The Monroe Street Journal

Issue date: 12/14/09 Section: Features

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Zdravéi! (Hello in Bulgarian!)

In mid-August 2009, 26 University of Michigan Ross School of Business MBA students traveled from the U.S. to Bulgaria to participate in a week-long negotiations course taught by Professor George Siedel. The course was offered through the Bulgarian Fulbright International Summer Institute (FISI), and included Ross students as well as students from Bulgaria, Pakistan, Brazil, South Africa, Russia, Belarus, and Italy. Ross students completing the course received 2.25 credits toward their MBA.

The course was held at the Kalina Palace Hotel, nestled in the heart of the Balkan mountain range. Mornings were beautiful and cool, while daytime temperatures generally excee ded 30 degrees Celsius! (90 degrees Fahrenheit!)

Students learned a variety of negotiation techniques during morning lectures, and then had the opportunity to practice negotiating. Professor Siedel paired Ross students with students from other universities to conduct one negotiation per day, each one designed to highlight different negotiation techniques, as well as cultural considerations.

Dan Hoffmann, Evening MBA, thought the course was a unique opportunity for several reasons: "We were introduced to diverse industries in Bulgaria, had the opportunity to interact with Bulgarians and other cultures, and see the development of a former Soviet Bloc country."

The FISI staff did an outstanding job scheduling visits to businesses in Tryavna and the surrounding area, as well as to sites of cultural interest, such as the Valley of the Kings in Kazanlak, and the Shipka Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries in the country. The FISI staff included: Dr. Julia Stefanova (Director), Professor Kostadin Grozev (Technology support), Maria Kostova (Staff Member), Peyo Karpuzov (Interpreter), and Anastassia Miteva (Staff Member).

One day found the group visiting the Intertop Hosiery factory, the first private-owned enterprise in the country. Julia Koslow, MBA/MS 2010 stated: "We were able to meet the gentleman whose father started the first private company in Bulgaria - witnessing this huge historical change in Bulgaria was inspiring." The following day Ross students visited the Steiner furniture factory, where they took a tour of the factory and observed beautiful, custom-designed tables being crafted for a Middle Eastern customer. Other company visits included Belinvest Brewery owned by Evgeni Maas, where Rossers taste tested the products, and Ideal Standard International in Sevlievo.

Many Ross students felt that interaction with the Fulbright students from a variety of countries was an especially valuable and unique feature of the course. They also mentioned that they gained important insights into Eastern European values and negotiating styles through the daily negotiation exercises with these students. All in all, the course was an excellent opportunity to learn about Bulgarian business culture, customs and etiquette, as well as practice effective negotiation tools and techniques in a multi-cultural setting.
If you'd like to learn more about the course, or have additional questions, please contact Professor Siedel at gsiedel@umich.edu.

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