Global Business Experiences (GBEs)
Academic Program
Global Business Experiences are 1-2 week courses outside the United States that focus on business issues. The courses are offered at midterm break in March. Each section offered under the Global Business Experience heading provides the opportunity for students to visit a different country and experience business practices and cultures other than those of their native countries. Both first-year students and second-year students may participate.* They receive 1.5 credits toward the total elective credits required for graduation.
Based on a unifying theme, each course includes structured classes and practitioner presentations as well as visits to companies, governmental agencies, and important cultural sites. Each Global Business Experience course gives students a better perspective on the countries visited and, through comparison, on their country of origin. All GBEs share a common set of academic objectives: to increase students’ awareness and understanding of the differences in cultures and business practices, and to increase students’ familiarity with current economic, political, and cultural issues in countries and regions outside of the United States.
Grades for each GBE are based on class participation and a final project.
Elements of the course grade:
Class contribution 50%
Individual paper/project 50%
*Some GBEs—those offered in Europe and Latin America—are open to both first-year and second-year students. GBEs located in Bahrain, China and India are open only to second-year students.
Orientation
Each GBE has a formal Orientation that serves several purposes. It allows students going on the trip to meet one another, introduces the Darden faculty GBE leader, provides an historical and cultural overview of the country and region to which students will be traveling, and provides any pre-course reading assignments.
Information on course content, registration, visa information and other logistical details for each of this year's GBEs can be found by using the country links below.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
"Doing Business in Latin America"
Faculty Leader: Jon Megibow
Manama, Bahrain
"The Challenge of Competing in the Modern Economy and Preserving the Traditions of the Past"
Faculty Leader: Sherwood Frey
Sao Paulo, Brazil
“Doing Business in Brazil”
Faculty Leader: TBD
Beijing and Shanghai, China
"Doing Business in China"
Faculty Leader: Peter Yu
Delhi and Hyderabad, India
"Doing Business in India"
Faculty Leader: Martin Davidson
Mexico City, Mexico
"Mexican Competitiveness in a World Class Environment"
Faculty Leader: TBD
Barcelona, Spain
"Strategy as Design"
Faculty Leader: Jeanne Liedtka
Stockholm, Sweden
“Sustainability, Innovation and Design in Scandinavia”
Faculty Leader: Marc Modica