On 9th September 2020, the Faculty of Business (FOB), through the International Business Unit has organised an international webinar entitled ‘Challenges and Opportunities in International Business’ with the purpose of informing academicians, students, and practitioners on the rising difficulties the future of international trade in the currently chaotic world economy. There were 145 attendees at the session.
The speaker of the day was Prof. Sebastian Sterzer, Head of the International Relations Area for the Observatory of International Trade at the National University of Lujan, Argentina. Prof. Sterzer is also serving as Graneles Sudamericanos, a grain and feed merchandising company in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He also provides various consultation, market research services, and communications with embassies and various institutions abroad. Since January 2015, he has been actively researching issues on sustainable development, with an emphasis on socio-cultural and economic trends that links Latin America and South East Asia.
In the webinar, Prof. Sterzer shared his insights on how differences in culture, economic and political conditions, and bureaucracy of world governments have defined trade among world nations, with an emphasis on South America and Asian trade relations. He also highlighted the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security, travel, logistics and the growing protectionism by world governments. In his final remarks, Prof. Sterzer also pointed out the importance of stronger political ties, regional ties and bilateral free trade agreements to strengthen trade relations, encourage growth in international business, and to ameliorate the world economy.
