Linking Webster Chinese MBA Students with Corporate Leaders

MBA students from Webster's China campuses can spend part of their summer studying in St. Louis.

This summer, nine students in Webster's MBA program in Shanghai came to St. Louis for an in-depth, two-week tour of some of St. Louis' most successful companies, giving them a look at the business strategies of several multinational corporations.

"The purpose of this visit," Benjamin Akande, dean of the School of Business & Technology, told the students, "is to open you up to how business is done and the way people interact here in the United States."

The MBA students received a rare inside look into different companies' strategies, while the companies used the occasion to introduce themselves and their business models to some promising young executives from the growing Chinese market. Typical visits included presentations and Q&A sessions with vice presidents and C-level executives, such as David Farr, Emerson's chief executive officer and a member of the University's board of trustees.

"I was surprised and happy that every company had a high-level person visit with us," said student Ming Jie. "Even the companies that do not focus on the Chinese market."

Sandy Rogers, executive vice president at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, said hosting the students was a prime example of how Enterprise, as a multinational company, is "always looking for opportunities to interact with other cultures, and to understand and be understood by those cultures." Rogers said he enjoyed visiting with the students and gaining their perspective on business. "I found it quite helpful when I spent two weeks in China shortly thereafter," he said.

Akande found that the students, who all aspire to be high-level executives, made the most of the visits. "I was extremely impressed with your questions," he told them in an end-of-trip debriefing. "The level of interaction that took place was excellent. After meeting with these high-level people, you now have an edge when you return to China."

Exploring the American multinationals' operations broadened the students' perspectives on business. "I was most impressed by the variety of operational models that companies have here," said student Yan Yan. "All of these companies have a very clear plan. No matter their growth rate, they all have a clear mission. In Chinese companies, we don't see that as much."

Companies' focus on customer relationships was another highlight. "Every company put customer satisfaction as a top priority," said Ming Jie. "Their whole organizations were designed for it."

As part of their studies, Akande also assigned the students one of his favorite books, "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap . . . and Others Don't," by Jim Collins. In their end-of-trip debriefing, Akande asked the students to tie their favorite lessons from the book to what they saw in the companies they visited.

"One of the best things from the book was the 'hedgehog' concept," said Yan. "The idea that you should do what you do best, what you're passionate about, and what can make you money." Yan's classmate Min Rui agreed, adding, "From our visits, I think American companies seem to stay focused on what they do best."

Overall, the students—who will complete their degrees at Webster's Shanghai campus this academic year—found the two-week trip opened their eyes and strengthened their education.

"The trip and the MBA program has been a great experience—better than our expectations," said Ming.

BACK TO TOP