Analysis for So Much Fun—Teaching Assistant Experience

Well…before the deadline of assignment N, let me confess first. I admit that I didn’t take professor Sukumar’s ASM (Analysis for Strategic Marketing). That’s why you always saw me in class. I wish to stay on the same page as you all. It’s quite a challenge to be a TA. I would say almost the first time of life. (Last time was during my high school for geography.)

Although my emails and phone calls were increasing dramatically (50 calls and 40 emails before the deadline of assignment or MarkStrat, a simulation game for ASM, decision), I like to work with you all. The more you ask, the better I learn. For example, my concept about the factor analysis is quite solid after 60-70 times of practices. Discussing the strategies and competitive dynamics of your MarkStrat team was a blast. I have the privilege to sharpen my marketing strategies. The interaction in my office hour was as fun as it in class. I am not a SPSS expert, but you help me understand much better. On campus, some of you may stop me for asking questions. Frankly, I never dreamed to be so popular before.

I know that I used some alien languages in some of my review sessions while talking about SPSS. Thanks for your patience. If I am allowed to use Chinese, I can do a better job. The trimester is almost finished. As your TA, I really appreciate your support, Prof. Sukumar’s and Philippe’s help. I like this job and enjoy every moment with you. Wish you all the best. Pass all the exams and assignments!

Global Mindset—Find out the Diversity Bug

You may hear or see the term of Global Mindset on campus or website of Thunderbird a bit. You probably know what it is about. The concept of Global Mindset actually is based on the research led by Dr. Mansour Javidan, the Director of the Garvin Center for Cultures and Languages of International Management. Eight Thunderbird faculty members, including Dr. Javidan, Dr. Angel Cabrera, Dr. Mary Teagarden, Dr. Olufemi Babarinde, Dr. Karen Walch, Dr. Chris Pearson, Dr. Debbie Himsel, Dr. Jutta Ulrich, Dr. David Bowen and Dr. Nandani Lynton, worked together and concluded the differences between T-birds and other MBA students, which is the global mindset.

“Global Mindset is a confluence of attributes that enables an individual to influence individuals, groups, and or organizations in different social/cultural systems.” Dr. Javidan said. There was a two-day conference co-chaired by Dr. Javidan and Dr. Teagarden on campus on November 10-12. The best professors and researchers in this field came together to share and to discuss the concept. One presentation made by professors of Columbia University was the literature review of the related topics. They commented that there was no paper addressing the emotional attribute, such as passion, about the Global Mindset, which is very interesting to learn from Thunderbird’s global mindset report.

Dr. Javidan is very interested in the fact that some executives have the difficulty to deal with people from different cultures or backgrounds. Thus, he and other seven faculty members in Thunderbird conducted a series of the literature review and in-depth interviews among T-bird alumni and faculties across 20 cities of the world. After the project GLOBE, this is another milestone of cross cultural study. It sounds to me that GLOBE is a hard drive containing various information while Global Mindset plays a role as the microprocessor.

“Diversity Bug” (DB) is another interesting finding from this research. “The excitement and the thirst to work with diversified people, a great deal of the emotion, is something we found for our grounded theory.” Dr. Javidan said that we T-bird have this bug inserted in our head. That’s why we are so different from other MBA students. “Many T-birds have DBs but may not be aware of it. They may not be passionate yet curious about it. Through their experience in Thunderbird, the bugs are developed.” At the first stage, the implementation of the global mindset can start from the marketing. “It can do a better job to help us connect to the right prospective students. We shouldn’t market our MBA program like others do.” Dr. Javidan told me.

“We need to spread the word out.” So far, the school introduces the global mindset during the hospitality weekend, foundation week, and cross-cultural communication course. “The global mindset is to excite those people with DB and to make those without DB understand.” It will also create a stage for them to improve the content of the program. “For current students, the global mindset is shaping piece by piece. At the end, it will be in place.” As a ready-to-be alumnus, I am interested in what global mindset may help me. Dr. Javidan told me that the global mindset is a powerful tool for alumni to connect to the right people and to provide consistent and supportive information to communicate with our colleagues, employers, and prospective students. Each of us is an ambassador to Thunderbird. The global mindset is easier for us to elaborate what T-bird is all about. “You need to continue feeding and nurturing your DB.”

