Short-term global business immersion courses: Short-term program,long-term effects?

This article explores the potential impact of short-term global business immersion courses designed for undergraduate students at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. As part of the Global Foundations Core curriculum, the school offers students a unique opportunity to study a country or region in depth in the classroom and then participate in an accompanying short-term study program abroad. In this article, multiple Kelley faculty who teach global immersion courses offer context-specific strategies and insights into classroom teaching and observed outcomes for student learning. Research shows that short-term study-abroad programs can offer transformative opportunities for students when intentionally designed as part of curriculum, affecting attitudes toward environmental citizenship and shaping global careers. The Chronicle of Education reports that even short study-abroad programs can have a lasting effect. To date, the Kelley School has not measured for standardized learning outcomes across its 14 existing global immersion courses, so this article does not offer commentary on program-wide student learning. However, through analyses of their on-campus course design and respective overseas program activities, Global Business Immersion program faculty share insights into student learning as observed in their individual programs. Our intent is to capture the impact of the courses through the lens of faculty program directors and student participants in three programs across three continents. In addition, we contribute to future research on similar global academic initiatives and add to the expanding body of knowledge on the impacts of short-term study abroad.     

Antecedents of Belief in Global Citizenship: A Two-Country Empirical Investigation

ABSTRACT

This research contributes to the existing literature by investigating the antecedents of belief in global citizenship. Previous literature in global brand management has provided strong evidence of the importance of perceived quality and social prestige of global brands in influencing consumers’ evaluations of global brands. Accordingly, the authors’ model focuses on the perceived quality and social prestige of global brands as antecedents of consumers’ belief in global citizenship. In addition, they examine the direct and indirect effects of consumer ethnocentricity and cultural openness on consumers’ belief in global citizenship. They empirically examine this framework within a rich cross-cultural context using samples from the United States and India (developed and developing countries). The proposed model suggests that perceived quality and social prestige of global brands are mediators of the relationship between ethnocentricity and cultural openness and consumers’ belief in global citizenship. They followed Gerbing and Anderson's two-step approach to develop a measurement model with an acceptable fit to the data and then conducted a structural model to test the hypothesized relationships. The authors conducted χ² difference tests to examine the structure of their hypothesized relationships across the United States and India. The results support partial mediation for perceived quality and social prestige of global brands on the relationship between ethnocentricity and cultural openness and consumers’ belief in global citizenship. Furthermore, they demonstrate some interesting differences in the relationships in the model across the two samples.     

Country of Production Biases on Consumer Perceptions of Global Brands: Evidence From an Emerging Market

ABSTRACT

Globalization has created significant opportunities of cost reductions for players to take advantage of location specific benefits. Simultaneously, it has presented significant opportunities for countries, such as China, to actively participate in global trade, attract foreign direct investment, and improve the economic wealth of their nations. However, literature cautions marketers about consumers’ biased evaluations of products based on their country of production. Moving production to low-cost countries could potentially harm brand trust, quality evaluations, and purchase intentions due to unfavorable biases for the country of production. The objective of this study is to investigate country of production biases of Turkish consumers for two global brands, Philips and Adidas. Data for the study (N = 1,608) were collected using mall-intercepts from the 17 largest cities of Turkey. Study findings show that brand trust, perceived quality, and purchase intentions declined sharply for both brands when consumers learned that the product was manufactured in China.     

Gender Entrepreneurship and Global Marketing

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this article is to redirect attention to the role of gender entrepreneurship in global marketing. The value of gender in global marketing through the use of words and behavior is discussed, which helps to integrate the disparate gender, entrepreneurship, and global marketing streams of research. The article suggests that a more gender neutral stance in global marketing is required due to the more fluid and changing understanding about the meaning of gender in society. This enables increased dialogue about gender stereotyping in global marketing to be examined as a way to keep up to date with global trends. Global marketers must confront gender biases as a way of enhancing a more open and inclusive society. The trends in gender and marketing are addressed that help to raise awareness for how to improve global marketing standards.     

Defending a Domestic Position Against Global Entries

ABSTRACT

The article offers a systematic review of strategic options available to incumbents coping with threats and attacks by a global firm. The framework makes it possible to review and analyze action alternatives based on the entry stage, the attack focus, and defense tactics. Even though the globalization process has exposed domestic incumbents to greater threats, incumbents' options have also increased. The doors of trade liberalization swing both ways. Opportunities for collaboration increase while anti-globalization movements and national patriotism can be mobilized for effective defense. The framework presented in this article builds on existing strategic theories and concepts in addition to published case studies. It offers a flexible and dynamic approach for reviewing alternative strategies for implementation and research.     

