Advanced Packaging - From the Editor

When in Rome...
I have a confession to make. I've always wanted to be a travel writer. So far, thanks to my job as an editor of a semiconductor trade publication, I've become a writer who travels. I was thinking I could combine all these skills and write a blog, "The Business Traveler's Guide to Silicon Destinations". I've already been to the original – Silicon Valley, in San Jose, and Silicon Desert, in Chandler, AZ. Recent travels took me to Silicon Gorge, the Bristol-Bath region of the UK. It could be only a matter of time before I travel to the all the micro-Silicon spots around the world. Silicon Oasis, in Dubai, is on the list. Then there's Silicon Forest and Silicon Sound in the Pacific Northwest; Silicon Saxony, in Germany; Silicon Wadi, in Israel, and a host of others.

On more than one occasion, I've heard business travelers downplay their visits to both exotic and not-so-exotic places as nothing more than another hotel and another conference room, or exhibit hall – depending on the nature of their trip. It's business, they say, which shouldn't be confused with vacation. While I can see where this sentiment comes from, I refuse to ascribe to it personally. Whether business travel takes me a few hours away to Raleigh, NC or across the ocean to Europe, the UK, or places beyond, the minute the plane lifts off, the adventure begins. There are people to meet, cultures to absorb; not to mention the food.

My first trip to the UK a few weeks ago was sparked by an invitation from Richard Hart, of Hart Marketing International, to visit electronics assembly and equipment manufacturers, X-Tek and DEK, and cover Born Global, a Silicon Southwest event to promote semi start-ups in the region. The trip took me from what the local papers described as the least interesting place to visit – Derbyshire, located 2 hours north of Heathrow, down to the #1 must-see city of Bath, renowned for its medieval architecture, Roman bath ruins, the Royal Crescent and Circus, a smattering of formal gardens, and a labyrinth of shops and restaurants surrounding the Bath Abbey Cathedral.

Hart and I conversed at length about all this as he squired me around. A gracious host who clearly knows the art of business travel, he says the key is to take the time to get to know the area. Arrive a day early or extend your stay for a day or two and take in some sights. Or if time is limited, choose a hotel that's not a chain geared for business travel, but offers the flavor of your destination. Choose restaurants that feature local fare, and try to assimilate into your surroundings, rather than seeking out the familiar. The point is, it shouldn't be considered frivolous to explore a bit, because if you're doing business there, it's a measure of respect for your customer to learn about their culture. It also expands your understanding of how other businesses operate.

We're all aware that the semiconductor and electronics manufacturing industry links companies to one another across the supply chain and the world. The companies who are positioned to succeed in this climate understand the need to locate operations where the action is, regardless of where they're headquartered. It's also important to defer to local business practices, rather than impose your own, to be accepted as an economic partner. Born Global addressed this topic as part of the advice to semi start-ups. The message was in the name, if you're going be born into a global industry – start out that way. You can read lots more about this in AP's coverage of this event.

It's no accident that this issue of AP Semi-monthly seems to focus on technology and industry trends in the UK and Europe. A few issues ago, there was lots about events in the US and Asia. We're an international publication with an international readership. We understand the importance of reaching across the globe to share knowledge for the growth of our industry as a whole. After all, it's quite possible that diplomacy throughout the world lies more in the hands of business than in government or politics, because the success of companies doing business on a global scale relies on solid relationships. It's far more effective to assimilate into the host company's culture than to try and impose yours. As the saying goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

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