International Business in the Weekend MBA

Beginning with the cohort entering in Fall 2005, the Weekend MBA program decided to make International Business course a truly global one. Every summer the Weekend MBA will travel to an international destination to study business on the ground and in real time. Evening MBAs are invited each Fall to apply to travel with the group on limited space basis.

The trip is more then just coursework and it certainly isn't a vacation for the students. Within a week of much hard work, we pack nearly every minute with information on culture, dealing with foreign investment, how to work within your own organization to do business globally and how to avoid some of the pitfalls of dealing with other cultures.

In July 2006, we travelled to Buenos Aires, Argentina. In July 2007 we will be taking a week long experience in Dublin Ireland. Students often ask how do we choose a destination. There a quite a few factors that weighed and discussed in detail. Safety is always our first concern, next we look for an interesting story in the economics of the country. We want the trip to be a fabulous adventure for our students and strive to make it a very memorable part of their experience here.

Business the Argentine Way (August 2006)

Did pesofication case the collapse of the Argentine economy? What is Mercosur? What happens when a U.S. company enforces OSHA standards on foreign soil? What is an asado? Why is Argentine wine so good? (Answers below.)

UAlbany Weekend MBA students learned the answers to these and other questions during an 8 day trip to Buenos Aires in July. They started by learning Argentine culture and familiarizing themselves with the Pampas region, first touring Buenos Aires and then heading to Santa Susana, a gaucho ranch. After two days of getting the lay of the land, they dove into Argentine business.

The students, who work for a variety of Capital Region companies, including Key Financial Services, Plug Power and G.E., visited the U.S. Embassy, the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Trade, American companies Ampaset and Deloitte and Touche, cell phone company Moviestar, and Wines of Argentina, a trade association.

Each day, Argentine business was handily dissected by UAlbany Professor Emeritus Christian Buss. The UAlbany School of Business has ties to Universidad Del Salvador in Buenos Aires, where Dr. Buss and other Albany professors have taught, including Dean Emeritus Paul Leonard and Assistant Dean Linda Krzykowski, who accompanied the group on the trip.

During one class, Dr. Buss’ students from USAL presented their plan for exporting Havanna alfajores, gourmet Argentine cookies, to Starbucks. The UAlbany students also worked on team projects introducing Argentinean products: wine, empañadas and alfajores.

 

Iguazú falls

The trip wasn’t all business. Students had opportunities to travel to Uruguay, Iguazú falls and a leather factory. They learned to tango, sampled Argentine wine, visited a Buenos Aires disco into the wee hours and attended a house party in their honor.

 

Ruins in Colonia, Uruguay

The professionals enrolled in the Weekend MBA program come from a variety of industries and backgrounds. Finance, human resources, operations, marketing and other crucial areas of business are taught by University at Albany faculty.

Weekend MBA classes meet on alternating weekends: Friday afternoon and all day Saturday, at the off-campus Executive Education Center. Approximately 25 participants are admitted each year. Tuition includes textbooks, all course materials and meals, and of course, an international trip.

Each year, Weekend MBA students experience the globalization of business through the week-long international trip built into the program. Students meet with executives, examine international leadership styles, study trade issues, research strategic alliances and return with a truly global perspective to their classes, their organizations, and their careers.

Answer key

Did pesofication cause the collapse of the Argentine economy?

Depends on who you ask.

What is Mercosur?

The customs union that serves as the South American equivalent of NAFTA.

What happens when a U.S. company enforces OSHA standards on foreign soil?

Plant managers have to enforce a no smoking ban on freely smoking Argentineans.

What is an asado?

Argentine barbeque.

Why is Argentine wine so good?

The Malbec grape. Its thick skin keeps tannins out of the wine.