“INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING: EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER” Developments in Business Simulation & Experiential Exercises, Volume 8, 1981 218 “INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING: EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER” Daniel C. Brenenstuhl, Arizona State University It appears that the AACSB accreditation process is seriously moving into the international business domain. We are also seeing an awakening in the political arena. A Republican administration is much more likely to remove some of the export disincentives that have gradually been placed in the way of American Multinational Corporations in their efforts to increase export sales. This interest in international business is a very good sign which seems to indicate an increase is quite likely in our College enrollment in the general area of international business. The author of this article has been involved with an experiential course offering (A Traveling Seminar) in the area of international marketing and international management for the past six years. The article will highlight some observations about such programs and attempt to pass along a few recommendations for those that might be considering similar course offerings out- side the United States. The basic structure of the seminar is fairly simple. Arrange a program outside the United States, recruit participants, complete the seminar and begin planning for the next program. However, all is not quite as simple as it seems on the surface. The programs that succeed have many hours devoted to detail work and those that fail usually do so because of a lack of appreciation of the true effort level required to make them work. I find that I spend roughly 10 hours per week for an entire year in preparation for each seminar. This does not include the actual time spent outside the United States conducting the seminar. One’s colleagues many times feel or at least they give off the vibrations that these trips are one massive ‘Boondoggle”. I find this to be one of the most negative factors associated with these international trips and have never fully been able to accept such statements without the hair standing up on the back of my neck. I mention this because you are very likely to encounter such subtle opposition if you ever attempt to arrange such a traveling seminar. Fortunately, the excellent Student responses that these programs have generated far exceeds any such negative reactions. In the limited space available for this summary I shall attempt to convey a few pointers from my six years of experience with international experiential learning. Start early--working a full year in advance is not unrealistic considering all the details that need to be covered. I am always sure to begin arranging the next years trip several months before I actually leave on this years trip. This way I am able to give my hosts a pretty good time estimate for the next years visit. It is much more effective if I can say something along the lines of this “We really enjoyed visiting your 3rganization this year. Do you feel that we might be able to see you again next year? We have tentatively scheduled your organization for June 10th at 10:00 am. I’ll be contacting you in the fall with more details and a follow up letter. Thank you, etc.” Many times the executives will put It on their calendars on the spot. Needless to say a commitment at this time is advantageous from the seminars point of view. I also make an effort to begin recruiting participants as early in the year as possible. This is usually about the second week of the fall term for trips leaving the next summers This gives participants time to plan vacation schedules, make class arrangements for the spring term and set up financial arrangements for the trip. Many students can actually get a part time job during the fall term that will contribute a significant amount of the international seminars total cost. (Which I find to total about $3000.00 for a full four weeks in Europe, including transatlantic APEX airfare, hotels, all meals, 6 semester hours of tuition, average personal expenses for entertainment during the seminar, all ground travel and all costs of the seminar. This is, of course, a very general average cost figure). It also gives the participants some time to think about the seminar without feeling pressured. I once tried to begin marketing a program at the start of the Spring semester (for a summer program) and only got one student who was interested in participating. I began my marketing program for the next summers trip at the beginning of the fall term and got 20 students from that university to participate. I cannot stress too strongly the need to work on these programs in advance and to begin working as early as possible. Table of Contents Volume 8, 1981 The Promotion: Human Sexuality in Organization The Simulation of Chaos Leadership Development in a Simulated Urban/Suburban (U/S) Environment Tomed: A Computer Game Emphasizing Social Responsibility/or/why the Pop-Top Can? Integrated Brain Activity and the Manager's Job: Utilizing the Troika Model What does R2 Have to do with a Product Management Course? An Analysis of the Effects of Jungian Problem-Solving Style Dimensions on Marketing Decisions Bargaining Behavior in Personal Selling and Buying Exchanges Extending the Simulation Product Life Cycle A Generalized Algorithm for Designing and Developing Business Simulations Operationalizing a Test of