Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/269179
40 March/April 2014 BizEd J i n H u i1988/TH i n ksTock ies do not reflect the management realities of emerging markets. This discrepancy puts students from these regions at a disadvantage if they wish to return to their home countries after graduation. We've found that case studies focused on Asian markets don't just provide Western students with insights into these regions. They also give much-needed encourage- ment for our Asian students, who might otherwise be hesitant to speak up in discussions of Western business practices. For instance, we use the HBS case study on Tata's crisis management of the Novem- ber 2008 terrorist attacks on the Taj Hotel in Mumbai, which sheds light on Indian companies. Unfortunately, cases that focus on emerging markets tend to be unstable and must be updated regu- larly, so we can't find as many as we would like. To fill this void, EDHEC works with corporations operating in Asian markets to help them solve strategy and management problems. The results of this work often make their way into our MBA classrooms. One such project is EDHEC's partnership with French carmaker Renault on its introduction of the Dacia line of cars and SUVs. With roots in Romania, the Dacia brand was originally created for sale in less developed countries such as India, but it has found success in Western Europe thanks to its low sticker price and fuel economy. Through the Dacia story, students learn about reverse innovation, when products or services first created for the developing world spread to industrialized markets. When discussions are focused on their native countries, Asian students are more confident to challenge the professor and other students, because they realize that among their classmates they are the experts on the subject matter. They also are more willing to turn the tables on American and European students by challenging Western attitudes and habits, which sparks interesting classroom exchanges about everything from environmen- tal sustainability to the wastefulness of the Western lifestyle. Coaching for Confidence The second dimension of the clas- sic MBA experience is an interac- tive and dynamic classroom, where students are encouraged to voice their opinions, defend their ideas, and challenge authority. But this classroom atmosphere can intimi- date some Asian students, whose culture emphasizes conformity and respect for authority figures, including professors. In a philosophy class that is part of EDHEC's Global MBA, students discuss topics such as property rights, human rights, and freedom of speech. During the course, stu- dents are encouraged to consider ethical questions from different angles and to find new responses. Geert Demuijnck, who teaches this course, has told me how difficult it can be to persuade some Chinese students to dissect philosophical theories. Even though Chinese students tend to be conscientious and competitive, they often accept lower grades because of their cul- tural hard-wiring. To help all of our students become more comfortable partici- pating in class discussion, we offer them individual coaching outside of class. I once worked with a South Korean MBA student who found it difficult to participate in class discussions, not because he lacked a good command of the English language, but because his past edu- cation placed an emphasis on the professor's authority rather than on the student's contributions. I began coaching him and helping him set objectives for his contributions to In 2012, the Institute of International Education reported that nearly half of the more than 800,000 international students studying in the U.S. were from Asia.