October 2007 - Volume 16 Issue 3

MSU-CIBER Newsletter

Success Story

IBI 2007

Thank you so much for making the opportunity available for Community College instructors to participate in the 7th Biennial International Business Institute for Community College faculty. This was a rich and rewarding activity that will benefit the students at our respective community colleges for many years to come. The expertise that was shared and the camaraderie that we all experienced were outstanding. This is the best conference I have ever attended. I appreciate all of the planning and preparation that made this event a first class experience. I will be checking the globalEDGE site regularly and my students will be doing many assignments utilizing the research capability of this outstanding website. My students will also have the opportunity to hear about all of the great things that I learned from the international experts during the conference.

David White - Assistant Professor of Business, Missouri State University - West Plains

Women in Business

At the request of the U.S. Department of State, MSU-CIBER organized and hosted a half-day seminar on women in the workforce for a visiting delegation of North African and Middle Eastern businesswomen. The goal of the program was to show the role of women in the workforce in this country and abroad, as well as some of the issues they face. Female executives from IBM and DHL spoke on issues such as managing the work-life balance, women in leadership roles, differences in compensation for men and women, and differences between public- and private-sector work environments for women. By showing workplace similarities across cultures, the program worked to education the delegation about U.S. business culture, as well as to strengthen the connection the group would feel to the U.S.

The State Department program, Women as Economic and Business Leaders, is an International Visitor Leadership Program and aims to improve cultural understanding between women from select countries and the United States. Previous alumnae include the likes of Margaret Thatcher. This year’s group consisted of 13 Middle Eastern and North African women representing countries such as Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Libya, and Saudi Arabia. The group spent three weeks in the United States; in addition to visiting East Lansing, they also traveled to Washington, D.C., Phoenix, Houston, and New York City. Each of the participants, who included lawyers, engineers, and civil servants, was hand-picked by the U.S. Embassy in her home country to participate.

Upcoming Activities

Oct 24, 2007 Homeland Security and Canada-U.S. Border Trade: Implications For Public Policy and Business Strategy
National borders should be secure, but national economic health requires that border commerce not be impeded by security concerns. The "by invitation only" Homeland Security and Canada-U.S. Border Trade: Implications for Public Policy and Business Strategy conference is designed to assess American and Canadian security perspectives as it relates to Canada-U.S. border trade, review existing efforts to "keep the border closed to terrorists and open for trade," and identify economically and politically feasible public policy and private sector strategies to achieve a viable and sustainable balance between homeland security and economic security for both nations. The conference sessions, for 120 business executives, government officials, and academics, will address bi-national dimensions of issues, identifying areas of both concordance and current or potential discord, and will seek to identify paths of further mutually beneficial cooperation. This forum for private sector-public sector exchange of ideas will serve to identify means of fully engaging the private sector in security efforts, initiate constructive policy action, and stimulate meaningful research.

Oct 25, 2007 Iternational Trade Symposium: The Michigan Challenge II
The State of Michigan is in the midst of a decades long transition from a predominantly manufacturing economy, largely geared to a North American market, to becoming a successful participant in an increasingly complex, globalized world.

Optimal use of existing and new resources will be a key factor in achieving a common goal: A more diversified Michigan economy and broadly educated workforce which not only benefits the people of Michigan but contributes to a better life for the world’s citizens.

The goal of this second International Trade Symposium is to make a timely, practical educational contribution to this complex process.

The program has been planned as an overview/update for leaders involved in a variety of roles in strengthening Michigan’s economy:

  • international business entrepreneurs,
  • economic development professionals,
  • government officials and employees concerned with economic development,
  • agricultural export entrepreneurs & leaders,
  • academic faculty and students interested in international trade issues,
  • non-profit leaders with international interests.

Oct 25, 2007 Global Business Club Luncheon
October’s Global Business Club luncheon will be held in concert with the anniversary celebration of the founding of the United Nations. It features an address on The UN Global Compact Approach to International Development by Carrie Hall of the United Nations Global Compact Office.

Carrie Hall joined the UN Global Compact in 2004 and is a communications and public affairs advisor for the initiative. She has served as editor of the Compact Quarterly since 2005. In addition, Ms. Hall manages a broad range of communications for Global Compact. Prior to joining the United Nations staff, she was a vice-president at Hill & Knowlton, an international public relations agency. She holds a Masters in Public Administration from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.

Oct 31, 2007 Lansing Regional Chamber Economic Club Luncheon
The Lansing Regional Chamber Economic Club is dedicated to promoting and stimulating economic growth through timely and insightful community forums presented for personal and professional development. The Economic Club provides a forum where local business and community leaders can hear presentations on a broad range of business-related topics. Past presentations have ranged from how global economic trends affect the national and local economy, to hearing how leaders from different walks of life have achieved their success and view of the future. Juliette Okotie-Eboh, Vice President of Community Affairs at the MGM Grand Detroit, will speak at the October luncheon.

Nov 14, 2007 Global Business Club Luncheon
The Global Business Club of Mid-Michigan focuses on global issues of interest to the mid-Michigan business community. In this role, the GB Club is dedicated to supporting global business growth of the State of Michigan and its diverse manufacturing and service organizations. The main activity of the GB Club is the luncheon speaker series.

The monthly GB Club luncheons provide outstanding speakers and relaxed networking opportunities. With extensive international experience, the speakers wrap personal insights around a practical and up-to-the-minute approach to conducting international trade. The luncheons are open to the general public. Typically, about 100 business executives, public policy makers, and academics attend each luncheon.

Nov 16, 2007 MSU Greater China Supply Chain Forum
The Greater China Supply Chain Forum is a core project of the Broad International Business Forum (BIBF), held each fall at Michigan State University. Each year over 300 students, faculty and professionals converge to hear top managers speak about their experiences in China. These managers travel to East Lansing from around the globe to represent such multinational corporations as Dell, Whirlpool, UPS, GM, A.T. Kearney, and many more. Three panels of speakers are joined by guest moderators to provide a full day of presentations and Q&A on focused topics in current, international business. An informal luncheon in the middle of the day brings speakers and attendees together for a chance to interact on a more personal level, and sets the scene for the announcement of the annual BIBF scholarship recipient. This award is given to an outstanding international student and made possible by the generous donations of the forum's sponsors.

Nov 28, 2007 Lansing Regional Chamber Economic Club Luncheon
The Lansing Regional Chamber Economic Club is dedicated to promoting and stimulating economic growth through timely and insightful community forums presented for personal and professional development. The Economic Club provides a forum where local business and community leaders can hear presentations on a broad range of business-related topics. Past presentations have ranged from how global economic trends affect the national and local economy, to hearing how leaders from different walks of life have achieved their success and view of the future. Denise Illitch, President of Illitch Enterprises will speak at the November luncheon.

Nov 28, 2007 Emerging Frontiers in International Business (JIBS)
Fifth Annual AIB Conference on Emerging Research Frontiers in International Business Theme: Conflict, Security and Political Risk: International Business in a Challenging Environment

About MSU-CIBER

The Center for International Business Education and Research in The Eli Broad Graduate School of Management at Michigan State University (MSU-CIBER) was designated in 1990 as a National Resource Center in international business by the U.S. Department of Education. In this capacity, the mission of MSU-CIBER is to leverage our leading-edge competencies to provide superior education, research, and assistance to businesses, public policy makers, academics, and students on issues of importance to international trade and global competitiveness using our guiding principles as the foundation. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you can unsubscribe from our mailing list.

October 2007 - Volume 16 Issue 3