Y.B. Min Lecture Series

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  U.S.-Asia Relations under the Trump Administration

  Terry McCarthy

  Prior to joining the Los Angeles World Affairs Council in 2012, Terry McCarthy traveled the world for TV and print media, covering politics, business, military, social and environmental issues. He speaks six languages, has won four Emmys and an Edward R. Murrow award. His lecture focused on emerging U.S. policy toward Asia, both economic and security. Terry also addressed the current trading landscape between the U.S. and Asia and highlighted the economies to watch in Asia.

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  Asia Pacific Trade - A Kiwi Perspective

  Leon Grice

  Leon Grice has served as New Zealand Consul General in Los Angeles since 2012. He also recently became chairman of the New Zealand United States Business Council - New Zealand’s premier business, trade and economic policy advocacy organization. Leon discussed the benefits of free trade, New Zealand’s economic and trade strategy going forward, where TPP stands today, and trade trends in the Asia Pacific.

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  The Letter K: We Own That

  Angela Killoren

  Angela Killoren is the COO of CJ E&M America, the Los Angeles subsidiary of Korea’s leading entertainment conglomerate. She discussed how the rise of Korean music (K-Pop) and television dramas (K-Drama) is driving the globalization and commercialization of everything “K” (Korean not Kardashian).

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  Doing Business in China: An LMU Alumnus' Firsthand Experience

  Danny Le

  Danny Le has more than 20 years of consulting experience with KPMG across multiple industry sectors. He spent 10 years building and leading KPMG China’s consulting business and advised numerous companies on how to enter, operate and grow in China. Danny discussed the opportunities and challenges of doing business in China and shared his expert advice for U.S.-based companies and executives who wish to achieve success in this rapidly-growing global market.

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  Starting a Company in One College Semester

  Nanxi Liu

  Nanxi is the Co-Founder and CEO of Enplug, a leading digital signage software company used in stadiums, offices, universities and malls. Enplug was named one of Inc. Magazine's "7 Most Innovative Startups in LA." Nanxi also founded Nanoly Bioscience, which develops polymers that eliminate the need for refrigeration of vaccines. It has received funding from Intel, Applied Materials, and Airbus.

  Nanxi started both companies in college. She'll share why this is the best time to start a company and how to build a business from scratch in a single semester.

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  The Strategy for Korea's Economic Success

  Hwy-Chang Moon

  The success of Korea has inspired numerous research studies in the past decade but the studies have not been able to satisfactorily explain Korea’s "miraculous" economic growth. Dr. Moon discusses his new model that explains how a country or firm can develop a competitive advantage over others without being more innovative or resourceful.

  Hwy-Chang Moon received his PhD from the University of Washington and is currently a visiting scholar at Stanford University’s Asia Pacific Research Centera as well as a professor at Seoul National University, where he also served as dean. He has delivered special lectures at various institutions, including Helsinki School of Economics, Keio University, and Stanford University. Dr. Moon has also consulted several multinational companies, international organizations, and governments (e.g., Malaysia, Dubai, Azerbaijan, and the Guangdong Province of China). He is currently the editor-in-chief of the Journal of International Business and Economy, and has published numerous articles and books on topics covering International Business Strategy, Cross-Cultural Management, and Economic Development in East Asia with a focus on Korea.

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  Becoming a YouTube Sensation: The Entrepreneurial Journey

  David Choi

  David Choi is an American musician and YouTube video producer based in Los Angeles. Choi's original songs and pop covers have been heard on NBC, FOX, VH1, MTV, A&E, E!, Travel Channel, Style Network, PBS, Food Network, Disney, as well as in commercials internationally. He has nearly 1 million YouTube subscribers.

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  How to Succeed in the Japanese Market

  Sachiko Yoshimura

  Ms. Yoshimura has supervised operations at JETRO Los Angeles since 2012, promoting trade and investment between Japan and the United States in sectors such as biotechnology, medical devices, environmental technologies, food and cultural products, as well as entertainment content. Prior to her current position, she was the Director of Intellectual Property Division assisting Japanese companies in protecting their intellectual properties in various countries.

  Her 28 year tenure has allowed her to amass a wealth of experience in international trade affairs, research and economic analysis to support Japanese companies, especially small and medium enterprises in their efforts to expanding business overseas. Ms. Yoshimura graduated from Sophia University in Tokyo with a Bachelors degree in English Literature.

  About JETRO
  JETRO is a Japanese Government Agency that promotes trade and investment between Japan and other countries. JETRO Los Angeles focus on expanding US and Japanese business.

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  Sustainable Development in China: Water, Energy, and Food

  James Leckie

  Professor James Leckie of Stanford University gave an enlightening presentation on “Sustainable Development in China: Water, Energy and Food” on April 8 as part of the Center for Asian Business Y.B. Min Lecture Series. An audience of primarily business and engineering students showed up to hear Professor Leckie talk about why China is plagued by these environmental problems and offer solutions on how the country can become more sustainable.

  The world’s population has been growing steadily since the 1950s. Over the next 30 years, Asia and Africa are projected to have the greatest population increases. China in particular has experienced rapid urbanization and dramatic resource utilization since its reform process began in the late 1970s. China is expected to urbanize 350 million people over the next 20 years, which is roughly the population of the United States.

  Food

  Worldwide meat production (beef, chicken and pork) is the second largest greenhouse gas source behind energy production. It emits more atmospheric greenhouse gases than transportation or industrial processes. China is the largest producer of pork (50%) which requires a lot of water. The country is solving its food problem by outsourcing to other parts of the world like Ethiopia and South America.

  “This is not sustainable,” says Leckie. “The West needs to reduce its meat consumption to allow for wider use of animal protein in the developing world.”

  Water

  The water situation in China is dire. With the largest population in the world, China has less than one-fourth of the world’s average per capita water capacity. Among the nearly 700 cities in China, 400 are facing a water shortage. Overexploitation and pollution of surface and ground water sources have led to scarcity and environmental degradation. Industrial use of water has increased and 90 percent of aquifers are contaminated. The urban areas are pumping ground water as a source but this is not sustainable. Plans are in the works for China to reuse water for a second time.

