Going Global - Summer 2012

Education
Oh, the Places You'll Go: A Look at Self-Designed Global Experiences

Student David Ly (center) with friend Dinghan and Malcom Liu, financial controller for Johnson Controls Beijing

In 2008, Carlson School of Management faculty voted to modify the undergraduate business curriculum to require all students to have a global experience. Many students choose to fulfill this requirement through a semester abroad at one of many partner institutions around the world or a faculty-led, short-term course organized by the Carlson School. But there is another option - a self-designed global experience.

Approximately 20 undergraduate students per year pursue this option. With the help of Carlson Global Institute Program Director Deirdre Opp, interested students develop a proposal for their experience that includes academic and cultural learning goals and outlines where and when they plan to be abroad as well as security measures and other key policies. Students earn between one and three credits based on the structure of the academic component and must work closely with a faculty member. The proposal is then reviewed and approved by the associate deans of Undergraduate Programs and Global Initiatives.

According to Opp, a self-designed program is a "great life experience for students, as it provides them the ability to delve into a topic that really interests them." Students have explored issues such as the dynamics of the tourism fishing industry in Canada, entrepreneurship in Albania, and European operations for a Minnesota company. Others have framed their experiences around an international internship with companies like General Mills and Toro. Student Caitlyn McCarthy proposed a self-designed global experience around an operations internship in Spain. She spent three months in Madrid learning about daily operations and logistics and working on continuous improvement projects. These self-designed experiences offer significant educational benefits and can have a lasting impact on students. As Caitlyn explained, "While I was abroad I was able to experience different cultures and how the same business can have slightly different company cultures based on what country one is in. My time in Madrid added to my passion to work in an international area of business because I enjoy working with people throughout the world." Student David Ly designed his experience around exploring the impacts of culture on lean manufacturing implementation with a U.S. company operating in Beijing. He explained that this experience helped him understand his own cultural assumptions and defaults, preparing him to be more capable as a future leader.
 

Assistant Dean D'Angelo Explores Higher Education in India with Fulbright

Like many other industries in India, the higher education sector is robust and dynamic. According to a recent report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 42 percent of the over 200 million university graduates between the ages of 25 and 34 will come from India and China in 2020.

Assistant Dean of Global Initiatives Anne M. D'Angelo was selected to participate in a U.S. Fulbright seminar for global educators to India (Delhi, Bangalore, and Pune) from March 15 to April 2, 2012. This seminar is offered through the United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) which promotes mutual understanding between people of India and the United States through the educational exchange of scholars, professionals, and students. Its bi-national board of directors consists of U.S. Americans and Indians that jointly fund the Fulbright program in India, renamed the Fulbright-Nehru fellowships.

The purpose of the seminar was to provide U.S. higher education administrators first-hand knowledge of the Indian higher education system. Participants had the opportunity to meet their counterparts at Indian institutions, exchange thoughts and ideas, and understand the current framework and ongoing debates of government policy for higher education institutions in India.
 

Anne D'Angelo in India with Kiran Datar, former Dean of Colleges at the University of Delhi and Miranda House and director of the Office of U.S.-India Higher Education Cooperation in Delhi

Carlson Global Institute has historically provided faculty-led, short-term learning opportunities for Carlson School students to India, such as the graduate global enrichment program "Managing in a Global Environment in India" led by Associate Professor Mani Subramani and the 2011 Live Case in India with International Dairy Queen led by Senior Lecturer Svjetlana Madzar.

Further insight into the dynamics of higher education and its policies in India is paramount to the continued advancement of global management education programs. D'Angelo's participation comes at an opportune time as the Carlson School and the University of Minnesota consider furthering their future initiatives involving Indian institutions.

According to D'Angelo, "It was an excellent introduction to the opportunities and challenges facing higher education policy in India today. We learned about all types of higher educational institutions throughout India - central, state, private, and those deemed of national importance as well as affiliated and undergraduate colleges. We not only met with a number of institutional administrators, professionals, and Indian and U.S. government officials but also worked closely with a prominent figure who serves on the Indian government's Knowledge Commission and is the former Dean of Colleges at the University of Delhi and Miranda House, both well-known in India.

