Comments on: ‘Yeah, Carr, This Trip Is Great And Everything, And I’m Looking Forward To It And I Am Glad Cal Poly Does This, But It Won’t Really Impact My Future That Much As I’m Not Going To Work International’

By: Vladimir

Vladimir — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 04:46:37 +0000

I think a reason some people don’t think China will affect their professional future much is because “Must understand China” isn’t listed as a requirement in many job descriptions. But limiting one’s preparation to what’s on the job ads is a mistake. Companies, large and small, will depend on China as both a business partner and a consumer. When I think of China I tend to think of manufacturing, but the role of China will expand - I read an article a few days ago in The Wall Street Journal about the US shifting many R&D jobs to China as well. Understanding Chinese business practices will help managers in America work with those outside the country more effectively, while ignoring China will put them at a competitive disadvantage. It’s better to prepare earlier for the shift rather than later. Ignoring China will mean ignoring opportunities for cost savings and penetration of a huge consumer market. I read that the China tablet PC market, for example, is expected to witness phenomenal growth in the near future. At first I thought Thomas Barnett’s statement that China will have four times as many cars in 20 years was significant. It is, but I just found that China has only one twentieth as many cars per capita as the United States. I don’t expect China to match the US in Cars per capita in the next few decades, but that’s quite a car market over there. A market it pays to understand.

By: Kevin K.

Kevin K. — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:41:08 +0000

One of the great things that both the top ten list and the architecture article presents, in regards to China, is both the notions of opportunity and innovation. For so long we’ve viewed China as the place to go for cheap, mass-produced and recreated items, and of course the Great Wall. Two archaic modes of thinking that are quickly becoming dissolved as China — although still “the world’s factory” — modernizes its infrastructure and expands its economic reach to its villages and billion-plus citizens. Yes the Great Wall still stands, but what is growing around it is what should interest us MBA students the most. Opportunities like the one China is experiencing — unprecedented economic growth regardless of if its bubble is heading towards a historical collapse — don’t happen that often, especially for young entrepreneurs. One of the most compelling items on the top ten list was this one: “American businesses face a key decision: dive into China’s dynamic markets or risk missing out on their coming wave of innovation.” Opportunity and innovation tied together: it’s a great thing.

I know San Luis Obispo offers a warm blanket for its citizens, but this trip to China is a great opportunity to leave that blanket, one that we shouldn’t be questioning as we prepare to dive into it headfirst.

By: Omar Pradhan

Omar Pradhan — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:19:12 +0000

I have no doubts about this trip and the potential it will have to make me more marketable and enhance my deep awareness for the challenges and opportunities that exist in China. Having traveled abroad many times before, I would say that at some point you just get hooked on the experience…especially when your travels connect you to the larger purposes of your life (i.e. traveling to an all-inclusive resort in a foreign country and never leaving the private beach doesn’t count). This trip to China will be meaningful to me because I hope to work in either the consulting or high tech industry. To the extent that my clients or company needs me to have an informed opinion on China…this trip will certainly go a long way toward providing a powerful set of data points from which to draw upon in formulating and articulating my opinion. Moreover, this class has been highly intellectually stimulating and rewarding. I certainly feel as though my understanding of China has grown by leaps and bounds just by connecting with your blog recommendations and reading two of the three books. I especially found the “10 Reasons Why China Matters to You” article to be a nice recap on some of the themes covered in previous articles & books. Moreover, I hope to explore the extent to which the article’s claim that China is equivalent to a “rising America circa 1880-absent democracy”…the point about their regulatory system being about where ours was prior to the 1929 crash is a scary thought given our financial interdependence. Looking forward to learning more in the run up to and throughout our trip!

By: JP Salazar

JP Salazar — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:10:28 +0000

To borrow the catch phrase from one of my favorite current SNL segments:
Really!?!
I understand that before I entered this program I did not have much of a clue about the real impact the change in places like China and India would have on my future. But now that I am about to pass the halfway point for my MBA I can say that I have had a lot of exposure to the subject. We get to see the effects of globalization and the shift of the global economy in many aspects of this program, especially in this class (kind of the point). Come on, we are in the process of finishing our 40+ blog posts on just this topic alone.
I mean Really!?!
I don’t see how anyone in our program at this point could say they do not see the importance of understanding international business. We are all in this program because we want to invest in our future and become more skilled at conducting business. We want to learn how to be more effective. We are all smart young students and we are very capable of picking up on the central theme of this course. I think we deserve a little credit. We get it. Really.
Overall, though, I did like how the second article conveyed its top 10 reasons why China is important to us. It was another example of why we should be concerned with international issues, even if we do not plan to work outside of the US. While it did not reveal may new insights, it did help to reinforce the idea that the world is changing and to be effective, we have to learn how to change along with it.

By: Chris F.

Chris F. — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:23:53 +0000

I never thought to myself if I could be an expatriate of this country living and doing business in some foreign land. Even though I have travel experience to over a dozen foreign countries, I still have those moments when I disembark from the airplane in the United States and think “It’s great to be home!” But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t consider working overseas; if the right opportunity comes my way, I’ll probably take it. I’m still (relatively) young and can afford to uproot myself for overseas life. I’m not one of those people who think this trip is supposed to brainwash me into becoming an expat, but I am one who believes this is a great opportunity to see a country that is key to many U.S. corporate operations.

