Seminar Descriptions

Making the U.S. Commercial Service Work for You in Asia/Pacific

  Maryavis Bokal, Senior International Trade Specialist, U.S. Department of Commerce, Newport Beach, CA

This is a great session to enhance your understanding of how to access and wisely use the U.S. Commercial Service capabilities working with U.S. domestic offices as well as with their overseas locations. This session helps prepare for one-on-one meetings with the Senior Commercial Officers during the conference. Join this dialog on how to make the most of this useful government resource to increase your exports.

Building Credibility, Competitiveness, and Clarity of Purpose in the Asia/Pacific Professional Services Sector

  Ronald A. Altoon, Founding Partner, Altoon + Porter, LLC, Los Angeles

Working in a foreign country, another continent, has its challenges—language, food, sleep deprivation, cultural nuances. An entrepreneurial spirit seems to be the best arrow in the quiver. Participants will learn how one consulting firm evaluated its global-ready capabilities and understood the challenges of bringing these skills to market in contextually challenging environments. They will be able to evaluate the risks—personal and financial, domestic and international—of building a global professional consulting practice. They will be able to consider how to envision a strategic plan, with desirable outcomes, and to appreciate the challenges of achieving their plan. They will observe the value of assessing if the core values of their practices are sustainable offshore, and how to assure this when working collaboratively with colleagues from another country and culture. Just another day at the office.

APEC Supply Chains: Identifying Opportunities for Improvement in the Asia/Pacific Region

  Carl Voigt, Associate Professor of Management, USC Marshall School of Business

Professor Voigt and his team of MBA research students will share their November 2011 report that was Commissioned by the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and presented at the APEC 2011 Summit in Honolulu.

The report presents a detailed comparative analysis of APEC supply chains. Specifically, the study focuses on identifying and quantifying the most significant chokepoints, inefficiencies, and barriers which impose time delays, raise transaction costs unnecessarily, and increase supply chain risk and uncertainty. Chokepoints impose direct economic losses. They benefit no one; they hurt consumers, businesses, and economies. And when they are large and persistent they impact competitiveness and divert trade. Achieving improvements is difficult because supply chains require the coordination of multiple parties and multiple government agencies in different economies. Additionally, the chain-linked nature of supply chains means that changes in one part offer diminished benefits unless the entire chain is improved. Consequently, it is crucial for APEC to identify which chokepoints are most critical and what improvements will provide the greatest potential time and cost savings.

Learn about their key findings, conclusions and action recommendations, which will become part of broader report that has been submitted to APEC governments.

Tips on How to Profitably Grow in the Global Marketplace

  Mike Bryant, Managing Director, UPS Capital, Atlanta

  Marianne Hughes,Export-Finance Manager, Export-Import Bank, Irvine, CA

This seminar will focus on how to effectively finance your exports to fuel revenue and profit growth of your organization. It will answer the question as to why financing your exports makes financial sense. Presenters will provide valuable options to enable your company to implement a strategy to compete in the international marketplace.

Art of Negotiation – Negotiating With the Chinese Effectively

  Mu Dan Ping, Executive Director, World Heritage Foundation, Los Angeles

One of the most important, and anxiety-producing aspects of Chinese-American business relationships is the negotiation process. Regardless of one’s role in any project, there will come to a time when it will involve some sort of negotiations – business structure, profit sharing plan, who will do what by when, and assignment of responsibility is all part of this process. This is a process of communicating back and forth for the purpose of reaching a joint decision. An overview of key skills and mindsets when preparing for and engaging in negotiations with the Chinese will be discussed. Key sets of “do’s and don’ts” will be introduced.

Assessing Asia’s Currency Landscape In 2012

  Nick Bennenbroek, Senior Vice President, Head of Currency Strategy, Wells Fargo & Company, New York

Nick Bennenbroek will offer his outlook for Asian currencies in 2012. He will review recent Chinese economic developments, and their implications for China's domestic monetary policy as well as China's currency appreciation policy. Nick will also assess the outlook for other key Asian currencies, with a focus on both regional economic fundamentals as well as the impact on the ongoing European debt market crisis.

What Kind of China Policy Serves America’s National Interests?