"The access afforded to us and the array of insights and perspectives were invaluable as ongoing debates continue in this ever-changing, complex economy. An additional benefit was participating closely with others from U.S. institutions that are seeking partnerships in India. We anticipate sharing best practices and lessons learned as we move forward with our planning. This opportunity, along with my collaborations with Dean Sri Zaheer and Carlson School faculty who are well established in India, will better position us as we explore more initiatives in India for our students, faculty, and corporate and community members."     

Research Reveals Insights into Expat Assignment Adjustment

An expatriate assignment is often seen as a valuable part of a manager's career development. While these assignments are opportunities, expatriates also face challenges adjusting to their surroundings. Many organizational development and human resources professionals and researchers have accepted the U-curved theory of cultural adaptation. This theory postulates that individuals entering into a culture new to them will start at a high point, sometimes referred to as a honeymoon stage. This stage is followed by a low, which may include feelings of isolation or frustration. The third stage is one of personal responsibility for cultural adjustment, a greater understanding of the host culture, and general positive feelings about the experience.

Carlson School Professor of Work and Organizations Connie Wanberg has traveled extensively and was curious about the U-shaped adjustment curve theory. Together with Jing Zhu, a professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and a PhD alumna of the Carlson School of Management's Human Resources and Industrial Relations program, Wanberg started to explore this theory when Professor Zhu was a student at Carlson. They found that little quantitative evidence existed to support or refute the U-curve theory and that much of the theory was based on anecdotal evidence. With seed funding from the Carlson Global Institute (previously International Programs), Wanberg and Zhu decided to perform empirical research to test the U-curve theory. The preliminary findings of their research offer an alternative to the long-accepted understanding of cultural adjustment.

Their study explores the transitions of 170 expatriates from three large multinational firms over the first nine months of their international assignments. The majority of the study participants were expected to be abroad for less than three years. The participants completed an electronic baseline survey before they left for their assignment to establish a foundational level for psychological well-being and host country language fluency. Participants then completed a survey at the end of each of their first nine months abroad, which explored concepts such as personal learning, career development, co-worker support, and role clarity in the context of this international assignment.

The initial results of the study reveal that on average, expatriate adjustment does not follow a U-curve pattern. Instead, adjustment starts low and then rises over the first few months before leveling off. In designing the study, the researchers also wanted to understand what impacted individual expatriate adjustment experiences. Results indicate the following:

expats who had a high level of self-confidence, were more satisfied with company benefits, and had higher psychological well-being adjusted better to their new role earlier,
expats who had a high level of self-confidence, were more satisfied with company benefits, had higher psychological well-being, were fluent in the host country language, and received intercultural training from their company adjusted better to general living conditions at the start of their new assignment,
expats who provided themselves with training, and had higher levels of psychological well being and host country language fluency, also showed high levels of adjustment early in the assignment,
higher levels of co-worker support correlated with greater work and interaction adjustment,
higher levels of role clarity correlated with greater work adjustment, interaction adjustment, personal learning, and career development.

So, what does all this mean? Strong psychological well-being and host country language fluency appear to be key factors to adjustment. According to Zhu, "Expats with the two tend to have a higher level of adjustment at the beginning of the assignment." Wanberg also noted that while companies prepare employees to leave, not all prepare the host employees to receive expatriates and be supportive in their transition. As this study demonstrated, co-worker support can be another important factor in the successful transition of expatriates. Such research can help companies and employees better prepare to fully leverage an international assignment.

The study is coming to a close, with final data being incorporated into the analysis. Wanberg and Zhu anticipate submitting their key findings soon to relevant academic journals.    

