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Sebastian Teunissen
Next Faculty
 Selection
Process for Countries Visited
The main objective is to combine two countries or regions into each program. One country/region will be well developed (Japan in 1999, Belgium and the Netherlands in 2000) while the other will be developing (Vietnam in 1999 and Ghana in 2000). This contrast allows us to learn a great deal about how culture and economic development shape the business environment. But there are logistical issues as well - travel times, flight connections, etc. In addition, I look for countries where I have some connections or at least know of interesting companies. The Ashanti Goldfields in Ghana is one such example. Selection Process for Companies and Industries Visited With the proximity of Silicon Valley to Haas and the type of companies employing most EMBA students we will always have a number of high tech companies on any agenda. In addition, the country itself will reveal the types of companies that should be included. In Japan it was imperative that we visited a consumer products company in order to understand the challenges of marketing there. As a result, we visited Procter and Gamble. In Ghana, the nascent stock exchange allowed insights into what it might have been like to trade stocks in New York centuries ago when trading took place outdoors, under a tree. The flower market in Aalsmeer, Netherlands also offered a rare insight into a type of auction only just now becoming more common on the Internet. Overall, it is my goal to provide a mix of companies - foreign and domestic, large and small, service and manufacturing, so that we can get to see the broadest possible cross-section of business challenges and opportunities. Favorite Part of This Year's Trip I have to answer this on a few levels. The first has to do with the participants themselves. To see the reactions of the students to the various experiences, visits and encounters that we have arranged and to see them learn, first hand, about cross-cultural and international issues has to be one of the highlights for me. On a more personal level, the visit to El Mina castle near Cape Coast was a revelation. To see the exact spot from which so many slaves left Africa and to visualize the hardships they endured in the dungeons and cells, while realizing that colonial American commerce was largely built on their suffering affected me profoundly. On a business level, the candor and openness with which we were received by so many companies and organizations was very rewarding. And finally, on an shere amusement level, I would have to say watching Joseph Yarak bargaining in Ghana while Jeff Maltz tried to recruit every passerby to take a group photograph with his digital camera. Agenda for Next Year Next year's agenda has yet to be decided. We will need to balance the points mentioned above. However, some possibilities might include Singapore and Indonesia or perhaps Cuba plus a Central/South American country. We are also considering the possibility of repeating this year's destinations with one group (15 students) while another group (15 students) might study a new pair of countries. We might also consider returning to Japan and combining it with Indonesia, India or another less developed Asian country. |