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18.7: The International Assignment

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Learning Objectives

Describe how to prepare for an international assignment.
Discuss the acculturation process as an expatriate.
Describe effective strategies for living and working abroad.

Suppose you have the opportunity to work or study in a foreign country. You may find the prospect of an international assignment intriguing, challenging, or even frightening; indeed, most professionals employed abroad will tell you they pass through all three stages at some point during the assignment. They may also share their sense of adjustment, even embrace of their host culture, and the challenges of reintegration into their native country.

An international assignment, whether as a student or a career professional, requires work and preparation, and should be given the time and consideration of any major life change. When you lose a loved one, it takes time to come to terms with the loss. When someone you love is diagnosed with a serious illness, the news may take some time to sink in. When a new baby enters your family, a period of adjustment is predictable and prolonged. All these major life changes can stress an individual beyond their capacity to adjust. Similarly, in order to be a successful “expat,” or expatriate, one needs to prepare mentally and physically for the change.

International business assignments are a reflection of increased global trade, and as trade decreases, they may become an expensive luxury. As technology allows for instant face-to-face communication, and group collaboration on documents via cloud computing and storage, the need for physical travel may be reduced. But regardless of whether your assignment involves relocation abroad, supervision of managers in another country at a distance, or supervision by a foreign manager, you will need to learn more about the language, culture, and customs that are not your own. You will need to compare and contrast, and seek experiences that lend insight, in order to communicate more effectively.

An efficient, effective manager in any country is desirable, but one with international experience even more so. You will represent your company and they will represent you, including a considerable financial investment, either by your employer (in the case of a professional assignment) or by whoever is financing your education (in the case of studying abroad). That investment should not be taken lightly. As many as 40 percent of foreign-assigned employees terminate their assignments early (Tu, H. and Sullivan, S., 1994), at a considerable cost to their employers. Of those that remain, almost 50 percent are less than effective (Tu, H. and Sullivan, S., 1994).

Preparation

With this perspective in mind, let’s discuss how to prepare for the international assignment and strategies to make you a more effective professional as a stranger in a strange land. First we’ll dispel a couple of myths associated with an idealized or romantic view of living abroad. Next we’ll examine traits and skills of the successful expatriate. Finally, we’ll examine culture shock and the acculturation process.

Your experience with other cultures may have come firsthand, but for most, a foreign location like Paris is an idea formed from exposure to images via the mass media. Paris may be known for its art, as a place for lovers, or as a great place to buy bread. But if you have only ever known about a place through the lens of a camera, you have only seen the portraits designed and portrayed by others. You will lack the multidimensional view of one who lives and works in Paris, and even if you are aware of its history, its economic development, or its recent changes, these are all academic observations until the moment of experience.

That is not to say that research does not form a solid foundation in preparation for an international assignment, but it does reinforce the distinction between a media-fabricated ideal and real life. Awareness of this difference is an important step as you prepare yourself for life in a foreign culture.

If the decision is yours to make, take your time. If others are involved, and family is a consideration, you should take even more care with this important decision. Residence abroad requires some knowledge of the language, an ability to adapt, and an interest in learning about different cultures. If family members are not a part of the decision, or lack the language skills or interest, the assignment may prove overwhelming and lead to failure. Sixty-four percent of expatriate respondents who terminated their assignment early indicated that family concerns were the primary reason (Contreras, C. D., 2009).

Points to consider include the following:

How flexible are you?
Do you need everything spelled out or can you go with the flow?
Can you adapt to new ways of doing business?
Are you interested in the host culture and willing to dedicate the time and put forth the effort to learn more about it?
What has been your experience to date working with people from distinct cultures?
What are your language skills at present, and are you interested in learning a new language?
Is your family supportive of the assignment?
How will it affect your children’s education? Your spouse’s career? Your career?
Will this assignment benefit your family?
How long are you willing to commit to the assignment?
What resources are available to help you prepare, move, and adjust?
Can you stand being out of the loop, even if you are in daily written and oral communication with the home office?
What is your relationship with your employer, and can it withstand the anticipated stress and tension that will result as not everything goes according to plan?
Is the cultural framework of your assignment similar to—or unlike—your own, and how ready are you to adapt to differences in such areas as time horizon, masculinity versus femininity, or direct versus indirect styles of communication?

This list of questions could continue, and feel free to add your own as you explore the idea of an international assignment. An international assignment is not like a domestic move or reassignment. Within the same country, even if there are significantly different local customs in place, similar rules, laws, and ways of doing business are present. In a foreign country, you will lose those familiar traditions and institutions and have to learn many new ways of accomplishing your given tasks. What once took a five-minute phone call may now take a dozen meetings and a month to achieve, and that may cause you some frustration. It may also cause your employer frustration as you try to communicate how things are done locally, and why results are not immediate, as they lack even your limited understanding of your current context. Your relationship with your employer will experience stress, and your ability to communicate your situation will require tact and finesse.

Successful expatriates are adaptable, open to learning new languages, cultures, and skilled at finding common ground for communication. Rather than responding with frustration, they learn the new customs and find the advantage to get the job done. They form relationships and are not afraid to ask for help when it is warranted or required. They feel secure in their place as explorer, and understand that mistakes are a given, even as they are unpredictable. Being a stranger is no easy task, but they welcome the challenge with energy and enthusiasm.