Carlson Global Institute Launches Advisory Council

Carlson Global Institute Launches Advisory Council The mission of the Carlson Global Institute is to "lead global management education, research, and outreach and serve as a catalyst for stakeholders to function as an interactive global network that generates new knowledge toward the development of globally mindful leaders." The Advisory Council, which met for the first time in May, is another step toward creating a more interactive global network. It provides a forum for Twin Cities-based global leaders to share opportunities, challenges, and insights with one another and the Carlson School as we support the development of global competency in undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and corporate and community leaders here and around the world. The CGI Advisory Council joins the CGI Faculty Advisory Committee in providing advice and guidance related to stakeholder engagement, curriculum development, research about impact of global initiatives, and development of future initiatives of the Institute.

The Council currently consists of eight members representing the public and private sectors. Members include:

David Clark
Vice President, International Strategic Business Unit, Häagen-Dazs
General Mills

Katie Clark
Executive Director
Minnesota Trade Office

Patty Hamm
Vice President of Global Human Resources
Imation

Rick King
Chief Operating Officer, Technology
Thomson Reuters

Patrick McGinnis
Vice President, Global Product Management
Best Buy

Richard N. McLellan
Senior Vice President, Commercial
Mosaic

Meredith McQuaid
Associate Vice President and Dean, Global Programs and Strategy Alliance
University of Minnesota

Jan Shimanski
Vice President, Global Marketing Excellence
3M

Karine Watne
International Business Web and Marketing Communications Manager
Toro

Corporate Engagement: Spring and Summer 2012 Partners in Global Business Education

3M hosts students from CGI programs in Italy, Turkey, and Minneapolis

Corporate and organizational partners are critical factors in helping CGI realize its vision to "advance the global excellence of management education in shaping leaders for a more successful future." They host site visits and provide expert speakers for students while they are studying abroad, sponsor Global Business Practicum programs, host site visits for Carlson Global Executive MBA students visiting Minnesota, and provide guest lectures to students before they depart to study around the world. They provide the pragmatic context for the academic content - they bring the concepts to life.

CKGSB and Carlson students in the Northern China Live Case program with Thomson Reuters Beijing team and program faculty and staff

This spring and summer, the Carlson Global Institute and the students we serve benefited from the support of more than 40 organizations and corporations around the world. These organizations recognize the importance of educating globally competent leaders, as these emerging leaders will be in a position to support the success of these same organizations.

One key partner, Thomson Reuters, has hosted several site visits for the Global Executive MBA residencies at its Eagan campus. "We have found participating in this program extremely valuable," said Rick King, COO, Technology and member of the Advisory Council for the Carlson Global Institute. "We have been able to connect our business with some of the best executive MBA students in the world - there is great potential in building those relationships."


Carlson Global Institute spring and summer partners include:

3M
Angela Caputi
Aon
Barilla
Bodhi Adventures
Cargill
Caribou Coffee Company
Carlsberg
CMD
Estée Lauder
Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
Fara Resources
GE Healthcare
General Mills
H&M
Ikea
Imation
Kartell
Kurt Equine Training Systems
Lamborghini
Land O'Lakes
Lenovo
Longan Law Firm

Medtronic
Minnesota Trade Office
Mortenson Construction
Nobel Peace Institute
Norsk Hydro
Norwegian Foreign Ministry
Novo Nordisk
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Republic of Turkey, Prime Ministry
Rothschild North America
Save The Children
Sims Metal Management
SITA
Storebrand
TeliaSonera
Thomson Reuters*
Toro*
Tuskon
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Ambassador to Norway
We Impact
Weldon Global Consulting
World Wildlife Foundation
Worell

*Global Business Practicum (live case) sponsors, May 2012.

CIBER Supports Regional Faculty in Spring Education Abroad Programs

Every year, the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) invites faculty from outside the University of Minnesota to participate in Carlson School faculty-led, short-term education abroad programs. These shadowing opportunities support faculty who want to develop similar course offerings at their home institutions, and further CIBER's goal of building capacity in global business education.

