In July, I participated in a study abroad program with the School of Business’ Strategic Management department, thanks to financial support from the PAF Professional and Academic Development Fund. The program entitled, “Strategic Management in the European Union,” first met in Washington D.C. for five weeks and then included a week in Paris, France.
The class focused on strategic management of multinational companies, but had specific focus on the European Union as it becomes increasingly important in international affairs. We studied both the region as well as companies with great influence in the region. Beyond the theories and cases studied in the class, while in Paris the professor organized ten company visits. We met senior strategic management leaders from international companies that have operations in France, such as HP, Microsoft, as well as professionals from French companies, such as Orange and La Poste. The week spent in Paris was very important as it provided me first-hand experience in the country and the opportunity to learn from French locals. I have a much deeper understanding about French social issues and economy.
I decided to take this class because I want to be more knowledgeable on the structure of the EU and the issues it faces as an organization. Although I majored international affairs both as an undergraduate and a graduate student, I had previously focused more on Asia and America. The course was also practical for my continued study of international trade, since the course was taught using cases studies, giving more practical experience. Additionally, I am considering a career with a multinational corporation after graduation, and this class exposed me to their nature.
I have learned a lot from this experience. Most significantly, I learned that to apply economic and political theories to companies, it is imperative to first analyze the company’s preexisting strategies. Before taking this class, I focused on the theoretical “big picture,” which emphasized hypotheses. However, when faced with real world problems, I was often frustrated in applying theories to reality. It is a challenge to employ proper reasoning rather than unrealistic forecasting which can only exist on paper. Through this course, I learned to appreciate the logical flow of strategy formation and execution, and I have developed the ability to link theory and reality together.