Acculturation Process

Acculturation, or the transition to living abroad, is often described as an emotional rollercoaster. Steven Rhinesmith provides ten steps that show the process of acculturation, including culture shock, that you may experience:

Initial anxiety
Initial elation
Initial culture shock
Superficial adjustment
Depression-frustration
Acceptance of host culture
Return anxiety
Return elation
Reentry shock
Reintegration

Humans fear the unknown, and even if your tolerance for uncertainty is high, you may experience a degree of anxiety in anticipation of your arrival. At first the “honeymoon” period is observed, with a sense of elation at all the newfound wonders. You may adjust superficially at first, learning where to get familiar foods or new ways to meet your basic needs. As you live in the new culture, divergence will become a trend and you’ll notice many things that frustrate you. You won’t anticipate the need for two hours at a bank for a transaction that once took five minutes, or could be handled over the Internet, and find that businesses close during midday, preventing you from accomplishing your goals. At this stage, you will feel that living in this new culture is simply exhausting. Many expats advise that this is the time to tough it out—if you give in to the temptation to make a visit back home, you will only prolong your difficult adjustment.

Over time, if you persevere, you will come to accept and adjust to your host culture, and learn how to accomplish your goals with less frustration and ease. You may come to appreciate several cultural values or traits and come to embrace some aspects of your host culture. At some point, you will need to return to your first, or home, culture, but that transition will bring a sense of anxiety. People and places change, the familiar is no longer so familiar, and you too have changed. You may once again be elated at your return and the familiar, and experience a sense of comfort in home and family, but culture shock may again be part of your adjustment. You may look at your home culture in a new way and question things that are done in a particular way that you have always considered normal. You may hold onto some of the cultural traits you adopted while living abroad, and begin the process of reintegration.

You may also begin to feel that the “grass is greener” in your host country, and long to return. Expatriates are often noted for “going native,” or adopting the host culture’s way of life, but even the most confirmed expats still gather to hear the familiar sound of their first language, and find community in people like themselves who have blended cultural boundaries on a personal level.

Living and Working Abroad

In order to learn to swim you have to get in the water, and all the research and preparation cannot take the place of direct experience. Your awareness of culture shock may help you adjust, and your preparation by learning some of the language will assist you, but know that living and working abroad take time and effort. Still, there are several guidelines that can serve you well as you start your new life in a strange land:

Be open and creative . People will eat foods that seem strange or do things in a new way, and your openness and creativity can play a positive role in your adjustment. Staying close to your living quarters or surrounding yourself with similar expats can limit your exposure to and understanding of the local cultures. While the familiar may be comfortable, and the new setting may be uncomfortable, you will learn much more about your host culture and yourself if you make the effort to be open to new experiences. Being open involves getting out of your comfort zone.
Be self-reliant . Things that were once easy or took little time may now be challenging or consume your whole day. Focus on your ability to resolve issues, learn new ways to get the job done, and be prepared to do new things.
Keep a balanced perspective . Your host culture isn’t perfect. Humans aren’t perfect, and neither was your home culture. Each location and cultural community has strengths you can learn from if you are open to them.
Be patient . Take your time, and know a silent period is normal. The textbook language classes only provide a base from which you will learn how people who live in the host country actually communicate. You didn’t learn to walk in a day and won’t learn to successfully navigate this culture overnight either.
Be a student and a teacher . You are learning as the new member of the community, but as a full member of your culture, you can share your experiences as well.
Be an explorer . Get out and go beyond your boundaries when you feel safe and secure. Traveling to surrounding villages, or across neighboring borders, can expand your perspective and help you learn.
Protect yourself . Always keep all your essential documents, money, and medicines close to you, or where you know they will be safe. Trying to source a medicine in a country where you are not fluent in the language, or where the names of remedies are different, can be a challenge. Your passport is essential to your safety and you need to keep it safe. You may also consider vaccination records, birth certificates, or business documents in the same way, keeping them safe and accessible. You may want to consider a “bug-out bag,” with all the essentials you need, including food, water, keys, and small tools, as an essential part of planning in case of emergency.

Key Takeaways

Preparation is key to a successful international assignment. Living and working abroad takes time, effort, and patience.

Research one organization in a business or industry that relates to your major and has an international presence. Find a job announcement or similar document that discusses the business and its international activities. Share and compare with classmates.
Conduct a search on expat networks including online forum. Briefly describe your findings and share with classmates.
What would be the hardest part of an overseas assignment for you and why? What would be the easiest part of an overseas assignment for you and why?
Find an advertisement for an international assignment. Note the qualifications, and share with classmates.
Find an article or other first-person account of someone’s experience on an international assignment. Share your results with your classmates.

Contreras, C. D. (2009). Should you accept the international assignment? BNET . Retrieved from findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5350/is_200308/ai_n21334696.

Rhinesmith, S. (1984). Returning home . Ottawa, Canada: Canadian Bureau for International Education.

Tu, H., & Sullivan, S. (1994). Business horizons . Retrieved from findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1038/is_nl_v37/ai_14922926.

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5 International Business Examples to Learn From

Conference table with a map of the world illustrating global business

29 Jun 2021

The term international business refers to any business that operates across international borders. At its most basic, it includes the sale of goods and services between countries.

