The Wisconsin School of Business hosted its inaugural International Education Week last month, aligning with the national International Education Week 2024 held November 18 to November 22.
A partnership between the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of State, International Education Week (IEW) “celebrates the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide,” the U.S. Department of Education’s website states. “This joint initiative … is an opportunity to highlight the value of global and cultural competencies and promote programs that help U.S. students and teachers develop global skills for success in the 21st century.”
“IEW is celebrated at hundreds of institutions of higher education throughout the United States including the University of Wisconsin–Madison. We were excited to host our own business-centered events at the Wisconsin School of Business this year, adding to the many other IEW activities campus-wide,” said Mark Hagen, senior global programs manager of WSB’s Global Programs Office.
Tarun Kushwaha, professor of marketing and the Irwin Maier Professor of Business, kicked off WSB’s week of programming and events with a conversation, “Cross-Cultural Issues in Marketing,” which included insights from recent research. Cross-cultural differences can also be seen through a framework of cross-national differences, Kushwaha said.
“What I am interested in exploring in my work is, will the way American consumers respond to marketing stimuli be different than those in India? Would this response be different in the United Arab Emirates or in China? I want to understand more about how a culture impacts the way consumers and managers make decisions—and how firms should adapt the way they approach marketing decisions based on our understanding of culture.”
Other events during the week included a panel discussion with the global brand Fiskars; a conversation on navigating cultures in a global career with WSB’s Min Li, senior lecturer in management and human resources; an undergraduate and graduate instructor-led workshop; and a Photos From Abroad photo gallery display in Grainger Hall’s East and West Atriums.
WSB offers more than 300 study abroad programs and global experiences for students—30+ are designed specifically for Business Badgers—along with pathways that help students choose a global education experience while being provided with support each step along the way. WSB’s robust roster of global programs prepares business leaders for participation in the global economy. The school’s study abroad rate is among the highest in higher education: four out of 10 Business Badgers choose to study abroad during their time at WSB.
Tags: