The first thing I began to realize was that KUKA has a larger human presence within its factory. In comparison, BMW, which we visited on Tuesday, has around 90% automation in its body shop, all using KUKA robots ironically. Automation within the industry is only becoming more advanced, and customers expect processes to be as…
Category: School of Business
Britt-erally obsessed with Costa Rican Coffee
Today, we had the pleasure of attending an informational lecture about Café Britt, a Costa Rica based coffee and chocolate company, and taking a tour of each step in the coffee production process. Throughout the tour, we were able to taste test several types of coffee, from light to dark roast, and their various different…
Postcards from Morocco: Cafes & Cooperatives
Day 5’s itinerary moved us from the historical past into the vibrant, innovative future of Morocco. We spent the day of classes exploring the intersection of traditional craftsmanship and modern entrepreneurship, focusing on two main themes: a deep dive into the Anou Cooperative and a lecture on Morocco’s rapidly developing startup ecosystem. Learning about the…
Rugs and Riches
Today’s conversation about the women artisan cooperative was very intriguing. Before this lesson, I was unsure how elegant Moroccan mugs are crafted and where they originate from. I assumed most would be made in-house in a major city or Medina. To my surprise, most rugs originate from rural areas and are crafted by women who…
Spilling the Beans!
For the academic portion of our day, we toured Cafe Britt. Later, we will take dance lessons and attend a soccer game, further immersing ourselves into Costa Rican culture. Cafe Britt was a great start to this busy day. The land is made to replicate a full ecosystem and the staff was incredibly friendly. They…
Coffee Tour!
Today we visited Cafe Britt, a gourmet coffee and chocolate brand. We got to see the steps and cycles of how coffee is made. We also got to try different types of coffee that is harvested around Costa Rica. I learned that their is a harvesting season in Costa Rica for coffee and that the…
Day 3: Keeping Vietnam Bright
After a fun night of street food and karaoke with the UEF students, I was excited to see them again for class this morning. We learned more about how to strategize and problem solve if an international organization experiences a disruption. We also celebrated Becky’s birthday with the delicious passion fruit cake. Happy birthday! For the…
Chocolate Comas and Empty Wallets
Today I woke up in Quito and fell asleep in Otavalo, Ecuador! I had fruit, eggs, a croissant, and the best coffee for breakfast at the hotel. We only stayed 2 nights at the hotel in the historic downtown of Quito. I have never eaten so much chocolate in one day before. The first chocolate…
Gus Coleman – Day 3: River Rides, Aquatic Clinics, and the ICU
Today we took a boat ride to the Tigre Municipo, a public health center near the Rio Capitan. The clinic which was just like the one we saw yesterday, however this one relied a lot more on funding from the government and a lot less on volunteer services. This clinic seemed to have a much…
Postcards from Morocco: Deep Dives and Daily Rhythms
Today’s focus shifted from the overload of the Medinas and markets to the invisible threads that hold Moroccan society together. We took a deep dive into the pillars of Moroccan life: religion, politics, and the evolving role of women. Being here in Rabat, the capital city where tradition and rapid modernization intersect on every street…
Cow-operatives and Connection
On our visits today, we got to tour two very differing organizations, Kyndryl and Dos Pinos. During our informational meeting and tour at Kyndryl, it was evident that they take pride in their multinational traits. One employee explained the logistics of their business meetings, and that he finds great amusement in the time-zone and accent…
Small Clinics, Big Impact
Today gave me a much better understanding of why funding primary care is so important, especially in a healthcare system serving a large and densely populated area like Buenos Aires. We started the day by visiting another clinic that acted similarly to a primary care physician for the surrounding community. The clinic had enough resources…
Day 3: Healthcare Beyond the Hospital
Today gave me a completely different perspective on what healthcare access can look like outside of a traditional hospital setting. We started the morning with a boat ride through the Tigre River to visit the Rio Capitán Primary Care Center, which serves residents living throughout the islands and surrounding river communities. Because many people in…
Day 2: Exploring Healthcare in Buenos Aires
Day two in Buenos Aires gave us our first in-depth look at Argentina’s healthcare system and the challenges that come with balancing public and private care. Our day started at the Tomas Reggio Primary Health Center, a clinic located in a lower-income neighborhood that provides free healthcare services to the surrounding community. One of the…
Business Visits!
We visited Kyndryl and Dos Pinos today. Kyndryl is a multinational IT service company and Dos Pinos is a large dairy cooperative owned by local Costa Rican farmers. Kyndryl primarily serves stakeholders while Dos Pinos is a cooperative which serves local farmers and shares its profits. I believe Dos Pinos creates the more lasting value…
From Technology to Dairy
Today we visited Kyndryl and Dos Pinos, which are two very different types of businesses. Kyndryl is a large IT company based in New York that primarily works with banks, airlines, and many other companies worldwide. They chose Costa Rica because of the educated workforce and growing technology sector. I thought it was interesting how…
Tradition and Progress
After all the lessons we have had so far in politics, religion, and the role of women, more specifically the reforms in these topics, one thing remains consistent. The biggest hurdle is mixing modern policies with traditions. Before coming to Morocco, I wasn’t sure how conservative or progressive the country would be in terms of…
Day 2: The Smell of Mooncakes and Money
After my first full night of sleep since Thursday, I was ready to take on Day 2. At UEF I was able to meet 2 new students and work on our business pitch for an idea that we would take from the US and implement in Vietnam. It was quite difficult to come up with…
More Than Money
I know I have only been here for two days, but today really gave me a chance to open my eyes. Early in the morning, we visited a small clinic that serves as a primary care center for many people in the surrounding area. The clinic operated with volunteers, doctors, pediatricians, and dentists, although they…
Gus Coleman – Day 2: Private and Public Care
Today we visited a children’s home/community care center. The center was run by nuns who were also trained in nursing. We toured their facilities and learned about what they provided for the community. We then met some of the children at the local school and played soccer with them. At the care center we met…