GAP 2007 Kick Off

In Los angeles starts the internationalization program for SMEs

Goals

• Company Presentation
  The team and executives are to jointly develop and mutually agree on a seven slide formal pres-entation which includes: (1) Title, (2) company introduction, (3) product/service, (4) market as-sessment, (5) marketing strategy, (6) management team, and (7) team and company objectives to accomplish during the GAP Program.
• Project Management Agreement
  Team and company executives are to mutually develop a written agreement regarding how they will jointly manage the six month GAP project. This one or two page document describes how the team and company will interface and communicate during the program. Subjects should include:
1. Specific goals and objectives to be accomplished during the program. What product and market focus, what’s excluded, included, and milestones.
2. Preliminary travel plans: who will make initial trip(s) to company headquarters, when, and for how long
3. How project status will be reported and how frequently
4. Preliminary planning regarding individual student travel to company headquar-ters and to other locations
5. Who will be primary contacts for both parties
6. A preliminary schedule with important milestone dates for certain events
7. An initial budget regarding any additional program expenses.
8. Frequency and mode of communications (weekly, bi-weekly, etc. using email, videoconference, telephone, etc.)
• Review Company Financials
  Company executives and students review and discuss the com-pany’s financial statements including a recent balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement. Also discuss the equity ownership, including outside investments.
• Company Executives Sign Non-Disclosure Agreement
  Company executives are asked to sign the original GAP Non-Disclosure Agreement previously signed by the advisor and all students. Make copies of the original signed GAP NDA form which has been signed by all the students, faculty advisor and company executives before handing in the original signed NDA. Copies should be given to everyone who signed it. Students are to deliver the original NDA form signed by all parties to the GAP office.
• Students Review Presentations of their “Paired” Team
  Students are to view the presentation of their paired team and provide oral feedback during the Q&A session to their paired team immedi-ately after viewing the presentation.