Factors Affecting the Design of Short-Term Study-Abroad Programs: An Exploratory Study of Two Business Schools

ABSTRACT

Study-abroad programs have played a significant role in globalization of business curricula over the years. Short-term study-abroad programs (STSAPs) are proliferating in business schools and provide a viable alternative of studying abroad to students who are unable to participate in programs of longer durations due to disruption in family, work, and education schedules. This exploratory study attempts to understand factors that are critical to students’ participation in STSAPs offered by business schools. This research focuses on a combination of factors that include STSAP components and attributes as well student specific characterisitics. Initial analysis indicates that STSAP cost, STSAP content, and organizational and personal issues, in that order, are considered important by business school students. Significant differences exist in the perceived importance of different factors used by students to choose to participate in STSAPs based on gender, age group, family income, program level (undergraduate versus graduate), and program type. Results of this research have implications for the design of STSAPs in business schools that are offering or considering offering such courses or programs.

KEYWORDS:

• Study-abroad program
• Short-Term study abroad
• Design
• Business school
• Survey

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hindupur Ramakrishna

Hindupur Ramakrishna, PhD, is a Professor of information systems at the University of Redlands School of Business where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in MIS. At Redlands, he is also the coordinator for the MSIT Program and the faculty-in-charge of the Study-Abroad India Program. He earned his Ph.D. from Georgia State University. His research interests focus on information systems personnel, IS curriculum, intellectual property, IS project success issues, and business analytics. He has taught in a variety of business schools in the U.S. during the past 38 years. Dr. Ramakrishna is a member of the DSI & AIS. He has published in Interfaces, Journal of CIS, Omega, Information and Management, Human Performance, Human Resource Development Quarterly, Computer Personnel, CAIS, and other journals.

Avijit Sarkar

Avijit Sarkar, PhD, is Professor of operations research at the University of Redlands School of Business. His research interests are in examining and explaining global technology adoption and utilization patterns and digital divides and location analytics in business and operations research. He is co-author of the book Global Digital Divides: Explaining Change (Springer). His research articles have been published in journals such as Communications of the AIS, Telecommunications Policy, Journal of Geographical Systems, IIE Transactions, European Journal of Operational Research, Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, and Computers and Operations Research. He serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Business Analytics and teaches courses in business analytics and operations research at the University of Redlands. He is a recipient of the University of Redlands Awards for outstanding research and teaching. Dr. Sarkar received his Ph.D. (2004) and M.S. (2002) degrees in industrial engineering from the University at Buffalo—The State University of New York.

Bindiganavale Vijayaraman

Bindiganavale Vijayaraman, PhD, is a Professor of management & information systems and Director of the Center for IT and eBusiness at The University of Akron. He received his Ph.D. from Georgia State University, in Atlanta, Georgia. He currently teaches in the areas of business analytics, MIS, and ERP. His research interests include RFID, curriculum issues, and the impact of IT in organizations. He has published more than 30 refereed journal articles and more than 70 refereed proceeding papers and presentations at international, national, and regional conferences. Dr. Vijayaraman is a member of DSI and AIS.