Twenty students from the University of New Mexico’s ASM spent part of last summer at one of the top business schools in Latin America – the Aguascalientes campus of ITESM. Under the guidance of Professors Dante Di Gregorio and Douglas Thomas, the students participated in a bi-national classroom consisting of students from UNM and ITESM.
The Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), known as the Tec de Monterrey or Monterrey Tech for short, is regularly considered the top business school in Latin America in rankings published in sources such as the Wall Street Journal. It excels in a wide range of technical and professional fields and has established more than 30 campuses across Mexico.
The experience served as a unique educational opportunity for participating students to learn more about the Mexican economy and business environment, and what it’s like to conduct business in Mexico.
“The Anderson Schools have exchange programs all over the world, but we wanted to create a program that would entail more direct involvement by UNM faculty and generate new opportunities for students to gain first-hand experience in Mexico,” said Di Gregorio. “We decided to take the students to Aguascalientes, which offered a world-class university located in a dynamic business environment.”
“This program was made possible with the support of the Anderson Schools and the Provost’s office,” said Thomas. “Our shared belief was that such a program would be positive for the students, the University, as well as the state.”
The students said the experience was beneficial in a variety of ways including the business aspect and culturally.
“The program was very informative as far as the business environment in Mexico and how management philosophies compare and contrast to that of the U.S.,” said Oscar Quinonez. “Many of the businesses we visited were interesting as they were once government entities and are now competing in an open market. The program helped me determine that I want to work in the international business area focusing on Latin America.”
“There were a few things about the class that I found particularly interesting,” said Jennifer Chavez, International Management. “The examination of the relationship between Mexico and the United States, Mexico's volume of exports, the number of countries Mexico does business with, and the analysis of Mexican multinationals.”
The students, who were housed by host families during their three-week course of studies, also thought they benefited from the hands-on experience in Aguascalientes, a modern, medium-sized city with a population of about 700,000. Aguascalientes is one of the most economically dynamic cities in Mexico. The city has attracted major multinational corporations and boasts some of the country’s most advanced infrastructure.
“I’m not sure you can really learn about a country without being submersed in it,” said Paul Johnstone. “You not only get the benefit of book knowledge, but this knowledge becomes much more applicable and relevant when you can then observe your studies in action. This made the small amount of time that we spent in Aguascalientes extremely productive and beneficial.”
“The key to learning class topics effectively was the interactive learning environment at ITESM,” said Chavez. “By discussing issues with ITESM faculty and students in addition to touring Mexican companies, the class encompassed another dimension of learning that could only take place in Mexico.”
“Prior to the trip I had been provided with general theory regarding doing business
on an international level,” said Randall Trask, who studies International Management. “The hands-on business and cultural exposure turned out to be an invaluable method to link general theory with personal experience. I now feel much more confident and prepared for my exit into a global marketplace.”
“The trip to Aguascalientes was very interesting and valuable,” added Caroline Schicht. “Instead of learning about Mexico and Mexican companies in Albuquerque, we got to explore it by visiting companies in the Aguascalientes area. I learned a lot about doing business in Mexico. I also have a different view on the Mexican culture today.”
Both Di Gregorio and Thomas had lived and worked in Mexico previously so it wasn’t a strange idea they brought to fruition. However, the program almost didn’t get off the ground.
“There were administrative changes at the top of the first school we contacted,” said Thomas. “We ended up contacting ITESM, which is a great business school and one of Mexico’s leading universities. Almost everyone considers it the best. Credit should go to ITESM because they did a lot to get the program going”
“The student experience was everything you could want,” added Di Gregorio. “They were able to experience the culture, academics, how large manufacturing is run in Mexico and the business world in a foreign country. The students responded and put a lot into the experience.”
Contacts: Dante Di Gregorio, (505) 277-3751; Doug Thomas, (505) 277-8892; Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821