International Business and Global Citzenship

My Time in Mexico

2009-12-13T14:21:00.004-06:00

With my rural homestay

By: Kaity Berg

It is almost impossible to sum up these past few months here in México. From the moment I arrived to my day of departure México can and will be one of my second homes near and dear to me. I had never traveled outside the US before coming here to México in August and I am glad that my first experience was with CGE. Within the four months I was here I have learned more about myself and what is going on in the world around me then I have in any other four month time frame in my life.

My favorite part of the experience was definitely my home stays with Mexican families. Our business group had one in a rural area for four days and everyone had one for four weeks at the end of the program. These experiences have taught me what it is to live in Mexico and how families here cope with everyday life. Another favorite experience of mine is getting to know Cuernavaca. When I needed time to myself my favorite thing to do was to get lost in the city. I feel as if the city had an energy that I needed, there is always something going on in the city and people galore going about their business. This is also good for those people who like cities and people watching. As for the school, I really liked my classes and everyone that was involved with CGE. From the staff to the interns everyone was very congenial, welcoming and supportive when needed.

Semester in Review

2009-12-10T14:16:00.005-06:00

Carlos Perez-Verdia from the Central Bank in Mexico City talks about Mexican monetary policy

By: Grady Christopherson

My semester here in Mexico was very insightful as far as the way I see the world. I look at and analyze things differently after this semester—it forces me to think about everyday things that I see as a result of globalization. For example, I don’t go past Wal-Mart without thinking what went into getting that store there on many different levels, as well as how it operates now as a business. It was interesting to learn so many things about international trade, marketing, and business but at the same time it was even more interesting to learn about them through the cultural lens that we did. Learning about what NAFTA was and what it did to Mexico was great, but even better was walking down the street and seeing what NAFTA had done.

Also, I thoroughly enjoyed visits to people affected by NAFTA, the corn farmer we visited in Amátlan sticks in mind because of how she told us and showed first hand how NAFTA had changed her life. Learning about Mexican cultural values in a business context was also a very valuable part of my time here. And I think the order in which we learned the material in our business class was very helpful, particularly the fact that we learned about Mexican history first and then business. This allowed us understand a little bit of why things work they work and not just how they work in Mexico. My favorite part of my stay here was going to Mexico City, particularly when we visited the Central Bank. Our talk there was very informational and afterwards it was really cool to see the three people in the back that enforce the entire monetary policy of Mexico with a big calculator and a couple of computers. My stay here was great, and again it has made me look at things differently, and perhaps that is why I’m staying here another semester.

Overview of Semester

2009-12-09T15:16:00.007-06:00

Mexico Fall 09 CGE students and guide atop Xochicalco

By: Kyle Soderberg

As the semester winds down, I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on my experiences in Cuernavaca. I learned a lot this semester. I learned a lot about globalization and about some of its many facets. Globalization is a tricky thing and there are many viewpoints of it. NAFTA and neo-liberalism were also subjects we touched on in class. My Spanish skills improved greatly from my Spanish classes. The Spanish courses were for a short period of time but in an intense fashion. Also, all of the speakers we listened to this semester were very interesting. We had a wide array of speakers covering a wide array of topics. In general, the speakers in Mexico City were my favorite. I also enjoyed our excursion to the hacienda. The home stay experience was also a highlight of mine. I improved my Spanish skills greatly. I also got to see and experience different parts of the city.

Another important aspect of my semester was my internship. My internship experience taught me some valuable skills. I performed a semi-independent research project for a company. As a whole, I think my experience in Mexico was an important one. I had never been out of the country before, much less left Minnesota much. I have a new appreciation for people of difference cultures and the different cultures themselves. I am also now much more informed about the U.S. policy in foreign countries. I learned how this policy along with other organizations such as the World Bank has played instrumental roles in many developing countries. These roles have not always been positive. I will be graduated from Augsburg College after my semester here is over and I got so much out of my experience; I have accepted a graduate intern position with CGE here in their Cuernavaca, Mexico, site for the spring semester.

Homestays

2009-12-01T14:27:00.006-06:00

By: Kaity Berg

A few weeks ago in international business we moved into our homestays, which has been a great experience so far. Before moving in, there were many anxious questions swirling around, and anticipations about what our family was going to be like. Many of the worries arose about our time in the homestays because as you can imagine, we are a group of many different levels of Spanish as well as personalities, not to mention the cultural differences. How do we get around the language barrier if there is one? What if we do not like the meals we are served? What if we have an early curfew?

