Alternative Spring Break 2011
ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK IN BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
March 26-April 2, 2011
Doing Business in Argentina
Spring Break 2011
PROGRAM OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this program are (1) to provide a general conceptual understanding of the international marketing environment in Argentina and (2) using on-site visits, match the theory and the practice of international business in Argentina.
FACULTY LEADER
Dr. Massoud Saghafi is a professor of international marketing at San Diego State University. Since joining SDSU in 1997, he has played an important role in internationalization of the curriculum in the College of Business and developing student exchange relationships between SDSU and foreign universities. Dr. Saghafi has taught in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy as well as Albania and China (including Taiwan) and has attended conferences and workshops in many countries in all five continents. Dr. Saghafi has won the most influential professor award several times during his tenure at SDSU including in 2007 and 2009. Dr. Saghafi is committed to student learning through both theoretical and applied methods and has been active in field trips with students to the Mexican maquiladora companies including Sony, Sharp and Hyundai. Dr. Saghafi has published in many leading international business periodicals and is highly active in developing original cases for class discussion. |
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THE PROGRAM (BROCHURE)
- Accommodations will be at the Loi Suites Recoleta in Buenos Aires Argentina
- Argentina itinerary*** Please note that meetings and group activities may be changed at a later date due to scheduling conflicts. However, the final itinerary will be consistent in scope and tenor as this version.
INFORMATION MEETINGS:
ELIGIBILITY
- Graduate and undergraduate students for all majors
- Minimum of 2.5 GPA
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Officially matriculated at SDSU
CREDITS
This course will not have any academic credit
HIGHLIGHTS
- City tour of Buenos Aires
- Energy Industry
- Presentation by Frigorífico Amancay, the leading company in the Argentina beef industry
- Presentation by Telefónica, the most important Hispanic telecommunications company in the region
- Tour to Terminal Zárate (Buenos Aires Port) one of the largest industrial ports in Argentina, located in Zárate
COST
Program Fees:US$1,547*** per student (***URGENT: PLEASE NOTE that the first 10 students who submit their applicaiton on or after December 9th, 2010, will be awarded $200/travel stipend, courtesy of the Center for International Business Education and Research [CIBER])
This cost includes:
1. hotel accommodations in double occupancy - single rooms are available for an extra charge-
2.
breakfast every day
3.
a traditional BBQ Argentinean lunch
4. Buenos Aires farewell tango dinner show and lessons
5. All educational programming, orientation and cultural city tours.
This cost DOES NOT INCLUDES:
- Air transportation (the airline ticket cost between $700-1,200, depending on the airline, and the date of purchase)***
- Travel insurance for a cost of $70 (do not buy the insurance yet, until we have received all the applications after the 1s of November and we are sure that we are going to have the minimum number of students to run the program.
For those students who decide to buy their own airline ticket, the airport where students should fly is the Ministro Pistarini International Airport (see below information about this airport and the two additional ones that Buenos Aires has)
The Buenos Aires international airport, Ministro Pistarini International Airport, is located in the suburb of Ezeiza and is often called "Ezeiza". The Aeroparque Jorge Newbery airport, located in the Palermo district next to the riverbank, serves only domestic traffic and flights to Montevideo and Punta del Este. A smaller San Fernando Airport serves only general aviation.
Payment Options for Program Fees
- Please note that you can pay by check or credit card. If you pay by credit card, you'll have a 5% surcharge. If you pay by check, you can either send it directly to the Austral group or bring it to the CBAbroad office, at EBA-448 by the deadline so we can send it to the program provider
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Payment Schedule for Program Fees
25% deposit: November 15
50 % deposit: December 15
25% deposit: February 15
APPLICATION DEADLINE
We have extended the applicaiton deadline to February 15th
HOW TO APPLY
At this moment we are developing a list of applicants. Please complete this survey. We will contact you after at a later date with instructions on how to make your first payment. If you have any questions please contact CBAbroad Office.