  Energy

  In 2009, California changed its business model for energy consumption which allowed for the amount of energy per capital to flatten out. We’ve switched to LED bulbs which save energy by 30% and introduced energy efficient appliances like refrigerators. China looks to California as a leader in energy efficiency policies and practices and is now adopting similar strategies.

  What’s the Solution?

  “I believe China can solve its air pollution problem in less than 10 years,” says Leckie. “It’s a matter of political will and setting strict regulations.”

  China has an incomplete legal system and weak law enforcement which makes it difficult to implement regulations. One of the biggest polluters in China is power plants which are controlled by the government. There appears to be a lack in cooperation and user participation amongst the Chinese to set new standards.

  “There is so much opportunity and room for improvement,” says Leckie. “The infrastructure investment can only be made once so they must get it right.”

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  The Entrepreneurial Journey of an International Music Pioneer

  Se-Hwang Kim

  The Hilton auditorium transformed into a rock concert venue on the evening of February 4th when LMU students, alumni, faculty and staff had the rare opportunity to see (and hear!) one of the top electric guitarists in the world perform. International music pioneer Se-Hwang Kim plugged in his electric guitar and played a few songs at this special event organized by the Center for Asian Business, Center for Entrepreneurship & LMU Department of Music.

  Kim is considered an international music pioneer by creating a crossover between rock ‘n’ roll and classical music. He has released over 14 albums as a solo artist and as a member of Korean rock bands N.EX.T and Novasonic. Kim is also the first Asian to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Music in Performance from the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. He’s extremely grateful for all his success but admits none of it came easy.

  “My entire life I’ve had to work twice as hard to prove myself and be respected,” said Kim.

  Kim spent the first half hour talking about growing up in conservative Korea and the challenges he faced with his musical pursuits. At his mother’s influence, he started playing classical guitar at the age of four. His family moved to Washington, D.C. where a young Kim was exposed to American rock bands like Van Halen.

  “I never grew up thinking I’d be a rock star,” said Kim. “I just knew I would be. It was so natural to me, like a part of everyday life.”

  He returned to Korea in 1986 with dreams of bringing a different kind of sound back to his home country, but found barriers instead.

  “No record label wanted me because I had long hair, jeans and a loud guitar,” said Kim. “They said my music would never be successful. I set out to change that.”

  Kim finally debuted in 1991 as lead guitarist for Korean rock band, N.EX.T. The band went on to popularize the pop music genre in Korea. Though he loved rock music, Kim was yearning to return to his classical beginnings. He began touring with world-renowned orchestras such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the famous Italian chamber orchestra I Musici and gained international acclaim for his crossover talents. Kim has also worked with over 100 K-Pop artists.

  His advice for aspiring musicians is to find a way to separate yourself from the competition.

  “Breaking into the industry is all about grabbing people’s attention,” said Kim. “Media is changing by the day and seems to be getting more and more extreme.”

  In other words, stay true to yourself and fight for what you believe.

  “I definitely fulfilled my dream and I am very proud of what I’ve accomplished.”

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  How Kia Became the Fastest Growing Automotive Brand in the U.S.

  Adam Perlow

  In 2008, Kia in the U.S. offered cars with average styling, average quality, average safety ratings, little technology, below average resale values and advertising focused on price. The company developed and executed a plan to become best in class in every category and invested billions when competitors were retreating in the face of a collapsing economy. What unfolded over the next 36 months shocked competitors who believed Kia was not capable of becoming relevant let alone dominant in the auto industry.

  On the evening of November 17, the Center for Asian Business welcomed Adam Perlow for a special lecture titled “How Kia Became the Fastest Growing Automotive Brand in the U.S.” As vice president of sales operations for Kia Motors America, Perlow played a pivotal role in Kia’s transformation from a generic and boring brand into one of the hippest, top-selling, and most reputable auto companies in the nation.

  “Kia is all about adversity,” said Perlow. “It’s a challenger brand that had to figure out a way to compete to become mainstream. We looked at the recession as an opportunity instead of a challenge. While most companies were closing factories and laying off employees, Kia invested billions in new products, marketing and dealer networks in the U.S.”
  
  In Korean, Kia is roughly translated to “rising out of Asia” and that’s exactly what the company has done over the last few years. The first priority for Kia was to improve the quality of its vehicles. Today, Kia’s quality ranks 6th by J.D. Power and Associates, better than many well-established brands like Honda, Nissan, Ford, BMW and Volkswagen. In fact, Kia is now outselling most luxury vehicles. And with a new focus on quality, Kia now has the longest warranty (10 years) in the industry. In addition, nearly all Kia models have 5-star safety ratings.

  The company also hired Peter Schreyer as president and chief design officer to create a consistent and innovative design. The Kia Soul was the first vehicle to undergo a design transformation, and as of October 2014, the entire Kia lineup has completely transformed.

  Kia sales skyrocketed thanks to sleek new designs and clever TV advertisements featuring hip hamsters that appealed to Generation Y. Kia also partnered with high-profile celebrities like Lady Gaga and Maroon 5 and secured a lucrative sponsorship with the NBA. Basketball superstars Blake Griffin and LeBron James now act as ambassadors for the Kia brand.
  
  The U.S. and China are Kia’s largest markets. But in order to become more significant in the U.S., Kia decided to build a plant on American soil. They did so in West Point, Georgia and created an entire economy with thousands of new jobs for the small, isolated town. The Optima and Sorento models are currently being made at the Georgia plant. With Kia’s new and improved brand image, the company also decided to redesign all Kia dealerships to make the customer experience more consistent with its new brand image.
  
  In sum, Kia was able to achieve enormous success by focusing on the following key elements:

  • Quality
  • Safety
  • Design
  • Technology
  • Warranty
  • Marketing
  • Residual Value
  • Dealer Network
  • Product Cadence
  • Sports Sponsorship

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  Japan - China Update: Competition or Cooperation?