For me, I was excited and nervous at the same time, however there was no way for me to mentally prepare for what we were moving in to. As cheesy as it sounds, I knew that it was crucial to have an open mind and positive attitude because as I have learned, these things, as small as they seem, can make or break your experience. Each student has a different situation so I am only able to talk about mine. But since we have been here, I feel as if I have already learned so much about the culture and day in the life of my Mexican mom.

My mom and I at a balneario (water park) on a day trip

For example, I feel like I have learned more about the Spanish language than I did in a term at school. The second day I was in my homestay, my mom took me to Tepoztlan (a little town with a large pyramid and many street vendors), where we walked around and ate pozolé (a popular local soup) for lunch. When we got home that night, my mom and I had coffee and pan (bread) and talked. This was an eye-opening experience for me because she talked the whole time about various things while I listened. This would be a normal situation if I understood any of it. Now she thinks I can apprehend everything she says because I give her head nods and say "si" at the correct time. This has definitely been my most trying and educational incident. All in all, I have been having a good time and learning a lot. If given the chance to do this again, I would not pass it up.

Globalization From Different Perspectives

2009-11-29T18:46:00.003-06:00

By: Grady Christopherson

This week we learned about the Zapatista movement and heard from an international marketer from Gemalto. Carlos Romero, who handles international marketing for Gemalto, explained to us the scope of the company’s operations. Although the name Gemalto doesn’t really ring out as far as companies go, it is present in many things that we use everyday. For example SIM cards in cellular telephones, ATM technology, and passports just to name a few. He went on to explain the process of marketing on the international level for his company and who he has to do deal with on a weekly basis. All in all it was very interesting to gain an insight into the work of an international marketer for such a large company as Gemalto.

Carlos Romeros sharing his work about marketing in Gemalto.

Later in the week our very own business professor gave a talk about the Zapatista movement—what it stands for, and the history of it. It is a response to neo-liberalization and globalization. It started the day NAFTA was signed, in the morning of January 1^st, 1994. The Zapatistas took over several towns in Chiapas, an impoverished region in Southern Mexico. They manage to retain a major part of this territory even now. Although it may seem like the Zapatistas are a violent guerilla group, they are more peaceful if you take a second glance. They have already pledged to become involved in getting what they want through the political process through peaceful means. They still have guys with masks and guns to protect their territory from the Mexican government. As far as their demands, for the major part none have been met, and they change every couple of years. But they are mainly based around the Zapatista motto, Tierra y Libertad, land and freedom. They see globalization as threatening to their community in Chiapas and you can’t blame them, Mexico definitely sees the ugly side of globalization every day.

All in all it was a great week—we heard about topics from two very different places of the world. But these topics are not so different—Carlos Romeros showed us the rosy side of globalization and Antonio Ortega showed us why the Zapatistas have been fighting globalization for all these years.

Business Program Signs Agreement with UPEMOR

2009-11-23T13:10:00.004-06:00

By: Stephanie Jackson

On Tuesday, CGE’s brand-new International Business semester program in Cuernavaca, Mexico, took an important step forward as it signed an institutional agreement with the local Universidad Politécnica del Estado de Morelos (UPEMOR). Antonio Ortega, CGE’s Business program coordinator, and Violeta Jaramillo, a UPEMOR professor of administration, were instrumental in forming the agreement. The two have already been working together with their students throughout the semester to arrange student exchanges, group excursions, and internship placements.

From left: Ann Lutterman Aguilar and Natividad Rosas (from CGE), alongside Violeta Jaramillo and Jose Dario Galicia Reyes (from UPEMOR) during the signing

As two relatively young institutions—CGE’s business program is in its first semester and UPEMOR was founded in 2004—the programs share much in common. Both have a shared interest in international issues, especially due to the ever-increasing role of globalization in our world. Both institutions understand the necessity of learning a second language in order to open doors for their students in the future. And finally, the issue of social responsibility is very important to both CGE and UPEMOR. CGE’s mission has always included social justice as a key component of its programs, while UPEMOR is involved with programs such as the support of a local school in need, la Escuela Conafe de Loma Bonita.

