Center for Global Business hosts MBA Global Business Common Core

Kara Korab, program manager of global programs at the Center for Global Business at Maryland Smith writes about the MBA global business common core.

Over 110 MBA students participated in the MBA global business common core class held on Sunday, September 22, 2019. The common core is the first academic piece of the students’ study abroad course and serves as the foundation for all faculty-led MBA global business courses.

Taught by Bennet Zelner and Hui Liao, the objective of the common core is to foster the development of a global mindset and global business savvy. Utilizing the CAGE framework, students were taught the fundamental knowledge and tools to recognize, assess, and manage the micro and macro-level organizational influences that shape national business environments. The CAGE framework incorporates the cultural, administrative, geographic, and economic influences that shape the way business is done in a country and is used as a tool for international business strategies. To prepare for their country-specific consulting projects, students were also introduced to the concepts of management consulting, taught by Nicole Coomber.

The students are participating in one of five MBA global business courses traveling over the winter term to the following locations:

Doing Business in Brazil, taught by Paulo Prachno

Doing Business in China and Vietnam, taught by Zhi-Long Chen

Doing Business in Japan and Singapore, taught by Cristian Dezsö

Doing Business in South Africa, taught by Bennet Zelner

Doing Business in the United Arab Emirates, taught by Mark Wellman

While abroad in January, students will visit companies across industries to enhance their global business acumen and apply their knowledge and skills to solve a cross-border, cross-cultural business challenge and consulting project. Through these courses, students have the opportunity to network with colleagues, faculty, and international business executives in their field.

Learn more about the Center for Global Business or the MBA global business courses. You can also contact the center via email at global@rhsmith.umd.edu.

This program is sponsored in part by CIBE, a Title VI grant from the U.S. Department of Education.