  Harry H. Horinouchi

  LMU's Center for Asian Business kicked off its 2014-2015 lecture season with a special presentation titled "Japan - China Update: Competition or Cooperation?" by Harry Horinouchi, Consul General of Japan, Los Angeles. Japan and China are often referred to as “rivals” in the Asia Pacific region – however, to what extent is this true or false? Mr. Horinouchi’s talk focused on recent developments between Asia’s two largest regional economies, and addressed the actual state of current Japan-China relations.

  Mr. Horinouchi began by giving the audience an overview of recent events and developments between Japan and China, including fluctuations in tourism and trade. The two countries have had a rocky past but are starting to work more closely on aligning efforts. Horinouchi presented a number of photos showcasing unity and cooperation between leaders at various summits. Overall, Horinouchi is optimistic about the future relations between Japan and China and says the two countries appear to be headed in the right direction and progress is being made.

  Horinouchi was appointed Consul General of Japan, Los Angeles in August of 2014. Over his decades-long career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), he spent over 10 years in China, and the remainder of his overseas postings in the United States. The post of Consul General in Los Angeles is his second U.S. mission. During home ministry assignments at MOFA headquarters in Tokyo, Horinouchi has been charged with legal affairs and treaties portfolios several times, in addition to Asian and Oceanian regional affairs and international intelligence analysis. He has written numerous law journal articles on international legal issues, authored one book published in China for Chinese readership, and has been a lecturer on international law at Waseda University’s Graduate School of Law. He is a graduate of the Law Faculty of Tokyo University, and also attended Nanjing University in China and Harvard Graduate School in Regional Studies.

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  The U.S.-Korea Alliance at 60 Years: Looking Back, Looking Forward

  Kathleen Stephens

  In a special lecture titled "The U.S.-Korea Alliance at 60 Years: Looking Back, Looking Forward," Ambassador Stephens will draw on her nearly 40 years of experience in Korea and her diplomatic career to place the U.S.-Korea relationship in historical context and discuss the issues that will define it in the 21st century, including relations in the region, North Korea, and global issues such as addressing climate change and promoting sustainable economic growth.

  Ambassador Stephens is a Koret Fellow and Visiting Scholar at Stanford University’s Shorenstein Center for Asia and Pacific Research, where she teaches and speaks on issues related to the U.S. and Asia. Ambassador Stephens served as a U.S. career diplomat from 1978-2013, achieving the personal rank of Career Minister. She was U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea from 2008 to 2011. A few of her earlier foreign assignments included consular and public affairs officer in Guangzhou, China, chief of the internal political unit in Seoul, and principal officer of the U.S. Consulate in Busan, Korea.

  Ambassador Stephens’ awards include the Korean government’s Sejong Cultural Prize and the Korea-America Friendship Association Prize, the YWCA’s Women’s Leadership “Special Prize” Award, and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. Ambassador Stephens is the author of “Reflections of an American Ambassador to Korea.”

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  Quality is Everyone's Business

  Subir Chowdhury

  What is quality? Is functioning properly at 99 percent considered quality? Not necessarily, says Subir Chowdhury, a world authority in quality leadership, strategy and methods. Ninety-nine percent could still mean 5,000 incorrect surgeries or 100,000 automobile recalls.

  “Quality is so important, so critical,” says Chowdhury, chairman and CEO of ASI Consulting Group LLC. “We need quality more than anything else.”
  
  Hailed by The New York Times as a ‘leading quality expert’ and by Businessweek as ‘The Quality Prophet’, Chowdhury shared his wisdom with LMU students at a very special lecture presented by the Center for Asian Business. In his inspiring talk, he gave real-life examples from his experience working with global multinationals from all types of industries in East Asia, particularly in Korea. He also shared why quality should be each individual's responsibility and why leading a quality life is critical to professional and personal success.

  Chowdhury told a touching story from his childhood which taught him the importance of having a quality mindset. When he was around six years old, his grandfather would hold up money in one hand and a pen in the other and ask him "Which would you rather have?" Chowdhury would always reach for the money, but his grandfather told him to never go after the money. "Always go after the pen and the money will follow because the pen is constantly innovating."

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  Can North Korea Change? Myths and Realities

  Gi-Wook Shin

  The Center for Asian Business welcomed Dr. Gi-Wook Shin, Professor of Sociology at Stanford, on October 29th for a special lecture titled "Can North Korea Change? Myths and Realities." His lecture addressed the current state of North Korean society, Kim Jong-un's regime and the country's relations with the U.S. and its Asian neighbors. In addition, he provided the audience with his views on whether regime change in North Korea is plausible and whether the country will ever abandon its nuclear weapons program.

  Dr. Shin started off his presentation by asking the audience “What is North Korea?” What are the most common perceptions toward North Korea, officially called the Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea? A few are Communist, Dynastic, Nationalist and Militaristic.

  Dr. Shin went on to discuss the relationship between North and South Korea and the struggles for national representation that still exist. He showed anti-Communist propaganda as examples. At the end of his lecture, Dr. Shin proposed the question of whether unification is feasible between these two very different countries. Only about half of South Koreans think unification is necessary.

  Regarding the relationship between the U.S. and North Korea, Dr. Shin said that anti-Americanism serves as an important base of North Korean ideology. They use the “nuclear card” to attain a normalized relationship with the U.S. for the sake of security and economy. Above all, North Korea knows that it won’t be easy to overcome the U.S.’s long-held lack of trust in North Korea.

  Dr. Shin is a professor of sociology and director of Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University. His research concentrates on social movements, nationalism, development and international relations. In addition to his research, Dr. Shin has published many books which have become so popular that many of them have been translated and distributed to Korean audiences. Dr. Shin received his B.A. from Yonsei University in Korea. He attended the University of Washington, Seattle to obtain his Master's and Ph.D. degrees. Prior to becoming a professor and research director at Stanford, Dr. Shin taught at the University of Iowa and UCLA.

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  The Enablers to Success for Asian Companies in the U.S. Market

  Marc Hoffman

  The Center for Asian Business welcomed entrepreneur and business strategist Marc Hoffman on October 1st as part of the Y.B. Min Lecture Series. He presented a fascinating lecture titled "The Enablers to Succeed for Asian Companies in the U.S. Market." In the presentation, Hoffman discussed Japanese and Korean automobile companies and their initial struggle to capture meaningful sales before gaining expected profits in the United States.