Yet, other forms of international business do exist. For example, a business that produces components or products overseas but sells them domestically can be considered an international business, as can an organization that outsources services, such as customer service, to locations where labor expenses are cheaper.

For most organizations, decisions around building, producing, and selling products or services are informed by many factors. Cost is an important one because businesses that primarily operate in developed markets, like the United States and Europe, can often source cheaper labor abroad.

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Other factors play a role in decision-making, too. For example, an organization that makes a conscious effort to become more sustainable may produce its product as close as possible to the end user to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to transportation, even if it might result in higher labor costs. Likewise, a business may take pride in sourcing local labor to create jobs and support the economy.

Although international business can benefit the global economy, it also carries inherent risks. The fact that each country has its own government, regulations, inflation rates, and currency can complicate business models and must be weighed against the perceived benefits of operating internationally. Some of the most common challenges of international businesses include language and cultural barriers, currency exchange rates, and foreign politics and policies.

What Is a Successful International Business?

International businesses must have resilient, adaptable, communicative, and resourceful employees who know when to seize expansion opportunities. They need to have a deep understanding of international economics to anticipate how global markets will affect their bottom line and international marketing to effectively communicate their organization’s value to diverse audiences.

Are you interested in working with an international organization? Do you have plans and aspirations to take your business international? Here’s a look at five well-known international businesses that have successfully—and not so successfully—navigated the global market.

Examples of International Businesses

Apple Inc., founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in the 1970s, is now considered one of the most influential international companies. Headquartered in the United States, Apple designs, develops, and sells electronics, software, streaming, and online services worldwide.

Apple opened its first international location in Tokyo, Japan, in 2003 after saturating the American market. Under Jobs, Apple touted ease-of-use, innovative design, and customer loyalty with the marketing slogan, “ Think Different ,” and it continues to use visionary strategic marketing and a tight ecosystem to overcome competition and attract creative audiences around the globe.

Apple not only sells products internationally but has supply chains from 43 countries that ship supplies to China for final production and assembly. By keeping a tight-knit and strong relationship with suppliers, strategic inventory, and a focus on sustainability, Apple stands as one of the world’s most successful companies.

2. Financial Times

The Financial Times is a formerly British daily newspaper that’s now owned by the Japanese holding company Nikkei. The Financial Times’ mission is to deliver unbiased, informed investment and economic information to empower individuals and companies to make secure investment decisions.

The Financial Times had a rocky start trying to break into the international market. Andrew Gilchrist, former managing director of the Financial Times , describes his experience at the publication in the online course Global Business .

During his tenure, the Financial Times prioritized entering the international market in India. Despite a large English-speaking population and strong government support, domestic journalism was considered culturally and legally suspect. In fact, the Financial Times was eventually tied up in legal knots because the local newspaper barons were able to challenge every move through the courts.

Eventually, the Financial Times’ attempt to go international in India led to an economic slowdown and sluggish company growth.

3. McDonald’s

Two brothers, Maurice and Richard McDonald, converted their drive-through barbecue restaurant in San Bernardino, California, into a burger and milkshake restaurant—now known as McDonald’s—in 1948.

The McDonald brothers focused on creating a better business system geared toward self-service and efficient and repeatable processes that relied on heating lamps instead of waiters. This model, known as “ Speedee ,” led to lower costs, cheaper products, and faster growth. It became the epitome of “fast food.”

Soon after, Ray Croc took McDonald’s a step further by bringing in franchisees and suppliers, leading to the creation of restaurants across the United States. McDonald’s model continued to expand, and, in 1967, the company opened locations in Canada and Puerto Rico .

McDonald’s has been internationally successful, thanks in large part to the consistency its business model allows. The fact that a Big Mac tastes the same regardless of which country you order it in is a testament to the company’s long history. Today, there are 38,000 restaurants in more than 120 countries.

4. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola was created by pharmacist John Pemberton in 1886 at a soda fountain in Atlanta, Georgia. It was used as a tonic for common ailments due, in part, to the addition of cocaine and caffeine derived from the kola nut, which was a major ingredient at the time. (This was later removed from the recipe in 1903.)

Although popular at its inception, Coca-Cola became the company it is today because of the marketing and business leadership of Asa Griggs Candler and future investors, who dramatically increased sales and expanded syrup factory production into Canada.

Eventually, an independent bottle company licensed the rights to Coca-Cola’s syrup production and distribution, streamlining production and generating massive profits. Coca-Cola later remarketed for Germany, China, and India, and it’s now sold everywhere except Cuba and North Korea .

Coca-Cola currently has over 900 bottling and manufacturing facilities worldwide , many of which are in North America, Asia, and Africa.

H-E-B is a popular American grocery company with more than 340 stores in Texas and northeast Mexico. It was founded by Florence Butt in 1905 and expanded into Mexico in 1997.

The primary driver of international expansion wasn’t a desire to capture greater market share, but rather, a desire to gain access to foreign produce markets in warmer climates, from which the company could source produce during its domestic suppliers’ off-season in the northeastern United States.

