Conference on Global Entrepreneurship: Economic Development for Asia and the U.S. – Topic Abstracts

10:15 AM – U.S. Attitudes towards Greater China: A National Survey Report

Representatives from the Committee of 100, a national nonprofit organization of prominent Chinese Americans, will provide highlights from its new survey, American Attitudes Toward China. This new research effort represents an attempt to create a baseline comparison with an earlier survey completed ten years ago. Generally, the survey found that American attitudes toward China have become more positive compared with ten years ago, and responses relating to outsourcing, foreign relations, human rights, and environmental concerns are included. Among the groups surveyed were the general public, opinion leaders, Congressional staffers, and corporate executives. Three panelists representing the foreign relations and Asian American communities and the Asian American/Asian Research Institute will provide their reactions and articulate questions and concerns about the survey findings and implications for U.S.-China relations.

 11:30 AM – Asian Perspectives on Global Entrepreneurship

Cheng Siwei will address issues on how to cope with the economic globalization. He believes that China needs the world, and the world also needs China. China must understand the world, and the world also must understand China as a country with a fast growth rate, great potential, dual economic structure and in transition from traditional central planning system to socialist market system. China should cooperate with the world, and the world also should cooperate with China in order to create mutual benefits and get win-win results.

Alex New will talk about his experience in building Wen-Parker Logistics, which comprises of 12 offices in seven Asian countries and four in the United States. Traveling to Asia on business on an average of eight to ten times a year for the past ten years, with a one-year stint in Shanghai, China, he will share his first hand experience of the changes he has seen in the past ten years.

 1:45 PM – Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Session 1A – Global Entrepreneurship and the Asian American Community

This Conference session will address the question of the community’s involvement in encouraging and supporting businesses that are involved in the global economy. Panelists will discuss the access of the Asian American community to the global marketplace, programs within the community that can help these Asian American businesses stay competitive and viable, and the role of the community as buyers and sellers in the global market.

Session 2A – Global Entrepreneurship and Education Institutional Reform

Vivien Stewart, Vice President of Education at the Asia Society, will give an overview of the Asia Society’s efforts to increase Asian content in K-12 public schools around the country and highlight innovative examples. Four panelists with diverse perspectives will touch upon what it may take to train more teachers about Asia, the challenges of training students to be global entrepreneurs within higher education, why or how Asian American Studies programs can contribute to education about Asia, and the political context for advocating for greater public funding for global education. An emphasis will be placed on looking for natural collaborations that can create a K-16 global education continuum for New York that helps students acquire the technical skills as well as the cultural competency to succeed in an increasingly global society.

Session 3A – Global Entrepreneurship and Access to Capital

The economic and business links between Asia and U.S. are growing rapidly. What will this mean to entrepreneurs?  Whether your business is just a concept, a start-up or a full-fledged firm that’s humming right along, you’ll never experience real growth without a substantial infusion of capital to survive and
to thrive in today’s global economy. Access to Capital panel of experts will help entrepreneurs navigate a myriad of entrepreneur finance and explore all the traditional and nontraditional sources
of capital that may be available to a start-up and growing business.

Session 2B – Global Entrepreneurship and Workforce Development

This conference session will focus on the challenges and opportunities that economic globalization presents to the workforce, both nationally and in New York City. Panelists will discuss the special efforts being made to reach out to and serve the most recent newcomers to the workforce, especially those of Asian origin, as well as programs that are targeted to trade-effected workers, and the continual upgrading of the skills New Yorkers need in order to remain competitive in an increasingly global economy.

 Session 3B – Global Entrepreneurship and Corporate Social Responsibility

Allan Wernick will examine the current debate about temporary workers. In particular, we will exam whether restrictions on H-1B workers have a negative impact on our economy, whether U.S. corporations are exploiting foreign professional workers corporations. Further, we will exam questions as to how and whether our immigration policies, as reflected in our H-1B policy, impact the export of U.S. jobs abroad.