  He started off by highlighting what factors drive the American buyer – nationalism, quality, innovation & style, technology, value, low cost, brand power, fears & stereotypes and speed. Hoffman said that U.S. consumers typically don’t care where the product came from, but they will buy American if a product is superior. He said Americans have short memories, but usually make buying decisions based on substance. Above all, the level of quality is the most important factor for consumers.

  In today’s fast-spaced world, Hoffman said it’s critical for products to get to the market ahead of the competition. This “speed” based approach is the system that’s driving Asian auto manufacturing in the U.S. As a result, Asian auto companies have opened operations in the U.S. for greater efficiency and quicker output.

  Hoffman is a growth-oriented senior executive specializing in venture capital startups and business turnarounds for private equity funded companies. As CEO at Glacier Bay, he led the launch and growth of the company’s product ‘ClimaCab’ to a top market position in less than two years. During this same period, Glacier Bay was recognized as one of Inc. Magazine’s Top 500 North American growth companies in 2009.

  Hoffman has been a recognized pioneer amongst U.S. companies, implementing ‘World Class’ business improvement initiatives in a wide range of industries including aerospace, automotive and medical. In 2014, his company, Innovus Power, will introduce a high efficiency electric power generator which will allow its customers to save 25 percent in operating costs over all other generators in the market today. Hoffman graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Material Science Engineering.

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  Creating Value Through Design: Company and Country Perspectives from East Asia

  Deepa Prahalad

  For the final Y.B. Min lecture of the semester, the Center for Asian Business welcomed Deepa Prahalad, an author and business strategist specializing in opportunities at the intersection of consumer experience, technology and strategy. In her presentation, titled “Creating Value through Design: Company and Country Perspectives from East Asia,” Prahalad discussed the role of design in creating value, the ingredients of good design and how this applies to Asian countries in particular.

  Prahalad discussed the success of great brands such as Apple, Nike, Coca-Cola and Samsung and how they have created awareness of the value of design to business. Design today is an important source of strategic advantage for entrepreneurs, established companies and countries. Her talk focused on case studies of how companies and countries have used design to build brands and create a sphere of influence.

  According to Prahalad, strategic challenges such as co-creation, customer experience, globalization, innovation and new business model creation all require design. Today, we’re seeing a convergence of brand and design. Leading brands such as Nike, Apple, McDonald’s and Mercedes are all identifiable by their logo alone. These brands have a distinct look, feel and experience, and the experience must be valued by the consumers. Prahalad went on to address how emotional connections often lead to business results.

  At the conclusion of her lecture, she highlighted the following points:

  1. Behavior is as important as income
  2. There is a convergence of quantitative and qualitative data
  3. Looking at emotions creates obligations for companies
  4. A great design still needs a great business model

  Passionate about emerging markets and innovation, Prahalad has worked as a management consultant with firms from start-ups to large multinationals. She researched and co-authored the book, Predictable Magic: Unleash the Power of Design Strategy to Transform Your Business. Prahalad speaks on design strategy and emerging markets at business schools and at global and government forums on the importance of design as a competitive innovation. Prahalad received a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.

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  Whose Land is This? East Asia's Territorial Disputes

  David Kang

  On the evening of February 13th, the Center for Asian Business welcomed Dr. David Kang as its first guest speaker of the spring semester. Considered one of the top Korean experts in Los Angeles, Kang is Director of the Korean Studies Institute and Professor of International Relations and Business at USC, with appointments in both the School of International Relations and the Marshall School of Business. His lecture, titled "Whose Land is This? East Asia's Territorial Disputes," addressed the pending territorial disputes involving Korea, China and Japan over the Dokdo and Senkaku Islands.

  Kang began his presentation by explaining the key differences between a border and a frontier. For example, land borders are much easier to pinpoint than maritime borders, which is why there continues to be so much conflict over these particular islands. Though Korea, China and Japan are battling it out over who owns what, Kang doesn’t believe their conflicting opinions will result in war. He argues that each country won’t back down because they’ve already staked their claim and, in the end, it’s really all about national pride.

  Finally, Kang explained how this territorial dispute impacts the business and politics of these East Asian nations. In particular, he discussed how the U.S. is being affected. Up until now, he says, the U.S. has done a great job of taking a neutral stance on the issue. The U.S. is not only allies with all three countries, but is a significant trading partner, so it’s in our best interest not to get involved. Kang doesn’t know if this problem will ever be resolved; a potential solution would be joint ownership of the islands and territories. But again, national pride seems to matter most in the end.

  Kang’s latest book is called "East Asia Before the West: Five Centuries of Trade and Tribute." He’s also the author of "China Rising: Peace, Power and Order in East Asia," "Crony Capitalism: Corruption and Development in South Korea and the Philippines", and "Nuclear North Korea: A Debate on Engagement Strategies" (co-authored with Victor Cha). Kang has published numerous scholarly articles in journals such as International Organization and International Security, and his co-authored article “Testing Balance of Power Theory in World History” was awarded “Best article, 2007-2009,” by the European Journal of International Relations. Kang has also written opinion pieces in The New York Times, the Financial Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, as well as writing a monthly column for the Joongang Ilbo in Korean. He received an A.B. with honors from Stanford University and his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley.

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  Thinking Globally But Acting Locally

  Yoshimi Inaba

  The Center for Asian Business and Alpha Kappa Psi presented a special lecture on Wednesday, December 5th featuring Yoshimi Inaba, chairman of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and executive advisor for Toyota Motor Corporation. The title of his lecture was based on one of Toyota's key principles, “Thinking Globally but Acting Locally.” Toyota’s Japanese-oriented way of thinking has adapted to fit the American culture, and that is one of the reasons why the company is so successful.

  During the first half hour of the lecture, Mr. Inaba provided an overview of Toyota’s global presence and impact on the automobile industry. He shared the key principles that make Toyota one of the biggest and most successful automobile companies in the world - reliability and durability. Mr. Inaba said he encourages his employees in each region to focus on being the best company in their local area rather than the entire world.

