The “As If” Business Internship: An Instructional Response to Extenuating Circumstances

An internship, especially in applied business disciplines, is an important experiential learning bridge from the academy to further training and/or a career threshold. The Covid-19 outbreak frustrated student placement opportunities in settings with a high exposure risk. The pandemic also disrupted degree progress and graduation targets for many. A case example of an alternative to an on-site internship is described that is a response to Covid-19 limitations. This alternative is defined as the “As-If” internship because it captures several learning outcomes of a facility placement. On-site internship success factors and benefits are discussed as a benchmark for demonstrating how the “As-If” experience fulfills on-site learning objectives. The alternative is further discussed as an approach for other extenuating circumstances.

A business internship was my first experience of working in an office

Alex McGhee was the first vet to pilot a new business internship with Vets4Pets. Thanks to its success, the company now offers three, 12-week summer internships with its HR, marketing and legal teams.

Business internships and new technologies: a scenario for growth and innovation

Literature on traineeships recognizes beneficial effects on its main agents: students, employers, and higher education institutions. Furthermore, some authors have identified added effects when applying new technologies to the business internship experience, specially referred to improved computer skills and learning outcomes. The Faculty of Business Administration and Management of the Universitat Politècnica de València has had a remarkable increase of internships over the past years. As computer skills are being more demanded by employers in a globalized and technological world, it is expected that virtual placements and ICTs in the internship practice will be a trend in universities in the up-coming years. The management of internships of the two new Double Degrees in the Faculty of Business: Business Administration and Management + Computer Science Engineering, and Business Administration and Management + Telecommunications Engineering, could provide the perfect scenario to put into practice and to explore the possibilities of new technologies applied to internships. The recent change in the Spanish law and in the regulations of universities, such as the Universitat Politècnica de València, allows business internships to take place abroad. This could also provide an opportunity for innovation and growth, if combining internationalization with virtualization of internships.

Estrategias para mejorar las producciones escritas de los estudiantes de Pasantía Empresarial / Strategies to improve students written productions in the subject Business Internship

ResumenSe presenta una investigación sobre escritura en la asignatura Pasantía Empresarial de la carrera de Administración de Empresa que se imparte en modalidad virtual. Se exponen los fundamentos teóricos sobre los que se sustentó el proyecto, la implementación de varias estrategias de escritura y los resultados alcanzados. Este estudio puede aportar a los docentes interesados en mejorar el proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje de sus contenidos disciplinares a través de la escritura en el nivel superior. AbstractThis article presents a research study on students’ writing processes in the subject of Business Internship taught in virtual mode. The theoretical foundations on which the project was based, the implementation of various writing strategies and the results achieved are discussed. This study can help teachers interested in improving the teaching and learning of their subjects content through the writing process at the university level.

Business Students' Evaluation of Their Internships

An 8-item evaluation of a business internship was completed by 363 junior and senior undergraduates. Students agreed or strongly agreed that the internship met the following goals and criteria of the for-credit course: adequacy of orientation, clarity of expectations, helpfulness of supervision, adequacy of feedback, application of business education, development of new knowledge and skills beneficial to career exploration, value of the placement and recommendation of employer for other interns. The importance of outcome assessment is discussed within the context of internship programs.

Intercultural Differences Between Chinese and Americans in Business

As business relationships with China increase, management of multinational enterprises and joint ventures in the U.S. and in China realizes that success depends on attention to cultural differences. This article was written by a Chi nese professor of business communication who benefited from a business internship in San Francisco and an American professor of finance who wit nessed cultural differences in business during a recent exchange visit in Shanghai. The article highlights several cultural differences that promote understanding and reduce the difficulties of dealing with these disparate cul tures. The Chinese point of view of these cultural differences makes this article uniquely valuable.