The U.S. Dept. of Education awards grant to UNCG'S Bryan School to help small textile and furnishings businesses sell in overseas markets

	Bryan School NewsRelease

University News Service

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(Posted 06-28-01)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News Service Contact: Natasha Ashe, 336-334-5371

UNCG EXPORT INITIATIVE PLANS TO SELL NORTH CAROLINA TO THE WORLD

Dr. Riad Ajami (above), professor, international business expert and director of the Center of Global Business and Research (CGBER) wants to help the state's small textile and furnishings companies sell to foreign buyers with a $155,000 grant awarded to CGBER.

GREENSBORO — Dr. Riad Ajami admits it's no secret that the state's small textile and furnishings companies need help selling to foreign buyers to stay competitive in a currently flailing market. A recent $155,000 grant awarded to the Center of Global Business Education and Research (CGBER) at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro will provide the funding to assist these companies with overseas relationships while international business students get hands-on experience in the process.

Ajami, the project's principal investigator and director of CGBER, says the funds will help to establish a new UNCG program that will expand the international business curriculum for students and assist select North Carolina furnishings and textile industries that have the potential, but face challenges engaging in international business. The grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, will be allocated over a two-year period to CGBER, an umbrella organization for international business programs and international activities of the Bryan School of Business and Economics.

"Our focus on furniture and textile is important because those industries play a crucial role in the region and the Piedmont Triad's economic vitality," said Ajami, international business and strategy expert with over two decades of experience. "Several activities will be undertaken to bolster the international business capacity of these firms. We hope our efforts will help businesses stay competitive and access their capabilities to sell to foreign buyers, which will help retain area workers."

Each year, six regional small-to-medium sized North Carolina businesses -- with emphasis given to minority-owned businesses -- will receive assistance from UNCG students and faculty to begin or increase exports. To accomplish this objective, Ajami said, the program will help businesses:

Attain information to help them become proficient operators in the global economy
Stay competitive despite the impact of structural changes in the U.S. economy
Address the lack of foreign language proficiency of the workforce
Establish internet-based marketing to begin or increase exports
Create an industry self-study and access to relevant data

To address these needs, a team of four students and one faculty member will identify and work with targeted businesses beginning this fall. The Center plans a venue for an international business conference and export institute to be established. An immersion abroad program will be also be incorporated into the program.

"This program will assist our corporate community with activities that provide specialized training and educational programs to increase traffic in international trade and solve major corporate concerns," said Ajami, who is the Chares A. Hayes Distinguished Professor of Business. "This will also serve as experiential learning for our students in the classroom and provide a seamless link to the businesses we intend to serve. We're excited about the possibilities."
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