  The last half hour of the lecture was spent answering questions from the audience. Questions ranged from “How did you handle the Toyota recall?” to “What’s your favorite Toyota model?” Students were treated to free pizza and soda following the event.

  Mr. Inaba is chairman of Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., Toyota’s U.S. sales, marketing, distribution and customer service arm in Torrance, Calif. He also serves as an executive advisor of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), Toyota’s parent company in Japan. Mr. Inaba is responsible for Toyota’s sales, marketing and external affairs operations in the U.S. He began his career with TMC in 1968 and has reached many achievements, such as being named to TMC’s Board of Directors, becoming president of TMS, becoming senior managing director at TMC, and being named executive VP. In 2007, he was appointed president and CEO of Central Japan International Airport Co., Ltd., and a senior advisor to the board of TMC. In 2009, Mr. Inaba returned to TMC in his current capacity. He has a degree in economics from Kyoto University and a MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

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  Challenges of Asian Global Leadership

  Linda Akutagawa

  The Center for Asian Business welcomed its first guest speaker of the fall semester on October 3rd as part of its Y.B. Min Lecture Series. Linda Akutagawa, president and CEO of Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc. (LEAP), took the Hilton stage and presented on the topic "Challenges of Asian Global Leadership."

  Akutagawa is responsible for LEAP’s strategic direction, operations, relationships and collaborations. A passionate social entrepreneur, she has dedicated herself, over her 19-year career, to inspiring Asian and Pacific Islanders to aspire to leadership roles in all sectors of society and serve as role models for diverse leadership.

  In her lively presentation, Akutagawa discussed some of the communications challenges for Asian leaders, including language proficiency, remaining quiet during meetings, cultural differences and networking. She emphasized that behavior for one culture may not translate for another culture. For example, Americans assume that people are shy or uninterested if they don’t speak up during a meeting; however, it’s part of the Asian culture to wait for their turn to speak and not challenge authority.

  Some of the “skills for success” Akutagawa identified in her presentation included 1) develop a global mindset, 2) build your expertise, 3) manage your visibility and 4) communicate. Above all, keep your values and continue to develop new skills.

  A beneficiary of LEAP’s leadership training, Akutagawa first began as a volunteer at LEAP. She now speaks and presents globally on topics such as leadership, influence of Asian cultural values, employee resource groups, diversity, networking and branding to a range of audiences across multiple sectors. Prior to joining LEAP, she was the marketing manager for Japan & Orient Tours Inc., a travel operator specializing in Asia and the Pacific.

  Akutagawa serves on the Board Directors of the Asian Women Leadership Network, Boat People SOS-California and Japanese American Community Services of Southern California Inc. (JACS), a provider of grants with a focus on community service, leadership development, cultural arts, and health and human services. Linda received her Bachelor of Science degree in international business with a minor in economics from California State University at Los Angeles.

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  Business with Korea: Foreign Direct Investment & KORUS FTA

  Won Sok Yun

  Biography
  Mr. Won Suk Yun joined KOTRA in 1986. During his long career at KOTRA, Mr. Yun successfully initiated and developed key international projects which were critical to Korea’s overall economic growth and key industry development. Recently, Mr. Yun’s main focus was to facilitate the Free Trade Agreement between Korea and the U.S. To achieve this goal, he has successfully arranged joint seminars with the U.S. Government and KOTRA’s Korean Business Development Center. Mr. Yun’s strong expertise in international business and in-depth knowledge in global-trade and investment affairs have helped KOTRA Los Angeles to play an important role in consulting, initiating, sustaining, and developing cross-border partnerships for businesses. One of Mr. Yun’s major global partnership activities is to support businesses connectivity by participating in and organizing major international trade/convention shows such as MAGIC, Global Textile Show, CES, CTIA, etc. Mr. Yun has successfully served as, Deputy Director of KOTRA Miami, U.S. (1991-1994); Head of Commercial Section (KOTRA) of Korean Embassy Nairobi, Kenya (1998-2001); Chief Trade Commissioner of KOTRA Vancouver, Canada (2003-2007); Head of KOTRA Busan, Republic of Korea (2008-2009). Mr. Yun holds an MBA from Seoul National University.

  Synopsis
  As the Director General and Chief Trade Commissioner at KOTRA, Mr. Won Sok Yun began by explaining the global GDP, the United States’ GDP, and the fact that Asia owns approximately 25% of the globe’s total money (especially Korea, Japan, and China). With Korea slowly beginning to grow in multiple industries and businesses, its economy is growing as well, and becoming extremely large for a small country. Mr. Yun discussed foreign direct investment as it pertains to Korea and how since 1997, the government decided to open almost 97% of the domestic market for foreign companies. He listed some of the deciding factors that companies have been drawn to when doing business with Korea, including its strategic location, scientific infrastructure and world-class human resources. Relating it to the United States, Mr. Yun discussed the importance of three, more specific, growth factors: exportation, low carbon industry for the future (a green market), and innovation. Mr. Yun went on to describe that in order to promote business cooperation, to create an open business (open innovation) between foreign and domestic companies, there would be multiple steps involved. Mr. Yun also spoke about KORUS FTA, which was brought into effect March 15th of this year. Korea entered in FTA’s with two thirds of the world markets, including the United States. He explained that the general benefits of KORUS FTA are a great decrease in import tariffs and 70,000 new jobs created for the United States. KORUS FTA works on reducing tariffs for major exports such as semiconductor manufacturing equipment, electrical equipment, chemicals, agriculture (beef), medical equipment, and aerospace materials. Mr. Yun ended by discussing KOTRA, and its 50-year anniversary of establishment. Today Korea ranks seventh for total exports and its trade has risen to $1 trillion in just sixty years. On top of these accomplishments, Korea has turned itself into a donor country rather than one receiving aid.

