Byrd Business Review E-letter

Vol. 2 No. 7

"Success Stories Start Here"

July/August 2006

Summer is over and the fall 2006 semester is underway. It's an exciting time at Shenandoah as new freshmen and transfer students as well as returning students work to complete their programs of study. This summer was a busy but productive time for the faculty and staff of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, and the next several issue of the Byrd Business Review will apprise readers of all the developments and accomplishments taking place. On Wednesday, Sept. 20, the Byrd Distinguished Entrepreneur Speaker Series will feature Chick-fil-A founder and foodservice pioneer S. Truett Cathy at 4 p.m. in Hester Auditorium, Henkel Hall. This is a new speaker series that will publicly kickoff the Institute for Entrepreneurship. For more information about this event or the new institute, contact Dr. Miles Davis at (540) 545-7314 or mdavi3@su.edu. In this issue of the Byrd Business Review, I want to focus on the exciting study-abroad and international residency programs to China during July and August, led by myself and Dr. Dan Pavsek. Fifteen participants from the Winchester and Northern Virginia campuses made the trip, and all came back knowing so much more about the people, culture and economy of that rapidly developing country. Through a selection of pictures (we took roughly 2,500), I would like to share with you some images of the educational experience. It's a great time to be affiliated with the business school. The ambitious strategic plan is being successfully implemented, and the reputation of the school is growing. The faculty and staff are poised to play an important role, as our mission statement so clearly states, in educating students to become successful, principled leaders with a global perspective. Please continue to stay in touch with me through phone calls, personal visits or e-mail. It is very gratifying to be working with an outstanding faculty, staff, alumni and friends as we go about the business of building a strong academic enterprise.

W. Randy Boxx
Dean and Professor of Management
rboxx@su.edu

CHINA

THE SIGHTS OF CHINA

China is so very large (four million square miles of land and two million square miles of water) that it is hard to imagine the vast choice of destinations available for study and reflection. In this huge country, our students experienced many of China's best cultural treasures. The pictures below reflect some of the group's sightseeing highlights.

The Great Wall of China

Tiananmen Square/The Forbidden City

The Summer Palace

The Terra-Cotta Warriors

The Xi’an City Wall

The Great Wild Goose Pagoda

FIELD TRIPS

China has the most rapidly changing large economy in the world and is an ever-present, daily influence on American life. The United States is connected to China financially, commercially and economically. It is a leader in clothing, shoes, toys, consumer electronics and recently has started the move into biotech as well as computer and car manufacturing. American business students need to understand what is happening in China today and realize that the future of commerce in China is directly related to American commerce. In addition, China's economy is an entrepreneurial economy. With the business school vision statement charging our faculty to provide students with entrepreneurial thinking, what better place to conduct field trips to learn from Chinese business executives and entrepreneurs than inside the country itself? This summer's study-abroad featured field trips to the following: TEDA Huanyu Real Estate Co., Ltd.; Nandagong Management District of Cangzhou City; Quinghai Tibetan Sheep Carpets Ltd.; Tianjin Maluojin Industry and Co., Ltd.; Tianjin Port Co., Ltd.; Novozymes; Tianjin Normal University; Reimers; Teraida Fashions Co., Ltd.; Tianjin Jiayoulide Technology Development Co., Ltd., Nandagang Wetland Nature Reserve; and Motorola.

FOOD

The participants who traveled to China feasted on rice, noodles, dumplings stuffed about 20 different ways, tofu, camel, fish, pork, beef, chicken, lamb, prawns, eel, Peking duck, mutton, spareribs, crab, squid, scallops, fish balls, fish heads, snails, kabobs, mushrooms, several varieties of soup, mixed vegetables, tomatoes, string beans, eggs, potatoes, eggplant, boiled peanuts, corn bread, melons, lettuce, radishes, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, cucumbers, peppers, sweet beans, onions, cabbage, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and, of course, several varieties of local beverages. Most of the group ate with chop sticks during every meal in China, and most of the participants became rather proficient with these tools. The group had a great time trying to adapt to the local way of consuming food. The group was hosted by business, government or educational leaders for most lunch and dinner meals. The pictures below show one of the formal meals the group shared together with the host organizations as well as the dire need of the group toward the conclusion of the trip for the comfort of the American fast-food giant McDonald's.

COMMERCE AND FUN

With a favorable exchange rate, most of the group took advantage of purchasing pearls, Tibetan carpets and local, custom-made clothes. Shopping was a bargaining process, using negotiating skills and leading to some unbelievable buys. The time together on this trip brought together undergraduate and graduate students who had a mission to learn more about business in China, to learn and participate directly in the culture and customs of China and to have a bit of fun with others in the process. This group bonded immediately, and I'm sure many memories will be shared with each other even after graduation. My invitation to the readers of the Byrd Business Review is to begin thinking now about summer trips for next year and envisioning your presence with us in another exciting country. Dr. Miles Davis, associate professor of management, will report on another study-abroad trip that he led this summer to Argentina and Chile in the next issue of the Byrd Business Review.