1 CompetenCy: International Business DevelopmentWorking Definition: Focus is on the ability to identify new integrative trade opportunities, laying the groundwork for an international business plan. This includes researching emerging trends, exploring new markets and concepts, to assess opportunities from a long-term perspective and build business cases to pursue new channels, markets, products and/or services. This also requires following through with networks/contacts ensuring that connections are maintained.

Knowledge Areas:• Macro trends in the industry/market(s)• Local, external environmental scanning – including assessing risks, geographic challenges

and issues, competition, operating norms, barriers• Use of emerging technologies (e.g. social media tools and other mechanisms) for

gathering and analyzing market intelligence• Customer focus and orientation (what is happening in their operating environment,

changes in customer base, strategies)• Trade investment channels and resources• Joint ventures and partnerships• Trade cycles• Government resources and supplier networks• Business case assessment and development

2 CompetenCy: International Business operations and planningWorking Definition: Focus is on incorporating an international trade strategy into business planning efforts; involving leadership commitment and alignment to a global philosophy; moving the business development opportunity/business case into final decision, planning, marketing, sales and execution. This includes the resources required, how internal and external resources will be managed, continuous monitoring of resources and results.

Knowledge Areas:• Global relationship management – strategies to service customers’ current and

anticipated needs• Global Human Resource strategies – policies and programs to support a global workforce

such as: strategic workforce planning, talent mobility and global HR policies• Corporate Social Responsibility considerations – monitoring and ensuring active

compliance with regulations, ethical standards, and international norms• Sustainable trade considerations – systems that do not harm the environment or

deteriorate social conditions• Global project management• eBusiness planning

3 CompetenCy: Intercultural Aspects of Integrative tradeWorking Definition: Focus is on recognizing, understanding and respecting differences in trading practices due to cultural influences; includes communicating effectively to execute business transactions in culturally appropriate ways, creating shared value.

Knowledge Areas:• Cultural frames of reference• Diverse cultural norms which require different business/social practices• Management of virtual teams across borders• Facility with language and cross-cultural interaction and negotiations• Organizational culture and influence on international trade practices

4 CompetenCy: political and policy environmentWorking Definition: Focus is on building and maintaining an understanding of international trade relationships with governments, and engaging in current political operating environments, from a domestic as well as international perspective. This includes engaging with multiple levels within governments for information and decision-making purposes; understanding the interconnectivity between governments, legislative, political and business policies and systems.

Knowledge Areas:• Existing political and policy environments where trade is occurring• Procurement rules• International and free trade agreements• Structure investments / protections for foreign investments• Investment review processes• Multi-lateral regulations• Awareness of professional ethics, corruption and bribery issues• Negotiations, guidelines, policy regulations• Resources for trade information and support

5 CompetenCy: International Risk managementWorking Definition: Focus is on understanding risks associated with conducting integrative trade, developing contingency and risk mitigation strategies to address issues and protect the organization.

Knowledge Areas:• Assessment of existing and emerging risks, including:

- Country risk, political and sovereign risk, bank and financial institution risk, commercial risk, cyber-risk, and human resources risk

• Risk-return scenarios based on business opportunities and partnerships• Identification of organizational risk tolerance, understanding the internal risk profile• Risk assessment methodology to determine most exposed, most vulnerable and most

successful• Mitigation sources, strategies and options• Exit strategy planning• Insurance and guarantees• Financial and non-payment risk

6 CompetenCy: International InvestmentWorking Definition: Focus is on identifying, understanding, assessing, and negotiating inbound and outbound investment opportunities. This includes knowledge of regulatory environments, trade flows and consideration for ethical investments.

Knowledge Areas:• Trade flows• Investment opportunities and scenario analysis• Option assessments/due diligence• Negotiation of investment agreements, including partnership opportunities• Investment management processes, including foreign investments protection agreements• Canadian Federal and Provincial securities regulations• Investment regulatory environments• Ethical investment considerations• Canadian investment and foreign investment landscape• Risk of appropriation and nationalization

7 CompetenCy: International trade and Supply Chain FinanceWorking Definition: Focus is on facilitating trade payment flows across a network of relationships to effectively support the value chain. This includes management of payments, risk mitigation, financing and information flows.

