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DALLAS (SMU) - Consul Generals from China, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom and honorary consuls and dignitaries from Chile, Brazil, Argentina, France, Germany, and Japan will launch the Cox School's second American Airlines Global Leadership Program Friday, November 17. One hundred and twenty Cox first-year MBAs, split into three groups reflecting the continents to which each is assigned to visit and study, will listen to presentations by these international guests. Friday's program marks the beginning of the intensive preparation for their two-week trip in May to South America, Asia, and Europe next May.

Each representative will present extensive information on his home country, and its business climate and culture. It will be the first orientation of several to prepare the students for their global business experience. After the orientation, the Cox School will host a tea reception in the Dean's Parlor for the dignitaries.

The kick-off of the Global Leadership Program coincides with International Education Week. Designated by the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of State, International Education Week provides a global forum for promoting and celebrating the benefits of international education.

The Global Leadership Program is an innovative global business experience, unique to the Cox School among all MBA programs. Divided into three groups, first-year MBA students visit major cities in Asia (Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Taipei), Europe (London, Paris, and Munich), and Latin America (Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and Santiago) for two weeks to meet with executives, managers, workers, and government representatives. They compare both industries and functions across regions and around the world. Students examine issues including how marketing approaches vary among countries, how culture influences the manner in which business is conducted, and how government and trade regulation affect overall economic structure. At the conclusion, they participate in a three-day symposium on campus to share their observations with the Cox School and the Dallas business community.

Among the major corporations committed to participate in this program are: Enron, Lojas Renner (JCPenney Company), Grupo Techint, Embraer, REI, UPS, SONY, Coca-Cola, Shanghai General Motors, BMW, Ford, Merrill Lynch, Motorola, Texas Instruments, Rede Globo, Cathay Life, Taiwan Semiconductor, KPMG, TCC (Verizon), Cti, E & Y, CMC, Embratel, Banco do Santiago, Banco Central de, SOFOFA, FEMSA, Grupo Vitro, Siemens, Allianz, BASF, Goldman Sachs, British Telecom, Marks & Spencer, Bayerische Landesbank, ABN AMRO Bank, Petrobras, Codelco, Acer, Intel, CITIBANK, Bao Steel, KAO, The Associates First Capital, Petrobras, Alcatel, Credit Lyonnais, and Carrefour.

Cox's Global Leadership Program is supported by American Airlines. The flagship airline of Dallas/Ft. Worth and leader in international travel agreed to fund air travel for all first-year MBA students and faculty participants in the program for the next two years. In recognition of American's gift, valued at $1,050,000, the program was named the American Airlines Global Leadership Program.