Global – Page 16 – Global & Experiential Education

Last week was the first week of classes. My roommate and I were able to navigate our way through and got to school 45 minutes before class started (talk about overachievers ?). The classes I am taking are all luxury classes so I was extremely excited because these types of courses are not offered at GW.

My first class was Luxury Retail Management in which we learn about how companies communicate their brand and strategies retail strategies to build the brand. There is a required group and individual project due at the end of the course. The group project consists of acting as a secret buyer at one of eight luxury brands who have a large presence in Paris, I picked Chanel (obviously). The individual project is a paper on how major brands are developing omni channel (bridging online and offline customer interactions), my company is Christian Louboutin (long heels red bottoms, long heels red bottoms).

The next class was International Luxury Distribution in which we learn about distribution strategies and business models of successful brands. This class also has a required group and individual project. The group project is to present the dynamics of multi brand distribution for multi-brand concept stores in EMEA. The individual paper is to analyze brand collaborations in a particular sector, my paper will be on Boucheron‘s jewelry collaborations.

Both courses are taught by Denis Morisett who was the former COO of Ralph Lauren Europe, CEO of Pierre Balmain, and Managing Director France of Armani, Director of Luxury Executive Programs, and has been teaching at ESSEC for over 20 years. Needless to say, this man has been around and knows what he is talking about. The courses complement each other in terms of content, in Management you learn how to brand is making its name online and offline and in Distribution you learn how the brand is getting its name across internationally.

The other class I am taking is Anthropology of Luxury Brands in which we learn about the evolution of human’s wants as it relates to luxury. I have never taken an anthropology class before, so I am excited to learn about what actually makes us want to want these crazy outrageously priced items and how have brands utilized these wants to create an empire for themselves. The professor is Simon Nyeck who has a great deal of knowledge in marketing, he received his PhD in Marketing from ESSEC, a Doctoral degree from Paris Dauphine University, GloColl Fellow on Participant-Centered Learning from Harvard Business School, and the list goes on.

The first day of class was so stimulating, I was learning about how all of the big names actually became big names. Hopefully one day I can be one of them :D

How to Tell If You’re a Vietnamese Local: Walk In Front of Oncoming Motorbike Traffic and Live to Tell the Tale

marielbaloJanuary 10, 2018March 4, 2020

Written by Allie Perkins, GMBA Class of 2018

I’ve been in Vietnam only three days and I’m already excited about my next trip to this amazing country. With its friendly inhabitants, incredible street food, bustling streets, and beautiful architecture, it’s easy to see why people come and never leave. I am surprised at how seamless the adjustment has been to a place so different than anywhere else I’ve traveled. Many Vietnamese people do not speak English, and if they do, their vocabulary is small. Despite this, traveling throughout both Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, ordering food (even as a vegetarian), and exploring the must-see sights has been a breeze. I’ve found that travel by foot is by far the best way to experience HCM and Hanoi; it allows me to place my finger on the strong pulse of the city life, however, an Uber is a reliable second bet should your feet tire of hopping over cobble stones or weaving through the millions of motorcycles that inhabit the busy streets. Word to the wise - when crossing the street, keep moving at a steady pace, the motorcycles and cars will go around you, but should you attempt to dodge them, you might find yourself the victim of a pile-up, and it might be hard to use chopsticks if you’re incapacitated.

Thus far, I’ve experienced Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, which I would call the New York and DC of Vietnam, respectively. Each offers something unique, but I think Hanoi is my favorite location. The city itself is more than a thousand years old, and the character of the ancient temples and universities, the street food vendors cooking traditional Vietnamese cuisine on jam-packed streets, and new, modern builds scattered throughout the city make it something truly special. With every turn unfolds another classic temple, old Vespa, cobblestone alleyway, and chance to eat a delicious bowl of pho or recharge with a Vietnamese coffee. The whole city, including its street roosters and chickens, feels so alive.

The friendliness and emphasis on superior customer service can be seen in the business environment as well, though my experience in-country has been limited thus far. Despite this, there is an obvious emphasis on courteousness and treating others with the utmost respect. In order to be successful, trust must be established and maintained between both parties. While these characteristics may seem obvious, there are special nuances to every interaction, from ordering food at a restaurant, to speaking with a concierge, to working with our client, all of which would have gone unnoticed had we continued this project in the comforts of DC. I feel so fortunate to be able to finalize our work in Vietnam where I have the opportunity to step back and observe, ask questions, and explore two truly incredible cities.

Feature photo: Old Post Office in Ho Chi Minh City
In text image: Old Quarter in Hanoi

STAP Vietnam Program January 2018

marielbaloJanuary 5, 2018March 4, 2020

Written by Allie Perkins, Global MBA class of 2018

I’ve been fortunate to be able to travel to many parts of the world in previous professional and personal capacities, and once wanderlust sets in, I’ve found that it’s nearly impossible to shake. Thanks to GW, I have had more than one opportunity to visit a foreign country and engage closely with and be a part of its culture while bolstering some of the global business and consulting skills I’ve attained during my MBA program. When I heard about the Short Term Abroad Trip to Vietnam, I knew that it would be a chance to learn about an entirely new culture in a corner of the world I haven’t been able to visit.

Traveling to Asia has been on the top of my travel bucket list for a number of years. I’ve looked on enviously as friends and former colleagues traipse through its numerous ancient cities, swim in its beautiful oceans, and explore the other natural beauty that flows throughout all of its many countries. However, what I am most excited about, is the chance to interact with a new culture in a new environment and (hopefully) help solve a challenge for a real business that lives and breathes in Vietnam. When I traveled to Cape Town South Africa for my Consulting Abroad Project last May, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed learning about the cultural complexities and nuances that affected business in the region; it changed my entire view on the country. I hope to have the same experience in Vietnam.

I am consulting with a nascent business that organizes a highly successful food festival in both Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. This year, Ho Chi Minh had over 60,000 visitors eager to experience and be a part of the soul of Vietnam. So often, food is the bridge between people, languages, and cultures. Its representative of what people value, their social norms, and how they engage and interact with each other and the world they live in. I am thrilled to be working with such a great team on a unique and fulfilling project

I chose to study at GW because of its emphasis on global business and bridging the misunderstandings that oceans and languages and borders cause. Because of the projects I’ve been a part of with global organizations, I have a much deeper understanding of the complexities of doing business abroad and/or with businesses and clients of different cultures. It is so important to be conscious of these nuances in order to be successful. I look forward to my time in Vietnam as I hope to grow my understanding of doing business in another part of the world and further my goal of becoming a global citizen.

Photo credit: BBC Travel, http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20170317-living-in-h-ch-minh-city