Global Partnerships in Business Communication

Many U.S. universities are developing interinstitutional partnerships in global business communication. Benefits include preparing students for the workplace by immersing them in intercultural projects and increasing the complexity of their understanding of the global economy. Challenges can range from technological constraints and scarce resources to geopolitical factors and varying disciplinary norms. However, global partnerships make faculty and students more aware of and engaged in the global business environment as they learn to communicate more effectively across cultures, critique current business practices, and produce new ways of being in global relation to each other. An interinstitutional partnership between a U.S. university and Universidad de la Habana in Cuba forms the centerpiece of discussion. Outcomes of this partnership include coauthoring articles in both countries and languages, the creation of a business communication course for graduate students in Cuba, and the development of classroom activities in which selected U.S. and Cuban undergraduate students exchange business documents.