Strictly Business

[Authored by Mr. Jose Gonazalez, Instructor of Entrepreneurship and International business]

A bipartisan group of US senators has recently introduced a bill that would allow US citizens to travel freely to Cuba. This has added fuel to the fire on the debate regarding the embargo to this Caribbean country of almost 12 million people.

I’ve been interested for quite some time now, about why we continue to dismiss opportunities that may be available for engaging in trade with Cuba just because they’re a communist nation. While I understand the criticism and emotions that surround Fidel and its era- I’m no fan myself- I think we’re long overdue to revisit our policy to engage in business with the Cuban people. We’re stuck in thinking that because they’re a communist country, we should not trade with them. What about China? What about Vietnam? Americans can travel more easily to Iran or Venezuela, which today pose more genuine security and economic threats, than to Cuba.

After 50 years, it’s clear that the embargo didn’t work. Sen. Richard Lugar, the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee recently commented that "After 47 years ... the unilateral embargo on Cuba has failed to achieve its stated purpose of bringing democracy to the Cuban people.”

Businesses for years have tried to persuade congress to lift the restrictions. From dairy farmers, to service companies in the hospitality industry- they all claim Cuba is a potential attractive market and are ready to sell, invest and do business on the island. A team of my International Business students reported during their presentation that there have been thousands of trademark applications in Cuba from US companies that are anxious and ready to go… when they’re allowed. Time to have a conversation about the merits of the embargo, and explore what a more congruent trade policy should look like responding to the realities of 2009.

Authored by Mr. Jose Gonazalez, Instructor of Entrepreneurship and International business

Posted by Jocelyn Gutekunst at 08:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

A total of 18 Massey MBA and MACC students arrived safely in Santiago, Chile this past weekend, while a separate group arrived in New Delhi, India. Each group began their international study abroad course experience scheduled to last through the coming weekend. The trips are two of four such international visits abroad scheduled annually by the Massey School and one component within the MGT 6350 - International Business Study Abroad experience course required of all graduate business students. Mr. Jose Gonazalez, assistant professor of entrepreneurship and international business, is leading the Chile trip, while Dr. Jane Finley, professor of accounting, heads up the India study experience.

Since 2000, Massey students and faculty have traveled on 45 such course experiences to locations ranging from China and India to Brazil and Argentina to Ireland and the Czech Republic. Additional 2009 trips are scheduled later this year for Dublin, Ireland and Copenhagen, Denmark. Scheduled trip locations for 2010 include Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, and Seoul.

Continue reading "Massey Student Groups Arrive in Chile and India" »

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May 22, 2008 - Written by Amy Thran - "Everyting is gonna be all right"

The morning buzz during breakfast consisted of the many adventures different groups took the night before. Details included an elaborate Shanghainese club using a secret code for entry, a less exclusive more familiar evening in the trendy French Concession area and yet another group shared hilarious stories of a morning workout session in the park with the locals. With the conclusion of breakfast we pile, yet again, into our trusty Mercedes coach (not sure why it is a coach and not a bus, but Lily seemed to make a clear distinction) for a trip across town to visit the port.

Peering out of the coach window has become one of my favorite past times. Just when I think I've seen it all, a bike passes with a gentleman smoking a cigarette, talking on his cell phone, all while hauling a load of caged birds on the bed of his bike. Meanwhile in the lane on the other side of the coach there is anything from a Yugo knock off (who would want to knock off a Yugo???) to a pimped out 7 series flying by, at what seems to be unregulated speeds. As I continue to be mesmerized we arrive at Shanghai Pudong International Container Terminals Limited for our final business visit.

Continue reading "Massey in China - Day Six - A Farewell to China" »

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May 21, 2008 - Written by Ryan Arthur

Well now we get down to business. Today is our most jam-packed business visit day yet. With Three stops today we begin to wrap up our world wind travels through China. But today is no exception to the wonder that can be
seen in this developing country.

We start today with a visit to Jun He law firm. What do you call 1,000 lawyers jumping off a cliff? A good start. Well after my visit to Jun He I would like to differentiate, what do you call 1,000 Chinese lawyers jumping off a cliff? A loss of 1,000 great employers. Any law firm that receives an award for being a great employer is somewhat an oxymoron to my way of thinking. Many of you know that I work for attorneys and I can attest this fact, and often do in every one of my classes. But the Jun He attorneys appear to be different. The presentation was given by Mr. Adam Li, but parts of the discussion occurred with some of his new associates. Amazingly, it seemed more like an information session for them as it was for us. They were fascinated to know about MBA's in America and continued to ask questions and discuss our program and American culture. I am interested in seeing if this firm actually succeeds in pulling business from America in China. It makes sense to hire legal services in the home country you are doing business, but then you begin to wonder if conflicts of interests arise from such agreements. I have personal high hopes that my own law firm will help Jun He become more and more successful as we attempt to become an international firm ourselves.