Craig Boyan, president of H-E-B, explains in Global Business that, upon becoming an international business, H-E-B bought blueberries from Chile and Peru to sell year-round. Despite it being expensive to ship blueberry crates to Texas, this enabled the company to continue meeting its customers’ needs. Since then, production has increased with demand, especially in Mexico, which has an ideal climate to produce blueberries year-round. H-E-B now sources blueberries mostly from Mexico, making them more available and affordable for customers.

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What Do You Study in International Business?

Many businesses succeed by expanding their markets, production operations, and supply chains internationally. But doing so requires savvy business leadership bolstered by economic knowledge, an understanding of markets, and the ability to learn political and cultural trends.

Business professionals who have a successful career in international business need various skills and expertise . Acquiring these combined skills employers are looking for, along with international business experience, can lead to long-term career success. Some of these important skills include:

Strong communication skills
Emotional intelligence
Cultural awareness
Knowledge of finance and accounting
Entrepreneurship skills
Understanding of global economics

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Why Study International Business?

Regardless of the role, professionals must stay current on all business practices. A global business education provides a wide range of opportunities to create and capture value for organizations. To bring this value to the workplace, individuals need to understand the economic, political, and social factors that drive change and how decisions affect global markets .

Strategists and entrepreneurs should learn about the broader macroeconomic and political landscape of their organizations to grow their business internationally and manage global teams. Professionals in heavily regulated industries can also use this knowledge to develop approaches and frameworks to navigate their complex industries.

If you’re considering joining a global business or thinking about ways to expand your organization internationally, completing an online Global Business course is an excellent way to quickly gain those skills.

Are you interested in breaking into a global market? Sharpen your knowledge of the international business world with our four-week online course Global Business , and explore our other business in society courses. Not sure which is right for you? Download our free course flowchart .

This article was updated on July 19, 2022. It was originally published on June 29, 2021.

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18.7 The International Assignment

Learning objectives.

Describe how to prepare for an international assignment.
Discuss the acculturation process as an expatriate.
Describe effective strategies for living and working abroad.

Preparation

Points to consider include the following:

How flexible are you?
Do you need everything spelled out or can you go with the flow?
Can you adapt to new ways of doing business?
Are you interested in the host culture and willing to dedicate the time and put forth the effort to learn more about it?
What has been your experience to date working with people from distinct cultures?
What are your language skills at present, and are you interested in learning a new language?
Is your family supportive of the assignment?
How will it affect your children’s education? Your spouse’s career? Your career?
Will this assignment benefit your family?
How long are you willing to commit to the assignment?
What resources are available to help you prepare, move, and adjust?
Can you stand being out of the loop, even if you are in daily written and oral communication with the home office?
What is your relationship with your employer, and can it withstand the anticipated stress and tension that will result as not everything goes according to plan?
Is the cultural framework of your assignment similar to—or unlike—your own, and how ready are you to adapt to differences in such areas as time horizon, masculinity versus femininity, or direct versus indirect styles of communication?

Acculturation Process

Acculturation , or the transition to living abroad, is often described as an emotional rollercoaster. Steven Rhinesmith provides ten steps that show the process of acculturation, including culture shock, that you may experience:

Initial anxiety
Initial elation
Initial culture shock
Superficial adjustment
Depression-frustration
Acceptance of host culture
Return anxiety
Return elation
Reentry shock
Reintegration

Figure 18.3

The international assignment requires adaptability.

JT – Euro Note Currency – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Living and Working Abroad

Be open and creative . People will eat foods that seem strange or do things in a new way, and your openness and creativity can play a positive role in your adjustment. Staying close to your living quarters or surrounding yourself with similar expats can limit your exposure to and understanding of the local cultures. While the familiar may be comfortable, and the new setting may be uncomfortable, you will learn much more about your host culture and yourself if you make the effort to be open to new experiences. Being open involves getting out of your comfort zone.
Be self-reliant . Things that were once easy or took little time may now be challenging or consume your whole day. Focus on your ability to resolve issues, learn new ways to get the job done, and be prepared to do new things.
Keep a balanced perspective . Your host culture isn’t perfect. Humans aren’t perfect, and neither was your home culture. Each location and cultural community has strengths you can learn from if you are open to them.
Be patient . Take your time, and know a silent period is normal. The textbook language classes only provide a base from which you will learn how people who live in the host country actually communicate. You didn’t learn to walk in a day and won’t learn to successfully navigate this culture overnight either.
Be a student and a teacher . You are learning as the new member of the community, but as a full member of your culture, you can share your experiences as well.
Be an explorer . Get out and go beyond your boundaries when you feel safe and secure. Traveling to surrounding villages, or across neighboring borders, can expand your perspective and help you learn.
Protect yourself . Always keep all your essential documents, money, and medicines close to you, or where you know they will be safe. Trying to source a medicine in a country where you are not fluent in the language, or where the names of remedies are different, can be a challenge. Your passport is essential to your safety and you need to keep it safe. You may also consider vaccination records, birth certificates, or business documents in the same way, keeping them safe and accessible. You may want to consider a “bug-out bag,” with all the essentials you need, including food, water, keys, and small tools, as an essential part of planning in case of emergency.

Key Takeaways

Preparation is key to a successful international assignment. Living and working abroad takes time, effort, and patience.