Faculty from Iowa State University and the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University contributed their enthusiasm, interest and subject matter expertise to two Carlson School programs. Their engagement enriched the experience for students and Carlson faculty leaders as well.

Dr. Qing Hu, Chair of the Department of Supply Chain and Information Systems, College of Business at Iowa State University, joined Carlson School faculty leader David Bartlett and a group of 22 MBA students on a Global Business Practicum (GBP), or a "live" case, in Austria and the Czech Republic. The students worked on a project for Toro in partnership with students and faculty from the Vienna University of Economics and Business. Their challenge: to optimize the aftermarket experience of Toro's golf customers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Professors Arnold Schuh from Vienna University of Economics and Business and David Bartlett from the Carlson School with Professor Qing Hu from Iowa State.

Dr. Hu contributed his own extensive international business experience, as well as a decade of facilitating domestic company projects within the business curricula at Iowa State. He values live cases for providing "exploratory learning experiences that better prepare [students] to face challenges of the real world, which are usually ambiguous and uncertain in the scope and the solution."

In his new role as associate dean for Graduate Programs, Dr. Hu intends to strengthen the business school's international offerings and operations. He is also exploring ways to implement international business projects at the MBA level as early as summer 2013.

Commented Dr. Hu: "I am truly inspired by this experience and it further reified my original ambition of introducing international live cases to our MBA programs."

Dr. Deborah Pembleton, assistant professor in global business leadership from the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University, headed to Australia with 30 undergraduates and Carlson School faculty leader Robert Vellella to examine human resources practices and labor market trends. Dr. Pembleton currently teaches courses on human resources and management principles. Her research focuses on cross-border alliances and the internationalization of education. She had recently connected with research colleagues in human resources and labor economics from New Zealand and Australia, so was particularly interested in exploring that geographic market further.

Vellella valued Dr. Pembleton's participation. "Her contributions to the learning environment and support of students and relationship-building with Australian faculty and staff were very helpful to the success of the program," he said.

Pembleton noted that the program "was an exceptional opportunity for me to continue to develop my teaching, course development, and research," and start building a similar course for spring 2014.

CIBER will offer additional faculty shadowing opportunities in 2013. For more information about CIBER, please visit www.carlsonschool.umn.edu/ciber.

CIBER Gives Faculty a Scandinavian View of Sustainability and CSR

Faculty participants with leader Robert Strand at Partnership 2012 conference at Copenhagen Business School

Ten faculty members from universities across the U.S. recently returned from the first ever Professional Development in International Business (PDIB) program in Scandinavia. The program, offered by the University of Minnesota Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), focused on sustainability and CSR strategies in Scandinavian companies, NGOs, and universities. Participating faculty came from American University, Florida International University, Haskell Indian Nations University, St. Catherine University, and the Universities of Alabama, Florida, Iowa, and Miami.

The group explored current business practices and future challenges with top executives at IKEA, Carlsberg, Maersk, Novozymes, and Volvo Group, and connected with international leaders at the Partnership 2012 conference at Copenhagen Business School. As one participant reflected, sustainability and CSR require significant cooperation across the supply chain. To see short video interviews from the conference, please visit www.partnership2012.com.

CIBER will offer PDIB Scandinavia - Sustainability and CSR for faculty and industry professionals in June 2013. For more information about CIBER, please visit www.carlsonschool.umn.edu/ciber.

Upcoming Events

Carlson Global Institute Fall Reception
September 27, 2012, 4:00-6:00 p.m
Carlson School of Management Atrium
RSVP to astiles@umn.edu
 

Other Ways to Engage with Us

The Carlson Global Institute provides a variety of opportunities for organizations and individuals to engage with us. Opportunities include hosting site visits here and abroad, Global Business Practicum (live case) sponsorships, guest speakers, and financial support for student scholarships, research, and program development. If you are interested in learning more, contact Jennifer Hawkins at 612-624-4334 or hawki044@umn.edu.