By Russell Hollander

All Drury MBA students travel to China as part of the MBA capstone class MBA 682 Global Business, New Ventures, and Innovation. Recently, several students, and the class professor, Dr. Sronce, traveled to Beijing May 24-30, 2009.

While in Beijing, they toured several businesses, including K-touch Cell Phone Manufacturer, Gee Toys, WI Harper, and Kingway Brewing. The group also had the opportunity to experience the natural beauty and cultural splendor of China, with trips to the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and other sites. Here are some of the students’ reflections on their experiences in China:

John Schraft

This trip exposed me to a culture very different from my own. It was not easy navigating through a city where I did not know the language and couldn’t even read the street signs. It made me realize how hard it is to be the “foreigner” and how one should reach out to make everyone feel comfortable. I know it will be essential should I do business in China to try to fit in while I am there; certainly being more cognizant of the language and customs of the Chinese will be a big help to me in the future.

Tim Fraticelli

For me, the benefit of going to China was three-fold: the business side, the cultural side, and the relational side. Our days exploring the different business settings were planned ahead of time, but it was up to me to develop the other two aspects of the trip. It was during these business trips that I was able to see for myself the culture of China. I gathered a greater appreciation for my own culture, and developed a deeper respect for accepting the culture of others. During this week of exploration, I built relationships with my colleagues, which helped me to understand the Chinese culture even better. We had an outstanding time just walking around Beijing and taking it all in. I think I made the most of my trip and can say that I thoroughly enjoyed exploring China through Drury’s MBA program.

Andreas Maroldt

One of the activities that I always enjoyed the most was the group meals. In addition to the fact that the food was delicious, I really relished the eating environment. We would sit at a round table of ten people, and different plates of food were brought in intervals until the whole table was full of various specialties. That way we were able to try everything at once instead of ordering only one item at a time. Sitting at a round table allowed us to face each other and encouraged us to be involved in conversations. From this experience I concluded that Chinese people put more emphasis on meals as an event of communication and leisure rather than solely the pure purpose of eating. We also learned that business is often conducted while having dinner, which probably adds a personal note to the usually rather reserved and dry act of business.

Ginny Acheson

The aspect of Chinese culture I came to value is the importance they place on relationships. From my prior business dealings in China, I knew that this was true to some extent, but I didn’t fully appreciate that the characteristic stems from their history and the teaching of Confucius. As a result of my deeper understanding of this characteristic, I will make a greater effort to improve my relationships with my Chinese business associates. Prior to reading “Wearing Chinese Glasses” and before this trip, I honestly thought that the relationships with my contacts in China were nothing more than business relationships, and it had little meaning other than to execute a successful business transaction. I now see how my former attitude was incorrect and may have even been insulting to them if it was noticed. I will adjust the way I interact with my Chinese partners now that I have the benefit of greater cultural understanding.

Max Buetow

The structure of our schedule was so perfect for my needs. We were encouraged to go out and experience China on our own terms. I think that having this ability allowed me to gain a more balanced perspective of China as a whole. My opinions of the Far East have shifted from one far side of the spectrum to the extreme other. I don’t think that either of these viewpoints encompassed the real China, and it was only after I was able to draw upon my own firsthand encounters that I was able to scratch the real surface. What I was left with was a sense of humanity, an understanding that there is so much more than initial perception grants us to comprehend.

Will Thompson

The ability to let oneself flow with the organized chaos that is Beijing is something that I have never felt before. I have always loved to travel and discover new things, but going into this trip, I never thought that I would develop such an interest in the history and culture of China. If I could redo any part of this trip, I think I would try to forgo sleeping so I could experience more. There was just not enough time, although looking back on my travels around the world, there is never enough time no matter how long you have. Overall I would have to rank this trip among the top trips that I have ever taken. The business trips were glimpses into a world that I never really considered before this class, and the sites were among the greatest that I have ever had chance to see. My love for traveling has only been increased because of this trip and I truly hope that I will be able to return to China, either on business or just for pure pleasure.

The MBA program China trip features many unique experiences. All participants on the excursion were profoundly affected by their adventures in China. They also experienced the culture, history, and natural beauty of China, in addition to seeing how Chinese and international businesses operate there from the inside. Additionally, Drury MBA students are better prepared to engage in global business and compete in global markets with the benefit of a rich international trip experience. For more information on the Drury MBA program, contact Angie Davis (adavis06@drury.edu), visit the About the MBA section of the MBA program website, or Apply Now.