International growth

Black Enterprise, July, 2008 by Marcia A. Reed-Woodard

"THE U.S. ECONOMY IS BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY SMALLER PORTION OF the global business environment," says Christopher Catlin, an associate with Booz Allen Hamilton, a strategy and technology management consulting firm based in McLean, Virginia. In light of the expansion of foreign trade and the explosion of emerging markets, Catlin felt that earning a traditional business degree wouldn't give him the competitive edge he needed in the international marketplace.

So in 2006, Catlin enrolled in Georgetown University's International Executive MBA program. He says the 18-month, every-other-weekend course goes beyond typical classroom boundaries to offer studies abroad, an in-depth look at global business issues, and exercises in intercultural management.

Catlin shares what he learned about the global market:

* It's a progressive trend. As diverse businesses enter the global market, businesses will have to implement procedures that facilitate international dealings and transactions.

* It presents unique opportunities. Globalization provides businesses with unlimited possibilities for growth, diversification, and collaboration.

* It's highly sensitive. As a result of this increased interdependence, what occurs in one country's economy--recession, labor shortages, war, military action, sanction, or trade agreement--will directly affect others. Managing foreign relations will be critical to business performance and profitability.

For more information about Georgetown University's International Executive MBA Program, log on to www.georgetown.edu.