Catherine Langlois
Associate Professor, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Field: Business Administration
Host: Adolfo Ibáñez University, Santiago, Chile
Dates of Grant: September 30-November 1, 2004 

Chile was a surprise! From its modernism and its dynamic economic environment to the kindness of its people and the beauty of its countryside. On the surface there is little adjustment to be made, coming from the United States. Many Chileans have embraced an American way of living. They have comfortable suburban houses and drive to malls and supermarkets in which familiar brands are prominently displayed, meat and fish are carefully packaged without any odor.

But a stroll through the pretty streets of Providencia reveals another world. A nanny, her apron draped over modest attire, plays with four young children in the scented garden of an old Spanish house. It is a scene from another time, a symbiotic relationship between the rich and the poor that brings luxury to the middle class. Walking through the old neighborhoods of downtown Santiago is to immerse in the loud bustle of fish markets or the faded beauty of Bella Vista, where Pablo Neruda built one of his houses. It is in these places that the mystery of Chile’s mix of Indian and Hispanic tradition stays alive.

The rhythm of a day at Adolfo Ibanez resembles that of any American institution. The increasingly dense network of freeways could be found in any American city. But there is a distinctive culture beneath the surface. When I think of Chile, I see traditional elegance enclosed in a modernist glass cube.

Adolfo Ibanez University, where I was hosted as a Fulbright Senior Specialist, has embraced the culture of American academe. Many professors have American Ph.D.s and students are required to take classes taught in English. Professors are expected to publish in the best North American journals. At the reception of Adolfo Ibanez’ Providencia campus, a computer screen announces the day’s events across from modern and well-equipped classrooms. Behind the shine of new marble, professors sit in quaint offices, once splendid rooms in a private mansion.

It was in one of these offices that I spent much productive time developing new activities for Adolfo Ibanez’ Center for Global Management. From the organization of an International Business Conference of the Americas to the definition of possible joint programs for Latin American executives, my suggestions were well received. There was a sense of possibility in my collaborations with the center. New ideas were greeted with enthusiasm and eyed for implementation.

I was delighted by the enthusiasm of the faculty with whom I shared my research interests. I talked about the ways in which game theory can be relevant to cooperative agreements and treaties between nations, and the business relevant topics that could be enlightened by a game theoretic analysis. In turn, I participated in a research seminar given by a young Adolfo Ibanez faculty member at Catolica de Chile. The quality of the research was impressive and the presentation was excellent. I hope to correspond with Adolfo Ibanez colleagues for years to come and I return to my home to Georgetown University with the hope that we will develop a joint program with Adolfo Ibanez.

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