According to a news story on the university’s website, The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business kicked off International Education Week with a panel discussion on Global Competence in Business. The panelists reflected on the way that global security, sustainability, environmental performance and supply chain security are all modern day issues that impact all multinational companies.
The panel was comprised of:
- Jing Vivatrat, managing director, Asia Group
- Wendy Lawson, VP of Global Learning, Discovery Communications
- Mohamed Abdel-Kader, deputy assistant secretary, international and foreign language education, U.S. Department of Education
- Trevor Gunn, VP International Relations, Medtronic
Adbel-Kader explained that being empathetic and flexible are as important as having executive competencies before Lawson added that, “Being authentic is so important and will get you past a lot of missteps. That is one of the most critical qualities for communicating with others.
All the panelists agreed that global organizations must find ways to safeguard their employees, act responsibly in local communities, and foster social responsibility in risky economies, said panelists.
International Education Week is sponsored by the Smith School’s Center for International Business, Education and Research (CIBER).