Day 8 in the Netherlands started with discovering a new form of transportation, the ferry. Since it is Sunday the group did not have any academic related site visits but instead we went to a vintage market. To get to the market the group took the free ferry that runs near Centraal Station. One business principle that can be taken from the ferry being free is that the local government may want to stimulate commerce in the city so they provide free or cheap public transportation. Allowing citizens to move freely and efficiently at a low cost can stimulate the economy and especially help balance where money is being spent in the city.
When we got to the vintage market it didn’t seem any different from most flea markets in the Untied States. However, going inside I found that this was the biggest open air market I have ever seen. There were hundreds of not over a thousand vendors spread across acres of land. It seemed to me that the market did not have an end as I kept walking deeper and deeper. I was there for around 2 hours and still was not able to visit every part. The main business concept that I can take away from this visit is the concept of bargaining as a tool of negotiation. Although most items had a set price I was able to get the prices down on a couple of items that I bought from vendors. In the business world this is important in negotiating so that you can get your company the best price possible when buying or selling goods and services. As I found today most vendors were willing to negotiate on price and I would believe that would hold true in the business world. For lunch I bought a cheeseburger which is another example of a business transaction although I did not bargain on price of this. My cheeseburger was not very good, I miss American burgers and I can’t wait to have one when I get home.
The last event of the day was happy hour at a restaurant with Pitt alumni. Although this event may seem like fun, it is also extremely important for networking. Networking is one of, if not the most important aspect of the business world. A common saying is “it is who you know, not what you know”, which refers to the power of networking in the professional world. Networking with alumni does not only build a relationship with that individual but opens possibilities to be connected to other alumni not present that might have opportunities tailored to your skill set. One of the Alumni I talked to opened my eyes to finance career path that I had not considered. This event was extremely informative and taught me more about international business than the rest of the trip combined.