Investigating Graduate Business Students' Perceptions of the Educational Value Provided by an International Travel Course Experience

Abstract

Researchers agree that students' critical thinking and decision making skills are enhanced through exposure to new cultures and global markets. Thus, one way of bringing about improvement in these areas is through international travel courses. The purpose of this study is threefold. One, to describe the process involved in the creation of a required for-credit international travel course; two, present the findings of a research study designed to investigate graduate business students' perceptions of the educational value provided by an international travel course; and three, describe the ongoing process of closing the assessment loop as it relates to the internationalization of MBA and MACC curricula. The results of this study are encouraging. In general, students perceived that the international travel course added value to their educational experience and enhanced their relationships with other students. Items receiving weaker support were concerned with “thinking skills”, such as multi-disciplinary integration and improved decision-making. These results have important implications for future improvements to the international travel course.     

A Fast Track to Cultural Immersion

ABSTRACT

The internationalization of the business curriculum remains a priority for preparing students for a global workforce. Business schools continue to stress the importance of semester-long study abroad programs. Yet in colleges and universities with a growing population of non-traditional, working adult students, it is challenging to provide international study abroad opportunities. Options for such intensive immersion are limited and may include non-credit travel, travel as a small part of a credit course, or travel with a trade mission group. In short term international travel, quickly introducing students to culture shock and moving toward some minimal acculturation is the primary goal. This article describes a nine-day study abroad trip to Monterrey, Mexico that quickly exposed students to the local culture via a day-long structured scavenger hunt exercise. Suggestions for implementing such experiential activities into the curriculum of other study abroad programs are provided as well as a discussion of students and faculty learning.     

Governmental and Corporate Role in Diffusing Development Technologies: Ethical Macromarketing Imperatives

SUMMARY

Despite the recent growth and globalization of production and trade, global income inequalities are widening, especially among the developing nations and global sustainability is weakening. We suggest a macromarketing approach to resolve this situation. It is in the best interest of the governments and the multinational corporations of the developed world to offer and diffuse their development technologies among the developing nations. We apply the theories of economic resources, development technologies, global sustainability and distributive justice to characterize the nature, structure and ethics of such developmental interventions.     

Encouraging Development of a Global Mindset Among Students in Online International Management Courses

ABSTRACT

This research explores how a multiple intelligences approach can be used to build a global mindset among students in online international management courses. It draws upon research in the areas of global mindset, education, cognition and learning, and neuroscience to discuss how pedagogical tools and strategies relevant to each specific intelligence can contribute to cognitive complexity and cosmopolitanism. Suggestions are offered for online teaching methods that can incorporate the multiple intelligences in international management courses.     

Do International Cocurricular Activities Have an Impact on Cultivating a Global Mindset in Business School Students?

ABSTRACT

In today’s integrated global economy, business executives of multinational corporations are required to have a flexible global mindset in order to cope with the driving forces of globalization. Thus, the global market forces stress the importance for business schools to graduate students with skill sets pertinent to functioning competitively in the ever-changing business environment. In this article, we conducted a survey of 165 students in the Albers School of Business and Economics at Seattle University to examine whether international cocurricular activities help achieve the goal of cultivating a global mindset in students. The results suggest that international cocurricular activities enhance students’ global mindset. Short-term study tours and international internships do have a significant impact on students’ global mindset as other long-term cocurricular activities, which may cost more time and money. We recommend that short-term study tours be used as an alternative cost-effective way to engaging business students in the internationalization of the business curriculum at their institutions.     

Russian Competitiveness in the Global Economy

Abstract

Using data on Russia's competitiveness collected by our research team as part of the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report (GCR), literature on competitiveness, in particular Michael Porter's theories on economic development and competitiveness, and benchmarking data from the global competitiveness project for other countries, this paper analyzes Russia's comparative strengths in its macro and microeconomic competitiveness. We investigate Russia's movement in ranks over a three-year period, discussing Russia's strengths in its macroeconomic climate and the weaknesses of its institutions. We illustrate the effects of these on three-key growth industries in Russia: oil, IT outsourcing, and the food sector.     

An Assessment of Experiential Learning of Global Poverty Issues Through International Service Projects

Service learning has been used to supplement a standard business curriculum, but not typically in an international business context. We report the results of two short-term study abroad programs in which we incorporated service learning projects, one in Cambodia and the other in Vietnam. Our objective is to assess how we organized and delivered effective service learning projects in short-term study tours, and to assess students’ learning outcomes on global poverty issues in a business curriculum. We used both quantitative and qualitative assessment measures. The findings suggest that several types of learning outcomes did occur through the service learning projects, as the literature suggested. Seeing poverty firsthand and doing something about it through service learning may be a first experience for many students, but it seems to be a transformational one for many. We conclude that students may approach business and even political decisions with a greater understanding of their impact on poverty in the developing world.     

From an information consumer to an information author: a new approach to business intelligence

ABSTRACT

Self-Service Business Intelligence (SSBI) enables business users, such as executives, managers, analysts, and knowledge workers to build reports on a need-basis to support their decisions and actions toward business success. This suggests that business users are empowered not only to consume information but also to author it. Yet, research on SSBI is mainly concentrated at the industrial level, and furthermore little is known on the way SSBI is changing the current state of BI. To address this lack of knowledge, this study explores the attributes of SSBI that are necessary to extend the role of a business user beyond that of an information consumer by drawing on the literature of Self-Service Technologies (SST). This study provides a new definition of SSBI as a new approach to BI. Furthermore, it highlights the duality of high levels of co-production and low levels of dependency as key to the SSBI approach.     

