Understanding North American MBA Programs's International Study Missions as a Niche Travel Market Segment

초록

This research paper aims to make an original contribution to knowledge by providing current detailed information on graduate business school’s popular short-stay international study tours and how business schools have used these tours in their process to internationalize their curriculum by providing students an opportunity to experience foreign countries economies, business culture and to improve student’s cultural quotient (CQ). According to Currie et al. (2004), overseas travel was justified as one aspect of higher-level learning in international business. The values of an overseas experience in providing international education were brought up by the multiple researchers in 1990s (Sartathy, 1990; Nehrt, 1993; Arpan, 1993, and Schechter, 1993). The emphasis was made on the ability of the university playing the role of overseas travel in international education by offering an overseas experience to students especially in obtaining higher-level learning in international business, understanding and competence (Kedia & Cornwell, 1994; Kedia & Harveston, 1998). As per (Altbach & Knight 2007) the international activities of universities dramatically expanded in volume, scope and complexity during the past two decades. As the world continues to become more globalized, so have EMBA/MBA programs (referred to collectively as MBA from this point on) efforts to become more internationally focused and incorporate a global perspective. Incorporating short ‘study missions’/‘study tours’ of 1-2 weeks to foreign destinations to learn more about emerging and mature market’s business culture, companies and economies through company site company inspections, lectures, joint classes, projects, while also enjoying the countries cultural heritages and tourist attractions.