On 19 April, Dr Richard Cookson gave a guest lecture to the third year International Trade students on “Geographic Economic Windows”. He gave various examples of countries that are representatives of “economic windows”, with a focus on Hong Kong and South Africa. He discussed the history of these countries and the success factors that made them “economic windows” in the first place and how to remain a successful “window”.

Then, on 20 April, Dr Richard Cookson also gave a guest lecture to Honours students focusing on export competencies. The export process is complicated and there is a need to understand these complexities before embarking on the development of international marketing strategies. Dr Cookson emphasised the importance of understanding cultural and value differences when doing business abroad and his use of practical examples and case studies showcased his vast industry experience and gave students valuable insights which they can now apply in the development of their own export marketing plans.