  Sidney Rittenberg, President, Rittenberg & Associates Inc., Fox Island, WA

Politicians tend to talk about China policy in terms of their own interest in getting votes. Business leaders, in terms of making money. Where do these two approaches dove-tail and where do they clash? What kind of long-term policy serves our national interests? What kind are we likely to adopt?

  William Overholt, Senior Research Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, MA

In the past decade China has changed almost beyond recognition. China’s leadership has changed from charismatic, entrepreneurial figures to administrators. A trend toward centralized power has been reversed by the rise of interest group and regional influence. Formerly rapid political reform has ceased. An economy of growth at any price, rapid marketization, seemingly limitless cheap labor, superior coastal growth, and rapid emergence of small and medium enterprises has been superseded by profound concern for environmental and social problems, labor scarcity, superior interior growth, and a severe financial squeeze on all but the largest state enterprises. A geopolitics of caution, lack of confidence and emphasis on growth at the expense of foreign ambitions has given way to far greater hubris and assertiveness. These interconnected changes have created a new China.

The China Model and Your Global Business

  James McGregor, Senior Counselor, APCO Worldwide, Beijing

As China tightens up at home with the "China Model" of expanded state-capitalism, and cash-rich Chinese state-owned companies go global with ambitious investment and acquisition plans, the world's multinationals and entrepreneurs need to rethink not only their China business plans but their global business strategies. Your partnerships in China could be setting you up to create your next global competitor. Your home market could soon be reshaped by Chinese companies who have nicely protected markets and generous subsidies at home that provide them with economies of scale and price points that are hard to compete with. The Global Financial Crisis did more than knock Wall Street down a few notches. It has placed China in an advantageous position that the US, Europe and Japan are just beginning to understand and confront.

The Chinese Economic Recession and its Future Global Impact

  Christopher Goode, President & Managing Director, White Drive (China) Products, Hopkinsville, KY

The current ongoing recession is changing many behaviors across a broad front in China which will have far reaching consequences for Foreign Investment Enterprises. It is also shifting the export focus in China which in turn is spurring growth of higher technology joint ventures that will ultimately impact North America and Europe.

The U.S. recession of 2008 was greatly reduced by China’s reaction and support, but the future consequences have and will continue to change the Western world. In addition, what is the of potential policy impact of the top leadership changes over the next 10 months? All of this will have considerable impact on the next generation of Chinese workers and managers. What does all of this mean for the Foreign Investment Enterprises of today and tomorrow?

  QiWei Chen, Chairman, ABC Holdings and Chairman & Managing Partner, ABC Capital China, Shanghai

Over the past decade, as one of the leading active private equity firms in China, ABC Capital has taken part in the evolution of China's economy by investing in more than 70 local high-growth companies. Dr. Qiwei Chen, Chairman of ABC Capital will share his knowledge and insights gained from firsthand experience and explain the changing nature of China's economy from his unique perspective.

What Do We Know About China and Aren’t Taking Advantage Of? What Don’t We Know About China that It Would Be Really Helpful to Know?

  Clayton Dube, Associate Director, USC U.S.-China Institute

China is enormous, complex, and constantly changing. What important trends have businesses been slow to act upon? What important questions should they be considering as they work to establish or expand ties with partners in China? Demographic, energy, environmental, macroeconomic, and social/political issues are among those to be discussed.

Materialism, Middle Class Aspirations, New Youth Lifestyles and Behavior, and a Growing Self-Confidence: The Implications of a Rising China for American Business

  Stan Rosen, Director, USC East Asia Center & Professor of Political Science

China's growth have already led to the rise of a new middle class, as well as a stratum of the rich and even super-rich. Current trends and surveys strongly suggest that this phenomenon will continue, and Chinese citizens are optimistic about their future entry to middle class status. These developments in turn have created new role models and new patterns of consumption. For example, whereas price and Chinese brand name had always been the key factors in purchases, more recent surveys have shown that, depending on the consumer item, such things as quality, style and foreign brand name have become far more important.

Despite these clear changes, the attitudes and behavior of China's younger generation have been contradictory, ranging from conspicuous consumption of American products such as Hollywood films to anger at the perceived lack of respect China has received in the America media and from certain U.S. government policies. On the one hand, you see the kind of idealism that contributed to the volunteerism after the Sichuan earthquake in May 2008. On the other hand, virulent cyber nationalism has distinguished at least some of the behavior of "angry youth".

