One of the major objectives of the GMET Global Training Program is to offer learning solutions, through research and training, to the current challenges of global management of engineering and technology facing institutions involving global operations. The world is changing, and technology advances, as do the courses in the GMET Global Training Program. GMET goes beyond conventional thinking, looking out for the emerging knowledge, skills, and the best practices in this area. GMET will reinvent the program to best serve the needs of our partners and industries. At its inception, it will start with the following three courses:

Advanced Concepts in Global Engineering Project Management

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Meet Chief Instructor Stephen Smith, Ph.D.

This course presents the principles and applications of global project management in an international setting with attention to the current state of the art in "Best Practices" as they apply to the nine knowledge areas and five fundamental processes of project management.

You will learn how to:

1. Develop a global project management perspective for each aspect of the project.
2. Identify the elements of a global project plan.
3. Incorporate the global project cultural and environmental factors into your risk management plan
4. Systematically address the issues surrounding the management of global projects.

The increasingly competitive dimensions in world commerce are driving the need for advanced competencies in global project management. The management of global projects cuts across organizational and national borders. To be successful, project managers must be prepared to manage an extended set of requirements while leading in a multicultural setting. Special challenges arise from differences in cultures, tradition, values, philosophies and languages of the project partners. In addition, the culture of partner organizations can take on added importance. Success in global competition is increasingly dependent on using consistent organizational processes throughout the global project system. In this course, you'll learn how to systematically approach these complex global project management issues as well as how to minimize the risks inherent in doing business in the worldwide marketplace. The current state of the art in application of Best Practices will be applied and illustrated in each aspect of the course.

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Collaborative Engineering Principles and Practices for Global Enterprise

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Meet Chief Instructor Stephen C. Lu, Ph.D.

The objective of this course is to enhance the theoretical competences and practical skills of collaborative engineering for engineers and managers working in the global industrial enterprises. The education goals are to teach students the basic understandings of the fundamental principles of collaborative engineering and the practical applications of these principles to enhance their engineering collaboration practices. Students will learn integrated knowledge from multiple disciplines, including social, cognitive, management, system, decision, and information sciences that are relevant to human collaboration, and engage in relevant case studies which demonstrate how this interdisciplinary knowledge can be applied to support real-world engineering collaboration in global industries. The course will also be of interests to other professionals who directly or indirectly participate in and lead large-scale international projects that need engineering collaboration.

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Global/Cross-Border Leadership and Teamwork for engineers and scientists

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Meet Chief Instructor Dennis R. Briscoe, Ph.D.

This course is about leadership and management, specifically for engineers, scientists, and technicians who work in a global and cross-cultural environment. It deals with the development of leadership skills in multi-national businesses and projects and with problems encountered in cross-border and global teams, including differences in culture, time zones and attitudes, communication and management styles, organizational learning and knowledge management, international negotiations, international business strategy, virtual teams, and human resource management issues, such as staffing, training, and compensation. The course uses case studies, lectures, readings, discussion, and simulations.

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Strategies, Structures, and Best Practices for Thriving in the New Global Economy

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Meet Chief Instructor Leonard H. Lynn, Ph.D.

The current globalization of the economy is posing unprecedented opportunities and challenges for firms. How does a firm best structure itself to thrive in this new environment? How should it go about entering global markets? What sort of alliances with other foreign and domestic firms should it consider? This class begins with a series of modules that address important “big picture” issues: what are the major trends in globalization, where are they leading us, what might derail them, and what might firms do in response. It next moves into modules dealing with how successful firms structure themselves to handle their multinational activities, how they devise global strategies, how they decide when and where they need strategic partners with other firms. Finally, the course gives more attention to issues related to innovation and new product development for global markets.

Students will reinforce their understanding of key concepts of strategy and marketing, and come to a better understanding of how these might be used to guide their firms as they expand into the global economy. They will develop a sense of:

1. How the student’s firm (and the student) can cope with broader changes in the global economy and the possibilities of disruptions in the world trade environment.
2. The major systemic differences between firms rooted in different economies, and how these shape the global strategies of these firms.
3. The alternative structures firms use as they expand into international markets.
4. The strategies for globalization being used by firms, and the underlying logics of these strategies.
5. Different approaches to entry into foreign markets.
6. The pros and cons of working with foreign partners in joint ventures and other forms of strategic alliances.
7. The new product development/innovation strategies that are being used by firms.

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