Preparing Marketing Students for a Global and Multicultural Work Environment: The Value of a Semester-Long Study Abroad Program

Abstract

In the future, marketing graduates will face an increasingly diverse and multicultural workplace both within and outside their home countries. A crucial question is, how can marketing educators better prepare students for this complex and changing work environment? One solution is a study abroad program (SAP). This study tests some anecdotal claims about the value of the SAP in preparing students for this work environment. Empirical results show that the SAP helps students become more globally minded, communicate better across cultural and national boundaries, and become more sensitive to new and different cultures. Suggestions for improving SAPs for marketing students conclude the paper.