International Business and the India Experience

The MMG trip to India for our global business class was by far one of my highlights of 2015. After spending all of fall semester studying and developing sustainable business plans and learning how such projects could be implemented, I was excited to finally experience the real thing in India. Our group arrived in Bangalore in early December, and despite a few airport mishaps, we were ready to take on the city. Bangalore is an ideal destination for studying international business, as it is continuously growing as a major hub for the tech industry and start-ups. With a vast mix of domestic and international IT firms operating in the city, Bangalore is indicative of both India’s own progressing economy and industries and increasing globalization.

Having the opportunity to be exposed to a completely new culture as a group of students was a unique experience; stepping out onto the city streets allowed us to see so many different types of life all at once and we certainly stood out as a large group of American students. At first it was a bit overwhelming to try to take it all in (I’m not sure if I’ll ever get over my terrifying attempts at crossing major streets), but soon I began to appreciate everything from the street vendors selling unfamiliar foods to the beautiful temples that could be spotted on every block.

Each day, our group visited a few different companies. Before the trip began, each team researched and prepared questions for the representatives we would be having meetings with, which helped to facilitate the insightful conversations we had at each company. We had the opportunity to meet with a wide variety of companies, including a few start-ups, a pharmaceutical firm and other upcoming businesses in the biotech industry, an NGO with the mission of expanding financial literacy in impoverished communities, and a venture capitalist firm. The whole experience allowed for me to better understand how all these different firms can be connected and gave me an idea of what career in these industries would entail.

By the end of the trip, our group had made so many fun memories together and I truly value being able to take on Bangalore’s business world with them. Our delicious last meal was the perfect culmination to the trip and the semester, and while I was sad for it to be over, I already had another adventure planned to stay and continue to explore India.

-Katherine Klagholz