An afternoon talk with Ross School of Business Professor Linda Lim on “Rethinking Globalisation? Financial Turmoil, the US Presidential Election, and Asia”

The University of Michigan Alumni (Singapore) is proud to invite Asia business and economic expert, Professor Linda Lim, from the Ross School of Business for an exclusive talk.

Paradoxically, as globalization’s economic benefits have spread around the world, opposition to it has increased, particularly in the developed countries that were once its primary beneficiaries and champions.  At the same time, mass public opinion surveys show large, even overwhelming support for international trade and investment in nearly all developing countries, from China to Africa—this despite the fact that globalization can and does increase economic volatility and inequality, even as it spurs income growth and reduces poverty. In 2008, globalization’s one-time world champion, the United States, finds itself caught in economic difficulties—financial market turmoil, recession and commodity price inflation—while mired in a costly and unpopular war overseas, both of which provide fodder for a presidential election campaign that has had to contend with rising trade protectionism and anti-immigrant sentiment in all sides of the political arena. This talk will analyze these hot issues and consider their implications for Asia.

Professor Linda Lim, a Singaporean economist, Professor of Strategy at the Ross School of Business and Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Michigan, is ideally placed to discuss this subject from U.S. national, multilateral-international,Asia-regional, and corporate perspectives. She teaches MBA courses on The World Economy and Business in Asia at Michigan, one of the most globalized American states that has also been hardest-hit by recession, and is a critical “swing state” in every U.S. presidential election, including this one. She has served as consultant to the U.N. and other international agencies and multinational corporations, and on corporate boards, and her current research is on the global business strategies of corporations from China and ASEAN.

Details of the talk:

Date:      Sat 12 July 2008
Time:      3:00pm – 5:00pm
Venue:    Seminar Rm 1-2 (Rm 1014), Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore Management University (Location map)

Admission is free. As limited seats are available, please register early by sending an email to umasmichigan@gmail.com with the following:

• Name of Registrant
• Cellphone Number
• Email Address
• Indicate if related to Michigan

In 1985, Stanford University alumnus Tang Wee Lip and Nancy Tan shared a vision of increasing social and fraternal association among Stanford Alumni in Singapore. 1985 was a year steeped in significance, as it marked the centenary anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of Stanford University. Both Wee Lip and Nancy sought similar inspiration in establishing a club for fellow Stanford Alumni in Singapore, and together with others, began to seek Stanford Alums who were in Singapore.

The first meeting of Stanford Alumni was held sometime in June the same year at the Executive Club in OCBC Centre, and following the enthusiastic exchange of ideas and responses, a pro-tem Council was formed and the Stanford Club of Singapore was registered in October. Wee Lip was elected as the President, Nancy the Honorary Secretary, and Chuang Shaw Peng as the Vice-President, with the office of Shaw Peng being used as the Club’s place of business. During the initial years, several Council members, particularly Wilfred Yeoh, Polly Hwang, Watson Ong, Peter Tan, Julie Quinn and many others were generous with their time and ideas. To commemorate the founding of the Club, a plaque listing all the 71 founding members was made and many of these are still existing members of the Club.

Sub-committees were formed to establish three areas of initiatives: Social Events, Membership Recruitment, and a Quarterly Journal for Club members. The aim was to plan at least six events a year, and activities quickly went underway. The first Annual Dinner was graced by Professor Lim Pin, the then Vice Chancellor of the National University of Singapore.

In the earlier years, the Council felt that a main object was to promote Stanford education. Thus, talks on Stanford University were held at Junior Colleges, and send-off tea parties were also held for those pursuing studies there. Indeed, the number of students going to Stanford grew in numbers, which led the admissions office there to commend us of the effort that we have put in.

In 1988, the Club helped to arrange local families to play host to the members of the Stanford University Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestra performed in several places including free-admission concerts at the Botanic Gardens and the Victoria Concert Hall. In response, we organized a lion dance performance to welcome our overseas guests who were suitably surprised.

To promote educational enrichment for members, the Club extended invitations and hosted several University Professors from different faculties for speeches and forums over the years in Singapore. Past Presidents of the University, Don Kennedy and Gerhard Casper, as well as former US Secretary of State George Schultz were also guests of the Club when they transited though Singapore. Several distinguished Government and Business leaders have also been our guests and speakers over the last two decades.

In 1997, the inaugural Stanford Book Prize was organized. The Club believes that this competition is an excellent way to raise local students’ level of awareness about university education opportunities in the US, and especially about Stanford University, which has become one of the most popular schools in America for Singaporeans. The competition focuses on skills in writing, speaking, and communicating, and is designed to identify and recognize an outstanding young individual who demonstrates uncommon talent in school and the community and who has the potential for success in an American university environment. Three finalists are awarded book prizes and the ultimate winner earns a trip to Stanford campus. The competition has grown in scale ever since in the past decade, and esteemed public figures have presented the prizes at the Annual Dinner.

The Stanford Club of Singapore held its 23rd Annual Dinner on April 22 at the American Club. Sixty members and guests joined to listen to a fascinating address by Guest of Honor Dr. Edison Liu, Executive Director of the Genome Institute of Singapore. Dr. Liu is himself a graduate of Stanford, and he gave us an excellent overview on the progress being made in Singapore’s biomedical arena.

The Annual Dinner also honored this year’s 12th annual Book Prize winners. This year’s awardees were:

• Ms. Ho Zhi Hui of Victoria JC
• Ms. Xu Qian of Raffles JC
• Ms. Wendy Tan of Temasek JC

The first place winner was Zhi Hui, and she will be given a weeklong trip to Stanford campus. She will be hosted by Singaporeans@Stanford and will experience undergraduate life, from classes to concerts, from the smell of eucalyptus to the strolls by Lake Lagunita, and from the buzz of White Plaza to the thrill of all-night bull sessions. We look forward to reading her report when she returns.

(Click on the thumbnails below for the larger photos.)

Again, we wish to thanks this year’s Book Prize sponsors: The Learning Lab headed by Stanford grad Jonathan Choe, and John & Barbara Davis, also from Stanford.