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Tom van der Lee,
fourth year student International Business and Management Studies,
"You simpply have to keep on drinking.."
Over the last ten years, many international trade barriers have been overcome. As a consequence, world trade has grown enormously. The products we require are now purchased where they can be manufactured most cheaply. |
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This of course brings together a multitude of cultures. Because international trade is the business of the future and because I gain a great deal of pleasure from coming into contact with other cultures, I opted to participate in the International Business and Management Studies programme. I completed a business placement in Weifang, in Shangdong province, China. The company where I carried out my business placement is called Fresico Food Industries. It is a Swiss company manufacturing chicken products such as chicken nuggets. The business placement proved easy to organise. An acquaintance of my father's produces machines for the chicken- processing industry. Through him, the business ! placement was organised within one month.
Whenever I ventured in the streets, everyone stared at me, initially a pleasant feeling it felt, like being a celebrity. I also made an impression on people by speaking
Chinese to them. I took Chinese lessons for one and a half hours a week. Chinese is not too difficult; writing is hard but speaking is relatively easy, particularly if you are based there, and are able to tryout your new skills in practice. That way you learn much faster. I learned to do business in the Chinese way ...at the table. The least important guest has to make sure that he drinks more than all the others. It may sound fun, but it is not really pleasant. you simply have to keep on drinking, even if you don't feel like it. They also make sure you eat something of everything. It was therefore not unusual for me to go to bed at night with stomach-ache.
In China, it is not possible to do business with people you don't know. you can only come into contact with companies via personal contacts. In other words, you need an introduction. During initial meetings, generally lunches, it is important to establish friendship. The sales aspect only becomes relevant after a few weeks. Anything is possible if you have money.
This was certainly not a business placement during which you could be lazy. I worked six days a week. Nonetheless, I would recommend a foreign business placement to all other students. you have to be more self-reliant, and therefore become more independent. In addition, you learn a great deal from dealing with people from different cultures. you learn to recognise i that everyone has their own standards and values.
Besides my studies I have tried to develop further on a personal level. After finishing my degree, I hope to get into Nijenrode. And if anyone would ask me if l want to go back to China, I would immediately say yes. |
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About the Study
