At the Center for Global Leadership (CGL), our mission is to build leaders with a sustainable global vision. Understanding cultural idiosyncrasies is key to success in international exchange. No matter the business or non-profit, every organization in today’s economy is impacted by cultural differences in some way. A successful leader thinks globally, mindful of cultural and language barriers as well as legal and political issues that affect organizations both internally and externally.
Our goal is to ensure students can experience foreign culture and commerce first hand. Therefore, our primary focus is to facilitate donor support to provide such access to those Merage School students who otherwise could not afford to study abroad.
This vision to create a more culturally aware student body by providing access to international contexts contributes to the Merage School’s objective of strengthening our global brand positioning—both for the School as well as for individual graduates as they develop broader global perspectives and a thirst for knowledge spanning borders.
“As a first generation college student, growing up, I didn't have many opportunities to travel. The Prague International Residential allowed me to see things from a different perspective. After learning about their history, I was able to understand why people in Prague behaved the way they did and how they viewed the world. I began planning my next trip as soon as I returned, which ultimately resulted in visiting eight other countries. This brief traveling experience with the Merage School has opened my eyes to the different opportunities and perspectives that are out there beyond Orange County, and I have been intrigued to further explore ever since.” -- Katie Xiong
The Center for Global Leadership holds an annual photo contest related to international commerce. This is a great opportunity to share your unique perspective and experience with the global economy with other members of the Merage School community. Contest submissions may be photos from anywhere in the world and include a caption that tells the story of that experience.
Contest Details:
Goals of our international business initiatives include contributing to scholarly inquiry in this area and sharing that knowledge in the classroom and with the community. We provide our students with the tools to effectively manage global enterprise.
We teach our students best practices regarding international operations and employee management as well as development and implementation of effective global business strategies. Our learning environment includes a diverse faculty and student body as well as a broad group of international academic and organizational partners enabling students to develop personal relationships and international networks that will serve them well into the future.
International Management
As an undergraduate student in this course, you will study the impact of different cultures, politics and economic systems on assumptions, expectations and organizational practices relevant to conducting business in different national settings. Gain an understanding of the challenges of cross-national management and resources utilized to work and conduct business outside the United States.
Leadership Opportunities in Global Sustainability (LOGS)
This undergraduate course includes lectures by sustainability leaders and stakeholders from academia as well as policymakers and commerce executives from all over the world. We will review the concept of sustainability, the ability to endure, the data associated with such a bold claim as climate change is real, address pending critical issues, and learn how leaders deal with those critical issues.
Global Strategic Alliances in Sustainability (GSAS)
This undergraduate course is focused on cooperative efforts across organizations aimed at developing effective cross-disciplinary responses to the climate crisis. We will address the following questions:
China and The Global Order
This undergraduate-level course introduces you to China's economic and military relations with the world. You will assess the likelihood for conflict and how to strategically manage business risk in an environment of regional conflict. It includes an original documentary series and engaging discussion.
Independent Study
Receive course credit in an individual study under the direction of Merage School faculty. Past projects include:
Negotiations
Using a combination of theory and practice via negotiation simulations, you will expand your negotiating skills and develop your ability to analyze different negotiation situations and contexts in this graduate-level course.
Global Marketing
You will gain an understanding of the problems and perspectives of marketing across national boundaries and develop analytical abilities for structuring and controlling marketing programs related to overseas business in this graduate-level course. Financial, legal and cultural barriers to international marketing are emphasized.
