GEMBA Represents a Model in Chinese-American Collaboration

This article was originally published February 18, 2011 in USC News

The same week in January that Chinese president Hu Jintao met with President Barack Obama to discuss cooperation between the two nations, the USC Marshall School of Business’ Shanghai-based Global Executive MBA program (GEMBA) held its sixth commencement ceremony.

Commencement speaker Wei Lv, vice dean and professor at the Antai College of Economics & Management at Shanghai Jiao Tong University - the institution with which USC Marshall partners to host the GEMBA program - noted there was a parallel between GEMBA and collaborative efforts between China and the United States.

Lv said that while the two leaders of the world’s economic superpowers pledged greater cooperation, the collaborative spirit between the two nations clearly was present with the Antai-Marshall partnership. He characterized the relationship between the schools as strong, leveraging shared resources, conducting joint research and co-authoring case studies.

This international approach was an attraction for entrepreneur Andreas Guip, a GEMBA VI graduate who is managing director at the packaging company Comepack. Guip, a German native and current resident of Shanghai, is one of 29 global executives from more than 12 different countries who are part of the GEMBA VI graduating class.

Guip, the student speaker for the GEMBA VI commencement ceremony, said he selected the USC Marshall program because he wanted to have an education that crossed continents. He has one degree from Europe, one from Asia and sought one degree from the United States. Making remarks in one of the seven languages he speaks, Guip said the 21 months in the GEMBA program hasn't just resulted in an MBA, it has made him “a better person.”

GEMBA graduate and entrepreneur Kaku Nishio described how the program has helped him to advance his business goals. Nishio, who has been involved with his family business exporting tofu and natto (fermented soybeans) from China to more than 20 countries, said the GEMBA experience has given him new ideas for expanding the business.

"My GEMBA experience has been my breakthrough - I have found value that I can recognize in a new business opportunity," Nishio said. “The program has guided me to make a realistic plan for the new business and has given me the confidence to transition leadership in my company.”

Nishio plans to launch a new company that will leverage his export experience and make international trading easier for individuals and small- to mid-sized companies.

The GEMBA VI class raises the number of graduates since the program’s start in 2004 to more than 300.