not attempt foreign markets just as a sign of distinction or to imitate competitors.

If the company finds an answer to this question then it must decide:
• What: Products or services to be offered.
• Where: Countries, sale channels, type of customers, etc.
• How: To what extend it should go international. From simply exporting to setting up a plant.
• Who: Alone or in cooperation with others, in a consortium for instance.

Internationalization should never be considered as a marginal activity. Competing in the global market is hard but it is also a never-ending source of knowledge and strategies, a way of unveiling new market opportunities, a continuous improvement that ultimately will reinforce our position in the domestic market.

For those with a clear vision of partnership to grow and improve by internationalization, we propose what we happen to call Highly Integrated Export Consortium (HIEC).

HIEC begins with stating a common vision where the new entity is fully defined particularly the values reflecting the company’s culture. The promoters make sure the new company is well equipped including a powerful engine and enough gas to draw them to achieve their goals.

The HIEC participants aim to leapfrog to another level by wringing out all potential synergies, sharing knowledge, building capabilities and developing new competencies.

It is a challenging vision to compete in business scenarios where no one of them could ever dream of.

Currently I worked as a freelance consultant and assistance professor in the MBA and HR Degree of the University and Business Schools in Seville.

My contribution in Bridgedworld is as an expert in Compensation & Benefits, Labour Relations, Collective Agreements, Managing Absenteeism, Worker Rationalization, HR Policies, Expatriates, Balanced Scorecard (Mission, Vision and Values), Behaviour Rules and Gender Diversity.

Degree in Business Administration by the University of Seville, Expert in Labour Relation by the IE, Expert in Labour Negotiation by the University of Huelva and a Master in Human Resources by the University of Seville.