International Business Training In The 21st Century: How Do They Learn?

Abstract

International business and the global marketplace have captured the American mindset. This is evidenced throughout our media, and certainly on U.S. business school campuses. More and more universities require international business courses as core course requirements, and many now offer international business as separate majors. Business study abroad programs have been around for years. Programs range from direct enrollment at foreign universities to packaged courses offered by U.S. universities in other countries. Although these programs are popular with students and faculty alike, one questions how much learning is actually accomplished in these in-tensive but often brief programs. Based on the results of tests we administered we concluded that students participating in a three week Study Abroad course learned more about understanding the importance cultural differences in international business operations than students who cover the topic in a required international business course on campus.