How Online Learning can Foster Global Perspectives and Leadership

The world is changing and the interconnected nature of cultures and information is moving forward at a rapid pace. The need for global perspectives and education that meets those global needs is particularly important if difficult problems will be solved. Research by Gibson, et. al. (2008) delves into fostering higher levels of global perspective within the gifted population to ensure that there is a stream of leadership abilities available for the future. 

Globalization is seen as related to the interconnectivity of trade, technology, and the environment (Adams & Carfagna, 2006). The elements within the system begin to create higher levels of influence on each other and new ways are thinking are needed to handle the constant stream of information. The end effects of globalization include interdependence, interconnectedness, and culture diversity (Anheier, et. al, 2001). 

Global learning provides new opportunities for human advancement and skill development. Business distribution networks and government decisions no longer exist in a vacuum but have far reaching implications. Through the use of distance education it is possible that students can collaborate across cultural boarders to learn shared perspectives and additional cultural awareness. This knowledge can be used in business, governance, or general humanity.

Such cross-cultural education offers opportunities to maximize critical thinking, intercultural communication competence, collaboration, teamwork, reflective practices, dispositions and values (Roeper, 1988). These skills are sorely needed in society as the stakeholder pool widens. Without the ability to understand information at a greater level, society is doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over. 

The gifted population has the capacity to move out of the pattern of events. They often worry about such issues as the environment, trade, hunger, peace, disease and terrorism (Gibson, et. al, 2008). They have the ability to understand these issues in greater levels and feel compassionate about the consequences on others. They are motivated by understanding and have the predispositions to engage in global learning due to their sensitivity and tolerance of others (Van Tassel-Baska, 1998).  They are highly sensitive to moral issues and the rights of others in global social issues (Clark, 2008). 

The process of global learning is the creation of global awareness related to various issues that impact the population. Global learners have the capacity to understand the interconnectedness and interdependence of the world. They must have effective reflection, intrapersonal intelligence, and metacognitive abilities. In other words, they must have the ability to reflect on choices and culture and understand their overall implications. 

The authors suggest that global learning is fostered through either face-to-face cultural interactions or through online collaborative projects. Students engage in online projects with others from varying backgrounds and dispositions. Using gifted students from different countries helps to ensure that the learning is not derailed by the limited perspective of more ethnocentric members. As this population is more open to understanding, empathizing, and helping they are a natural group to foster global learning and citizenship. 

This paper helps highlight the need to think beyond local and national culture. As the world becomes more complex and business more global in their operations, understanding the nuances of these changes will become important for leadership. The gifted population often races ahead of the general population and this makes them prime subjects for understanding the changes that are likely to occur in the future as general awareness increases. Whether one is situated on campus or in the buzz of cyber world, having students interact with those of varying cultures makes graduates more prepared to work in the global marketplace.

Adams, J. & Carfagna, A. (2006). Comitif; of a^e in a fiíoha Üzed world: The next generation. Bloumsfield. CT: Kutnarian Press.

Anheier,  et. al. (2001 ). Introducing global civil society. In H. K. Anheier. M. Glasius. »S: M. Kaldor (Eds.). Global civil society (pp. 3-22). New York: Oxford University Press.

Clark, B. (2008). Growing up gifted: Developing the potential of children at home and at .•school (7t.h ed.). Upper Saddle River. NJ: Pear.son Education.

Gibson, et. al.  (2004). Gaining multiple perspectives in gifted education through global learning reflection. Australian Journal of Gifted Education. 12, 34-40.

Gibson, et. al. (2008). Developing global awareness and responsible world citizenship with global learning. Roeper Review, 30 (1). 

Roeper. A. (1988). Should educators of the gifted and talented be more eoncemed with world issues? Roeper Review, ¡I, 12-13.

Van Tassel-Baska, J. (1998). Appropriate curriculum for the talented learner. In J. Van Tassel-Baska (Ed.), Excellence in educating gifted and talented ¡earners (pp. 339-361 ). Denver, CO: Love.

