Every semester, students in the Cross-Cultural Leadership course (MGMT 447) participate in an X-Culture project, a virtual large-scale international experiential learning experience, along with over 3500 business students from 100 universities from 40 countries on 6 continents. The top 1.5% of students are then invited to participate in the X-Culture Global Business Symposium.
Timothy Aussem, Martin Kocher, Breanna Thompson, and Kayla Chan were invited to the in-person symposium held in July in Lublin, Poland. Aussem, who received a BBA in international business this past May, was part of the “Best Team Award”, a first for any Blugold participant. This is the fourth year UW-Eau Claire students were chosen to the invitational only event. In May, Kocher graduated with a degree in international business and Thompson received a degree in marketing and Spanish. Chan is an international business major graduating in December 2023.
The X-Culture project provides numerous benefits for the students, instructors, researchers, and businesses involved. Students work with group members from around the world on a market entry plan for a real-life international company. The international project also teaches students how to deal with cultural differences, worldwide time zones, and communication barriers while collectively developing a business solution. Students receive a Global Collaboration certificate if they successfully complete the project.
Dr. Longzhu Dong, assistant professor of management and leadership programs and MGMT 447 instructor, says the unique hands-on learning opportunity enhances the international business curriculum by allowing students to collaborate on real world business challenges.
By incorporating the X-Culture project into their courses, faculty also gain access to high-quality multi-source multi-level longitudinal data and play an active role in developing cutting-edge International Business education teaching methods. Dong is attending the X-Culture Research Symposium in Boston this month.
For researchers, the X-Culture project is a research incubator in the areas of team management, marketing, psychology, and international business. The international businesses benefit by obtaining creative solutions to business problems, promoting their products, and recruiting international talent.
The UW-Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Programs provided financial support for the students to attend the symposium.
To learn more about the international business program, contact Dr. Dong or Dr. Kristy Lauver, chair of the management and leadership programs department.
