Study Abroad
BUS-M 355 Sales for Social Impact
with spring break on-site project in Guatemala
The Course
Sales for Social Impact (BUS-M 355) is a three-credit hour, multi-disciplinary collaboration to develop sustainable solutions and business models for challenging global social issues, with support from 3M Corporation. The course includes an on-site project in Quetzaltenego, Guatemala over spring break (March 9-17, 2013) where students will assist entrepreneurs with business plans they have developed in class. The course can be used as an elective toward the Marketing major, the Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation major, and can be applied to the International Dimension Requirement for students on the 1996 degree. The course is open to admitted Kelley students with sophomore status or higher. Enrollment is limited to 20 students. Knowledge of the Spanish language is not required.
In the course, students will work in teams of three to five individuals. The teams will develop a marketing/distribution/sales plan to assist entrepreneurs who operate small independent pharmacies in western Guatemala. Their products are essential for the health and well-being of the population. The objective will be to improve the marketing and profitability of their operations, so that they will become sustainable business enterprises. All students in the course will travel together to Guatemala over spring break, where they will meet with the entrepreneurs in order to better understand the market and the existing sales organization and process.
Keep in mind that the on-site project in Guatemala is an academic, service-learning component of your overall course grade. Students will be expected to behave and dress in a professional manner throughout the trip. Participation and conduct will be part of the course grade.
Program Costs
The $1,500 program fee will cover airfare, travel to/from airport, lodging, most meals on-site, excursions and travel insurance. Students will be responsible for meals in transit and any other purchases they wish to make on the trip. Students should budget approximately $20 per day. In addition, students are responsible for pre-trip expenses such as passports, immunizations and medications, if necessary. Students enrolling in BUS-M 355 will have to submit the required acceptance forms and thus commit to the financial obligations of the course. A non-refundable $500 deposit will be charged to the student’s bursar account thereafter. The balance of $1,000 will be charged to the student’s bursar account on December 17. There is an opportunity for students to receive financial support to offset the cost of this program.
1. The Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) is offering U.S. citizens who have completed the FAFSA $500 scholarships to defray the cost of this course. Interested students should email the completed CIBER scholarship form by Monday, December 10 at 4:30 pm.
For more information, please contact Tia Trueblood at tiatrueb [at] indiana [dot] edu. A photo album of last year’s program can be found on the Kelley School Study Abroad Facebook page.
