AUTUMN RITTER
Minnesota State University - Mankato, Class of 2022

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS 380

In the spring of 2020, I took Introduction to International Business 380 with Professor John Rassieur. Obviously, a huge part of doing business internationally is the interaction of different cultural norms and practices. This class turned out to be very interesting to me, as it allowed me to understand global citizenship as it relates directly to my field of study. Throughout this class, we talked about the various cultural differences that might come into play during a business interaction with foreign individuals, as well as how to understand and accommodate these differences. In addition, we examined the impact of cultural differences in economies and what kind of influence this can have on intercultural interactions, which was a topic I had never truly considered prior to this course.

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In a world of diversity, understanding your impact as a business professional is extremely important. There are so many scenarios where a lack of cultural understanding could negatively impact your business operations, whether that be offending a business colleague or even starting a business in another country and failing. Not only do we need to have sensitivity to the business practices within other countries, but we also need to have a general understanding of their economy and the needs of the population. Although a business plan might sound great from one culture's perspective, it might contradict the values or practices of a different culture, and it is important to be aware and respectful of these conflicts prior to any negotiations. Without this knowledge, you are ultimately going into a business deal blind, and it is bound to turn out badly for some party within the transaction. Beyond that, we also learned additional practices for positive global citizenship on topics like social responsibility and sustainability. These have become more prevalent values within business practices, and it has become essential to understand the role they play in not only our own culture's economy, but also the economy of other countries as they may value these things differently than we do in the United States.

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Overall, this class served as a very beneficial source of foundational knowledge for global citizenship within the business sector. This directly relates to my future line of work and is a topic I should continuously and persistently work to practice within all business transactions. This is important even within domestic interactions, as there can (and will) be cultural differences present even for two people existing in the same country. This class not only taught me the value of diversity through business relations, but also how to approach this diversity in an inclusive, accepting, and overall positive way. That information is valuable not just as a business professional, but as a global citizen in general.

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Attached is a copy of my mid-term exam for this class, which showcases many topics discussed throughout the IBUS 380 course.

COMPETENCY FULFILLMENT: Self-Awareness Levels 1 & 2, Knowledge & Understanding Levels 1 & 2

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