As part of the program we have option to choose 5 destinations for our international seminar in the 5th term. Paris (New Product Development),Munich (Managing Brands, Identity, and Experiences), Shanghai (Opportunities and Risk in PRC), Hong Kong (Opportunities and Risk in PRC) and Rio De Janeiro (Competitiveness of Latin Economies and why countries grow?).
I’ve been asked this why I chose to go to Brazil?. Why not Munich? Shanghai? Well, like others I anguished myself over this for many days. And finally chose Brazil for following reasons.
- Brazil is one of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries that is going to shape the future of the world in the coming years.
- It certainly has abundant natural resources but struggles to improve its people’s living standards.
- It has huge populations, with large middle class. On one hand it has large swath of people with advanced skills and on the other hand there is a large section of population that lack basic skills and education.
- Brazil is one of the countries that is admired around the world for its culture and sports skills. Brazilian samba and carnival are known around the world. Its soccer team is adored by millions of plans in far countries such as Bangladesh and India.
- Its President Lula is respected around the world for the changes he brought in and for his liberal views. I was personal impressed with his offer of asylum to the woman who is sentenced to stoning in Iran.
- Brazil aspires to be a world power in the coming years. It competes regionally with countries such as Chile and globally with India, China and Russia. I want to understand what measures a country such as Brazil can take to compete in global arena. How the firms in the country fight for global foothold (Ex.Embraer). I understand the perspective of China and India, I want to look at Brazil from a different angle. As Ghemawat said, the rules that apply to companies also apply to countries.
- Personally I’ve been to all other places before (HK, Paris, Munich and Shangahi). Brazil is one place I’ve not been to.