The next step of the global mindset is to identify those non T-birds whether have DBs or not. Are they successful because of the global mindset or else? Dr. Javidan plans to invite international HR executives for a HR summit and interview them to have stronger grounded theory in late April or early May. “How can Thunderbird help them? We want to propose to them to join us.” Dr. Javidan emphasized.

“To those with the DB, Thunderbird is your natural home!” Dr. Javidan said.

To read more about the global mindset, please see: http://www.thunderbird.edu/about_us/thunderbird_news/front-page-news/global-mindset.htm

Aloha! StarShine Academy!

It was a bright and sunny Friday. Kellie Kreiser, Fall ’04, Lucia Llobet, Summer ’05, Gbemi Disu, Spring ’06, Atif Khan, Summer ’06, and I went to the StarShine Academy in the downtown Phoenix. We were invited to talk to their students about our cultures, backgrounds and interesting facts, which are very different from the US.

This school is very special. The founder and the president, Patricia Adams, told us that she never thought of being a president of a non-profit K-12 school. Her idea to run the school is to inspire everyone become who he/she is. You may have no clue how successful the StarShine academy is. 3 or 4 years ago, this neighborhood was full of drugs and guns, one of the worst in Phoenix. As soon as Adams involved, she used every connection and business skill she earned as a former executive of AT&T and Norwest Bank. The school staff visited the neighbors door by door and provided free education to those kids. Nowadays, StarShine Academy is well-run and chosen by the UN as the best practice of the peace.

Adams encourages students to choose their goals and develop their skills toward their direction. They can change as many times as they want. Every child also needs to know how to use a computer. She keeps it as simple as possible to run this school and ensures that any successor will have no problem to operate it. “You don’t know who may play a role in yours someday.” She also shares a story with us. One of her students had a miserable childhood. When Adams asked her: what’s her life goal? The Student responded: Be a lawyer. Adams probed further: How? She thought for seconds and said: go to community college to study law. Adams: do you think that you are gonna make it through the community college? The student shook her head. Adams: Which school do you think to attend and to achieve your goal? The student replied: Harvard. One of unknown visitors stood next to them and listened till the end. He broke through the conversation and introduced himself as an honor alumnus of Harvard Law School. He also promised to invite her to the alumni reunion event. “Isn’t that amazing?” Adams smiled. I thought of the Alchemist: “when you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true.”

StarShine Academy has the ambassadors for different countries. After talking with Adams, we met and greeted our ambassadors from different grades. Mine is a grade 2 girl. She was a little shy but full of smiles. We started to introduce our cultures and share some interesting stories class by class. There were three groups of students, Kindergarten and Grade 1, Grade 2-4, and Grade 5-8. Most of them particularly were interested in food from our countries. By pointing the map, they realized how far each of us came from. Atif showed them Pakistan bill. I drew Chinese characters and explained the symbolic meaning of them. Lucia had the language advantage because many of them can speak Spanish. Gbemi brought some small gifts for them to join the interaction. All students were eager to learn some of our languages. We continued doing so until we met with the kindergarten and Grade 1 kids…

They are curious in how to speak everything in different languages. They wondered how to say “belly”, “tree”, “sky”, and even “princess”!! What’s this and that? They asked whatever they saw. However, after I taught them what’s “thank you” in Chinese, they said: Aloha! Something returned when I asked “hello”, “goodbye” or “how are you”. No matter what I asked, they all responded: aloha! The rest of teachers and t-birds can’t stop laughing. Well…me neither. Those kids are so cute and sincere. Kellie described that they are little t-birds. I think so! At the end, those students even sang a song including many greetings in various languages to us. We were so touched and joyful. Thanks and kudos to Kellie making this happen and to those who attended, supported, or helped! You are the best! I am looking forward to seeing those students again.

So Long, Thunderbird!

Before starting my study in Thunderbird, I had one of the worst periods of my life. My dad was in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and the ward about three months. Afterwards, my second brother had his thyroid cancer surgery. My big brother had a motorcycle accident. Meanwhile, I needed to work in the day time, visited my second brother in the hospital, slept in my father’s ward in another, which is about an hour away by scooter. Eventually, they are all healthy and well. I am a lucky man.