MBA International Residential Courses
International residential courses are a highlight of our MBA programs and provide a unique, first-hand opportunity to learn about the macroeconomic, cultural and political issues faced by critical global business players. Recent locations include:
Peace Building MBA
The inspiration for this program comes from the Peace through Commerce initiative sponsored by the Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business (AACSB) along with the US Peace Corps, the UC Irvine Center for Citizen Peacebuilding, and the Merage School Strategic Plan. Through this program, we provide opportunities for our students to engage with students from other countries in an educational joint venture fellowship program that builds ethical leadership through service in other countries. LEARN MORE >
Independent Study
Receive course credit in an individual study under the direction of Merage School faculty. Past projects include:
LEADS
The Merage School Leadership Experience And Development for Success Program (LEADS), founded in spring 2018, offers a select group of Merage School undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in professional development, mentoring workshops and networking events with Merage School alumni and community leaders. Through the program, students develop highly valued soft skills that will serve them throughout their education and career. The soft skills include networking, relationship building, responsibility, collaboration, communication, interpersonal skills, problem-solving, time management, personal branding, and leadership. LEARN MORE >
TEC
The Executive Committee On-Campus (TEC) Program is one of the most rewarding and applicable career development experiences offered to selected Merage School MBA participants. Its purpose is to help participants define their personal and professional growth objectives. Open to 12 selected participants, the program requires six group meetings and up to six one-on-one meetings with the chairperson. This on-campus program is the student version of a similar Young Presidents Organization program, which has provided business leadership to over 7,000 CEO members worldwide since its inception in 1968. LEARN MORE >
Every business is global—particularly in today’s digital economy. For many of our students, international residentials mark their first time out of the country, and for some their first time on a plane. Students often report years later how their Merage School international residential sparked a lifetime of learning through travel, helping them to develop and hone the skills necessary to successfully function professionally in international environs. There are several ways to support our students:
There are many opportunities within the Center for executives and academics to share knowledge and experiences with the next generation:
Become a Board Member
We are grateful to those who have given their time and resources in support of the Center and our programs. Board members provide both financial support and valued input regarding Center initiatives and engagement.
Become a Speaker
Innovators and academics frequently headline CGL and/or Merage School events as well as student organization events.
Invest in Our Future
Support the Center for Global Leadership through sponsorship of scholarships and events. The Center’s programming depends on investments mady by alumni and friends -- your contributions make a big impact. Please contact us at cgl@merage.uci.edu to discuss your specific interests.
"Imagine my excitement when I saw that the Paul Merage School of Business would provide an experience where I could explore a part of the world I had never been to before. It was exciting immersing myself into a new culture first hand. I can learn anything through a textbook or presentation, but there is a tangible aspect - the sights, the smells, the environment - that can never be captured through that. I made some great friends, tried authentic Czech cuisine, and learned all about its rich history and business. It was honestly an unforgettable experience...and a fun fact: the flight to Prague was my first airplane flight ever, and the first time I had been out of California." -- Tiffany Tran
Dean Eric Spangenberg’s term as dean of the Merage School represented a commitment to access, innovation and advancing the American dream.
UCI Paul Merage School of Business alumni are leveraging the matching gift program at Edwards Lifesciences to double their impact.
Every time a new iPhone 7 is imported into the U.S., it adds roughly $240 — the factory cost — to the trade deficit balance sheet. But of that value, only a tiny fraction — $8.50 — accrues to China, according to research by Merage School Professor Emeritus Ken Kraemer. The rest goes to a variety of countries, such as Japan, Taiwan, Korea and, most of all, the U.S. More than half the retail price of the iPhone 7, which was $649 in 2016, goes straight to Apple’s...
The trade deficit between the U.S. and China reached an all-time high in 2018, while collaboration between U.S. and Chinese inventors declined for the first time in recent years, according to a new report from the UCI Paul Merage School of Business.
Having worked in various leadership roles at Pinkberry, Wet Seal Inc., Jamba Juice and other well-known companies, Ryan Patel is also a contributor on the CNN network.
A team of three Full-Time MBA students from the UCI Paul Merage School of Business competed in the Notre Dame MBA Tech Innovation Challenge, taking home first place and a cool $6,000. The final event was held April 22 at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. Focused on blockchain, this year’s case competition final event featured seven teams from top universities across the country.
Joseph Zakaria, MD/MBA ’19, has been selected as the first Merage School MBA Global Health Peacebuilding Scholarship recipient. As part of the award, he will participate in the upcoming Cuba residential and serve as ambassador for the Center for Global Leadership and the MBA Peacebuilding Initiative.
In line with its commitment to social good and innovation towards the UN's 17 SDGs, IBM has launched Watson for Social Good to help organizations leverage AI for the betterment of the world.
