BUS 390 - Supervised Study Abroad

Planned Offering: Spring (when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit)
Credits: 4

Spring 2017, BUS 390-01: Supervised Study Abroad: Business in Ireland (4). Prerequisite: Instructor consent. Twenty-five years ago, Ireland was regarded as the “poorest of the rich nations”. Then it grew to one of the richest and strongest economies in the world. During these “Celtic Tiger” years, Ireland benefited from partnerships with government, business, and labor unions, and received significant direct foreign investments. However, at the end of 2008 Ireland encountered severe economic difficulties. This course, based in County Galway, has two primary objectives: 1. To immerse students into the culture (history, literature, theater, religion, social norms) of Ireland, via lectures and field trips to sites of historic and cultural significance, including a course-concoluding medieval banquet and traditional Irish entertainment at a historic castle; and 2. To study the economy, management practices, and business climate of modern Ireland including its role in the European Union via lectures, meetings with business leaders, and visits to national and international businesses. Dean.

Spring 2017, BUS 390-02: Supervised Study Abroad: Leadership and Cross-Cultural Management (4). Prerequisite: Instructor consent. This course focuses on developing both leadership and cross-cultural management skills through immersing students in an intensive, leadership rich, and culturally diverse environment. Students and faculty live onboard a 50-foot bareboat yacht while travelling in the British Virgin Islands and the Leeward Islands. Living and learning on board a yacht for 21 days is quite a transformative experience. Students are required to adapt to new and unfamiliar surroundings, both in terms of the yacht and the cultures visited. Moreover, students are required to assume many roles and responsibilities on a daily basis, ranging from leading the crew as their skipper to utilizing newly developed navigational skills to plot the course to the next harbor and assure that the yacht arrives safely to preparing and serving meals for the crew. To enrich the onboard experience for participants, students complete readings and engage in discussions on leadership and cross-cultural management. At each location students engage with local businesses and business leaders. In addition, each student is required to maintain a daily analytical journal that applies the readings to their experience onboard. No prior sailing experience is required as students develop sailing, navigation, and yacht management proficiencies through living and learning onboard the yacht. Shay.