Worldview Institute | Spring 2008
The Worldview Institute | Spring 2008 Semester
SEMINAR 1: April 2, 2008
Exploring the Challenges of Doing Business Globally Today
Business, like everyone else everywhere, faces the daunting challenges and promising opportunities of high-velocity globalization. Yet the private sector and its capital are largely controlling this most dynamic transformation in the global economic system. Governments are fearfully clinging to old structures as domestic politics drive agendas. The seminar will address the relevance of globalization to business, looking at issues such as the rich-poor world divide, protectionist reactions, the rise of regionalism and the decline of the nation-state. It will also focus on how global corporate decision-making must, in light of current threats to global order, balance new social responsibilities with those to its shareholders.
Guest lecturer: John Zindar, Partner, European American Business Organization, Adjunct Professor of Global Economics, NYU
SEMINAR 2: April 8, 2008
U.S. as Smart Power
Guest lecturer: Farooq Kathwari, CEO, Ethan Allen Interiors, Inc., Director of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University
SEMINAR 3: April 16, 2008
Investing and Doing Business in Africa
The seminar will cover the emergence and growth of the African Stock Markets and the opportunities of doing business in the region. We will review the recent economic trends; Foreign Direct Investments and Privatization; potential uses of remittances as a developmental tool; the performance and growth of the stock markets as well as the challenges of doing business in Africa.
Guests lecturer: Clifford D. Mpare, CMA, CFA, Founder and CEO of Frontline Capital Advisors, LLC
SEMINAR 4: April 23, 2008
The Implications of Turkey's EU Process for Local and Global Business
The lecture will focus on Turkey's EU process. Following a brief historical background, the political, social and "identity" dimensions of the process will be addressed. The economic and business aspects of the membership process will be given special emphasis. The regional and global business implications of the process will also be covered.
Guest lecturer: Abdullah Akyuz, President Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association, Inc.
SEMINAR 5: April 30, 2008
Breakout Session with Multiple Faculty
Guest lecturer: Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Advisor on Africa
SEMINAR 6: May 7, 2008
Competing for FDI: Will Russia and Eastern Europe Stay Among the Fastest Growing Economies?
The seminar will cover growth and investments opportunities including: basic economic background information about the region; growth and FDI; privatization process; M&A activities; new challenges after slowdown in US and Europe.
Guest lecturer: Dr. Janos Harskuti, Consul for Financial and Commercial Affairs, Consulate General of Hungary
SEMINAR 7: May 14, 2008
Settling International Business Disputes with China
Guest lecturer: Jerome A. Cohen, Professor at New York University School of Law, Of Counsel in the international law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP and Senior Fellow for Asia Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations
SEMINAR 8: May 21, 2008
Fighting Poverty: Microfinance and the Millennium Development Goals
Guest lecturer: Ritu Chattree, Vice President, Finance and Development, Grameen America
SEMINAR 9: May 28, 2008
Latin America: The Challenge Going Forward is Achieving High and Sustainable Growth Rates
Guest lecturer: Alberto M. Ramos, Vice-President within the Emerging Markets Economic Research Group at Goldman Sachs & Co in New York
SEMINAR 10: June 4, 2008
Breakout Session
Guest lecturer: Dr. Thomas Trebat, Executive Director, Institute of Latin American Studies, Columbia University
Guest lecturer: Linda Fasulo, UN Correspondent for NBC News, MSNBC and NPR
