Feature

International Experience Trip of
MBA students- Yale University, USA

Yamin Tauseef Jahangir

THE terms 'business' and 'development' has evolved over ages. From the times of barter to the present day we have always been on the learning curve, trying to create better understanding, adapting to situations and holding onto promises which are made in earnest. We make deals and offer to keep the person on the other side of the desk content and regardless how much difficulty is being endured, commitment is the word that gets the priority. To understand how the business environment works in other parts of the world a group of 25 MBA students from Yale University School of Management, New Haven, Connecticut, USA visited Bangladesh. The visit was a part of Yale's efforts to increase business curriculum's global relevance by exposing students to the business environment in foreign countries. The team from Yale learnt from managers and employees of corporations, banks, NGOs and the public sector. It was a ten-day visit which started off with Malaysia and then to Bangladesh, where students got the opportunity to have a better understanding on the business world and also got answers to their queries.

On 16th March 2010, Yale University students visited Citi Bank N.A. Bangladesh and met with the representatives to gain insight on how different political and cultural structures create challenges and opportunities for businesses in Bangladesh. The session was attended by the Yale students, Mamun Rashid, Citi Country Officer - Bangladesh, Abrar A. Anwar, Head of Global Corporate and Commercial Bank, Parvez Murshed, Head of Global Transaction Services, Silmat Chisti, Head of Capital Markets and Imran Rahman, Pro Vice Chancellor & Director, School of Business ULAB - University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. The discussion started off with an introductory speech by Mamun Rashid, Citi Country Officer-Bangladesh where he talked about the new regime and its positive initiatives. After this he moved onto the current scenario of the local markets and how Citi Bank N.A. is coping with the changes and the steps that are being taken in prospect to the changing market. On answering to a question about micro financing by a Yale MBA student, Mamun Rashid emphasized on the solutions which are possible through micro finance, and mentioned the necessity to tap the rural areas. He also spoke about the commercialization of agriculture, women empowerment and drew statistics on the education sector to give the students an in depth knowledge on how the world works in a developing country.

Abrar A. Anwar, Head of Global Corporate and Commercial Bank, added little information along with the Citi Country Officer- Bangladesh, regarding Human Capacity development and also focused on M-Commerce and E-Commerce. The Citi officials wrapped up the discussions by talking about the private sectors and the current role being played by them. The global recession and the solutions to it were few other prime topics being talked about at the meeting. Due to time constraint the Yale students had to end their Q/A session and moved onto refreshments. On interviewing a Yale MBA student of Class 2010, Adriana Costa said, "I myself come from a developing country and now studying in States, so I have an idea of how things work in this part of the world." On asking her about the discussion, she said, "I am very satisfied with the way the informations were delivered and it was systematically presented, which gave me a better understanding on how business is conducted here." When asked about Bangladesh and its progress, she added, "I personally think the country is having a great progress, even with the recession that has affected almost all the countries, this country has got no such cases of lay offs and hence it is a positive sign that the strategies which are being followed here do pay off at the end of the day. I see a bright future for the country."