Faculty, staff and business students from CGE and UPEMOR

When representatives for both CGE and UPEMOR met to sign the formal agreement, it was clear that all parties are excited about the opportunities that this agreement will offer. Some of the benefits include student and professor exchanges, joint student projects (one of which is already happening), internship partnerships, and language practice for students. Ortega mentioned CGE’s excitement for continued exchanges, both formal and informal, for its business students, while Jaramillo talked about it as a way to offer experiences that will keep her students competitive in the job market. Everyone is looking forward to a positive and beneficial relationship between these two institutions for many years to come.

Host Family Preparation

2009-11-16T14:54:00.006-06:00

By: Hannah Carlson

This week both the International Business and the Crossing Borders students prepared for their upcoming home stays. First there was a discussion or “training” on what is appropriate at the house, what is culturally acceptable or culturally different, and how maintain interaction with the families. For example food and meals, privacy, noise, greetings, family dynamics, guests and friends, going out, safety and health, bathroom, telephone, student as guest versus family members, humor, mannerisms and ways we carry our bodies and gifts were all topics discussed in the home stay preparation.

After discussing each topic individually people who have been in those certain situations before shared their experiences and what they did in the situation to make it better. One student shared about a bathroom situation where the students were forgetting that it was not good to flush the toilet paper and that signs started popping up reminding the students to throw the paper in the trash bin. Another huge theme that was brought up during this chat was communication. The main topic was that no matter what situation you are in it is always important to remember to communicate in order to feel comfortable in the house. While this talk was extremely helpful in most areas I feel like it failed to express that all situations will be somewhat different and even if you study and prepare yourself based on these examples your situation may be extremely different.

Christina and Marisela facilitate the building of the house of hopes and fears.

The day the students actually left for their home stays there was another discussion that included icebreakers and an interesting activity. The icebreakers were nice because, at the same time, it gave people the opportunity to get to know their host families and the families of the other students. After that the students and families had the opportunity to “build a house” that helped expose the hopes and fears everyone may have been feeling. All in all the home stay orientations were very helpful in order to see what may be done in certain situations.

Tequila and Silver!

2009-11-06T16:11:00.006-06:00

By: Kaity Berg

This week in Mexico there was a lot to do. We went on three different excursions. The first one was in the city of Tlaltizapan where the business students were able to see and hear a story of how a hometown tequila factory is created. The second adventure we took on was in Taxco where we heard about another co-op business starting from the ground up. Each one of these trips showed us a part of business in Latin America in a different way.

The journey begins with the tequila factory. In the land of the Zapata headquarters we visited a tequila factory. The agave plants were given as gifts to the owners of the land. This particular tequila is made from one hundred percent agave. Upon receiving the plants the men had no formal or informal training on how to make tequila from agave or any tequila plants. Slowly but surely from the ground up the men gained more and more support and funding. Other tequila factories showed the men how to produce tequila, the government became interested and loaned the new agave owners 20,000 pesos to start, and equipment was acquired.

These were the bottles of agave ready to be shelved and sold!

As I was watching this process I became more appreciative of tequila. When drinking tequila one never really stops to think about where it came from or how it was made. I found how long the agave needed to be processed was the most interesting part. Among other processes, agave plants need to cook for twenty five hours, sit for another twenty five hours, and then the freshly made tequila needs to stay in oak barrels for 31 months! The agave factory was a good example of how hard it is and how many things need to be done to keep a business in working order. This visit also opened my eyes to how much the government is involved in the success or failure of a company.

UPA, the silver co-op

The next speaker we had was at a silver co-op in Taxco. This was one of my favorite speakers so far. Not only were the people very friendly, but they had a very successful co-op as well, which we have learned is not in the government’s favor here in Mexico. Upon our first step in the factory door we were warmly welcomed and offered beverages. As everyone got settled into a seat the employees began telling their story. Taxco is known for its silver mines and so many business opportunities arose for people from all parts of the country. This particular company buys kilos of silver and transforms the silver into handmade jewelry and then sells it throughout the world. On a positive note the company is very successful and has many international investors. So it is also important to know that having a successful business without much government help can happen.

