In the spirit of Michigan State University’s world-grant initiative, MSU’s Eli Broad College of Business is implementing a pro bono program for local businesses which are striving to engage in the global marketplace. The program involves students in the Broad School along with faculty and staff mentors. The faculty of the Broad School come from 23 countries and is ranked at the very top in the world in research and editorial influence in international business. In addition, the undergraduate program in international business has some 250 high-quality students, making it among the largest in the country. The combination is a powerful force that will be beneficial to local businesses in their quest to go international.

The program is orchestrated by the International Business Center (IBC) in the Broad School. It involves faculty, staff and students providing a few hours of free service to local businesses to assist them in taking the best possible advantage of the global marketplace. Each year, IBC offers this service to a select number of local firms based on a match of the center’s expertise, the needs of the firms and the opportunities that exist. To provide the reader and the local community with a flavor for the capacity and capability of MSU’s International Business Center and what this newly created pro bono program can offer, the Global Marketplace column in The Greater Lansing Business Monthly this time around includes a description of the center, its expertise and resources.

Broadly, IBC is the nation’s leading national resource center in international business (of the 31 centers that exist at the nation’s elite business schools), as ranked and funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The mission of IBC is to leverage its leading-edge competencies to provide superior education, research and assistance to businesses, public policymakers, academics, and students on issues of importance to international trade and global competitiveness using our guiding principles as the foundation. To realize this mission, IBC focuses its efforts on three areas that are vital to all aspects of organizations’ global value chains: knowledge development, knowledge deployment and cultural competitiveness.

Knowledge development

Knowledge development centers on conducting research that produces leading edge international business knowledge. IBC develops innovative knowledge via a programmatic research agenda. The focus is on how to improve the international competitiveness of corporations and nonprofit organizations. IBC’s broad skill set allows the center to tackle research by qualitative and quantitative solutions. The focus is on originality and especially managerial relevance. The main expertise of IBC centers on the globalization potential of corporations, global supply chains, what makes small and medium enterprises thrive globally, opportunities in emerging markets and global product development. Published since 1996, IBC also maintains the annual index of Market Potential Indicators for Emerging Markets.

Some of these topics are investigated by IBC, while others are tackled in collaboration with a worldwide network of researchers. MSU has a world-leading international business research faculty (Management International Review, 2004) and influence (Journal of International Business Studies, 2005). At MSU, IBC draws on more than 170 interdisciplinary colleagues throughout some 25 international units to conduct cutting-edge research and to mentor doctoral candidates. MSU has produced the sixth most PhDs in business since 1960 (METF, 2003) and its doctoral students rank number five in the world in total citations (Academic Assessment Services, 2004).

Knowledge deployment

Knowledge deployment centers on offering leading edge professional development programs and products in international business. IBC deploys leading-edge knowledge via an assortment of activities. For faculty and advanced students, IBC provides customary support—such as grants, support for conferences, seminars by lecturers, collaboration with scholars, links to industry—along with a portfolio of customized activities designed to elevate each scholar’s capability. For businesses and public policymakers, IBC offers a variety of products—such as training programs, benchmarking of global value chains, and diagnostic tools—and innovative vehicles such as globalEDGE™ (www.globalEDGE.msu.edu); globalEDGE™ is the leading source on international business and trade on the Web with some    five million page views per month (as of March 2009).

Achieving maximum reach and impact is the goal of IBC’s knowledge deployment in international business. IBC offers vast opportunities for knowledge deployment. A local effort is the Global Business Club of Mid-Michigan—its executive luncheon with high-level industry speakers six times per year is a great source for learning and networking (www.gbclub.msu.edu). All activities are embedded in a coherent, sustained program of research and development, including incremental, radical and disruptive innovations that can advance knowledge. Anchored in its history, IBC strives to be in the forefront of knowledge development while maintaining consistency in delivering superior products to its constituency groups.

Cultural competitiveness

Cultural competitiveness centers on permeating leading edge international business knowledge into corporations and society. IBC’s purpose is to instill global values in business and society, such as a stakeholder focus and a sustainability view. The center develops and deploys global business knowledge that helps businesses, public policy makers, academics and students achieve maximum personal value and benefits. Each program is typically customized, with the common thread being to increase participants’ knowledge of international business and trade. The collection of projects—such as those for businesses, community college faculty, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and students—exemplify the wealth offered. IBC also provides leadership in professional global communities such as the Academy of International Business™, the globalEDGE Network, and CIBERweb™.

Established in 1959, the Academy of International Business has members in 76 countries, with IBC being its headquarters since 2004. The          globalEDGE Network, established in 2001, includes a unique cross-section of more than 37,000 global professionals from the majority of the countries in the world. IBC also serves as the “Web hub” for CIBERweb—an online portal that integrates the activities of all CIBERs funded by the United States Department of Education.

Five million page views on globalEDGE monthly; 37,000 business professionals in the globalEDGE Network in more than 100 countries; 3,200 academic members in the Academy of International Business in 76 countries; and the leader in international business research, editorial influence, and as a national resource center—and offering pro bono assistance. I suggest you consider taking advantage of the capacity and capability of MSU’s International Business Center for the initial research into your next, or first, international opportunity.

		Professor Tomas Hult, PhD, is associate dean for global initiatives and director of the International Business Center in the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University. He is also executive director of the Academy of International Business and cofounder of Hult Ketchen International Group, LLC.