Research one organization in a business or industry that relates to your major and has an international presence. Find a job announcement or similar document that discusses the business and its international activities. Share and compare with classmates.
Conduct a search on expat networks including online forum. Briefly describe your findings and share with classmates.
What would be the hardest part of an overseas assignment for you and why? What would be the easiest part of an overseas assignment for you and why?
Find an advertisement for an international assignment. Note the qualifications, and share with classmates.
Find an article or other first-person account of someone’s experience on an international assignment. Share your results with your classmates.

Contreras, C. D. (2009). Should you accept the international assignment? BNET . Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5350/is_200308/ai_n21334696 .

Rhinesmith, S. (1984). Returning home . Ottawa, Canada: Canadian Bureau for International Education.

Tu, H., & Sullivan, S. (1994). Business horizons . Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1038/is_nl_v37/ai_14922926 .

Business Communication for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

International Business

(5 reviews)

Mason A Carpenter, University of Wisconsin at Madison

Sanjyot P Dunung, Atma Global

ISBN 13: 9781453312995

Publisher: Saylor Foundation

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of use.

Learn more about reviews.

Reviewed by Ashley Beleny, Instructor, Virginia Tech on 4/11/22

The textbook covers a range of issues; however, it goes into areas that are beyond the scope of international business and increases the large about of information to be covered in one semester. read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The textbook covers a range of issues; however, it goes into areas that are beyond the scope of international business and increases the large about of information to be covered in one semester.

Content Accuracy rating: 2

The book is overall accurate, but it needs to be updated. Case studies, information about the current status of China, the WTO and international trade agreements all are out of date.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Trade agreements have changed, such a the RCEP being negotiated, and those changes have affected a number of geopolitical elements that should be acknowledged.

Clarity rating: 4

The book is written in a very conversational tone which is easy to read.

Consistency rating: 5

It is very consistent throughout in its organization.

Modularity rating: 5

The book is divided into sections that can be moved around and organized as is desired for the course.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The structure is a little awkward in the order I would put things and the emphasis I would put on different areas. It skips from one area to another, but overall that makes it more modular if the course is organized in a way that just necessitates readings or sections that can be inserted into the course.

Interface rating: 5

The book is laid out clearly.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

There are not a significant number of grammatical errors to skew the understanding or flow of the textbook.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Culture is a key issue for international business. The cultural section of the book doesn't continue to go into how culture affects how businesses operate to the point appropriate for this course.

The highlighted words that are emphasized in the book are not the keywords in the situation.

Reviewed by Samira Hussein, Professor, Business Administration, Johnson County Community College on 5/30/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

I currently use a textbook from a major publisher which is an introductory text in international business, much like this one. I find that the topics in both texts are comparable. I would not need another text to supplement the material. However, as others have mentioned in their review, the examples seem dated. As long as I emphasized the theoretical part, I would be fine with adopting the textbook. Also, each sub heading is organized with "key takeaways", discussion questions, and a summary. All of this provides reader friendly pedagogy.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

No inaccuracies were noted. The examples provided throughout the textbook provide multiple perspectives, due to which this textbook will enjoy broad appeal to many instructors.

As long as instructors use the book to provide a framework of international business, the textbook will provide the foundation in a comprehensive manner. In the digital world where newsletters to supplement the textbook also become dated, instructors can always add currency to this textbook by providing examples that are current. The book is very relevant to a foundational course since it covers all aspects of international business.

Clarity rating: 5

The prose is written in a manner that creates interest in the topics. I found myself drawn to the several topics and sub topics because of the interesting examples given from not just one part of the globe, but all over. The points made in these headings and sub-headings are summarized, and also practical tips are given quite often. All this provides clarity for the reader.

Consistency is the biggest appeal of this textbook. By the second or the third chapter the reader knows what to expect, and how terminology will be understood through examples, and practical applications.

Modularity rating: 4

Although, I am used to chunking the chapters into sections, I believe that instructors can easily divide the various chapters into broader themes. The author provides each sub-heading as a comprehensive reading assignment. Bibliography is provided at the end of each section which can be assigned as further reading and research for the students.

I would rearrange the topics differently since there are some chapters that would logically flow better next to each other. Sub themes can be created by re-arranging the chapters differently.

Interface rating: 3

I found the blue text within the chapter distracting since they are not hyperlinked. Also, many of the hyperlinks at the end of the section are not functional. The text does not offer many images that may enhance the explanation provided. This creates lack of interest for the reader. However, the images that are provided are relevant within the context of the discussion.

There are no grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The very fact that the book provides examples from all over the world rather than certain economies demonstrates cultural sensitivity to me. Furthermore, the examples are interesting and create curiosity for the different regions of the world.

I found the textbook to be relevant, user friendly, and fairly comprehensive. However, with all the bells and whistles provided by textbook publishers, the accuracy of working links, and superior supplements provided for the textbooks a strong draw towards sticking with the publishers. This by no means implies that this text cannot be used as is. If power points, testbanks and other supplements can be added, some of the negatives of this textbook can be easily overlooked. The price is just right ($0)!!

Reviewed by Trunnis Goggins, Adjunct Instructor of Business, Trine University on 4/16/21

This textbook does a great job at providing the basics and foundation of international business. However based on the ever dynamic and changing world of international business, some information is a little dated. read more

The author does a great job at presenting well-founded and peer reviewed facts. Again due to the rapidly changing laws and trade agreements, it is rather difficult to maintain accuracy in a book like this even from one semester to the next.