Hacienda Santa Cruz

2009-11-05T10:31:00.005-06:00

By: Kyle Soderberg

On Friday, the International Business program visited a hacienda. Haciendas traditionally have been plantations for growing a crop such as sugar cane. Many haciendas throughout history have used slave labor. The Hacienda Santa Cruz is located in between the two cities of Tetecala and Mazatepec. The grounds are very beautiful and have a wonderful history. The hacienda was a fully operating sugar cane and rice plantation until the Mexican Revolution in 1910. The hacienda was burned to rubble during the revolution. The great grandfather of the family that currently owns the hacienda bought the site in 1931. It was untouched for many years. Eventually it was passed down through the generations to the current owners.

After many more years and a lot of renovations, the hacienda has been divided into four parts. Two parts are small hotels, one part is a summer camp for kids, and another part is a private residence. The grounds also encompass a small chapel, a few barn animals, and a small mango orchard. There was an agreement between all of the owners to not alter the exterior of the buildings so as to keep intact the historical features of the complex. One of the hotel owners, Eduardo, spoke with us about his business and the operations of his section of the hacienda. The hacienda has a few full time workers that get paid well and get full benefits. Some staff is hired as needed depending on the number of guests. The hacienda is also working towards being completely environmentally responsible—it has started with compost and a strict recycling regiment, among other things.

The chapel and main grounds

Eduardo currently works outside the hacienda, but plans on retiring soon to work on the hacienda full time. It needs a more focused approach on marketing but Eduardo will spearhead that after retirement. The hacienda targets events such as weddings and groups such as business seminars.

It was important for the business students to make this trip. It showed us one more business in a transitioning phase. The Hacienda Santa Cruz is not a highly profitable business now but very well could be in the future. Also, it gave us valuable information about the history of some haciendas and what many are being used for today. Many old haciendas are hotels but some are still in ruins and others have various other uses. This place has a lot of potential and is an exciting prospect to watch.

Students Visit Puebla

2009-10-26T10:36:00.004-06:00

By: Stephanie Jackson

Tlachihualtepetl (bottom) and Santuario de la Virgen de los Remedios (top)

CGE students in front of the site

This past weekend, our students had the opportunity to accompany a local art professor on a day-long excursion to Cholula and Puebla, one of the very first Spanish settlements during the colonial period and currently a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The visit consisted mostly of viewing different cathedrals in the area, the state of Puebla being famous for its abundance of churches!

During their first stop in Cholula, an important pre-Columbian Mesoamerican city, students visited a very unique archaeological site. They first explored the tunnels of Tlachihualtepetl, also known as the Great Pyramid of Cholula and said to be the largest monument of its kind in the world (based on volume). Now, the pyramid is located under a large land mass and a Spanish church, Santuario de la Virgen de los Remedios. It was an interesting juxtaposition of the old and the new Mexico—and yet another example of pre-Hispanic civilizations being appropriated by the Spanish during colonization and altered to serve their own purposes.

Once in the city of Puebla itself, the students’ first stop was the Puebla Cathedral, located right in the historical city center near the zocalo (city square). The students learned the history and significance of this cathedral, a Roman Catholic Church built in the 16th and 17th centuries. They were also able to view the Poblano mosaic tiles so typical of Puebla. At the Iglesia de Santo Domingo as well, Poblano art and architecture was studied, and the Arabic influences from the Spanish colonists were discussed as well.

All in all, the Puebla excursion was a great look into Mexican art and architecture for the CGE students. Does anyone else have any experiences they want to share about this amazing place?

Neo-Liberalism and the Altering of Women’s Roles

2009-10-19T15:26:00.004-05:00

By: Kyle Soderberg

Irene Ortiz discusses neo-liberalism and Mexican women

The IB (International Business) program in Cuernavaca has been focusing on globalization recently. We have been discussing the pros and cons that have been gained through globalization. Although we take examples from all over the world, we try to focus on Latin America. Also, the IB program has not dissected the social responsibility that does or should accompany the implementation of globalization; however, the Crossing Borders program here in Cuernavaca tends to focus more on social issues. Naturally, they have been discussing the social impact of globalization and neo-liberalism here in Mexico and Latin America.

