International Company Research: Cummins Inc

Based on your research you conducted in Module 2, choose one item as your final project. Please note that you do not need to pay for anything (conferences, study abroad, etc.) in order to complete this assignment. There are plenty of things out there that you can do for this project that are free and local. Please do not let the illusion of cost keep you from completing this assignment. There are three different options with instructions below. Be certain to read the proper instructions and avoid getting them mixed up. For each of the options below, it would be a good idea to bring a copy of the questions with you to make sure they all get answered. (I chose option #3).
Of the three international companies you researched, choose one to research further. Connect with someone within the company who closely works with the international sector of the business. The higher up you go the better (manager, executive director, VP, etc.) as you will be able to get a broader understanding of the role. Conduct an interview of this individual (can serve in any role as long as it is an international role) using the questions below and then summarize the interview in a 3-5 page APA formatted paper.
For this option, you can use resources such as Linked-In, your own network of people in the workforce (parents, aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters) or Google to get contact information for the individual you are targeting. Be sure you are courteous, professional, and respectful of their time. It is important to "do your homework" on the interviewee and company to make sure you know their background. Linked-In is a great resource to learn about a person's career. This option will be a rewarding experience to have an opportunity to interact with a professional and build your network. You may want to have a secondary option in case you are unable to schedule a suitable candidate for your interview.
Interview Questions: (you can certainly add to this list as time permits, but these questions MUST be asked for the interview)
Name of interviewee, title, years with company, years in current position, how got to position (education, work experience, etc.)
Please give me a brief description of your job. (What exactly do you do for this company?)
How many different countries are you responsible for dealing with on a regular basis?
Describe some global issues that you face in this position?
Would you say that conducting business on a global level is difficult, easy, or a combination?
How many different global markets are you responsible for?
How do you differentiate between all of your global markets in terms of marketing strategies?
Do you travel internationally for this position? If so how often? Describe your first international experience with this company.
What is your favorite thing about your current position? Least favorite?
What advice would you give to someone looking to hold a position like yours for a similar company?
Summarize this interview (essay style) into a 3-5 page APA style format paper complete with separate cover page and references and include the answers to the following questions below in your paper. Please note that your cover and reference pages do not count towards your page count.
Based on your interview, what is your view of the company your chose? Explain.
What new information did you learn about working for an international company?
What new information did you learn about conducting international business?
What was the most interesting thing you learned from your interviewee?
Based on this interview, would you want to pursue a career in international business or perhaps even start your own international company?
How do you feel this experience will help you become a global citizen?
Did this experience change what you thought about international business?
What more would you like to learn about this particular experience or international business in general?
Based on this experience, could you work for a global company as an expatriate? Why or why not?
What are your final thoughts about your experience and what advice would you give to someone thinking of working in international business?