When you applied to the MBA program we required you to write an essay that addressed the ethics of Google (and other firms) doing business in a China, and the ethics of internet censorship in general.  And Google was also in the news a great deal for its (alleged) decision to pull out of China. But before you read the rest of this post and watch the below video, be sure to read my initial post (and the cited WSJ article) therein, Battling the Information Barbarians, as it will give you a historical perspective on this issue.

Then, check out this video presentation (click HERE) of Kaiser Kuo at my undergrad alma mater, the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.  This video is an opportunity for you to invest.   While it starts out a bit slow, and may not be as funny or as intellectually “un”challenging (i.e., easy) as the Jon Stewart videos I asked you to watch, Kaiser’s talk is an excellent and thoughtful take on things, and worth your time.  He speaks directly to the very essay admission questions you responded to when you applied to the program.

It is a 1 hour and 18 minute broadcast (includes Q&A).  The last 1/2 of his main presentation is where he hits most of the meat but watch the whole video.  The intro takes about 2:40 minutes to get through to get to his actual speech.  His talk is titled, “Shouting Across the Chasm: Chinese and American Netizens Clash in Cyberspace”.  You will learn a great deal about the true Internet and information landscape in China that you did not know before.

[March 2012 update/addenedum sent in from MBA student Keith Cody:  "If you found the web player difficult to use, click HERE for a direct link to the mp4 video, you can download it and play it back in your preferred player."]

FYI, Kaiser is a UC Berkeley grad and four years ago he exclusively spoke to our MBAs during our trip to China. Below is a more beefy bio for Kaiser.

Your thoughts and takeaways from his talk?  And what are your thoughts after reading the WSJ article noted above about China “Battling the Barbarians”?

Kaiser Kuo:  Born in the U. S. to Chinese parents, Kuo lives in China and identifies equally as American and Chinese. Formerly director of digital strategy for the Beijing office of a global advertising agency, Kuo has worked as a technology and business writer for publications such as Time, TimeAsia, China Economic Review, Asia Inc., and the South China Morning Post.  He has serves as an advisor for Youku.com, a leading video sharing company in China (China’s YouTube).  He currently serves as the Director of International Communication for Baidu (China’s Google).  Kuo co-founded China’s most famous rock band, Tang Dynasty, and continues to be active in the Chinese music scene.