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  The Rise of Corporate China and Chinese Companies' Overseas Investments

  C.Y. Wang

  Biography
  Mr. Wang is a current member of Ernst & Young’s Global Advisory Council. He advises Ernst & Young Americas leadership in formulating and prioritizing emerging market strategies and leads a task force to design and implement area-wide networks to better service inbound and outbound clients. He has more than 22 years of experience with Ernst & Young and his technical training is grounded in the tax areas of mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations and spin-offs. He has served U.S. and foreign multinationals, China 500 state-owned companies, private equity funds, and sovereign wealth funds on transactions. Additionally, Mr. Wang has served as an adjunct tax professor teaching consolidated return regulations and corporate reorganization courses in the M.B.T. program at Golden Gate University and has given corporate tax presentations in numerous forums. He is a certified public accountant in the state of California and received his B.S. and M.B.T. degrees from USC.
  
  Synopsis
  In this lecture, speaker C.Y. Wang elaborated on the rise of corporate China and the 12th Five Year Plan. He discussed the increase of China’s global fortune 500 companies over the span of seven years (from 2005 to the present) and how those numbers compare with various other successful countries including the U.S. He explained that not only are these numbers significant now, but that they are cause for other major corporations outside of China concerned with their own success, and development of strategies to compete. Mr. Wang also described the U.S trends and patterns of development and diminishment in their fortune 500 companies, and how this data relates to China’s continuous rise. He mentioned the top ten companies in the world, three of which, being Chinese: Sinopec Group, China National Petroleum, and Sate Grid. More of the fortune 500 companies are mentioned and described by Mr. Wang as he emphasized China’s leaps and bounds in the development of industry, summarizing China’s sixty-one fortune 500 companies as “old-economy”. He stated that forty-eight of these are central government or state owned companies, telling us that the difference between corporate China and corporate America, is state capital. Relating it to sports, Mr. Wang described China’s success as coming from their excessive “practice” when it comes to engineering, and their theories made into material results, compared to multiple other countries that have lacked continuous development and growth, simply holding firm to their ideas. The last main point he focused on, was China’s 12th FYP aimed at transforming the economy. One branch off of this was to transform the existing traditional manufacturing base. The other was to incubate and develop the emerging industries. Mr. Wang concluded that in order to become a global company, the company must first build itself up into one that is big.

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  The Footsteps of Korean IT Industry: Past, Present, and Future

  Von-Kyoung Kim

  Biography
  Mr. Von-Kyoung Kim started his career as a flash memory chip design engineer at Samsung Electronics in 1989. He has been involved in multiple generations of microprocessor (Ultra-SPARC) development after joining Sun Microsystems in 1997. He is currently a senior hardware manager at Oracle, developing next generation microprocessors for Oracle database servers. Mr. Kim holds a B.S. in physics/computer science from Sogang University in Seoul, Korea and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO.

  Synopsis
  Mr. Von-Kyoung Kim delivered a special lecture on the evolution of IT technology, and the rapid growth of the Korean IT industry. Mr. Kim gave a brief history of the evolution of IT technology and the amazing pace at which it has occurred. One statistic he shared is the fact that in 1971, the speed on the first Intel chip was .71 MHz, whereas in 2009 the speed is now at 5,000 MHz. Mr. Kim pointed out that during the 1990’s Japan had the most successful IT companies, whereas in the 2000s, the United States lead the way. Mr. Kim also focused on the future of IT technology by touching on advances such as the rapid growth of the mobile device, cloud computing, and ubiquitous networking. Turning his focus to the rise of the Korean IT industry, Mr. Kim highlighted the fact that the Korean economy had to be completely rebuilt after the Korean War. In fact, Korea’s GDP in 1960 was only 15 billion dollars, whereas in 2010 it is close to1.56 trillion dollars (ranking Korea the 12th highest GDP in the world) thanks in large part to Korea's IT industry. Mr. Kim also stressed several factors that led Korea to become such an IT hot bed. One is the fact that Korea is an ideal IT test bed, because of its tech savvy people who are willing and able to buy new products/gadget. Another reason is due to Korea’s high internet and mobile service penetration. And the final tow factors that contributed to Korea IT growth was its high population cluster and its now very large economy.

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  Made in China: Opportunities and Challenges for Manufacturing Smart Phones

  David Hoffman

  Biography
  David Hoffman is the Director of New Product Introduction for Motorola Mobility's Home Products division. He has extensive experience over the last seven years working with China manufacturing as a quality director covering both product and component levels manufacturing. Mr. Hoffman has a master's degree in engineering management from Marquette University. Motorola Mobility is a $7B company that provides innovative technologies, products and services that enable a broad range of mobile and wireline, digital communication, information and entertainment experiences. Its product portfolio primarily includes mobile devices, wireless accessories, set-top boxes and video distribution systems, and wireline broadband infrastructure products and associated customer premises equipment.

  Synopsis
  In this lecture, Mr. Hoffman spoke about the factors contributing to China’s success in manufacturing smart phones, the impact their success has on the global economy, and also China’s future as a leader in smart phone manufacturing. Mr. Hoffman shared that because of the low cost of labor, as well as the tremendous labor access of 18-20 year old in China’s workforce, China has been able to attract several smart phone companies and has been able to manufacture these phones at an incredible rate. But he also warned of the dangers of the smart phone industry putting all of their eggs in one basket, so to speak. Mr. Hoffman mentioned the fact that other nations such as India and Vietnam are beginning to catch up with China in terms of smart phone manufacturing because of lower wages. However, he noted that China is a very pro-business nation that provides many incentives to manufacturers, as well as a more suitable infrastructure to cater to businesses.

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  Japan's Recent Disasters, Recovery and Implications for the Global Business Future

  Junichi Ihari

  Biography
  Mr. Junichi Ihara was appointed consul general of Japan in Los Angeles in April 2008. Prior to this appointment, he served as deputy director-general of Asian and Oceanic Affairs Bureau. His recent positions include minister at the Embassy of Japan in the United States (2004-2006), director of Financial Affairs Division (2002-2004), director of the WTO Division (1999-2002), director of the First Southeast Asian Division (1997-1999) and director of the Office of the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs (1995-1997). Mr. Ihara graduated from Kyoto University.