Last Friday, Fred Rosen—an independent journalist and economist—came and gave a speech to both programs on “What is Neo-Liberalism”. Neo-liberalism is very tied to globalization in many Latin American countries but it is more of a social moral philosophy. This week both groups were visited by Irene Ortiz. Irene has been a feminist organizer in Mexico for over 20 years. She discussed how neo-liberalism has been affecting and altering the traditional roles of women in Mexico. Also, she described the challenges women are facing because of these alterations as well as describing the benefits. Women in Mexico and Latin America are now objects of the market. They are workers and they are consumers. She also stated that there has been an increase in the informal sector of the market such as street vendors, and women have to be more creative, such as having their children sell things at night on the street.

Beneficial for both student programs, her examples included economic and social matters. Although it is not the focus of the IB program, it is routinely important to contemplate socials issues so that we may be able to keep the economic issues in perspective.

Maquiladora Visit

2009-10-15T10:26:00.004-05:00

By: Grady Christopherson

This week we visited a maquiladora, which was quite interesting; it was a manufacturing plant for Burlington Co., a U.S. textile company. When you think of a maquiladora in Mexico, this was not what came into my mind. The plant itself was more or less clean, and relationships between subordinates and managers seemed respectful, in some cases warm and friendly. The manager giving us the tour for example greeted several workers warmly in our presence and you could also clearly see other friendly interactions between workers and their bosses.

Women working in a maquiladora (http://elproyectomatriz.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/maquiladora.jpg)

The factory was quite loud, and as such we all got a complimentary pair of earplugs, which at the same time complicated things a little bit because it also made it quite difficult to hear his explanations for things. We also went with a woman who was a manager there in past years, and told us that they had a union, and respected their workers.

The only negative aspects of this maquiladora in my eyes were the repetitive motions/loud noise inside the factory and workers’ roles that were clearly attached to gender. All the managers that I saw were men, but beyond that it seemed like men did one job and women another—closely related to traditional roles of a man and woman in traditional, conservative Mexican culture. For example, there was 50 workers, all of them female, working on what were more or less sewing machines. I witnessed men doing most of the heavy lifting, jobs that are culturally acceptable for men.

All in all it was an enlightening experience for all of us to see a U.S. company’s manufacturing in Mexico. NAFTA had many negative aspects of NAFTA in Mexico. NAFTA itself was not bad for Mexico but rather the time at which it was signed, Mexico was predisposed for failure because of its inferior technology, education, infrastructure, regulation (environmental and legal) and economy. In other words NAFTA itself is not to blame for the fact that Mexico does not enjoy anywhere close to the benefits that its neighbors to the North do. All in all it was a great week, learning about the U.S.’ involvement in Mexico through globalization first hand.

Globalization in Mexico

2009-10-05T15:57:00.004-05:00

By: Hannah Carlson

This week in International Business we had a visit from two brothers named Andrés and Francisco Santos who talked to us about globalization and how it has affected them.

Andrés and Francisco Santos presented on globalization and how it is not a new concept, but that it can be seen in many places throughout history. First Francisco Santos talked about how at the beginning there were empires that held all the wealth. After there was nationalism, which took a step away from globalization, then there was regionalism. Regionalism promoted alliances between countries in the same region. Finally, today there is a move towards a world without borders, which is being promoted through globalization. Francisco’s main point was that globalization means evolution. I can agree that nationalism was a step away from globalization because at the time of the nation states, countries’ main concerns were of nationality and state sovereignty; building within the borders was more important than creating relations with other states. I also agree that globalization equates to evolution but trade between different societies has been happening for thousands of years, today it just happens at a faster rate because of the new developments in technology and the way it is transferred. After Francisco introduced globalization his brother, Andrés Santos talked about their father’s company, Industrias Romansa.

Fransisco and Andrés Santos present to the CGE students

Industrias Romansa was a company that started in the 1970’s and by the 90’s, through the agreements in NAFTA, the company was able to work with companies in the United States, manufacturing jeans at a low cost. Unfortunately the companies Industrias Romansa were working with found areas in different parts of the world that provided the same services for less money and they stopped working with Industrias Romansa. There was no warning that the companies were going to default on their contracts, which lead to the bankruptcy of the company and the unemployment of its workers. After the tale of the company Andrés stressed the importance of the role of ethics in globalization because what the companies did to Industrias Romansa was not ethical.

