Meet Shyamala Sethuram, Assistant Professor of International Business at the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, The City University of New York. Professor Sethuram holds a PhD in management–international business from Rutgers University. She received an MA in international economics and finance from Brandeis University, and a BBA from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University.
Read the Q&A below to learn more about trends in the International Business field (IB), Professor Shyamala’s research, as well as advice that she has for current IB students and alumni.
Can you tell us more about your journey into International Business?
My interest in international business (IB) comes from moving around a lot growing up. I studied in a few different cities in India and in Tokyo in schools affiliated to different religions. I was also in Beppu in Japan for my undergraduate program before coming to the US. The cultural, economic, and technological differences got me fascinated with international trade and macroeconomics, and after my master’s program I got even more interested in exploring international business. I worked on international trade consulting projects and doing economic research for a fin-tech real estate investment startup firm before pursuing a doctoral program in IB.
What has your teaching experience at Baruch been like?
I really enjoy teaching at Baruch. All the students have very unique backgrounds and have lived all over the world. As such, there’s always a lot for me to learn from them as well. Baruch students are a unique blend of working hard and enjoying themselves, very mature and ambitious. This makes the time in classes very interesting and fulfilling. I’ve always noticed that there is a culture of everyone wanting to help each other. This makes connections with peers, alumni, and faculty an invaluable resource to take with you even after you graduate.
What are some of the most significant trends you see emerging in the International Business field today and how do you think they are reshaping this field?
There are several trends shaping the field today. Technology is one that has always been important and is now further evolving with digitalization and AI. The emphasis on sustainability is also critical, and we are seeing climate related incidents all over the world impacting people and firms (such as the most recent LA fires). Demographic changes, constantly evolving geopolitical relations, and growth opportunities in emerging markets are also important to consider, among other trends. Many industries such as the auto industry are rapidly transforming, with many startups also reshaping the field. Playing into tech as well, it is also more apparent how reliant we are on critical minerals and technologies found in some parts of the world, as seen from the politics around semiconductors, for example. Post pandemic and with instances such as wars, supply chain bottlenecks are more noticeable with firms responding in many ways including reshoring. Remote-work opportunities are also reshaping globalization.
What is the best way for us to understand cultural nuances to the best of our ability before going to a country for work/education?
Cultural nuances can’t be learned just from books; they can more easily be appreciated from our direct observations or interactions with people. We are fortunate to be at Baruch and in New York, surrounded by people from all over the world. The best way to learn about a culture or country is to start by asking the people around you about their experiences in that country. Try to explore the culture from within New York, and to learn the language. It’s important to consciously step outside your comfort zone, and to get past some mistakes without getting tripped up.
As an educator, what skills and knowledge do you believe that IB students must hold in this rapidly changing business environment that we talked about?
Flexibility is crucial in this field. Keep in mind that nothing is ever constant. As an IB student, you will be integrating knowledge from across the world and dealing with so much information. As such, you have to be more broadminded and flexible with how you approach things. Again, remember to step outside your comfort zone and think from another person’s perspective, especially when it’s hard to do so.
What is one piece of advice you wish you had received when you first started IB?
Not so much advice but more encouragement…I’d have liked to hear the fact that IB is such an exciting field and that you are not at all limited in scope in terms of what you can study or do. You can connect anything to IB! If someone had framed it this way, I think I’d have been more interested in IB sooner.
Because of that reason, IB can be daunting for a lot of people. How do you figure out your niche in this broad field?
As you are studying different topics in IB or reading different news, try to focus and notice when you find yourself reading some things for pleasure rather than because it is required for a class. Try to be mindful about the topics that excite you. Also, whatever it is that you decide to work on, my advice would be to try to enjoy your work to the point that it does not feel like work. Additionally, reading international news from platforms such as the Economist will allow you to keep up to date with the IB trends that are constantly evolving.
What is one of the most surprising findings for you in International Business?
When I first started exploring international business, I noticed that most research, teaching, and textbooks focus on firms’ global expansion strategies, including FDI and other entry modes. However, there is considerably less focus on the flipside of it, on what people and companies should do when they want to exit a foreign market and divest businesses. The notion of exit merely implying undesired failure has evolved, with more of a view of strategically planning for this. A lot of my research focuses on foreign divestment, and I’ve also been interested in venture capital investment strategies globally. Since the venture capital model came out of the US, another surprising finding for me is how it applies to other countries, especially emerging markets, with implications for how patient investors are with entrepreneurs, syndication, and other strategies.