a Model of the Use of Simulation Games and Experiential Exercises Pygmalion and Perception: An Experiential Exercise Behavioral Consequences of Reward Regarding Employee Absenteeism in an Industrial Setting: An Operant Conditioning Approach The Simlab Program: The Use of Experimental Simulation and Process Analysis for the Development of Management and Organizations Designs for Research on Simulation-Games, Cases, and Other Experiential Exercises The Role of Students in The Case Method Weaknesses in Research Design Critical Variables in Research on the Educational Value of Management Games Research Questions for Cases Research on the Learning Effectiveness of Business Simulation Games - A Review of the State of the Science The Effects of Valuation Techniques on Holding Cost During Inflationary Periods: A Simulation Exercise The Operations Simulation - A Study in Game Development Applying Guided Design to the Production/Operations Management Course: A Progress Report and Evaluation Terminal Data Entry and Retrieval Systems Simulations and Microprocessors Microcomputers and Related Technology for Simulation Gaming Microcomputers - A New Technology for Innovations in Business Simulations Microprocessor Controlled Interactive Video Simulation Business Game Design: From Theory to Practice The Success of a Computerized Simulation in Microeconomic Pedagogy The Test Preview Game: Applying the Game Show Format Providing a Real World View of the Personal Function: A Simulation Finding an Effective Means of Teaching Managerial Behavioral Skills: Two Different Experiential Teaching Methods Compared A Management Development Program Based on the Experiential Learning Model Participant Type Differences in Response to Experiential Methods: An Informal Look Preparing Student Groups to Participate in Experiential Group Projects: An Organizational Development Approach An Instrument for the Assessment of Learning Dimensions: A Progress Report of the Learning Dimension Scale (LDS) An Empirical Analysis Relating the Learning Style Inventory to Memory and Logical Ability Teaching Styles in Simulation Experiential Learning Versus Traditional Teaching Styles Student Perceptions of Effective Teaching Behaviors Problems in Evaluation of Experiential Learning in Management Education Students' Perceptions of Learning by Simulation A Relative Evaluation of Experiential and Simulation Learning in Terms of Perceptions of Effected Changes in Students Overview of Computer Based Business Games in Business Policy Classes Behavioral Decision Theory and Business Policy Giving Accounting Students Writing Experience as Job Preparation Getting to First Base with MBO: An exercise for Writing and Evaluating Objectives Dimensions of Conflict in Experiential Learning Consumer Alienation and Perceived Relevance of the Business Simulation Using the Self-Reference Criterion to Simulate Culture in Internationalized Business Course Experiential Learning in a Cross Cultural Setting- The Practice of Simulation Approach to Business Education in Japanese Universities Student' Perceptions of the Use of a Computerized Simulation in Teaching Management Information Systems Using the Case Study Approach to Develop a Microcomputer Bases, Fully Integrated, Data Base Driven, Management Information System The Case Study as a Tool for Organizational Change: Applying the Steel Ax to the Designers of Management Information Systems Toward a Theory of Teaching Business Policy A Case Study in the Use of Experiential Learning (A Management Game Simulation) to Enhance Student Understanding of Strategy Evaluation and Policy Formulation Suggestions for Integration of the Business Administration Core Publishing Opportunities and Requirements for Business Simulation and Experiential Learning Materials How do we Apply Experiential Learning Intercollegiate Case Competitions for M.B.A. Students: Initiation and Implementation Teaching Business Policy and Strategy Using the Incident Process The Learning Co-Op Approach to the Core Policy Course Meeting the Managerial Skill Shortage - Is Academia Up to It? An Empirical Analysis of Experiential Learning Reinforcement International Experiential Learning: Experience is the Best Teacher Encouraging Student Participation During International Academic Programs European Summer Study Program: Can you, Should you, What Does it Take? Travel Seminars in Europe: How can I Direct One? International Experiential Learning: Student Evaluation ABSEL: Empirical Findings on the State of the Association Sensitivity of Performance Scores in Business Simulations Improving the Learning of a Business Simulation Game by Increasing the Process Content Student Participation in Deciding Performance Criteria for Grading in an OB Course: An Exercise and a Case Study Markup for Profit: A Simulated Self-Administered Experience in Retail Pricing The Investment Decision Game: An Experiential Learning Approach to Stock Market Decisions Through Gaming CHIPS: A Marketing Channels management Game External Validation: An Experimental Approach to Determining the Worth of Simulation Games Teaching Performance Appraisal Skills: An Experiential Approach In Support of Experiential learning: Results of a Follow-Up Survey The Introductory Management Course: Taking Theory Application One Step Further Decision Efficiency and Effectiveness in a Business Simulation The Implications of Cognitive Processing Variables and the Complex Decision Simulating the Simulation for Enhanced Player Rationality Simulation/Experiential Learning Audit