FEATURE STORIES
BEYOND BORDERS: BUILDING BUSINESS ACUMEN ABROAD Given the global nature of supply chain management, providing students with opportunities to immerse themselves in another country and culture while building global competency is essential to the supply chain management program. This year, the Grainger Center hosted two global trips to help students build business acumen abroad. The second part of the day was spent at the expansion site on the Atlantic side. The group witnessed some of the new features being integrated into the canal as a result of the expansion efforts, including new water-saving basins and sliding lock doors.
Students and staff with Alfredo Moreno (MBA '02, third from left) and Paul Pigeau (far right) at Grainger Peru.
MBAS TRAVEL TO PANAMA, PERU by Caroline Mwonga On January 7, 2014, Grainger Center staff and eight MBA students took off for a two-week applied learning excursion. The group, led by Senior Lecturer and Director of Applied Learning Pete Lukszys and Assistant Director Angie Bong, traveled to Panama and Peru to gain deeper insight into the natural resources supply chain. Through site visits to several organizations and cultural excursions, the group witnessed firsthand how historical, cultural, political, and economic factors shape the business environment in both countries.
diversifying its business. While the Panama Canal is Grainger Panama’s largest client, it is looking to expand to other industries like transportation and food and beverage.
Students and staff spent the first week in Panama City, Panama, visiting three organizations: Grainger Panama, the Panama Canal, and Proinvex. The group was greeted at the first stop, Grainger Panama, by hosts Fernando Yanez and Domingo Otero, who provided a tour of the distribution center and described how the company is
The second stop, the Panama Canal, was the main attraction of the trip. The group spent the first half of the day at the Miraflores Visitors Center learning about the history of the canal from a Panama Canal Authority representative. Students even had the opportunity to witness several ships pass through the Miraflores Lock from the Pacific Ocean to Gatun Lake.
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“It was informative to learn about how Grainger is looking to gain a greater market share by offering their wide selection of products to other industries in Panama,” said Mayra Garcia Guzman (MBA ’14). “It will be interesting to see how much of the market they can capture in the next few years as they begin to launch their new strategy.”
SUPPLY CHAIN UPDATE | SPRING 2014
The group’s final day in Panama was spent visiting Proinvex, a public-private venture spearheaded by the country’s Department of Commerce. At Proinvex, project manager Jorge Cerrud explained how the organization is attempting to attract foreign investment. Specifically, students learned that while the Panama Canal itself is a large selling feature (the canal boasts more than 144 routes/access points to other parts of the world), the legal establishment of zona francas (free trade zones) and a favorable pro-foreign business legal environment also make Panama an attractive location for foreign investors. As a result of Proinvex’s efforts, more than 107 foreign companies are currently operating multinational headquarters in Panama. After five days in Panama, the group traveled to Lima, Peru, touring four organizations: Grainger Peru, Antamina, El Callao, and Yobel Supply Chain Management. At Grainger Peru, students visited with Alfredo Moreno, Center alumnus and head of Grainger Peru, to learn about the opportunities and challenges organizations face when starting a new business in a foreign country. Grainger Peru began its venture less than two years ago and is currently in the early stages of determining how to translate their expertise in manufacturing and MRO supplies to the mining industry in Peru. Alfredo’s colleague from Acklands Grainger, Paul Pigeau, also shared his expertise about the mining industry