Topic: Knowledge and skills we obtain from International Business course that can be implemented at work or businesses.

General Purposes: To inform

Specific Purposes: To inform the audience the knowledge and skills from international business course and careers that are available for international business graduates.

Central Idea: To inform the audience about the skills and knowledge that the International Business students and graduates have that they can implement in their work and businesses in the future.

Definition

International business refers to business activities that involve activities that involve the transfer of resources, goods, services, knowledge, skills, or information across national boundaries. (Oded Shenker, Yadong Luo)



I. Introduction

One of the fastest growing areas of interest in many business faculties throughout the local universities is the major in International Business. The business arena in which the International business graduates will be working is no longer local, regional or national in nature, it is global and requires and understanding of, and sensitivity to, different cultures and business environments.

Besides learning the core subject of International business, students are exposing too many different skills in doing businesses and working with large international firms or multinational companies. Many advantages can be obtained from this course where it gives the positive characteristics towards the students who are doing this course.

International business course gives the students knowledge and skills that relate to their future career and businesses. The skills are marketing, research, languages, management, communication skills, computer skills, understanding the legal system, the culture, the geography, history and political science and understanding the business culture in other countries.

Working in an international company can be an exciting, challenging, and culturally enriching experience. But there are some key differences between working in a multinational firm and a local company. Differences that can make a big impact on the job satisfaction, career path, and the relationships that the International business graduates make with their colleagues.
At a multinational firm, employees come from all over the world bringing different languages, cultural traditions, and ethnic backgrounds with them. If you join an international company, your colleagues will probably speak English at some level, as well as the country’s native language. Working in a multilingual environment is a great opportunity to meet a diverse group of people, gain international business experience, and improve the foreign language skills
II. Knowledge and skills we obtain from International Business course that can be implemented at work or businesses

A. Marketing skills

Marketing is an important aspect in doing any business. By having this skill, International business graduates can market our business locally and internationally. It is important for students that are taking up international business course to understand the basic concept of marketing especially in promoting and advertising the products or services.

In international business course, students are practises in marketing because it helps the students’ gain many experience in this field. Therefore, it is important for international business students because they can implement this skill when they are in the working world especially for those working in marketing department in multinational corporations or who is interested in building their own business.

To market the product, marketing strategy is required. Marketing strategy is very important because sales of the product or services depend on the marketing strategy which is by choosing the suitable medium of promoting and advertising a product or services.


B. Research skills

Research skills are very important in business. In international business course, it is compulsory for graduates to take this subject because it gives them the theoretical learning about conducting a proper way of conducting a business research and can give them in experiencing on how to conduct business research.

By having this skill, graduates can adapt themselves of doing this task when they are asked to by their managers when they work.

Normally in many large companies requires business research in order for them to identify their business problem that arises. Especially problem those are related to products and services, consumer needs, marketing strategies and many other business problems.

Basically, employees who managed to conduct a business research for the company gets the benefits and promotion from the managers due to their success in coming up with a solution to the problem from the business research.

Research helps international business graduates to generate alternative for decision makers, helps to get information clearly, to solve non routine management problems and to enable one to discriminate between the good and the bad studies in professional journals.

To the managers, a good grasp of research method will enable the manager to understand, predict and control their environment, to spot and deal with the problem before they get out of hand, allow the manager to become discriminating recipient of the research finding presented and the recommended solution are appropriate for implementation.


C. Foreign Language

In international business course, students are required to take up a third language. Normally Mandarin language is the most favourite choice amongst students that is taking up international business.

International business graduates normally interested in going global seems that they have the third language; it is possible for them to go global or to enter the market of other countries. For example if students can master in mandarin language may get a chance in doing good business with their counterparts especially from China or any parts of the world where Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world.

Other than that, it is easy for international students to negotiate in other languages with their foreign business fellows. By speaking other people’s language, they will feel appreciated and the feeling of trust comes from them towards the foreign people who speak their language.


D. Management skills

One of the main factors in working environment is the management skill. It is compulsory for international business graduates to understand the basic concept of management which is planning, organizing, leading and controlling.

