Archive for December, 2010

Critics who view emerging markets as a threat to the United States and other developed countries underestimate the power of free trade to create sustainable prosperity worldwide, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold President and CEO Richard C. Adkerson told Thunderbird graduates Dec. 17, 2010, in Glendale, Arizona. “Many, if not most, people in the United States view free trade negatively,” Adkerson said. “You see it all the time in the media that free trade causes jobs to leave the United States and go overseas. In truth, if we can create relationships among the countries of the world that allow capital and resources to flow to the point where people can do things more efficiently, it creates value for everybody.” Adkerson delivered his keynote address to 159 graduates representing 24 countries and 12 Thunderbird programs. | Video: Building prosperity through global trade (2:55) | Video: Richard Adkerson answers the Thunderbird Question (1:41) | Video: Meet graduates from 24 countries (2:32) | Audio Podcast: Richard Adkerson commencement speech (13:47)
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The following post on global strategy is by Thunderbird students Dan Benton, Dave Davidson, Kyle Larsen, Dan Olver and Jong Chul Park

Imagine a company that created an industry, pioneering enormous growth and innovation in a consumer demand market that had never before existed.  Picture the company riding decades of success into the preeminent spot of its industry, rising to 160th in Fortune 500’s most successful companies, peaking at $10 billion in sales.  Now, envision this giant lying in ruins only two years later.  Circuit City is a case study in how not to run a business. Read the full article in Thunderbird Student Projects, a blog on the Thunderbird Knowledge Network.

The following post on global strategy is by Thunderbird students Edward Matloub, Thomas McIntyre, Peter Rohlfer, Caelie Fryers, Bert Valencia Jr. and Aditya Koyyalamud

Caterpillar has survived the recession and enhanced its global presence, but at what cost? Caterpillar is a quintessential American company with a highly differentiated brand that is recognized for quality and dependability. Founded in 1925, as a result of the merger of the Holt Company and C.L. Best Tractor Trailers, the company has left an indelible mark on American society. The Holt Company gained notoriety during the First World War with the production of heavy-duty tractor-trailers. The company also produced other machinery during World War II to build bridges, airstrips and an entire logistical network used to support the Allies. This cemented the company’s position as an all-American brand capable of attaining the highest quality. This image has remained with the company for three generations, and in 2008 Global Brands ranked Caterpillar number sixty-eight out of the top one hundred global brands. Despite this rich legacy, the firm operates in a highly competitive industry and is at a crossroads which will determine the future of the company and potentially re-define its image throughout the world. Read the full article in Thunderbird Student Projects, a blog on the Thunderbird Knowledge Network.

By Robert Moran, Thunderbird Emeritus Professor

If a business development manager wants to know what German, Norwegian or U.S. counterparts really mean at the negotiation table, the best way is to listen their words. Native speakers from these countries and others with low-context languages learn from childhood to say what they mean. They are good at direct communication and comfortable expressing contrary views. Yes means yes, and no means no. The same approach might not work as well with counterparts from Brazil, China, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and other countries with high-context languages. | Video: High and Low Context (4:45)
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The idea of working abroad can be enticing — perhaps conjuring images of sipping drinks at a charming Old World cafe. But “the romance of an international assignment always exceeds the reality,” said Mary Teagarden, professor of global strategy at the Thunderbird School of Global Management. Choosing the wrong person for an overseas job is costly, for both companies and workers. “The failure rate with international assignments is quite high,” said Teagarden, a researcher at the Thunderbird Global Mindset Leadership Institute. She said people come home before their contracted time or they don’t achieve their goals. Business is lost, and professional and personal relationships can be damaged, she said. Read the full article in The New York Times.

Information technology surrounds consumers in the digital age. But many who use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media tools to connect with friends outside the office find themselves stuck with little more than corporate e-mail at work. Intel Corporation social media strategist Laurie Buczek said that needs to change. Buczek, who spoke Dec. 1, 2010, in the digital marketing class of Thunderbird Professor John Zerio, Ph.D., has been helping Intel turn the power of social media inward to create a more connected global workplace. | Video: Social Media in the Workplace (3:00)
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