International Business
International Business will help you become an expert in how firms operate at a global level by delving into political, economic, cultural, and legal influences. In this interdisciplinary program, you will complement your study of International Business with a strong competence in an additional field (economics, entrepreneurship, history, marketing, organizational behavior, strategy, etc.).
Typical Coursework
Foundational courses:
- Economics of international business
- Politics of international business
- Organizations and international business
Methodology courses:
- Econometrics
- Qualitative research methods
Disciplinary courses in:
- Economics
- Sociology
Proseminars:
- Strategy & International Business Speaker Series featuring globally renowned researchers
- Teaching and professional development
Alumni Highlights
- Minyoung Kim, University of Kansas
- Ishva Minefee, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Recent Placements
- Florida International University
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Indiana University
- Iowa State University
- Ohio State University
- University of Kansas
Areas of Faculty Research
- Business history
- Corporate activism
- Corporate political activity
- Economic history
- Emerging economies
- Foreign direct investment
- Industrial organization
- Global strategy
- Microfoundations of strategy
- Nonmarket strategy
- Organizational legitimacy
- Political economy
- Social movement activism
Highlights of Faculty-Student Collaboration
- Yao, F., Jiang, K., Combs, D., & Chang, S. (2022). Informal institutions and absorptive capacity: A cross-country meta-analytic study. Journal of International Business Studies
- Clougherty, J. & Zhang, N. (2021). Foreign investor reactions to risk and uncertainty in anti-trust: U.S. merger policy investigations and the deterrence of foreign acquirer presence. Journal of International Business Studies
- Yao, F., Xie, L., Li, J., & Xu, M. (2023). Subnational-level Government Influence and FDI Location Choices: The Moderating Roles of Resource Dependence Relations. Journal of International Business Studies
Recent Publication Outlets
- Asia Pacific Journal of Management
- Business History
- Enterprise & Society
- Global Strategy Journal
- International Journal of Human Resource Management
- Journal of International Business Policy
- Journal of International Business Studies
- Journal of Management Studies
- Research Policy
- Review of International Organizations
- Political Science Research and Methods
- Political Studies Review
Faculty Editorial Boards
- Business History Review
- Global Strategy Journal
- Journal of International Business Studies
- Strategic Management Journal
Recent Faculty Awards & Leadership Positions
- UIUC Campus Research Board Award, 2022
- AOM International Management Division, HKUST Best Paper in Global Strategy Award, 2019
Hear from PhD students and alumni
"The IB doctoral program at Gies has provided rigorous training in international business theories through well-structured coursework, along with opportunities to develop a scholarly capability through a series of discussion seminars. Also, opportunities to learn from and work with faculty in different disciplines enable us to develop an interdisciplinary and creative mindset. The faculty members in the IB program have provided tremendous intellectual and emotional support, which has been most important and helpful for me to keep learning and growing as a scholar."
Hyewon Ma, Current PhD Student
"The IB doctoral program at Gies provided me with superior training to conduct rigorous research that has been published in top IB journals and high-quality teaching that has received excellent student evaluations. I experienced many benefits by being a part of the IB program, such as freely pursuing interdisciplinary research interests and traveling to other countries to present my research at various conferences."
Danielle Combs, PhD ’18
Assistant Professor, University of Alabama