Cross-Border Curricular Programs in
International Environmental and Agribusiness Management

Summer Institute
on International Agribusiness (Agro/Food) Management, Trade
and Policy Issues in North America

Summer Institute: Concept | Components | Schedule

The Concept

The purpose the summer institute is to provide an integrative experience for undergraduate students with an interest in various international policy issues. Students will benefit from activities designed to synthesize subject matter, increase knowledge of current trends and issues, enhance application and problem-solving skills, and facilitate both independent and critical thinking. Students will gain a competitive advantage by being better prepared for the requirements of today's internationally oriented job market, as well as developing a mature, self-reliant perspective on learning.

The institute will draw on the resources and expertise of the universities involved in the "Cross-border Project," as well as individuals from other universities and both the public and private sector. The initial plan is for the summer institute to provide six semester hours of credit over a three-week period. It is recommended that students enroll in the institute between their junior and senior years. It is suggested that the institute initially be held in Maine and then rotate among participating universities.

The institute will be flexible in both format and subject matter in order to provide students with an optimal array of relevant growth opportunities and learning experiences. Currently, the plan is for a base component of the institute to be a business simulation. Other activities being considered include seminars and discussions led by university faculty, government officials, industry representatives and firm managers which focus on identifying and addressing timely international issues, trends, policies and problems. Emphasis will be placed on identifying causes, impacts, responses and potential solutions. Industry and agency personnel will play an integral part in the success of the institute, bringing real-world perspectives through seminars and field trips.

Student-centered activities might include small-group discussions, discussion leadership and team activities. Activities will be designed to stimulate synthesis, integration, application and problem solving.

It is proposed that the centerpiece of the summer institute be based on the use of a computer simulation that would place student teams in the position of managing a multinational company in competition with other student teams over 10-12 decision periods. As part of the simulation exercise, the program administrator would induce various economic, trade and environmental policy events to which management teams would have to respond. Supplemental seminars would be utilized to increase student knowledge of relevant issues (including potential impacts and responses) of interest to students majoring in a range of academic areas including economics, marketing, finance and management, as well as agricultural and resource economics and agribusiness management.

Teams would be composed of students from different universities to maximize diversity in the team-building experience. Each team would be required to develop a strategic business plan and present it to a board of directors composed of faculty participating in the institute. Teams would carry out their strategic plan over 10-12 decisions, during which various policy events would be incorporated into the simulation to enable students to react to possible real-world economic or environmental policy-related events. The final simulation activity would be a second presentation to the board of directors detailing how the management team carried out its strategic plan, what the team did well and not so well and how strategies were adjusted in response to external influences including policy changes and competitor decisions.

The simulation currently used by the University of Florida is the Global Business Simulation Game. Other available simulation programs include: Corporation: A Global Business Simulation, Laval Mind Software, Marketplace, and The Global Business Game. The simulation activity is an excellent format in which to facilitate knowledge integration and application as well as the development of problem-solving and team skills. In addition, it provides the opportunity for students to evaluate the outcomes of their decisions and learn how to make better decisions in a competitive environment.

Contact information: 206 Winslow Hall, Orono, ME 04469-5782, (207) 581-3171, peggy.mckee@umit.maine.edu