International Business Study Abroad (MGT 6350) Requirement
As the world was indeed becoming flat, The Jack C. Massey Graduate School was ahead of its time in 2000 when it began requiring all of its students to take an international study trip at some point during their degree programs.
The Massey School views this practice as a way of expanding students’ views of culture and the interdependency that exists between companies and countries around the world. Only a handful of other graduate business programs hold their graduate business students to a similar requirement.
Massey Students in Ireland - 2009
Upcoming International Trips
Proposed trips are included but are subject to change. Final decisions regarding trips will be determined by individual interest. Upcoming trips include:
Scheduled Trips for 2010
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
Professors Jeff Overby &Sean Yoo MARCH 6-13, 2010
This program will explore the economy, business environment, history and culture of Seoul, South Korea. The itinerary will include company site visits, presentations from government officials responsible for driving innovation and economic growth in the country, cultural excursions, and possibly a visit to the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
With more than 10 million people, Seoul is South Korea's capital and largest city and one of the most populous cities in the world. Seoul represents the country's center for business, education and modern culture. Seoul's past and present coexist in a fascinating way: centuries-old palaces, city gates, shrines, gardens and priceless art collections attest to the city's illustrious past, while the glistening facades of soaring skyscrapers and the bustling traffic represent its vibrant present. The old city is encircled by four inner mountains and four outer mountains. Each mountain has a unique beauty of its own while boasting natural scenic landscapes and spectacular views overlooking the city of Seoul. Of course, Korean cuisine is also a must during a trip to the peninsula, either at a modern or traditional restaurant.
Since the end of the Korean War in 1953, South Korea has become a modern democracy. Once known to be one of the world's poorest agrarian societies with per capita GNI of only $87 in 1962, the country has made an incredible economic transformation in less than four decades. An outward-oriented economic development strategy, which used exports as the engine of growth, contributed greatly to the radical economic transformation of Korea. Today GNI stands at over $20,000 per capita making it one of the wealthiest countries in the world.
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS
Professors Joe Alexander & Chuck Wainright MARCH OR MAY, 2010
This program will explore the economy, business environment, history and culture of Amsterdam, The Netherlands- a city famous for its business wealth, world-class museums, canals, ubiquitous bicycle riders and care-free lifestyle. The itinerary will include company site visits, presentations from government officials responsible for driving innovation and economic growth in the country, and cultural excursions.
Amsterdam today is as bustling and economically productive as it was during its golden age when its ships sailed to all corners of the Dutch Empire. The Dutch capital likes to see itself as being at the heart of Europe, and its location does give it easy access to a number of major European markets. The city has often been cited as one of the best business cities in Europe and the world. On average, approximately 70-100 foreign companies set up in the Netherlands every year. They are attracted by Amsterdam's prime position within Europe, with excellent international connections from the ever-expanding Schiphol airport and Amsterdam port, a strong infrastructure, a multilingual workforce, a stable political and economic climate and business-friendly policies.
The Netherlands has long been one of the world's great trading nations. This historical internationalism, epitomized by the early predominance of the Dutch East India Company, accounts in no small measure for the large number of MNCs (Unilever, Shell, Philips etc.) to be found in a country with such a relatively small population of 15.7million. The Dutch have a saying that -God created the world, but the Dutch created Holland.‖ About half the land in The Netherlands lies at or below sea level. Much of this land has been reclaimed from the sea. The Dutch built dikes around swampy or flooded land and then pumped the water out. The pumping was originally done with windmills, but today electric pumps are used. It's a country of unique and resonant images - the fertile, pancake-flat landscapes gridded with canals and interrupted by windmills and church spires, all beneath huge, open skies. Every city in the country has its ornately gabled town houses, the greatest and most noble in Amsterdam, while the bulbfields provide bold splashes of color in springtime; in the west the long coastline is marked by mile upon mile of protective dune, backing onto wide stretches of pristine, sandy beach.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
Professor Jeff Overby May 2010
This program is an extended study-abroad experience designed specifically for Accelerated MBA students and will count for both the MGT 6300 and MGT 6350 course requirements. Students will be traveling to Johannesburg's Stellenbosch University where the focus will be on international business and intercultural dynamics. Significant portions of this study will take place in a classroom setting with Stellenbosch faculty, with the balance of the experience consisting of a variety of visits to area businesses (e.g., SAB Miller, Naspers, and Transet), as well as a number of cultural activities (e.g., boat trip to Robben Island, trip to Cape Winelands, dinner with local businesspersons, workshops and visits with various population groups, and a drive along Chapman's Peak). Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa and has the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is also one of the 40 largest metropolitan areas in the world. Stellenbosch University is generally recognized as the top business school on the African continent, with its university roots being traced back to 1859.
