The second day of our two-week adventure included a visit to the Central University of Finance and Economics, one of the more prestigious universities that China has to offer. By traveling to this University, I was able to see some of the noticeable difference and similarities between universities in the United States and in China. Once we arrived to the University, we started our day with a lecture from professor Yao, who shared with us some of the similarities and differences between the markets in the United States and in China. We learned that China relies on electronic shopping significantly more than the United States, and we also learned some of the historical reasons that led to this way of life, such as the computer market’s late surge in Chinese culture around 2005. Additionally, we studied the supply chain in China and how Chinese people slowly began to develop trust with companies who want to do more business online. I think that it is absolutely fascinating to not only distinguish the differences between these two thriving markets, but to also be able to pinpoint some of the reasons why this has happened. Lastly, a major focal point of the lecture was on data and how companies such as Google can obtain data about users based on previous searches and target ads based on user preferences. After the lecture, we had another incredible meal with some of the Chinese students from the university and exchanged information about how each of our Universities operated; it was especially interesting to try to explain fraternities and how to join one. Once lunch ended, we began with a small tour of the university including some of the athletic facilities and the library. The most memorable part of the tour was seeing how students have the ability to “checkout” a seat in the library, so they know beforehand if there is enough seating available for them. The picture tagged in this blog post is the same machinery that lets students choose which seat they would like for that study session. I think that the University of Pittsburgh should adopt this ideology so that students save much more time. Instead of spending 20 minutes looking in Hillman for seating, we would know instantly if there was a seat available for use. Once the tour ended, we proceeded to enjoy some exercise through jump rope with some of the Chinese students before heading home. I think that today was a great time, and I hope to learn as much as I did today in tomorrow’s company visits.