This book does a great job at presenting the fundamentals. There are only some aspects of this textbook that may deem to be obsolete. However, the foundational approach of this textbook does give the student a clear and concise description of the inner workings of international business.

The book is well written and does provide real-world scenarios. These scenarios can be extremely helpful in understanding the technical and academic aspects of international business.

The author does a fantastic job of providing a consistent message.

This textbook is written in a way that builds from one chapter to the next. It is easy to follow and its sequence allows the student to continually build on prior learning from prior chapters.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

This textbook is very organized and very well planned.

Extremely manageable interface.

I found no grammatical errors

This book was written in a fashion that was sensitive to all cultures. It also gave very valuable insight to the ethical values and cultures of many other economic systems throughout the world.

Reviewed by Ruby Lee, Professor, Florida State University on 11/5/18

The text covers a wide range of topics that are important and timely to international business. Instructors who teach international marketing should also find the text helpful. Nonetheless, the text does not provide index or glossary. read more

The content is absolutely unbiased and accurate at the time of writing. Many examples and cases discussed in the text are real companies and their issues are continuing.

The text is highly relevant and up-to-date. Examples are well used. The theory and most concepts will not be obsolete within a short period of time. However, the challenge of teaching international business is that companies are consistently changing, revising their strategies, and making various adaptations to stay afloat, and therefore some of the examples (e.g., Google in China) might need to get updates more frequently than others. But it should be relatively easy and straightforward to implement.

The text is easy to understand and follow. Examples are abundant to adequately illustrate various concepts or terminology used in the text. But it would be better if a glossary was included.

The text is highly consistent. Examples (opening cases), contents, and exercises to reinforce students' learning are in order.

The book's modularity follows most mainstream IB textbooks. So, it should not be a problem for instructors to switch from their current text to this one. Each chapter is well organized with smaller reading sections. This definitely allows instructors to pick and choose the topics that fit into their curriculum.

The topics in the text are well organized and presented. Examples (opening cases), contents, and exercises to reinforce students' learning are in order. It would be very helpful if the beginning of each chapter has a table of content.

Interface rating: 4

The text does not have many images and charts. So, I don't see any interface issues.

The text is written in plain English. I do not spot any grammatical errors.

The text is very culturally sensitive indeed. It uses examples from different parts of the world. It further includes real company examples from various countries across the globe to demonstrate the challenge of conducting international business. It's really a nice text.

The text is wonderful overall. Please include a table of content of the text, a table of content for each chapter, a chapter summary, a glossary. More tables and figures to illustrate some of the contents would be helpful too.

Reviewed by Barry Hawkey, Adjunct Faculty, Portland Community College on 6/19/18

This is a massive text, and seems to cover everything I’d need in my International Marketing course. Without a table of contents or an index, however, it is difficult to understand the complete flow of this 730-page text! Any instructor using... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

This text seems to be very professionally written, and I have found no errors or evidence of bias. I would recommend it to college-level instructors

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

International Marketing is a rapidly changing topic, so it is difficult to write a text with examples that will not seem out of date in a few years. Examples in this text include Coca-Cola, DeBeers, and Google, which seem unlikely to be rendered obsolete any time soon.

The text is well-organized by section and subsection, but the lack of a table of contents or index makes it very difficult to find every reference to a particular topic. Without those, future updates will be very hard to integrate.

The text is very professionally written. Sentence structures and explanations are easy to follow, and should be easily accessible to college-level students.

Consistency rating: 4

The text is professionally written, and appears well laid-out. I do not see much evidence of language or concepts building on themselves, or of early topics being referenced in later chapters, however. There is also no glossary, and key words do not seem to be given highlighted definitions in the text. Still, the overall voice of the text is very consisent.

The case studies and matching exercises given in every chapter are a huge help, and make the massive text much more approachable to readers.

While the case studies, “amusing anecdotes” and exercises are very helpful, in some areas they seem to overwhelm the actual text. For example, Section 5.3, on The United Nations and the Impact of Trade, begins on page 252 and continues for 9 pages. If you remove all of the ‘asides,’ however, you are left with only 4 pages! More than half of the section is spent on asides.

The lack of any pictures or illustrations hinders reader understanding in some places. For example, the ‘6 Steps of Scenario Planning’ on page 397 would greatly benefit from a flowchart or diagram.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 2

The text does not have a table of contents or index! This makes it very hard to use as a reference, and they should definitely be added. At 730 pages, the lack of a table of contents even makes it hard for an instructor to get a handle on what the book offers.

Interface rating: 2

Blue, underlined text of chapter and section headings are not working hyperlinks, although they seemed designed to look like them.

The lack of pictures and illustrations make these text tiring to read. It always makes the text ‘feel’ unprofessional, although the content itself is great.

This text is very professionally written. I have not found any grammatical errors.

This text appears to be very professionally written. I have not found any evidence of cultural insensitivity, and the examples appear to come from many different countries. It is a large text, however, and I have not read all 730 pages.