KNOW EUROPE JUNE - JULY, 2010
Sponsored by Groupe ESC Normandie, Normandy Business School
Visit Belgium, Holland, France and Spain. For more specifics see the Know Europe website (http://www.know-europe.com). This trip counts for 3 courses (MGT 6300, MGT 6350 and one elective). Your cost is the cost of tuition for each of these courses and airfare to and from Europe. Students are responsible for arranging their own flights. Anyone interested should contact Melissa for more details. Please note, this will prevent you from attending the summer semester, but does earn you credit for 3 courses (6 credits total).
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
Professor Greg Faulk AUGUST 14-21, 2010
This program will explore the economy, business environment, history and culture of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The itinerary will include company site visits, presentations from government officials responsible for driving innovation and economic growth in the country, and cultural excursions.
Buenos Aires is the capital and most important city in Argentina, as new businesses and creative talent have flourished. It is one of largest cities in the world, comprising over 12 million people in over 47 barrios (neighborhoods). With its wide boulevards, leafy parks, grand buildings and varied culture and nightlife, Buenos Aires is reminiscent of Paris or Barcelona. Tourism is booming, with visitors flocking to the elegant city, swaying to the melancholic sounds of tango, filling the fashionable restaurants and soaking up the local zest for life. The city is the financial and cultural center of the country and a vital port serving a large portion of the continent. Like Buenos Aires, the country of Argentina is an eclectic mix of European and Latin culture. It is the birthplace of tango as well as home to millions of avid soccer or fútbol fans. Moreover, from an economic perspective, it is once again one of the most promising emerging markets in Latin America. After a decades-long struggle with political and economic forces, Argentina is regaining its former luster and opens the door to not only a rich cultural heritage but abundant natural and human resources. Argentine GDP reached $6,630 per capita in 2007, with investment increasing an estimated 14.4 percent for the year. Argentina continued to perform well in 2008, with full year real GDP growth projected at about 7 percent. The country benefits from rich natural resources, a highly educated population, a globally competitive agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY
Dean Pat Raines OCT 30-NOV 6, 2010
This program will explore the economy, business environment, history and culture of Istanbul, Turkey- the center of Byzantine civilization for a millennium, the capital of the Ottoman Empire for more than 450 years, and the largest city of the modern Turkish republic. The itinerary will include company site visits, presentations from government officials responsible for driving innovation and economic growth in the country, and cultural excursions.
Because of its strategic location between Europe and Asia, Istanbul has played a key role in the history of the world since the emperor Constantine made it the capital of the eastern Roman Empire in the year 330 and named it Constantinople. Today, visitors to Istanbul can trace the evolution of this great city by examining the well-preserved monuments of Roman/Byzantine civilization, exploring the mosques and palaces of the Ottoman centuries, and experiencing the culture and hospitality of modern Turkey. In Istanbul, as perhaps nowhere else, one comes into contact with the stream of ideas and influences that have so profoundly shaped Middle Eastern and European civilizations. Beneath the enduring skyline of domes and minarets, the port city of Istanbul is alive with bustling crowds traveling the cobblestone streets and the clamor of vendors shouting to passersby from the colorful markets.
With its network of developed infrastructure and a globally competitive work force, Turkey has become a geo-strategic base for international business. A rapidly growing emerging market of 72 million people, over half of whom are under the age of 28, makes the country today one of the key trading partners of the United States. Turkey is the world's 15th largest economy, and it is predicted that Turkey will be one of the world's 10 largest economies by 2050. Turkey is a large emerging market and, with an average growth rate of 6.7 percent, recorded the some of the highest growth rates in the OECD between 2002-2007. Turkey signed a Customs Union agreement with the European Union (EU) 1995 and is officially recognized as a candidate for full membership in the EU. Turkey is also a springboard to the markets of Central Asia & the Middle East.
