The Impact of International Travel Component of the Executive MBA Curriculum on Participant Learning

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to assess the impact of the international trips on ΕΜΒΛ student learning. We have measured participants’ cognitive, affective and behavioral elements towards international business before and after the trip for two ΕΜΒΛ classes. We find that although learning has taken place in all these areas because of the trip, it has been significant mostly for cognitive and affective learning. In addition, we have tested the extent of such experiential learning as a function of the perceived difference between the USA and the destination country. Our results indicate that both People's Republic of China (PRC) and Vietnam have been perceived very differently from the USA, compared to the differential perception of Hong Kong (a specially administered region of the PRC) vis-à-vis the USA. However, there has not been much evidence of different levels of learning based on the destination —the impact of all destinations has been very positive on learning.