The Institute for International Business

Global Impact Newsletter

Fall 2018

LaVonn SchlegelEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Meeting people where they are is the keystone upon which IIB is built.

Recently we developed a proposal to engage in the issue of child labor in a Southeast Asian country. The focus of our program is to reduce the level of 15–17 year-old girls in the workforce in order to keep them in school longer. A noble goal.

I met with alumni, potential industry association partners, government offi cials and business entities, and it became very clear that this is a complicated issue requiring fi nesse and understanding. Where we hope to work, child labor has been well-managed within the supply chains of most major manufacturers and many mid-sized suppliers through both self-management and government certifi cation. Child labor remains in small business and piece work suppliers, which are often family-run and barely earning sustenance income.

Ask any of these families and they will say that keeping their kids in school is important and better for their future. But feeding the family today outweighs most future considerations. Creating a program to educate them on the evils of child labor will not change the equation. Meeting them where they are, understanding the choices they face, and helping them improve or grow their business through business training and community savings programs—this is what will make a diff erence.

I know that all the work we are doing at IIB is making a diff erence. We meet people where they stand and together defi ne a journey that will change us both … and if we are lucky, the world.

I hope you enjoy sharing some of our journeys with us in our newsletter! More importantly, I hope you fi nd a way to get involved in the amazing work that IIB has the privilege to do around the world.

IN THIS ISSUE

IIB Summer Flagship Program:

Business is Global 2Global Business Institute 4IIB Global Impact: Economic

Growth for Botswana 5A Letter for the IIB 6

CIBER at IIB 7Contact Us 8

The sixth year of the popular Business is Global (BIG) program welcomed high school students from across the United States to join in two weeks of learning and fun on the beautiful IU Bloomington campus. BIG 2018 welcomed our most diverse group yet: 50 students from 17 different states.

The BIG program seeks to broaden student horizons and increase their familiarity with and interest in critical languages while helping them explore career options. It introduces students to the concepts of cultural proficiency, as well as the importance of cultural awareness in business. BIG also helps students develop public speaking and networking skills and exposes them to international opportunities that will help them become thoughtful citizens of the world.

What Students Learn

The program’s curriculum focused on the intersection of business, language, and culture by introducing students to the basic components of business and three less-commonly-taught foreign languages. In 2018, BIG offered three days each of Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, and Turkish, in partnership with IU’s three Flagship Programs and East Asian Studies Center.

Throughout the two-week program, students learned about the cultures and communication styles of the regions where these three languages are spoken. Students then applied their new business and cross-cultural skills in a hands-on, practical team competition where they were challenged to create a small business and set it in one of the countries studied. The two BIG cohorts were divided into four-person teams, which formally presented their business plans to an external panel of judges. For BIG 2018, the two winning teams, one chosen from each cohort, were Team Chengdu and Team Izmir.

Business is GlobalIIB’s Summer Program Grows Impact

2018 BIG Participants—Winning Team Chengdu 2018 BIG Participants—Winning Team Izmir

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BIG originated in the Institute for International Business (IIB) during the summer of 2013 as a US Department of Education Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) program. IIB’s summer fl agship program is a two-week experience for rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors interested in exploring the intersection of business, language, and culture.

BIG received funding assistance from local businesses and private individuals. Scholarship funding was provided to 61% of this year’s students. The majority of funding for BIG comes from the CIBER grant program. Through the combined generosity of the CIBER grant, the Noble Network of Charter Schools, Ford Meter Box Company, and private individuals, a total of $36,900 in scholarship assistance was awarded to students, many from low–income, rural, and under–represented minority backgrounds.

The success of BIG would not have been possible without the assistance and generosity of the Kelley and IU communities. Faculty, staff , alumni, and representatives of Indiana businesses volunteered their time to engage this summer’s students directly, both by serving as judges and by attending a Networking Reception where students practiced their professionalism and new networking skills.

