With the rapid globalization and Mergers and Acquisitions of the companies, it is expected out of an MBA graduate to be aware of the corporate practices, culture and ethics followed throughout the world. These practices, ethics, and culture might vary from minute to large scale across the regions. Every country has its own specific set of corporate behavioural practices, customs, rules, and regulations, etc. In International Business, the curriculum designed includes additional subjects regarding the customs and norms of corporate practices all over the world. Thus International Business, as a management course is very crucial in today’s era.
Specializing in International Business Management has the edge over various other courses, as one gets an opportunity to learn the specific subjects of international practices along with the main topics of MBA. Though this does not guarantee an international placement, it increases the chance of one obtaining offers to different countries’ visit within a firm in the future. During a company’s acquisitions and mergers or international meetings, training programs, and seminars; an employee with specialization in International Business holds a greater chance of being represented in such conferences.
Very few institutes in India have International Business as a subject, crucial to its MBA course structure. K J SIMSR is one of such institutes that have International Business as a separate course in MBA. The subject incorporates additional foreign language learning as Spanish, Mandarin, etc. I was keen on doing my masters in International Business Management that landed me here for various opportunities and experiences listed below.
1. Multiple disciplines of international marketing and business as International Market Research, Business Strategy Models, Export-Import Policy, Logistics, and Supply Chain Management are part of the curriculum. Also, international finance is essential to work in the MNCs that require one to understand the concepts as FEMA, Mergers & Acquisitions, various countries’ analysis and sectoral strategies, International Consulting, Relations, and Diplomacy to gain a holistic approach towards the business outlook.
2. Also, the institute has ten foreign universities affiliated with it for the student
semester exchange programs and 1-month Immersion program to these universities for a glimpse of the working environment of those students and corporates. Some of these are University San Diego, Saint Martin‘s University and The University of Akron in North America, Aston University and DHBW in Europe, BFS and Yunnan University in China, etc. The tour involves cultural integration and workshops in developing a holistic understanding of doing business and students are also exposed to industrial visits of renowned firms.
3. It conducts events and seminars inviting the alumni who have settled abroad for giving a brief about their hardships and planning to situate themselves in foreign lands. They encourage the students to evolve themselves depending on the environment they are placed to succeed in the foreign nations with our grassroots level of knowledge and ethics. It also includes workshops and guest lectures of multiple heads and professors of the associated foreign universities and international firms who preach about their education system, the skill set required by their corporates, working culture, etc.
4. The subjects and faculties focus on the global perspectives, how the foreign companies expand and enter the Indian markets, smaller ones globalize themselves and generate brand equity. Various
case studies of MNCs and HBR case studies are a part of the curriculum that provides practical insights into the understanding of the market at the global level.
5. It also opens up the kind of roles one can work, as a person can function as a cultural adviser with a business or organization or might even find work with a government agency as a community developer. Most students of international business work in the business era, handling responsibilities that involve global development and govern international trade. Studying international trade will not only help one understand different cultures, markets, and geographies but also allow one to see the holistic picture in the area of business issues, their solutions and decision making.