The Van Andel Global Trade Center (VAGTC) of the Seidman College of Business hosts a series of events called Culture & Coffee, a popular program for local business leaders, Grand Valley faculty, staff and students to learn cultural nuances and best practices for doing business abroad.
The focus of the Culture & Coffee event held June 20 was navigating China. With the largest population in the world and its gross domestic product (GDP) growing to $21 trillion in 2016, China has a direct impact on almost all economic sectors around the globe.
Sonja Johnson, executive director of VAGTC, said some aspects of Chinese culture can be difficult for Westerners to understand, so participants were given information about communication, negotiating tactics, proper business attire and gift giving.
But, a key part of the event was added at the suggestion of an international student who is currently working for VAGTC.
Ruixuan Ran, a senior who is majoring in accounting and international business, offered to host a tea table to provide another option to coffee served at the event, to give participants a more authentic experience.
Ran, who is from Zunyi, a small town in Guizhou Province located in southwestern China, said coffee is not generally part of Chinese culture.
"Coffee is a relatively new concept in China," said Ran. "As someone who was born into a 'tea snob' family and a large tea production province in China, I thought of the hometown loose leaf I drink every morning and how it is a better representation of our culture."
Ran traveled home to China before the event to bring back several flavors of tea for participants to taste, including green, black, pu'er and jasmine.
Johnson said what may have seemed like a small addition was actually significant for those planning to do business in China.
"A key component for success when doing business abroad is to build relationships and to understand and value cultural differences, no matter how big or small," said Johnson.
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