The following pages introduce the VIBu (Virtual Teams in International Business) training environment. VIBu has been developed in collaboration with Turku School of Economics, Finland and Johannes Kepler University (Linz, Austria).

The training is based on experiential learning exercises (simulation gaming) during which you together with your team will make decisions and analyse the results of these decisions. The learning topics are, for example:

   (a) the importance of communication in successful collaboration;
   (b) cultural differences and their importance in a decision-making environment;
   (c) the basics of steering a materials process in a manufacturing organization;

As you need to cooperate with both your team members and the other teams from other cultures, you become aware of cultural differences especially in communication, leadership, and power structures.

There are 3 to 5 participants in each of the companies. The companies are either manufacturers of a product called BioCounter, or then the companies are suppliers (sub-producers) for the BioCounter producers. In the training setting there are 2-3 suppliers and 5-6 BioCounter manufacturers.

To enter the Introduction, please click here.