Continue reading "Massey in China - Day Five - Business in Shanghai" »

Posted by Kim May at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 20, 2008 - Written by Ryan Arthur

Good morning fellow train sleepers. Again much thanks to Dean Raines for the "soft sleeper". I personally didn't sleep that well, but I can't imagine having to sleep on the hard sleeper, or even the seats. Jennifer told us that Phoenix takes the trek on the seated cars when she goes back and forth between Beijing and Shanghai. Massive props to Phoenix for braving the seats.

We awoke this morning to the central train station in Shanghai. We were introduced to our new tour guide, Lily Sun. Unfortunately or fortunately for some, although Lily was the opposite sex as John, she apparently read the same joke book for Chinese tour guides.

Continue reading "Massey in China - Day Four - Arriving in Shanghai" »

Posted by Kim May at 09:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 19, 2008 - Written by Ryan Arthur

Ring Ring…Ni Hao. Well if you didn't believe in language barriers, after today you would have seen or heard that they indeed do exist. Today was our real immersion into the Chinese culture sans tourist stops.

Our morning began with a presentation from Cory Grenier, Marketing Project Manager at Lenovo. Lenovo is attempting to become the first Chinese company to be successful in the global market. And from touring their facility it is clear to see they have the capabilities of achieving this goal. With an extremely impressive automated warehouse, computerized inventory monitors, and computer aided manufacturing lines, Lenovo has an excellent infrastructure established that is similar to its non-Chinese competitors. What sets Lenovo apart from its Western competitors is their management style. In Western Management, the employee review process is kept private. Employees are reviewed by their supervisor behind closed doors so that employees are not embarrassed by poor performance. However, Lenovo implements a public review system. The Grape system, as referred to by our guides, allows for all employees to see how each employee is doing in relation to their fellow employees on a daily basis. This system coupled with Lenovo's new product line was an interesting view to the way businesses grow in China.

Continue reading "Massey China Trip - The Rest of Day Three" »

Posted by Kim May at 09:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Visa’s “Go World” campaign is one of my favorites of the year. Not only do the spots capture the emotion and determination of individual Olympic heroes, the commercials also speak to a certain drive to excel that can be found in, or at least admired by, all of us. The Olympics sponsorship/this campaign is a great fit for the brand that claims to be “everywhere.” You can visit Visa’s Go World site to read athlete stories and even share your own.

On a side note, the phrase “Go World” also makes me think about competition in another realm, i.e. the implications of international business. Today, globalization means people are competing internationally for jobs and resources, which makes professional development and an international understanding that much more important. If you are interested in learning more about Belmont’s International Business program, click here, and be sure to read to the entries from Massey’s graduate students from their recent trip to China.

Posted by Jocelyn Gutekunst at 02:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 18, 2008 - Written by Ryan Arthur

Day 2 in China, and not only can I not speak the language, but I can't walk normally from my legs being a little sore from our climb on the Great Wall. But now I can consider myself a hero, but even better jet lag never really
truly set in. So here goes day two.

Our day began with a tour of a Chinese jade factory. Here, raw jade is sculpted into everything from bracelets and necklaces to life size monuments of tigers. Jade is a beautiful and rare stone and it was very interesting
to learn that although Americans associate jade with a green color, the highest quality of jade is actually white with a faint hint of green. I personally prefer the green over the white, and I think some of the bracelet buying people in the group did as well. Another fascinating tidbit was the sound high quality jade makes. After learning this fact, I proceeded to clink every item I wanted in the store to test its quality. Sadly, the bracelets were the only items to make that melodic ring, that or I have bad taste in jade.

Continue reading "Massey Students In China - Day Two" »

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May 17, 2008

Ni hao!

After months of anticipation, many days of preparation, hour(s) of packing
and going over checklists, at least 24 hours of traveling and mediocre
airplane food we have FINALLY arrived in China! Our airport adventures
included many of us having our first encounters with Eastern style toilets (aka
squatters) and Jamie buying a squid in a bag. At the airport last night we
met our China Sense managers Jennifer and Phoenix and our tour guide John. At
the bus, we met our bus driver "Jack", who coincidently does not speak any
English.

Continue reading "Massey Students Arrive in China" »

Posted by Kim May at 09:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

[Authored by Jeffrey Williams, MACC Graduate] When I was working in the high school in Rennes, France, I lived one block away from a shopping mall, at the end of which stood the gargantuan retailer, Carrefour. It was so large that workers wore roller skates to get around inside. In French, the word “carrefour” simply means “intersection” or “cross-roads”. And, I remember being totally shocked that this Wal-Mart concept had migrated back to the old country. Such arrogance, it would seem, for thinking that the Americans had the idea first and that the capitalistic minds in France simply applied it to their way of life. This blog isn’t in response to any specific news item, but simply a reaction I have to seeing Carrefour, this major family-owned French retail empire, in the news recently.

Continue reading "Carrefour, the French, er rather "World's" Wal-Mart" »

Posted by Joe Alexander at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After spending several months studying the evolution of "consumerism" in health care, I was interested to read the “Medical Leave” article in the latest Fast Company magazine. With costs soaring, consumers have been forced to take more control in their own health management. This battle leads some US citizens overseas.

