Graduate Programs

The departure date is right around the corner.   From September 4th to September 18^th,   I am going to my home country with two professors and a group of students.  I am getting more and more excited.  I know it will be an amazing trip on the perspectives of academic learning and cultures collaborating.  As we know, today China is one of the most populous nations for doing business and living.  This tour includes two classes as followed:

1:         ECIS594 -  Global IT Management: Focus Chinais taught by Dr. Madhu T. Rao.

2:         MGMT594: Global Strategy: Focus China is taught by Dr. Rubina Mahsud

Before we leave, we have some pre-departure classes so that we have a better understanding about the whole tour.  During the tour, we need to keep a log in our daily journal.  This should be the fun and meaningful part.  When we come back to the U.S, each of us needs to make a presentation and submit a paper.

I am looking forward to meeting some big companies (like Boeing, Lenovo), government officials, local businesses and MBA peers from Chinese universities.  We will share experiences and exchange ideas in many topics including IT management, business strategy and China-US relationship.  These aspects are very important, not only to us as MBA students, but also to the two different societies. 

I am sure that revisiting my home country will allow me see different perspectives of such a changing nation.  I am expecting to see the good sides and bad sides of globalization.  I hope to build a deep relationship with the people I will meet on the tour because it will help me a lot when I move back to China to start my career next year.  In this 21^st century, going abroad is essential to succeed in the global market.  The more we see and experience, the better we are equipped to compete.

Written by Derek Zhao, Email: zhaoh@seattleu.edu    

It took me a very long time to find this position, and I am enjoying every minute of it.  Why? Because it is challenging, fun and rewarding.  First of all, I have the chance to work with a high level management team to monitor the whole warehouse.  I am going to spend at least a week in each department: including Merchandising, Optical center, photo center, Marketing, Membership, Receiving, Meat, Produce, Deli, and Hardlines. The managers walked through and explained about the important concepts of retailing.  Todd Young, Seattle Costco Warehouse manager said, “Retail is detail”.  I did not understand it completely when he said it, but after two weeks of training, I fully understood it. It is about customer expectations; it is about high standards; it is about consistency; it is about who we are and how we want to become.  I had my hands on the receiving dock, stocking, and serving customers for these past two weeks.  I started work at 4 AM, which is a little early, but it is the best time for us to decorate the warehouse before our members come in.  I don’t consider myself a manager now, but I know that I have to put this mindset away because I want to interact with every single employee.  I am very glad the people I have met are very nice and helpful.  In addition, I started to learn a very important inventory system called “AS 400” used by Costco.  Having the right information in the right time makes a huge difference.  This is one of the reasons why Costco is so successful. 

Learning is a lifelong process.  I have committed to grow my career with Costco, and in turn, hope to help Costco grow internationally after I finish my training and complete my MBA degree next March.

 Written by Derek Zhao, Email: zhaoh@seattleu.edu