What international/cross-cultural experiences will you bring to Brandeis International Business School and how will this contribute to the classroom?
To broaden vision, I went to ***as an exchange student in 2009. The experiences there made me know the importance of culture difference in doing business and taught me how to handle cross-culture conflict in the classroom.
For those students who are interested in but not familiar with China market, my experience will provide advice and even substantial help. Michael, an MBA student in ***, planed to import ATV from China as a dealer, but he didn't how to contact Chinese factory except for leaving a message on Alibaba (world's largest online B2B marketplace). After hearing that no one replied him, I determined to help him contact the supplier. First, I did a research on ATV supply market in China to analyze why he didn't get reply on the website. Unlike in the USA, in China there are few ATV manufacturers, because in Chinese culture, people prefer indoor activities to outdoor sports and basically no one hunts. ATV producers can be divided into two categories. The famous big companies focus on foreign market and usually has fixed importer. The rest is small-scale and don't notice the foreign market, let alone professional international trade personnel who knows English. Thus, both of them wouldn't reply. My life experience told me that the motorcycle producers may solve the problem, because there are many motorcycle producers in China, who can change their product line to produce ATV and motorcycle is a very competitive industry in China. Therefore, I convinced a motorcycle producer to manufacture ATV and export to Michael. At last, Michael purchased desirable ATV. From this experience, I more deeply perceived that culture difference leads to consuming habit difference and then market difference. I will bring more similar experiences to Brandeis to share and discuss with classmates, helping them understand abstract theory in the book and even discover business opportunity.
Studying in America increased my awareness of the fact that the Chinese way of doing things is not the only way and that flexibility and sensitivity are absolutely necessary to get along with others. In Chinese classroom, asking questions directly tends to be seen as signs of weak comprehensive ability. While in American's view, asking professors to explain complex graphs and equations actually helps others who are too shy to speak out. This really surprised me because not asking questions seemed natural to me. Thus, in *** I started to ask questions, especially about options for small, open economies and brought up examples from countries I've covered. After a few days, many Chinese classmates said my questions reflect their own concerns and thanked me. I believe that I will contribute to the classroom of Brandeis as I did before and my prior cross-culture experience will help other non-native students adjust to the new study environment as soon as possible.
A rush of excitement comes over me when I explore Brandeis, which offers an international vision and experience; I am sure that I would benefit this school by contributing my unique experience and perspective. (any transition word for my last paragraph?)
Do I answer the question clearly and am I wordy?
For those students who are interested in but not familiar with China's market, my experience will provide advice and even substantial help.-----what market? all markets?
Thus, both of them wouldn't reply.
Thus, neither of them would reply. -----in English, it is considered a mistake to use a "double negative."
:-)
Studying in America increased my awareness of the fact that the Chinese way of doing things is not the only way and that flexibility and sensitivity are absolutely necessary to get along with others.----this introduces a new idea. The essay began with a discussion of your perspective on Chinese markets, but now you are talking more about your perspective on open-mindedness. I think you should write a brief intro paragraph that tells the reader what your main theme for this essay will be and also tells the reader about a few topics you will cover: the Chinese market, the Chinese way of doing things in the classroom, etc.
At the end, give a little conclusion paragraph that reflects on the IMPLICATIONS of this truth to which you refer... or the importance of this perspective that you offer.
