PHBS MBA Class of 2014 students participated in a brief overseas study tour in the United States during September. Forty students led by MBA Program Director Professor Wei Cen and MBA Office Manager Na Mao visited Cornell University, Drexel University and the United States Military Academy at West Point. Other than participating in intensive lectures, they also visited Comcast headquarters in Philadelphia. Comcast is an American multinational mass media company and is the largest broadcasting and cable company in the world by revenue.
 
September 28, Day One
The group arrived at Cornell University and were welcomed by Professor Ya-Ru Chen, academic dean for China Initiatives at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management. Then Robert Frank, professor of economics and management and the author of the best-seller the Return of the Economic Naturalist How Economics Helps Make Sense of Your World, gave a lecture titled "Behavioral Economics and Economic Decisions."

Professor Robert Frank delivers a lecture on behavioral economics and economic decisions

Students focus on Frank's lecture
 

In the afternoon, the group joined local MBA students for a lecture by Professor Lourdes Casanova, senior lecturer and academic director of the Emerging Markets Institute at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management.

PHBS Professor Wei Cen introduces Peking University HSBC Business School

Her lecture was followed by student presentations, where two groups of Johnson Cornell MBA students presented their work on India's new reform and the success of Indian company Infosys.
 
September 29, Day Two
The second day started with a morning lecture by Ya-Ru Chen, a Nicholas H. Noyes professor of management, on Solutions to a win-win negotiation.

Professor Ya-Ru Chen lectures on The Solution to a win-win negotiation

Through a cleverly designed game, students experienced usual responses during negotiations and based on such, Professor Chen emphasized the four points in a negotiation: the best feasible plan, base line, expectation, and offer price. The lecture continued with case studies and discussions about what makes a win-win situation under each circumstance.

In the afternoon, students visited the Kevin M. McGovern Family Center for Venture Development in the Life Sciences (McGovern Center), a business incubator for young life-science companies founded by Cornell Research Division and Institute of Biotechnology. Center Director Marla Coppolino explained the functions of a business incubator and how enterprises develop after leaving it.

 
September 30, Day Three
The group marveled at the historic heart of Philadelphia, including the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American independence which was rung to mark the reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776. Located in the centerpiece of Independence National Historical Park, Independence Hall is where both the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and adopted.
 
The group also briefly visited the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the university's business school.

Group photo in front of Independence Hall

October 1, Day Four
The group was welcomed at Drexel University by Julie Mostov, vice provost for global initiatives; Frank Linnehan, dean of LeBow College of Business; Paul Jensen, vice dean; and Ron Nordone, assistant dean. Professor Frank Linnehan introduced the business school's programs, and Professor Paul Jensen elaborated on the features of the school's MBA programs and Drexel's co-operative education in learning and internship program.

Kathy Hickey, executive marketing director and Catherine Huffman, senior manager introduces Comcast
 

Next, the group visited the headquarters of Comcast. Executive Marketing Director Kathy Hickey and Senior Manager, Catherine Huffman introduced Comcast's business scope, company size and the company's marketing strategies.

Professor Raj Suri led students to visit the behavioral lab

The group then returned to LeBow College of Business and visited a consumer behavior laboratory with marketing Professor Raj Suri. The researchers there study consumer behavior by analyzing volunteer subjects' nervous system reactions.

Associate Professor Daniel Korschun lectures on corporate social responsibility

The day concluded with Associate Professor Daniel Korschun's lecture on the importance of a company's social responsibility and relationship with stock holders. The lecture verified the importance of balancing the relationship between consumers, employees, suppliers, and shareholders using a case study of a large-scale chain supermarket.
 
October 2, Day Five
The final lecture of the day was with Associate Professor Kathleen M. Campbell at the United States Military Academy, where students learned the "Be-Know-Do" model and studied leadership development and team building.

Associate Professor Kathleen M. Campbell explains the "Be-Know-Do" model

In her management innovation course lecture, Professor Campbell discussed the concept of innovative management, the system of innovative management, why innovative management is needed, and what leaders and managers should be aware of in creating an innovation structure. Students were encouraged to brainstorm on a company in a fictitious case and come up with specific strategies to improve the firm's management. Campbell commented on their presentations and emphasized the importance of innovation and flexibility with respect to each case.