A Conceptual Framework for Instilling a Global Mindset in Business Students

ABSTRACT

This article proposes a conceptual framework for instilling and fostering a global mindset among students of business in general and international business in particular. Students learning to become global managers must first have an open mindset and be aware of changes in themselves. When managers encounter problems at a global firm, they need to consider the unique situations that cause problems and create appropriate solutions. Different settings or environments require different approaches, reflecting the complexity of heterogeneity and indeterminacy in decision-making. We suggest pedagogical methods for teaching international business by instilling a global mindset in business students.     

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.     

The Development of Undergraduate International Business Practicums in Small Business Schools: An Experiential Learning Framework

The value of the inclusion of experiential learning opportunities in international business education has been well established in the literature. We set out to examine industry-identified skills and experiences that could lead to enhanced employability and early career performance. Through our extensive review of theory, empirical work, leading programs, practicum channels, and our own qualitative study, we proposed frameworks to help guide small business schools best structure their undergraduate international business experiential learning offerings. Specifically, we suggest the establishment of tracks or concentrations with supplemental skill focus, emphasis on foreign language proficiency, and requiring at least two international internship or service learning practicums, preferably abroad, that include mini-consulting projects, presentations, and deliverables.     

Public Subsidies to Business: An International Comparison

The paper compares the design and outcome of public subsidies to business across a number of industrialized countries. The comparison of the amount of subsidies shows that the share of GDP devoted to total public support is markedly lower in the USA than in Europe but the share of GDP devoted to support that improves economic performance is comparable. Implementing public support follows two models. The first model (Anglo-Saxon) model is primarily “soft” in nature and decentralized. The second model is more interventionist and centralized. The former model seems to perform better especially in term of science and technology. However, the impact of public support policies remains seriously under-researched and more research is crucially needed to draw firm conclusions.     

A Challenge-Feedback Learning Approach to Teaching International Business

This article introduces a challenge-feedback learning (CFL) approach based on the goal-setting theory of human motivation, the deliberate practice theory of expert performance, and findings from the research on active and collaborative learning. The core of the teaching concept is the CFL cycle in which students repeatedly progress through four steps (Challenge–Act–Feedback–Reflect). Upon completion of one cycle, a new, more complex challenge is introduced in which students have the chance to go beyond their current skills level. The article also presents an example for an implementation of the CFL approach in an international business (IB) curriculum. The CFL approach is particularly useful for acquiring the problem-solving, adaptation, communication, metacognition, and intercultural teamwork skills needed in IB practice.     

An Introduction to Archival Research in Business History

In an endeavour to encourage the use of archival resources in business history research, this article indicates which repositories contain the most useful collections of relevant records, explains why these documents are of such importance, assesses their strengths and weaknesses for historical investigation, and suggests the types of question each collection is most suited to address. It also tries to ease the pain of using these repositories by outlining what finding aids are available and suggesting any short cuts or necessary preliminary steps to their successful use. Finally it offers some ideas of organisations which exist, in part, to help the researcher locate papers on specific topics or firms.     

Developing a Global Mindset Through Short-Term Study Abroad

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a practical, effective method of teaching short-term study abroad courses to increase students' global awareness and lay the foundation for the development of a sophisticated global mindset in future managers. The global mindsets discussed in the literature coincide with the levels of cognitive complexity found in the critical thinking literature. Building on these traditions, we construct an approach based on facilitated, group discussion. One major advantage of this technique is that, because it is done in a group setting, it is less time-consuming for faculty than other ways of providing feedback to students during study abroad courses. Given that short-term study abroad courses have become a popular way to internationalize business school curricula, this approach offers a way to maximize the impact of these experiences.     

