YSU student attends International X-Culture Symposium
Brielle Robinson, a junior International Business major, from the Williamson College of Business Administration at Youngstown State University, participated in the 2024 X-Culture Global Symposium on July 7-13 in Chiang Rai, Thailand. She was the only college student from Ohio at the international competition.
“It was an absolutely amazing experience to get to learn about how another market operates. I am beyond blessed to have made so many connections and friends internationally. X-Culture is a great introduction into the world of international business. Thank you to Dr. Omer Genc, Associate Professor of Management at YSU, as well as the faculty at the WCBA for this opportunity,” Robinson said.
Robinson was invited to the X-Culture Symposium in Thailand after successfully competing in the X-Culture Corporate Challenge in 2023. The X-Culture 2023 Corporate Challenge was an international experiential learning project that provided the opportunity for 6,000 students from over 50 countries to work in global virtual teams (GVTs) and complete a business project, learning in the processes, challenges and best practices of global cross-cultural collaboration.
The X-Culture Symposium included a corporate challenge, with each student placed on a team of at least four students. The teams collaborated virtually for a month prior to the conference.
Five international companies included in the competition were Singha Park, Suwirun, TNP, Sooknirund and Doi Kham. Each student team created a three-year marketing plan for one of these companies' events.
Robinson’s team of international students from Myanmar, the United States and the Netherlands created a business development project for Singha Park. Singha Park is a family friendly tourist attraction located in Chiang Rai that contains an amusement park, zoo and tea plantation and manufacturing.
The company events from Singha Park included the Singha Cultural Festival, Fashion to The World x Singha Park fashion show collaboration, Singha Sports Competition, Singha Tea and Wellness Festival and Singha Cinema Event. The student team produced several marketing events to increase customer presence within the park. The student team visited the company and spoke with its CEO.
In addition to the corporate challenge, the program included other valuable sessions including lectures, professional development workshops, networking and social events. The lecture sessions were about standardization versus adaptation, cultural differences and trusting coworkers living in another country.