Management Students Spend Summer Exploring Business Opportunities in China

UMass Boston Group Gains Insight into Impact of Culture on Chinese Economy

MBA student John Tenofsky said he had high hopes for his trip to China this summer through a University College program.  What he found there was even better than he expected.

Tenofsky joined 15 other students from the University of Massachusetts Boston for a two-week trip to China this summer. The group met with a host of top Chinese business executives, including the senior vice president of Vanker, the largest real estate company in China; and a representative from BYD, a Warren Buffett-backed company that makes batteries for electric cars.

Associate Professor of Management and Marketing Raymond Liu led the trip – the eighth time he has taken a group of UMass Boston students to China.

“Under Professor Liu’s guidance, we were able to tangibly experience the powerful forces driving Chinese culture and commerce,” Tenofsky said.

Liu’s frequent visits to the Far East have created strong ties between the university and one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

“Every time you visit you can see UMass Boston – the brand name is all over China. Companies welcome UMass Boston professors and students. Students can establish relations with companies, and people over there are also thinking about later establishing internship programs for students,” Liu said.

Most of the students taking the Entrepreneurship in the U.S. and China course through University College were MBA students at UMass Boston. They say the experience was invaluable.

“This wonderful experience offered a unique opportunity to visit real Chinese businesses. We could discuss real issues with top managers of different businesses,” MBA student Fei Zuo said.

“Not only did I learn about a range of topics regarding China, the U.S., and the aspects of doing business together, I met many high-ranking company executives and amazing peers with whom I plan on keeping in touch with from UMass Boston,” MBA student Jackie Steinberg said.

The traveling, and the networking, started even before the flight to China took off.

“The main purpose of the class is to compare the business practices in the U.S. and China. Before we left, we visited [IT cloud computing company] EMC in Franklin, Massachusetts. Then we went to China to visit the Shanghai headquarters,” Liu said.

The trip wasn’t all business, however – the UMass Boston contingent found time for a little sightseeing, too. Liu and the students, joined by Associate Dean of Graduate Studies for Academic and Student Affairs Rita Nethersole, also visited cultural sites including the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, and Lushan Mountain, where Army Gen. George C. Marshall met with then-president Chiang Kai-Shek to discuss the role of post-WWII China.

MBA student Kurt Mueller summed up the experience this way: “My time in China was stimulating, educational, and fun. I am sincerely grateful for such an amazing opportunity.”

Liu plans to take another group of students to China next summer.

About UMass Boston
With a growing reputation for innovative research addressing complex urban issues, the University of Massachusetts Boston, metropolitan Boston’s only public university, offers its diverse student population both an intimate learning environment and the rich experience of a great American city. UMass Boston’s eight colleges and graduate schools serve nearly 16,000 students while engaging local, national, and international constituents through academic programs, research centers, and public service activities. To learn more about UMass Boston, visit www.umb.edu.