2010 Asian Field Study: Program Overview (Application Deadline – Expected February 2010)
The 2010 Asian Field Study (BUS 477/677) is a six-credit course consisting of prerequisite preparatory classes, the onsite trip, and post-trip classes. Below is a summary of the planned program offering. Note that the dates, focus, and content are subject to change. Travel cost is an approximate and includes airfare, hotel, and ground. Meals and incidentals are excluded.
Focus
Four countries (Japan or South Korea, India or Malaysia, China, and Vietnam)
Pre-trip Class
Eleven (11) three-hour classes
Onsite Trip
Four cities (Tokyo or Seoul, Shanghai and Hanoi or Beijing and Ho Chi Minh City, and India or Kuala Lumpur)
Post-trip Class
Three (3) three-hour classes
Cost
$5000
Pre-Trip Classes
Wednesday, May 19, 2010 6PM-9PM
Saturday, May 22, 2010 9AM-Noon 1-4PM
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 6PM-9PM
Wednesday, June 02, 2010 6PM-9PM
Saturday, June 05, 2010 9AM-Noon, 1-4PM
Wednesday, June 09, 2010 6PM-9PM
Saturday, June 12, 2010 9AM-Noon, 1-4PM
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 6PM-9PM
Onsite Trip
Depart Saturday, June 19, 2010
Return Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Post-Trip Classes
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 6PM-9PM
Saturday, July 17, 2010 9AM-Noon, 1-4PM
Plan for at least two hours of homework for each hour of class.
Program Objective
The objective of the program is to prepare students for a professional career involving international business. The goals are for students to develop an awareness of the interconnected components of the global economy and acquire sensitivity and adaptability to each of the unique cultures and business practices.
This is accomplished by exposing students to relevant Asian business environments and utilizing academic theory and business models as a framework for real world experiences - site visits, case studies, and country level, industry level, and firm level assessments. Cross-functional integrated learning is the foundation.
Pre-trip learning is accomplished through a combination of onsite lectures, web-based video lectures, online discussions, cases, and readings. The emphasis is placed on real-time source materials, interviews with experienced executives, and the application of personal observation.
Target Participants and Prerequisites
The size of the group has been targeted at 20 participants. Students in the past have been BBA, MBA, and students from outside the Shidler College of Business. Selection will be based on criteria contained in the application and meeting the following prerequisites.
- UHM MBA Students (priority given to those with 1st year MBA core completed)
- UHM BBA Students (priority given to those with 1st year BBA core completed)
- UH System-wide Undergraduate and Graduate Students from any Discipline (priority given to those with 1st year major core completed)
- Overall 3.0 GPA, major 3.0 GPA
- Medical clearance to travel abroad
- Successful completion of the preparatory pre-trip course in order to participate in the onsite trip
Timeframes
Posting of Course Outline & Application (late Dec.)- Posting of Course Details (late Jan.)
- Deadline for Application/Scholarship (March 19)
- Acceptance Notification and Deposit Due (April 3)
- Payment Due and Passports Collected (late April)
2009 Asian Field Study Program Summary
The University of Hawaii at Manoa, Shidler College of Business, completed its 26th Annual Asian Field Study themed “Doing Business in Islamic and Southeast Asia”. A select group of five masters of accounting and senior undergraduate students were hosted by various businesses and agencies in Singapore (United Overseas Bank, IBM, Center for Creative Leadership, Concorde Hotel, Starhub, and the Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority) and Kuala Lumpur (Nestle, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, AmBank, U.S. Commerical Service, and Zouk Club).
The small group allowed for hands-on experiential learning including interactive roundtable discussions with business executives and experiencing life as a local business person. Students rode public transport to get to meetings, ate at hawker stalls, and shopped at the local markets. Cultural activities included strolling through a historic riverside trading port, standing in the shadows of the tallest twin towers in the world, admiring the Islamic architecture in the new government city of Putrajaya, and capturing the old time charm of the Chinatowns in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
A rigorous preparatory course consisted of eight three-hour classes using learning frameworks, functional overviews, and the business and cultural environments of Japan, China, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia. The course concluded with group country reports, individual industry or company reports, and individual onsite learning journals.
