Social Entrepreneurship
Above is an image of Katie Mideli, myself and Cody Krautz as we explored the downtown, Old Montreal area with our Montreal counterparts. The beauty of going to Montreal was that while communicating with our group members was easy and immediate, there was also a focus on experiencing the culture and country that we were immersed within. I speak French, as well, so I loved being able to practice my reading, translating and speaking skills!
INTB3094 Social Entrepreneurship: Sustainable and Profitable Solutions to Global Challenges (Travel to Montreal)
Social Entrepreneurship was not a concept that I had ever considered prior to entering this course. It encompasses business concepts (manufacturing, supply chains, marketability) and social reciprocity (encouraging economic growth, fighting global challenges like poverty) in an inter-disciplinary course. I had no idea of the wide-spread social issues facing our global market – the malnutrition, poverty, population growth, etc. In the business school, I’m not exposed to the populations that are considered “unprofitable.” The reality is, that by helping this people, and potentially making a small profit by helping them, we ensure that we have a larger, more diverse market to target in the long run. I am a business major, and I have been immersed in business classes for the two years prior to taking this class, but this course challenged me to work with students in other disciplines, like medicine and engineering, to complete a one-voice product and business plan. It was a challenge because the four people in my group came from very different backgrounds and had very different perspectives, but it was also a growth opportunity because it opened my eyes to those different perspectives and objectives. This course connected with my academic coursework because I must know how to work with people from different disciplines in my corporate career, and also touched with my personal goals because, ultimately, I am more concerned with the social return on investment of my actions rather than just the profit return on investment. I would like to know how to create business plans, but I would also like to know how to use my business knowledge to evoke positive social change.
INTB3094 Social Entrepreneurship: Sustainable and Profitable Solutions to Global Challenges (Travel to Montreal)
Social Entrepreneurship was not a concept that I had ever considered prior to entering this course. It encompasses business concepts (manufacturing, supply chains, marketability) and social reciprocity (encouraging economic growth, fighting global challenges like poverty) in an inter-disciplinary course. I had no idea of the wide-spread social issues facing our global market – the malnutrition, poverty, population growth, etc. In the business school, I’m not exposed to the populations that are considered “unprofitable.” The reality is, that by helping this people, and potentially making a small profit by helping them, we ensure that we have a larger, more diverse market to target in the long run. I am a business major, and I have been immersed in business classes for the two years prior to taking this class, but this course challenged me to work with students in other disciplines, like medicine and engineering, to complete a one-voice product and business plan. It was a challenge because the four people in my group came from very different backgrounds and had very different perspectives, but it was also a growth opportunity because it opened my eyes to those different perspectives and objectives. This course connected with my academic coursework because I must know how to work with people from different disciplines in my corporate career, and also touched with my personal goals because, ultimately, I am more concerned with the social return on investment of my actions rather than just the profit return on investment. I would like to know how to create business plans, but I would also like to know how to use my business knowledge to evoke positive social change.
Asian BUsiness Study Abroad 2014
The above images are a mix of the cultural sites we were able to experience while touring Asia. The company visits were an incredible opportunity to learn about business practices of multinational and local organizations within a developing market, but the temples, views and tourist areas were where the differences between Asian and American culture became more apparent. All of the nations we visited had thousands of years of history, a stronger focus on religion, and the speed of development compared to an already established market was astounding. Everywhere we went there was new construction or preservation on old structures.
Lindner Honors-PLUS Asian Study Abroad 2014: Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, and China
This honors seminar began with a seven week crash course on Asian culture, history, customs and business practices in which speakers from each of the countries and a few of the multinationals we were going to visit came in to present on their experiences abroad. Students were also challenged to research and report on one of the cities to the class - I personally shared Shanghai's history, attractions and a small bit of the culture indigenous to the area. Going in to the program, it was hard to not be disappointed that we weren't going to have the European experience, especially considering I had taken 3 years of French and still never been to France, but reflecting on the opportunity, I'm glad that our class went to Asia. The cities we visited were very metropolitan and felt very much like New York City - bustling, retail outlets everywhere, and lights on every surface. Even business practices were pretty universal except for customs and ingrained cultural views. Asian people tend to be a lot more reserved, polite and focused on respectful, personal relationships. This means that business deals require a much more delicate hand and patience in developing a report, but once the groundwork is laid, business moves at an astonishing pace. Similar to the physical development of the land, China and the surrounding countries are determined to play a significant role in the world economy. Unless I had physically gone and experienced the speed first-had, I would have found it hard to understand the implications of a growing Asian region and take that into account as I enter the business world. As terrifying as it is that the world is expanding and there is a billion-plus hard-working and intelligent people that crave what I have been lucky to already have, it also represents an incredible opportunity to learn and push myself professionally. The Asian international seminar challenged me to open my eyes to the inevitable diversity and growth heading my way, and also to be thankful for what I have here in the US. This course connected with my academic coursework because not only must I know how to work with people from different nationalities in my corporate career, but as a marketing research professional, I must understand the opportunities and threats that the Asian region and consumers offer multinational corporations. The connection with my personal goals relates to my desire to be a well-traveled and accepting individual. Having focused on French in the past, Chinese, Thai, Singaporean and Hong Kong cultures, histories and traditions were completely foreign to me but constantly growing in importance as the region continues to develop.
Lindner Honors-PLUS Asian Study Abroad 2014: Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, and China
This honors seminar began with a seven week crash course on Asian culture, history, customs and business practices in which speakers from each of the countries and a few of the multinationals we were going to visit came in to present on their experiences abroad. Students were also challenged to research and report on one of the cities to the class - I personally shared Shanghai's history, attractions and a small bit of the culture indigenous to the area. Going in to the program, it was hard to not be disappointed that we weren't going to have the European experience, especially considering I had taken 3 years of French and still never been to France, but reflecting on the opportunity, I'm glad that our class went to Asia. The cities we visited were very metropolitan and felt very much like New York City - bustling, retail outlets everywhere, and lights on every surface. Even business practices were pretty universal except for customs and ingrained cultural views. Asian people tend to be a lot more reserved, polite and focused on respectful, personal relationships. This means that business deals require a much more delicate hand and patience in developing a report, but once the groundwork is laid, business moves at an astonishing pace. Similar to the physical development of the land, China and the surrounding countries are determined to play a significant role in the world economy. Unless I had physically gone and experienced the speed first-had, I would have found it hard to understand the implications of a growing Asian region and take that into account as I enter the business world. As terrifying as it is that the world is expanding and there is a billion-plus hard-working and intelligent people that crave what I have been lucky to already have, it also represents an incredible opportunity to learn and push myself professionally. The Asian international seminar challenged me to open my eyes to the inevitable diversity and growth heading my way, and also to be thankful for what I have here in the US. This course connected with my academic coursework because not only must I know how to work with people from different nationalities in my corporate career, but as a marketing research professional, I must understand the opportunities and threats that the Asian region and consumers offer multinational corporations. The connection with my personal goals relates to my desire to be a well-traveled and accepting individual. Having focused on French in the past, Chinese, Thai, Singaporean and Hong Kong cultures, histories and traditions were completely foreign to me but constantly growing in importance as the region continues to develop.