Knowledge Areas:• Financing options including foreign exchange, hedging, trade/export costing, trade

finance programs, payment/settlement and financing options• Supply chain relationships and financial partners• Supply chain management practices• International procurement practices and contracting language• Methods for facilitating effective trade payment flows• Risk mitigation measures to reduce financial risks

8 CompetenCy: Global Value and Supply Chain managementWorking Definition: Focus is on managing the relationships associated with multiple directional flows of goods and services in a complex, global system. This includes building and maintaining strategic, global relationships with networks of internal and external stakeholders such as customers, vendors, suppliers for sourcing, production, inventory, distribution, and logistics; efforts are toward fostering long-term partnerships that are mutually beneficial.

Knowledge Areas:• All aspects of relationship management, including partnership negotiation, planning,

execution, and management of strategic suppliers/relationships• Supply chain security• Global value and supply chain strategies• International contract management• Strategic sourcing/procurement methods• Multi-vendor networks• Regulatory requirements• Business case methods for assessing value chains• Third-party logistics (import, export, freight, air/sea/land)• Management of service level agreements• Evaluation methods for reviewing dynamic nature of partnerships• Employer, employee, contractor, agent relationships – terms and conditions, anti-

corruption rules and regulations• End-to-end supply chain elements (product design and development, production,

logistics, inventory control, shipping, marketing and sales)

9 CompetenCy: International trade LawWorking Definition: Focus is on understanding the existing legal mechanisms and rules which govern international trade, including corporate, tax law, and trade compliance practices. This encompasses import, export and investment activities from product design through contract negotiation to delivery of goods and services.

Knowledge Areas:• Trade, rules and regulations, industry sectors and geographies• Corporate law, tax law, import/export laws and restrictions, copyrights, patents and

intellectual property• Trade agreements and Sale of Goods Act• Rules of Origin and their impact on various aspects of trade and investment, including

ability to access import/export credit insurance• Foreign authorities such as: World Trade Organization, harmonized tariff schedules, World

Customs Organization (WCO) member countries, Trusted Shipper Program, Canada: Partners in Protection (PIP), US: Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), Europe: Authorized Economic Operator (AEO), etc.

• Regulatory environments and practices• Anti-corruption and bribery law• Transportation of Dangerous Goods rules and product safety rules and regulations

10 CompetenCy: International trade ComplianceWorking Definition: Focus is on understanding existing/evolving rules and regulations that govern international trade to ensure compliance of international import/export of goods and services. This includes facilitating organizational awareness related to compliance and accountability, knowledge of the risks associated with conducting international trade, consequences of non-compliance.

Knowledge Areas:• Management of a best practice internal and external controls environment including

documenting, reporting and reviewing organizational compliance policies and practices• Monitoring of dynamic and ever-changing trade regulations, and facilitating adjustments

of internal controls to reflect changes• Customs agencies (Canada – Canada Border Services Agency, US – Customs and Border

Protection) and regulations (for example: Controlled Goods Regulations, National Energy Board export orders and reporting)

• Awareness of International Commercial Terms of Sale (Incoterms®2010)• Awareness of regulations related to specific industry sectors and countries where business

activities occur• Application of controls to ensure valid, accurate and authorized transactions of goods and

services• Trade and customs compliance process design, implementation and enhancements,

including knowledge of import/export logistics and supply chain processes• Stakeholder regulatory reporting requirements (e.g. suppliers, vendors)

integrative trade competency framework

integrative trade competency frameworkFITT HR International Trade Sector Study

integrative tradecompetency framework

A Task Force identified and developed a framework of integrative-trade competencies. The ten competencies within the framework describe a synthesis of knowledge, skills and abilities required to be successful in the evolving integrative trade business environment. These competencies are not tied to specific roles. Instead, they are broad attributes essential to many trade-relevant activities within organizations.

The ten competencies have been designed to reflect independent areas of focus and knowledge. Yet given the nature of integrative trade, many of the competencies are interwoven and some knowledge areas are shared across competencies. For instance, for “International Trade Law and International Trade Compliance” there is a direct alignment between the rules and regulations that govern international trade. The “law” competency covers the rules; the “compliance” competency covers the application of these rules.

Integrative trade—a definitionIntegrative trade is a framework in which the import and export of goods, information, services and services related to goods are traded across country borders through value chains; this framework for trade is powered by investments, business relationships, and partnerships to develop mutually shared value for stakeholders.

Integrative-trade competencies1. International Business Development2. International Business Operations and Planning3. Intercultural Aspects of Integrative Trade4. Political and Policy Environment5. International Risk Management6. International Investment7. International Trade and Supply Chain Finance8. Global Value and Supply Chain Management9. International Trade Law10. International Trade Compliance