Germany Spring 2022 CBA494/GBA694
SHORT-TERM STUDY IN GERMANY (CBA494/GBA694 - SPRING 2022)
After a two-year Hiatus, 17 CSULB students attended a weeklong international workshop held in collaboration with the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW). CSULB students worked with over 20 HAW students on group projects examining the differences between German and US human resources management practices. Students presented their findings on various components of human resource management such as recruitment, selection, and compensation.
Students met with representatives from companies based in Hamburg across multiple industries. These talks linked how different areas of human resources function differently in multiple areas of business such as supply chain management (Hapag-Lloyd), marketing (Online Marketing Rockstars Festival), as well as accounting, and consulting (Ernst & Young). Students also visited the local airbus factory and gained an inside look into its manufacturing processes and place in the aviation industry.
Some of the testimonials include the following:
“Honestly, I never thought I would learn so much about everything but business in a business class. I feel like I changed a lot coming back to the States. Adapting to new environments was something I truly improved on, especially with my luggage and flights, as I worked with different people, and being in a new setting helped me open my mind up to many possibilities for work outside of the United States. I always had plans to travel for work in the future and this is just one step out the door.”
“I think this experience made me think of studying international business because it is amazing to see how different each country can be. Hearing the group presentations also contributed to this because there were so many differences between the laws, practices, and benefits between Germany and the USA.”
“This trip has taught me to appreciate the differences I have with people from other cultures and backgrounds. It gave me better understanding when dealing with people who are different from me. It made me think of other things I want to do with my life, and other things I want to add into my learning goals. It was a very worthwhile trip that I would love to experience all over again.”
“This experience was unforgettable as I made friends for a lifetime, traveled the world, and grew my professional network along the way. I am grateful to have gotten this experience, especially given the state of the world with the coronavirus and the war going on in the Ukraine. I hope to meet these students again in the future as I truly enjoyed this whole experience!”
“The experiences that I was able to take part of will be a priceless collection of experiences and moments of growth that I will cherish in the future. The skills that I was able to hone and develop were necessary and the need for them in the workplace in international business is readily apparent when communicating with teams in different time zones. The ability to network with the different corporations and learn the history of Hapag-Lloyd to the different marketing techniques of OMR Festival were beyond insightful and I will be able to apply everything I learned into the professional workplace as I enter in as a graduate.””
“In conclusion, from reading the textbook back in February to sitting in the classroom in Hamburg, this entire journey has been something I have never experienced, and something I will never forget. Even though we were only there for a week, I feel such a growth internally in how I view myself and my part in this world. This was my first time in Europe, and I spent two weeks in Switzerland along with Germany, so I have been away from home for the longest period of time in my life so far, and I have learned so much. Mainly, to not judge a place by the history of it. I had never heard of Hamburg before this class, but now it is a place I look forward to visiting again and diving deeper into the culture. Not to mention, I have experienced a kindness here from my group mates and new friends that is completely new to me, and it inspires me to be just as kind to people when I return home. Reflecting on this week, it has changed many parts of me and changed the way I see the world, and this is just the beginning. The world is so large and recognizing that this was only one city and how much it changed me made me truly realize there is an infinite amount of learning out there, so I intend to find it. Thank you for the opportunity to learn from you and get this chance to immerse myself in something new. I am so glad I took a chance and signed up for this class, and that I did not get COVID when I was there.”
