The broad research question is, “What is the appropriate relationship between business and society in different national contexts?”

The focus of specific projects will depend upon the research team's composition, interests, and abilities each year. Recent projects have included:

• Corruption in global sports
• Islamic business practices
• Management under political uncertainty
• The appropriation of ethnicity in marketing
• Sustainability across cultures

ITI schedules events for the program year, which runs from September through May each academic year. Monthly events include:

• Dinner meetings
• Facility tours

Other forums for sharing the "how-tos" of international trade offer members the opportunity to network and learn from others' experiences.

As the adage counsels, nothing is certain but that there will be change. Generations of Iowans have lived and worked providing infrastructure for the global economy we find ourselves navigating today. Their preparation and legacy have provided the basis for Iowa's evolution into globalization. In pursuit of opportunity, growth, and competitive advantage, Iowa companies have found it necessary to go outside the borders of our state and our nation.

In support of doing business around the globe, the International Traders of Iowa endeavor to serve Iowa businesses by making available resources that will assist them in understanding and competing within the global marketplace today and tomorrow.

Contributing locally while acting globally is a good way to think of business in Iowa. From small to large, businesses across the state form a measurable power in international trade. Hundreds of Iowa businesses each day focus on trade in a marketplace that now spans the globe.

Whether you consider the world flat, reduced in size, or some other metaphor, there is no mistaking today's globalization phenomenon. Across varied sectors, including categories like machinery and agricultural-related products, Iowans are participating in this phenomenon by investing in and influencing world trade.

The International Traders of Iowa concentrates its efforts locally in service to businesses throughout the state so that Iowa may continue its positive presence around the world.

Scholarship options

Study Abroad at Drake