THE CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS RELATIONS AT MERCER UNIVERSITY’S ATLANTA CAMPUS HAS RECEIVED A KAOLIN INCENTIVE AWARD TO STUDY THE DIFFICULTIES MINING COMPANIES BASED IN MIDDLE GEORGIA HAVE IN RETAINING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PERSONNEL WHO HAVE COME FROM ABROAD.
AS PART OF MERCER UNIVERSITY’S STETSON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS, THE CENTER PROVIDES MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ASSISTANCE FOR DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TO THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS.
THE RELATIVELY SMALL INCENTIVE AWARD WAS GIVEN TO THE CENTER BY A GROUP OF COMPANIES MINING KAOLIN IN MIDDLE GEORGIA INCLUDING ENGLEHARD, J.M. HUBER AND ENGLISH CHINA CLAYS. MERCER’S MAIN CAMPUS IS LOCATED IN MACON, 80 MILES SOUTH OF ATLANTA.
SPERO C. PEPPAS, THE CENTER’S DIRECTOR, SAID THAT CROSS-CULTURAL ISSUES ARE FACED OFTEN BY MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES WHO BRING IN HIGHLY QUALIFIED RESEARCH PERSONNEL FROM OTHER COUNTRIES ON CERTAIN PROJECTS, AND THAT HE WOULD NOT KNOW ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES OF THE FOREIGN NATIONALS IN MIDDLE GEORGIA UNTIL HE COMPLETED THE STUDY.
DR. PEPPAS IS A NATIVE OF ATLANTA WHO BECAME THE CENTER’S DIRECTOR LAST YEAR AFTER LIVING AND WORKING FOR 12 YEARS IN EUROPE WHERE HE CONSULTED AND TAUGHT INTERNATIONAL MARKETING AND BUSINESS.
THE CENTER ALSO PROVIDES COMPANY TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND PROGRAM DELIVERY, COMPETITION EVALUATION AND PRODUCT POSITIONING, CONCEPT TESTING AND NEW PRODUCT RESEARCH, AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR STUDIES.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, DR. PEPPAS MAY BE REACHED AT (770) 986-3321; FAX, (770) 986-3319.
JAPAN’S MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAS SELECTED ATLANTA-BASED HANSCOMB ASSOCIATES INC., AN INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FIRM, TO PROVIDE FEASIBILITY STUDIES FOR THE RENOVATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF JAPAN’S DIPLOMATIC FACILITIES AROUND THE WORLD.
THE PROJECT, WHICH IS BEING COORDINATED BY THE COMPANY’S OFFICES IN ATLANTA AND LONDON, REQUIRES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DATABASE OF CONSTRUCTION COSTS, CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURES IN MORE THAN 60 COUNTRIES.
“SOME OF THE LOCATIONS, LIKE KATMANDU IN NEPAL AND PORT MORESBY IN PAPUA, NEW GUINEA, STRETCHED OUR RESOURCES SOMEWHAT, BUT WE MANAGED THROUGH OUR EXCELLENT INTERNATIONAL NETWORK, TO FIND THE INFORMATION NEEDED FOR THE DATABASE,” SAID HANSCOMB PRESIDENT BRIAN BOWEN.
MR. BOWEN WILL BE IN TOKYO THE WEEK OF JULY 7 TO MEET WITH JAPANESE OFFICIALS TO FURTHER DISCUSS THE PROJECT AND TO REVIEW REGULATIONS THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING FOR JAPAN’S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL RACHEL RAMSEY AT (404) 874-3638; FAX, (404) 874-1473.
THE ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES OF AFRICA (ANOCA) WILL HAVE ITS FIRST FACILITY AT AN OLYMPIC GAMES FOR ITS 52 PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES THIS SUMMER AT THE EDWARD GAY HOUSE NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF RALPH MCGILL BLVD. AND COURTLAND ST. DOWNTOWN.
ANOCA’S AFRICAN OLYMPIC HOUSE IS BEING SPONSORED BY COCA-COLA, THE 100 BLACK WOMEN ORGANIZATION AND THE AMERICA’S WOMEN FUND.
A SEPARATE FACILITY AT THE PIEDMONT GROVE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, 500 10TH ST. ON THE EDGE OF PIEMONT PARK IN MIDTOWN ALSO WILL BE A PLACE TO MEET AFRICANS ATTENDING THE GAMES. NAMED, THE HOUSE OF AFRICA, IT OPENED INDEPENDENTLY OF ANOCA’S SITE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OLYMPIC LICENSEE “TWO HYPE” SPORTSWEAR, AND BUCKLEY AND BOGART COFFEE CONSULTANTS, OWNERS OF GALLETTO ESPRESS-OH!
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AFRICAN OLYMPIC HOUSE, CALL ACOG’S GWENDOLYN CAMPBELL AT (404) 224-5585, OR TO LEARN ABOUT THE HOUSE OF AFRICA CALL ROGER E. STEWART OR MARGUERITE SAMPAH AT (404) 876-5602.