To say that you will have no interaction with China (or any place in the global market) once you start your careers is just being naïve about the world. An analogy would be our own American isolationism during the early part of the 20th century: We cut ourselves off from the issues going around the world thinking it didn’t involve us but we got dragged into two world wars as a result. The lesson - whether we like it or not, we are all part of this globalized economy. As Professor Carr states, we probably own something that has, at one point or another, originated from China. If one stays complacent about where they are now (as a business) and a competitor who comes in with Chinese business leverage, I can bet the Chinese partnered competitor will be a pain to deal with and might close you down in the long term. It’s a Darwinist business world out there - survival of the fittest. Better know how things are run in this global economy.

By: J Vail

J Vail — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:35:42 +0000

As many of the blogs have taught us, the most important way we can learn is through the perspective of others. I can understand the moral of this post, but I think we are also fortunate in that everyone going on the trip seems genuinely excited for the experience, and I think we will have a great time. The readings we do in preparation cover a lot of bases and expand our minds to be ready to understand everything going around us when we are actually in China. I know personally from my father that this sort of preparation will put us far ahead of the older business generations – he essentially was the example in point 4 when, without knowing anything about China had to start taking monthly trips to Tianjin.

The Barnett article was very detailed and expanded upon the 10 extremely well. One thing that I had not considered earlier was the “more profound legacy of the one child policy” in that the whole population is going to move upwards collectively in age until that generation is phased out. With the favor towards the male population, perhaps there will be an even sharper decline in population growth moving into the future. He also ends the section with a good anecdote “aging populations are not aggressive populations”.

By: Kyle R.

Kyle R. — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 03:24:23 +0000

I completely agree with Professor Carr and Thomas Barnett, the booming business in China is only going to increase with time. We have two options, sit back and miss out, or take advantage of the potential opportunities that exist in China. I also feel that it is not very intelligent to say, “I’m not going to work international.” How can anyone be certain of this? Just a few years ago, I never would have expected to be in the MBA program at Cal Poly. Currently, I don’t plan on working internationally, but I may someday. The China trip is a great opportunity to see the Chinese culture, history, policy, and business in action. How can somebody not value this opportunity?

I think that having an understanding of the Chinese business landscape is crucial. It serves as a firsthand look at how the Chinese work. Americans can view Chinese businesses with the intention of learning from or joining them. If I ever venture into an industry that can utilize the resources that China has to offer, I will not hesitate. It is only a matter of time until it is necessary for Americans to do this, in order to stay competitive.

By: Matt Streiter

Matt Streiter — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 22:26:31 +0000

I know that this trip will be a milestone in my education being that I have never traveled outside of the country with the purpose of learning about business customs and opportunities in mind. Being that many family members do business overseas or across the border (mexico), I hear first hand accounts of the opportunities outside of the American borders. Through the years I have come to realize that doing business in the U.S. is just a stepping stone in the bigger picture and learning about international business is going to/or already is the expectation of students entering into the work force.

I like how the article compares and contrasts the timelines of American and Chinese history. China is experiencing many of the same changes that America did (i.e., industrial evolution, investment and construction boom, space exploration) they just took the later train. The real test is if China’s political system and economy is going to be able to survive the downside’s that the American system was able to pull through. Right now China is in a “honey moon” phase where they are experiencing great growth and haven’t yet been hit with a huge set back. With a paranoid government and citizens who are known to congregate for a purpose, the CCP may be fighting for their control again as they did in Tiananmin.

Regardless, seeing what is to come and the uncertainty is going to leave us at the edge of our seats. The possibilities and predictions of what is going to happen are numerous. I feel as China’s becomes older that they are going to hit a new set of problems and will depend up on the prosperity of today to bring them through the tough times when this young generation gets old.

By: Amanda Podesta

Amanda Podesta — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 05:50:41 +0000

I really don’t know if I have anything to add value to this post. I don’t think it is my job to tell anyone what they’ll get out of going to China and why China is important— because I don’t think that I can if they can’t already see it. I’ve met people that have been disappointed by what I thought was brilliant; got no value from something that had a huge impact on me (I’m still trying to swallow the bitter pill that was “Inception.”) … and vice versa. It’s a two-way street. How we experience the world is different for everyone. If you don’t think you’ll get anything out of going to China, maybe you won’t. I’ve stopped trying to impose. At the same time, if you live every day as an opportunity to learn something – about yourself, other people, the world, opportunities – I don’t think you can go wrong. To be fair, I’m going to be dealing directly with Chinese firms as early as this fall so maybe it’s easier for me to “buy in” to how “Ten Reasons why China Matters to You.”

By: Ben Raymond

Ben Raymond — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 04:52:57 +0000

With the presence China is making in the global economy, we are already experiencing the business implications, so there is no way one can go through life ignoring the impacts of China. Whether or not we take advantage of the opportunity, or let it take advantage of us, is our choice. I personally enjoy learning as much as possible about other cultures and how they function. I am intrigued by China’s booming economy and how their new found economic freedoms will influence their desire for political freedoms.

Professor Carr presented some very valuable points about the importance of global education and awareness. There is a ton of potential for business opportunity in China and by keeping up with whats going on over there we can place ourselves in a position to reap some of the benefits if we choose to. Even if I don’t choose to live in China, I know I will be greatly influenced by China’s global presence so it is to my benefit to learn as much as possible about China and its up and coming developments.