Defining the Elusive Concepts of Globalization

Globalization is a trend that has been fully embraced by some and treated as an unwelcome guest by others. The concept of globalization entails the need for change and further development in order to meet its widespread market pressures. Understanding globalization creates a stronger framework for understanding how it impacts international business and underlying perceptions of human capital. Through the development of a greater understanding there is the possibility of better management of global alignment.

Globalization was first mentioned in 1983 when Theodore Levitt explained how technology would drive the world into a single conversational platform that would result in global markets and brands (Govil & Rashmi, 2013). Markets begin to consolidate and new forms of business develop in order to compete in and traverse those markets. Those businesses that do not factor in the changing market and its globalizing effects may be end losers in the international game. 

There are many different ways in which to view the concept of globalization. Globalization can be seen as moving a national state into a global state (Stojanov, 2012). During such transition local workers align skills to the needs of the international community and are capable of working within firms that have international products and services. Companies seek out such local candidates when considering choices of expansion and international investment. 

Globalization is a concept of free trade that fits within a Capitalistic structure (van Meerhaeghe, 2012). Such free trade comes with the movement of products, money, labor, and businesses from one part of the globe to the next. Countries are no longer defined simply by their country of origin but become defined by a more transient global business environment.  More competitive structures create more business interest and investment.

As these products, business, labor, and investment shift from one place to the next there will be locations that naturally lose out on the benefits globalization has to offer. For example, income equality can result in places like South-East Europe or the Commonwealth of Independent States (Elmawazini, 2013). This is due to the loss of investment, poor governmental structures, tax structure, human capital, infrastructure and other factors that make such places more difficult to conduct business and therefore less lucrative for investment. 

As a by-product of greater global awareness human rights and worker rights also become more globalized. For example, globalization of law, legal accountability, human rights, conflict resolution, and doctrines of equal standings become more common (Brysk & Jimenez, 2012). Economics and value systems exist together and as economics become porous across borders the concepts of ethics and human rights also become defined by those new economic assumptions. 

At present, there is no single way to measure globalization. Some indexes measure investment, some economic output, some educational attainment, and others human capital earning power. Each of these indexes has advantages and disadvantages but is limited in scope and effectiveness. Using multiple indexes of important key indicators is more accurate than relying exclusively on a few single benchmarks.

Globalization has both positive and negative effects on economic strength. Those countries that are more capable of aligning their systems to the new global structure are more likely to succeed in the long run. As this transition occurs there will be challenges of basic assumptions, adjustments of wealth, needs for new skills, and times of political upheaval.  What we believe today may not be what we believe a few decades down the road. Times are changing and with this come new opportunities for success or failure.

Brysk, A. & Jimenez, A. (2012). The globalization of law: implications for the fulfillment of human rights. Journal of Human Rights, 11 (1).  

Elmawazini, K., et. al. (2013). Trade globalization, financial globalization and inequality within south-east Europe and CIS countries. Journal of Developing Areas, 47 (2). 

Govil, S. & Rashmi, J. (2013). Globalization of Markets. Advances in Management, 6 (6).

Stojanov, D. (2012). Dialectic of globalization and economic science. International journal of innovations in Business, 1 (4). 

van Meerhaeghe, M. (2012). Globalization: concept, outcome, future-a continental view. European Journal of Law and Economics, 33 (2).

How Technology Companies go Global

Companies seek to compete in the global market and often look for overall methods to bring local companies to a wider audience. A study conducted by Mets and Kelli (2011) helps leaders determine the overall process of global expansion. High-technology companies, in this instance, are considered those that actually contribute to new technologies versus those that simply manufacture existing technologies. The movement from local to global markets requires considerable learning and planning but is often done so in a haphazard manner.

Companies often start in a national market as they develop their business model. At some point they move to a global environment which forces them to adapt and use new business models to ensure success. There are a couple of different types of global businesses:

Born-Again Global: Companies that operate within the domestic market but due to an event become pushed into the global market. 

Born Global: Venture companies that are designed from the start to compete on a global market. 

Learned Global: These are companies that used research, learning, and knowledge to move into the global market by design. 

