Name: Mathew Hepburn
Major: MBA with a concentration in strategy and international business
Career aspirations: To work in a strategic capacity with a large Canadian or US multinational on developing market entry strategies for developing markets.
Why were you interested in taking the Doing Business in Emerging Markets course?
I have never visited China and the opportunity to explore Beijing and Shanghai was too good to turn down. Aside from this, I am passionate about the idea of Canadian firms expanding their global presence. I wanted to be a part of this project because it would be exciting to help a local firm develop a strategy for entering the Chinese market!
What do you expect to learn from your visit to China?
What I am most looking forward to is gaining a better perspective on Chinese culture. As students we spend a lot of time analyzing trends in the Chinese consumer market, how culture affects consumption, business practices etc. I want to learn first-hand how this culture shapes the way the Chinese live.
How do you think this experience will impact your future career?
I think this trip will have an enormous impact on my future career. The consulting project we are taking part in is exactly what I want to do for a living. I know the skills and knowledge I have accumulated in this course will go a long way towards making me a better candidate and a better professional when I am helping Canadian firms expand into emerging markets for a living!