Global Initiatives in Management

A cornerstone of Kellogg’s international curriculum

Experience firsthand the economic ecosystems, business practices and market dynamics of a particular country or region.

More than 250 students per year elect to experience international markets in person and dig deep into a specific topic or sector during the Global Initiatives in Management (GIM) Program. Before they leave, they analyze their perspectives in the classroom and research their partner businesses. The course is designed for students to:

• Gain a foundational understanding of the macroeconomic trends, politics, history and culture of a country or region outside the United States.
• Experience firsthand through meetings with government officials and company representatives the future opportunities and challenges of a particular country or region.
• Understand the framework of a particular business topic or issue through the lens of a specific country or region, including any challenges, opportunities and strategies used to address it, and then apply the framework to other countries and regions throughout the world (for topics classes).
• Collaborate with peers on a project that navigates international networks and proposes solutions to a particular problem within a business sector.

There are three factors that make GIM unique: It is open to all programs at Kellogg, so Full-Time, Evening & Weekend, and Executive MBA students can collaborate and expand their networks; it provides premier access to business leaders and organizations relevant to the topics being studied through the Kellogg network; and it allows students to pursue a topic that is relevant to their own interests through their group project teams.

GIM begins with a foundation of classroom learning followed by an in-country immersive experience.

In-Class Portion

• Timing: GIM is offered as a winter elective class for Full-Time, Evening & Weekend, and Executive MBA students.
• Major Deliverable: Students work in groups of four to five to design a business plan, research question, industry analysis, or business case around a business topic of interest relating to all countries being studied. Past projects have focused on women entrepreneurship in emerging markets, social impact education and fighting energy poverty in East Africa.

In-Country Portion

• Timing: Over spring break, all GIM classes will spend up to ten days in-country. All students are expected to arrange their own international flights and meet up with their classes at 9 a.m. on the designated start date of their itineraries. At the end of the trip, students may either continue traveling or return to Evanston. All students are expected to return in time for their first class of the spring quarter.
• Schedule: In-country time is primarily devoted to business and culture, with free time for the students primarily in the evenings and during the weekends. The class will meet with government officials and business and industry leaders as a group (called “plenary meetings”), while the group project teams will work to set up their own meetings and conduct first-hand research with key stakeholders in the country. Past plenary meetings have taken place with companies such as Boeing China, Off Grid Electric, Gustu, and Fab Lab Peru.

Questions? Please contact Global Experience to learn more about the 2024 GIM program.