Why Alibaba's strong debut on the Hong Kong Exchange is prompting short-term and long-term considerations to sort through.

In an increasingly always-on, connected world, it’s easy to assume that everyone reaps the benefits of technological advances. But is that really the case?

The pros outweigh the cons in the proposed United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), trade leaders across industries said Oct. 15, 2019, at Maryland Smith.

Business conditions change over time and across regions, but finance professional Dan Freiman '94, MBA '04, says one thing remains constant. "Building relationships is key, as is going in with understanding and respect," he says. "That goes a long way and is a constant process."

A multimillion-dollar social media campaign on two of China's most popular platforms requires careful planning and vision. Digital Strategist Rishi Kadiwar, '05, MBA '10, says success also requires global mindset — especially when team members work in multiple countries and speak numerous languages.

Some people wait until they travel abroad to develop a global mindset. But Elaine Oves ’15, a marketing associate with Interel Group, says the process starts at home. “You don't have to travel far,” she says. “You just have to step outside your comfort zone and interact with people unlike yourself. The more you do it, the more you learn.”

Visiting other countries, whether for business or leisure, can seem daunting because of the abundance of variables in a new environment. Philip Grove, MBA '15, an international sales manager, chooses to focus on the one constant variable in each trip: himself.

Global business strategist Paul Adler, MBA ’78, can’t help asking questions when he meets somebody from another place. His cultural curiosity propels him forward. “Being interested in other cultures is impossible to fake,” says Adler, a former business development executive for IBM who launched his own firm in 2018.

Sameness can be reassuring. But Maurice Nick, a supply planning manager at Stanley Black & Decker, prefers the disruption of new ideas. "I grow tired of situations quickly," he says. "Without having different insights, different perspectives and different people around me, I get weary in what I'm doing."

A global perspective starts with a local outlook for Rocio Holub '04, a senior manager for global operations at DAI Global, LLC. She says understanding on-the-ground conditions in foreign environments has helped shape her career. In her current assignment, Holub has traveled the world to establish businesses and promote sustainability in foreign markets. She says forming relationships and experiencing different environments firsthand provides valuable perspectives that allow her to better accomplish her objectives.