The most important part of this presentation was the question of ethics. The students, including me, are part of the future of international business and international relations and it is important for us to remember that unethical decisions in the business arena will affect the company and the community it operates in.

Amazing Amatlán

2009-09-29T13:25:00.008-05:00

By: Giana Gallo

Hostel de la Luz - a pretty place but at what price?

According to legend, this small town is the birthplace of the revered Aztec god Quetzalcóatl. Located in between impressive mountains, Amatlán proved to be inhabited by aspiring business people who were proud to share their professional experiences with us.

Upon our arrival to Atekokoli, an alternative medicine practice, we quickly learned about the community living in Amatlán. It is part of the municipality of Tepoztlan, and is the smallest of the four towns involved. All of the land is communal, according to the ways of the town, there is no private property. Unfortunately, citizens are beginning to sell their land to foreigners looking to build weekend homes in the beautiful area. This land, often, happens to be the best quality, and pushes the poor to the outskirts of town.

We also visited Hostel de la Luz, a hotel focused on personal development using a holistic spiritual approach. Designed by a plastic surgeon from Mexico City, Hostel de la Luz is a pricey and luxurious place with an incredible view. When the owners first approached the citizens of Amatlán for approval to start building, they promised to only hire workers from the community and to aid with municipal projects. One of the unique things about Amatlán is that the community works without pay to complete municipal projects, such as, paving a road. As some of us were told by the host families we stayed with, Hostel de la Luz’s loving philosophy does not transpire to their treatment of employees. They are paid poorly paid and receive little benefits. For me, this was unbelievable given the prices of the rooms and services at the hotel. It seemed to me that Hostel de la Luz could easily afford to increase employee salary and help the community more.

Aside from visiting a foreign business prospering in Amatlán, we met with a local businessman by the name of Don Lucio Perez. Excluding hiking in the mountains in pouring rain with my host family, I had the best time hearing about Don Lucio's up and coming wine business. It was exciting to find out about the evolution of his company, Amatlán. I was a little surprised to hear that he wanted to keep it a family business, but then I remembered that many businesses in Mexico are family-owned. He spoke to us about the challenges of acquiring patents and expanding his company with a government that is highly regulative. The small business development program that is funded by the government requires him to pay a monthly tax of over 1,000 pesos – how paradoxical. His experiences demonstrated some of the problems with starting a business in Mexico. Despite hindrances such as these, Don Lucio is doing well and I hope to buy his delicious Milk Punch a grocery store in the United States one day.

Overall, the places we visited in Amatlán were a great contrast with our visits in Mexico City. Don Lucio's talk gave us insight to the emergence of a business, whereas our visits to Boing and Hospira Pharmaceuticals taught us about the organization of established companies. Can't wait to go back and visit my host family!

Our Trip to Mexico City

2009-09-29T13:17:00.007-05:00

By: Mara Pederson

Boing co-op representatives meet with CGE´s business students

Last week the CGE’s International Business students were able to visit and observe several different companies in Mexico City. Students spent their days by visiting such places as Hospira Pharmaceuticals, the Historical Center, and the United States Embassy. Throughout these places we visited we were able to compare and contrast how different businesses operated and functioned on a daily basis.

One example of a company that demonstrates a different business approach is the Boing Cooperative. We learned that before Boing became a cooperative it was a successful company. Boing expressed that in 1982 there was a wage increase due to economic conditions, which was not respected and led to difficult times for the business. CGE students learned about the support Boing provided to strikes that occurred between 1982 and 1985 and the effect on the company as a result. The aspects of profit returns and reinvesting were also mentioned. Boing discussed that its first profit returns were given to transportation and eventually to assembly lines.

After the Boing production increased the company started to grow. After 25 years Boing is a cooperative that focuses on the welfare of their workers. Even today, with competition from national companies like Coca Cola, they still focus on the importance of their business morals. Boing refuses to lower the price of their products because they want to maintain their quality, continue to pay fair prices to their suppliers, and maintain a social agreement with co-op workers. Currently there are about 5,000 workers linked directly to the Boing co-op and continue to stand out as a business that only resorts to firing workers as a last resort. Boing is now currently marketing to middle class individuals in the United States and are hopeful for an increase in profitable returns as their production grows.

