Academy of International Business – Northeast (AIB-NE)

Report, June 2005

Introduction:

We held our annual conference in October, 2004 at Bryant University in Smithfield, RI. Plans are underway for the 2005 conference in October, 2005 to be held at Cleveland State University, Ohio. Conference and member news are maintained on the Chapter's website:

http://facultyfp.salisbury.edu/aibne/welcome.htm

Conference 2004:

"Broadening the Perspectives of Global Business" was the theme of our chapter's annual conference held on October 7-9 at Bryant University in Rhode Island. Fifty-four participants attended the conference at which 45 papers were presented in 15 paper sessions over the day and a half meeting. Major conference highlights included: the opening plenary session featuring Thomas Tanury, Chairman, Tanury Industries, Lincoln, RI, Gene M. Smith and Harry ÔSkip' Brandon, both of Smith Brandon International whose panel dealt with practitioners' views on SMEs and international expansion as well as risk assessment in overseas market entry decisions. Another major highlight of the conference was the closing luncheon and keynote speaker featuring Donald Lessard of the Sloan School of Management at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts who spoke on knowledge development and management within the multinational corporation in the 21^st Century. The conference was also addressed by Ron Machtley, President of Bryant University.

An award for the best paper was presented to Joao Pedro Almeida Couto, Maria Teresa Borges Tiago, Cabral Vieira, and Mario Amaral Fortuna all from the University of the Azores, Portugal for their paper titled," Contextual and Operational Determinants of Export Performance of Companies in Europe." They received a check for $500 donated by Southern New Hampshire University, last year's conference hosts.

The Northeast Chapter is indebted to the sponsors of the conference including V.K. Unni Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Rhode Island Export Assistance Center, and the John H. Chafee Center for International Business all at Bryant University.

Dr. Alphonso O. Ogbuehi, Professor of Marketing and International Business served as program chair. He was ably assisted by Cleo Lindgren, Conference Coordinator, Sue Wandyes from the Office of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, and M.J. Kim from the Office of University Relations for web site management. They are to be commended for a well organized conference in very nice facilities and excellent New England Fall weather!