Please complete the applicaiton at this web site:
https://sites.google.com/site/sdsumarch2011/
FINANCIAL AID
Financial Aid for Study Abroad
http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/fao/SpecialEnrollmentProgs/SEP_stud_abroad.html
Scholarships for Study Abroad
http://www.studyabroadfunding.org/
https://studentaffairs.sdsu.edu/faodad/webss$getScholarshipDetail?p_account_no=A21597&p_ss_year=2009
https://studentaffairs.sdsu.edu/faodad/webss$scholarshipSearch?p_major=166&p_group=U
OTHER
Articles about Argentina
- About Argentina
- Doing Business in Argentina Report
- Argentina Set for Record Soybean Crop on El Nino Rain
Other Universities Experiences in similar programs
- Business Students Gain Insights into Argentina, Brazil
- Georgia State University experience in a similar program
Alternative Spring Break in Argentina from the group who attended the program in 2010
Our 2010 Alternative Spring Break in Argentina, was a complete success. Please find below a blog that one of the participants created
This spring break I, along with 14 other SDSU students, had the opportunity to spend a week studying business in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Fifteen students from different backgrounds, class levels, and majors brought together in a country none of us had ever visited. This is the first study abroad program of its kind at SDSU, and all of us agreed it was a great success.
It’s hard to capture an experience like this in a few simple paragraphs. There was a lot of laughter, a lot of pictures, a lot of inside jokes, and a lot of memories. We had the opportunity to explore another side of the hemisphere while learning about more than just the tourist attractions of the city.
Monday, March 29
Our group at Ketchum Argentina. (I'm on the far left.)
Today was our first official day of programming in Buenos Aires. First we heard from the CEO of Ketchum Argentina, a sector of one of the world’s most successful public relations firms. Public relations serves the same purpose in every country, making your company look good, but how you go about doing that all depends on the culture and people you are serving.
A representative from the American Chamber reiterated this theme by teaching us about business differences between Argentina and the United States, and we learned about some failing attempts certain U.S. companies had when trying to infiltrate the Latin American market. Our last stop of the day was at Norton Winery (they sell their unique Malbec wine at Costco), where we heard about the changing wine market, exporting globally, and then played games and toured the facility.
At night, a few of us headed to La Bomba, a drum show where many of the locals gather to hang out. It was definitely the best part of the trip so far. The intense energy and vibe of the music pumped us all up as we were immersed in the Argentinean culture. Each of us got an idea of what locals our age would normally do with friends. Here are a couple videos of the La Bomba show:
La Bomba Video #1 – http://twitc.com/Pz2vlJoy
La Bomba Video #2 – http://twitc.com/Pxr5ohPj
Tuesday, March 30
This morning we got the opportunity to tour Ford Argentina. We watched a car being built from start to finish and met some of the factory workers on the line. No doubt, it was probably the only time any of us will get to see the process up close.
We all ate together at the normal 10 p.m. Argentine dinner time. Steak in Argentina is ridiculously good and ridiculously reasonably priced, which is a pleasant escape from our normal college student food choices.
Wednesday, March 31
Our group at the Bimbo bakery.
Today we visited another factory, Bimbo bakery. Once again we got a tour of the factory and saw the product from start to finish. Our tour guide gave us some insight into advertising for Bimbo.
In Argentina, kids don’t eat cereal or Pop Tarts for breakfast; they have toast, so Bimbo’s cuddly bear icon is the perfect tool to help with their family-oriented marketing. They loaded our tables with muffins, crackers, and other products to try, then sent each of us home with a bag of more food. Free food for college students…definitely a win.
Later we visited one of Argentina’s premiere business schools and heard a lecture from a marketing professor. Many of the foundational business practices were complemented by Argentina’s unique styles and customs.
Thursday, April 1
Visiting a local home for low-income kids.
Today was by far the best experience of the trip. We visited a local home where over 300 low-income children come to eat every week.
We played games, made snacks, and spent a few hours getting to know the kids. Seeing the joy of these kids who had so little inspired all of us. Having the opportunity to wrap up a week of business-style meetings by getting our hands dirty and hanging out with kids was a priceless experience.
Even though only a few people in our group spoke Spanish, we had no trouble interacting despite the language barrier. The kids were happy to have someone to talk to, whether we knew what they were saying or not.
Our group at the Tango lesson.
Later on we headed to a local Tango show and received dance lessons. The Tango is Argentina’s claim to fame. The passion and energy of the dance is representative of the whole culture.
We weren't the most talented group they’d seen, but hey, we gave it a try and learned a little something to bring back to the states. Check out my Tango video to see what it was like:
Tango Video - http://twitc.com/Psc6ikUo
Friday, April 2
Our final excursion was a visit to Tigre, an area just outside of the city on a delta that connects over 500 small islands. Boat taxis and buses help people get around to shopping, school, and home. We kayaked down the river to one of the islands. Let’s just say it was an experience…some of us fell in, some ran into stuff, some ran into more stuff, but in the end we all had a pretty good time.
~Desiree Roughton, Communications Student Assistant, Enrollment Services
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Alternative Spring Break 
