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Doing Business Around the Globe
While the College Park campus was covered in snow and ice last winter, many
Smith students got a taste of global business through a variety of international
study trips.
A group of Smith students toured Dubai and Abu Dhabi as part of the course
“Doing Business in the Middle East: Islamic Finance and the Arab World,” led by
Hassan Ibrahim, Distinguished Tyser Teaching Fellow. A trip to the Al Ain Oasis
Desert Date Farm was an insightful reminder of the social impact of Dubai’s
explosive growth. Fifty years ago, the region’s culture and lifestyle were
epitomized by the date farm’s relaxed lifestyle, but Dubai has since developed a
complex urban lifestyle along with its tremendous growth in global business.
Students also visited a traditional business with thousands of years of
history—the local camel market.
“Doing Business in Brazil” focused on small entrepreneurs and dynamic
multinational companies. Led by Paolo Prochno, Tyser Teaching Fellow and a
native of Brazil, students researched specific companies in
Rio de Janeiro and
Sao Paolo, visited their operations in Brazil, and made presentations as
visiting consultants.
Gurdip Bakshi, Dean’s Professor of Finance, led the course “Doing Business in
China.” Students toured companies and met with executives in
Shanghai, Hangzhou,
and Suzhou, getting an insider’s experience and advice through a tremendously
immersive experience peppered with practical insights from business leaders who
are growing their businesses in China.
“Competitive Advantage through an India Strategy,” led by Professor Sunil
Mithas, assistant professor of decision, operations and information
technologies, took students to meet senior management and visionaries from
global companies such as IBM, Tata Steel, Bharti Telecom, Coca Cola India,
Infosys Technologies, Apollo Hospitals and Avery Dennison in the cities of
Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi. Students also visited cultural centers such as
Agra
and Jaipur and participated in some of the unique festival celebrations that are
such an important aspect of the Indian way of life.
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