  Synopsis
  In his presentation, Mr. Junichi Ihara discussed how the recent earthquake and tsunami affected Japan’s infrastructure and international business community. Mr. Ihara compared the tragic events of September 11,2001 to the devastation of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, 2011. Mr. Ihara went on to say that Japan must learn from this humbling disaster by studying the past. He also addressed the anticipated trajectory for the ongoing recovery in Japan. Mr. Ihara pointed out that the reconstruction of the affected area is of the upmost importance, and that it should provide as a catalyst for further revitalization of the area. Part of this reconstruction, he stated, is the abandoning of nuclear energy throughout the country. But, as Mr. Ihara points out, this is a process that takes time, and nuclear energy is responsible for 26% of Japans electricity. Lastly, Mr. Ihara illustrated some positives that can be taken from the disaster. For instance, he points out the increased solidarity and unity between two allies, the United States and Japan. And he also mentioned that the young Japanese people, many of whom volunteered to help in the recovery process, are becoming more socially aware and more active in political life. Mr. Ihara ended his lecture by telling the audience that Japan is in a time of transformation, politically and socially, as Japan’s political infrastructure is in constant flux. Mr. Ihara concluded by saying that he has hope for the future of the Japanese people and country.

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  U.S. Trade Policy For China & Japan: Update & Outlook for Business Opportunity

  Brian Peck

  Brian Peck is an international trade and intellectual property attorney, advising multi-national clients on international trade, regulatory and compliance matters, international government and policy affairs, global IP asset management and trade-related IP matters. He is an adjunct professor of international trade policy at USC Gould School of Law.

  Prior to his current private practice, Brian was Senior Director for Intellectual Property at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative from 2003-2005, and Director of Japanese Affairs at USTR from 2001-2003. He was the lead negotiator for the intellectual property chapters in several Free Trade Agreements, including the U.S.-Colombia, U.S.-Peru and U.S.-Panama FTAs. He also oversaw the implementation of intellectual property provisions in the U.S.-Chile FTA and the CAFTA-DR Agreement. As Senior Director, Brian led an interagency team responsible for developing and implementing policies to strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights in Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and Latin America; and was also responsible for overseeing U.S. trading partners’ compliance with bilateral and international obligations to protect and enforce IP rights. As Director for Japanese Affairs, Brian co-chaired the U.S.-Japan Information Technologies Working Group, and worked on regulatory reform initiatives in Japan’s legal regime for IP rights, as well as in the IT, e-commerce, and telecommunications sectors. He also led bilateral talks with several Asian countries under the WTO negotiations to liberalize international markets for services; and led the U.S. delegation at the WTO TRIPS Council meetings on IP matters.

  Prior to his work for the U.S. Trade Representative, Brian was an attorney-advisor with the Office of the Chief Counsel for Import Administration at the Department of Commerce from 1998-2001, where he participated in a number of antidumping and countervailing duty cases. Brian also participated in litigation before the Court of International Trade and international dispute settlement panels, including an appearance before a WTO Panel in Geneva.

  Before earning his law degree, Brian lived and worked in Tokyo, Japan for over nine years and held management positions with both U.S. and Japanese companies.

  Brian graduated Order of the Coif and received his law degree, cum laude, from the University of San Diego School of Law, where he served as a member of the San Diego Law Review. He received his B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley.

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  Can Chinese Enterprises Globalize?

  Frankie Leung

  Mr. Leung will discuss the basic structure of the Chinese economy and its major institutions: From planned and centralized to still heavily state-owned economy. He will also cover what role Chinese enterprises play in the world economy and how their evolvement affects American interests.
  
  Frankie Leung is admitted to practice law in Hong Kong, England, Victoria (Australia) and California. He has been a partner in a major California law firm for over ten years and practiced law in England and Hong Kong for nine years. He is currently in private consultation and legal practice in Los Angeles. He is a frequent speaker at universities and think tanks in China.

  Mr. Leung was a visiting scholar at Harvard Law School, and has taught as adjunct faculty member at Stanford Law School, Loyola Law School, Hong Kong University Law School and University of Southern California Law School. He has contributed articles to American Journal of International Law, Asian Wall Street Journal and many law reviews, and has written six books in Chinese. In addition, he is a regular columnist and a broadcaster in Bloomberg, CNN, Voice of America and BBC Overseas Services. He received his BA at Hong Kong University, MSc at Birmingham University, and law degree at Oxford University.

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  The impact of KORUS (Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement) on American business

  Troy Stangarone

  Mr. Stangarone joined the Korea Economic Institute (KEI) as the Director of Congressional Affairs and Trade in December 2005. Mr. Stangarone is responsible for maintaining active relations with Capitol Hill and the broader Washington, DC trade community. He serves as KEI’s specialist on the U.S.-Korea FTA, while overseeing development and implementation of FTA and other trade related initiatives by KEI.

  Each month, Mr. Stangarone writes the FTA Update and Policy Perspective columns for KEI’s Korea Insight. In addition to his column on the FTA in Korea Insight, he has written on the FTA for the Seattle Times, the Memphis Commercial Appeal, the East-West Center's Asia Pacific Bulletin, CSIS Pac Forum’s Issues and Insights, the Center for U.S.-Korea Policy, the Korea Herald, Korea Policy Review, and the KEI Exchange, and his comments on the FTA and other trade issues have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, Politico, Reuters, UPI, CQ Today, Chosun Ilbo, Donga Ilbo, JoongAng Daily, Yonhap News Service and the Seoul Shinmun. He has also appeared on KBS News, The Morning Show and The Evening Show on eTBS radio, and the International Business Report to discuss the FTA, along with Voice of America’s Issues and Opinions to discuss policy matters related to Korea and Northeast Asia.

  Prior to joining KEI, Mr. Stangarone worked on Capitol Hill for Senator Robert Torricelli on issues relating to foreign affairs and trade. He also served as an aide to Governor James McGreevey of New Jersey. He holds an MSc. in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the University of Memphis.