While I understand that intellectual property rights somehow must require this book be published with the phrase “Author’s Name retracted as requested by the work’s original creator or licensee,” it is disconcerting to see that phrase appear again and again. That phrase is given 15 times in total, and I expect it will cause readers to question the quality of the content, unfortunately.

Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: International Trade and Foreign Direct Investment
Chapter 3: Culture and Business
Chapter 4: World Economies
Chapter 5: Global and Regional Economic Cooperation and Integration
Chapter 6: International Monetary System
Chapter 7: Foreign Exchange and the Global Capital Markets
Chapter 8: International Expansion and Global Market Opportunity Assessment
Chapter 9: Exporting, Importing, and Global Sourcing
Chapter 10: Strategy and International Business
Chapter 11: Global Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship
Chapter 12: Winning through Effective, Global Talent Management
Chapter 13: Harnessing the Engine of Global Innovation
Chapter 14: Competing Effectively through Global Marketing, Distribution, and Supply-Chain Management
Chapter 15: Understanding the Roles of Finance and Accounting in Global Competitive Advantage

Ancillary Material

About the book.

International Business is one of the most challenging and exciting courses to teach in the Business School. To teach a current, dynamic and complete course you need a textbook by authors as passionate and informed about International Business as you are.

Carpenter and Dunung's International Business: The Opportunities and Challenges of a Flat World provides exploration into building, leading, and thriving in global organizations in an increasingly flat world. The authors define ”Flat world“ as one where service industries that dwarf manufacturing industries in terms of scale and scope, an Internet that pervades life and work, and networks define modern businesses, whether service or manufacturing. Carpenter and Dunung's text is designed to speak to technologically-savvy students who see national borders as bridges and not barriers.

The authors use the lexicon of international business, and additionally, develop students' knowledge of international contexts with the aim that they may launch, run, and work in any organization that is global in scope (or is wrestling with global competition or other global threats).

The textbook is organized in 5 Sections:

Section 1 introduces the global business course and concludes with a chapter on seizing global opportunities.
Section 2 develops student knowledge about key facets of the global business environment, while
Section 3 develops knowledge about how a student or organization can exploit opportunities in that global environment.
Section 4 is devoted to entrepreneurship in a flat world — this section will explore why the entrepreneurial context is changing, provide lenses for identifying and capitalizing on entrepreneurial opportunities, and
Section 5 shows how key organizational activities can be managed for global effectiveness. Every chapter has five enumerated learning objectives, each of these five sections concludes with a short summary (”Key Takeaways“) and five review questions.

In addition, each chapter concludes with a mini case on a unique global business that encompasses the topics shown in the chapter. The authors even provide a set of end-of-chapter questions that are mapped to AACSB learning standards, so that you will be able to measure how well students are grasping course content that aligns with the AACSB guidelines. Request a desk copy of Carpenter and Dunung's International Business: The Opportunities and Challenges of a Flat World to experience its current and progressive look at International Business for yourself.

About the Contributors

Mason A. Carpenter (PhD, 1997, University of Texas at Austin) is the M. Keith Weikel professor of leadership at the Univeristy of Wisconsin Madison’s Wisconsin School of Business. His research in strategic management concerns corporate governance, top management teams, social networks, and the strategic management of global startups and is published widely in leading management and strategy journals. He is also author of numerous books used in leading undergraduate, MBA, and educutive education courses around the world, including Principles of Management published by Flat World Knowledge. He is associate editor of the Academy of Management Review and serves on the editorial board of the Strategic Management Journal. At the University of Wisconsin, he is responsible for the undergraduate, MBA, and ExecMBA courses in business, corporate, and global strategy. With others, he has also advised the top management teams and business unit leaders of Fiskars, SABMiller, GE, Harley Davidson, Rockwell International, Vivendi, Kerry Ingredients, Covance, Danisco, Badger Meter, and Banta in the areas of strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and strategic change. His teaching accomplishments include MBA Professor of the Year, notoriety as one of the two most popular professors in several BusinessWeek MBA program polls, the Larson Excellence in Teaching award from the Wisconsin School of Business, and, most recently, a Distinguished Teaching award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also works to integrate experiential and behavioral perspectives of strategic management into the classroom through positions on the BPS and SMS Executive Committees, Doctoral and New Faculty BPS consortia, and the widely-used BPS Strategy Teaching Toolkit.

Sanjyot P. Dunung is president of Atma Global (www.atmaglobal.com), a publisher of innovative learning products and solutions for the corporate, higher education, and K-12 markets. The company’s mission is to create engaging, best-of-class, global learning products and solutions focusing on countries, cultures, and global business issues. Sanjyot is a recognized leader in the field of cross-cultural learning and has more than fifteen years of extensive experience in developing leading-edge, multimedia learning solutions. Notably, she is the author of Doing Business in Asia: The Complete Guide, focusing on the cultural issues of conducting business in twenty Asian countries (1995 and 1998 by Simon & Schuster). Sanjyot periodically authors articles on doing business internationally. Further, she has appeared on CNBC-TV, CNN International, Bloomberg TV, and various radio programs and is often a guest speaker at conferences and seminars addressing international business and entrepreneurship. Her book, Straight Talk About Starting and Growing Your Own Business, was released in November 2005 by McGraw Hill; she has two entrepreneurship books, Starting Your Business and Growing Your Business with Business Expert Press. Sanjyot also worked as a banker in New York with American and Japanese banks. Sanjyot was selected as a protégé member of the Committee of 200. She’s cofounder and president of the Dunung-Singh Foundation, committed to providing educational opportunities and hope to underprivileged children. She also served as a member of the board of directors of the US Committee for UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund). Sanjyot mentors Afghan women entrepreneurs through Project Artemis. Sanjyot’s academic history includes a BA from Northwestern University and an MBA, with an emphasis in international finance, from Thunderbird, School of Global Management. She is the school’s 1997 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni award. Sanjyot was born in India; was raised in Liverpool, England and Chicago, and now lives in New York with her three sons.

