Emerging Markets and Developed Markets are standard concepts in business schools. To visit one country from two economic stages of development, is the privilege, the students of this year’s SML-fieldtrip have. Combining in a single trip two different countries offers a high educational value.
Japan will be the first stop of the Asian trip. This country has a long standing friendship with Switzerland. This year marks the 150th Year of the diplomatic relationship between Japan and Switzerland, an event to honor, to celebrate and a good occasion to visit this land of the rising sun.
Our second stop is China, a country which also has a longstanding relationship with Switzerland. In the year 2010, we celebrated 60 year of diplomatic relations between the two countries and since this year, a Free Trade Agreement has been reached.
These two Asian countries will allow our students to emerge first into the rich cultural heritage of Japan and to experience its way of doing business. Afterwards, China, the economic powerhouse build also on its rich historical heritage will be the next highlight. Comparing these two countries will allow to draw interesting parallels as well as to recognize distinctive differences.
This year’s trip follows again the academic mission of the School of Management and Law – “Building Competence. Crossing Boarders.” The overarching goal of this class is to understand, what economic needs 1’500’000’000 people have and how companies, local and foreign, serve them!
Furthermore, the students will explore live Cross Cultural Management while they emerge deeply into global business activities! Along these lines, the overarching goal is to prepare the SML-students even better for the challenges Western companies face and to become truly global minded future business leaders.
All this is made possible through the companies we can visit, the personal support of our Dean A. Haelg and Prof. F. Angst and C. Bamert, M. Morger, R. Nerz, T. Oehler and J. Paravicini of the student organization team.
For the participants, it is my wish that all aspects of the trip will be a part of their positive educational experience at the SML: May the trip enables them even further to enhance their horizon of success!
Asia, here we come again in 2014 . . . .
Prof. Dr. R Rüttimann
School of Management & Law / Zurich University of Applied Sciences