International Business Subcommittee

Goals 2000-2001

A Strategic Plan for Achieving Leadership in Global Business Education
at the Merrick School of Business

By Chris Nielsen (October 5, 2000)

This initiative began in the 1999-2000 academic year, with unanimous support from the MAB International Business Subcommittee. The project is founded on a partnership between high-profile firms engaged in global business activities and the Merrick School of Business. Its purpose is to identify and focus on firms' top priority requirements for global business success.

The purpose of this initiative is to insure that future international business education is grounded in practical, real-world considerations that drive competition and the quest for worldwide market share. [Current curricula and textbooks have been built around what the academic community has judged to be the most critical themes.] Based on our research findings, faculty and corporate partners will create curriculum packages that focused on the most challenging aspects of international business activity. The results of this research, along with a case and video series, and supporting educational materials will be made available to the academic community through our World of Business Opportunities website. The site will provide information demonstrating how the materials can be integrated into business courses at graduate and undergraduate levels.

Also, we may expand our World of Business Opportunities executive seminar series highlighting international business issues. Finally, it is our intention to publish a textbook with cases focused on these themes, featuring Top Priority Issues in International Business. Other benefits of the project could include global practica projects for our students, and student internships geared to the specific international requirements of participating companies. This program would lead to increased opportunities for student interactions with our corporate partners, and therefore should improve our students' opportunities for career placement in leading businesses.

Phase 1: Nomination/Selection of International Business Leaders to serve on Delphi Panel and Design Website (September-October 2000)

Phase 2: Delphi Survey Research in 2 Rounds to Identify Top Priority International Business Issues (November 2000 - March 2001)

Phase 3: Summarize Research Results and Submit for Publication (April - May 2001)

Phase 4: Finalize List of Top Priority Issues in International Business and Match Interested Faculty with International Business Leaders to Co-author Cases and Write Textbook chapters (June - September 2001)

Phase 5: Pilot Test Initial Set of Cases in our MBA Courses and Hold a World of Business Opportunities Executive Seminar
(Fall Semester 2001)

Phase 6: Develop Full Case Series, Supporting Course Materials (Spring Semester 2002)

Phase 7: Publish Textbook: Top Priority Issues in International Business (2002-2003)

Merrick School of Business Advisory Board
International Business Committee

James Albrecht
McCormick & Company

Joseph DiCara
President
DiCara & Associates

James Coleman (Chair)
Vice President, International Operations
Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems

Ernesto Escola
Manager, International Sales
Ellicott Machine Corp., Int’l.

Norman Bloomberg
Vice President Marketing and Sales
Sylvan Learning

Marti Buscaglia
Vice President Marketing & Communications
The Baltimore Sun

Jean Van Buskirk
MD Office of International Trade

William A. Hopp
Controller
The Ward Machinery Company

James Hughes
Director-Office of International Business
MD Department of Business & Economics

Fred Lissauer
Vice President, Global Export Business Dev.
McCormick and Company, Inc.

Howard M. Weiss
Senior Vice President
Bank of America

Vernon H.C. Wright
Vice Chairman & Chief Corporate Finance Officer
MBNA American Bank, N.A.

Chris Nielsen
Director of International Programs
Merrick School of Business
University of Baltimore

University of Baltimore
Merrick School of Business
1420 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201-5779
USA