“BIG honestly changed my life. I’ve met so many new people with so many di� erent backgrounds. This program opened my eyes to the term ‘diversity.’ Not only is everyone di� erent, but cultures are di� erent in so many ways

other than language.” –Kailey, high school student from IN

“BIG is about connecting with people, networking with people, and so much more than just business or just language.” –Swati, high school student from DE

“Since the start of the program, I learned that business is inherently global, and it is more important than ever to be connected around the world. BIG helped me gain lots of insights about this and has helped me considerably.”

–Grace, high school student, from IN

“Now I feel con� dent that one day I could start my own business given the whole business model that we’ve been going through in BIG and working with my team. I know I can become an entrepreneur one day.” –Enrique, high

school student from AZ

BIG BY THE NUMBERS (updated to include 2018 students) Diversity is an important component of our program. During the six years of the program, 193 high school students from 26 states and two foreign countries have participated in BIG.

• Female: 100 (52%) Male: 93 (48%)

• Under–represented minorities: 77 (40%)

• All minorities: 105 (54%)

• From communities under 50,000: 66 (34%)

• From low-income families: 67 (35%)

• Entered BIG as: Freshmen: 31 (16%);

Sophomores: 86 (45%); Juniors: 76 (39%)

Business is GlobalIIB’s Summer Program Grows Impact

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In the summer of 2017, IIB concluded its sixth Global Business Institute (GBI) summer program, designed to give Middle Eastern, North African, and Near Asian students the opportunity to study entrepreneurship and conduct a business feasibility study in Bloomington, with experiential visits to Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington, DC. In total, GBI has 576 alumni from Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia. The program has impacted participants in a variety of ways that include furthering international scholarship, initiating business formation, and improving employment.

GBI participants have created nearly 1,000 jobs and more than 150 businesses. GBI alumni businesses cover fi elds such as online tutoring, agribusiness, medical clinics, technology support, tourism, and many more. Using the GBI program as a stepping stone, 94% of students reported full-time employment within six months of graduating college. In a region where youth and women unemployment rates are a critical challenge, the economic eff ects of this program cannot be understated. More than two–thirds of students remain engaged in entrepreneurial activities back home, and 162 of our alumni have received additional scholarships to study abroad in the US or EU. Fifteen have become Fulbright Scholars.

In 2018, IIB and the US Department of State created Global Leadership and Innovation (GLI), an alumni program for 40 participants from the Middle East and North Africa. This program served as a capstone for top alumni to advance their executive-level skills in the world of corporate innovation. Participants focused heavily on enhancing leadership skills, working in inter-country teams on a business expansion case, and navigating team dynamics.

For two weeks in Bloomington, participants covered topics such as personal brand development, ethics, change management, strategic problem solving, and giving and receiving feedback. They spent a week in Washington DC, focusing on leadership through panel discussions with experts, engagements with their home embassies, tours of government facilities, and meetings with government representatives. Make sure to check our website and the next newsletter for updates on the impacts of the GLI Program. Kelley MBA Alumna Michele Honomichl Kelley MBA Alumna Michele Honomichl

Global Business Insitute Alumni

GBI 2018Global Leadership and Innovation

Global Business Insitute Alumnae

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IIB travelled to Botswana in February to grow the existing relationship between the Kelley School of Business and the Institute for Development Management (IDM). The part-nership has been in place since 2010, when a group of Kelley MBA students trekked to Botswana to assist small businesses with the creation of sustainable business plans.

During the trip, IIB’s Timothy Smith met with IDM’s leadership and reviewed current degree programs for global components, hosted a leadership development training session for faculty, and examined IDM’s proposed strategy for launching an incubator. IIB is working to expand its current partnership with IDM through educational and entrepreneurial training programs.

IDM was established in 1974 as a regional organization in Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland (BLS) to help meet the needs of the region through management development activities including training, consultancy, and research.

Botswana is located at the center of southern Africa, positioned between South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. One of the world’s poorest countries at independence in 1966, it rapidly became one of the world’s development success stories. Signifi cant mineral (diamond) wealth, good governance, prudent economic management, and a relatively small population of more than two million have made it an upper middle-income country.