When companies start they often hedge their knowledge and competencies in order to make a market presence. These competencies and skills are matched with an environment where information is transferred quickly. Where trade barriers are lower, they generally have more success. The use of the Internet affords the opportunity to move across borders in ways that previous large companies with economies of scale dominated.

To help a company explode often requires the need for additional funding and capital. Venture capitalists look for those companies that are likely to sustain their operations into the future so that return capital can be returned with a profit. According to Laanti et. al. (2007) commonly used evaluations for technology companies include 1. Resources and Capabilities and 2.) Strategies for Globalization. 

Resource and capabilities includes the abilities of the founders/managers, innovative abilities, business networks and finance capabilities. Strategies for Globalization include product, operation, and marketing strategies.  It appears that the two concepts are separate by the resources that can be focused on expansion, leadership capabilities that determine how these resources are used, and the voice of the company to reach potential customers make the difference.

The study by Mets and Kelli analyzed seven Estonia start-ups to determine their globalization strategies. Some environments can help in fostering technology start-up companies while some slow down or retard such developments. Many organizations start by being suppliers to larger multinational companies and offer their own services through a freemium model. This model is the free service or application with premium pay services. The companies appear to have developed their products and their models at the same time. An interactive development occurs where market exposure and adaption work together. The author does not find that there is a single model for globalization but simply a general path from local to international. 

Lannt, R. et. al. (2007). The globalization strategies of business to business born global firms in the wireless technology industry. Industrial Marketing, 36.

Mets, T. & Kelli, A. (2011). Are hi-tech born globals really born global? Management of Organizations: Systematic Research, 59

The Improvement of Online International Business Education

A phenomenological study conducted in 2010 by Dr. Pimpa from RMIT University in Australia helps in identifying ways to improve online education.  The report argues that online education has immense possibilities for business, management and finance education. There are some needed adjustments that include being selection of materials, integrating programming, using strong platforms, and resource allocation. The purpose of his studies was to explore the issues of engagement in online education with international students. 

The study used a qualitative semi-structured interview format with 27 undergraduate accounting, finance and international business. The small sample has some limitations in larger generalizations but does find potential opportunities to explore in greater depth. The study looked at similarities and differences with students and then used those results to discuss the findings with professionals in the field. 

In general, the results found that the personal backgrounds, experiences, and level of education varied similar to the backgrounds of each student. International business students engaged more often than accounting and finance students. Students related that they connected well to theories and practice. When the examples were related to their own experiences they connected better. Online discussion was a way for them to engage and discuss their understandings. 

The finance students wanted more content related changes. They were taught individual financial models but felt that finance was a collection of models. In this case online discussion helped the students think more about the connection of models and theories. Furthermore, the discussions afforded the opportunity for students to understand the nature and expectations of the course. 

Accounting students preferred an online and face-to-face interactive level of instruction. They stated that their desires were a result of the complex concepts and the necessity for greater understanding. Yet when engage in online interaction the use of case studies and relation of theory to practical brand examples they are familiar with helped them engage and study. 

The ability of students to feel excited about and engaged in their courses was related to the abilities of the instructor in using online education and technology. Students enjoyed the ability to access their educational systems at anytime, access databases, and other instructional tools. They felt that convenience of the educational process was a benefit when they use WI-FI spots throughout the university. 

The cultural aspects of the students seemed to have an impact on their level of online engagement. Asian students that have a more collectivist background liked the ability to openly discuss topics without the fear of losing face in public for putting forward wrong answers or challenging someone. Both Anglo and Asian cultures seemed to enjoy learning about the products, services, and business methods of people overseas. 

Comments:

Online education has some benefits that come with the inherent ability to span time and space in a global market. As companies move to a more multi-national platform and engage in international business it becomes important for students to understand and relate personally to more worldwide through the understandings of their classmates. 

The use of strong online systems requires the ability to take practical examples that are of interest to students and use those examples to teach them about theory and practice. It provides a stronger context for students and greater level of understanding. Furthermore, the strength of an educational system is often based in the ability of the students to interact with each other and the convenience of accessing information quickly.

Pimpa, N. (2010). E-business education: a phenomenographic study of online engagement among accounting, finance and international business students. I-Business, 2 (4).