4. Some insights about this pathway
International Business & Strategic Foresight
- Practically all aspects of modern business have taken on an international dimension, which has created new challenges and the need for expertise.
- If foreign markets offer an opportunity for expansion, which ones are most attractive from the point of view of their economic situation, inherent financial risks, regulatory issues and trade agreements? Do you understand international economic trends and know how to analyze them?
- Even if the opinion is that the firm’s products have a clear international potential, how should we market them abroad? How do we go from domestic to international marketing?
- If the firm is aiming for an international presence, should it still limit itself to raising capital for expansion in the domestic financial market? If not, how do we deal with different financial regulations and foreign currencies?
- The firm’s products may have been created from in-house technology, or the firm’s technology may be focused on lean and efficient production. How do we take these strengths abroad and implement them across foreign markets and countries?
- Many international executives have started their careers as specialists in a particular field. But what sets them apart is their ability to think strategically, across disciplines and beyond their home market. The skill set required for managing an international business is inevitably more demanding than what is required for managing business within national borders. And the demand for professionals with an understanding of the modern, much more complex, international business environment is increasing rapidly.
- There is more than one way to access this career path. Whether your primary interest is marketing, finance, production management, data science or something else, the important factor is that you want to take these skills to the international level. There is no substitute for professional experience. But the starting point of a firm grounding in international business and economics and how these two fields work together—can set you on the right course for an exciting career.