Traveling, intercultural experiences, and managerial leadership: are international travelers better leaders?

Abstract

This manuscript describes both an International Business and International Management research project by the Children’s University (Universidad de los Niños) at Universidad EAFIT aiming to determine the impacts of personal internationally travelling on successful local business leaders -- The purpose in this project is to advance a framework for future research aimed at enhancing our understanding of why people who has regularly travelled abroad for any reasons, either personal or professional, makes them better leaders than others who have not -- Children within age 14 and 17 year old participating in this project were motivated to study the relationship between travelling experiences and business leadership, with the proposition that travelling implies a leap of faith to new experiences and opening horizons, which could be capitalized at the workplace and at the business environment -- The research was exploratory and qualitative in nature -- Data was collected through interviews and the sample was convenience, focusing on high ranked academics and university managers using an open-ended interview format -- Interviewees were asked about their travelling experiences and their interaction with different cultures and if they perceived that a person who travels can become better leader -- This research paper concentrates on two main variables as the cornerstones, which are leadership and culture -- In the findings and discussion sections, this research paper illustrates that people that has more interaction with culture is a better leader