The University of Wisconsin's Department of Engineering Professional Development held a forum dubbed "Beyond Offspring: Globalization of the Engineering Enterprise" at the Fluno Center Thursday.

At the forum, engineering executives, chief technology officers, and global product managers from all over the world gathered to discuss the influence of globalization.

Carl Vieth, Director of Corporate Education for UW Engineering Professional Development, said that because technology and globalization are changing at a fast rate, people must look at strategies and what they can do for the engineering industry.

"Globalization is coming right out of the headlines," Vieth said. "There are many concerns about the economy, and I am proud about all the thought and leadership that was put into this program."

The forum consisted of experts in the field who discussed all facets of the changing globalization phenomenon, including looking at strategies for technology executives. They also spoke of how teaching engineers can work effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds, outside of the United States.

Wisconsin Secretary of Commerce Mary Burke said she was glad to see so many at the conference helping out the state of Wisconsin by making their companies more competitive.

"We have to become competitive as a state because our No. 1 goal in commerce is to help Wisconsin businesses innovate, compete in the global economy and create family-supporting jobs," Burke said.

People from various businesses across the United States also attended the conference to learn about developing and managing engineering services to support a global economy.

Bill Lynch and Michael J. Collom of the Kimberly-Clark Corporation located in Neenah, Wis., said companies are resorting to new engineering techniques and they need to get better at it.

"There will be a diversity of speakers from different backgrounds from the United States and various other places," Collom said to attendees. "I am excited about hearing their backgrounds and seeing what others are doing so we can eventually benefit from that."

UW Engineering assistant faculty associate Ned Paschke said he was interested in the future of the world's water resources because he runs courses in hydraulics and waste water.

"I expect a broad and diverse discussion because this area of international engineering is very important for our future," Paschke said. "A conference like this will help us focus on agreeing on a level of what we do."

Director of UW Disaster Management Center and speaker at the forum Donald Schramm explained the importance of working across cultures for people in all fields.

"The idea of working across cultures is important no matter what we are doing," he said.

Forum attendee and employee from John Deere PDT Center Douglas Johnson said his company owns factories in China, India, Brazil and Mexico, so it is important for him and other employees to learn how to communicate through cultural barriers.

"I would like to know how to handle people from different cultures because that is a big thing, and I think we are always offending people in other countries and we do not realize that," Johnson said.