A Global Business Model: Creating Programs Abroad for Business Students
A Global Business Model: Creating Programs Abroad for Business Students
International program directors at American colleges and universities are often challenged by the prospect of convincing business students to go abroad. Students argue that traditionally offered liberal arts courses do not fit their needs, study usor complain that a full semester abroad would keep them from graduating on-time (four years for an undergrad, two years for an MBA). The University of Delaware's Center for International Studies has worked with the faculty at the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics to create a unique solution for both undergraduate and graduate students. Together, they have built programs using the model of good global business focus on the needs of the customer, and outsource for excellence.
The first roadblock to business study abroad is the issue of timing. Core business courses are not routinely taught on overseas semester programs. For a business student to spend a full semester abroad requires extensive long-term planning, luck with registration for competitive courses, and often delaying graduation by up to a year. Delaware solved this problem inadvertently when it introduced a 5-week Winter term to its academic calendar in the 1970's. Increasing in popularity across the U.S., Winter terms allow students the option to stay at home for the month of January or enroll in one or more intensive courses. The Lerner Business College faculty were among the first at Delaware to introduce short-term programs taught abroad, with current, successful programs tracing back to the 1980's. In January 2006, 201 of the 1255 students Delaware sent abroad during January term were majors in the Lerner College of Business and Economics with similar numbers participating in each of the past five years. The business programs are among the most competitive on campus. Demand has become so high that anxious students often apply several years running before gaining acceptance.
Although there are endless models for short-term study abroad, the typical liberal arts program would be based in one city utilizing homestay and language components to pack as much cross-cultural exposure as possible into a five week curriculum. Delaware business faculty, however, model their programs on an extended "business trip." Programs travel to four or more cities/countries in the span of five weeks. Students pack tightly, knowing they will haul their own luggage around airport terminals and hotel elevators every few days. Students learn not only about the marketing strategy and GDP of the country or city that they visit, but also the valuable skill of how to fight jet lag and appear poised, prepared and professional at an 8am business meeting. Delaware's business faculty realized the value in not only teaching students how to interact with others in difference cultures, but how to communicate under the pressures of a real-world global career.
A typical business Winter program visits from 12 to 18 companies over the course of the month, with each company chosen to illustrate a specific point in the curriculum. The businesses range in size from small local firms to large multinational corporations. While the companies differ in industry and scope,study us they share a willingness to educate. It is necessary to find companies that welcome student groups and are willing to work with the faculty on the content of the meeting. Delaware recommends providing a list of topics that the students will be tested on, and asking the managers to speak to those points. Successful presentations closely tailor the material to the courses.
Company visits on Delaware's programs last anywhere from an hour to a half day. Academic content typically includes a lecture or PowerPoint, followed by a facility tour and an extended Q&A period. Faculty begin months before departure to prepare their students for the Q&A. Pre-departure lectures and readings provide students with a general understanding of the country's business environment. Groups are assigned individual companies to research. They become "experts" who brief their classmates during fall semester meetings and take the lead with questions when visiting their assigned company. This ensures that an articulate and educated conversation will ensue. An added benefit to the comprehensive pre-departure study is the student bond that develops over time. Students tend to keep a better watch over their "teammates" while traveling a necessity with the numerous flights and train trips.
Logistically, planning a program in multiple cities and across multiple borders can be a nightmare. Multiply the complexities of arranging housing, buses and excursions in one city by up to five or seven locations and achieving a good trip is a daunting task indeed. Delaware's business faculty are encouraged to outsource whatever tasks could be better accomplished by qualified, competent local travel agents. Several programs are lucky to have a single agent who specializes in academic groups across an entire region (the "one stop shop"). Others utilize an overseas contact in each location on the itinerary. The goal is to consolidate the workload as much as possible, while still preserving quality and keeping expenses in check. Although using local travel agents does cost more than relying on the faculty to research and book hotels on-line, the complexity of the planning involved in this model justifies the added expense. Faculty need time to concentrate on the complexities of the programs' academics often more intimidating and overwhelming than the ground arrangements.
While the travel agent settles the "where will we sleep and how will we get there" issues, the faculty get to work convincing international businesses to welcome 24 American students into their boardrooms. Some rely on their rolodex and years of networking to arrange the itinerary, study us while others work with a local consultant. Some faculty delegate a portion of this work to students. One Delaware program asks MBA students to find, research, and meet with a company of their choosing in Vienna. Groups gather afterwards to discuss lessons learned from the experience from academic knowledge to "what not to say to an Austrian CEO." Portland CEO Tim Phillips Discusses the Markets Moving Higher in Spite of Negative Global Headlines Conisderations To Consider When Purchasing or Leasing A Bangkok Apartment SEO services in India are a global endeavor into making businesses search engine friendly for greater levels of reciprocation Explain the circular flow of income in a four sector economy? Write a note on the circular flow of income in a two-sector economy? Macro Millionaire Coaching Program and Trading Service Global Market Comments for April 1,2011 Global Site Submissions Review-Global Site Submissions Scam Review of Global Virtual Opportunities MLM Business Method Of Selecting The Right Shipping Container Global has remained Global Knife Block EFoods Global Business Opportunity Review - Emergency Food For Long Term Storage Replica Omega Watches - The Global Fashion