Despite Botswana’s economic growth, the country faces high levels of poverty, especially in rural areas. Accelerating poverty reduction will require a multi-faceted approach, which includes private sector job creation. Education expenditure is among the highest in the world (about 9% of GDP), yet Botswana continues to struggle in creating a skilled workforce. Unemployment remains high, and Botswana’s income inequality is one of the highest in the world.

A favorite photo taken by IIB’s Timothy Smith during his recent trip to Botswana.

IIB Global ImpactEconomic Development in Botswana

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D

Kenlynn was one of over 300 Kelley students to travel on an X272 course this year

I am writing this to thank Kelley and IU CIBER for making the best experience of my life possi-ble. One week ago, I returned from a 10-day trip to South Africa, exploring human rights in busi-ness. This was my first time out of the country, which was a big moment for me. The X272 pro-gram and CIBER scholarships associated with it provided me with a huge opportunity to do something new. I find myself changing the most are when I am able to get outside of my comfort zone, and this trip did just that.

I left South Africa with a new perspective on the interconnectedness of the government, education system, and business entities. Within the townships, the education system is what perpetuates the cycle of poverty. In many cas-es, it seems almost impossible. I asked myself frequently, “What is the duty of businesses in helping breaking this cycle?”

One aspect I was most shocked and surprised by was how much my perspective has changed. After returning, I have been writing constantly about the people I met in South Africa, ques-tions I have about the systems in place, and my identity and experience as a woman of color to name just a few.

These past few days, I have been looking back in my journals, and the one line that stood out was: “I am confused and uncomfortable in the best way possible.” I’m feeling beyond lucky to have left this trip feeling eager to learn, share, and write. Thank you for the opportunity to learn more about the business world, human rights, and myself. I’m excited to see how what I have learned changes my personal passions and career objectives.

Thanks again,Kenlynn Albright

66KELLEY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

A Letter to the IIB from Kenlynn Albright(CIBER scholarship recipient)

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Kenlynn was one of over 300 Kelley students to travel on an X272 course this year

Center for International Business Education and ResearchPart of IU’s legacy of international engagement since 1992, CIBER (housed within Kelley’s IIB) trans-

forms international awareness to engagement and global competence through education, collabora-

tive and mentorship relationships, and experiential learning.

CIBER is funded by the US Department of Education

Kelley MBA Alumna Michele Honomichl sits down with IIB’s Timothy Smith for a CIBER Focus Interview

CIBER Focus: International Business Perspectives In our CIBER Focus video series, international business leaders, university faculty, and experienced global

professionals talk about international developments that could impact practitioners at local or regional

levels. The series helps practitioners better understand complicated global challenges and shows how aca-

demic and professional perspectives can help businesses tackle global challenges today

Presented by the Indiana University Center for International Business Education and Research (IU CIBER) with funding from the US Department of Education, 2018 is the tenth year CIBER Focus has launched timely, signifi cant topics to help practitioners better understand worldwide challenges. Through engaging talks, CIBER Focus highlights diverse, intriguing issues and gives the public an opportunity to learn more about the world’s business environment. The goal is to raise our broad audience’s international awareness, engagement, and global competence through the broadcasts.

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GO FROM MOMENT TO MOMENTUMKELLEY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Founded in 2010, the Institute for International Business (IIB) is Kelley’s focal point for international outreach. Our mission is to transform lives, organizations, and communities by creating and nurturing partnerships that build business and entrepreneurial knowledge in emerging and developing markets.

We work to expand the way people think about themselves in the world and how they interact with others from around the world. Through our fi eld work and programs, we bring people and organizations together to create economic opportunities for individuals and communities.

@KelleyIIB

Kelley Institute for International Business

Kelley Institute for International Business

kelleyiib

The Institute for International Business

316 N. Jordan Avenue

Bloomington, IN 47405

(812) 855-5944

kelley.iu.edu/iib

IIB@indiana.edu