As a graduate student, I wasn?t sure if it would make sense for me to go on a study abroad. My program is the Masters of Entrepreneurial Leadership, so I decided that the Portugal Global entrepreneurship program would be perfectly applicable to my degree plan. When our group first arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, we were immediately greeted with the immense differences between the culture of the US and our new location. Not only is Portugal visibly unique, with its brick streets, and tightly knit buildings, but it is also distinctive in its business attributes. My initial impressions of the city were extremely positive, and I?ve enjoyed the first few days of our visit. After completing our first session of flash consulting with a local bakery, I believe that this study abroad program will be fundamental in the continued development of my global mindset. On our first day, we were treated to a cooking class led by Joao of Pastelaria Batalha, a generational family bakery. He led our group through the process of creating Pastel de Nata, a traditional Portuguese egg tart. At the end of the workshop, he gave us three business issues that we discussed in groups, and we each provided solutions. Based on these initial interactions, my impression of the Portuguese business culture is that they are very open-minded and collective. Not only was Joao receptive to our critiques, but he helped us adjust and reposition them to fit his company’s situation more effectively. In addition, I observed the collective attitude of the business owner, who was concerned largely with the well-being of his employees, even at the sacrifice of certain strategic business moves.
As we continue into the trip, I hope to gain an even wider perspective on the complexities of this foreign culture. I am most interested in learning more about their attitudes towards a focus on a strong online presence versus a more traditional, strictly in-person route.
Obrigada por ler!