How to Profit from the most U.S. friendly of the BRICs

  Gunjan Bagla, Founder, Amritt Ventures, Los Angeles

Companies such as ExxonMobil, GE, IBM and Boeing are making billions in India today. Regardless of size, your company can also profit from this $1.5 trillion free market democracy if you know how to tackle its nuances and complexities. Attend this interactive session offered by Gunjan Bagla, of Amritt, Inc. Gunjan has spoken at APBO over five consecutive times and is known for his frank, forthright and current approach for what works in India and what does not work. Gunjan and Amritt believe that American exports to India can increase 500% in the medium term, if American CEOs and CMOs play their cards right. There are many challenges in dealing with India's business culture and its bureaucracy and Gunjan will illustrate how to overcome these challenges.

The Implications of Financial Imbalances for International Economic Growth

  Lawrence E. Harris, Professor of Finance & Business Economics, USC Marshall School of Business, Los Angeles

All financial imbalances eventually somehow end. Unfortunately, the endings often are not nice. This session will consider how imbalances due to entitlement programs, aging populations, resource shortages, exchange rate controls, and government deficit spending ultimately will be resolved, and how these resolutions will impact international economic growth.

Pacific Cities Sustainability Initiative

  Richard Drobnick, USC Marshall School of Business

  Bruce Pickering, Executive Director, Asia Society Northern California, San Francisco

Global development over the next 50 years will be concentrated in Pacific Rim cities, which represent both the problem and the solution for many environmental concerns such as clean water, energy efficiency, air pollution, and security. Balancing economic growth and environmental protection calls for careful, creative, and collaborative plans and action. This seminar will focus on how the Pacific Cities Sustainability Initiative, a collaborative partnership comprised of the Asia Society Centers of Northern and Southern California, UCLA, USC and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities World Institute, connects business leaders, policy-makers, academics, students, and the public in a series of forums to showcase best practices and deepen relationships among the cities of the Pacific Rim.

Japan’s Worst Natural Disaster: International Business Disruption, Recovery and Opportunities

  Douglas Erber, President, Japan American Society of Southern California, Los Angeles

  Jun Niimi, Consul General, Consulate General of Japan, Los Angeles

  Randy Pflughaupt, Group Vice President, Sales Administration, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Los Angeles

  Haruo Shinjo, Senior Director, Corporate Strategic Planning, Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Cypress, CA

On March 11, 2011, Japan suffered one the world’s most powerful earthquakes, which triggered divesting tsunami waves and a nuclear radiation crisis. In addition to causing more than 20,000 deaths, the earthquake and tsunami destroyed critical automotive parts and technology manufacturing facilities, resulting in a worldwide disruption of the supply of automobiles, consumer electronics and machine tools. Our panel of insiders will discuss the disasters’ impacts on international trade and business, strategies implemented to recover and future business opportunities one year after Japan’s “triple” disasters.

Managing the Power of Perceptions/Expectations – How to Work with the Chinese Effectively

  Mu Dan Ping, Executive Director, World Heritage Foundation, Los Angeles

International business deals do not usually fail due to external factors such as money, technology, market environment, product, politics, economics or technical considerations. Most often failures are caused by a lack of understanding of cultural differences based on personal values, expectations and perceptions held by people from different cultures. Successful business relationships between the U.S. and Chinese firms require cross-cultural exchange and mutual understandings. The inability to interact effectively can lead to misunderstandings and negatively affect the peoples and business between the two countries.

   Steve Arnold, International Sales Manager, FedEx

   Evan Chuck, Partner and Office Managing Partner, Bryan Cave, Los Angeles & Shanghai

Evan Chuck, Managing Partner of Bryan Cave's Shanghai office and head of its International Trade client service group, will discuss best practices involved in doing business in China and throughout Asia. Specifically, Mr. Chuck will highlight current opportunities and risks in the region, including the rise of RMB denominated private equity funds and investments in the rapidly developing Chinese consumer market. Mr. Chuck will also cover a number of measures to mitigate the risks of operating in these markets. He will address recent developments in enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the impact on doing business in China. He will highlight changes involved in the export of US technology abroad. Recent changes in the regulations affecting Chinese corporate entities and employer/employee relations will also be discussed.