Global Business and Social Enterprise

In an increasingly global economy, international experience for Indiana University MBA candidates comes from hands-on work in the field as much as the classroom. A group of students, led by Professor Sheri Fella, travel to Ghana to help local entrepreneurs tackle business challenges using cutting edge business practices. The Kelley MBA GLOBASE initiative provides a unique social enterprise experience by partnering with Ghanaian businesses to make a global impact.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Reflections on Ghana

Our final partner meeting in Accra took place at the headquarters of West Africa Trade Hub. Their mission is to build market linkages, bringing buyers and producers together. The team at West Africa Trade Hub met us with great enthusiasm for their own mission and for a potential partnership with the Kelley MBA Global Business and Social Enterprise (GLOBASE) team. West Africa Trade Hub works with people to improve transport, access to finance, business environment and ICT to make West African businesses more competitive. Currently, they're working with six sectors: apparel, cashews, fish & seafood, home decor & accessories, shea, and specialty foods. As they shared during our site visit, Trade Hub recently engaged in a gap analysis analyzing the challenges of implementation of ECOWAS protocols on the free movement of people, goods and transport in West Africa and included a few insights from that study in a recent newsletter.

As I reflect on my March and June visits to Ghana, I consider myself extremely lucky. It's been a privilege to travel and learn alongside Kelley School of Business faculty scholars, staff and students, to push my personal limits, and challenge what I know, or thought I knew, about the global economy.

The March trip to Accra with the Kelley School of Business Undergraduate Emerging Economies class proved to be an excellent introduction to the business and cultural nuances of a developing country and its economy. Meetings with The Ghana Cocoa Board, Cummins-Ghana, SEND-Ghana (an NGO that focuses on poverty-related research), and others, provided first-hand exposure to food, culture, climate, and diverse viewpoints regarding the advantages and complexities of living and conducting business in West Africa.

The June trip was a full-immersion experience. Although I find the diversity of thought and energy of a big group stimulating, there is real benefit to traveling with a small troop. Numbering just three, the agility of the Globase Ghana Leadership Team allowed us to be flexible with our schedule and take full advantage of the introductions and gracious hospitality provided while in-country. In essence, our ability to build meaningful relationships with potential partners was greatly enhanced. And isn't that really the foundation of global business?

Thank you to all those who hosted us during our travels. We're so glad to have met you and look forward to working with you in the future!
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)