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IIE: How did exposure to other international cultures shape your career?
Mr. Daft: I'm a first generation college student, the first in my family to have the good fortune and opportunity to attend university. That opportunity kindled in me a lifelong passion for learning about other cultures. For almost three decades of my career at The Coca-Cola Company, I lived and worked in Asia. From Singapore to Tokyo to Beijing, I learned about different local cultures by living and working in those cultures. It gave me a profound respect for how people are different, and also for how we are the same.
Those experiences shaped my career in a powerful way - by shaping an appreciation for the cultural and intellectual diversity in our world. I'm fortunate today to have the opportunity to lead a company that is one of the most internationally diverse organizations on earth. We operate in nearly 200 countries, do business in some 125 languages, and employ people from over 215 different nationalities. Respecting and understanding the fundamental value of diversity is vital to who we are and the way we do business. Understanding and valuing different cultures has shaped my ability to lead our business, and it's an absolute imperative for anyone who works at The Coca-Cola Company.
IIE: What do you see as the most important benefits of an International Educational experience for college students getting ready to begin their careers?
Mr. Daft: Regardless of the path you choose, you must pursue your goals and aspirations with a sense of purpose and passion. International education ignites a passion for understanding other people and their perspectives. That's one important benefit to working or studying abroad - and it's essential to success in our increasingly diverse world. Students with international exposure come to understand the value of dialogue between people from different cultures and between people with different points of view. They also gain an understanding of the importance of relationships. Relationships are the foundation for meaning and success in life. They are also the foundation for strong businesses, especially businesses that care about creating mutual benefit.
Some students will be corporate chief executive officers, or government officials, or educators one day, while others will choose different leadership roles and lives. Regardless of the path they take, students will benefit from exposure to international education. I think they will be more likely to engage in the issues our world community faces. International education instills concern about how to improve economic and social development.
IIE: What specific steps does Coca-Cola take to support international education?
Mr. Daft: Our company engages in a vast array of community efforts, but education and youth development are front and center for us. We've always believed that education is a powerful force for creating opportunity for people around the world. The Coca-Cola Foundation supports education programs primarily within three areas: higher education, classroom teaching and learning, and international education. Study abroad programs are a major focus of that work. We see international education as a way to open doors to mutual understanding and cooperation. We work with a number of education partners - the American Institute for Foreign Study, Michigan State University, the University System of Georgia and others - to support study-abroad programs for both undergraduate and graduate students. We have also enjoyed a long association with the Fulbright Association, providing support for its work and the J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding.
I recently visited Beijing, where I met with an impressive group of students who are recipients of Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarships. These are scholarships that our Foundation and our China Division fund for nearly 1,000 students in the People's Republic of China who are the first in their villages to pursue a college education. They have worked extremely hard to get to university. They also recognize that education is key to opportunity. I told them that this century doesn't belong to me or to my generation. It belongs to them and to other students like them around the world. Our role at Coca-Cola is to support them, and to give them the opportunity to make a difference.
IIE: What benefits accrue to the company when employees bring international experience to the workplace?
Mr. Daft: At Coca-Cola, we are passionate about being a vibrant part of each community we serve - and we serve communities in every continent and corner of the globe. We benefit from the variety of international perspectives our employees bring to our business. Our employees understand the tastes, interests and values of their respective cultures. That helps us respond to the tastes, interests and values of our consumers. It fosters a true understanding of the needs of our customers at the retail level. It also drives innovation, as employees are able to share with one another the best ideas and best practices from different parts of the world.
IIE: Tell us about Coke's initiatives in e-learning with schools in Asia. What do you see as the prospects for these activities with respect to traditional forms of education?
Mr. Daft: Our Asia Group has launched a pan-Asian program in which we partner with local governments and educators to benefit teachers and students who would benefit from access to information and communications technologies. The goal is to help communities bridge a growing 'digital divide' between the future of people who have access to those technologies and those who do not. Most recently, in China, we've launched a new nationwide community project called "e-learning for life." It brings information technology resources and e-learning opportunities to teachers, young people and rural communities throughout China. The project supports the Chinese government's national education policy and will benefit some 10,000 students in its first phase. Other e-learning initiatives supported by our company and our bottling partners are underway in the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Australia.
The education experts can speak more eloquently than I can about the impact that e-learning will have on traditional forms of education. The important thing for us at Coca-Cola is to respond to a relevant local need -- and educators have told us that access to e-learning is important in both developed and developing countries. As a high school math and science teacher in Sydney, I could never have imagined the role that technology can play in enhancing education far beyond the four walls of the classroom - but I'm glad that our company can play a role in supporting it, because it truly will support greater international exchange of ideas, and that is vital to our world.
IIE: I'd like to thank you for taking the time to speak with us.
Mr. Daft: Thank you.
Douglas N. Daft is chairman and chief executive officer of The Coca-Cola Company. He recently spoke with IIE Networker about the value of international education.
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