I am someone who believes in the overall benefits of free trade as part of the globalization process. This belief has evolved over time as my experiences expanded beyond my hometown environment. Basically, I grew up mostly subscribing, albeit unconsciously, to an 'Economic Nationalist' view of the world which is formally described as follows (via Wikipedia):
Economic nationalism is a term used to describe policies which are guided by the idea of protecting domestic consumption, labor and capital formation, even if this requires the imposition of tariffs and other restrictions on the movement of labour, goods and capital. It is in opposition to globalization in many cases, or at least it questions the benefits of unrestricted free trade. Economic nationalism may include such doctrines as protectionism and import substitution.
A couple points in my life reflect this thinking:
1988--Junior High: I remember repeating many of the anti-Japan slogans as a young kid with a father in the automobile parts industry in Michigan. Japanese cars--in fact, all Japanese investment--I remember thinking of as evil.
1991--Early High School: I clearly remember the anti-NAFTA feelings in my hometown and on TV, and the popularity of Ross Perot in my own home. I felt myself being enamored with Ross Perot's theatrics on TV--his simplification of the issues around NAFTA and the deficit via graphics and charts was powerful.
Later, I began to develop a greater openness to other perspectives as I ventured outside my hometown, with the full support and encouragement of my parents:
1992--Junior Year Fall: I traveled by air for the first time to attend the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. Simply sharing this experience with so many students from other states was an eye-opener for me, and taught me the value of seeking out such opportunities.
1993--Junior Year Summer: I was able to attend the World Affairs Seminar in Whitewater, Wisconsin. I think this experience was my first, in-depth lesson in appreciating the value of opportunities to learn from people from different countries and cultures. This seminar built on what I had learned through a friendship I made with a Finnish exchange student at my high school.
In 1993, my Finnish friend left some materials at my home for Kalamazoo College, which I had never heard of at that time. In learning more about the school's study abroad tradition, I thought back to my fond memories of the World Affairs Seminar. After visiting the school itself, I was hooked, applied early and once accepted never looked back.
Over 80% of students enrolled at 'K' study abroad, most for at least 6 months. In the least, each student is required to become proficient in a second language. Although I decided to be an Art major as a result of my early hope to enter the comic book industry, I took a practical approach to picking my minor--International Commerce--and language concentration--Japanese. Ironically, everything I heard when I was younger about the Japanese dominance in business led me to think of Japanese as being most practical in countering my Art major. It also ran counter to the prevalent choice on campus of studying European languages. I decided I wanted to have a study abroad experience in an environment that in no way resembled America's cultural or historical origins. Chinese was also available, but at the time the country was even a far greater unknown to me than Japan.
I spent almost a year in Japan, my first time outside the US, never once returning home during that time. While living with a host family, the pressure to assimilate into Japanese culture led me to be highly cynical of US government and culture. I believe this was only natural for me while immersed so deeply in a country for the first time and wanting to feel accepted.
The intense culture shock I experienced upon returning to the US confirmed the impact study abroad had had on my life. Basically, I began to look at opportunities through the prism of my Japan experience during the rest of my college experience, and after graduation. Eventually, I was fortunate to find a job with auto parts manufacturer, Denso Manufacturing, MI (DMMI), in Battle Creek, Michigan. This was the first Denso manufacturing plant in North America and followed Toyota's lead in the early 80's of building manufacturing facilities in the US.
Since I worked there for 4 years, I had a front-seat experience in how foreign direct investment in the US by companies like Denso positively impacts communities, bringing jobs and new tax revenues and triggers a flow of follow-on foreign direct investment from other component manufacturers and peripheral service providers. Being a Japanese company, Denso also forced the plant organization to develop an awareness of the world, particularly Japan, in instituting a hybrid American-Japanese management/performance review structure that breeds a more sophisticated skill-set and higher caliber workforce over time.
The value of the Denso investment to the community could not have been overstated as Kellogg's began downsizing its footprint in Battle Creek in the late 90's and early 00's. As I was working in the non-profit community for two years simultaneous with my Denso position, the drop in grants from the Kellogg Foundation was dramatic, the city scaled down programs due to a smaller expected tax base, and non-profit programs like my own suffered or disappeared. It wasn't long before Denso became the largest employer for the city.
It was this case study-like experience that took into my supply chain education in Michigan State's Broad MBA program, and into Thunderbird's Masters in International Management. By the time I graduated from 3 years of MSU/Thunderbird, my conversion to Economic Liberalism and an advocate for the positive effects of globalization was complete.
Since that time, however, I have thought a great deal about the impacts of these trends on small businesses--including my father's business and the Japanese family business I worked for briefly in Japan prior to joining Manhattan Associates. Specifically, I am thinking what role governments should have in helping small businesses adapt to this environment. I look forward to possibly writing on this subject someday in the future...
