Japan and Chile were the Spring 2024 destinations for the 32 students enrolled in the Global Research Practicum courses from the University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.
These travels over spring break are integral parts of coursework and Pitt Business’ commitment to experiential learning. Built thematically and led by faculty, these international experiences challenge full-time MBA, part-time MBA, and Master of Science students to consider issues from a global perspective and expose them to business environments abroad.
Inside Sustainability and Innovation in Chile
This class, taught by Clinical Associate Professor Elise Boyas and Clinical Assistant Professor Haimanti Banerjee, examined sustainability issues in the agribusiness sector in Chile and the challenges agribusiness organizations face as they deal with climate change.
Before traveling abroad, the students heard from two guest speakers. Carnegie Mellon University Assistant Professor for Strategy and Technology Ignacio Arana Araya discussed recent Chilean political history and Pablo Fleiss, economics senior specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank, explained the state of the Chilean economy and its relationship to the broader Latin American market.
While in Chile, students met with executives fromFrutas de Chile, Unifrutti, Bioelements, Agrotech, Blass Chile, PhageLab, DHL, Done Properly, Southbridge Access, and Veramonte Winery.
“Through direct exposure to diverse companies and business practices, I gained a deeper understanding of the concepts and theories learned in the MBA program,” says program participant Tofunmi Akinluyi (MBA ‘25). “Engaging with industry professionals during presentations and company visits provided valuable insights into the practical challenges faced by entrepreneurs and start-ups in general.”
Done Properly, a food technology company that created two products to minimize the use of natural resources and reduce the carbon footprint, gave the students appetizers made from ingredients developed from plant matrices and beneficial microorganisms.
“Some of us were a little hesitant at first, but by the end, everyone tried them and ended up loving the food,” says student Paul McMahon (MBA ’24). “Everyone was thoroughly impressed and very surprised at how well everything tasted.”
Japan Visit Highlights Labor, Productivity, and Innovation
Clinical Associate Professor Heidi Bartholomew’s course focused on issues surrounding the Japanese business climate with a special focus on labor, productivity, and innovation.
Before traveling to Japan, three guest speakers addressed the class. Jim Cook, associate director of Pitt’s Asian Studies Center, discussed the post-1945 economic history of Japan. Brenda Jordan, director of the Pitt coordinating site for the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia, explained Japanese etiquette and culture. Yoshihiro Ito (MBA ’03, DBA ’25) provided a lecture on current events that are impacting the Japanese economy and business outlook, including the 2011 earthquake and Fukushima accident. He also introduced the students to Japanese business terms, such as “Shinise” (long-established businesses), and the long-term focus of many Japanese companies.
While in Japan, students met with executives from the Wall Street Journal, the American Chamber of Commerce, Bridgestone, JR East, and Masanobu “Mas” Tsukagoshi, chairman of the Katz Japanese Alumni Network. Mr. Ito also accompanied the students to Tokyo and provided additional comments and insights during a visit to his company, Learning Edge.
“This experience significantly enhanced what I learned in the classroom by providing practical applications and real-world contexts for the knowledge and skills gained from my courses,” says student Devesh Udasi, (MBA/MS ’25). “It directly addressed my queries regarding sustainable technology, aligning perfectly with my career transition plans.”
For Tori Winter (MBA ’25), the trip made a connection to her current job. Winter is earning her MBA part-time while working full-time at Emerson Automation Solutions as an engineering project manager.
“I work in a firm focusing on power plant control systems and sustainability in that sector,” says Winter. “The conversations with executives in Japan broadened my understanding of sustainability as both a local economic concern and a core mission for companies. It became evident that a common dedication to sustainability transcends geographical boundaries.”
This program represents Katz’s third program focused on Japan and reflects the overall partnership between Pitt Business and the Japan Alumni Network.
Final Project Connects Travel to Learning Outcomes
In addition to the faculty members, Molly Christy, assistant director of Career Management at Katz, accompanied the students to Chile, and Bill McShane, associate director for Integrated Learning, traveled with the students to Japan.
During the semester, students complete several academic assignments, including a research paper related to the theme of the course. These deep dives enable students to sharpen their critical thinking and written communication skills as they analyze their chosen topic. Additional assignments enhance the professional development aspect of the program.
“These short, reflective assignments are designed to help students not only think deeper about the experiences but also articulate the learning outcomes in a way that is meaningful to employers,” says McShane. These assignments culminate in a video pitch in which students provide a short, concise summary of their experience to their class. “
This program was generously supported by the Center for Latin America Studies and the Asian Studies Center (both part of the University Center for International Studies) and Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement.
