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Vol. I Issue I Fall 1997 |
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 Professor of Marketing at the Perdue School of Business, Salisbury State University
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Global Business
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 e
don't have time to do this research for ourselves," says Kim Leveridge, of the
international division of Maryland Wire Belts in U.S.A. "And we have no one who can
travel for us. SSU has contacts around the world, sister universities. The export
assistance teams at Project Management Group gave us quite a bit of information and leA
final report for Maryland Wire Belts will include specific information on how to achieve
their goals. ads in two countries into which we are planning to expand." |
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ny business that has expanded
into the global marketplace can tell you there is much more to master than language and
currency. Successful negotiations in any country require an understanding of its history,
politics, business protocol and even rules of etiquette. It's information virtually every
business needs but only a select few can afford to develop on their own. 
nter the International Business Development program of
Salisbury State University's Project Management Group. The Eastern Shore site for the
Maryland Export Assistance Network links businesses with State of Maryland resources and
organizes and conducts trade missions and activities. SSU Marketing Professor Memo Diriker
visits countries around the world on behalf of some 30 companies. The faculty, staff and
student interns on the export assistance teams research each trade mission: developing
background information on business practices, history and political stability; identifying
government and business contacts who can best help PMG clients; arranging for meetings and
tours, working in trade shows when possible; and collecting product information and
samples to take on behalf of client companies. 
or example, the buying method the company has used in the States may
not be the most effective in another country. Joe Ventura was still working on his
degree when he had the chance to tackle that question for Maryland Wire Belts.
"I never imagined I'd have an opportunity like this to do work directly related to my
major," he says. A student who'd never been outside the U.S., Ventura worked on an
international team that included exchange students from Chile and Belgium. It's been
Guiding the work of Maryland Wire Belts'
export assistance team is Gerard DiBartolo. Like Diriker, DiBartolo is a member of the
marketing faculty of Salisbury State University's Franklin P. Perdue School of Business.
He and another faculty member lead a team of student interns. 
y feeling is these projects are great learning
experiences," says DiBartolo. "Working with the Project Management Group gives
me an opportunity to apply concepts that I research or attempt to teach; and I'm able to
maintain my contacts within the business community." 
nce the research was done, Diriker set off to Chile,
Spain, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom. "I carry a bagful of literature from our
clients and come home with business cards for them," Diriker says. His contacts on
any given trip will include the representative of Maryland's Office of International
Business, the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service and a number of businesses. "I
get to know the organization so that I can report back to our clients and generate leads
for them," he says. 
Beyond the export assistance teams and the trade missions, the international
business program is realizing another goal, the benefits of which will be equally long
lived. Diriker and the staff of the Enterprise Development Group are developing an
International Business Executive Diploma program. Designed for graduates and business
executives, the program will offer the tools needed to increase one's international
business activities. 
he international business program is funded by grants
from the U.S. Department of Education and Maryland's Department of Business and Economic
Development. For more information, contact the Project Management Group at 410-548-5353.
alisbury State University would like to host the NIBS conference in 1999.
Comments and questions are welcome and truly appreciated.