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A Successful International Assignment Depends on These Factors

Boris Groysberg
Robin Abrahams

Your marriage, your family, and your career will all benefit from advance planning.

The prospect of an international assignment can be equal parts thrilling and alarming: Will it make or break your career? What will it do to your life at home and the people you love? When you’re thinking about relocating, you start viewing questions of work and family — difficult enough under ordinary circumstances — through a kind of high-contrast, maximum-drama filter.

BG Boris Groysberg is a professor of business administration in the Organizational Behavior unit at Harvard Business School and a faculty affiliate at the school’s Race, Gender & Equity Initiative. He is the coauthor, with Colleen Ammerman, of Glass Half-Broken: Shattering the Barriers That Still Hold Women Back at Work (Harvard Business Review Press, 2021). bgroysberg
Robin Abrahams is a research associate at Harvard Business School.

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60 Exceptional International Business Topics To Score High

International business is today one of the most eyed professions in the world. As businesses continue to invest globally, it becomes necessary to explore markets in other parts of the world. But i t is not easy to write a research paper for a high grade. With that in mind, we explore global business topics to help you complete your business paper in no time.

What Is International Business?

It is an academic field that gives students an understanding of globalization in the different business management practices found worldwide. International business also prepares the students for graduate careers working abroad or in organizations engaged in business on a global scale.

How To Write International Business Topics

To outsmart your peers in such a paper, following the guidelines below in choosing a top-notch topic:

Have a topic that you have an interest in Avoiding picking narrow or broad-based topics Choose one that is based on the current affairs in the world of business Explore annual reports, periodicals, and news articles for unique topic ideas Ensure that the topic has sufficient sources

The structure of your topic will also determine whether it is viable or not. Reading previous international business topics will also give you an idea of coming up with a top-rated topic. However, we have 60 impressive ideas to jumpstart your international business paper.

Captivating International Business Topics

Why do most international companies prefer candidates with a Master’s degree?
The role of digitization in enhancing international businesses
How the coronavirus has made the international business a risky venture
Considerations when choosing to invest in developing countries
How e-commerce has made international business more accessible and manageable
Market segmentation as a factor in international business ventures

International Business Research Paper Topics For College Students

The impact of off-shore business accounts in combating corruption
How terrorism affects international businesses
The role of modern technologies in enhancing international businesses
What is the implication of the stock market exchange in international business?
How to strategically manage global business ventures in the technological age
How does cultural imperialism affect the effectiveness of the business in the international arena?

International Business Research Topics For High School Students

Discuss the impact of political upheavals in international business
Discuss the ethical dilemmas in conducting businesses globally
Why is Coca-Cola making inroads in the international world of business?
Evaluate the best HR management strategies for global businesses
Legislations and policies among countries that inhibit the performance of global companies
Does the presence of international companies on social media have an impact on their market?

Business Topics For Research Paper in Digital Marketing

The role of digital marketing in flourishing international businesses
Designing business strategies for international digital marketing
The impact of search engine optimization in increasing the online presence of international businesses
What is the effectiveness of email marketing for international businesses
The rise of site, video, and game advertising in international business marketing techniques.
The aggressiveness of paid reviews or articles and hiring influencers in digital advertising

Current Topics in International Business

How are mergers and acquisitions transforming international businesses?
Supply chain management and logistics in international companies – a case study of the risks involved
Training and development strategies in developing economies
Risks associated with global banking systems
How are regional trade blocks instrumental in international businesses?
How the World Bank and IMF are essential in facilitating international business ventures

International Business Research Papers For Master’s Students

How organizational culture is essential in innovation management
Impacts of employee turnover and measures of addressing them
How intercultural differences affect consumption patterns
How emerging small and medium business enterprises can get funding
Analysis of the Coca-Cola marketing strategy
The running of international non-governmental organizations: A case study of Red Cross

International Business Topics For Projects

Marketing strategies that have made KFC a global brand
The role of corporate leadership in international companies
How governments impact international trade
Impact of pandemics on international businesses
Effects of corruption on global business ventures
The success of Amazon as a global internet company

Hot Global Business Topics

Penetration of Chinese investors in Africa
An overview of the horticulture Industry
The rise of mask production companies
Impacts of crypto-currencies on international businesses
Who assesses the quality of products in the international markets?
The effect of BREXIT on global markets

International Business Research Topics List

Impact of war on global businesses
Economic consequences of Trump’s administration
How does artificial intelligence take part in the global market
A case analysis of companies that have succeeded and failed in the global arena
How labeling the country of origin on products affects its sales
Impacts of legislation on tobacco and marijuana globally

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