The Importance of Being Global

I was recently interviewed for a University of Hawaii publication on international education.  Here's what I said:

Q.  You’ve been an advocate for international education at University of Hawai‘i.  What prompted your interest?

A.  It’s no secret that “the world is flat.”  The world has never been so connected … by technology, communications, and commerce.  Success in the future is going to belong to those who understand this and are able to work in a multi-national environment.  If you look at large corporations, they’re all multi-national and more and more of their revenues are coming from areas outside of their headquarters base.  If you look at research and development, you’re seeing more innovation and new patents coming from emerging economies rather than just the highly industrialized nations. 

Q.  What kind of background does it take to succeed in this “flat world?” 

A.  First of all, it requires an open mind and a willingness to look beyond your comfort level.  In that sense, I would say that curiosity about the big, wide world is something I would look for when hiring someone in this day and age.  An educational background in international subjects, knowledge of several languages, and travel abroad all are indicators of that mindset and all of those things help promote that curiosity about the big, wide world. 

A Meeting with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority

Beyond that, there are certain skills that can provide the basis for success in the global   A background in the social sciences is a great foundation for understanding different cultures.  A background in international business provides an understanding of how business is conducted in different parts of the world.  Language skills, of course, are always useful.

community.

Understanding different cultures and being able to adapt products, programs and ideas to fit into them is often a critical skill.  When I worked for a Pizza Hut franchisee that was developing Pizza Hut restaurants in Taiwan, the company started by trying to sell pizza the way that worked in the U.S.:  a great tasting product with an Italian heritage.  In Taiwan, though, there is little appreciation for an Italian heritage.  After struggling with the introduction of Pizza Hut for a while, the company finally made some changes.  They changed the toppings on the pizza to include options like squid.  And they changed the message to be more culturally appropriate.  The message was all about sharing food with friends, which is a natural part of the pizza experience, rather than focusing on the pizza itself.  After those changes, sales really blossomed. 

Q.  What about language?

As I said, being able to speak multiple languages is often a key to success in the global marketplace.  English has been the standard, but more and more people are studying Mandarin to be able to operate in an era when China is becoming such an important player on the world stage. 

There’s an old joke that goes like this:  If you speak three languages, you’re tri-lingual.  If you speak two languages, you’re bi-lingual.  If you speak one language, you’re American.  That has to change.

Even if you’re not fluent, having some basic language skills demonstrates that you care enough about other cultures to at least try to communicate with them in their language.

Q.  What are the possibilities for Hawai‘i in terms of tapping into global opportunities?

For one thing, Hawai‘i has the University of Hawai‘i and its system of colleges.  Given our diverse culture in Hawai‘i and the highly regarded international programs at the University of Hawai‘i, we should naturally be a magnet for international education. 

And, of course, Hawai‘i has a well-respected global brand in tourism.  Tourism is a trillion dollar industry that is expected to continue to grow rapidly fueled by the revolutions in technology, transportation and economic development.  In addition to all of the economic benefits of tourism, the industry naturally exposes people to different cultures and ideas from around the world and, in that regard, it can really be an instrument for global understanding.

Q.  How can Hawai‘i become a better global player?

A.  Over the years, different people have suggested that Hawai‘i is a natural center for global or multi-national businesses, meetings and other activities but that hasn’t happened in a big way.  Part of the rationale for this thinking in the past was that Hawai‘i’s geographic location would naturally make it attractive as a global player.  Long range aircraft, telecommunications technology and the internet have diminished that geographical advantage; however, there are some significant advantages that Hawai‘i has now – or could further develop – that could make Hawai‘i a significant global player. 

One of these advantages is international education.  The University of Hawai‘i and Hawai‘i Pacific University already have a significant number of international students and some extraordinary international programs.  And, of course, there is the East-West Center.  Graduates from these programs often return to their home countries with a familiarity about Hawai‘i, the University and the multi-cultural society here that can make Hawai‘i top-of-mind as a place open to global thinking. 

Another advantage that is still based on Hawai‘i’s geographic location is the ability to host international meetings and events.  As more and more companies are becoming global, it no longer makes sense for sales meetings, product rollouts, conferences and other events to be exclusively scheduled on the US mainland.  Holding these events in Hawai‘i encourages better attendance from Asia and, incidentally, highlights Hawai‘i as a place for international business.  The enormous investment in time and resources to host the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum was intended to showcase Hawai‘i as a place where East and West can have a productive meeting.  We need to continue to take advantage of the publicity and goodwill that came out of APEC. 

And, of course, we should lead from our strengths.  Tourism is the dominant industry in Hawai‘i and Hawai‘i is known the world over for its tourism expertise.  We can take advantage of the power of the Hawai‘i tourism “brand” by exporting our expertise in resort design, hospitality education, sustainable tourism practices and other consulting services.  

Q.  How can UH compete to attract more international students?

A.  It isn’t difficult.   It just requires making international initiatives a priority.  There are many opportunities to recruit international students through enrollment fairs and other activities abroad.  There are also other marketing activities including advertising, social media, and specialized websites that can be developed.  It just takes time, effort and money.

Another approach is to work cooperatively with the state Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) and other colleges and universities in Hawai‘i to develop a marketing campaign promoting the state as a great place for international education.  The individual colleges, then, would benefit from the interest in the Hawai‘i brand and promote their own institutions more effectively.  DBEDT has done this on a limited basis in the past and understands the economic impact that international students contribute to the state.