International Luncheons

Each semester the MBA Association, the Institute for International Business and the Tippie School of Management host an international luncheon that features two countries represented in the Tippie MBA student body. At these luncheons, students, faculty and staff are given the chance to sample ethnic recipes while their classmates give overview presentations on the business and social cultures of their respective countries.

Spring 2005: Germany and Indonesia

This semester's luncheon took place on Wednesday, March 23, and featured Germany and Indonesia. The luncheon program was presented by first-year MBA students Dominick Hennen and Ingo Raulf of Germany and Arivia Listyowardojo of Indonesia. The luncheon began at noon with a buffet offering a rather eclectic menu, which included both Indonesian and German recipes provided by Avivia and Dominik (Dominik's mom, to be precise). The buffet included: Kasespatzle (Spaetzle Cheese Noodles); German Onion Pie; Gado-Gado (mixed vegetables with peanut sauce dressing); Ajam Pangang (braised chicken with soy sauce); Indonesian Fried Rice; and Jakarta Delight with coconut and bananas.

In the first presentation, Ingo and Dominick covered a range of topics including German traits, economic and employment issues, university systems, etiquette tips, and an overview of German culture and festivals.

Some of the German traits they mentioned spanned the well-known German penchant for rules and the love of beer, to the observation of German society's continued confrontation with its own history. They also highlighted the various differences between the German and US systems of higher education. In Germany, higher ed is dominated by fully funded public institutions that charge students only minimal fees to attend. They also noted differences in academic focus: the German system concentrates more on theory, rather than on practice.

They also addressed the etiquette surrounding handshakes, introductions, and business lunches, before moving on to German cultural highlights: festivals, beer, and sports! They ended their entertaining presentation by providing a list of important tips and phrases that can help even the most timid American navigate through an evening at a German bar. Vielen Dank!

Arivia followed with the day's second presentation, which covered Indonesia's geography, government, demography, business, culture, and economy. Indonesia, an archipelago nation with 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited), is an ethnically diverse country with the world's fourth largest population. Although the population is predominately Muslim, it is not an Islamic state.

Even before its independence in 1945, Indonesia was recognized for its wealth of natural resources and industries: oil and gas, rubber, spices, palm oil, textiles, and plywood. These abundant resources have long made Indonesia important geo-politically. Also, as one of the world's most geographically dynamic and diverse regions, Indonesia and its dramatic landscapes has recognized tourism as an increasingly important industry.

Despite (or perhaps because of) its ethnic and geographical diversity, the nation's business and social culture values relationships that focus on harmony and cooperation, and, when doing business Indonesians may be soft-spoken, less direct, and slower in reaching decisions than their American and German counterparts. Also, as in many East Asian countries, great emphasis is placed on respect for the elderly, which can have an influence on the business hierarchy. When asked about the role of women in business, Arivia pointed out that Indonesia is still a very traditional society, but that in the urban areas women are more active in education and business. She ended her interesting presentation with a display of Indonesian friendliness by welcoming us all to visit here beautiful home land.

As always, the international luncheon was well attended. It also brought home the importance of learning from fellow classmates and the significance for MBA students to recognize and appreciate the vast diversity our world has to offer.