In his article, Greg Lindsay notes “As many as half a million Americans streamed abroad last year in search of affordable alternatives for hip replacements or prostate surgery. And they went not for the post-surgical tanning but for the savings: up to 90% off the going rates in the United States.”

High deductibles or the lack of insurance is causing consumers to shop more wisely for treatment. It will be interesting to see if “Medical Tourism” will give way to “Globalized Health Care.”

Posted by Jocelyn Gutekunst at 12:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So, it's official. After almost fifty years - the longest rule for a head of government- Fidel Castro has resigned as the president in Cuba. Much has been speculated over the last 24 hours about Cuba's future. Will the embargo be lifted? Will Raul, his brother, retain power? How much pressure will the US exercise over the coming months to bring about democratic reforms?
From a business perspective, Cuba would present some unique opportunities if the embargo was lifted and US companies were allowed to invest in the island. The big question remains: if and when these changes occur? I believe change will happen; but it will come slowly, and not without tremendous challenges.

Continue reading "Spring Break 2009 in Cuba?" »

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The last time I was in Russia was in 2004. I visited my hometown Surgut, which is located in Western Siberia, as well as Moscow, the capital of Russia. On my way to Russia, my heart was filled with anticipation and excitement. I recalled with nostalgia leisurely strolls in the heart of Moscow, numerous museums, theatres, and magnificent architecture. So much had changed since the last time I was there.

When I arrived, I stood in front of the city in total disbelief. Where was I? In front of me now was a new and strange world. Most of us are aware that for the second consecutive year, Moscow remains the most expensive city in the world. Various newspapers and magazines talk about the phenomenon of “Novie Russkie”: New Russians or Nouveaux Russes as French would say, who purchase the most expensive real estate, contribute to the significant boost of the high-end retail profits and don’t stop traveling year around across the world. Where does this extreme wealth come from any mind would wonder? I won’t go into deep details, because I am not writing a thesis paper. However, I will attempt to describe very briefly.

Continue reading "World today: Russia as a new emerging economy" »

Posted by Marieta Velikova at 09:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I spent some time in Mexico over the holidays. Lots of anticipation about the imminent entry of Chinese-made cars into the Mexican market.

One of China's biggest car manufacturers, the state-owned FAW Group Corp. http://www.faw.com , announced an alliance with Mexican retailer and banking chain Grupo Elektra to begin selling Chinese-made cars in Mexico early this year. Elektra, a low-cost retailer (similar to a Dollar General ), has more than 1,700 stores in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Panama, El Salvador and Argentina.

FAW will also build a US$150 million plant in the western Mexican state of Michoacan to be operational by 2010. The plant is expected to churn out 100,000 cars each year to serve the Latin American market.

Continue reading "Chinese-made cars coming to America...via Latin America." »

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There continue to be a number of compelling business story lines emerging from our global neighbors in the Middle East, many of which have more to do with commerce than with war. One such example is the contrast in cultures, strategy, and environmental factors we see emerging in the neighboring cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Both are cities in the United Arab Emirates. Most of us are more familiar with Dubai, a city that not too long ago identified it was operating on borrowed time with respect to its rapidly diminishing oil reserves, and launched a full-scale frontal assault on diversitying its economy toward tourism, commercialism, and what many of us westerners might refer to simply as "bling." The photo to the left is of Dubai's indoor ski slope (yes, skiing in the middle of the desert) at Dubai Emirates Mall. The city has been given a lot of credit as an example of a municipality that did a true situation analysis and then implemented an aggressive strategy to reach newly defined objectives.

Continue reading "A Modern Tale of Two Cities" »

Posted by Joe Alexander at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As someone interested in immigration matters, I have followed with interest the recent announcement by the European Union to introduce the ‘blue card’. The blue card is a program that makes it easier for skilled foreign workers to get jobs in the 27 member states of the European Union. Holders of the card would be allowed to live, work and travel within the European Union

Continue reading "Coming soon.. The Blue Card... (and it's not American Express)" »

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While surfing the internet last week, I came across information about the 2007 U.S.-Africa Business Summit themed “Africa: Entering the Door to Opportunities” scheduled for Nov. 14-16, 2007 in Cape Town, South Africa. It seemed rather apropos given that the Massey School just sent our latest group of graduate students to South Africa to learn about exciting new business opportunities in the region.

Continue reading "Valuing Study Abroad Opportunities" »

Posted by Susan Taylor at 09:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We now have a professional organization for Belmont University students interested international business - the International Business Society (IBS). Members are welcome from various backgrounds and majors but are united by their interests in international business issues and career opportunities. The IBS will foster greater understanding of international business practices through a variety of meetings and events, including: guest speakers, business socials, career workshops, study abroad fairs, and field trips to corporate offices and community organizations.

If you are interested in joining this organization and participating in events, contact one of the International Business professors, Dr. Jeffrey Overby - overbyj@mail.belmont.edu, Dr. Howard Cochran - cochranh@mail.belmont.edu, Dr. Marieta Velikova - velikovam@mail.belmont.edu, or Mr. Jose Gonzalez - gonzalezj@mail.belmont.edu.

Posted by at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)