Compared to other companies, the Boing cooperative stood out as an exceptional company that focused on the well-being and generosity of their workers. The Boing cooperative allows us to view the moral side of business beyond the focus on profits. The trip to the cooperative has taught me different business procedures that are beneficial in the survival of a company and the focus of workers rights, teaching me the importance of a business community in the heart of Mexico.

Intercultural Understanding

2009-09-13T12:31:00.015-05:00

By: Mara Pederson

Betty Ramos explains how to overcome cultural differences

The third week of CGE’s International Business program allowed students the opportunity to listen to Mexican – Canadian author Betty Ramos discuss her new book entitled, “The Geo – Context: A Guide to Intercultural Understanding Between Canada, Mexico, and the United States.” Ramos explained a unique way of thinking about different communication styles beyond borders.

While Ramos lived in Canada she experienced a block between her communication style and that of others. Ramos explained that even though she was communicating in English, she was thinking as a Latin American. Ramos discussed that Latin Americans tend to think spirally, not always answering a question or topic directly like individuals from Canada or the United States. Miscommunications can come into play between spiral and linear individuals when their norms do not always meet each other's. For example, an individual who thinks spirally may consider a linear individual to be cold, arrogant, and only concerned with time instead of building personal relationships. Ramos explained that the importance of correctly communicating with individuals is extremely important in order to successfully build lasting relationships, especially in business situations.

Ramos intertwined communication styles with business procedures that aid in the development of partnerships between Latin America and the United States. While discussing communication styles, Ramos also focused on the essence of respect along with similarities and differences that occur depending on the locations of Latin America, Canada, and the United States. Ramos discussed the ties of similarity between Latin Americans and Canadians in terms of viewpoints toward the United States. Interesting aspects between Ramos's real world experiences allowed us to dive into the twenty-first century intercultural communication styles essential for partnerships in Latin America.

Through discussions in class of cultural differences regarding respectable business procedures, we have been able to learn why Latin American business interactions are the way they are. For example, to this day Mexican businesses still dislike compromising because of feelings stemming from defeat from conquest. Ramos states, "It's either winning or losing in Mexico, where compromising in the United States is viewed as a positive aspect."

Class discussions about interculturalism, along with Betty Ramos's personal experiences, have made me more aware of communication styles in the workplace and their importance for corporations. The skills I have learned this week have broadened my understanding of different intercultural communication styles. Thanks to the discussions on intercultural understanding, I now have the ability to use successful tactics in the workplace throughout Latin America.

CGE Students Visit Local University

2009-09-11T15:12:00.006-05:00

By: Stephanie Jackson

Last week, CGE’s International Business students had the opportunity to spend a day with some local students at the Universidad Politécnica del Estado de Morelos. The Universidad students are studying administration as part of a three-year degree program, and the CGE students enjoyed being able to learn about the differences between the two programs of study (while practicing their Spanish)! Because CGE runs most of its own classes on-site, it was a chance for the students to see what a university campus looks like here in Mexico, and experience a taste of how it works.

After an introduction to the university, its programs, and its mission, all students traveled together to visit a small local school (la Escuela Conafe de Loma Bonita) that the university supports through various fundraising techniques. The school is being privately-run by a group of locals who sought to fix the overcrowding problem present in other schools in the area. Without many resources, and with many of their services relying on volunteer help, the school is now serving many local children in their education. With the help of the university, they are in the process of building another school room, which the CGE students were able to tour.

The group visits la Escuela Conafe de Loma Bonita

Before returning to the university, the group visited a local water park, el Balneario Ejidal El Texcal, currently owned by a co-op and in the process of restoring its facilities. Students were able to speak with the owners and tour the property, as well as discuss the possibility of creating one or more business internships for CGE students with the co-op.

After the visits concluded, the students returned to the university together for a group lunch and farewell, where email addresses and phone numbers were exchanged. Plans are already underway to create language partners between the students, to allow everyone to practice their foreign language skills (either English or Spanish), and get to know each other in a more informal environment! An understanding and appreciation of local culture is always an important aspect of study abroad, and this exchange has provided the students with many ways to achieve that.

Economy and Gender Roles of Mexico

2009-09-09T10:03:00.006-05:00

By: Giana Gallo

The second week of the International Business Program provided students with the history of Mexico from an economic and gender perspective. Maestra Lilia Venegas lectured on “Recent Political History with a Gender Perspective” followed by Maestro Salvador Guzman Zapata's talk on “A Recent Economic History."

