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Learn about the Business Environment, Entrepreneurship and Technology Transformation in Vastly Different Economic, Political and Social Environments

 

Concentrating on the school’s target regions of Asia and Latin America, the Center for Global Management offers four-unit global immersion experiential learning courses designed to expose students to a country’s economy, political environment, major industries and businesses, startup communities, local culture, key historical events and the many aspects of conducting business outside the United States. These elective courses, taught by UCLA Anderson faculty, are designed for students across all four MBA programs. Typically, these courses include a travel component (and an associated program fee). However during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual offerings were made available.

Courses with a travel component include four on-campus classes and one intensive, immersive week in-country for a blend of guest speakers (business executives, entrepreneurs, policy makers, academics and opinion leaders), fireside chats, panel discussions, company and startup visits, contextual visits, cultural sessions and networking with alumni. For virtual offerings, guest speakers, virtual experiential and live interactive sessions complemented the faculty teaching sessions to provide students with a unique, learning-orientated experience.

The Center for Global Management’s global immersion and international exchange course offerings typically enable around than 300 FEMBA, EMBA, UCLA-NUS EMBA and full-time MBA students to travel and study abroad each year. Virtual course alternatives were also available when travel was restricted.

A Sample of Our Global Immersion Courses

BRAZIL

Risks and Rewards in Emerging Markets: Lessons from Brazil

Ed Leamer
Chauncey J. Medberry Professor of Management

Risks and Rewards in Emerging Markets: Lessons from Brazil

Ed Leamer

Chauncey J. Medberry Professor of Management

This course focuses on three things one should worry about when investing in emerging markets: (1) disappointing economic growth; (2) national indebtedness and exchange rate volatility; and (3) governance that does more harm than good. Students will identify an investment opportunity in Brazil, with either a local market or an export market and offer advice on the attractiveness of this investment and the best time to make the commitment, considering the three risks that are the theme of the course. The course will also review the recent economic history of the five BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), interruptions to long-term growth and what happens to exchange rates, interest rates and capital flows, as well as review political risk, governance and rent-seeking.

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INDIA

The Business Environment of India with an Emphasis on Entertainment and Finance (Mumbai) and Tech and Biotech (Hyderabad)

Romain Wacziarg
Hans Hufschmid Chair in Management and Professor of Economics

INDIA: The Business Environment of India with an Emphasis on Entertainment and Finance (Mumbai) and Tech and Biotech (Hyderabad)

Romain Wacziarg

Hans Hufschmid Chair in Management and Professor of Economics

This course will familiarize students with India’s business environment. Since experiencing a severe balance of payments crisis in 1991, India has engaged in several waves of economic reforms that have resulted in high rates of growth over the last 25 years. Aided by strong fundamentals such as a democratic political system, a vast and youthful population, a culture of entrepreneurship and a large cohort of well-trained engineers and scientists, India is emerging as one of the major economic powerhouses of the 21st Century. Yet challenges remain: an inadequate infrastructure, rampant corruption, growing income inequality, the permanence of the caste system and a dysfunctional political economy have conspired to hinder the strides that India was poised to make. This course explores both the risks and opportunities offered by the Indian market for foreign investors and domestic entrepreneurs alike.

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ISRAEL

Start Up Nation: Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainability

Stuart Gabriel
Arden Realty Chair and Professor of Finance

ISRAEL: Start Up Nation: Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainability

Stuart Gabriel

Arden Realty Chair and Professor of Finance

This course seeks to explore agglomeration of entrepreneurial business innovation and related start up activity in Israel. That agglomeration has led many to describe Israel as the “Start Up Nation.” Technology development has focused on numerous applications including national security, natural resource scarcity, agriculture, and health. Israel has become a global leader in cybersecurity, high-yield agriculture, water- conserving technology, largescale water de-salinization, and related efforts to sustain agricultural and urban development in arid zones. The course will focus on venture capital, entrepreneurial activity and technological innovation, related social entrepreneurship, and the Israeli contextual eco-system. We will seek to evaluate the sustainability of the Israeli start-up phenomena as well as ongoing efforts to spread those opportunities to weaker segments of society.

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JAPAN

The Business Environment and Opportunities in Japan

Mariko Sakakibara
Sanford and Betty Sigoloff Chair in Corporate Renewal

JAPAN The Business Environment and Opportunities in Japan

Mariko Sakakibara

Sanford and Betty Sigoloff Chair in Corporate Renewal

After achieving spectacular economic growth from the 1950s to the 1980s, Japan has struggled with a prolonged recession in recent years. Its competitive position has been threatened by its Asian competitors. However, Japan remains the third largest economy in the world, and it maintains its strong technological and cultural base. This course seeks to familiarize students with Japan’s business environment and to help them identify business opportunities. Students will gain a better understanding of the effects of Japanese systems on the way business is conducted in Japan. Students will also explore business opportunities for both foreign and domestic companies and they will examine how to exploit these opportunities.

