Purpose - This study aims to focus on the impact of an international education experience (IEE) on the development of intercultural effectiveness. It offers a starting point for further research by specifying a construct definition and an empirical measure of intercultural effectiveness that is multi-dimensional and analyzing the causal relationship between these dimensions and IEEs. Specifically, the research question is "Is there a positive and significant relationship between participating in IEEs and changes in students' intercultural effectiveness?". Design/methodology/approach - The authors adopted a quasi-experimental design approach involving 290 students divided into a control group (students not participating in IEEs) and a treatment group (students participating in IEEs) with measurement both before and after students were afforded the opportunity to participate in IEEs. This study analyzed this longitudinal data set by means of bootstrapped multivariate analysis of variance. Findings - This study found that four competencies associated with intercultural effectiveness increased over time, whether or not students participated in IEEs. However, one competency demonstrated a positive causal relationship with IEEs - global mindset, defined as the degree to which one is interested in and seeks to actively learn about other cultures and the people in them. Research limitations/implications - The findings of this study make three contributions. First, by acknowledging that intercultural effectiveness is a multidimensional construct (Richter et al., 2023), the authors identify what may be developed as part of a general undergraduate educational process and which dimensions are more likely to be affected by participation in an IEE. Second, the authors confirm the direct applicability of Mezirow's theory of transformative learning in explaining the impact of IEEs by showing the positive impact of new cultural experiences on a learner's mindset. Third, the identification of global mindset as a dimension positively affected by IEEs suggests such experiences are a mechanism for effectively developing one of the key elements of intercultural effectiveness. Practical implications - The findings justify institutional investment in IEEs as a key driver of intercultural effectiveness, which aligns with broader goals in higher education, such as producing globally competitive graduates. Universities might promote IEEs as a core component of general education requirements or emphasize them in recruiting strategies. Given the critical importance of global mindset for leadership, problem-solving and cross-cultural collaboration, career services can highlight the role of IEEs in fostering globally minded graduates to potential employers. Originality/value - The objective of this research is to inform curriculum design as well as encourage continued investment in international education.

Since 2009, Bentley University has engaged in assessment of intercultural effectiveness in undergraduate students. The instrument used was the Intercultural Effectiveness Scale, which measures six dimensions using a self-report instrument. The longitudinal data analysis showing results in correlation and causation indicated that while international education experiences have a significant positive effective on Global Mindset, they do not indicate a positive significant effect on other dimensions of intercultural effectiveness (Berdrow, Woolford, Skaletsky, Bird; 2020). In 2018, Bentley University engaged in a curriculum design process to re-envision its undergraduate core curriculum. Taking the opportunity to apply lessons from the assessment of intercultural effectiveness, a component of the new design was the Global Experience. This paper briefly outlines the assessment initiative and the curriculum design outline, with an emphasis on the creation of the Bentley Global Experience Initiative, a comprehensive program supporting faculty and students.

Globalization has created an accelerated demand for globally competent managers, yet the gap between this demand and the supply of globally oriented, competent graduates is growing. As a result, the mandate for effectively internationalizing business school curriculum is increasing. Yet, given the costly structures required to provide international education opportunities, institutions need to know that those opportunities are positively influencing students learning and skill development. This article tells the story of one school's comprehensive program that incorporates learner-centered measurement and development with institutional assessment of intercultural effectiveness. We offer a program model and lessons learned for other institutions interested in implementing similar programs.

As discussed in the previous chapters, global organizations are faced with enormous complexity with regard to their external environments and customers, their internal structures and arrangements, as well as the mindsets and cultural milieu of their employees and partners. The environment in which they operate is characterized, on one hand, by high uncertainty and ambiguity, and on the other hand, by significant and complex interdependence. In response, firms engage in a series of strategic initiatives that can help them address these challenges and achieve stable competitive advantage in the complex global marketplace. Increasingly, global companies are beginning to implement large-scale initiatives such as knowledge management, innovation management, external sourcing of knowledge, global account management, and joint ventures and alliances. There is a growing consensus that the focus on knowledge, relationships, and intellectual resources that these initiatives take can in fact provide sustainable supeior performance.