Having a management skill does not suppose to be in the management team. An employee can have this skill because when they are assigned by the managers to lead certain task or project, this kind of skill is very important for them so that they can fully implement it.

By having the management skills, the chances for of getting promoted are very high. On the other hand, student who studied international business who involved in management task are able to solve problem and able to come up with a solution that lead to the success of the company or the organization.


E. Understanding the business culture in other countries

It is important for international business graduates to understand the culture in other countries especially you are doing business with people in different countries. Different countries have different cultures. By understanding the culture of others, the person who wants to setup their business will be able to adapt themselves with the culture in any particular country.

On the other hand, when employees are assigned to work in other country, they must be able to adapt the culture of working environment in that country. This will normally occurred in large international firm or multinational company. This helps to avoid expatriate failure amongst employees who was assigned overseas.

Problem that arises from expatriate failure are the weather, food, the culture, style of living and others. For example, an employee is assigned to work in Hong Kong where they have to get used of the food there seem that it is difficult to get a ‘Halal’ Muslim food there.

In order to be ready and prepared to work overseas, employees must have a strong mental preparation and cannot be homesick at all times. If the employees accept the offer working internationally without failing, there will be a great chance of getting promoted when they get back to their home country.


F. Communication skills

Communication skill is the most important aspect in business and in the working environment. International business graduates are trained to be a good communicator. This is because when they are in the working world, it is easy for them to communicate with other people such as managers, colleagues, business partners, and even connections from overseas.

Other than that, communication skill is highly required in presentation. Presentation in reports, new products, production and many others is important because it helps to develop and improve businesses. A good presentation can attract and convince managers, business partners and others to accept the presenter’s ideas.

Communication skill helps employees to built self confidence amongst the employers and their colleagues.




G. Computer skills

In international business course, students are thought in computers skills. Computer skills are very important in the working world today. Students in international business use the computers because all the assignment requires the students to use Microsoft office software. This particular software is going to be used by them when they are working or doing their own business. Therefore, it would not be difficult for them to complete their task when they work.

Computer skill helps the employees to complete their task more effectively and efficiently. For example when the employees want to present their reports to the managers requires them to use visual aids. Visual aids normally come from the computer software like Microsoft PowerPoint which helps to make their presentation more interesting.


H. Understanding the legal system

International business graduates would understand the legal system in this country as well as other countries. Legal system is an important aspect where as it requires the law of doing or dealing any businesses.

Usually, the law of contract is the most common legal system that being use in business. By knowing the law, it would give an advantage for the businessman or managers to avoid themselves from getting cheated by other parties. Lastly, understanding the law can assist the businessman or managers to know the basic concept of law in business which makes them identify the risk that might occur in the future event.





I. Geography, history and political science knowledge

Students are able to focus on a particular region of the world. These regions are Europe, East Asia and Latin America, and the particular regional emphasis carried with it a series of geography, history and political science courses which relate to that particular region as well as to the global community.

The subject like World Economic Geography teaches the student about the geographical part of regions, the history of the particular regions, and the political conditions of that country. Other than that, if International business graduates who wants to set up a business in other countries, know what is the basic things that they have to know such as the political conditions, locations, population, marketing strategies, target markets, economic conditions of the country




III. ConclusionsInternational Business graduates are considered generalists in international business. They have an area of emphasis which they have studied which focusing on marketing, research, communication, computer, legal system, culture, management, language studies, geographic, historical and political issues in that area of the world.

Employers find that these kinds of skills are extremely important when developing international business operations and initiatives. Many businesses do not know how to develop international business contacts or even how to strategically approach the global market, and they find it helpful to turn to people with these kinds of skills and training to maintain viability in an increasingly global competitive arena.Potential employers would include businesses already doing business with international customers, businesses interested, but not yet involved, in developing international customers and contacts.



IV. References

http://bpa.odu.edu/bpa

http://www.jobweb.com/resources/library/international

Shenkar O., Luo Y., (2004). International Business, Danvers USA, John Wiley & Sons inc.

Sekaran U. (2003). Research Method for Business; a skill building approach, New York, John Wiley & Sons.