Shanghai, China
Entrepreneurial Explosion in Modern China
Dates of Instruction: August 21 to September 15, 2006
Program Director: Cynthia Lavoie ~ Marketing and International Business

China is on a path to become the next -- and possibly the largest ever -- global economic power. China’s growth over the last 20 years has been nothing short of astounding, and includes the creation of 30 million private entrepreneurial businesses.  This growth is having a profound effect on businesses around the world and is likely to be a significant force of change in the twenty-first century. 

This 4-week, 5-credit seminar will give students a first-hand, up-close experience of the economic phenomenon taking place in China today, and will prepare students for the strong impact China is likely to have on their future.  The focus of the seminar will be the unique and important role that entrepreneurs have played in China’s transformation, and how the newfound entrepreneurial spirit has transformed China from the stodgy, state-controlled economy of the mid-twentieth century to the dynamic, high-growth, capital-driven economy of this century.  The experience of living for 4 weeks in Shanghai and exploring the construction boom and the growth of factories in the surrounding area will give students a direct involvement in the frenetic pace of growth and change currently underway in China, bringing to life the reality of China’s growing power in the global economy.

Students will be asked to do background reading on China under Mao Zedong and we will look briefly at the reforms instituted under Deng Xiaoping in the 1970’s and 80’s, using the historical context as a basis for discussions about what makes China’s entrepreneurial growth unique and different from entrepreneurship in the U.S.  In addition to readings, students will hear from guest speakers, go on tours of local Chinese businesses, and discuss several case studies of companies entering the Chinese market or outsourcing business to Chinese companies in the 1990’s and early 2000’s.

Participants will earn 5 credits of either BA 300 “Foreign Study-Business Administration”, or ECON 490 “Comparative Economic Systems”.  Participants should check with their advisors to determine how these credits can count towards departmental requirements.

Student Costs:
$ 2,500 Program fee
$ 200 IPE Fee
Additional costs include round trip travel to China, visa, health insurance and vaccines, meals, course materials and personal expenses.


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