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  Next leader in the Shipbuilding industry in Korea, Japan, and China: Impact on value-chain development of global business

  S. I. Hong

  Mr. Hong will give us an overview of World Shipbuilding Industry, with a special emphasis on the key success factors of the Korean Shipbuilding. Hyundai Heavy Industries is the world's largest shipbuilding company, headquartered in South Korea. It produces 15% of the world's ships, slipping a newly-built, $80 million dollar vessel into the water about every four days.

  Mr. Hong has been the SVP for the New Jersey office of HHI since 2002, and has worked for HHI since 1980. He has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, with an emphasis in Naval Architecture, from Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.

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  Harry S. Truman and the Korean War: Unfinished Legacy

  Michael Devine

  Sixty years ago North Korea invaded the south on June 25, 1950 and the United Nations/United States forces were close to total defeat. General Douglas MacArthur then on September 15, 1950, made one of the greatest strategic moves of his illustrious career by successfully landing some 50,000 Marines and Army troops at Inchon and recapturing Seoul a week later and cutting off the North Korean army from their supplies from the north. The war continued for three more years and ended in 1953 with an armistice. There is still no peace treaty. But ultimately the war led to the freedom and tremendous development of South Korea we see today.

  Dr. Michael J. Devine is Director of the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library in Independence, MO. He will discuss how President Harry S. Truman responded to the unexpected invasion on the Republic of Korea by forces from North Korea and how Truman’s decision changed the course of world history in many ways. Truman made three critical decisions that set important precedents influencing how the administrations of his successors would conduct the Cold War. The three issues Truman addressed were: responding to the Chinese entry into the war, the insubordination of General Douglas MacArthur, and the repatriation of POWs.

  Dr. Devine began his tenure with the Library in September 2001. He has more than thirty-five years of experience in the management of historical institutions.

  The Harry S. Truman Library is one of thirteen federal presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration, and the Library holds the records of the Truman administration and 25 thousand artifacts related to Mr. Truman’s life and times. The Library has a $6 million annual budget and serves the international scholarly community as well as schools and public audiences. The director of the Library serves as the Ex-officio member of the Board of Directors of the Harry S. Truman Institute for National and International Affairs.

  Dr. Devine served on the faculty of the University of Wyoming from 1991-2001, where he taught courses in U.S. and diplomatic history, and directed the University’s American Heritage Center from 1991-2000. He was the Houghton Freeman Professor of American History at the Johns Hopkins University – Nanjing University Graduate Center in Nanjing, China during the 1998-99 academic year.

  From 1985-1991, Dr. Devine was the Illinois State Historian and Director of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency/Illinois State Historical Society. In that position he supervised a staff of 260 and managed the Illinois State Historical Library (now renamed the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library), the Illinois State Historical Society, 50 historical sites throughout the state, and the State Historical Preservation Office.

  Dr. Devine earned his BA from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, and a MA and Ph.D. from Ohio State University. Dr. Devine has published widely on American foreign policy, Illinois history, the history of the American West, and Public History. He served as a Senior Fulbright Lecturer to Argentina in 1983 and Korea in 1995, and has consulted on more than a dozen projects for the American Association of Museums. In 1999, he was elected President of the National Council on Public History.

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  The Asian Auto Industry: Present and Future

  Ed Kim

  How are the Japanese and Korean auto industries affecting the American auto industry at the present time? How will the growing Chinese market and growing Chinese auto manufacturing industry in the future affect the Japanese and Korean and American industries?

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  e-Korea, Ubiquitous

  Richard Chin

  A diabetic patient e-mails his condition to his doctor through mobile and broadband services on a daily basis, and the doctor and nutritionist e-respond their recommendations for his activities and nutrition. Insurance companies e-review communication records between hospital and patients. Korea has been pushing aggressively to advance its communication infrastructure since the 1980s and continues to lead the overall ICT development and has the highest internet penetration rate worldwide.

  Mr. Chin examined what has made Korea the powerhouse in wireless internet markets and how far Korea deploys the technologies to cope with the government, and with various social sectors, such as, education, medicine, and other key sectors for the innovation of the national communication system.

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  Can we prevent North Korea from becoming a nuclear power?

  Donald Gregg

  Ambassador Donald Gregg, Chairman of the Board of The Korea Society in New York City. Former Ambassador to Korea1990-1993. Retired from a 43-year career in the U.S. Government in 1993.

  Ambassador Gregg discussed the perspectives on nuclear proliferation by the U.S., North and South Koreas, Middle East, and neighboring countries, China, and Japan

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  The role of the government in the Entertainment Business in China, Korea, and Japan

  Veronika Kwan-Rubinek

  This session provided an opportunity to understand how Asian governments interact with entertainment media and digital business industries to protect their domestic market while thriving to the global market place. Asian governments tend to control the entertainment industry in contrast to the role of the U.S. government which is more regulatory. With globalization and a worldwide media market, Asian governments in recent years have become involved directly in promoting entertainment media business and developing professionals for global vision.

  This session is helpful to students, especially who are interested in working with Asian media companies and Asian market, to grasp ideas how to work and collaborate with the local media industries and how to enhance global competitions.

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  Korean Wave: Impact on political agenda, global economy, and the social system in South Korea

  Jeannie Han

  Jeannie Han, Senior Vice President, Paramount Pictures. Jeannie is directly involved with all aspects of releasing Paramount motion pictures, as well as both DreamWorks and DreamWorks animation films.

  The "Korean Wave" began with the export of Korean TV dramas. The export of the entertainment media is the second largest item in Korea since 2002, and now South Korea has become one of the world's top ten cultural content exporters in the global market place. The growing success of Korean dramas and remakes not only have an impact on the Korean political agenda but also on the social ramifications of the status of entertainment professionals.

  The spread of the Korean Wave also faces a backlash in other countries, especially in China and Japan. Professor Lee gave insights into the reasons for the backlash from those countries.

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  Two Koreas: Past + Present

  Tom Plate

  This session discussed how South and North Koreans have walked different paths since 1945 and live with an uneasy armistice. Many challenges which both North and South Korea have faced in the past are now not only challenges for North and South Korea but threaten global peace. The lecturer examined these challenges from historical, political, and social perspectives.