Chapter 18 Barriers and Bonds to Knowledge Transfer in Global Alliances and Mergers Henry W. Lane, Henry W. LaneSearch for more papers by this authorDanna Greenberg, Danna GreenbergSearch for more papers by this authorIris Berdrow, Iris BerdrowSearch for more papers by this author Henry W. Lane, Henry W. LaneSearch for more papers by this authorDanna Greenberg, Danna GreenbergSearch for more papers by this authorIris Berdrow, Iris BerdrowSearch for more papers by this author Book Editor(s):Henry W. Lane, Henry W. LaneSearch for more papers by this authorMartha L. Maznevski, Martha L. MaznevskiSearch for more papers by this authorMark E. Mendenhall, Mark E. MendenhallSearch for more papers by this authorJeanne McNett, Jeanne McNettSearch for more papers by this author First published: 25 August 2017 https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405166355.ch18 AboutPDFPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShareShare a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Summary The trade liberalization, deregulation, and privatization that have taken place as part of globalization have created new market opportunities. Many companies have responded by entering into more international joint ventures (IJVs) and engaging in more cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As). From the late 1980s through the 1990s there was a dramatic increase in the number of strategic alliances and mergers and acquisitions.2 The Blackwell Handbook of Global Management RelatedInformation

In this chapter we investigate the relationship between leadership and dependability. Dependability is a skill that relates to a number of other workplace skills. The Bases of Competence skills model has been used to capture the skills related to dependability. There are four bases—Managing Self, Communicating, Managing People and Tasks, and Mobilizing Innovation and Change—made up of individual skills. Three of the bases consist of four skills and one is made up of five skills. The performance of a leader was shown to relate to the skills and other factors. Leadership performance and dependability are presented through several concepts: 360 degree stakeholder interactions, meeting deadlines, credit given to others, trust, mindfulness, and motivation. The difference between leadership in a crisis and in a stable situation is considered. A case study entitled “Saadiyat: A Global Team in Trouble” concludes the chapter.

This project explores the facilitators and barriers to effective knowledge transfer between parties with asymmetric and incomplete information (Lin et al., 2005). It is intended to close a gap in our understanding of how to effectively share knowledge between parties that do not have the same base knowledge, culture, or motivation. The specific context is that of sustainable energy practices in Alaska as facilitated by University of Alaska Fairbanks Bristol Bay Campus efforts at community outreach. This is set within the broader mandate of; a) sustainable energy practices aimed at reducing cost and reliance on finite energy resources; b) the native communities desire to rebalance traditional and westernised ways of living in local communities.

Business schools have a responsibility to prepare students for the challenges of a complex business environment. Students should graduate with the capability to effectively work in other cultures and with people from different cultures. Simply providing students with the opportunity to visit or live in other cultures or to connect with people from other cultures is necessary but insufficient. We argue for a comprehensive program that includes a measurement of intercultural effectiveness and guides students in understanding where their intercultural skills are and what they can do to improve them. A comprehensive program would also provide the institution with a measure of its influence on student intercultural effectiveness and thereby steer improvements in learning opportunities. This paper tells the story of one business school’s program for a learner-centered approach to the development and assessment of intercultural effectiveness. It offers a model, sample results, and lessons learned for other institutions interested in implementing similar programs.

The Bases of Competence model provides a general framework for learner‐centred skill development and programme‐focused outcomes assessment. Based on previous research, the Bases of Competence model describes 17 skills and four base competencies important to graduates to achieve high performance in the workplace. Taking this work from research to relevant educational application as a tool for student self‐assessment and institutional outcomes assessment is the focus of this paper. Results from a multi‐year, multi‐course assessment initiative indicate that students rate themselves stronger in the foundation base competencies of Communicating and Managing Self, and weaker in more complex competencies of Managing People and Tasks and Mobilising Innovation and Change. Comparisons of skill confidence within each base competence as well as between year, student level, gender and beginning versus end of semester are presented as well. These results are discussed and suggestions made for programme design.

