Archive for the ‘International Business’ Category

UMSL Tutoring and Lab Services For Business Students  

Wednesday, March 14th, 2018

By: Chris Copithorne

The University of Missouri – St. Louis (UMSL) offers business students different types of resources to ensure student success. One of the best features they offer is tutoring programs and labs for students from all business-related majors. Specifically, these majors include: Accounting, Finance, Supply Chain and Analytics, and Information Systems. There is also a Writing Center and a Math Academic Center available, both located in 222 SSB.

Math and Writing Centers are probably the most well-known by students, but many other fields are just as valuable and should be taken advantage of by business students. For instance, the Finance Lab for Bloomberg Terminal Use is something every student should get themselves familiar with. It is a new feature offered to business students on the first floor of the new business building – Anheuser Bush Hall. Bloomberg Terminal is a software which helps monitor financial data in real-time. This resource offers the opportunity for real-world experience, especially for those who plan to pursue a career in finance.

Tutoring outlets and resources meet the dynamic needs of business students studying in a variety of fields at the undergraduate and graduate level. For instance, an undergraduate business student working on pre-requisite courses in Economics could take advantage of the Economics Resource Center (ERC) located in 452 SSB. Moreover, students can improve their understanding in other technical disciplines like: Mathematics/Writing (222 SSB), Accounting (006 ABH), Management Information Systems (200 ESH), and Supply Chain (002 ABH) in their respective tutoring Centers. All of these tutoring services function on a walk-in basis, but the writing center does require an appointment to receive assistance. This is due to the ambiguous time requirements which is necessary to accurately review, evaluate, and guide a student on a writing assignment. For additional information concerning hours of operation for Tutoring services in Business, please click here.   

Conversely, if you have the ability to help others in these subjects, you can become a tutor. Oftentimes these boast a high degree of flexibility regarding the tutor’s class schedule. These coveted positions are usually given to students who have demonstrated the highest level of proficiency in the courses that they tutor. Prospective business students who need help from a tutor should feel assured in knowing that they are working with the best and brightest in the UMSL Community. Tutors are usually hand-picked by department heads and leaders who look for patient and intelligent students to fill these roles.

Clearly, the tutoring program at UMSL is something that provides huge benefits to all parties involved. It is the hope of the College of Business that students and tutors will cultivate long-lasting relationships through common career interests in the field of business. These relationships often lead to additional networking opportunities through business clubs and organizations within the UMSL community. Tutoring services are meant to serve the needs of business students and augment current efforts in their respective courses. To make the most out of tutoring services, students should come prepared with specific questions on practice problems or assignments. The overall difference tutoring services can make is profound, as students exceed and achieve their academic goals.

 

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Wanted: A viable all-water route from Asia to the U.S. Midwest

Sunday, February 25th, 2018
The following is an excerpt from a guest editorial on Supply Chain Quarterly, with research contributions by UMSL. 

By: Masao Nishi

Member of the Supply Chain Management and Analytic Advisory Board since 2016 & Principal of M. Nishi Strategic Advisory 

In the central United States, there is a magnificent stretch of waterway that is ready and available to be put to greater use: the Mississippi River between New Orleans, Louisiana, and St. Louis, Missouri. This unique segment of open river has no locks or dams, and it is ice-free all year round.

This presents opportunities to move ocean containers from Asia to the U.S. Midwest entirely by water. From ports in Asia, containers could travel through the Panama Canal to the Port of New Orleans, and then via river vessels up the Mississippi to the St. Louis region for further distribution into the Midwest (Figure 1).

North of St. Louis, the river—like most other waterways in the U.S.—is full of locks and dams, which restricts the size of the tows and vessels and complicates transit time and the predictability of shipment deliveries. For these reasons, the New Orleans-to-St. Louis segment is ideal for getting container activity started on the waterways.

This route offers easy access to a large consumer market as well as an opportunity to lower costs, diversify and manage risk, and build a supply chain network that matches, and takes advantage of, the actual supply chain requirements of their products. It’s also greener than other modes of transportation. The New Orleans-to-St. Louis portion of the river is already a major traffic lane for bulk commodities carried by barge. Much of that volume consists of agricultural products; in fact, the St. Louis region is often referred to as the “Agricultural Coast” of America.

Yet shippers of containerized cargo are not taking advantage of this option. Given all its advantages, why are shippers reluctant to make use of this tremendously underutilized resource? And what will it take to make the New Orleans-to-St. Louis stretch of the river a more attractive and viable route for both shippers and carriers of containerized cargo?

—Read The Full Story at Supply Chain Quarterly— 

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Strasbourg, France IMBA Program Fall 2016

Thursday, February 16th, 2017

By: Hayley Alexander

Studying abroad in Strasbourg, France was an opportunity I had always dreamed of and it surpassed my expectations. I spent five months in the capital of Europe that bordered two countries; Switzerland and Germany. With only a 30-minute train ride into another country, it was easy to travel throughout Europe. The university I studied at was EM Strasbourg School of Business. Each class challenged me on an international level and I was able to gain real insight into each culture. My favorite part about studying abroad was the people. Working in groups with students from all over the world allowed me to learn how each culture operates in the business world.

Since classes at the university were irregular, it allowed international students studying abroad to travel. After marking friends with students from Spain, Argentina, Hungary, China, Hong Kong, and more, we all visited Paris, Frankfurt, London, Budapest, and Basel. Each city was beautiful in its own way; the Eiffel tower in Paris, the Rhine River in Frankfurt, Buckingham Palace in London, the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest, and the beautiful mountains in Basel. Each place was unique in its own way. What I loved most about Europe was the architecture. Unlike the states that has become extremely modern, the Europeans have kept the older, rich architecture that dates back to hundreds of years ago.

Experiencing culture diversity is an essential part in International Business. However, I can’t write this blog without mentioning the amazing food. Although I could hardly pronounce anything on each Menu, my French friends made me try every “French Dish” available. I now miss my fresh baguettes and cappuccino’s every morning.

I am extremely thankful for this opportunity that has taught me so much about international business and myself. The UMSL IMBA program allows you to connect and network with peers from around the world. I am confident that this experience will help my future career. If you have the opportunity to travel abroad, DO IT! Don’t wait! It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and will change your life forever.

         

         

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Bremen – Summer 2014

Monday, July 28th, 2014

Richard Navarro

 

Richard A Navarro
Assistant Teaching Professor of Information Systems

 

Bremen Germany may be best known to some of us as the Brothers Grimm fairytale home of a Donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster … the Bremen Musicians.
bremenBremen Germany is becoming well known as the home of the Hoschuler Bremen, a science and business oriented university and one of UMSL’s summer study abroad partner universities.

Summer 2014 saw thirteen UMSL students joining 165 other students from 33 countries who have come together with an international faculty as part of the Hochuler Bremen International Summer Institute K program. Our UMSL participants enrolled in courses varying from German culture and language to International Project Management.  The program offers students the opportunity to earn up to six credit hours, to interact with a truly global student body, to travel, and to grow.

Bremen itself is a medium sized city and, although 60 km from the North Sea, a major seaport.  It has a pleasant climate.  It has an active downtown area, modern shopping, covered pedestrian malls, and rathskellers and  restaurants, disco clubs and climbing walls. Class schedules are structured to afford maximum travel opportunities and Bremen  is connected to the rest of Germany and Europe by a fine, convenient, and easy to navigate rail system that well supports ones weekend travel plans, and … it is, in short, a fine place to spend a month..

Interested?   Contact Dr. Rottmann to see if there is Germany in your future.

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