GLOBALLY

AWARE

A group of business students embrace Chinese culture and business

uring the summers, many students took intersession

courses or went on vacation, but in the summer
of 2013, several students had the opportunity to
do both. For the first time, Hardings College of Business
Administration offered the chance to become acquainted
with Chinese culture and business practices, acquiring credit
for IB 325, global business environment.
Dr. Bryan Burks, dean of COBA, and Dr. Allen Frazier,
associate dean of COBA, led 11 students from the Business
Department on a whirlwind tour of Chinese businesses and
universities, introducing students to the interworking
of business and how business is conducted in China,
according to Frazier.
COBA faculty decided that China was a good place to
take business students due to its prominent position in
current global economics.
From my standpoint, if you look at the news, there
is so much talk of China being a world power, and it is
becoming an economic power, Frazier said. So I think
it was invaluable for them to see firsthand why the news
would be saying that.
In preparation for the two-week trip, students read two
books: one about Chinese culture and another about the
last century of developments in Chinese business.
Students toured two businesses, two universities,
a technology firm, an equipment manufacturer and a
government relations firm to get a holistic picture of each
player in Chinese business.
During the course of the trip, students became familiar
with significant differences between American and Chinese
business cultures. In China, the government played a large

role in business transactions, which surprised the students,

who were used to limited government interference.
[The Chinese] have a large governmental presence
in their businesses, and it is important for everyone to
be in good relations with them, senior management
information systems major Matthew White said. You
cannot just start up a business and expect to be successful
without the government being involved.
The students encountered governmental regulation in
areas besides just business.
They are not really as free over there, senior general
studies major Candice Meadows said. For the first time,
we were being told what we could and could not do. I got
in trouble for being on Facebook and Twitter while I was
there because in China, it is illegal.
Experiencing the governmental regulation of Chinese
culture helped the group to gain a better understanding
of the perspective of the Chinese students at Harding.
Having students learn the background of culture in
China was a great and important step for Harding, Frazier
said. It is important for us as a university to understand
where [the Chinese students] are coming from, so in turn,
we have a better understanding of how to talk to and
approach them.
IB 325 was a recent introduction to the Business
Department, and the faculty intended to continue the trip.
According to Frazier, several business faculty traveled to
China independently. However, COBA extended the privilege
to students, recognizing the importance of becoming
acquainted with global economics for their professional lives.
Bethany Nicholson

11 STUDENTS
7 cultural sites visited

18 hours

spent in
FLIGHT

7 business sites visited

91

BUSINESS

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11/22/13 5:41 PM