Introduction to the Special Issue: Management in Africa in the Global Context 1

ABSTRACT

The primary focus of this introductory article is to provide a synoptic peek into the challenges and opportunities facing the countries of Africa in today's global economy and in their attempts to develop their national economies to achieve what is commonly termed the Millennium Development Goals. While foreign direct investment (FDI) is seen as a way to attain these goals, FDI flows to African countries remain extremely low. If Africa is to attract diversified FDI inflows, not just those focused on extractive/natural resources, African countries need to develop a system of management that is effective and efficient, internationally oriented and nationally focused, culturally inclusive and institutionally supportive and reliable, and one that promotes business growth and economic development with a sense of social responsibility.     

The Earth Is Flat,Almost: Measuring Marketing Standardization and Profit Performance of Japanese and U.S. Firms

ABSTRACT

Globalization has fostered greater interest in all aspects of standardization theory, including the four Ps (product, price, place [distribution], and promotion) of the marketing mix. The study researches the firm's strategy of marketing standardization as it correlates to the firm's profit. Multinational firms from Japan and the United States operating in a global environment were studied in order to correlate marketing standardization to profit performance. The results indicate there is increasing support for a strategy of standardizing marketing mix components and contributing to a firm's profit performance.     

Incorporating a Short-Term Study Abroad Service Trip for Educating International Entrepreneurship in the BOP Market

ABSTRACT

The bottom of the pyramid (BOP) market has gained importance in international entrepreneurship due to its large market potential. Drawing on the literature of international business education, as well as social entrepreneurship and international entrepreneurship education, we propose a course to educate students how to develop business intimacy with the BOP community. We employ the experiential-learning pedagogical framework and design elements including a short-term study abroad service trip, an entrepreneurship project, and structured reflections. Using both qualitative and quantitative data, we demonstrate that the course facilitates students’ learning in the key areas of international and social entrepreneurship, including the economic and social value of community embeddedness for BOP ventures, the emotional intelligence in interacting with BOP communities, and the attitude toward social entrepreneurship.     

Being hybrid: a conceptual update of consumer self and consumption due to online/offline hybridity

ABSTRACT

Emergent mobile technologies are dramatically and rapidly changing not only the way we consume but also the way we live. In theory, it is becoming harder and harder to keep pace with the changes already embodied in practice. First, this paper aims to reduce the gap between theory and practice by introducing online/offline hybridity both as a new kind of hybridity and a universal contemporary human condition. Second, it presents the concept of hybrid space as a new frame of reference, as an overarching conception of our everyday. Third, it proposes the necessary micro-level updates regarding consumer self and consumption due to these changes in perspective. Fourth, it concludes by introducing privatescapes as a new global flow of shared private content with a significant impact on consumer behaviour.     

Twenty Shades of Italy: An Analysis of its Cultural,Natural, and Dual Tourist Attractions with Implications for Global Tourism Marketing

ABSTRACT

Natural and cultural tourism are the two main motivations for international tourists. The country of Italy is recognized for both of these dimensions. To fully understand the tourism characteristics of this geographically diverse and historically rich land, we compare 20 regions of Italy and identify major natural, cultural, and dual (both natural and cultural) tourist attractions as well as the number of tourists across these 20 regions. As far as we know, it is the first study of its kind to analyze tourism in Italy at the regional level. The findings of this research reveal four distinct clusters based on the regions resulting from “high versus low number of attractions” by “high versus low number of tourists.” We also analyzed secondary data on region-wise tourist-nights using discriminant analysis. The results showed that the dual (both cultural and natural) attraction sites are the most important in explaining differences in tourism across the different regions of Italy. We discuss implications of the results for global tourism marketing.     

Global Marketing Networks and the Development of Trust

Abstract

The global market has begun to effect organizations in most industries. Organizations are entering strategic alliances and networks of these alliances to reduce risk, exposure, and to compete effectively in a global context. This paper views the importance of the network of alliances from a dynamic capabilities perspective that builds off of the resource-based view of the firm.

The paper explores the development of strong form trust to maintain and facilitate the advantages of the network members. The steps in which this form of trust development is outlined, including: appropriate identification of candidates, the funding mechanism, network inclusion, top management team inclusion, as well as, effective communication.     

Brand Analyses of U.S. Global and Local Brands in India: The Case of Levi's

ABSTRACT

This study investigates differences between U.S. global and local brands in the Indian market. Attitudes toward American products and the brand equity of U.S. global and local casual apparel brand in the Indian market are examined. It is postulated that global and local brand influence brand equity, which is composed of brand image, brand awareness, emotional value, perceived quality, brand loyalty, and purchase intention. A total of 411 college students in India participated in the survey. Using repeated measures ANOVA, this study finds that Indian consumers perceive global and local brands differently based on brand equity.