Oakland University business students learn about world economies firsthand

ROCHESTER, Mich. - June 22, 2015 - PRLog -- What’s the best way to learn about and prepare for a career in a global economy? Go global. And that’s exactly what nine Oakland University School of Business Administration MBA/Executive MBA students did – along with their professor, Frank Cardimen – for two weeks in June.

Professor Cardimen and the nine graduate students explored the intricacies of the European Union on an international trip, June 2-17, to Europe. Stops included Budapest, Prague, Regensburg, Munich, London and Oxford.

Along the way, they visited with representatives from organizations such as the American Embassy in Budapest, IBM and the director of governmental affairs in Hungary, the Czech National Bank, and Rigaku Innovative Technologies in Prague, AT&T in London among many others.

The focus, says Cardimen, is making a “hands-on evaluation of the status of the European Union today, what it will look like in the future, and what American companies looking to expand need to know.”

Why?

“Because the European Union (EU) is struggling right now. Two of the most recent entries, Hungary and the Czech Republic, have joined but not joined the Eurozone. We want to find out why,” he explains. “Germany is the strength of the EU right now. We want to see if their support will continue. We also want to evaluate if the UK will drop out of the European Union and what affect that might have.”

Cardimen says that for MBA (http://wwwp.oakland.edu/business/graduate-executive-progr...) and Executive MBA (http://wwwp.oakland.edu/business/graduate-executive-progr...) students, a thorough comprehension of the global marketplace is essential. “You must experience it, not just talk about it. And that includes all aspects of the country: the history, the culture, the language, the currency. Each county does business differently and to be a successful part of it you must understand how they do business.”

Since 1999, Cardimen has been helping master’s students acquire this knowledge. This most recent trip is his 13th, and is part of the business school’s excellence through integration philosophy. He believes in teaching students the importance of understanding international business first-hand by leading them on trips to companies abroad, meeting high-ranking executives, politicians and U.S. embassy personnel.

Fortunately for business students the international program recently received a boost up: Last year, Ann and Craig Stinson announced their contribution of $50,000 to establish the Frank Cardimen International Initiatives Fund. It will serve as a foundation to support the school’s existing travel program and will allow for additional opportunities that enhance students’ international business experience.

Following their return from Europe, the students will regroup for a dinner program to discuss and share their findings and experiences.