China Books and Resources for Children

Before leaving for China I want to share as much of the experience with my children.  So I began to think about books that we could read together.  Here are a few that are available at the Howard County Library (available to everyone on the Maryland State Library Sailor Network).

• China (True Books)
• The Children of China (World’s Children)
• Welcome to China
• People’s Republic of China (Enchantment of the World. Second Series)

Other resources:

China Books and Resources for Children

Required Reading

These are the textbooks we are required to read prior to our trip to China.

Made In China: What Western Managers Can Learn from Trailblazing Chinese Entrepreneurs
by Donald N. Sull and Yong Wang, Harvard Business School Publishing, 2005.

One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China
by James McGregor, Free Press, 2005.

Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy
by Pietra Rivoli, Wiley, 2005.

Japan

Although it isn’t China my niece, Misa, is visiting Japan for six weeks.  She is doing a great job of illustrating some of the differences between Japanese and American culture.

This may help our class understand a little bit about what we may experience.

http://miser-miser.blogspot.com/

Shanghai Power Point

Jennifer Wood sent this ppt to the EMBA and FMBA classes attending the China International Field Studay.

Click Here

Food in Beijing

Courtesy of EMBA student Mary Christine Jackman.

Hmm Hmm good, NOT.

beijingfastfood1

Administrative Rights

Any member of the Loyoal EMBA or MBAF classes going to China on the IFS in 2009 is welcome to become a contributor to this blog. The whole idea here is to provide a useful place for our classmates to go to discuss and prepare for our upcoming trip.

If you are interested create a wordpress.com account and email (david@keelan.com) to gain admin access to this blog.

 

Thanks,

David

Visa Requirements

From Frommers

Visas

Mainland China — All visitors to mainland China must acquire a visa in advance. Visas are generally not granted at the border. Visitors to mainland China must have a valid passport with at least 6 months’ validity and two blank pages remaining. Visa applications typically take 3 to 5 working days to process, although this can be sped up to as little as 1 day if you apply in person and pay a fee. “L” (tourist) visas are valid for between 1 and 3 months. Usually 1 month is granted unless you request more, which you may or may not get according to events in China at the time. Double-entry tourist visas are also available.

You should apply to your nearest consulate. It varies, but typically your visit must begin within 90 days of the date of issue. Note that although postal addresses are given below, some consulates (including all those in the U.S. and Canada) will only accept applications in person, and applications by post or courier must go through an agent, with further fees to be paid. Telephone numbers are given, but many systems are automated, and getting a human to speak to can be next to impossible; faxes and e-mail rarely get a reply, and websites are often out of date.

Applying for a visa requires completion of an application form that can be downloaded from many consular websites or acquired by mail. Temporary restrictions may be placed, sometimes for years at a time, on areas where there is unrest, and a further permit may be required. This is currently the case with Tibet where, until recently, travelers were required to form groups before entering the region, and to pay a huge price for a tour (but they were not required to actually join it on arrival). For details of Tibet permits, see chapter 14. Do not mention Tibet or Xinjiang on your visa application, or it may be turned down.

Some consulates indicate that sight of an airline ticket or itinerary is required, or that you give proof of sufficient funds, or that you must be traveling with a group, while they happily carry on business with individuals who have none of this supporting documentation. Such statements provide a face-saving excuse for refusing a visa should there be unrest or political difficulties, or should Tibet or Xinjiang appear on the application.

One passport photograph is required, as well as one for any child traveling on a parent’s passport.

The visa fees quoted below by country are the current rates for nationals of that country, and can change at any time. U.S. citizens applying for a double-entry visa in the U.K., for instance, are charged more than British citizens. Regulations may also vary. In addition to the visa fees quoted, there may be supplementary fees for postage, and higher fees can often be paid for speedier service. Payment must always be in cash or by money order.

Once you’re inside China, single-entry tourist visas only can usually be extended once for a maximum of 30 days at the Aliens Entry-Exit department of the Public Security Bureau (PSB) in most towns and cities. U.S. citizens pay ¥125 ($16), U.K. citizens ¥160 (£12), Canadians ¥165 (C$28), and Australians ¥100 (A$18).

China Bound

Specifically, we were recently informed that our MBAF class of 2010 and our EMBA class of 2009 will be headed to Beijing and Shanghai for our International Field Study.

The purpose of this blog is to open up a dialogue with classmates, staff, faculty, family, and friends about this upcoming trip.  Anyone can contribute to the conversation.

In the end the class may be better prepared for the trip to China.