The role and responsibilities of the chair of an academic department in higher education is considered from the perspective of both actor and agent, within the context of the institution being served and the department being represented. The intent of this article is to further research on the role of department chair by analyzing it in the context of the institution's goals and expectations, the stakeholders affecting and affected by the department chair, and the chair's own capabilities. A 360-degree exploration of the role, expectations and competencies of department chairs was carried out at a private business university in the Northeast area of the USA, including both business and liberal arts department chairs. The results led to new development programs for incoming chairs as well as better supports for current chairs. The design of this project allowed for both the study of the role of department chair and the improvement of support mechanisms to be effective in that role. The design, data and analysis are presented, along with descriptive models.

As the business world becomes more complex, the role of professional higher education in the development of “reflective practitioners” becomes more cogent. In this article, the authors argue for the Bases of Competence model, which articulates base competencies required of today’s higher education professional graduates, as a tool in learner-centered, self-reflective pedagogy and self-assessment. The purpose of this article is to describe the Bases of Competence model and to demonstrate its use in two learner-centered, self-reflective course-level initiatives.

We conceptualize new ways to qualify what themes should dominate the future international business and management (IB/IM) research agenda by examining three questions: Whom should we ask? What should we ask, and which selection criteria should we apply? What are the contextual forces? Our main findings are the following: (1) wider perspectives from academia and practice would benefit both rigor and relevance; (2) four key forces are climate change, globalization, inequality, and sustainability; and (3) we propose scientific mindfulness as the way forward for generating themes in IB/IM research. Scientific mindfulness is a holistic, cross-disciplinary, and contextual approach, whereby researchers need to make sense of multiple perspectives with the betterment of society as the ultimate criterion.

While business schools are recognising the need to graduate globally competent students, and are laying claim to doing so, questions are raised as to the effectiveness of their efforts as well as their ability to show evidence of having done so (Hunter et al., 2006). Many will point to the percentage of students who take advantage of study abroad and second language opportunities as evidence, but arguments are made that this is not enough (Hunter, 2004). The missing piece is self-reflection. Based on the premise that students need both conceptual and practical support in understanding themselves within the context of otherness in order to gain the most from an international experience, this paper presents a model for international education programmes that includes pre-departure preparation, on-site structures for interaction, and post-experience debriefing, all focused on learning about self and other.

The way we think about strategy is woefully incomplete, the authors contend.The traditional idea of focusing on the positioning of products (or services) underplays much of what most would agree makes a company truly competitive. Not only does it give short shrift to what a company knows, it ignores completely the fact that in today's dynamic economy, organizations have to continually reinvent who they are and what they do in large and small ways. And one important means of doing so is through innovation.An effective strategy, then, is comprised of three key components: product/market, knowledge and innovation positions. But even if a company masters the three strategic positions of product/market, knowledge and innovation independently, it is still at risk. Only when all three positions are aligned and mutually reinforcing can a strategy succeed.In adopting the notion of alignment, organizations need to view each position - product/market, knowledge and innovation - as aspects of an organization's overall strategy. Creating an integrated strategy thus requires focusing not on each position separately, but rather on all three positions simultaneously.The authors introduce the notion of competing based not only on what an organization makes or the service it provides, but on what it knows and how it innovates. Each aspect represents a competitive position that must be evaluated relative to the capabilities of the organization and to others in the marketplace battling for the same space. And each component must not only be aligned with the other two, but it needs to be adjusted as circumstances warrant.When done correctly, organizations - such as Buckman Laboratories, which is profiled here thrive. When done badly, the company can suffer, and perhaps fatally so, as the history of Polaroid points out.