While I rode across a half of Taipei City, I usually thought what the meaning for life is. I didn’t have the idea to study abroad then. All I want was that they recovered soon and got well. Mengzi said: “When God is about to place a great responsibility on a man, it always first frustrates his spirit and will, exhausts his muscles and bones, exposes him to starvation and poverty, harasses him by troubles and setbacks so as to stimulate his spirit, toughen his nature and enhance his abilities.”[1] I like this quote, and it encouraged me during my down term. I never dreamed to accomplish some great things though. As long as my family and I are happy, that’s good enough. Thus, I quit my job and took care of my family.

After they convalesced, I started to consider the option to study abroad. One year later, I arrived the Thunderbird and struggled against tons of school work and campus events since then. Frankly speaking, I cherished every moment I had here. It is because of not only the last time as a student but also the unique environment with wonderful classmates. Last week, I was talking to an alumnus in the pub. We all agreed that we’re really gonna miss all these special experiences as T-birds. From the regional nights to the cultural dinners, from the pub to the TAC (without air-conditioning in summer, oh boy!), from the soccer field to the tennis court, from lecture halls to IBIC, every little thing will exist in our topics upon the graduation for life-long time.

I’ve tried many different challenges and used every opportunity to enhance my days on campus. I am not a perfect person, but I want to live my life differently. Thanks to everyone who ever teaches, helps, facilitates, listens to, and work with me along the way. I really appreciate all of you from the bottom of my heart. To my fellow classmates, there was a fabulous big bird called “peng” in Chinese. When it spreads the wings, it can fly over ten thousands miles. I wish you all fly as high and far as the big bird. So long, my friends. So long, Thunderbird!

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[1] http://www.51test.net/show.asp?id=20367

Lonely Highway

During the break between Spring and Summer 2005, we went to Texas for a short road trip. Starting from Austin to Luckenbach, Fredericksburg, San Antonio, and Houston, our trip was not very long. However, it gave me the idea when many American students discussed what’s like to travel in the US. I also understood one of my favorite songs since my high school days.

Lonely Highway was Sky Wu’s piece. He is one of the most talented pop singers in Taiwan. His resonant and bright voice accompanies his songs very well. When I was in high school, I didn’t quite understand the meaning of “Lonely Highway”. As a teenager then, the only important thing of my life was to study and to pass the exam. Its lyrics mentioned some components of the emotion, which were too far for me to imagine. On my way in Texas, I suddenly had the picture: a person in a small sedan drives along the road. There is no one else. Nothing appears in the mirror. You keep hitting the end of the road. Sun in the desert is your only company. Wearing a pair of sunglasses is how you hide from the loneliness and avoid others to read your mind. You bear something unrelieved and try to escape from your world…

Although our road trip was joyful and the natural views were amazing, I felt somehow lonely and tiny to the whole universe. Diasporas or Siddhartha may have the same feeling while traveling across the lands. You start to think something linked to your life or reading experience while meeting diverse people. There’s a Chinese old saying: “Traveling thousands of miles is better than reading thousands of books.” Not only the memories but also the reflection on you is meaningful.

The road trip is short, but the life journey isn’t. I was thinking to drive across the states from west to east coast. It seems difficult for me to accomplish this before the graduation. Hey, who knows? I may do so once in life time. Anyone wants to join me? We can sing and drive along the way. Extra the essence of time, and drink it! Enjoy the “Lonely Highway”.

Lonely Highway

Melody: Sky Wu; Lyrics: Yan-er; Singer: Sky Wu

I promised to travel with you, but I flew alone and didn’t keep my word.

The scenes outside the window changed over time and reminded me the fluster of the betrayal.

I promised not to let you wander around. I am confused and don’t know what’s right or wrong.

While walking alone on the snowing street, I can’t hold a warm coffee.

New York, Dallas, Los Angeles… It snows at every stop on the lonely highway.

Miss, wait, and drained-away dreams… It hurts at every inch on the lonely highway.

Sunrise, Moonshake, Heartbreaker. It snows at every stop on the lonely highway.

Apathy, fervor, and a hand with a lighted cigarette... Where is the end on the lonely highway?