2008 Asian Field Study Program Summary
The University of Hawaii at Manoa, Shidler College of Business, completed its 25th Annual Asian Field Study themed “Experiencing the Diverse Asian Business Environment.”
Nineteen EMBA, three evening MBA, and a senior undergraduate student were hosted by various businesses and agencies in Tokyo (Merrill Lynch, Dentsu, and Seiyu (Wal-mart), Shanghai (American Chamber of Commerce, Nokia Siemens, EutroVision, Boeing Shanghai, and Suzhou Industrial Park), Delhi (U.S. Embassy in Delhi, Economics Section), Bangalore (Infosys, Cisco, Clutch Group, and Volvo), and Hanoi (Goldsun and the Pacific Asian Consortium for International Business Education and Research).
Cultural activities included experiencing the Tsukiji Fish Market Auction, a boat ride through the Ancient Water Village of Zhujiajiao, a journey to the Taj Mahal, and a cruise along picturesque Halong Bay.
A rigorous preparatory course was led by Dr. Jack Suyderhoud, culminating in country reports (Japan, China, India, and Vietnam); industry reports (finance, manufacturing, marketing, auditing, technology, retailing, consulting, and legal services), and company reports. This was supported by eight three-hour onsite pre-trip sessions with numerous guest lectures by country experts (Amb. Raymond Burghardt, former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam; Randall Schmitt, Attorney at Law and Indian Business Practitioner; Dr. Thomas Cargill, Finance Professor, University of Nevada, Reno; Miemie Wynn Byrd, Associate Professor of Economics, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies; and David Day, Attorney at Law and Vietnam Business Practitioner), Podcasts by David Day on “Doing Business in China” and “Doing Business in Vietnam”, numerous country specific readings, case studies, and three three-hour post-trip reflective sessions.
By the end of the program, each student demonstrated her/his ability to recognize, analyze and develop creative solutions to each of the five diverse Asian business environments.
2007 Asian Field Study Program Summary
The University of Hawaii at Manoa, Shidler College of Business, completed its 24th Annual Asian Field Study themed “Experiencing the Diverse Asian Business Environment.” Eleven MBA and four senior undergraduate students toured various businesses and agencies in Seoul (Samsung Electronics, SK Telecom, Sungkyunkwan University, American Chamber of Commerce Korea, and CIGNA Insurance Korea), Beijing (Dentsu Advertising China, Lenovo, American Chamber of Commerce PRC, and Fuji Xerox China), and Ho Chi Minh City (Ching Luh - Nike Manufacturing Vietnam, HCM Stock Exchange, AA Corporation [Furniture], U.S. Commercial Service HCMC, U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service HCMC, and the University of Hawaii Executive Development Center).
Cultural activities included a strenuous walk up the Great Wall, a historic walk through the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, a hunched walk through an underground tunnel at the DMZ bordering North Korea, a walk back through time at the Korean Folk Village, and a squatted walk through the Viet Cong’s underground Cu Chi Tunnels.
A rigorous preparatory course was led by Dr. Jack Suyderhoud, culminating in group country reports (Korea, China, and Vietnam); group industry reports (finance, manufacturing, marketing, technology, and mobile phones), and individual company reports. This was supported by six three-hour onsite pre-trip sessions with numerous guest lectures by country experts (Dr. Lee Endress, Dean, Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies; Amb. Raymond Burghardt, former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, now with the East West Center, Dr. K.K. Seo, Emeritus Professor, Shidler College of Business; Dr. Thomas Cargill, Finance Professor, University of Nevada, Reno; Ms. Janet Ang, GM/VP, Lenovo), six hours of Podcasts by David Day on “Doing Business in China” and “Doing Business in Vietnam”, numerous country specific readings and Harvard Business Cases, and three 3-hour post-trip reflective sessions. By the end of the program, each student demonstrated her/his ability to recognize, analyze and develop creative solutions to each of the three diverse Asian business environments.