MBA CHINA STUDY TOUR COURSE
In
this tour we will explore three of China’s major
economic regions --the Bohai Gulf Region
(Beijing and Tianjin), the Yangtze Delta Region
(Shanghai), and the Pearl River Delta Region
(Shenzhen and Hong Kong). We will meet with a
variety of business and government leaders – for
example, with visits to Tianjin’s fast growing
economic and industrial development zone as well
as port authority; manufacturing facilities of
US companies such as Motorola, John Deere, and
Caterpillar; global advertising agency, and
China’s major consumer electronic retail. To
help students optimize the learning experience,
a key component of the study tour is to expose
students to the history and culture of China and
its variations across the vast country.
To help students prepare for the trip there will be pre-departure sessions (to be scheduled) in which we will discuss assigned readings. The readings and discussions will revolve around the theme: Will it be possible for China to sustain its spectacular growth, development, and international position into the next decade? Students are expected to actively participate in the discussion and debate of this topic. Two of the key in-class tasks are for the students to prepare a briefing book and to engage in a thoughtful discourse of this issue. This will be based on assigned readings covering China’s political system, economic development policy, demographic changes, and fast changing consumer culture. We will collectively develop a set of simple metrics to help guide our field observations and interactions with our contacts while in China. The intent is to provide a meaningful framework to help us reflect on what we observe and learn while exploring the different regions of China. Students are to keep a diary of observations and insights during the trip to facilitate the completion of a post-trip reflective essay.
The estimated cost for the trip is between $3500 and $4000 – airfare (trans-Pacific and domestic), hotel (2 to a room), and local transportation and transfers. Students are responsible for most meals (in some hotels, the room rate includes a breakfast) and incidentals.
For more information or to reserve a spot on the tour, please contact either Dr. John Wong (sjwong@iastate.edu) or Dr. Kay Palan (kpalan@iastate.edu), the faculty leaders for this trip, as soon as possible.