Journal of Teaching in International Business

Volume 32 Issue 3/4, Mar 2022

https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wtib20/current

Introduction

International Business Curricula: Responding to COVID-19 Challenges

Raj Aggarwal & Yinglu Wu

https://doi.org/10.1080/08975930.2022.2043686

Research Articles

Integrating Problem-based Learning with International Internships in Business Education

Roberto Rivas Hermann, Marcelo Amaral & Marilia Bonzanini Bossle

https://doi.org/10.1080/08975930.2022.2033667

The literature on international business teaching has contributed to the development of international internships as a learning pedagogy through three key areas: making sense of the students’ developed competences and prospective added employment value following their participation in international internships, the role of support structures in the organization of internships abroad, and more recently the pedagogical design of internships abroad. Thus, more recent research has taken a critical stance toward internships as a learning form, as serious gaps exist in the pedagogical elements required to connect internships with the broader theoretical elements of international business programs. The present study addresses these gaps through two research questions: i) How can educators design and implement problem-based international internships in business education? ii) What adjustments does the combination of these two active learning experiences in business education demand for small business schools, partner universities, and hosting organizations? The paper presents pedagogical action research that was conducted over two courses for international business internships in a Norwegian-Brazilian context for bachelor’s and master’s students. It contributes to the international business teaching literature in the following ways: First, the validated teaching framework argues for international internships that are linked to loosely defined problems at the host organization, which the student self-scopes and connects based on their theoretical knowledge from other courses. Second, by providing an in-depth discussion of problem-based learning and its applicability in international business practicums, we address the existing gap in the field regarding the pedagogical foundations of how students connect theory to practice during international internships. Third, the framework serves as a practical guideline for teaching and administrative staff who wish to develop international internship programs at home universities, supporting their ability to connect the practical aspects established in the literature with the additional organizational requirements arising from working with hosting organizations overseas.

Implementing Integrated Content and Language in Higher Education in Accounting Classes: Implication for International Business Teaching

Carlos Sampaio, Mónica Régio & Margarida Morgado

https://doi.org/10.1080/08975930.2022.2033668

Companies’ demands and competition in the job market push International Business students to become ready to work in multilingual environments where English is the main language of communication. Rather than expecting students to learn English by exposure or on their own there are content and language integrated approaches (such as Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and Integrating Content and Language in Higher Education (ICLHE)) which support the development of a language while the student learns specific content. Using a case study approach, the study approaches the collaborative work of an Accounting teacher and an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teacher in tertiary education, through the process of planning, designing, and implementation of a teaching module on Accounting. Results show that the teachers’ collaborative work for the construction and implementation of the integrated CLIL module produced positive outcomes for the teaching and learning process. Furthermore, students found the used methods highly motivating and engaging, contributing positively to their future professional careers. It is argued that the CLIL approach may be beneficial and approximates the environment of International Business, by demanding collaboration of individuals from different contextual backgrounds, whose main language is not English and promoting bilingualism and cross-cultural competence development.

Do Accounting Textbooks Inculcate Global Mindsets: An Analysis of Textbooks Adopted in Indonesia

Irsyadillah Irsyadillah, Ahmed Hassan Ahmed & Walaa Wahid ElKelish

https://doi.org/10.1080/08975930.2022.2033665

This study examines the content of introductory financial accounting (IFA) textbooks to answer the questions: (1) do the textbooks inculcate global mindsets? (2) How and the extent to which the textbooks reflect global mindsets? We analyzed the textbooks by attentively read the texts, followed by an in-depth discussion among the researchers to establish major representations of the texts. Findings from the analysis indicate that instead of promoting a broader view of the world that might instill and foster global mindsets in business students, the textbooks narrow-mindedly inculcate only a single perspective, which dominantly draws on the ethical values and assumptions of Anglo-American capitalism. Consequently, students are deprived of a critical understanding of the subject as well as denying them from developing a mindset required by the global business environments. Thus, this paper calls for recasting the presentation of accounting knowledge within IFA textbooks by inculcating multiplicity rather than uniformity to develop cognitive complexity. Moreover, accounting educators should provide students supplementary readings that offer alternative frameworks for more critical reflection. These recommendations are a way forward to improve teaching international business (IB) education in business schools by facilitating an in-depth understanding of IB in individual business functional disciplines.

MBA Internalization at Selected Elite Business Schools: Challenges of Geographic Dispersion and Coordination

Evodio Kaltenecker Retto de Queiroz

https://doi.org/10.1080/08975930.2022.2033666

The purpose of this manuscript is to develop a taxonomy for the governance of elite business schools based on two factors: (i) their geographic dispersion and (ii) the coordination between the main campus, international branch campuses, research centers, and other business schools. The research question that drives this manuscript is: Are there different types of governance for elite business schools based on differences in the geographic dispersion and the coordination of other units? The paper contributes to the business school´s internationalization efforts because the research shows a dominant form of governance, the Center of Excellence (CoE). However, the dynamic context of business schools allows three different paths for their internationalization. First, from the CoE to Alliance, schools gradually cooperate with other programs to compete globally. Second, from the CoE to Ecosystem, that occurs when programs grow organically. Third, from the CoE to the Center of Gravity governance; in this case, the CoE moves toward a high level of resources while keeping complexity low because of the lack of interfaces between the business school and other institutions. Finally, some business schools show ambidexterity regarding the governance of their units and subsidiaries.

Book Review

Demographics and the Global Business Environment: A Book Review Essay

Review of Demography and the Global Business Environment by Alfred Marcus and Mazhar Islam (Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar, 2021, xii + 219 pages). Preface, Acknowledgements, 8 Chapters, and Index.

Raj Aggarwal

https://doi.org/10.1080/08975930.2022.2043696