In the globalized labor market, skills gaps between industry expectations and university preparation are becoming more prevalent. English communication skills (ECS) are vital soft skills in all workplaces, particularly in international business, where English is commonly used as a lingua franca. This case study examined the nexus between academia…

This dissertation project explores the research question of whether or not legislators in democracies act on their own genuine pro-trade preferences. For several decades, the International Political Economy literature has been dominated by an assumption that legislators, particularly in democracies, are merely conduits for the preferences of…

This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the short-term study abroad (STSA) parameters that have been investigated in existing literature. The current literature on STSA is fragmented and spread across multiple disciplines in both academic and practitioner journals; consequently, it is not well organized. At the same time, STSA is one of…

Structural changes to labor demand can have lasting consequences on the employment and earnings of workers in affected industries and geographies. However, individuals coming of age may avoid similar fates if they internalize salient changes to the returns to education and adjust their human capital investments. This paper studies the effects of…

Over the past decade, the OECD has gradually shifted its governing mechanism from promoting 'best practices' based on comparative data on pupils' cognitive skills to actively advocating for individual and collective well-being as an "alternative" and "ideal future." This article focuses on the OECD's use of 'techno-scientific…

This article discusses interdisciplinary approaches to help students overcome communication barriers by integrating performing arts in Business Communication courses. Companies emphasize a workforce with solid soft skills to succeed. International Business employs English; thus, practical communication skills in English provide access to jobs in…

This PRISMA-guided systematic review explores the development of intercultural communication competence (ICC) in English majors in Jingdezhen, China, for sectors such as tourism, cultural marketing, and ceramic translation. The study adopts the methodology of a systematic literature review, analyzing 22 papers between 2014 and 2024. The review…

Innovations in teaching and collaboration between businesses and universities can lead to improved learning outcomes and various benefits in international business (IB) practice. The Triple Helix Model (THM), incorporating government involvement, serves as a fundamental framework for this collaboration. This research, grounded in the THM and…

Commodore Perry and his "Black Ships" opened Japanese harbors for foreign shipping in 1853 and 1854. Music was important for this Japan Expedition that obtained a treaty between the United States and Japan. Bands and singers performed music for parades, impressive ceremonies, religious services, and entertainment for the sailors and…

I combine micro-level data and structural models to study the interaction between trade, innovation, and human capital. In the first chapter, I examine how China's expansion of college education since 1999 affects innovation and exports' skill content. This policy change is interesting because of its sizable scale: the annual quota on the number…

The purpose of this study is to examine the linguistic and non-linguistic goals of the Southeast Asian languages (SEAL) policy in Taiwan. It was proposed by former President Ma Ying-jeou's administration to develop grades 1-12 students' multilingual awareness, for there has been an increasingly significant presence of second-generation Southeast…

In this paper, we explore the complicity of writing centers in the Global North in global neocolonialism despite its resounding rejection within Western writing center scholarship, in which Romeo García contends that writing tutors can be "decolonial agents." We show that higher education is used by governments in the Global North as a…

After thirty years of rapid development, China has become the second largest economy in the world. In order to strengthen economic cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road and assume more responsibilities as a major power, China has put forward the Belt and Road Initiative, which puts great pressure on the demand for Business English…

The "community of inquiry" framework examines the interplay between four kinds of presence (teaching, cognitive, social, and learner) to promote effective learning in online education. This paper investigates the impact of "instructor participation" ("IP"), a key component of "teaching presence," on student…

Purpose: The Australian Government has long used its international scholarship programs as an instrument of soft power in international diplomacy. The paper examines an international scholarship program and its role in Australia's soft power efforts during a period in recent history. Design/methodology/approach: The Australia in the Asian Century…