Implementing Experiential Action Learning in International Management Education: The Global Business Strategic (GLOBUSTRAT) Consulting Program

This paper discusses the theoretical foundations and implementation challenges and outcomes of a unique “hands‐on” global consulting program that is integrated into an international EMBA program for mid‐career and senior American and European managers. It details the challenges for the integration of experiential action learning, double‐loop learning, service learning, and tacit learning into global management education and discusses the value of such integration for the EMBA‐participant's learning experience. The lessons learned from the implementation of the use of integrated global consulting based on an experiential action learning model on EMBA education are discussed. The andragogical model of education used should be a useful guide for designing and implementing experiential action learning based MBA/EMBA programs.     

Business Leaders as Citizens of the World. Advancing Humanism on a Global Scale

As the world is getting increasingly connected and interdependent it becomes clear that the world’s most pressing public problems such as poverty or global warming call for cross-sector solutions. The paper discusses the idea of business leaders acting as agents of world benefit, taking an active co-responsibility in generating solutions to problems. It argues that we need responsible global leaders who are aware of the pressing problems in the world, care for the needs of others, aspire to make this world a better place, and act in word and deed as global and responsible citizens. The argument is structured as follows: first, in highlighting some leadership challenges we discuss why it takes a responsible, global, and ultimately cosmopolitan mindset to enhance human values on a global scale. Second, we define more specifically responsible global leadership and the (potential) role of business leaders acting as agents of world benefit. Third, drawing on latest research on cosmopolitanism, we discuss the hallmarks of contemporary cosmopolitanism. Fourth, and concluding our argument, we propose key cosmopolitan business principles to help leaders build a more inclusive world.     

An Experiential Approach to Teaching Ethics in International Business

Ethics training in academia and corporations have grown as expansion in international business activities has lead to frequent inter-cultural exchanges. An effective instructional tool in theform of an experiential exercise is presented. The exercise using role-playing enables participants to recognize, confront, and understand business quandaries. A scoring system allows participants to compare the ethical standards of employers, employees, customers, and the society-at-large on a set of predetermined ethical events.     

Integrating Experiential Learning and Cases in International Business

In no other discipline is experiential learning more important than in the complex field of International Business (IB), which aims to prepare students to work and manage across political, economic, national, and sociocultural boundaries. This paper discusses various types of experiential learning activities and approaches to IB teaching, and expands on how the case method can be more effectively used to facilitate student learning and increase engagement. Leveraging class diversity and providing opportunities for “virtual exchanges” in the case-based approach can significantly enhance the development of intercultural competence. Resources for finding cases, developing one's own cases, and publishing them in peer-reviewed outlets are also provided.     

The Global Awareness Curriculum in International Business Programs: A Critical Perspective

Designing educational sequences that enhance the cognitive, behavioral, and critical skills of a diverse learning community seeking global competencies, requires mindfulness of different international educational models, a tailored curriculum designed to build different types of awareness learning, and clarity in targeted outputs keeping in mind a range of potential occupations and life situations in which such skills will be used. This article outlines conceptual frameworks for global awareness sequences in international management programs, building on existing cross-cultural research, training literature, and comparative analysis of different higher education models. It updates global competence learning frameworks to include recent advances in cultural intelligence, critical reflexivity, and post-colonial perspectives on management education. It calls attention to changing student demographics as a catalyst for moderate curriculum reform, especially a rehabilitation of core global awareness knowledge components eclipsed by cross-cultural courses and humanities requirements. A curriculum for business students with a sequential and/or simultaneous implementation of three pedagogical dispositions (knowledge, behavior, and critical acculturation) is discussed.     

Strategically Assessing International Business Course-Specific Learning Aims

Abstract

During the past 30 years, there have been calls for universities and business schools to internationalize curriculum, students and faculty. As most U.S. business schools have added international components to their respective programs, the assessment of these programs was subsequently recommended from accreditation and competitive perspectives. To sustain competitiveness, business schools must expand their program assessment activities and rigorously conduct assessment at the course level as well. We propose a model of international business course assessment that links learning aims to delivery methods and reviews two separate approaches based on that model.