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PERU

From Emerging Market to One of the World’s Fastest Growing Economies: Transformation of the Peruvian Economy and Business Opportunities

Sebastian Edwards
Henry  Ford II Chair in International Management

PERU: From Emerging Market to One of the World’s Fastest Growing Economies: Transformation of the Peruvian Economy and Business Opportunities

Sebastian Edwards

Henry Ford II Chair in International Management

The purpose of this course is to discuss the way in which economic policy in Peru – one of the most successful countries in Latin America in the last decade – affects business opportunities. An important feature of the course is that it puts Peru’s case in context with that of the rest of the Latin American nations (special mention is given to Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Venezuela). We will also analyze in detail the way in which politics affects both economics and policy. Before we travel to Peru, we will discuss some of the most important economic, business, social and political aspects of the country and also address cultural issues as well as social and business challenges. In-country, we will hear from prominent business leaders, academics, politicians and senior policy makers. There will also be a number of Davos-style conversations that will help illuminate Peru’s economics and business environments.

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SHENZHEN & HONG KONG

A Technology-Driven Transformation of Society, Enterprises and Consumers

Terry Kramer
Adjunct Professor of Decisions, Operations and Technology Management

SHENZHEN & HONG KONG: A Technology-Driven Transformation of Society, Enterprises and Consumers

Terry Kramer

Adjunct Professor of Decisions, Operations and Technology Management

A notable transformation is occurring in the Greater China region including Shenzhen and Hong Kong. This technology driven transformation has been enabled by Government policy, changes in consumer preferences and enterprise driven innovation. This course seeks to understand the dynamic growth of Shenzhen juxtaposed against the historic prosperity of Hong Kong. And in the process of understanding these two fascinating success stories, attempts to uncover the "cause-and-effect" relationship of government policy and the changes in consumer preferences and technology in driving unique outcomes. This course will cover the historic, economic and political background of both Shenzhen and Hong Kong and in turn assess the economic imperatives of the region through the lens of three key sectors: a) manufacturing of technology-based hardware; b) FinTech; and c) Internet Services

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SOUTH AFRICA

Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation in South Africa

Gayle Northrop
Lecturer in Social Entrepreneurship; Senior Faculty Advisor, Impact@Anderson

SOUTH AFRICA Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation in South Africa

Gayle Northrop

Lecturer in Social Entrepreneurship; Senior Faculty Advisor, Impact@Anderson

This course seeks to explore topics of social entrepreneurship and social innovation, and sustainable economic and community development in application to South Africa. South Africa has a rich and turbulent history that impacts all aspects of entrepreneurship in the country. History, politics and economic conditions in South Africa today have led to the growth of social entrepreneurship and a vibrant social sector, while at the same time creating challenges unique to this country’s social and environmental context. Students will explore policies, initiatives, and pre-conditions necessary to support innovation and build a sustainable social enterprise, including comparing and contrasting the environment for social entrepreneurship in two of South Africa’s largest and very different cities, Johannesburg and Cape Town.

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VIETNAM

Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries: Focus on Vietnam

George Abe
Adjunct Assistant Professor

VIETNAM: Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries: Focus on Vietnam

George Abe

Adjunct Assistant Professor

The purpose of this course is to learn how political and economic policy in Vietnam play out in one of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant economies, Vietnam with a particular focus on entrepreneurship. This course exposes students to a country that is not well understood, but that holds considerable importance to Asia and inevitably on the global scene. Questions that will be explored include: How does Vietnam’s political economy work? What are key characteristics and macroeconomic factors? How do these characteristics and macroeconomic factors impact entrepreneurship? In particular, what is the impact of dollarization, currency controls, corruption, state owned enterprises and other institutions not seen in the U.S.?

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STUDENTS CAN REQUEST TO LEARN MORE ON BRUIN LEARN

Since 2008, over 80 courses have provided opportunities for students to visit 31 countries, including:

 
Argentina
Austria
Brazil
Chile
China (PRC)
Colombia
Costa Rica
Czech Republic
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong SAR
Hungary
India
Israel
Japan
Jordan
Malaysia
Myanmar
Peru
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Thailand
United Arab Emirates
Uruguay
Vietnam