Professors Address Cuban American Relations at Merage School
Newly forming Cuban American business relations were aided by a collaboration between UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business (Merage School) faculty and Cuban professionals during a recent two-day program held on February 15-16, 2016.
The workshop addressed issues of negotiation, encompassing differences in economic thinking between the countries, in addition to communication styles which are embedded within each culture.
Professor William Hernández Requejo from the Merage School said, “In everyday talk, Cubans interrupt one another frequently. Americans, not so much. Interruptions are off-putting to Americans and limit the information that can be gathered by Cuban negotiators in face-to-face bargaining.
Hernández and fellow faculty member John Graham are both widely recognized experts in negotiation. They were joined by Alexis Codina Jiménez, recipient of the renowned National Economist Award, and Rafael Montejo of the University of Havana.
Professor Graham noted, “The interesting thing is that the Cuban professionals know more about Adam Smith than their American counterparts. But, neither side fully appreciates his ‘invisible hand’ statement: ‘By pursuing his own interests he frequently promotes that of the society more effectively than when he really intends to promote it.’ The Cuban educational system emphasizes Karl Marx collectivism. And most Americans miss the word frequently, leading to the over-interpretation that ‘greed is good.’”
Professor Hernández received a Master’s in Spanish and BA in Political Science from the University of California, in addition to a JD from Georgetown University. He is the executive director of the Merage School’s Center for Global Leadership (Merage CGL). John Graham serves as professor emeritus in marketing and international business, and is faculty director of the Merage CGL.
About the Author
Maggie Boccella
Maggie Boccella, a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, is a freelance writer, artist and photographer. She has consulted on various film and multimedia projects, and she also serves as a juror for the city's annual LGBTQIA Film Festival.
