The scarcity of talent and the huge demand for it will not be a temporary phenomenon. It is extremely hard to turn such a tide around in a short time.

Members of the HR department should be positioned as strategic partners with the CEO. The importance of them can never be underestimated.

Good HR people should fully understand the strategic goals of the company and facilitate the implementation of these strategies through culture, organization and people. They must identify the talent shortage of specific professions or levels within three to five years. Thus they develop the action plan to attract qualified people and train them internally.

The U.S. is the steam engine of the world's economy, so a slowdown in that market will hurt Asia's exporters.

The appreciation of the U.S. dollar will help inflate Asian exporters' overseas sales when converted back to their local currencies.

[The Wolves will also face challenges from Altheimer, Dermott and Eudora, which] has all kinds of talent, ... We could finish anywhere from 5-5 to 10-0. It all depends on our staying heal-thy and playing up to our ability.