News

Compilation of six images of different moments of the conference: eating, convening and posing together with colleagues/

OLDN Conference Botswana

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In Gaborone, Botswana, I was happy to attend the International OD and Change Conference of OLDN. The Organization Leadership & Development Network is an OD initiative from Zimbabwe with members from all over the globe, under the excellent…
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Alette staat voor een muur waarop de wereldkaart afgebeeld staat in water, met golven en spetters.

Global Water Management

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De Vonk Advies just finished a series of intercultural workshops for a company that specializes in Water Management throughout the world. I like the way their wall paper reflects their core business! 🙂
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A yellow microphone with the letters BNR on it

BNR Radio Business in Africa

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Alette did a radio interview on BNR and told the story about her new book 'Cultural Confluence in Organizational Change: a Portuguese venture in Angola.' It was all about doing business in Africa, the so-called 'best practices' and challenges…
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People from Ghana sitting around the table following an online training on the screen

Creating happy clients

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It was good to do an online Intercultural Management Workshop for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry France-Ghana. Managing Director Armelle Sae-Jeanne was inspired to write the following words on LinkedIn: “No, I could not complete this…
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Book Launch

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With a smashing presentation in Leiden, Vasco Silva and I launched our book on the 5th April 2024. Creating spaces of confluence. Portuguese guitar music by Filipe Oliveira flowed together with the kora and drums of Moussé Dramé. There were…
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Yesss! Our book is out!

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And there it is! It's wonderful to finally have our book in my hands: "Cultural Confluence in Organizational Change: a Portuguese venture in Angola" by Vasco Silva and myself, about doing business in Africa. For more information see the tab…
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A compilation of pictures taken in the VR world, with avatars of the participants in several settings

Training in VR

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Together with colleagues we've followed a cultural training by colleagues in Virtual Reality! Very interesting to give it a try. It takes some getting used to, but offers interesting possibilities, especially for dispersed teams. However the…
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BNR: business in Ghana

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On August 31st, 2023, I was again a co-host and 'world conqueror' on BNR radio. This time it was about doing business in Ghana. Listen back to the broadcast here. While Pieter Schulting, from JS Cocoa explains what his company is doing in Ghana,…
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Compilation of pictures of a training setting: the trainer Alette, participants around the table and participants presenting their work from flipover.

Training scientists

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This Training Cultural Competence was great fun. It's so rewarding to train scientists. They think deeply, want to know all the details,  and come with the best questions ever. Loved it!
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VIML Congres 2023

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The Vereniging International Management Leiden (VIML) is an association of students. All students have registered for the Minor International en Intercultural Management of the University of Leiden, where I lecture. Every year, the VIML organizes…
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Trade mission Ghana

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From 19 to 30 April 2023 I was visiting Accra, Ghana. I was a member of a Trade mission, together with other Dutch companies and organized by the NABC. The delegation took part in the General Assembly of the World Trade Center Association,…
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Ghanaian friends and family

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It has been marvelous to be back in Ghana and to be able to have face to face contacts with friends, former colleagues, partners in crime and my Ghanaian brother. I was very happy to see everybody is doing fine and wonderful to experience we…
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BNR: business in Tanzania

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On March 9, 2023, I was again a co-host and 'world conqueror' on BNR radio. This time it was about doing business in Tanzania. Listen back to the broadcast here. 'Pole pole pole' is a common Tanzanian expression. It means: 'calm, calm', or…
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BNR: business in India

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On Feb. 9, 2023, I co-hosted BNR radio as "World Conqueror," to provide cultural explanations on doing business in India. Listen back to the broadcast here. Many people in India see education as the most important route to break the existing…
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On TV with EditieNL

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Why is the word GRATIS (for free) one of the most googled words in the Netherlands? Alette Vonk had a chance to explain it shortly on Dutch television in the program Editie NL on RTL 4. In comparison to other countries, the people in the Netherlands…
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Culture training at my old place

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De Vonk Advies gave a beautiful training for the development organization. This organization was once the employer of Alette Vonk for 10 good years on the African continent, working in Ghana and in Benin. It was great to be back at the old…
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IODA 2022 in Barcelona

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It is always lovely to be back with the IODA family, especially after two corona years and online conferences. This year I learned a lot especially about Corporate Life cycles of Adize, generously shared by friend and colleague Willie Marais…
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Dr. degree for colleague

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On September 24th 2022 my dear colleague Okey Okere from Nigeria celebrated his doctorate graduation from the Business School Netherlands, which we were happy to celebrate with him!
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