Venegas began her lecture by describing the conditions and expectations of women before the Mexican Revolution in 1910. Women lived in a “hegemonic and conservative culture, in which they needed to get permission and a male escort to work.” Even after the war, for which many women fought and helped by sending messages, they had trouble receiving pensions for their services. The stereotypical figure of “Adelita”, a wife who follows her husband and cooks for him, was considered the ideal and is the most well-known role for women during the revolution. Venegas explained how Mexican history has had a divergent impact on half of the population.

She also highlighted the effects of the machismo attitude on women in the political arena in her lecture by speaking about the struggle for women's suffrage in Mexico. President Lazaro Cardenas, demonstrated his machismo when he refused to publish in a federal newspaper the women's right to vote in 1938, which was the ordinary custom with new laws. It was not until 1953 that women in Mexico received the right to vote.

Maestro Guzman giving students a timeline of Mexico's economic history

In his talk on “Recent Economical History”, Maestro Salvador Guzman Zapata spoke about the different economies that Mexico has seen and how they have left a lasting effect on the country. Beginning with the semi-feudal system instituted by the Spanish in 1521, the economy later evolved into a hacienda system under President Porforio Diaz in the late 1800's. When negotiating with businesses in Mexico, it is important to be aware of the strong sense of self-preservation that has resulted from the oppression of conquests and dictatorships that Mexicans have had to endure. Mexico nationalized its oil and petroleum companies in 1940's, only to suffer greatly in the international oil crisis in 1976. Today, due to its great foreign debt, Mexico has been forced to adopt the neo-liberal economic model designed by the International Monetary Fund.

Guzman also spoke about an incident in Tepoztlan, Mexico, where an American investor failed to take Mexican culture into account. The intended space for the proposed 500 million dollar project, a golf course designed by pro-golfer Jack Nicklaus, was to be built over an archaeological site. Local government approved the project, but when the public received the news, protests ensued. After weeks of public outcry, which included the holding of six hostages, the investment project was abandoned. Though this is an extreme example, it serves as a reminder that problems can arise when a foreign investor does not take into account all of the shareholders. Investors should have researched the area beforehand and should have adhered to the cultural obligations that arose.

Both speakers equipped me, as a student in International Business, with information that will be highly useful in my future career. Understanding the roots of a country's corporate culture is extremely important to success in the business sector. I believe these talks aided in my understanding of Mexican history so that one day I might be able to start a business or establish prosperous partnership here.

Week One: The History of Mexico

2009-08-31T16:25:00.000-05:00

By: Stephanie Jackson

CGE students at Diego Rivera's mural on Mexican history

The Virgin of Guadalupe. La conquista. Emiliano Zapata. Mestizos. These are just a few of the many terms being discussed by our international business students during their first week here in Cuernavaca. Arriving last Friday, these six students will be a part of CGE´s first business semester program in Mexico. Using Mexico as a case study to explore the global economy, students will hear speakers, go on excursions, live with home-stay families, and participate in lab groups to connect their experiences to their studies in international business.

The first week of orientation and classes has been a busy one for the students! Learning about everything from the indigenous history of Mexico (particularly the state of Morelos, where Cuernavaca is located), the colonial period following the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, and the revolution of 1910, students are able to better understand the context of Mexican business in relation to its history.

This week's lecture by CGE site director Ann Lutterman-Aguilar at the Palacio de Cortés (palace of Hernan Cortez) in downtown Cuernavaca is a perfect example of the experiential learning that will be a focal point of the program throughout the semester. Students spent an afternoon analyzing the mural by Diego Rivera depicting the history of Mexico from the arrival of the Spanish until the revolution of the early 20th century.

The history of this once-Spanish colony is vital to the understanding of current business practices, says student Grady Christopherson: “it puts it in great context as far as doing business in Latin America because you have to know the culture.” Students were also able to explore some of the current economic conditions in Cuernavaca during an orientation activity downtown. Students made their own way to the bustling Mercado Lopez Mateos and were each assigned various products to buy to gauge the local cost of living and its relation to the cost of living in the United States.

There will be more to come each week as our students deepen their understanding about Mexico and international business on this exciting program! For now, are there any questions from our readers?