The one criteria? MBA students cannot travel to a country where they have already been, even as a tourist. That's why about two-thirds of the Lancaster MBA class traveled to Turkey this March, while only about one-third visited China.
Lancaster MBA student Vinay Bamalwa, an Indian national, was one of the students who explored Turkey on the six-day trip. One of the reasons he chose to attend Lancaster for his MBA is its emphasis on students' abilities to do business in any context and in any country.
But, Bamalwa said, the students weren't just thrown into a new environment. They were encouraged to be observant and analytical of everything they saw and given tips for how to do so. He said a well-traveled Lancaster professor prepped the students beforehand: "He told us 'Don’t just look at the way people eat or the way people dress; that’s just the tip of iceberg.'"
"We were asked to look at the way they speak and their connotations. Are they on time? Are they using Turkish idioms? These were ways to detect what kind of a culture a country has."
The MBAs were asked to continually reflect on their experiences as they visited the British Embassy in Turkey, the Turkish Stock Exchange, companies such as Metro Cash & Carry and met with a lecturer from the Turkish advertising field. Even outside of the academic opportunities in Turkey, the MBAs were asked to observe locals in the city.
"In addition to the lectures, we were encouraged to look at certain parts of the city, such as the main baazars and market areas," Bamalwa said. "This was a part of the curriculum. It teaches us how to evaluate the culture of a country so that we are more confident in dealing with any kind of business."
RECAPTHA :
f6
cd
ae
07
