International Business via Brazil

It is hard to experience international business in a more colorful environment than Brazil. Recently, that is exactly what a group of MBA degree program students from Oklahoma Baptist University was able to do. Professor Gene King led a group of MBA students to Brazil to experience first-hand the sights and sounds of another culture and the way they execute business.

Professor King said that we have many objectives when we take a team overseas. This time the goals included:

• Improving knowledge of Brazilian issues and events
• Improving understanding of cross-cultural management and leadership practices
• Learning business etiquette of the Brazilian culture
• Exploring the business and international business environment in Brazil
• Practicing basic skills for analyzing cultural differences, and
• Enjoying the sights and sounds of the Brazilian culture.

The group visited such cities as Sao Paulo, Montero Lobato, and Rio de Janeiro to name a few. Representatives from different companies that conduct business both locally and internationally led the team on tours of their companies. The students were warmly received and had opportunities to interact with business leaders and other nationals in various contexts.

One of the students, Cameron, commented on his experience with a major energy player, Petrobras,

“I found Petrobras to one of the more interesting visits of the trip. I really liked Mr. Ventura’s attitude and presentation… I found it very interesting that Petrobras was the most negotiated share on the NYSE. This never occurred to me because of their lack of presence in the United States. … This points to the fact that they are a dominant force within their industry. I also enjoyed hearing about the problem in the Gulf of Mexico. This was very interesting to hear a perspective from someone who is BP’s size in the market.”

While the group was in Brazil to gain a greater understanding of international business, experiencing the cultural facets of another part of the world added greatly to the trip. Cameron’s word picture highlights the opportunities that are a part of a trip such as this.

“Traveling through the city and up to Pao de Acucar was incredible. The view from the top of that mountain almost takes your breath away. In my opinion there are certain spots in the world that one gets to experience and it really puts into perspective God’s wonders. This is truly one of them. It was completely relaxing up there and was a nice time to reflect upon how grateful I am to be lucky enough to experience such wonders. The Brazilian steak house was the perfect ending to the night. I still cannot get over how wonderful Brazilians are at eating.”

The OBU MBA degree program offers students the opportunity to experience international business first-hand. Students don’t just read about international business in a book, they see it in person. Trips vary in location. Former teams have travelled to Europe and Dubai. Students repeatedly return from these trips expressing how much their understanding of business and other cultures expands after participating in this class/trip.

To learn more about OBU MBA degree program visit our website at www.okbu.edu/graduate or contact the school office at (405) 319-8470. New cohorts form every August and January.