Breakfast of Champions

Posted on December 12, 2017 by Michael Czinkota

kent

Breakfast

On Monday (11^th December, 2017) morning we hosted a get together for selected post graduate students. These were drawn from course reps but also selected by Program Directors who identified individuals whose contribution to the programs was really making a difference. Students were asked to offer brief feedback on…

– I feel good, because….

– I’d love to do more of….

– my best class experience was…

– on Campus, I enjoy most…

– millennials need classes to focus on ….

– …. will help me most with a job

Things students said in their two minute talk included:

I feel good being part of an academic community.
Each day, I improve.
Kent offers an entrepreneurial course, designed around asking professionals in the finance industry. As such, not only do I get academic skills but I’m gaining professional skills too.
I value the Bloomberg Room.
Professors are all very helpful and I’m learning relevant skills
Being on the program gives me different cultural perspectives.
I have found seminars really help me in developing my skills – it’s great to talk with so many different nationalities.

Thanks to Michael for his idea, for organizing the medals and for being thoroughly affable. Thanks to Tamsin for helping with arrangements. Thanks also to Martin, Radu, Jaideep, Shaomin, Omar, Irena and Maddy for coming along.

Sometimes even rankings can be Christmas presents

Posted on December 9, 2017 by Kun Qian

GoogleRanking Congratulations to Professor Dr. Michael R. Czinkota on being recognized as one of the world’s leading authors on international business and marketing for publications during the period 1980-2015! Throughout the 35 years, Professor Czinkota has always stayed in the top 20 of the prolific authors list from different sources.

“An analysis of significant contributions to the international business literature” in the Journal of International Business Studies rated Professor Czinkota among the top 3 most prolific authors worldwide, 1980-1989.

An analysis in the Asian Pacific Journal of Management ranked Professor Czinkota as #4 in the Journal of World Business, #7 in the Journal of International Marketing and #14 in all 6 leading business journals in the world for the time period 1996-2006.

More recently, Professor Czinkota was recognized among the top 8 pioneering researchers in international marketing around the world. He was also ranked among the top 20 most prolific international marketing authors during the period 1995-2015 in an anthology by Leonidou, Katsikeas, Samiee and Aykol. (2018)

In December 2017 – right before Christmas, Professor Czinkota occupied the first place of Global Google citations for export promotion and export management. He also ranked in second place for trade policy and place 8 for International Marketing, which is an exciting present for Christmas.

Professor Czinkota teaches at the McDonough School of Business of Georgetown University and at the Kent Business School, University of Kent. He was awarded the Significant Contribution to Global Marketing award by the American Marketing Association in 2007. Professor Czinkota is the co-author of International Marketing, 10^th Edition, Cengage (with I. Ronkainen); International Business, 8^th Edition, Wiley (with I. Ronkainen and M. Moffett) and Fundamentals of International Business, 6^th Edition, (with I. Ronkainen and M. Moffett), Wessex. His blog also was named the third most successful international business blog.

Religions, Christmas, and International Marketing

Posted on December 9, 2017 by Michael Czinkota

Historically, the religious tradition in the United States, based on Christianity and Judaism, has emphasized hard work, thrift, and a simple lifestyle. These religious values have certainly evolved over time; many of our modern marketing activities would not exist if these older values had persisted. Thrift, for instance, presumes that a person will save hard-earned wages and use these savings for purchases later on. Today, Americans take full advantage of the ample credit facilities that are available to them. The credit card is such a vital part of the American lifestyle that saving before buying seems archaic. Most Americans feel no guilt in driving a big SUV or generously heating a large house.

Christmas is one Christian tradition that remains an important event for many consumer goods industries in all Christian countries. Retailers have their largest sales around that time. However, Christmas is a good illustration of the substantial differences that still exist among even predominantly Christian societies. A large U.S.-based retailer of consumer electronics discovered these differences the hard way when it opened its first retail outlet in the Netherlands. The company planned the opening to coincide with the start of the Christmas selling season and bought advertising space accordingly for late November and December, as retailers do in the United States. The results proved less than satisfactory. Major gift giving in Holland takes place, not around December 25, Christmas Day, but on St. Nicholas Day, December 6. Therefore, the opening of the company’s retail operation was late and missed the major buying season.

From a marketing point of view, Christmas has increasingly become a global phenomenon. For many young Chinese, Christmas is not regarded as a religious holiday but simply represents “fun.” Fashionable bars charge up to $25 for entrance on Christmas Eve, and hotel restaurants charge $180 for a Christmas Eve function. The week around Christmas is the top grossing week for movie theaters in China, as young Chinese head out to theaters together instead of watching pirated DVDs at home. Santa Claus is increasing in popularity in the predominantly Sunni Muslim country of Turkey. In Istanbul shopping centers, children stand in line to sit on Santa’s lap and ask for gifts. Stores sell Santa suits and statues.

With billions of people celebrating Christmas and exchanging wishes of peace, perhaps we will see at least some of the inspired and faithful take personal steps which reduce the barbarities which humanity commits against itself in the many ongoing wars. Also, a time of remembrance of the difficult travels of Joseph and Mary, with Jesus soon to be born, might help us soften our stance against refugees and migrants in the world. Remember, we all – but for the mercy of God- could be the ones looking for succor and support.

Here is a holiday greeting from Prof. Czinkota and Prof. Skuba.

Merry Christmas!

Can We Really Delete The Past? A British Campaign Aims To Do Just That

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Michael Czinkota

What started as a simple idea over two years ago, has grown into a law that very well may be passed through the new Conservative leadership of Britain’s, Theresa May. The new Prime Minister of the UK has been insistent on passing “safeguards” that would allow children, once they turn 18 to delete any derogatory or incriminating former social media posts, photos, and even comments.

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Global Business: Why Culture Matters

Posted on July 3, 2017 by Michael Czinkota

When it comes to business, there is more than one important facet to creating a successful and productive company. Most importantly, is the part culture plays. Think about it. Culture, defined, is an integrated system of learned behavior patterns that are characteristic of the members of any given society, and culture is thus shared through various groups of shared interests. Essentially, it’s the things people share together; language, social cues, behaviors, religions, and even various attitudes and manners that are accepted. In order to produce a successful business globally, you must learn these special aspects of culture, otherwise, you risk not only embarrassing yourself, but loosing an important deal.

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