On Wednesday, October 3rd, William Fedirko, an Upper School math teacher at MBS, spoke to members of the BFI (Business, Finance and Investment) Club about his experience working for Honda Motor Company in Tokyo.
Mr. Fedirko highlighted a range of topics in his presentation including business negotiation, cultural diversity, global business, economics, and organizational behavior and structure.
He explained the importance of understanding cultural differences when conducting business globally, and emphasized that Japanese work culture is based on cooperation, teamwork, and mutual respect. Mr. Fedirko decided to leave Honda after realizing that he was more interested in robotics than cars, and switched the focus of his studies to engineering. He said that his departure from the company was "respectful and subtle," which holds great importance in Japanese culture.
He advised the students to "do what you really love to do, find your passion, and strive for win-win scenarios."
Mr. Fedirko joined the MBS community this fall after teaching at the Park School in Buffalo, NY for the past 12 years. He is currently completing his Ph.D. dissertation in Mathematical Philosophy from SUNY Buffalo, and holds a B.S. in Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He also received a master's degree in Philosophy from Cleveland State University and earned a bachelor's degree in East Asian Studies from Wittenberg University.